Review: Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

Title: Seeker
Author: Arwen Elys Dayton
Source/Format: Won, Hardcover
More Details: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, February 10th 2015

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’. Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin's new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her...

There will be no spoilers or much of a review. These are just my thoughts about why I’m DNFing this book.

Seeker…oh boy…this book…*sigh*. Ok, so I admit that the synopsis for this book got me. This book seemed like something I would like—really it did. Thus I can’t really say much on this book because I didn’t get very far into it. This book failed to grab me. It didn’t get my attention for more than a few short-lived moments, because honestly, I kept setting it aside. It took me so long to get through the first chapter, and then from there I just kept putting it down. It was to the point where I let it sit on my shelf for weeks without trying to read more. From the first few pages I was bored; I wasn’t interested in the world or the characters. And the opening scene was just ok—but it just wasn’t enough—and as soon as the romance came crawling out of nowhere, and the explanation for it, my interest just…vanished in a puff of smoke. Will I try to read Seeker again? Right now my answer is no. Basically, this book just wasn’t for me.

Release Day Blitz, Interview & Giveaway: Awakening by Shannon Duffy

Today, I'm excited to be taking part in the Release Day Blitz for Shannon Duffy's Awakening.  Before we get to the giveaway at the bottom of the post, read more about the book.

Awakening by Shannon Duffy  release April 7, 2015 from Entangled Teen.

Summary from Goodreads...

Desiree Six (because she was born on a Friday) believes in everything the Protectorate stands for. She likes the safety and security of having her entire life planned out—her career, her mate, even the date of her death. She doesn't even think to question when Darien, her childhood friend and neighbor, is convicted of murdering his parents. They had seemed like such a loving family. But if he was convicted, then he must have done it. Then Darien shows up in her room late one night. He has escaped from the Terrorscape—a nightmare machine used to punish all Noncompliants—and needs Desiree's help. What he tells her rocks her world to its core and makes her doubt everything she's ever been told. With this new information, will Desiree and Darien be able to escape the Protectorate before it's too late?

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What inspired you to write your first book? 

Definitely my son Gabriel. I wanted to write a story for him that he would love and one where he got to be the hero of the story. 

Do you have a specific writing style? 

I’m sort of between a planner and a pantser. I like to do a rough outline and then think it through in my head like a movie, jotting notes as I go. And then when I’m in the writing process I need quiet. Oh, and lots of coffee. 

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? 

Yes, it was my high school English teacher Mr. Rowsell. He definitely had a huge impact on me. I really took an interest in creative writing and wanted to impress him. When he read some of my things aloud in class, I was hooked. He was an amazing teacher and influence on me. 

Do you have any advice for other writers? 

Read a lot, make other writer friends who you can exchange your work with, and don’t give up if it’s something you really love. 

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

Thank you sooo much for reading my story and I really hope you enjoyed it! Readers are the best kinds of people, aren’t they? 

What genre do you consider your book(s)? 

Sci-fi and dystopian mix I would say. 

And finally, while you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters? 

I always try to put myself straight into the character’s heads. I need to feel what they’re feeling to try to make my words feel authentic.

About the Author...

Author of MG and YA books full of adventure. I grew up on the east coast of Canada in the province of Newfoundland and now live in Ontario. I love writing, reading, fashion, fitness, and traveling.

   

And now for the giveaway.  Below you can enter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card + Swag. Sounds like an awesome prize, right?  Well, go forth and enter!

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Book Blitz Organized by:

The Friday 56 (23)

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

"She heaved on a second log and sat back, not without a nervous look or so behind her, where blue-purple light from the fire was dancing over the polished brown bone of the skull."--Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

What's on your page 56 this week?

Move, Book, or Both: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

So there's an occasional thing we like to do on Our Thoughts Precisely. We'll see a movie and then read the book after to see if there are any differences, if it's more detailed, and whatnot. All to see if we like the Movie, the Book, or Both.

Title: Howl's Moving Castle 
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Source/Format: Purchased, Paperback
More Details: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Publisher/Publication Date: Greenwillow Books, April 22, 2008 (First published 1986)

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Summary from Goodreads...

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye...

I first learned about Howl’s Moving Castle when I saw the movie, and since then I’ve been curious about the book. So, recently I went out and purchased it. I can see the story and how it was adapted to the movie, but I also clearly saw the differences between the two. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the book. In fact, I have to say that I loved it. It was the kind of book that literally kept me up until three in the morning because I just had to finished it.

Going into this book I knew that there were going to be some differences, but I have to say that it didn’t bother me at all. The basic concept is about the same. The story follows Sophie Hatter after her unfortunate meeting with the Witch of the Waste and what happens after that. She runs into Calcifer, Howl, and Michael when she enters the castle uninvited. The novel certainly delved more into Howl's past, and what his family was like.  The extra details were certainly a nice addition.  Characters like Howl's apprentice, Michael, and Sophie's sisters—Lettie and Martha—played other roles in the book. I felt like they were more involved with parts of the story dedicated to exploring their personalities a little more.  Some of the events were different and you really have to pay attention to what’s going on otherwise you might overlook it—I almost overlooked it, but thankfully I caught the details.

The setting was pretty similar to the movie, give or take a few details.  The plot did have some major differences and I really enjoyed seeing how the story played out in the novel.  Another aspect that I liked was the fact that a few details were given further explanationss, giving some clarity to their meaning. So while there were clear differences between the book and the movie, I loved both of them. Would I recommend the novel? Totally. And the Movie? Yep. This is the first in the trilogy and I have to say that I would definitely like to get the other two at some point in time, because I'm curious to see what happens to Sophie, Howl, and Calcifer after the end of Howl's Moving Castle.

Trimonthly Recap: January-March

Welcome the first trimonthly recap on Our Thoughts Precisely. I figured that instead of doing a recap each month that I would do one at the end of a three month increment. This is just a place to recap reviews and various types of posts. I'm going to start with reviews...

January Reviews:

• Until Midnight by Melissa Landers
• Doctor Who: Silhouette by Justin Richards
• Video Game Storytelling by Evan Skolnick
• The Unbound by Victoria Schwab

February Reviews:

• Lucidity by Stephanie Thomas
• The Keep by Veronica Wolff
• Hover by Melissa West
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

March Reviews:

• Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham
• A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
• Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks

Beginning with January, I listed my 2015 Blogger Resolutions, created a Book Tag, and participated in the cover reveal for Maybe Me by Amber Hart. 

Moving right along to February I participated in the Would You Rather Book Tag, took part in an excerpt reveal for Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott, did a Book Haul, and a post for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. 

And finally in March, on the fifteenth Our Thoughts Precisely turned 2 and I updated the design. I wrote a discussion post on the importance of taking a break, and participated in two cover reveals: Balance Keepers: The Pillars of Ponderay by Lindsay Cummings & Dragons Are People, Too by Sarah Nicolas.

I would like to get more nonfiction in the next couple of months (I recently finished one and started another), so if you have any suggestions leave them in the comments.  On another note, I want to look for more Book Tags to participate in since they're fun to do. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!

Musing Mondays (25)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB(Jenn) at A Daily Rhythm, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My Musings for the Week...

This week I'm going to be reading John Shaw's Guide to Digital Nature Photography by John Shaw.  This book is considerably shorter than the Space Exploration book I finished reading over the weekend, and I have to say that I'm pretty excited about this one. So, what are you reading this week?  If you want, tell me in the comments below.

ARC Review: Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham

Title: Scarlett Undercover
Author: Jennifer Latham
Source/Format: The NOVL Newsletter (Publisher), Paperback ARC
More Details: Young Adult, Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Little Brown, May 19, 2015

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Summary from Goodreads...

Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic, kick-butt, Muslim American heroine, ready to take on crime in her hometown of Las Almas. When a new case finds the private eye caught up in a centuries-old battle of evil genies and ancient curses, Scarlett discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks -- and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father's murder...

When I signed up for this book I knew very little about it but the synopsis certainly got my attention. Not just because of the main character but also because of the mystery aspect—it just sounded like something I would enjoy. So as you can guess I was pretty excited to dive into this book and I have to say that I loved it! I literally read this book within a few hours.  It was the kind of book that I found hard to put down, and that's a good thing.  Because I was invested in the story, I wanted to see what happened next and what the characters would do about it.

The beginning of Scarlett Undercover instantaneously grabbed my attention, and I immediately knew that the seemingly simple case was going to end up being much more complicated. And wow, let me tell you, things got complicated real fast. Scarlett finds herself completely embroiled in the case, and I liked how she approached it head-on—even if she broke a few rules here and there.

As far as Scarlett goes, well, she was the perfect main character for this type of novel. She was smart, dedicated, and she cared about her sister, Reem. Basically, she was strong in her own way. I liked how Latham incorporated their faith into the novel, and built up the characters around past events that affected them in the present. Deck (Decker), well, all I have to say about him is that I liked his relationship with Scarlett—it was easy to see that he genuinely cared about her—and even though their relationship was already developed at the start of the story, it was easy to see their connection by the way they interacted with one another. The secondary characters had their own places in the story.  I liked seeing how their paths crossed with Scarlett's and how their respective roles ultimately influenced some of the events in the book.

And the plot—literally from page one I was sucked into this story. I wanted to know more about Gemma, her brother, and the circumstances surrounding her situation that eventually led her to Scarlett. Needless to say there was plenty of suspense, action, and mystery that ultimately made this a page-turner for me. And the end…well I did not see it coming. I like it when a story can keep me guessing and that twist near the end was just...wow. There was a lot of deception involved that just blindsided me when it was finally revealed.

At the end of the day, Scarlett Undercover had a mix of interesting elements that ultimately came together to form a fantastic story set against the gritty backdrop of Las Almas.

This galley of the book was provided by The NOVL (newsletter/publisher) for this review, thank you!

Musing Mondays (24)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB(Jenn) at A Daily Rhythm, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My Musings for the Week...

Usually when I think about book to movie adaptations the first ones that come to mind are the more recent ones like The Maze Runner, Harry Potter, and so on. Here’s a very short list of some of my favorite ones…

**I have not read all of the books that go along with the movies**

• Matilda
• Howl’s Moving Castle
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, & The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
• Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, & The Return of the King
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, & The Battle of the Five Armies
• How to Train Your Dragon

What are some of your other favorite book to movie adaptations?

The Friday 56 (22)

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

"Meg said, "Ok, Charles, I don't doubt your dragons any more.""--A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'engle




What's on your page 56 this week? 

Review: A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle

Title: A Wind in the Door 
Author: Madeleine L'Engle

Souce/Format: Won, Paperback

More Details: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Publisher/Publication Date: Square Fish, May 1, 2007 (first published 1973)

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Summary from Goodreads...

It is November. When Meg comes home from school, Charles Wallace tells her he saw dragons in the twin’s vegetable garden. That night Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace go to the vegetable garden to meet the Teacher (Blajeny) who explains that what they are seeing isn’t a dragon at all, but a cherubim named Proginoskes. It turns out that C.W. is ill and that Blajeny and Proginoskes are there to make him well – by making him well, they will keep the balance of the universe in check and save it from the evil Echthros...

So I dived into A Wind in the Door knowing that I loved the previous novel, A Wrinkle in Time—my expectations were a little high because of this. And thankfully, I enjoyed this book as much as the first one.

Most of the characters from the previous book were back, and I enjoyed their relationships with one another. Meg was a great older sister, she cared about Charles Wallace and went to certain lengths as she tried to help and protect him. Calvin was about the same—caring and supportive—so there isn’t much to say about him. But I really enjoyed how they interacted with one another.

Once again I was impressed by Madeleine L’Engle’s use of science combined with fantasy. The elements played a large role in what happened to Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin. as was true with the previous story the beginning was a little slow, but it didn’t bother me enough to make me put the book down. In fact, I liked the gradual build up that the plot followed before the exact details of what was really happening was revealed. Just like in A Wrinkle in Time I really enjoyed the setting. It begins in the small town but ends up entirely different for a good portion of the second half of the book. As always, the setting paired nicely with the plot, and the writing was nice and descriptive. Needless to say, I look forward to reading A Swiftly Tilting Planet to see what happens next.

Musing Mondays (23)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB(Jenn) at A Daily Rhythm, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My Musings for the Week...

This week I'm going to start the The Dragon King by Nils Johnson-Shelton. This book released on December 31, 2013, and I look forward to seeing how this trilogy ends.

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Summary from Goodreads...

Artie Kingfisher, his sister, Kay, and the New Knights of the Round Table have finally reached the legendary isle of Avalon. But before Artie can take his place as King Arthur reborn, he must recover nothing less than the mythical Holy Grail. And as the greatest battle of his life looms, Artie finds himself facing off against the one person he never dreamed he'd be fighting...
Random weekly question: How often do you use your local library? Are you happy with their availability?

I don't really use the library in my new area so I can't comment on the availability of the books they have.

What are you reading this week?

Our Thoughts Precisely is turning 2!

I’m just going to jump right into this. Our Thoughts Precisely started on March 15, 2013 so today officially makes the blog two years old. Hooray! We don’t have anything planned for today except for the new header which should be up some time today, but other than that, yeah, the blog turned two. As for the design of the blog, not everything is changing—some things sooner than others, other designs won’t be changing at all.

Other places where you can find us online…

• Tumblr
• Pinterest
• Twitter
• Goodreads (Andrea)
• And…uh, another Goodreads (Breana) 

So yeah, that’s basically it. Thank you to the readers that have stuck around with us these past two years, and we look forward to having another great year. Happy reading!