BookshelfBlitz

Bookshelf Blitz 2017/Aug – Report

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, Leave a comment

BBAug2017Report

I think this has been fairly successful. From the huge stack of books I started with, only five were left unread. My goal was to read as many books as possible from off my shelves. I think the 15 books below makes that a success. An ulterior motive was to make room on said shelves by not putting back the ones I have no intention of reading again. A few of these might remain for the short term to give Lisa a chance at them.

Total Books Read: 15
Books Removed: 8

  • The Crossing by Gary Paulsen
  • We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee
  • The Roar by Emma Clayton
  • Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy by Luke Samson (Thad Damous #1)
  • Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park #1)
  • The Message by K.A. Applegate (Animorphs #4)
  • The Predator by K.A. Applegate  (Animorphs #5)
  • A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin (Earthsea #1)
  • The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (Spiderwick #1)
  • The Seeing Stone by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (Spiderwick #2)
  • Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye (Leven Thumps #1)
  • The Mayflower Project by K.A. Applegate (Remnants #1)
  • Destination Unknown by K.A. Applegate (Remnants #2)
  • His Majesty’s Dragon by Noami Novik (Temeraire #1)
  • The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (Kingkiller Chronicles #1)

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Bookshelf Blitz 2017/Aug – Report

The Kingkiller Chronicles – Book 1: The Name of the Wind – By Patrick Rothfuss

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , , 4 Comments

Hey Jared,

I really want to get this out so it’s going up on an unusual day. The book and I need some space to cool off.

thenameofthewindTitle: The Name of the Wind
Series: The Kingkiller Chronicles; Book 1
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, Higher Magic, Dragons (sort of)
Synopsis: Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet’s hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
Recommendation: This book is In Dispute due to the contrasting public and personal opinion of the reviewer.

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The Kingkiller Chronicles – Book 1: The Name of the Wind – By Patrick Rothfuss

The Spiderwick Chronicles – By Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black – Complete Series Review

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Howdy Jared,

This was supposed to be published on Monday, but I forgot to schedule it. It’s almost the end of the month so I’m sprinting to the end.

I’ve got the first two books on my shelf  (Bookshelf Blitz) but since they’re so short I figured I should probably just review the whole series at once instead of piecing them out. Also expect a review of the movie soon-ish.

Series: The Spiderwick Chronicles
Author: Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: EU, Faeries, Dragons,
Synopsis: The Field Guide sets up the story of the Grace children—13-year-old Mallory and 9-year-old twins Jared and Simon—who with their mother move into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate only to quickly find themselves sucked into a dark and fascinating world of faeries.
Recommendation: This book is recommended. Suitable for nearly all ages.

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The Spiderwick Chronicles – By Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black – Complete Series Review

Jurassic Park Series – Book 1: Jurassic Park – By Michael Crichton

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , 5 Comments

Hiya Jared,

I was really pleased with this book and that might not be too surprising. I’d heard it was pretty good (as good or better than the movie).

jurassicparkTitle: Jurassic Park
Series: Jurassic Park Series; Book 1
Author: Michael Crichton
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Present Day, Dinosaurs, Cloning, Genetic Manipulation
Synopsis: A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power.
Recommendation: This book is highly recommended. Good for teens and adults.

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Jurassic Park Series – Book 1: Jurassic Park – By Michael Crichton

DNF – The Roar by Emma Clayton

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , , 1 Comment

DNFtheroar

I’ve tried to start reading this twice but I could not manage to get very far. The premise is painfully hard to get past. Because of some plague spread by all animals (suspect on its own) they literally built a wall cross the northern part of the planet to hide behind…..across continents, mountain ranges and two oceans……Ya, that’s more than unlikely it’s impossible, let alone doing it while under siege from plague ridden animals and the civil unrest that would cause.

Next is the characters. We get an OP girl with superpowers and a pet monkey who escapes a space station and blindly tries to run home. Her brother who can feel what she feels. And the Bad Guy who is instantly shallow.

There’s nothing to keep me going in this book. So why fight it?

Robert

DNF – The Roar by Emma Clayton

We Bought A Zoo – By Benjamin Mee

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Hey Jared,

This is a book off my shelf (Bookshelf Blitz!) that I’ve been curious about since I watched the movie. It really is just a secret childhood fantasy that someone managed to actually do it.

we_bought_a_zoo_book_coverTitle: We Bought a Zoo
Author: Benjamin Mee
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UK, Zoo, Animals, Fulfilling Dreams
Synopsis: Benjamin Mee decided to uproot his family and move them to an unlikely new home: a dilapidated zoo on the English countryside, complete with over 200 exotic animals. It was his dream to refurbish the zoo and run it as a family business. There was much work to be done, and none of it easy. Tigers broke loose, money ran low, the staff grew skeptical, and family tensions ran high. Then tragedy struck. His wife had a recurrence of a brain tumor, forcing Benjamin and his children to face the heartbreak of illness and the devastating loss of a wife and mother. But inspired by her memory and the healing power of the incredible family of animals they had grown to love, Benjamin and his kids resovled to move forward. The Mee family opened the gates of the revitalized zoo in July 2007.
Recommendation: An interesting look at this once in a lifetime experience. For those who enjoy non-fiction.

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We Bought A Zoo – By Benjamin Mee

The Crossing – By Gary Paulsen

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Hello Jared,

I’m kicking off the Bookshelf Blitz with some good old Gary Paulsen.

thecrossingTitle: The Crossing
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Teen
ROTS Setting: CU, Mexico
Synopsis: 14yo Manny is an orphan in Juarez, Mexico. He competes with his bigger, meaner rivals for the coins American tourists throw off the bridge between Texas and his town. Across that heavily guarded bridge await a different world and a better existence.
On the night when Manny dares the crossing–through the muddy shallows of the Rio Grande, past the searchlights and the border patrol–the young man encounters an old stranger who could prove to be an ally or an enemy. Manny can’t tell for certain. But if he is to achieve his dream, then he must be willing to risk everything–even his life.
Recommendation: This book is recommended for teens.

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The Crossing – By Gary Paulsen

Bookshelf Blitz – 2017/Aug

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder4 Comments

bookshelfblitz

Since my bookshelves are starting to sag under the burden of good intentions and lack of self control I’ve decided that I need a bookshelf blitz. The intention is to read as many books as I can in the month of August, but the catch is that every book has to come off my bookshelves.

**NO LIBRARY BOOKS! NO EBOOKS!**

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Bookshelf Blitz – 2017/Aug