Random Thursday

This is the final page's worth of factoids on Expressions from The Little Book of Answers by Doug Lennox! Our next and final chapter will be on Trivia! That one should prove to be interesting and conversation worthy! 

(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

The insult "couldn't hold a candle" is from the 16th century, when experienced workers had to have an apprentice hold a candle for them as they worked when light was needed. By holding the candle for the worker, an apprentice could learn as he lights the way. Sadly, if he couldn't do that properly that it was said, "he couldn't even hold a candle" to a tradesman.

Wow. Such a simple meaning for an obvious expression! Lol.

(image borrowed from Party City)

When someone is looking for trouble, we say he has a "chip on his shoulder." This expression dates back to early England when one man would challenged another to a duel by slapping his face with a glove. If the one challenged didn't accept it, he would be branded as a coward. Having a chip on your shoulder was the early Wild West version of the glove slap, though it was less mortal in nature. Boys and men would place a wood chip on their shoulder and challenged anyone who knocked it off to a fist fight. If a man was in aggressive mood, he would put a "chip on his shoulder" and be looking for a fight.

That's rather interesting! And this costume from Party City got a laugh out of me when I was searching for a picture! Lol.

(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

Something that has been proven with quality is said to have passed the "acid test." This tends to mean that someone has proven their value through experience. When gold was in wide circulation, jewelers needed a method of testing the gold objects that were brought to them for cash. Nitric acid dissolves base metals, but not gold, so this was applied to the metal in question to see if it was genuine. If it passed the acid test, then the questionable object was indeed gold.

Did not know that was how gold was tested! 

(image borrowed from English Phrase Collection)

When a nervous person waits on news, we say he does so with "bated breath." The body has natural reactions to emotional stress and one of these is how we breathe during times of nervousness. One's breathing becomes short and controlled when in crisis. "Bated" is a variation of the word "abated" and they both mean restricted. Therefore when in a state of fear, someone's breathnig becomes restricted and thus he waits with "bated breath."

That's an interesting history lesson!

 

(image borrowed from Wikipedia)

The expression "If you believe that, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you: dates back to when the Brooklyn Bridge was built in 1883. A conman named George Parker would approach the gullible and proclaim to be its owner and would explain the fortune to be made through toll booths, he offered to sell "his" bridge to them for $50,000. Parker eventually went to jail for life, but it's said that he offered to sell people the Statue of Liberty, Grant's Tomb, and Madison Square Garden.

Yes, I chose the wrong bridge with my picture selecting. I really just read the proposed "question" and go from there to get a picture! 

(image borrowed from Wiktionary)

A victim of his own scheming is said to be "hoisted on his own petard," this expression is found in Shakespeare's Hamlet. The expression has come to mean that someone has been or will be hurt by the device he created to inure others. "Hoist" means to raise something up in the air and "petard" is an antiquated word for "bomb," therefore if you were to "hoist on your own petard" then basically, you will be blown up by your own bomb.

Stupidity at its finest! Lol.

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

In the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project comes the campfire story of a missing girl, a vengeful ghost, and the girl who is determined to find her sister--at all costs.

Once a year, the path appears in the forest and Lucy Gallows beckons. Who is brave enough to find her--and who won't make it out of the woods?

It's been exactly one year since Sara's sister, Becca, disappeared, and high school life has far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn't know whether her former friends no longer like her...or are scared of her, and the days of eating alone at lunch have started to blend together. When a mysterious text message invites Sara and her estranged friends to "play the game" and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the only way to find Becca--before she's lost forever. And even though she's hardly spoken with them for a year, Sara finds herself deep in the darkness of the forest, her friends--and their cameras--following her down the path. Together, they will have to draw on all of their strengths to survive. The road is rarely forgiving, and no one will be the same on the other side.  

This one sounds creepy good! I LOOOOVE a good ghostly story and this one sounds right up my alley! Perhaps even potential Spooktacular Giveaway worthy! I'll have to read and see!! 

TITLE: Rules for Vanishing

AUTHOR: Kate Alice Marshall

PUBLISHER: Viking Books for Young Readers

GENRE: YA Horror

RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2019

An ex-con tracks down the men who have kidnapped her niece in this gritty and visceral thriller.

  Killian Delaney has a skewed moral compass, a high threshold for pain, and has just been released from prison to discover that someone has taken her niece. 

Killian does not hesitate. Loyalty is the most important thing in her life, and when she gets a call from her sister saying that her daughter is missing, Killian immediately begins hunting down the men responsible. 

She quickly discovers her niece was involved with a notorious biker gang who are engaged in everything from drugs to human trafficking. And to make it worse, the man who sent Killian to jail, the one she nearly beat to death, is at the center of it all.

To save her niece, she'll need a plan. A smart, quick, and efficient one. Because she's going to do it right this time. She'll burn them to the ground.

I still have quite a few of Kate's books on my TBR pile, but I've read her YA series and another adult series of hers, so I am positive that I am going to love her thrillers too! This one is a new book--I think, at least--so I [hopefully] won't have to play catch up--just being bad by reading the new before the old! Lol!

TITLE: Seven Crows

AUTHOR: Kate Kessler

PUBLISHER: Redhook Books
GENRE: Thriller

RELEASE DATE: October 8, 2019 

 

Review--Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh

For weeks, seventeen-year-old Mariko pretended to be a boy to infiltrate the notorious Black Clan and bring her would-be murderer to justice. She didn't expect to find a place for herself among the group of fighters—a life of usefulness—and she certainly didn't expect to fall in love. Now she heads to the imperial castle to resume a life she never wanted to save the boy she loves.

Ōkami has been captured, and his execution is a certainty. Mariko will do what she must to ensure his survival—even marry the sovereign's brother, saying goodbye to a life with Ōkami forever.

As Mariko settles into her days at court—making both friends and enemies—and attempting Ōkami's rescue at night, the secrets of the royal court begin to unravel as competing agendas collide. One arrow sets into motion a series of deadly events even the most powerful magic cannot contain. Mariko and Ōkami risk everything to right past wrongs and restore the honor of a kingdom thrown into chaos by a sudden war, hoping against hope that when the dust settles, they will find a way to be together.

Set against the backdrop of feudal Japan, Smoke in the Sun is the breathless, romantic, not-to-be-missed fiery conclusion to a spell-binding adventure.

Smoke in the Sun picks up (assumingly, since I read Flame in the Mist way too long ago) where we left off in Flame in the Mist. Okami has been imprisoned and Mariko is at the mercy of her brother, Roku, the emperor, and Raiden, her once betrothed. Things are pretty chaotic and complicated to say the least.

I remember struggling a lot with Flame in the Mist. I read it as an ARC with no glossary or other guide to help along my reading. Of course even with a guide this time, every time I went to look up a italicized word, it wasn't there and I soon stopped looking up anything because it was a waste of reading time. So I guess you could say the cultural shock was a reading impediment for me.

There's also the multiple points of view to contend with as well, and since it's third person, I felt like this made it harder to grasp who was talking. And the other thing I struggled with on that note was all the names! Oh, my goodness I forgot how many characters were in this one! There were so many names and then there were the names that those people went by, so multiple names on top of multiple names! It was definitely confusing. I would've done better with a character guide like some books do where they group the names into families or clans or whatnot to help you keep track of everyone. Had I that...I think I would've done better at following along. Since my reading habits changed, I read in spurts so while I may vaguely remember a character on day 1 of reading, but day 3 I might completely forget who he or she is! A character guide is definitely something I would've done better with than a glossary! Lol.

So onto the story now that I hashed out my points on how I struggled with this one. I felt like I was able to follow the story along best when I was in Mariko or Okami's point of view. Everyone else just left me confused and wondering who they were and who they were talking with. But the goal for Mariko and Okami was always clear; rescue the other one. Okami is taken prisoner by Roku and Raiden and Mariko's fate relied heavily on her acting skills. She must play the victim and fall back into her earlier role that she fought so hard to leave behind in Flame in the Mist.

While I struggled heavily with this one, I will say that I always enjoyed Mariko and Okami's relationship. It was such a sweet, tentative kind of romance. They were definitely the reason why I kept forging through this one! 

The ending felt a bit rushed to me when all was said and done. And then of course, there was the fact that I still wasn't 100% sure of what had happened to lead things into the chaotic mess that was running amok around the kingdom. Lots of things were happening and I can't be clear on the cause. I had my suspicions in the end and I am pretty sure it was mostly right, but yeah. This book totally messed with my mind...and not necessarily in a good way. I impress again that more than anything I would've been happier with a character guide! It was hard to remember which character point of views I was reading that were from heroes or enemies or somewhere in between. You almost didn't know who to root for if you weren't in Mariko or Okami's point of view.

I will say that I was happy with how it ended despite multiple states of confusion throughout this book. While I did struggle with this one, it in way deters me from ever reading Renee's books again as I adored her first duology and I am pretty positive I am going to love her vampire one as well when that releases next month. So don't let me addled mind and slightly unhappy review deter you from giving this re-imagined Mulan retelling a try if it sparks an interest for you!


Overall Rating 3/5 stars

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker.

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

"'I imagine the moon would be a thing of beauty on a night like this. But I prefer what I'm looking at right now.' His eyes remained focused on Mariko as he spoke." p. 209

TITLE: Smoke in the Sun
AUTHOR: Renee Ahdieh
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: June 5, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is: Books I Enjoyed That Are Outside of My Comfort Zone

*in no particular order
**PREPARE TO BE SHOCKED AND (MAYBE NOT SO) AMAZED! LOL ;)

10. TIGER'S CURSE by Colleen Houck--I really liked this one! The series as a whole was nice too, though I'll admit there were parts that dragged and were awful slow. Lots and lots of storytelling within storytelling, and you know how I am with slow paced books, so that I stuck with this series was astounding!

9. NOCTURNE by Syrie James--maybe not so much a stretch but this was a book I took a chance on since I was buying it from the "Romance" section at Borders and was burned by a few titles in there when I thought there wouldn't be so much sex in them. This one was beautifully! Think The Beauty and the Beast but with VAMPIRES! (sniff and a sequel that will likely never happen now!)

8. THE DIABOLIC by S.J. Kincaid--I remember a LOT of hype about this one and I forgot what led me to finally break down and give it a read despite some hesitancy. The space age futuristic setting was my biggest fear for unenjoyment but I ended up loving it and of course the series is now on hiatus!

7. DOOMED by Tracy Deebs--on the outside, this book felt more contemporary and techy like what with the cover and the need to stop a computer virus and all. But since it was Tracy Deebs I decided to give it a try since it had been on Netgalley and whoa. This book was awesome!

6. SCARLET by Marissa Meyer--yes, yes I know, I know. When I read Cinder I can't remember what state of mind I was in. I struggled with it. It was an okay read in the end, but I wasn't sure I would continue it but decided I'd give the series one more go--probably one of the last times I did that--and read Scarlet. Let's just say thanks to her, I fell in LOVE with the Lunar Chronicles! 

5. SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi--I think when I read reviews about this one being a little hard to read with Juliette's mindset and writings I was a little hesitant to read it. But then people kept talking about how amazing it was that I eventually gave in when I found the original hardcover in the bargain section of my once only Books-a-Million. Sadly that store has long since closed.

4. THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey--aliens...yeah I wasn't sure I'd like a book like that. But then again, people kept talking about it and I decided once again to give it peer pressure where the pressure really was just my mind nagging at me! Despite a bit of a slow pace, I really enjoyed this one and the series at large!

3. THE BIRTH OF VENUS by Sarah Dunant--my pre-blogging days read and proof that I wasn't always a paranormal junkie! Lol. I had a trip to Italy back in high school, so I think I read this one past its release date because it was about Italy. Though I no longer own it, I remember really liking it despite being the girl longing for a book with vampires in it!

2. THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova--hello coincidence! Lol. I picked this one up because of the obvious. It was once again the pre-blogging days, but it sounded like a fun read! Despite some slow pacing and history overload, I remember really really enjoying it!

1. THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas--no surprise here! This started out as required reading in high school--unabridged style--and for whatever strange reason, my vampire loving heart LOVED this one! Yes, I loved a book without a single paranormal being in it! It surprised the hell out of me too! Lol. I think it was his long seeded plan for revenge that got my interest. I love a good revenge plot! Must be the evil part of me, lol!

 

It's Magic Time: Harry Potter Book Tag

So I saw this tag last week over at We Live and Breathe Books! It sounded like a lot of fun and familiar, though after checking out the Harry Potter Spells Book Tag I did last year, while it's similar in "spells" the meanings behind the choosing are entirely different, so I thought let's do it again! Lol. This tag was initially created by Book Roast. The above image was borrowed from Sam!

EXPECTO PATRONUM: A childhood book connected to good memories?

The Random House Book of Fairy Tales adapted by Amy Ehrlich--while the fairy tales likely weren't in their 100% true format, they were pretty close! It's still a kid's book after all, but I remember checking this one out of the school library multiple times throughout elementary school!

EXPELLIARMUS: A book that took you by surprise?

Intertwined by Gena Showalter--yup, I'm talking about this one AGAIN! Lol. Having won the first two installments of this unfinished quartet I remember feeling hesitant about it in the beginning. This was the early days of blogging, so not many folks were around and I wasn't sure how I felt about reading a book from a boy's point of view! I know, I know. But the only other boy's point of view I had read was Harry Potter. But as we all know, I fell MADLY in love with this book and the series at large. Which is why a piece of my soul will be forever removed from myself over the lack of a final book.

PRIOR INCANTATO: The last book you read?

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco--I'm being nit-picky with this one as I did read a novella after this, but that's a novella, not a full blown book! I positively loved this one and cannot wait to read the final book hopefully soonish. We'll have to see as I am pretty behind on my review books!

ALOHAMORA: A book that introduced you to a genre you'd never considered before?

 What's a Ghoul to Do? by Victoria Laurie--I guess I never really figured there was a genre called Paranormal Mystery. There's so many of them now though but I've a few authors I consider myself invested in! I just need to get caught up with those series again! Lol.

RIDDIKULUS: A funny book you've read?

Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne--think The Princess Bride meets Mel Brooks! It's a mish-mash of hilarity and puns and still a really good fantasy story! I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series!

SONORUS: A book you think everyone should know about?

Twisted by Gena Showalter--though I am pretty sure everyone here knows about it! Lol! I still like to cling to the delusion that maybe one day Gena would write the final book even though she says she probably won't. I noticed awhile back she took down the description of the fourth book and it still remains on Goodreads...hence me clinging to that delusion. But I still think if enough people hear about it and go back and read/review those first three books we could get that fourth book made into a reality! Though it's been longer than the first time I've seen it happen, I know it can happen! I'd die a happy old lady if I could live to see that happen and read it!

OBLIVIATE: A book or spoiler you would like to forget you ever read?

Harry Potter and the Deathy Hallows by J.K. Rowling--let's just say that when I was reading it I wish I would have run faster from my-then-manager's daughter while she talked to someone about every casualty in the book. One name reached my ears before I ran and of course I read about his valiant sacrifice that night and was still in denial about it even afterwards!

IMPERIO: A book you had to read for school?

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas--this will probably remain the only book I was forced to read for school that I actually enjoyed! Everything else, and I mean everything else was meh to intolerable!

CRUCIO: A book that was painful to read?

You by Caroline Kepnes--I won't say it was painful to read but it was a little hard. Or maybe weird? It's rare for me to read a book being inside the psycho's point of view. Let's just say it was different.

AVADA KEDAVRA: A book that could kill (interpret as you will)?

Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard--while it was still a wonderful book and conclusion to the series I will say that it still kills a piece of my soul every time I think about it! Lol.

If you're feeling like tackling this little challenge, consider yourself tagged!

 

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (5 stars)

Becoming the Dark Prince by Kerri Maniscalco (5 stars)

Currently Reading:

Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh

What I Plan to Read Next:

Nightblood by Elly Blake

Other Posts of Interest:

Let's Discuss: Disney Live Action Remakes

Teaser & Top Ten (Stephanie Garber) Tuesdays

Waiting on Wednesday

Random Thursday

Book Blogger Hop

COVER REVEAL--The Nemesis!!!!!

Challenges Wrap-up: August

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality.


Well, this was another meh week. Work continues to be stressful. Instead of working at the desk like I had hoped, I'm on my feet for half the day and what with my childhood back/leg issues, it's really painful. I can't remember a time since June when my back wasn't killing me. I tried to explain it to someone at work that I really can't handle working on my feet because of these childhood issues, but I think they thought I was complaining and I haven't worked up the nerve to try again. Plus I don't really know who I report to officially there, so it's not like I know who I can try to talk to. 

I had hopes that the staffing agency I applied to to help find me a job would've gotten back to me sooner this week about a job they were offering from a company they are working with that I expressed interest in. I told them that it sounded like something I would like and they said they'd pass my info to that company and I heard nothing all week. I also had another interview, but to be honest I felt like I was backing myself into another deadend hole. There would be next to no people there so my social skills would be zero and it honestly doesn't feel like a good fit to me at all despite being super close to home.

Honestly this week was one of the worst ones. My mood is spiraling down a dark hole and I'm trying to stay out of it as much as possible but it's hard when I feel like every time I try to find something better I just get pushed back towards that stupid hole again. My family members are all doing well on their own so I feel even more like a failure at times and it just sucks.

Sorry for the wallowing, I've been meaning to start a journal again to just get this crap off my chest but then I feel like I'm complaining too much even in a place for myself! Lol.

Onto happier bookish news! There wasn't a whole lot coming my way this week but I did FINALLY get one of my beloved unicorns--I guess you can call it that!

I bought:

Rage by Cora Carmack--keeper copy! I had wanted to wait and get a signed copy at Cora's Nashville signing next weekend, but alas, I have to dog sit that weekend and a long day trip is just out of the question and I wasn't up for ordering one when I'd rather meet her. One day...

Then in trades/agreements from #booksfortrade, I got:

Caraval by Stephanie Garber--the (I believe) out of print Dutch version!! 

A MILLION THANK YOUS to Maureen!!! 

Then I also received:

Last month's Fairy Loot Tarot Cards!!! I can't wait to have a complete set of these!

THANK YOU Alexa!

Then in a contest I won from Josephine Angelini, I received:

What She Found in the Woods by Josephine Angelini--UK paperback SIGNED!

THANK YOU Josie!!

For review from the publisher I received:

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace (ARC)

THANK YOU Imprint!

Then I got this month's Fairy Loot box as well. It was nice, but despite the rave reviews, I still feel a little hesitant about the book, but I will still give it a try...one day!

And then I also received my preorder goodies for Midnight Beauties! I still need to read that one but the swag was pretty awesome!

there was a signed bookplate, artwork, a sticker, and a leather bookmark! Plus the already given, but was reminded about enovella! Still need to read that one too! lol.

THANK YOU HMH Teen!

 

And that was about it! So not too bad in the bookish part of the week, just everything else outside of that! Lol. The Dutch Caraval really made my week though, it arrived right at the start of the weekend, it really brought a bright spot to my pretty dark week!

What did you all get this week?