If you're looking for something to read, goodreads.com is a site you should check out. You can browse books by genre and check out lists that other readers have made that vary widely by topic. You can search for books by title, author, genre, or isbn.
At goodreads you have the ability to create your own bookshelves of books that you have read or would like to read. I confess that I probably spend more time looking for books to read these days than I do actually reading. You can rate books that you have read and write reviews, as well as read reviews written by others.
Other features of the site include quotes, quizzes, trivia, book swaps, giveaways, and more. You can join groups and make friends with other readers on the site. Beware of the time you may end up spending and watch out that your to-read list doesn't become longer than your read list.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Read for free
Obviously, this is not a book recommendation. I read a lot of books, in case you hadn't figured that out. I do not, however, buy a lot of books. I usually only purchase books when I have gift cards. So how do I read so much?
#1: Library Fairly obvious, I know. I figure out what books I would like to read, put them on hold through my library's website, then go pick them up when they're in.
#2: Audiobooks I used to think they were for lazy people, but now I know better. I download them on my ipod and listen to them while cleaning or working out. My house is a lot cleaner now. :) My library is affiliated with a website that lets you "check out" audiobooks for free. You download them and they expire within so many days. There is a fairly good selection.
#3 Online There are so many sources to find free books to read. The quality varies, but there are some very good undiscovered authors out there. I will list some of my sources, but I am discovering new ones all the time.
Classic Reader There are plenty of places to read the classics online for free. This is just one of them.
Scribd People post many different types of materials here. Fiction, non-fiction, resumes, you name it. Click on explore and see what you can find.
obooko A place for people to self-publish their books. Some very good undiscovered authors.
The Writer's Coffee Shop Another place for people to post their own stories. Fan and original fiction.
fanfiction.net Have a favorite book, tv show, or movie and want to read more stories with those characters? Quality varies, but there are some gems if you take the time to look.
twilighted.net Quality Twilight fan fiction. The forums are a good source to find good stories to read. With so many different types of stories, there is something for everyone.
eHarlequin I got addicted to Harlequin romances in high school. They have an online reads library where you can read stories for free.
This should give you a good start. Happy reading! If you find anything good, drop me a line!
#1: Library Fairly obvious, I know. I figure out what books I would like to read, put them on hold through my library's website, then go pick them up when they're in.
#2: Audiobooks I used to think they were for lazy people, but now I know better. I download them on my ipod and listen to them while cleaning or working out. My house is a lot cleaner now. :) My library is affiliated with a website that lets you "check out" audiobooks for free. You download them and they expire within so many days. There is a fairly good selection.
#3 Online There are so many sources to find free books to read. The quality varies, but there are some very good undiscovered authors out there. I will list some of my sources, but I am discovering new ones all the time.
Classic Reader There are plenty of places to read the classics online for free. This is just one of them.
Scribd People post many different types of materials here. Fiction, non-fiction, resumes, you name it. Click on explore and see what you can find.
obooko A place for people to self-publish their books. Some very good undiscovered authors.
The Writer's Coffee Shop Another place for people to post their own stories. Fan and original fiction.
fanfiction.net Have a favorite book, tv show, or movie and want to read more stories with those characters? Quality varies, but there are some gems if you take the time to look.
twilighted.net Quality Twilight fan fiction. The forums are a good source to find good stories to read. With so many different types of stories, there is something for everyone.
eHarlequin I got addicted to Harlequin romances in high school. They have an online reads library where you can read stories for free.
This should give you a good start. Happy reading! If you find anything good, drop me a line!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Vampire Academy Series
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
My rating: *****
Rose Hathaway is a half-vampire and is training to become a guardian in hopes of protecting Lissa, a good vampire, after they graduate. Not only are they best friends, but they also share a bond that formed between them when Lissa saved Rose's life. This bond helps Rose know what Lissa is thinking and feeling and where she is. In their world, there are bad vampires that try to kill the good vampires, which is why they need protection.
Rose is a great character. She is tough and smart and has major attitude and a big mouth. She doesn't always make the best decisions, but she always has the best intentions.
This series has plenty of action, politics, racial and social dynamics, romance. In short, a little of everything. It is very absorbing. I have a hard time putting them down. And each book has you anxiously awaiting the next. It is YA, but for a more mature reader.
Books in the Vampire Academy series: ( My rating)
Vampire Academy (*****)
Frostbite (*****)
Shadow Kiss (*****)
Blood Promise (*****)
Spirit Bound (*****)
Last Sacrifice (final book to be released Dec 7, 2010)
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
My rating: *****
Rose Hathaway is a half-vampire and is training to become a guardian in hopes of protecting Lissa, a good vampire, after they graduate. Not only are they best friends, but they also share a bond that formed between them when Lissa saved Rose's life. This bond helps Rose know what Lissa is thinking and feeling and where she is. In their world, there are bad vampires that try to kill the good vampires, which is why they need protection.
Rose is a great character. She is tough and smart and has major attitude and a big mouth. She doesn't always make the best decisions, but she always has the best intentions.
This series has plenty of action, politics, racial and social dynamics, romance. In short, a little of everything. It is very absorbing. I have a hard time putting them down. And each book has you anxiously awaiting the next. It is YA, but for a more mature reader.
Books in the Vampire Academy series: ( My rating)
Vampire Academy (*****)
Frostbite (*****)
Shadow Kiss (*****)
Blood Promise (*****)
Spirit Bound (*****)
Last Sacrifice (final book to be released Dec 7, 2010)
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Stephanie Plum Series
Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich
My rating: *****
After losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store, Stephanie is desperate for money and turns to her cousin for a job with his bail bonding company. She becomes a recovery agent, which is a fancy term for bounty hunter.
Her first bail jumper is worth ten thousand dollars. And it's a guy that she has some history with: Joe Morelli. The interaction between Stephanie and Morelli is great. It's not so much a will-they-or-won't-they situation as a when-will-they situation.
It's a mystery, she's solving a crime, but that's not my favorite part. The humor in this book kills me. It is told from Stephanie's POV and she is witty and sarcastic. An example that I particularly like:
"I want to see your tailpipe fading off into the sunset."
Good luck, I thought. My tailpipe was somewhere on Route 1, along with my muffler.
And another:
I wasn't sure exactly how prostitutes determined price, but if men bought hookers by the pound, these two would be doing okay.
I would read these books based on the humor alone, although I enjoy the plot and the characters as well.
Stephanie Plum series books: (my rating)
One for the Money (*****)
Two for the Dough (*****)
Three to Get Deadly (*****)
Four to Score (*****)
High Five (*****)
Hot Six (*****)
Seven Up (*****)
Hard Eight (*****)
Visions of Sugar Plums (****)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin'
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzlin' Sixteen
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
My rating: *****
After losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store, Stephanie is desperate for money and turns to her cousin for a job with his bail bonding company. She becomes a recovery agent, which is a fancy term for bounty hunter.
Her first bail jumper is worth ten thousand dollars. And it's a guy that she has some history with: Joe Morelli. The interaction between Stephanie and Morelli is great. It's not so much a will-they-or-won't-they situation as a when-will-they situation.
It's a mystery, she's solving a crime, but that's not my favorite part. The humor in this book kills me. It is told from Stephanie's POV and she is witty and sarcastic. An example that I particularly like:
"I want to see your tailpipe fading off into the sunset."
Good luck, I thought. My tailpipe was somewhere on Route 1, along with my muffler.
And another:
I wasn't sure exactly how prostitutes determined price, but if men bought hookers by the pound, these two would be doing okay.
I would read these books based on the humor alone, although I enjoy the plot and the characters as well.
Stephanie Plum series books: (my rating)
One for the Money (*****)
Two for the Dough (*****)
Three to Get Deadly (*****)
Four to Score (*****)
High Five (*****)
Hot Six (*****)
Seven Up (*****)
Hard Eight (*****)
Visions of Sugar Plums (****)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin'
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzlin' Sixteen
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Bad Place by Dean Koontz
The Bad Place by Dean Koontz
My rating: ****
What is it with Dean Koontz and amnesia? I don't know,
but he sure has a way with suspense. Frank Pollard wakes
up in an alley and the only thing he can remember about
himself is his name.
POV switches with other characters and after a while we
figure out how they are all connected. Things get stranger
and stranger. This book gets into horror and touches of the
supernatural. There are some disturbing images and plenty
of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
My rating: ****
What is it with Dean Koontz and amnesia? I don't know,
but he sure has a way with suspense. Frank Pollard wakes
up in an alley and the only thing he can remember about
himself is his name.
POV switches with other characters and after a while we
figure out how they are all connected. Things get stranger
and stranger. This book gets into horror and touches of the
supernatural. There are some disturbing images and plenty
of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Smart 4 Your Heart
Smart 4 Your Heart: Four simple ways to easily manage your cholesterol by Margaret Pfeiffer
Smart 4 Your Heart is user-friendly, easy to read and features quizzes, notes in the margins, handy tips and illustrations, charts, and plenty of practical information. The emphasis is on lifestyle as well as diet.
A generous recipe section discusses ingredients, includes sample menus, quick meal ideas, and healthy recipes that include nutrition information.
This is a very informative book on how to live a healthier lifestyle. Aimed at people who need to improve the condition of their heart, this book is really for anyone who wants to be healthy.
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
Smart 4 Your Heart is user-friendly, easy to read and features quizzes, notes in the margins, handy tips and illustrations, charts, and plenty of practical information. The emphasis is on lifestyle as well as diet.
A generous recipe section discusses ingredients, includes sample menus, quick meal ideas, and healthy recipes that include nutrition information.
This is a very informative book on how to live a healthier lifestyle. Aimed at people who need to improve the condition of their heart, this book is really for anyone who wants to be healthy.
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Anita Blake Series
Anita Blake Series by Laurell K Hamilton
My rating: ****
Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets CSI, only darker. Anita Blake is a necromancer, meaning she raises the dead for a living. She is also a licensed vampire executioner who helps the police to solve preternatural crimes. The series is set in an alternate universe where vampires and shape shifters walk among us and preternatural biology is a college major.
These books are very dark, with graphic descriptions of crime scenes, gore and violence. As the series goes on and Anita's powers grow and her love life gets more complicated, it starts heading into erotica territory. Some people may be upset by this. Some books are better than others, but overall I think the plots are good enough to compensate for the gratuitous sex scenes.
Anita Blake Series Books: (My rating)
Guilty Pleasures (*****)
The Laughing Corpse (*****)
Circus of the Damned (*****)
The Lunatic Cafe (*****)
Bloody Bones (*****)
The Killing Dance (*****)
Burnt Offerings (****)
Blue Moon (****)
Obsidian Butterfly (*****)
Narcissus In Chains (****)
Cerulean Sins (***)
Incubus Dreams (***)
Micah (**)
Danse Macabre
The Harlequin
Blood Noir
Skin Trade
Flirt
Bullet
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
My rating: ****
Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets CSI, only darker. Anita Blake is a necromancer, meaning she raises the dead for a living. She is also a licensed vampire executioner who helps the police to solve preternatural crimes. The series is set in an alternate universe where vampires and shape shifters walk among us and preternatural biology is a college major.
These books are very dark, with graphic descriptions of crime scenes, gore and violence. As the series goes on and Anita's powers grow and her love life gets more complicated, it starts heading into erotica territory. Some people may be upset by this. Some books are better than others, but overall I think the plots are good enough to compensate for the gratuitous sex scenes.
Anita Blake Series Books: (My rating)
Guilty Pleasures (*****)
The Laughing Corpse (*****)
Circus of the Damned (*****)
The Lunatic Cafe (*****)
Bloody Bones (*****)
The Killing Dance (*****)
Burnt Offerings (****)
Blue Moon (****)
Obsidian Butterfly (*****)
Narcissus In Chains (****)
Cerulean Sins (***)
Incubus Dreams (***)
Micah (**)
Danse Macabre
The Harlequin
Blood Noir
Skin Trade
Flirt
Bullet
Read it and have an opinion? Have a rec of your own? Leave it in the comments!
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