My TBR Shelf

A TBR shelf is a badge of honor for every reader. I don't have a huge collection of TBR books, but I do have enough to fill a shelf! Like every reader, I have a problem with buying books when I already have many unread ones at home. This is my small but mighty TBR shelf, and it is bound to just keep growing!

Although my shelf is small, I have a TBR notebook that is several pages long! I am a libraryaholic, so I get most of my books at the library. I write the name and author of the book, then write by each book what library it can be found at. That way I have an idea of what I am getting at the library!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

REVIEW: Another Kind of Monday by William E. Coles, Jr

Title: Another Kind of Monday

Author: William E. Coles, Jr.

Grade: C+

*I checked this book out from the library

Synopsis from Amazon:

When Mark borrows a copy of Great Expectations from the school library, he finds, concealed between two pages, an envelope containing three crisp one-hundred dollar bills.There is also a note mysterious but intriguing, that invites the finder to embark on a quests. If Mark can puzzle out the meaning of a series of enigmatic verse clues meant to lead him on a treasure hunt around his hometown of Pittsburgh, then, like Charles Dicken's Pip, he is promised a fortune. But he must follow certain rules - like working in absolute secrecy -- or the deal is off. Rewarded by gifts of money, Mark uses the clues to move from one strange Pittsburgh location to the next - an abandoned steel mill, an old astronomical observatory -- when suddenly the rules of the quest change...

Review:

The main reason I got this book was because it is set in Pittsburgh, and I grew up in Pittsburgh. The book talks about specific places, buildings, and streets in the Pittsburgh area and I loved being able to picture in my mind where each event was taking place; from Shady Side, to the Frick Mansion, to the reservoir in Highland Park. Each time Mark solves a part of the puzzle, he is lead to a different part of the city. During his quest, Mark must team up with someone and he picks Zeena, a girl who is the complete opposite of Mark. The building of the relationship between the two really adds an interesting twist to the story. The must learn to work through their differences in order to solve the puzzle. I will tell you that I found the ending to be very anticlimactic and I was not very happy with how it ended. I gave the book a C+ because I did not find the plot very interesting. The main thing that kept me reading was the fact that I could picture in my mind the main parts of Pittsburgh that were mentioned. It is not a book though that I would re-read.

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic

REVIEW: The Dirt by Lori Culwell

Title: The Dirt

Author: Lori Culwell

Grade: A+

This book was sent to me for review.

Synopsis from the back of the book:

Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It is not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd. Particularly when her fashion obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school-- and practically the whole town.

Fortunately life is about to change forever. Lucy's dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect-- as long as the wedding goes smoothly.

Review:

I absolutely loved this book!! It is a Hollywood drama/suspense/chick lit novel all rolled in to one perfect blend of a book! Lucy lives with her dad and two sisters. Her mom and sister Megan disappeared years ago and have not been heard of since. Lucy can not wait to move out of her family's drama filled house and attend a boarding school hundreds of miles away. When Lucy starts to feel that everything is falling into place, a girl that claims to by Megan, Lucy's lost sister, appears at Lucy's dads wedding. Everyone's future plans get thrown out of the window.

I was hooked as soon as I read the back cover. It was a quick and easy read that kept me wanting more! Every character in the book adds a fun and different part to the story line. They are all so different, but work together to create a great read! Lucy as the only normal sister is someone that I could really relate to. She is a typically teenager who just wants a normal family and daily life. The book kept me hooked until the very last page and I wanted the book to continue on. I can definitly see the possibility for a series about the Whitley family! I recommend this book for any young adult/chick lit fan out there and for those who do not normally enjoy young adult fiction. This is a book I think anyone could enjoy!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

*I was sent this book for review and my opinions are my own and not influenced by the author or publisher.

Review: Wayfarers by Winifred Cook

Title: Wayfarers

Author: Winifred Cook

Grade: B +

I received this book for review!

Synopsis from Facebook:

The majestically beautiful Hawthorne Manor, a sprawling plantation, in pre-civil war Tennessee sets the stage for this amazing story of love, hate, loss, and redemption. When Jeremiah Hawthorne, the master of Hawthorne Manor, is murdered by highwaymen late one night, it sets into motion this complex and absorbing saga involving the family he left behind: His widow Mary-Beth, the beautiful but cruel mistress of the plantation who cares for no one but herself, and her son Jerry, a handsome young boy who experiences the loss of his innocence at a tender young age.

Also caught up in the grief, loss and betrayal experienced by the Hawthorne family are the other residents at Hawthorne Manor - the slaves. Daniel, Jerry’s best friend and slave playmate who was given to him when they both were toddlers and Beulah, his mother and Jerry’s nana, have never known any other life but the one at the manor, having worked and lived there all of their lives. But with the death of their master they are subjected to the harsh realities of their situation and the cold hand of their mistress Mary-Beth, who sells them away without a second thought despite the desperate pleas of her son Jerry, who has grown to love Beulah and Daniel.

As their family life is shattered, both Jerry and Daniel have to mature quickly to make their way in drastically different circumstances, both affected by the Civil War. Wayfarers is the story of how their extraordinary bond, in spite of their divergent paths; endures the turbulent and sometimes violent ravages of time

I was very surprised by this book. Historical fiction is not typically a genre I read, but I wanted to give this book a try. I very much enjoyed reading it! The book has a history background, but the historical part is not overwhelming to the reader. The reader is able to see the characters of Daniel and Jerry grow up through different circumstances that is brought on by their race. The book spans Jerry and Daniel's teenage years, so you are able to really learn about the characters and can find yourself identifying with their struggles. Jerry is white and Daniel is African American so you can see how it was to grow up during the Civil War era from two very different points of view. It made me truly horrified to see how slaves were treated. I wanted to scream and cry when Daniel and, his mother Beulah, are separated. It's amazing to think how far our country has come over the last hundred or so years.

I must say that it started a little slow, but once I got about 20 pages in, I was hooked. It wasn't the quickest read, but it definitely made me think while reading (which is pretty good for Christmas break!). Wayfarers has something for everyone; romance, action, horror, etc... You can find out more about the book at Mr. Cook's website! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Happy reading!

Bookaholic

REVIEW: Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Title: Notes to Self

Author: Avery Sawyer

Published: 2011

This book was sent to me for review! Thank you!!

I was completly blown away by this book. The idea of traumatic brain injuries and the aftermath of them has always fascinated me, so this book was right up my alley. The first chapter of the book definitly got my attention. I wanted to know what happened to Robin and Emily. Once I started reading I wanted to find out more. I wanted to know how Robin's relationships with others would pan out. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Emily. It was interesting to see the challenges Robin had from her TBI. The things we take for granted, like knowing how to take a shower, were a struggle for her. It makes you very grateful for the brain youhave!

I would definitly reccomend this book to anyone who is looking for a romantic comedy/ chick lit/ medical drama all rolled into one.It is a quick read, and once you start, you will want to keep reading!

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic

REVIEW: A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon

Title: A Deadly Game of Magic
Author: Joan Lowery Nixon
Rating: B

From the back of the book
Seeking shelter from a fierce Texas storm, Lisa and three friends become trapped inside a house that seems abandoned. But is it? As the thunderstorm worsens, the phone goes dead. A lifelike plaster head suddenly appears. A disembodied hand taps the mantel. The friends are now unwitting players in an increasingly sinister games of an evil magician. The key to their survival lies in a mysterious room at the end of a hall, but they must act quickly to avoid the magician's grand finale: murder.

Review
I picked this up off my library shelf and was hooked as soon as I read the back of the book. It seemed like a suspenseful book that would hold my interest over the labor Day Weekend. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the book. Lisa and her friends are stuck in a rainstorm when their car brakes down. They knock on the door of the closest house, where a strange man answers the door. After inviting them inside, the man and a women say they have to leave, but Lisa and her friends can stay in the house until a tow truck comes for their car. When they leave, Lisa and friends are left in a house full of mysterious magic equipment. Strange things begin to happen.

The book was a quick read, and held my attention through the entire book. The end was not what I was suspecting, and slightly left me hanging, which makes me wonder if the book is part of a series. If you are looking for a suspenseful book, full of magic and illusions, this book is for you!

Happy reading!
Bookaholic

REVIEW: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Title: The Scorch Trials
Author: James Dashner
Rating: A

Summery from Goodreads

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

Review

I absolutely LOVED The Scorch Trials. I recently finished The Maze Runner and instantly ordered this book when I was finished. I don't want to give to many secrets away if you haven't read The Maze Runner yet, but lets just say that I thought this was even better than The Maze Runner. This book held my attention the whole time I was reading it. Once I picked it up, I literally could not put it down. The Gladers are put through so many trials, even more intense than the maze. The twists and turns keep you guessing throughout the entire book. I also really love the characters that were introduced, Jorge and Brenda. They add an interesting dynamic to the whole group. They definitely add some surprises to the plot that you don't expect.

The third part of Dashner's series comes out in October and I hardly ever buy books, but this may be one that I have to buy! Everyone needs to read The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials. But, it probably would not be best to read them out of order because you will have trouble understanding some of the part in the book.

Happy Reading!

Bookaholic