April Reading List \\ The Book of Time Adventures in Samarkand Gate

Hey! Long time no post. It's been an absolutely crazy few weeks, which is why my monthly book review(s) post is late. I combined both March and April's lists because I didn't read much either month. 

Wordsmithy 

by Douglas Wilson

A short book about writing and the writing lifestyle. I really enjoyed it (especially Douglas Wilson's humor. One of my favorite jokes ever is in this book :D ), and it is among the top of the list of books that have impacted my writing the most. He's down to earth, not afraid to tell aspiring writers they're doing it wrong, and uses that to make you motivated. It is also definitely the kind of book that you would get more out of reading it two or three times. I indubitably will. 5 stars. 

The Time Fetch 

by Amy Herrick

I WANT A SEQUEL NOW. Ahhhh. I loved this book so much. It left my heart feeling squeezed and sore and perfectly drooling for more. It's got time travel, fairy tales, magic, school drama and creepy villains--but that's not why I loved it. Actually, the plot was a little wonky, and the pacing odd. But as I was saying--I loved it for the characters. Edward, the main character, was awesome. I found a really original kind of spirit in him that really stuck with me. Feenix, second main character, was very cool, and not the typical "bad girl" or "good girl". She was unique, and a perfect foil to Eddie. I heard a rumor Amy Herrick may be working on a sequel and I REALLY REALLY HOPE THAT'S TRUE. 4 1/2 stars, only because the pacing was a little off, and Edward was a devout atheist, which was annoying (but also added to his character. It's complicated...)
(There were a few instances of taking the Lord's Name in vain, that was it.)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

by Mark Twain

Pure awesomesauce in 200 pages. This is one of the few classics I really enjoyed reading. I'm not usually one for just fiction--but this was an exquisite pleasure to read. And it's not just because I relate to Tom, living out in the country. :) Both fast paced and laid back, absolutely worth every minute. 5 stars, definitely! (They do take the Lord's Name in vain several times, and there is a scary murder involved.)

The Book of Time (Book of Time #1)

by Guillaume Prevost 

I picked this up at McKay's for $2. I started the book not at all impressed. It sounded like it was written for eight year olds. But the longer I read, the less rocky it got, and the author's voice finally settled in my head. It was still gut-churchingly juvenile (the dude used at least three exclamation marks in a single paragraph. No kidding.) but the story grew more and more intriguing, and I was starting to like the main character, Sam. Sam's father disappeared two weeks ago, and no one seems overly concerned. One day, Sam goes into their basement and finds a secret wall hiding a strange stone beyond. Next to the stone is a strange coin with a hole in the middle. Oddly enough, it fits exactly into a crevice in the stone. Instantly, Sam is thrown back in time, and, consequently, thrust head-first into a hunt for his father that involves monks, World-War I, mummies and Dracula. By the end of the book, I was intensely invested and immediately went and bought the sequel on Amazon. 3 1/2 stars, for various reasons, but still a very fun/short read. (They do take the Lord's name in vain a few times, and there is a minor curse word once or twice. Also, talk about drugs.)

The Gate of Days (Book of Time #2)

by Guillaume Prevost

Just as good as the first, if not better. This time, Sam has to battle Chicago mobsters, neanderthals and medieval soldiers while trying to discover the meaning behind the strange horn-and-sun symbol that has been following him through his time travels. It was a great follow-up to the first one, much better written, and Sam finally smartened up. 4 stars. (Again, a few minor curse words and taking the Lord's name in vain. Also more drug talk and descriptions of different kinds of medieval torture.)

The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy #1)

by Jonathan Stroud

I was not expecting much, so I was really surprised when I ended up absolutely loving this. I picked the series up on a whim, without any previous research, from the library. The titles caught my eye, and I decided to try them out. The writing is surprisingly well done, the author has a very extensive vocabulary, and it brings a high level of class. His character, a dijinn called Bartimaues is a witty, snappy demon summoned by a young magician, Nathaniel, to help him take revenge on a powerful magician who humiliated him two years ago. 
Despite the vengeance agenda of the book, I really liked it, and the plot. The characters were the best part, though, especially Nathaniel. He's original, he's got depth. A twelve-year-old cross between a psychopath, a mastermind, an awkward teenager and, in the end, a hero. He's selfish and insufferable and annoying, but in a surprisingly un-annoying way. I give it 4 1/2 stars. (There is two or three minor curse words, a few instances of taking the Lord's name in vain, and some rather... uh, shall we say, colorful sentences now and then.)
--And just a side note, I am extremely annoyed at the people who say that this series steals from Harry Potter. The only resemblance between the two is that the conflict revolves around magicians in England. The similarities end there. 

Have any of y'all read these? Let me know what you thought of them if you did.

I've been finding many more good books lately, which is very nice. If you have any suggestions, I'm always open! I love getting recommendations. 

Tiredly-Because-It's-Eleven-Thirty-At-Night,
~The Scribbler in the Attic

March Reading List \\ The Obsidian Blood Throne of Doom and Olympus Staff

Hey y'all! Sorry I've been neglectful with posting this last month. It's been super busy around here. :)
Maybe I'll actually get March's "Reading List" post up before the month ends this time. :P

The Obsidian Mirror (Chronoptika #1) 

by Catherine Fisher 

This was such a good book! It finally came in at our library and I found myself completely transfixed. Catherine Fisher has long been one of my favorite authors, both for her stories and her writing style, which is chilling and enchanting all at once. The Obsidian Mirror is about a boy, Jake, who's father was murdered. Jake suspects his new guardian, Oberon Venn, the man who was his father's best friend, to be the murderer. But when Jake goes to Wintercombe Abby to confront him, he finds only secrets and a strange black mirror. I give this book 4.5 stars. I wish I had just gone ahead and bought it! (Side note: There is a good deal of mild language throughout.)

The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy #3)

by Jennifer A. Nielson

This. Was. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. This series has become my favorite book series ever, and I was not disappointed by the conclusion. I loved every bit of it! If you haven't heard of this series go buy it right now. :D I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!

Day of Doom (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers #6)

by David Baldacci

This was pretty good. It was the last book of the series and tied up everything really well. A very good sequel series to the original 39 Clues. 3.5. stars is my humble opinion. (It does take the Lord's Name is vain three or four times, as well as using two mild curse words.)

The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus #5)

by Rick Riordan

Eh. I can't complain. It was exactly like all the others, which is to say, they travel around and fight monsters. It was actually rather boring until the very end, at which point I finally started to enjoy myself. It was a lot of fun and had several parts that made me laugh out loud. But I won't say anymore so that I don't spoil it for any of you who haven't read it. 3.5 stars. (Just fyi, there is a gay character in here. But nothing "happens" per se.)

The Staff of Serapis (PJO and KC Crossover #2)

by Rick Riordan

Dude. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! If you haven't read The Kane Chronicles and Percy Jackson, pick them both up and then read The Son of Sobek and then read this. Worlds collide. It's awesome. 4.5 stars, definitely! 


What did you guys read this month? Any recommendations?
Adios,
~The Scribbler in the Attic

January Reading List \\ The Hangman's Midnight 39 Crown Revolution of Clues

One of my goals this year is to read 101 books. Whether I'll make that or not, I've no clue. But I would only have to read 8 and 1/2 books a month to reach it, so that shouldn't be too difficult, right?

Have any of you ever set any large reading goals? If so, any advice?

Well, here's what I read this month. I only got around to 6, so I suppose I'll have to make up for that next month...

The Hangman's Revolution (W.A.R.P. #2) 

by Eoin Colfer

This. Was. Awesome. And so funny. I always enjoy Colfer's sense of humor and how he blends absolutely impossible scenarios with believable action and original characters. I give this book 4.5 stars. (There is a lot of mild language, and a lot of gory action, but nothing waaay over-the-top.)

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

by Sarah J. Maas

I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it, so I checked out the second book on our online library... and still don't quite know what to think. It was good, maybe 3.5 stars, but the main character did a lot of things that were completely and breathtakingly wrong and, quite frankly, evil. I don't think I have ever seen the line of good-and-evil so blurred. I couldn't even tell where the line was. So... the plot was pretty good, even if it lagged a little, but the characters (except for Chaol, who is awesome) were really pretty terrible and had little in the way of true character development. (The language gets pretty PG-13 now and then, and because of the adult innuendo and content, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 15.)

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers (books 2-5)

by a bunch of people

Oh! These are so good! Such a great sequeal-series to the original 39 Clues. I'm right in the middle of the last book, and seriously have no idea how it's all going to end up okay. Definitely give these 4.5 stars. (On the language: there is taking of the Lord's name in vain a few times, and three very mild instances of cursing in the 5th, Trust No One.)

Hope this broadened some of your reading horizons. :)

Got any suggestions for me? (Seriously, I have to read 101 books this year, and I need more material for my list!)

~The Scribbler in the Attic

2014 Top Ten Book Recommendations

I read a lot of books this last year, and thought I'd share my top ten favorites:

Airman by Eoin Colfer

A very thrilling, fun and well written historical fiction. It takes place during the era where learning to build the first flying aircraft was a race and everyone was in it to win. 

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forrester

I did a review of this book back in March. Everything about it was so incredibly charming, and it was original and classic at the same time, if a little predictable. :)

(Ascendance Trilogy) The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielson

The. Best. Book. I. Have. Ever. Read. Ever. (Not including the Bible. ;D) Ah, where to even begin? You'll just have to look it up and read it. ;)

(Relic Master) The Dark City by Catherine Fisher

The characters in this one are just so well done and unique. It's really what sold the rest of the series for me. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes the combination of sci-fi and fantasy and talking cats.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

Have you ever read one of those books that just makes you... happy? This was that kind of book for me. This is one of the greatest classics of all time, if you ask me. 

(Fablehaven Series) Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull

This is my favorite book out of the whole series. I recommend the whole Fablehaven series, but this was the book that stood out to me the most. 

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

A beautiful and well done story of a girl who moves from the beaches of the Caribbean to the outbacks of America. I really enjoyed this, and I'm not usually one for historical novels. 

The 39 Clues Series by... A Lot of People

The premise is just so out-there, there is no way you want enjoy this as much as I did. Crazy action and adventure, crazy plot, and most of all, completely crack-pot characters. It was awesome!

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

I really enjoyed this book which was basically just one long play on words. It rocked. :D 

The Swamp Rat by Carter Crocker

Ahh! So good! I loved this book, and I honestly have no idea why. It's told from the perspective of animals living in a swamp. I've never been one for stories told by animals (besides Redwall, of course), but this is was such a delightful and laid-back read. 

How many books did you read this last year? I would love recommendations! What were your favorites? Have you read any of these?

Over and Out,
~The Scribbler in the Attic

Monday Musings \\ Treasure Hunting: What I Read

Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson

This probably wouldn't "officially" be shelved with the treasure hunting genre, but it involves the theory of Chinese and Phoenician discoveries of America, and that's good enough for me. 

The story follows Tom as he is accidentally pulled into an underground river and has to find a way out of the subterranean world. N.D. Wilson yet again spins an amazing, fun, and quirky story that I will definitely read again.

Treasure Hunters by James Patterson

This is as juvenile as juvenile fiction can get. My nine year old brother would be able to breeze through it, but I picked it up anyways. Half of the book is illustrations. I really enjoyed it, though. 

The four kids (twins Bick and Beck, 14-year old Storm and "Tail-spin" Tommy), and coincidentally "Kidd" siblings, have grown up their whole lives treasure hunting with their parents. But when their parents are kidnapped, they must travel the globe to find them again--along with some treasure. 

Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti

This was such a good book! It's a non-fiction account of the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911. I read it to get some background on art theft, as well as art history, and this fit the bill perfectly. I learned a little about the beginnings of forensic sciences, as well as the history behind stolen masterpiece. 

(On a parental guide note, it does have some adult-themes and some language.)

The 39 Clues by... A Lot Of Different People

I haven't actually finished this series completely (so if you've read it, don't spoil anything!), but I don't have to to give a shining review. The plot and characters are so well done by the various authors who write in the series, and I couldn't give a higher recommendation if you're looking for treasure hunting books to read.

Amy and Dan Cahill are given a choice: Two million dollars or the first clue to a treasure hunt that could either kill them, or lead them to the ultimate prize. A prize that would make them the two most powerful people in the world. Along the way, they have to battle relatives, sharks, Russian spies, and *shudder* museum curators. 

(Language note: They do take the Lord's name in vain several times.)

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Do I need to give an explanation for why I read this? It's the treasure hunting novel of all treasure hunting novels. As well as one of the worlds most famous classics. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

Being the 2nd installment of The Mysterious Benedict Society series by T.L. Stewart this is a fun story about Reynie Muldoon and his friends Sticky, Constance, and Kate. Four orphans who are recruited to help save the world, in this sequel they must set off on a journey that takes them across the globe to save their friends. 

I read this one a while ago, but enjoyed it a lot. The characters are so unique, and Stewart's writing is so well done. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the kids disobeyed their guardians, who were only looking out for their own good, even if it was to do the right thing.

The Century Quartet by P.D. Baccalario

I literally just finished the last book in this series half an hour ago. It. Was. So. Good. A very unconventional treasure hunting story, but refreshing in its premise.

At a hotel in Rome, four kids, Harvey from New York, Mistral from Paris, Sheng from Shanghai, and Elettra, the hotel owner's daughter, come together, apparently by chance on New Year's, and soon find out that they were all born on the same day: Febuary 29th. Their destinies become entwined as they are all pulled into a mystery involving a briefcase which contains clues leading to ancient mystical artifacts, given to them by a man who is murdered the very next day. 

Character development was really one of the highlights of these for me. Harvey and Sheng especially. The last book was perfectly done. I loved these so much, and was so happy to have picked them up when I was wandering the library, at a loss as to what to get. And just when I needed some good treasure hunting books!

(There is some mild cursing in here, teenagers kissing, and complete contradiction with the Creation account, but it had a relatively good message, and it didn't push the contradiction in your face, so it didn't really bother me or ruin the story.)

Well, I hope you guys now have some new material for your reading lists. Have a great day!
~The Scribbler in the Attic

Monday Musings \\ Treasure Hunting: What I Watched

Nine days into NaNoWriMo and I'm only four thousand words behind! I think I'm doing pretty good!... yeah....

Well, I thought I would share with you guys what movies I watched to get into the mood of treasure hunting. Here goes:



The Mummy (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor)
Loved them! Brendan Fraser plays a gun slinging-American thrown into the whirlwind of the 20th century rush for Egyptian artifacts along with the beautiful librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her brother, Jonathan.

National Treasure (duh!)
Pure awesomeness.

The Librarian (Quest for the Spear, Return to King Solomon's Mines, Curse of the Judas Chalice)
Flynn Carsen is a student at a university one minute and the next is hired as the Librarian of a top-secret part of the Metropolitan Public Library, where they house some of the worlds most ancient and magical artifacts.
So. Horribly. Cheesy. I loved them!!! (And the fact that I used three exclamation marks at the end of that sentence further attests to it, because I am not a fan of using several exclamation marks at the end of a sentence.)
Anyways. Yes. These were great. Except for the last one. It was really terrible, but I still enjoyed it.

Sahara
I watched this one a while ago, but still thought it worth mentioning. I didn't enjoy it much, and it definitely had some iffy parts. The combination of a funny sidekick, explosions, and a lots of gold was really the only thing that kept me interested, but I have several friends who think it's a great movie. So maybe some of y'all will like it. :)

Indiana Jones
Of course, I could never embark on a treasure hunting novel without watching the most classic treasure hunter in movie history. I only got to watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Kingdom of the Diamond Skull, but they were both a lot of fun.


If anyone has any recommendations for treasure hunting movies, I would love to hear them in the comments!

Sayonara,
~The Scribbler in the Attic

Writers' Wednesday || Part 15 - The Message (and new characters!)

Wow. Sorry this took so long to get up. I tried to take a really epic picture for it, but they were all pretty bad. 

Hope you guys like it! 

- Part 15 -

The Message

Above the raging ocean, Blood Castle clung to the mountain precipice, old seaweed and damp gorse oozing from the cracks like puss from a wound. The lightning storm was whipping the sea into a foamy torment, the skies black with clouds. Waves lapped at the salt-encrusted stone stairway in the mountainside that led up from the beach to the fortress. Lorena Blood took a deep breath of the salty air, metallic with the electricity from the storm.

She stood at the open window, the silky curtains she had drawn away rippling in the wind. This castle had been a rotting corpse of driftwood before she arrived. But she had fixed that. She had made it a great fortress once again. Now, the village people intoned its name like a curse. Lorena Blood had made a good life for herself here, despite that this place had been intended to be her punishment. But she would gain the Master's trust and respect back.

And if not that, at least her life.

The sound of footsteps made her turn around. She moved slowly, unconcerned. An agent stood with hands in his pockets, maddenly arrogant like every idiot Stallings turned into a soldier for the Master. He was younger than the others, which only added to his smug attitude. She took in his crew-cut black hair, impeccable suit and trenchcoat, his bright but slow eyes.

She waited for him to speak first. When their eyes met, the man seemed momentarily surprised. His gaze swept her face and body, nervousness flooding his expression. Lorena smiled. This poor sap must be new.

"Freyja," he finally managed. Lorena crossed her arms elegantly and waited. "I've brought you a message from Stallings."

Lorena held out a pale hand for the slip of paper, blood red nails like claws clicking as they brushed each other. The agent placed it in her fingers delicately. His hand was gloved. Lorena wondered sometimes how they didn't get hot under all that clothing.

Turning her back to the young man, she unfolded the paper and read the three words printed on it.

Ragnorak is here.

Lorena crushed the paper in her fist. Stretching her hand out the window, she watched the message flutter in the wind as it dropped towards the ocean.

"That's it?" she asked, in a half-whisper.

"Yes."

Striding to her desk, Lorena quickly scribbled a reply. "Give this to Stallings."

The man seemed to shrink away from her even while he came closer to receive the note she held. She smiled again, and the agent flinched. He practically grabbed the paper from her. Then he was gone.

Lorena Blood found herself laughing as the room was suddenly empty. She glanced at the giant mirror over the mantle of the crackling fireplace. Emerald eyes flashed back at her. Her white skin looked whiter in the stark dimness cast by the storm, her red lips like blood in the half-light. How incredible it was what beauty could do to a man when he was confronted face-to-face with it.

A sour feeling trickled into her stomach as her thoughts once again retured to Stalling's message.

Ragnarok is here.

"I suppose we shall meet soon," Lorena said, leaning against the windowsill, reveling in the seaspray on her face. "I'll be looking forward to it, Ragnarok. Whoever you are."

I always love feedback, so feed me back! :)

~The Scribbler in the Attic

Monday Musings \\ Top Ten Authors I Own The Most Books Of

I've been wanting to do a post like this for a while, ever since I got the idea from Imogen Elvis's blog (go check it out, it's awesome.) I'm just going to list the top ten authors I own the most books of, and a little of why. 

Trenton Lee Stewart

A few years ago my sister and I got hooked on his Mysterious Benedict Society series, and received the entire box set for Christmas. His writing style is actually, I think, I a lot like J.K. Rowling's, which is probably one reason that I really enjoyed his books. But what I really loved best were all the characters he crafted. They were all the perfect kind of quirky that I like to read about.

Linda Windsor

Before Linda Windsor I had never read Christian Romance. Her Fires of Gleanmara series is seriously the best Christian book series I have ever read. She has some modern-day-romances, but all of the books I own of hers are set in medieval/Celtic history settings. Her research about the times, while not terribly in depth, is accurate, and I love reading about the rise and fall of Christianity during the Dark Ages, and always incorporates it so well into her romances.

Rick Riordan

At the moment I only own his Heroes of Olympus series. I wish that when I picked up the original Percy Jackson series that I had just bought them, because they are some of my favorite books ever. The Heroes of Olympus is not nearly as awesome as Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but I still love his books and his characters, and most especially his sense of humor. His books are the perfect ratio of deep/stupid/make-fun-of-themselves/informative/and well written.

Brian Jacques

I think Brian Jacques is one of the unsung heroes of fantasy fiction. His Redwall series is one of the things that helped me (and this is probably going to sound really weird) get over my strong apprehension of anything gory/gross/bloody. The series is set in Mossflower woods, which is populated by sword-wielding mice, arrow-shooting squirrels, dagger-throwing weasels, stoats, ferrets, potion-making foxes, sling-shot-slugging moles, and rapier-twirling shrews. Since all of the gore/violence was happening to animals, it worked as a nice transition for me to suck-it-up and get used to it with humans too. 

N.D. Wilson

Every single of his books are absolutely brilliant. That's basically all there is to say. I loved his One Hundred Cupboards series, am currently reading through his Ashtown Burials series, and really adored Leapike Ridge. His writing style takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you'll enjoy it immensely.

Andrew Peterson

While I have yet to read the latest book of his I bought, the last in his Wingfeather Saga, his books made me realize that I didn't just want to write stories about orphaned kids with no authority figures or parental guides. His characters manage to have exciting, breath-taking adventures without their parents getting killed or being dumped in an orphanage and forced to make world-altering decisions on their own. 

Lloyd Alexander

Half of the time I'm reading his Chronicles of Prydain series, I love it. All his characters make me laugh and his plots are awesome. The other half I want to slap the main character, tell him to suck in his pride and stop acting like a dufus. Taran, the main character, does make the right choice by the end of every story, and the very last book in this series is really one of the best ending-books I've read. 

John White

I'm not quite sure what to say about his books. He is the author I own the most books of, only for the reason that I got his whole Archives of Anthropose series for Christmas. His characters were okay, his plots were okay, and the world he built was okay, but I just couldn't really get into it. It took too much from Narnia and used way too many medieval-fantasy cliches.

Suzanne Collins

NO, I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY.
Sorry, just had to get that out of the way. I liked the first two books in the Hunger Games, but wanted to throw the last book across the room (and would have, if I hadn't been borrowing it from a friend).
No, I own her Gregor the Overlander series. I have a love-hate relationship with these books. Her last book left me wanting more, and not in a good way. But Gregor was an awesome character for the most part, and the world she built was very well done. I'm glad I own the series, at any rate, though. :)

Eoin Colfer

I saved the best for last. Do you ever read one of those books that just makes to happy every time you read it? Everything hits in just the right way, and it's like honey-moon-mode all through the series?Most books I read, that feeling wears off by the last book, but with Eoin Colfer's books it stays like that the whole time. They just make me happy. His Artemis Fowl series especially. Each book of his is always awesome and his characters are superb.


Well, hope you guys enjoyed this and hoped it broadened your horizons for reading material!
Adios, 
~The Scribbler in the Attic  

Monday Musings // Izma and the Hunger Games

Thanks to Jaime for awarding me! Go and check out her blog, it's pretty spectacular. :)
This is probably going to be rather long...

The Rules:

Thank and link back to the person who nominated you

List 11 facts about yourself

Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you

Nominate bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers (you can’t nominate the blogger who nominated you)

Ask them 11 questions

Let them know about the nomination

Alright... 11 facts about me...
Um... I used to be a My-Little-Pony fanatic years ago, and owned, like, 20. 
I love ice skating.
Science is my hated enemy (which is really hard, when I want to be a science-fiction writer. :P)
The words "Shatter" and "Cascade" give me shivers every time I hear or read them.
I want to name one of my future kids Aspen.
Imagine Dragons is my favorite band.
I really, really, really can't (like, mentally cannot bring myself to) eat any food that is over three days old; and leftover rice is my arch nemesis. 
I took the online quiz for "Which Disney song are you" and the first time I got Make a Man Out of You and the second time I got Be Our Guest.
I can't stand pancakes.
I don't own an iPad, iPod or iPhone or mac device of any kind.
And, um... My favorite candy is Reese's and Sweet-tarts.

Now, Q and A:

1. Do you like Tangled or Frozen more?

Tangled, hands down. I loved Frozen and it was cool (if you'll excuse the pun), but Tangled was awesome. :)

2. What's your favorite genre of book?

It's a toss-up between Sci-Fi and Fantasy. (Though Fantasy may win by a little bit...)

3. Mocha Frappucino or peppermint tea?

Well, I've never had a Mocha Frappecino and only had peppermint tea once, years ago. So I really wouldn't know. 

4. Are you....Dauntless, Erudite, Candor, Amity, or Abnegation?

Wow. I had to look this one up because I haven't actually read the Divergent series. I guess... Candor? I mean, I like to think that I'm a little of all of them, but I guess Candor would probably be the most prominent... maybe?

5. What's an ideal Friday night in your opinion?

Either a good movie with good friends, a good board game with my family, or a good book with ice cream and classical music. :)

6. Favorite tv show?

NOOOOO! You can't ask that question! I love lots, though, if I had to pick just one it would be BBC's Merlin. But I also like Grimm, Once Upon a Time, Arrow, Agents of Shield, Castle and Psych. 

7. Would you rather be a french fry or peanut butter sandwich?  Think hard before you answer.

A peanut butter sandwich, because the first thing that comes to mind is a loving mother making it for her child. A french fry and all I can think of is a McDonald's cardboard cup full of them in the gutter in the road. 

8. What is your greatest talent?

Um...
Um...
But...
Maybe...
Um...
Procrastinating. 

9. Which duo are you and your best friend (be honest) most like:

A. Izma and Kronk

B. Arthur and Merlin

C. Megamind and Minion

D. Captain America and Bucky

E. Anna and Olaf

F. Sherlock and John

G. Fili and Kili

Oh my. Such a hard choice. Either A. or G. My friend said B. :)

10. Weirdest nickname you have?

SlimJim. Willagodzilla. Willa Wonka. Willard. Willamina. Willy. 
I have a lot, actually. <3

11. Imagine you're in the Hunger Games.  Which of these are you most likely to do:

A. Kill everyone at the cornucopia.

B. Go berry-picking.

C. Find a way to escape the games (sort of like Katniss does in the end of Catching Fire)

D. Disguise yourself as a tree and chillax at the river.

E. Duck-face at all the cameras in the arena and hope you get sponsors.

F. Fall off the pedestal early and meet an early fate. 

C. I would probably die in the attempt and never actually accomplish it, but I would still try. Chillaxing would be my second choice. :)

This was so much fun! Thanks again, Jaime for awarding me!

I now award...
Elsie (This must be the 10 thousandth time I've tagged you... <3)
Andrea 
Megan
Priscilla

And my questions...

1. What was the first chapter book you ever read on your own?
2. If you could go any place in South America, where would you go?
3. Would you rather be chased by an army of mummies or a zombie horde?
4. What's your favorite board game?
5. If you could get really good at one medieval weapon (e.g. sword, bow and arrows, daggers) which would it be and why?
6. What is your favorite breakfast food?
7. Would you rather go to the Zoo or the science museum? (and why?)
8. Cats or dogs?
9. What season are you? (like, do you look best in spring colors, summer, autumn or winter?)
10. If you had $1000 what is the first thing you would buy?
11. What is your favorite kind of shoe to wear?

Wow... Those felt like really boring questions. I must be tired. 
Have fun answering them!

If you've actually made it this far down this really long post, thanks for sticking to it and reading,
~The Scribbler in the Attic

Monday Musings \\ The Relic Master Series BR

The Relic Master Series by Catherine Fisher

Premise: The only hope for the world Anara lies in a Relic Master, his apprentice, and the ancient relics they've dedicated their lives to searching for and protecting. As Anara's political order crumbles to chaos and everybody is spied on by the Watch, Galen and Raffi will be tested to their limit. Hunted, watched and betrayed at every corner, can they survive long enough to bring peace back to their world?

Language: Some mild cursing, and possibly one above-mild curse word name.

Content: Fighting, sorcerery-like powers, minor injuries, mutants, talk of experiments, and animal/alien-creatures/humanoids.  

Stars: 4

Wow… How to start this review…?

This is possibly one of the most bizarre series I've ever read. It was incredibly written, the characters were suburb and very believable, the action as well, the underlying premise itself very intriguing, the back story great, and the actual plot well played out, but everything in between… just bizarre.

 The book begins with the main characters--a young apprentice (Raffi) and his Master (Galen)--who are dedicated to an order that finds and preserves relics (objects left by the "Makers") both for the relics sake, and for the protection of the people of Anara, who aren't trained to handle these things. I won't give the whole story behind all that away, because it is one of the biggest supporting beams for the story plot, but basically the books start out with Raffi and Galen almost worshipping these Makers. As the series progresses, they come to stop thinking of the Makers as gods, and stop giving them that sort of attention, if you will.

I really would not have enjoyed this series if it weren't for one character: Galen.

Seriously, one of my all time favorite characters of any series.

And that's saying something.

Galen is just, in a word, awesome. Not in a swashbuckling, clever-repartee' sort of way. He gets angry easily, he's dark and moody, but he's sharp and he's never fooled. His relationships with the other characters are also very good, and I really loved the different ways Fisher played out the tension or the love and loyalty between them and used it to build him.

The other characters, though, were also very well done. There were developments in each of them, and each development was well done and not overplayed.

Age-Range: I'd say 14+ (but only because of the one curse-word name, in which case it'd be 12-13+)

Basically, if you don't mind animal-humanoid-aliens, unexplainable powers, and a weird religion that eventually resolves itself into just an order of moralistic values, and you like spies, hunts, freaky-awesome mind powers, beautiful descriptions, a city made of shadows, betrayal and redemption, check this series out. 

Sincerely, 

~The Scribbler in the Attic

Monday Musings// I'm Back! (And Book Pendants)

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!
Yes, well, so,--I'm back again! So excited to actually post again! I've got the next This Name and Moment segment in the works, as well as hopefully editing Emma's senior pictures and doing some book reviews. I read eight books last month, and several of them are just too good not to share with y'all. 
So, basically, what I've been up to is...

Shoe shopping! Finally got a new pair of converse after my last pair finally disintegrated into a puddle of threads and rubber.

Reading! Fencing, Magic, Historical, Time-Travel...

Making book pendants! Yes! You heard me--book pendants! I hand-made them from clay and put them up on Facebook to sell. I'm almost tempted to keep them all for myself...
(More on this in a later post, I promise.)

"If not for the last minute, nothing would ever get done." ~Unknown

But biggest news of all--I FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT OF MY BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOOOOOOOO excited! It was worth it to take a break from blogging to focus on the home-stretch of writing my book. 

Sincerely, 

The Scribbler in the Attic 

(Please go and check out my jewelry business Facebook page to see more about the book pendants! 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Droplette-Jewelry/854938741186339 )

Monday Musings \\ Fablehaven Series Review

Fablehaven (the complete) Series by Brandon Mull

Premise: Kendra and Seth Sorenson have no idea that their grandparents are the caretakers of a preserve for magical creatures, called Fablehaven. When they come to stay while their parents are on vacation, the Sorenson siblings are plunged into the midst of a dangerous war between the demons and fairies, dark and light creatures. As the increasingly desperate situations call for increasingly desperate measures, their bravery saves the day while giving them abilities they never dreamed of. In the next two years, they are victim to dragons, betrayel, magic, captivity, time travel, duels, griffons, wraiths, dangerous gambles with deadly magical beings, and a struggle that will both rip them away from their family and help find them again.

Language: None

Content: Plenty of violence, drowning, dangerous magical creatures, but not really any blood or gore. Kidnapping, murder.

Stars: 4 1/2

I went through a difficult breakup with this series when I finished. After such an explosive, beautiful last book, it was like 11 o'clock at night when I finished and I just went, sat down by my older sister, and hugged her a long time. It was such an awesome series I that couldn't face the fact that it was over.

The thing about juvenile fiction is that sometimes the grownups simply put too much confidence in the children, or absolutely none. Fablehaven did a wonderful job of balancing it perfectly. The grownups were both very responible about protecting the children, while not undermining them and using their help when it was needed.

It took the first three or four books to get to this point, and up until that point, they would disobey their grandparents to do the right thing.

What I enjoyed most was the dynamic of Kendra and Seth as siblings. Total opposites. They are both the main characters, though Kendra a little more than Seth. Kendra was responsible, level headed, polite and quietly brave.

Her younger brother Seth, however, is goofy, recklessly courageous, constantly cracking jokes, and always disobeying. But his disobedience always has consequences, and he learns eventually to respect his grandparents.

Another thing that really stood out to me about this series was how polite the kids were to the badguy--a classy, clever man. They despise him, but are always very polite when speaking to him. It was refreshing to read books where they weren't constantly insulting, yelling, or cursing at the antagonist.

This series had wonderful, colorful side characters, lots of humor, and awesome ancient evils and clever badguys. The secret magical world takes on a global-level as the series progresses.

The only thing that I think people might have a problem with are the demons and zombies, but neither are overplayed. They are simply portrayed as other magical creatures like fairies, trolls, dragons, giants and satyrs. There's nothing weird or after-lifey or religously-off about them.

I highly recommend this series to anyone 10+. It has become one of my favorite book series, and has given me so many ideas for my own books. 

~The Reader in the Attic