Blue Bloods Review *Spoilers Ahead*

So, I finally got around to reading Blue Bloods (by Melissa de la Cruz) this week. This is a book I have heard lots of great things about, and I am stoked to finally begin the series. As with my usual habit, the plan now is to read the next few books in the series, which is good because the newest book was just released. Woot!

If you're interested in vampire books at all, I would definitely recommend this one.The take on vampirism is quite fresh and unlike anything I have read in the past. I have read a few other vampire series, and I love how all of the writers approach the subject with a fresh perspective. If you are looking for a fast-paced novel that blends past, present and future, look no further. I love the way things from the beginning of time are tied together with the colonists which are all tied to the present. There are a lot of subtle hints throughout the novel that become noticeable the closer you get to the end, too. Definitely an intriguing read (I finished the book in about a day and a half of intermittent reading), and I will be picking up with Masquerade tomorrow for sure.

If you haven't read the book and you don't want it ruined, you should probably stop reading now. For those of you who have (or who don't mind having things spoiled), read on.

I really, really, really like the premise of this book. The idea of vampirism that is present here is so different from what everyone else does with it. I like the spin on how vampires live forever. They don't literally live forever, they live in a cycle of regeneration. And the whole fallen angel idea? Brilliant. I personally don't have the creativity to draw such connections, so I can only applaud those who do. Another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the connection to the early settlers of the US. I mean, where does that kind of inspiration come from? I love the idea of connecting what happened at Roanoke (which has never really been explained) to the idea of vampirism, too. So neat!

As for the characters, I like that we learn a little about each of them as we go. The slow revelation of connections helps lead the reader into surprises at each chapter. I feel like a lot of teenagers can identify with Schuyler especially. I mean, who hasn't lived on the fringes of school society at some point? I think there are many people who can relate to where she's coming from and who would respond to many situations as she does. The age old love triangle works well here with Jack and Oliver, too.

I was fortunate enough to meet Melissa de la Cruz a few months and she asked me if I was team Jack or team Oliver. At the time, I hadn't had a chance to read any of the books, so I didn't have a clear answer. At the end of book one, I would have to say that I am actually leaning more toward Jack than Oliver. The idea of breaking up the dynamic duo of Jack and Mimi is appealing. I always want to see the underdog get the guy, so I would like to see Jack and Schuyler together. However, I don't want Oliver to be left out, so I hope he finds someone fabulous, too! I am interested to see where the characters go from here!

So next time you hear from me, you'll probably be hearing my thoughts on Masquerade. Until then, happy reading!

Last thoughts

Well, I finished Game of Thrones today. On the whole, I would say it's an enjoyable book. Did it make me mad at certain points? Yes. Did it make me happy at certain points? Also yes. Do I want to read the next book to find out what happens? Yes.
On the whole, I thought the book was somewhat predictable. I wasn't at all surprised by the ending. There are a lot of hints peppered throughout the book to indicate what will happen. My fellow bookie and long time friend Kim said that a lot of people told her they liked this series because no character was safe; the author kills off "main" characters all the time. That's not something I think is especially appealing about the book or the writing style. I guess some people like the novelty of that, but I think that pretty much all of the deaths were predictable. I can't say I was taken by surprise at any of them. Now, there were some character actions that surprised me, but not any deaths. I still hate Sansa, but I am glad she finally got her wake up call in the end. I hope that she makes some large strides in the right direction in the next book. And I still love Arya. If I were a character in this book, I'd be Arya. I kind of hate how her character was left hanging at the end. Good thing this is just the first book of a series and I don't have to wait to see what happens.
Will I be moving on to the next book in the series? Not immediately. These types of books are great, but they are so dense that I need a breather in between them. Besides, my brother is currently reading the next book in the series, so I have to wait for him to finish it anyway.
For now, I'm finally going to start the Blue Bloods series. I have had these books for almost two months now, so I think it's time I finally read them. I should be able to plow through the series in a week or two (give or take, depending on how much "reading" time I make for myself). However, a recent purchase has given my reading a bit of pause. What's that, you say? Well, here it is:

That's right, friends. After years of resistance, I have finally joined the xbox world. *le sigh* I guess it was eventual. I have every other system, I figured I might as well add this to my gaming repertoire. Also, the kinect is much smaller than I thought it would be...

Til next time, happy reading!

Thoughts on the book

Hi friends. I know, I know. It's been a few days. And yes, I am still reading A Game of Thrones. I'm about 600 pages in (about 200 left), so I thought I would give you an update on my thoughts on the book.

On the whole, I am enjoying it. It still reminds me of some books I loved when I was younger, so I'm totally down with it. I am somewhat surprised at turns by what happens, and completely unsurprised at other turns. I think the story is pointing all the fingers at one person, but it's going to be another person. As for the characters, I find myself looking forward to the chapters about Daenerays the most. Maybe it's because they are so few or because she is the "bad" guy. From the beginning, I have thought it was interesting that we get positive insights into both the "good" side and the "bad" side. It makes it hard to dislike the bad guys. I also really like the chapters about Jon Snow. It's interesting to see his side of things, too. I would totally be like Arya, and I hope that we see more of her in future books. I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate the chapters on Sansa. She is so dumb, really, really, dumb. Fo' real. That's about all I have to say about that.

More news on what I'm reading next as soon as I look over my options. Happy reading!

The scarf is (almost) finished!

So I finally started working on the scarf again, and it is pretty much finished. Woot! I gave it a few days' rest, then decided to just finish the sucker. I haven't fringed the ends yet (because I ran out of yarn), but I should have that finished in a day or so. Here are a few photos:

One thing's for sure. I won't get cold in this scarf. Happy times!

Dante's firepit

Hi friends! Today I haven't accomplished much other than playing a little Dante's Inferno. This game...oy. In literary terms, I deem it Dante's firepit. I mean, really, anytime you have an adaptation of this sort you can't really call it more than an homage to the origins. I am constantly amused by what the game designers do with the Inferno. I mean, yes, there is a Dante, Virgil, and Beatrice. You do go through the various layers of hell, and when you die (as I inevitably do from time to time), you get a line from the text. So, yeah. Truthfully, though, I am legitimately grossed out by certain parts of the game. Can I just say, ew. One of my favorite parts of the game, though, is the ability to punish or absolve various historical figures (such as Atilla or Pilate). I am the kind of person who wants to forgive everyone, so I usually end up offering absolution every time, even to the little minions you can kill throughout the game. Anyway, here's a shot of Dante for any curious viewers:

That's right. He's holding the fiery cross of justice...along with a giant sycthe.You can't see it in this picture, so here's another:

On the whole, I am enjoying the game (I only have the final 3 levels of Hell left before it's over), but don't go into it expecting to learn everything the Inferno has to offer. But is it more fun because I am familiar with Dante? Definitely.

Until next time, friends, happy reading!

New year, not a lot of reading happening yet...

So I'm a little slow on the reading thus far. I think I have burned myself out a little on "crafty-hobby" type things over the break. I've been home for almost 4 weeks now. In that time I have:

*Christmas-ed to the max
*Made 5 button bracelets
*Read 6 books
*Beat 1 game, played parts of 4 others
*Watched all 5 seasons of Weeds on Netflix
*Watched a LOT of instant play movies on Netflix
*Dog-sat for a week and a half
*Shopped online. A LOT
*Worked on a Slytherin scarf (it's massive! more like a blanket really...)
*Completed 1 painting, started on another

So, yeah. I'm a little behind on reading. BUT I am steadily working through A Game of Thrones. It is surprisingly interesting. Fantasy is definitely my favorite genre, and this book reminds me of the books I loved best when I was in high school/early college. I admit that several things have happened that were not exactly "predictable," which is something I love about this book. More to come later! And, for your viewing pleasure, my progress thus far on the Slytherin scarf. (Hey, it's book related.)

Happy reading!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a great 2011 full of fun, adventures, and books. :) What am I starting the year off with? Game of Thrones; I mentioned this in the first post, but I will reiterate the idea. I am reading this monster of a book (ok, so maybe 800+ pages doesn't really constitute a monster, but it looks pretty massive in paperback form) so that I will be ready for the show when it debuts in April. I do admit, though, that I will probably not read the next two books in the series immediately because after this book I plan to go back to Kenyon's series and then on to the Blue Bloods books from there.

Happy reading to all in 2011! What's on your shelf this year?