Nursenblack's Reading List 2012

[nursenblack]

Nursenblack's Reading List 2012

 

Goal for 2012: 45 books

 

Rating Scale

1-5

1)awful. only fit for a birdcage liner.

2)so so. will not recommend to anyone.

3)Just ok. I liked it, but nothing special

4)enjoyable read. will recommend to others

5)excellent. loved it!

 

Currently reading: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 

TBR Pile (On my physical bookshelf & Kindle)

 

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood (based on the concept by The Duchess of Northumberland)

Jane Austen Ruined My LIfe by Beth Pattillo

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo

The Ballad of TrenchMouth Taggart by M. Glenn Taylor

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw

Anita and Me by M. Syal

Jasmyn by Alex Bell

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

Kafka By the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Persuasion by Jane Austen

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle by L.J Smith

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Edited February 5, 2012 by nursenblack

[julie]

Hi Nursenblack

Good luck on your reading this year . I also have Trenchmouth Taggart on my Kindle . I've read She's Come Undone and thoroughly enjoyed it .Once you read it ,his next 2 will blow your socks off( if you have't yet read them ) .

[nursenblack]

Thanks Julie! Good luck to you as well. My brother really liked Trenchmouth, and so he bought me a copy for christmas.

Oh, That reminds me that I left The Hour I First Believed by Lamb off my list. That will be a good doorstep sized book for this year.

[julie]

Hi Nursenblack

I'm glad your brother gave a good review of Trenchmouth. I like really different books like that .

You are in for a treat with 2 Wally Lamb books this year .

[nursenblack]

Finished Jan. 6th

 

#1

 

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (via kindle per library loan)

 

synopsis from amazon.com

 

St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, staying alive.

 

 

Vampire Academy, the first of a young adult series isn't your typical girl meets boy/vampire novel. The story itself is original and vampires aren't what we know them to be- Moroi are...alive. Rose, the protagonist who is a Dhampir, a half Moroi vampire and half human, is destined to guard her best friend. Plenty of action and a forbidden romance with an older guardian leave me wanting more. The writing itself leaves a bit to be desired, but the plot makes up for it. (3/5)

 

Currently reading: The Help by Kathyrn Stockett (via Kindle)

[nursenblack]

#2

 

The Help by Kathyrn Stockett (via Kindle per library loan)

 

 

 

Kathyrn Stockett's debut novel, The Help is about life in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's during segregation, told by three unforgettable characters: Aibileen, whose love for the white children she cares for helps to mend the whole left behind by her own son's death; Minny, Aibileen's spirited best friend, who has trouble controlling what comes out of her mouth; and Skeeter, a rich, white woman just back from college, who's inquiry into her old maid's disappearance snowballs into an avalanche that affects the whole town. Each character narrarrates in a unique style of their own, but each one is believable and...real.

When this novel first came out I had know idea what it was about and had no interest in it. Shamefully, I only decided to read it after I heard about the movie and a few of co-workers said how good it was. I'm so glad that I did read it. The Help has history, romance, suspense, drama, and a prim and proper villian. Readers will be disgusted, angry, joyful, and heartbroken. Add this to you wishlist folks because it is sure to be a classic. (5/5)

Edited January 13, 2012 by nursenblack

[nursenblack]

# 3

 

The Ballad of Trencmouth Taggart by M. Glenn Taylor

 

synopsis from amazon.com

"Meet Trenchmouth Taggart, a man born and orphaned in 1903, a man nicknamed for his lifelong oral affliction. His boyhood is shaped by the Widow Dorsett, a strong mountain woman who teaches him to hunt and to survive the taunts of others. In the hills of southern West Virginia, a boy grows up fast. Trenchmouth sips moonshine, handles snakes, pleases women, and masters the rifle—a skill that lands him in the middle of the West Virginia coal wars. A teenaged union sniper, Trenchmouth is exiled to the back-woods of Appalachia's foothills, where he spends his years running from the past. But trouble will sniff a man down, and an outlaw will eventually run home. Here Trenchmouth Taggart's story, like the best ballads, etches its mark deep upon the memory."

 

I didn't know what to expect from a novel called The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart, but what I discovered was a unique story epically told, just like the best tales in the foothills of Appalachia. The novel covers the life of Trenchmouth Taggart, a wopping 108 years, from his tramatic infancy to his mountainman adulthood in West Virginia. From snake handling to Pulitzer Prize winning, Trenchmouth does it all. Despite being an outlaw on the run for most of his life, the urge to return to his childhood home is hard to ignore. (4/5)

[nursenblack]

Finished January 26th

 

 

#4

 

The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood (based on a concept by The Duchess of Northumberland)

 

 

Jessamine Luxton, the sixteen year old daughter of an apothecary, lives isolated in an old monastary. Her father travels often for work, leaving Jessamine with only seeds to talk to and write about in her journal. She lovingly tends to her gardens, but not the garden that is chained and locked. That is where her father keeps the poisonous plants that can both cure and kill.

When a strange, orphaned boy named Weed is brought to their home Jessamine finally has someone to talk to. Weed is unlike anyone. He has knowledge of plants that goes beyond what can be learned from books, and soon Jessamines father, Thomas, wants to know all that Weed knows. Despite Weed's eccentric ways, Jessamine can't help but fall in love with him. But love can be as dangerous as any poison...

 

The Poison Diaries, the first of a series, is a unique and romantic tale set in the late 1700's in England. It is like reading an old, newly discovered, fairy tale that is lovely but also dark. I enjoyed this novel, but the last quarter of the novel was a bit bizarre. I am looking forward to getting the secondbook, Nightshade, though. (3/5)

 

Now reading: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

[nursenblack]

Finished Feb. 4th

 

#5

 

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (via library loan)

 

 

synopsis from amazon.com

"Karou is a seventeen-year-old art student with a most unusual family. From his desk in a dusty, otherworldly shop, her mysterious, monstrous father sends her on errands across the globe, collecting teeth for a shadowy purpose. On one such errand, Karou encounters an angel, and soon the mysteries of her life and her family are unraveled--with consequences both beautiful and dreadful. National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor has created a lushly imaginative, fully realized world in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Taylor’s writing is as sumptuous as poetry, and the story overflows with dark and delightful magic, star-crossed love, and difficult choices with heartbreaking repercussions. Readers of all ages will be utterly enchanted". --Juliet Disparte

 

Daughter of Smoke & Bone, the first of a series, is pure imagination packed with mystery, brutality and romance. This isn't your typical YA novel, but a novel of a forbidden romance and infinite war that adults will also love. Although, to me, it seemed a bit wordy at times, the writing is impressive and really allows the reader to see into the character's souls. I'm looking forward to see what comes next for Karou and Akiva. (4/5)

 

Currently reading: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

[shelley.s]

I'm glad you enjoyed Daughter of smoke and bone, I'm reading it at the moment and loving it

Edited February 5, 2012 by shelley.s

[nursenblack]

Darn those dystopian YA novels! They make my TBR pile GROW. I just pre-ordered Pure by Julianna Baggott. I couldn't help it though because it sounded so so good.

[shelley.s]

ooo it does look good, Pure has been added to my wish list!

[nursenblack]

Finished Feb 12th

 

# 6

 

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (via library loan)

 

synopsis from amazon.com

"Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future."

 

Cinder, the first of the Lunar Chronicles, is a unique and futuristic take on the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. Sure there is romance and a wicked Queen, but don't expect to be lulled to sleep by this tale. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that this is a standalone story that doesn't lean to heavily on its namesake. As for the characters, Cinder is relatable, Prince Kai is unpretentious, and Queen Levana is merciless, but they are so much more than that. What a great debut. (4/5)

[~Andrea~]

Great reviews Nursenblack. Your book choices sound really interesting (and diverse)

[nursenblack]

Great reviews Nursenblack. Your book choices sound really interesting (and diverse)

 

Thanks! I try to mix-it-up.

[nursenblack]

Finished Feb. 14th

 

# 7

 

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (via library loan)

 

synopsis from amazon.com

"It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina—has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal. Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite Paxton Osgood—has restored the house to its former glory, with plans to turn it into a top-flight inn. But when a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light, accompanied by a spate of strange occurrences throughout the town. Thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the passions and betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover the truths that have transcended time to touch the hearts of the living."

 

 

I've been a fan of Sarah Addison Allen's since I read her first novel, Garden Spells. Her novels are fun and magical, and The Peach Keeper is no exception. This wasn't my favorite, but I did enjoy it.

I love this sentence from the first chaper: "If anyone had been paying attention to the signs, they would have realized that air turns white when things are about to change, that paper cuts mean there's more to what's written on the page than meets the eye, and that birds are always out to protect you from things you don't see."

If your in the mood for an easy, entertaining read, then this is one to try. (3/5)

[nursenblack]

Finished Feb. 18th

 

#8

 

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (via library loan)

 

synopsis from amazon.com

"Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship.

But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.

The smash-hit debut novel for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship."

 

 

Something Borrowed is not my typical read, yet I found it to be a delightful change to my usual selection. I really found myself rooting for Rachel, the heroine who is also committing a villainous act- having an affair with her best friend's fiancée. I had absolutely no sympathy for Darcy, the self-centered best friend, and kind of glad Rachel was sticking it to her, even if it was secretly. Maybe it is because I saw the movie first. Fun read with a not so typical chic-lit plot. (4/5)

[nursenblack]

Finished March 2nd

 

#9

 

 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

 

synospsis from amazon.com

"In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends. "

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them."

Clockwork Prince, the second book of The Infernal Devices, blew me away. I enjoyed Clockwork Angel, but, for me, this sequel was even more dramatic and passionate. I fell deeper in love with the characters and felt ther anguish and joy more keenly. I can't stand to wait for Clockwork Princess. (5/5)

[shelley.s]

I loved the Clock Work Prince too! I notice you have The Night Circus on your TBR list too, I'm reading it at the moment and really havent enjoyed it so it be interested on your thoughts if you decide to read it!

[nursenblack]

Finished March 5th

 

#10

 

 

Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo

 

 

In Jane Austen Ruined My Life, English professor Emma Grant is an expert on, and slightly obsessed with, Jane Austen. After losing her job and divorcing her cheating husband, Emma decides she is done believing in Austen's happy endings. Her opportunity to change her life comes when she's requested to visit England to see Austen's lost letters. Finally, she can reinstate her career, put happily ever after behind her, and expose Jane Austen as a liar. But when the owner of the letters sends Emma on a series of tasks, Emma finds herself in a moral delimma and in a romance with an old friend.

 

This is an easy, rainy day kind of read that is a must for Austen fans. I thought it was fun, but believable enough to make the reader accept the "lost letters" as fact. (3/5)

 

 

 

 

Finished March 8th

 

#11

 

Dead Is The New Black by Marlene Perez (via Kindle)

 

 

 

synopsis from amazon.com

 

 

Welcome to Nightshade, California—a small town full of secrets. It’s home to the pyschic Giordano sisters, who have a way of getting mixed up in mysteries. During their investigations, they run across everything from pom-pom-shaking vampires to shape-shifting boyfriends to a clue-spewing jukebox. With their psychic powers and some sisterly support, they can crack any case!

Teenage girls are being mysteriously attacked all over town, including at Nightshade High School, where Daisy Giordano is a junior. When Daisy discovers that a vampire may be the culprit, she can’t help but suspect head cheerleader Samantha Devereaux, who returned from summer break with a new “look.” Samantha appears a little . . . well, dead, and all the most popular kids at school are copying her style.

Is looking dead just another fashion trend for Samantha, or is there something more sinister going on? To find out, Daisy joins the cheerleading squad.

 

 

Dead is the New Black, the first of a paranormal, young adult series, is about Nightshade, a strange town where a soul-sucking vampire is on the loose attacking teenage girls. Daisy, the typical girl from a not so typical family, tries to save the day in between dating her new boyfriend and becoming a new cheerleader.

The novel begins interestingly enough, but the plot takes too many convenient turns with randomness tossed in. That isn't so bad, except when combined with some bad dialog and clichéd and repetitive inner monologue. Not horrible, but I think I'll skip the rest of the series. (2/5)

Edited March 8, 2012 by nursenblack

[nursenblack]

Finished March 13th

 

#12

 

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

 

 

 

In the second book of the Delirium trilogy, Pandemonium, Lena learns the ways of the Wilds and joins the resistance. The novel begins where the other book left off and each chapter switches from then to now. The drama, suspense, and romance make this a riveting read. Though, in my opinion, the start is a bit slow, but the second half and especially the end, make up for it. I'm still reeling from the ending. I can't believe I have to wait a year for Requiem! (5/5)

[nursenblack]

#13

 

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood

 

 

synopsis from amazon.com

"Sixteen-year-old Jessamine Luxton is heartbroken. Her true love, Weed, the strange but intriguing young man who came into her life so suddenly, has disappeared. How could he have left her with no farewell, and no word since?

Jessamine may not know why Weed vanished, but she does suspect that her own father, Thomas, may have had something to do with it. Thomas, who was so obsessed with Weed’s secret knowledge of dangerous plants that he would do anything to learn it. This suspicion—and her experiences with poisons—has changed her. She is no longer innocent, and now she has her own intimate knowledge of the power of the plants.

So when Jessamine learns that Weed is alive, she will do whatever it takes to be reunited with him.

She is, after all, her father’s daughter. . . . "

 

In the second book of The Poison Diaries, Nightshade, Jessamine is under the Prince of Poisons influence, and will do anything he says if it will lead her to beloved, Weed...even murder.

I liked the first book well enough to see what was in store for the two lovers, but for me, Nightshade was a disappointment. Jessamine becomes so flawed that she is weak and unlikeable, while, thankfully, Weed's character improves. This sequel, though sensuous, is all doom and gloom. (2/5)

Edited March 18, 2012 by nursenblack

[nursenblack]

Finished March 31st

 

#14

 

 

The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey

 

 

synopsis from amazon.com

 

"When her widower father drowns at sea, Gemma Hardy is taken from her native Iceland to Scotland to live with her kind uncle and his family. But the death of her doting guardian leaves Gemma under the care of her resentful aunt, and it soon becomes clear that she is nothing more than an unwelcome guest at Yew House. When she receives a scholarship to a private school, ten-year-old Gemma believes she's found the perfect solution and eagerly sets out again to a new home. However, at Claypoole she finds herself treated as an unpaid servant.

To Gemma's delight, the school goes bankrupt, and she takes a job as an au pair on the Orkney Islands. The remote Blackbird Hall belongs to Mr. Sinclair, a London businessman; his eight-year-old niece is Gemma's charge. Even before their first meeting, Gemma is, like everyone on the island, intrigued by Mr. Sinclair. Rich (by Gemma's standards), single, flying in from London when he pleases, Hugh Sinclair fills the house with life. An unlikely couple, the two are drawn to each other, but Gemma's biggest trial is about to begin: a journey of passion and betrayal, redemption and discovery, that will lead her to a life of which she's never dreamed.

Set in Scotland and Iceland in the 1950s and '60s, The Flight of Gemma Hardy—a captivating homage to Charlotte BrontË's Jane Eyre—is a sweeping saga that resurrects the timeless themes of the original but is destined to become a classic all its own."

 

To start, I have mixed feelings about The Flight of Gemma Hardy. I do enjoy reading books inspired by classic literature, and Gemma Hardy is well written. However, to call this novel a homage to Jane Eyre is an understatement. It follows the plot of the classic almost to the letter with only a change to detail and a different time period, but with less passion and with

no crazy wife hidden in the attic

. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but the second half just ruined it for me and left me thinking, "What was the point in that?". I'm no expert, but I think a good 100 pages or so could have been cut from this novel to make it a better read. (2/5)

[nursenblack]

#15

 

 

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

 

synopsis from amazon.com "A page-turning psychological mystery that is equal parts horror, humor, and romance, Nevermore is the story of Varen—a Poe fan and Goth—and Isobel—a cheerleader and unlikely heroine. When an English Lit. project pairs the two, Isobel finds herself swept into Varen’s world, one that he has created in his notebook and in his mind, one where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel slowly learns that dreams and words can be much more powerful than she’d ever imagined. As labels of “Goth” and “cheerleader” fade away, Isobel and Varen slip into a consuming romance, braced against the ever-clearer horror that the most chilling realities are those within our own minds. When Isobel has a single chance to rescue Varen from the shadows of his nightmares, will she be able to save him—and herself?" ""

 

Oh, where to begin with Nevermore? I really liked the idea of this YA novel, Edgar Allen Poe and nightmare worlds, but the execution was beyond dissapointing. I almost abandoned it midway through because it seemed utterly pointless. The only section that I found remotely interesting was the last quarter of the book.

There was almost no romance building between Isobel and Varen and then,

suddenly, "We're in love and I'm going to risk my life to save you! Oh, I'll also save my controlling ex-boyfriend while I'm at it!"

This book was 543 pages, in which the first 300 pages or so had almost nothing to do with the climax of the story. By the end, I didn't even care. I definitely won't be picking up the sequel. (1/5)

Edited April 9, 2012 by nursenblack

[nursenblack]

#16

 

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

 

Anna knows what buttons send her boyfriend, Conner, into a rage, but as the relationship progresses it becomes harder and harder to say and do the right thing. She's pushed everyone away just to be with Conner- to be needed. But I Love Him begins at the end of the toxic romance and is told in reverse chronological order to the very beginning.

This novel from the very first sentence enthralled me: "I lie in pieces on the floor." Anna's voice is so true and unpretentious that I can't help but like her even though I want to shake her. Even Conner, the villain of the story, is undeniably human, but terribly wounded to the point of cruelty. A fast, but engrossing must read for young adults (adults too, of course). (5/5)

Edited April 10, 2012 by nursenblack