Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass
Author: Myra McEntire
Source/Format: Purchased; ebook
More Details: Young Adult; Science Fiction
Publisher/Publication Date: Egmont USA; June 14, 2011

Goodreads    

Synopsis from Goodreads...

One hour to rewrite the past…

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should've happened?

The synopsis says “One hour to rewrite the past…” and that pretty much sums up the point of the book in one perfect six word sentence. Let me get into that a bit…

Recently, I was in the mood for something more paranormal than fantasy, which is why I picked up Hourglass by Myra McEntire. What I got was a hefty dose of time travel and related theories. This book leaned more towards science fiction, and that was perfectly fine even if that wasn’t what I was exactly looking for. Don’t get me wrong though, the book wasn’t a bad one. In fact, I actually really liked it.

Emerson Cole was a pretty strong narrator. The book was written in first person, thus it was her story. I liked the descriptions and the dialogue between the characters. For the most part, I liked Emerson as a character, even when Michael Weaver showed up on the scene. I didn’t mind his character for the most part; however, I have one complaint. From there, the middle section of story kind of turned into this sort of tug-a-war thing between Michael and Emerson. One pet peeve of mine is when characters withhold vital information for reasons just…well, because. It’s vital for a reason! And that same sort of situation temporarily popped up in Hourglass. However, Hourglass has some really neat twists going for it, ones that I wasn’t expecting, and that’s good writing in my book. What happened wasn’t what I thought would go down, and the last handful of chapters were, in my opinion, the best part of Hourglass.

The setting wasn’t really anything different. It had a small town vibe to it, but it was interesting how McEntire used it to develop the abilities of the characters and set up plausible situations where these things could happen. All in all, a very interesting take on time travel.

Hourglass was a very good opening to the series. Currently, I don’t have any more of the books, but I would be interested in other works by Myra McEntire.

ARC Review: Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

Title: Cloudwish
Author: Fiona Wood
Source/Format: The NOVL; Paperback ARC
More Details: Young Adult; Contemporary
Publisher/Publication Date: Poppy; October 18, 2016

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

For Vân Uoc, fantasies fall into two categories: nourishing or pointless. Daydreaming about attending her own art opening? Nourishing. Daydreaming about Billy Gardiner, star of the rowing team who doesn't even know she's alive? Pointless. So Vân Uoc tries to stick to her reality--keeping a low profile as a scholarship student at her prestigious Melbourne private school, managing her mother's PTSD from a traumatic emigration from Vietnam, and admiring Billy from afar. Until she makes a wish that inexplicably--possibly magically--comes true. Billy actually notices her. In fact, he seems to genuinely like her. But as they try to fit each other into their very different lives, Vân Uoc can't help but wonder why Billy has suddenly fallen for her. Is it the magic of first love, or is it magic from a well-timed wish that will eventually, inevitably, come to an end?

After reading the synopsis for Cloudwish by Fiona Wood, I decided to give it a fair chance. I read it, and it was an okay read. This book certainly had its strengths and weakness—elements that I liked, and others that were just sort of meh. So, yeah, I had some mixed feelings about it.

Cloudwish was about Vân Uoc and how she makes a wish for her crush to notice her. Sounds fine, right? Well, the idea itself wasn’t bad, and there were so many ways that kind of concept could have gone. And, for the most part, the plot was okay. The story wasn’t bad. The writing was fine and the pacing was good, but I did have some problems with it.

One thing I didn’t like was Billy Gardiner’s character. The way he behaved just sort of left a bad taste in my mouth, and at some points I wondered what it was about him that Vân Uoc found so appealing. He was described as being something along the lines of model-worthy handsome, an outstanding athlete, and smart. But he was also kind of a jerk. There was character growth, but in my eyes, it didn’t really redeem him much. There were also some parts that seemed a little stereotypical in terms of expectations and family/home life for Vân Uoc.

What I did like was Vân Uoc’s skepticism about Billy’s sudden attention. There was something refreshing about seeing her resist his advances—especially when they were otherwise without good reason—rather than just give in and accept her sudden unexplained stroke of luck. There wasn’t much of a magical aspect to it, but I did like the wish part. It was simple, nothing flashy about it, but still nice. Plus, Vân Uoc’s friends were interesting, and I especially enjoyed the scenes when they were present.

So, Cloudwish wasn't all bad. I haven’t read anything else by Fiona Wood so there is a possibility that I would consider giving another one of her novels a try, only if it seems like something of interest to me.

This copy of the book was provided by The Novl (Newsletter; Publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

Fiona Wood is the author of young adult novels, Six Impossible Things and Wildlife. Her third book,Cloudwish, will be published in the US in October. Before writing YA fiction, Fiona worked as a television scriptwriter for twelve years, writing everything from soap, and one-hour adult drama, to children’s drama. Prior to this she dropped out of law and completed an arts degree, both at Melbourne University, worked in marketing and in arts management, did some freelance journalism, and studied screenwriting at RMIT. She has served as a judge for the AWGIE Awards (Australian Writers’ Guild) and is an ambassador for The Stella Prize Schools Program. She has two YA children, and lives in Melbourne with her husband...

The Friday 56 (79) Grand Forks by Marilyn Hagerty

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

Synopsis from Goodreads...

A legendary 86-year-old food critic brings together a collection of the best down-home, no-nonsense restaurant reviews-from Red Lobster to Le Bernadin-culled from her fifty year career...

Writing for her local North Dakota newspaper, the Grand Forks Herald since 1957, Marilyn Hagerty went from obscurity to overnight sensation in 2012 when her earnest, admiring review of a local Olive Garden went viral. Among the denizens of the food world-obsessive gastronomes who celebrate Alice Waters and Michael Pollan, revere all things artisanal, and have made kale salad a staple on upscale urban menus-Hagerty's review ignited a fiery debate over the state of American culture. Anthony Bourdain defended Hagerty as an authentic voice of the larger American culture-one that is not dictated by the biases of the food snobbery that define the coasts. In this refreshing, unpretentious collection that includes more than 200 reviews culled from a voluminous archive spanning over fifty years, Hagerty reveals how most Americans experience the pleasure of eating out...

"It's different, all right. It's alive."--Grand Forks by Marilyn Hagerty

Comments: When I fist saw Grand Forks, I thought it would be kind of interesting to read.I like how its just a collection of various restaurant reviews. I started this book earlier in the week and finished it yesterday afternoon. It was pretty great.

What are you reading this week?

Review: Burning Emerald by Jamie Reed

Title: Burning Emerald
Author: Jamie Reed
Source/Format: Purchased; Paperback
More Details: Young Adult; Paranormal
Publisher/Publication Date: Dafina; May 29, 2012

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Dating the most popular guy in school is every girl's fantasy. But to Samara Marshall, he's a dangerous force come to rekindle their tangled past. Only it's not her past. Samara faces a challenging senior year. Controlling her inner demon is a struggle, even with help from her Cambion boyfriend, Caleb. But her life takes a turn for the worse when the hottest jock in school begins pursuing her--especially since Malik's anything but what he seems. They share a connection from a forgotten past--a secret that could destroy her and Caleb. As the attraction becomes harder to resist, Samara is now at the mercy of the demon within her. To break free, Sam must fight a battle where she is the enemy and the prize...and victory will come at a deadly price...

The Cambion Chronicles is one of my all-time favorite paranormal series, yet, oddly enough, I never got around to getting the second book. However, all that has changed. I have finally read the second book, Burning Emerald, and I’ve been thoroughly reminded why I love this series so much.

The plot picks up after the end of Living Violet, and Samara must deal with the drastic changes in her life. Really, Burning Emerald had a lot going for it, with character and story development that I initially missed. This is just one of those series that kind of requires a full read, or else pieces will be missing. So even though I loved the third book, reading Burning Emerald added a lot of context and clarity to what ultimately ended up happening. So, if you ever read this series, don’t do like I did. Don’t skip the second book; go straight through from start to finish.

Also, the writing in this series is just one of my favorite styles. Reed knows what she’s doing, and expertly applied her skills where they were necessary. Samara’s perspective was unique, to say the least.

Reed knows how to write and develop characters. I think that’s one of the reasons why I keep coming back to this series. Samara Marshall is one of my favorite characters for a number of reasons—her resilience, personality, and individuality. Plus, her relationship with her boyfriend, Caleb, is just awesome. I loved their individual moments, but I also enjoyed the scenes they shared together. Samara’s friends and parents were my favorites of the secondary characters. I especially loved how involved Samara’s parents were in her life.

Burning Emerald answered a lot of questions for me, and I am glad that I finally got a copy. After all, finishing The Cambion Chronicles was long overdue on my end.

Musing Mondays (63) Where Do You Buy Books?

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My musings for the week...

Random Weekly Question: What is your worst habit as a reader?

I have never actually thought about this before. I mean, what defines  a bad reading habit anyway? I guess, for example, my post on common/uncommon fictional hobbies. So, going along those lines, habits considered to be bad or good is totally subjective and dependent on the person being asked.

I guess, my worst habit would be that I dog ear the pages of my books. However, that's not actually a bad thing. I've noticed that the more dog eared pages = how much I've liked and enjoyed a certain book. Basically, I bookmark all my favorite scenes.

Other musings...

I took an impromptu beak last week. Well, I’m back, and oh man, it’s officially October. Only 28 days left until Halloween, hooray. Sorry, I do love summer, but I also love Halloween stuff too. Plus, the weather is finally starting to cool down a bit, which is great. So, goodbye summer, see you next year!

Anyway, to start out this week, I want to talk about where I get the books that I review on Our Thoughts Precisely. This probably won’t be the longest post ever, but I did want to talk about this eventually.

I enter giveaways, so I've won some of the books. I’m not that big on ARCs, and I usually only request the ones I really want. And even then, that’s pretty few and far in between. So, a lot of the books that get reviewed are ones that I already own—purchased before I started blogging, or I just bought them and let them collect dust on my shelf. For that reason, I have been reading a lot of backlist books this year. And it’s been great to finally make a dent in the books I own, but haven’t read. I primarily buy books from Barnes & Noble or the Book Depository. For Barnes & Noble, I like to go to the store, especially when I have a coupon.

Another place I buy books is actually the dollar store. Yes, the dollar store. It’s only recently that I’ve started looking there for some of the older books I want. I’ve found a few that have been on my list for a long time, and the second book of a trilogy I wanted to finish.

This next one is pretty self-explanatory: the library. Alright then, moving on.

I also get books from Blogging For Books. I actually like how they’ve set up the request system. And they’re my go-to place for finding random books that I may have overlooked, never heard of, or are nonfiction.

So, that’s pretty much it. Those are all of the places that I get books from. I do need to get back into going to my local library again. So, that’s what I’m hoping to do this month. So, what are your favorite places to buy books? Or, what are you looking forward to this October?

Musing Mondays (62) What's On My TBR + Obscure Books & Movies

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My musings for the week...

Random Weekly Question: What is currently on your TBR pile?

I don't really have much on my current TBR except for The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson (the edition illustrated by Sanna Annukka). Other than that, the books I want to read haven't been released yet.

Other musings...

Random weekly question from September 12th: What obscure book do you think should be turned into a movie?

This is actually a pretty interesting question. Many of the books I’ve read, I wouldn’t consider them as obscure since they’re fairly well-known. And since I think this question needs a little more space than a short one paragraph answer, I’m going to use it as the theme for my musings this week.

Usually, when I think of book to movie adaptations, I immediately think of the dozens of YA books that have already gotten the movie treatment. For my list today, I want to talk about ones that haven’t been adapted. I also want to include books that I think would make a great TV series/special. So, without further ado, here’s my list…

Founding Myths by Ray Raphael—I picked this one even though its nonfiction. I think it would be great as a history TV series of some kind or a two part special. I do love history and I do like things that delve into the more obscure facts—or even clarify misconceptions about historical facts. Needless to say, if Founding Myths ever got turned into a movie/TV show or special, I would watch it.

The Night Has Teeth by Kat Kruger—I liked a lot of things about The Night Has Teeth. What I really enjoyed about it was Kruger’s take on werewolves plus her choice of setting. The combination had an interesting result that made the book one of my favorites. I also think it would make a great movie.

Scorched by Mari Mancusi—there’s never enough dragons on screen. So, Scorched is definitely one of my picks for this list. It has dragons, enough said.

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky—Like Founding Myths above, I would definitely like to see this one on the screen. However, I think it would be better as a series rather than just one film, so that more time could be dedicated to each scientist and their respective accomplishments.

Kat, Incorrigible series by Stephanie Burgis—Historical setting+magic=yes! This is one of my favorite middle grade series for a reason, and I would love to see it adapted into movies.

Double Vision series by F.T. Bradley—I would love to see this series on screen. This series had humor, action, and junior agents working for a shadowy organization.

What books do you wish were a TV series/special, or movie?

The Friday 56 (78) Hourglass by Myra McEntire

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

Synopsis from Goodreads...

One hour to rewrite the past…

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should've happened?

""Yeah, because that worked out so well. There's no love there, Lily." And for me there probably never would be. No matter how much Dru protested, I didn't think I had any to offer.--Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Comments: I was in the mood for a paranormal novel, and this one seemed pretty interesting. So, I'm giving it a chance. This quote doesn't come from page 56, but I liked it more than the others. I'm not very far in yet, but so far so good...

What are you reading this week?

Review: A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: A Corner of White
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Source/Format: Purchased; ebook
More Details: Young Adult; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Arthur A. Levine Books; April 1, 2013

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

This is a tale of missing persons. Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in a rainy corner of Cambridge (in our world). Elliot, on the other hand, is in search of his father, who disappeared on the night his uncle was found dead. The talk in the town of Bonfire (in the Kingdom of Cello) is that Elliot's dad may have killed his brother and run away with the Physics teacher. But Elliot refuses to believe it. And he is determined to find both his dad and the truth. As Madeleine and Elliot move closer to unraveling their mysteries, they begin to exchange messages across worlds -- through an accidental gap that hasn't appeared in centuries. But even greater mysteries are unfolding on both sides of the gap: dangerous weather phenomena called "color storms;" a strange fascination with Isaac Newton; the myth of the "Butterfly Child," whose appearance could end the droughts of Cello; and some unexpected kisses...

Amidst my marathon of contemporary and nonfiction, I took a break to read something else. A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty caught my attention because it seemed like something I would enjoy. It appeared to have all the right elements—a myth, a mysterious gap, and unexplained disappearances. And despite the sole problem I had with A Corner of White, I really enjoyed this book.

What I really liked best about A Corner of White was the characters, the setting, and the writing. The characters were interesting. Madeleine and her mother were among my favorites. I think Moriarty did a good job depicting the relationship between the two as a realistic connection between mother and daughter. Elliot’s side of the story was just as interesting as Madeleine’s, and I liked how their lives eventually connected. The setting—or should I say settings—were different from one another, and I liked them both. The Kingdom of Cello’s “color storms” were especially interesting.

I’ve read books where the characters and their lives are the main focus of the book, and the same could be said about A Corner of White. The beginning and the middle of the book focuses more on the lives of the characters and the things that happened to them on a daily basis. Stuff does happen—which I was happy about—but not until very late in the book. Thinking back on it now, I can see some vague hints at the main conflict around the middle, but nothing like the end chapters. The last few chapters are what made A Corner of White worth the read—that moment when the conflict that I was searching for finally made an appearance. I have so many unanswered questions. And I’ll be honest, I want to know what’s in store for Madeleine, Elliot, and the rest of the characters. A Corner of White made an impression, so the book did its job. It left me wanting more of this story, the world, and the characters.

The Friday 56 (77) Burning Emerald by Jamie Reed

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

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Dating the most popular guy in school is every girl's fantasy. But to Samara Marshall, he's a dangerous force come to rekindle their tangled past. Only it's not her past. Samara faces a challenging senior year. Controlling her inner demon is a struggle, even with help from her Cambion boyfriend, Caleb. But her life takes a turn for the worse when the hottest jock in school begins pursuing her--especially since Malik's anything but what he seems. They share a connection from a forgotten past--a secret that could destroy her and Caleb. As the attraction becomes harder to resist, Samara is now at the mercy of the demon within her. To break free, Sam must fight a battle where she is the enemy and the prize. . .and victory will come at a deadly price...

"Halloween with the gang was no casual affair and we took our sugar raid to almost militant proportions. Back in the day, Mia, Dougie, and I had been the original A-Team, laying waste to the entire junk food industry one block at a time, leaving devastation and candy wrappers in our wake."--Burning Emerald by Jamie Reed

Comments: The Cambion Chronicles is one of my favorite paranormal series. I had book one and three, but I never got around to the second in the series, until now. What are you reading this week?

ARC Review: The Reader by Traci Chee

Title: The Reader
Author: Traci Chee
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC
More Details: Young Adult; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Putnam; September 13, 2016

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible...

One word folks: more. I want more of this book—this series—this world that Traci Chee has created. I have one reason for that: The Reader was awesome. The synopsis had a lot of promise—a society that was widely illiterate by custom, a mysterious book, a girl out for revenge against those who have wronged her and those she loves. I went into this book with high expectations, and boy does The Reader deliver.

The primary focus of The Reader was Sefia and her journey to get revenge, and unlock the secrets of the book. She had a thirst for information, and strived to understand things that were never taught to her. Part of The Reader focused on her progress and growth as a character. There were other characters that also had narratives just as strong as Sefia’s, and their stories were just as important—I had my favorites and tolerable secondary characters—but for the most part, the characters were one of the strongest aspects of The Reader. There were just so many compelling and layered pieces of the plot that I found myself easily invested in the story!

The story gets started on strong footing. The setting, society, and problems are quick to show their faces—promptly setting up the main conflict. And while the book was long—almost five hundred pages—there was something gripping about the story. I was never bored. There was always something going on with the characters, and their adventures were fun to read about. The story was also pretty balanced with a solid mystery, action, and a hint of romance.

The writing was also good. The prose was descriptive and straight-forward. There were a lot of POVs but it showed different parts of the fictional world, and painted a broader picture of the circumstances, mindsets, and habits of the main characters.  I actually liked reading from so many perspectives because of that. It kept the story going at a good pace and answered questions while raising others—it also gave background to parts of the story.

All-in-all, The Reader was a solid debut. I liked these characters and their story, and the society they were a part of was fascinating. I still have so many questions—I wasn’t ready for the story to be over, but it was—as such, I will definitely continue on with this series.

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

Traci Chee is an author of speculative fiction for teens. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at piano playing, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University. Traci grew up in a small town with more cows than people, and now feels most at home in the mountains, scaling switchbacks and happening upon hidden highland lakes. She lives in California with her fast-fast dog. The Reader is her YA debut...

Musing Mondays (61) Seasonal Books...

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My musings for the week...

Random weekly question from August 29th: Which book do you wish you’d written yourself?

This is a pretty common question, and I'm sure I've asked an author this exact thing at one time or another. However, my answer to this question is none. There isn't a book I wish I'd written myself. They're my favorites for a reason—meaning, I didn't write them. I don't think I would like my favorite books as much if I'd written them myself. So, I enjoyed them for what they were, because they didn't sound like they were coming from my perspective.

Other Musings...

It’s basically the beginning of the holiday season…already. August wasn’t even over before Halloween/fall decorations and seasonal goods with specialty flavors (like candy, tea, and coffee) started appearing in stores/restaurants and so forth. And now that it’s already September. I feel like this year just flew past, but oh well, at least my favorite teas are coming back (I can't rightly complain). So—in conjunction with the stores—to start out this week, I want to talk about seasonal books.

I like the holiday season a lot, not just because of the food either. I always look forward to Halloween because of all the little items. I've already brought two—a pumpkin pillar and an adorable owl in a witch hat from Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores (hello new desk ornaments). But, I also like books that feel like they fit with the season. For example, something spooky for Halloween/October, or wintry for Christmas/December. Hence, seasonal books.

Seasonal books are kind of like the pumpkin spice coffee from Starbucks: specifically themed. However, books stay on store shelves and are more readily accessible, with availability not determined by the time of year. Usually, I’ll consider a book to be seasonal based off of a few things like setting—fall or winter, sometimes both—the subject, and even the characters if they happen to be particularly festively themed.

When I think of seasonal reads that I've already read, Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree, and My True Love Gave to Me is one that I would pair with December (I still need to get that anthology, I've heard marvelous things about it). There are others, but I just don’t know of them yet. So, even though this won’t be a definite goal, I do want to try to get to more of the holiday/season themed books before this year is over.

What are some of your favorite seasonal reads/TV shows/foods/drinks?

Review: Visual Reference Guides Architecture by Jonathan Glancey

Title: Architecture
Author: Jonathan Glancey
Source/Format: Purchased; Paperback
More Details: Nonfiction; Reference; Architecture 
Publisher/Publication Date: Metro Books; March 15, 2010

Goodreads   


Synopsis from Goodreads...

Visual Reference Guides: Architecture, the definitive visual guide, allows you to discover 5,000 years of architectural design, style, and construction, from airports to ziggurats. You'll be able to explore the world's great buildings through amazing illustrations that take you right to the heart of the world's landmark buildings. Look beyond the façades and examine the materials and technology that shape buildings, and identify the key elements and decorative features of each architectural style. It's the perfect addition to any architecture enthusiast's library, whether expert or novice...

When I sat down to give Visual Reference Guides: Architecture a read, I really had no expectations except one: a visual trip around the world and through the ages of architecture. That’s what this book was about, architecture, and how it changed or stayed the same over time, or even fluctuated backwards to a more classical style and forwards to something new.

What this book does is give a small profile on different examples of architecture as well as architects who worked on specific buildings—if the information was available. It’s also divided into clear sections that focused on a specific architectural style that sometimes depended on region/culture/country, and available building materials—everything from Classical Revival to Baroque & Rococo, and even Gothic Revival and Modernism. Some styles had similarities, but others were noticeably different. My favorite types of architecture were found in the sections that discussed Baroque, Rococo, Greecian, Indian, and Southeast Asian styles.

Since this was a visual reference guide, photos made up a lot of the book—there was almost one for every profile, give or take a few. So, there were some blank spots in the information provided, but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. The photos also served as visual examples of the types of architecture being described. Another aspect I liked about this book, was that there were pages dedicated to summaries of information that gave a little history about each style, which was cool since the explanations were handy.

I like architecture in its many forms. Since, after all, it is a part of everyday life and the source of modern convenience and comfort—really handy when it’s over a hundred degrees outside, just saying. So, I really enjoyed this book and the way it highlighted my favorite architectural features as well as those that were new to me. My money was well spent on this one.

The Friday 56 (75) A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

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

Synopsis from Goodreads...

This is a tale of missing persons. Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in a rainy corner of Cambridge (in our world). Elliot, on the other hand, is in search of his father, who disappeared on the night his uncle was found dead. The talk in the town of Bonfire (in the Kingdom of Cello) is that Elliot's dad may have killed his brother and run away with the Physics teacher. But Elliot refuses to believe it. And he is determined to find both his dad and the truth. As Madeleine and Elliot move closer to unraveling their mysteries, they begin to exchange messages across worlds -- through an accidental gap that hasn't appeared in centuries. But even greater mysteries are unfolding on both sides of the gap: dangerous weather phenomena called "color storms;" a strange fascination with Isaac Newton; the myth of the "Butterfly Child," whose appearance could end the droughts of Cello; and some unexpected kisses...

"Today, however, they were at the flat. Madeleine and her mother were side by side on the couch, and Jack and Belle were on kitchen chairs facing them. "--A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty 

Comments: I just started this one today. Its been sitting on my ereader for a very long time, and I'm just now getting around to it. Page 56 didn't have a lot going on. I'm not that far yet, so I wonder how it fits in.

What are you reading this week?

Musing Mondays (60) How My Blogging Has Changed Since Way Back In 2013

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My musings for the week...

Random weekly question from August 22nd: Name a favorite book you’d take to the beach...

When I think of a book I would take to the beach, my first thought would be to pick something short, light, and fun—or even delve into a longer fantasy novel. However, there is one book in particular—because I haven’t read it in a long time—and that’s This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith.

Other Musings...

Usually, for Musing Mondays I talk about something book related, and today's post will still be associated with that and the blog. Specifically, I want to talk about how I’ve changed my method of blogging.  Hang tight, folks, this is going to be long...

When I first started blogging with my co-blogger in 2013, the majority of the posts on Our Thoughts Precisely were reviews or promotional posts. We didn’t participate in any weekly memes or book tags, and we certainly didn’t do interviews. We were new at it and the blog was a work in progress.

For a time, that method worked out pretty well. It was fun. But then, that sort of changed as the first year of blogging turned into a second and then a third. I wanted to do more, and that was a problem. There was only so much I could read in a year, and at the time I was disappointed with what I was reading. I found myself in reading slumps that lasted for weeks. And for long stretches, I couldn’t find the motivation to continue.

Since then, I’ve found a better way to maintain the blog. I’ve read more genres and found some true nonfiction gems. I participate in memes—Musing Mondays and The Friday 56. I took the pressure off myself, and no longer wanted to try and post something—no matter how short—every day of the week. And I no longer try to finish every book. I used to do that, even with ones that I just wasn’t enjoying. I just sort of let that go, and let me tell, it’s so much better that way.

One major thing that changed was the amount of reviews. No longer are they the majority. I limit it to a minimum of three to four in a month, basically once a week—sometimes more—which makes it easier to post regularly. Plus, I made a very loose plan for the week. Usually, posts go up on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Some weeks I’ll even throw something up on Saturday or Sunday. However, I usually like to keep my weekends reserved for other things—Splatoon I’m looking at you—and unless there’s a rare blog tour, release day blitz, or weekend tidbits that needs to go up, I rarely post on those days.

I still don’t keep a set reading goal for the year. Back in January, I did mention books I was looking forward to, but that was just a few and they were mainly sequels. I left room for other books to just catch my interest. I’ve had a monumental amount of fun with backlist titles, and I have read some fantastic debuts like The Reader by Traci Chee. Just don’t expect the review too soon, since I’m going to post it closer to the release date. However, just know that The Reader was a fantastic and complex story, and I want the sequel now.

So yeah, that’s how my blogging has changed. Looking back, 2013 seems like such a long time ago. I appreciate the readers that stop by the blog and the thoughtful comments. And, I have finally left the design of the blog alone. Who knew it would only take changing the header and color scheme a handful of times?

Do you blog? If so, how has it changed for you?