Broke and Bookish Book Haul for 5/24 - 6/6

Lauren's Book Haul

Bought

Hungry by H.A. Swain

Salvage by Alexandra Duncan 

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Nil by Lynne Matson 

Miracle by Elizabeth Scott

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson 

Lailah by Nikki Kelly 

Gated by Amy Christine Parker

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Autumn by David Moody

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block 

The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith 

Seeders by A.J. Colucci 

The Farm by Emily McKay 

Lux Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Lux Beginnings by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

eARCs for Review

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Awake by Natasha Preston

A Song of Ice and Fire vs A Game of Thrones: To Watch or to Read

Note: This is a spoiler free post. I cannot claim the same for the comments. Tread with caution.

There has been a topic for a while now in the A Song of Ice and Fire community about what to do about the show passing the books in story line. Based on my observations, people seem to fall into three camps. 

There is the "I just have to stop watching the show. I want to read everything as George RR Martin intended" camp who have abandoned all online interaction with the ASOIAF community and cancelled their HBO Go subscriptions. They are the purists who want to experience it first on page, unmarred by any show additions to stories that may not be made up. Good luck with your journeys, for the nights are long and full of spoilers.

Then we have the "I am not too excited about the books being passed and things getting potentially spoiled for me, but what choice to I have? Martin can only write so fast" group. These are the ones who have resigned to watching the show, even though it passes their knowledge. Maybe they have begrudgingly made the decision that they would rather have the show spoil them instead of people at work on Monday.  But silently (or not so silently) they are urging Martin to write like the wind.

Finally the third, the "Hell yeah! New Game of Thrones Content!! My body is ready!!" These are the people who are just so overjoyed at something new in the world of ice and fire to see, that they couldn't care less that it is one step up from sanctioned fan-fiction on screen. The writers have talked with Martin, they know the general story, it's as good as cannon for them.

It's fun to watch this play out. I personally am primarily in the "Yay! New content" camp. I still have some high pipe-dream level hopes that The Winds of Winter will publish before the next season, but honestly, I just love this world so much, and the HBO series is such a good adaptation, that I am all in.

But it brings up a good conundrum for spoiler sensitive future-Julia. What will it be like to have potential future twists already known or expected? Theories that people have had for literal years are being pretty much confirmed by things the show does. How is that going to read in the book? Will I enjoy it less because of my gratification now?

I don't know. The answer is unclear to me. It's very weird to be in a position where a movie or TV show has spoiled a book before it is even written. I can't think of any other example. Books are usually the predecessor. But in this case, I've made my decision and I am loving it.I can't wait for these next two episodes.


Are you guys in one of these camps? Even if you are not Game of Thrones watchers/readers, how would you react if a popular book series was adapted to film and passed the written texts? 

Happy Friday everyone!

Top Ten Books We'd Love To See As Movies/TV Shows

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

Julia's Picks

1. The London Steampunk Series by Bec McMaster - I can see this as a netflix series or something ala Penny Dreadful. How fun would it be to see a steampunk romance based society be the it series talked about around the water cooler?

2. The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn - I am thinking a PBS/BBC miniseries ala Downton Abbey or Pride and Prejudice. How cool would it be to grow along with these siblings as they made their matches in society. I'd be so down for this!!

Lauren's Picks

3. The Razorland Series by Ann Aguirre - I'd love to see these novels as movies. I love the strong characters and of course.. the post-apocalyptic/dystopian world would have my attention for almost any movie.

4. The Silo Series by Hugh Howey - These novels are lengthy and would make for a great TV series. There isn't much blood/gore, but a little violence. I think it could air on any TV channel.

5. The Corpus Series by Jessica Khoury - These novels would be good movies as well. They're the kind of "fight the man" novels where you know who to root for and then you're all in. 

6. The Forest of Hands and Teeth Series by Carrie Ryan - This is one of my favorite zombie series. Zombie movies/novels have been getting lots of attention for a while now, and people are getting burnt out. These novels offer a new perspective of survival and living with zombies and that is why I think these novels would make some great gritty, dark movies. 

7. The Insider Duology by Maria V. Snyder - These two novels were perfection for me. Some sci-fi, definetely a dystopian society, a little uprising from below. The elements combined would make for a gripping TV mini-series. 

Jamie's Picks

8. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard: I really loved this book and I could see it being a great travel movie with amazing settings!!

9. Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty: No seriously this would be the most awesome tv show as we grow with JD through the years. HILARIOUS IT WOULD BE.

10.  Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: I JUST NEED THIS TO BE A MOVIE. NEEEEED. Get some kickass female leads and lets do this thing!

May Favorites & June TBR

Happy June! We hope you all had an amazing month of reading and congrats to all those lucky BEA participants (pssst... we want to see your book hauls)! Here are the books we loved this month and what is on our TBR list for June!

May Favorites

Lauren's Pick

Within These Walls by Ania Ahlborn

Ania Ahlborn is now officially one of my favorite authors. I will buy and read all of her books. This is another horror novel, but please don't shy away. This novel had such depth and emotions that it felt like the words were dripping off the pages onto my hands. 

Tahleen's Pick

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes

I picked up this audiobook on a whim at the library, and I'm so glad I did. This was a great listen, as Elwes narrates with help from the likes of Rob Reiner, Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, and company. This is a must read (or listen) for anyone who knows and loves The Princess Bride, and you will definitely want to watch the movie again once you're done.

June TBR

Lauren's Pick

The MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood

And yet another favorite author. Yes, I also have a quote from one of her books tattooed as well. I have actually already read this trilogy, but when these new editions came out, I immediately went and bought them all. So of course I have to re-read them! My other copies are mismatched and these novels are oozing the stuff that sticks with you throughout your lifetime, so I want all the copies. I will forever love Atwood and all of her novels. If you haven't at least heard of these novels, please click the link and explore. Trust me. 

And I'm sorry, but I have to fangirl a little... when one of your favorite authors sends you a sarcastic tweet, you can't help but have a good damn day.

Tahleen's Pick

 

Jackaby by William Ritter

 I've been meaning to read this one for a while, and luckily it's our book club pick this month. Plus, I got it on CD from the library, so yay.



What were your May favorites and what's on your June TBR list?

Daisy's Review of The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

Title/Author: The Conspiracy of Us (The Conspiracy of Us #1) by Maggie Hall
Publisher/Date published: Putnam Juvenile, January 13th 2015
How I got this book: bought it

Goodreads summary: Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.

To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle — beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But as the clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family - but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with.

So this was a book I read with my book club, which is awesome, but this book was a HUGE disappointment. I mean, wow, it was one of my most anticipated books of 2015 and it was just... BAD.

I mean, I still gave it 2 stars on Goodreads, but honestly, that's mostly because it's just hilaribad. It was so bad at times that it was hilarious and endlessly entertaining (though not in the way it was meant to be if I might guess) and it was fun to rant aobut it with my book club girls ;)

Where to start? There are just so many cliches/mistakes/just plain weird stuff that will make people cringe:
-PURPLE EYES. I mean, honestly, haven't we moved past this? And also, if purple eyes aren't speshul snowflake enough, she's the only GIRL with purple eyes. I mean. UGH.
-She has multiple boys chasing after her and doesn't know why, cause 'she's not beautiful'. I. Wow. Please show this girl how to work a mirror.
-A very disproportional body on one of the guys, whose feet touch the floor when he's sitting on a barstool. If he's not a giant, this doesn't work.
-Obviously you're not going to be recognized when you're on the run and you wear a big hat. Or start making out. I mean, OBVIOUSLY.
-Also, at one point it's mentioned that there are 12 hours in a day. *headdesk*
-Being soaked through after standing in the rain for all of 5 seconds.

I could seriously go on. And on. Which is what we did when discussing this at book club, but the point is: while these things were cringe-worthy, Maggie Hall did make me keep reading. I just kept hoping this would get better and the writing STYLE isn't the problem, but mostly the plot and the clichés that had been overused before this book came out.
Aside from one pretty steamy scene, I wasn't much rooting for the romance either, but wow, Maggie Hall is very much able to create the sexyness, but I would have liked to swoon for the boy before getting to this part. To be fair: there's not much happening beside maybe a kiss, but it was VERY sexy.

Basically what I'm saying is that this book was a bit of a hot mess, but it did have entertainment value. Just don't expect it to be the YA Da Vinci Code or anything, like it was originally marketed.

My rating: 1,5 stars

Kimberly wants to know, what are your go to comfort reads?

We all have them.


The books we turn to after a long day.


The ones we open up when we are down.


Just seeing the cover art makes us smile.


You MUST own a copy, because our home feels empty without it.




For me, it's Harry Potter. (Yes, I know, that answer is pretty much cliché. Totally don't care.) I have them on my bookshelves in my living room, my shelves are one of the first things you see when you walk into my house, I want them visible! Plus, I'm still trying to get the Mr. to read them...


When I've had a rough day, or I've been sick, or I'm in a reading slump and don't feel like starting something new, I turn to those books. Sometimes it's just a chapter... sometimes it's a couple of books. ;)

So tell me. What are your comfort books?? Please share in the comments!

Cocktail and Conversation--Reader Quirks

Every other Thursday here at the Broke & The Bookish is  A Cocktail Conversation time. One of the TB&TB members will pose a question to 2-3 of the other members of TB&TB crew about books, life, music, etc and then they'll answer and we can converse about it. So grab a cocktail & cozy up for some conversation. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, friends. 

THE QUESTION: 

What is one of your reader quirks?

Lauren says:  

My reader quirk is almost more of an annoyance than a quirk. Because I read so much and many of my FB and IRL friends don't, as soon as a bestseller or popular book comes out, they all automatically assume I've read it or am going to read it. Just because a book is on the NYT Bestsellers List does not mean I want to read it or that I should read it. When 50 Shades of Grey became popular, my friends were literally BAFFLED that I hadn't read it. I'd explain the normal reason why: it's Twilight fan fiction, it was first published with unspeakable grammatical errors, that I really don't care, etc.... but people that don't read as much as us still don't get it. So basically I tell all my non-frequent reader friends that I read what I want, when I want. BOOM.

Julia says:  

I have to read series books in order. It is really hard for me to jump around or start in the middle, even if people tell me "The first two are crap, just read the third." It pains me. I am getting a little better with this lately when it comes to romance novels where I don't want to get sucked into another mega-book series, or another regency sibling set of stories. But I just like to read things the way they were written. I like knowing all the jokes because I too was there for them instead of scratching my head in wonder. This is doubly true for me when it comes to TV series. I haven't gotten better with those :)

Jana says:  

Good quirk, Julia! I have the same one! I can't figure one out for myself... I'm quirky, but I think I've mentioned many of them on the blog already!

Tahleen says:  

My quirk is I've often got at least four books going: two audios (one for running, one for the car), one in print, and one on my nook. Not to mention the kids' books I read for book club at the library!

Lori says:  

I think I've got a lot of reader quirks, but they just seem normal to me, so I don't notice them.  However, my mom routinely comments on this one, so it must be a quirk.  I have two copies of my favorite books.  One is my nice, pristine, sits on my shelf of favorites copy and the other one is marked all over--notes in the margins, dog-eared pages, highlighter marks, scraps of paper sticking out at off angles.

What are some of your reader quirks?