Booking Through Thursday: Fan Fiction

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks....

Have you ever written any fan-fiction? If yes, why and for which book(s)? If no, would you like to and for which book(s)? For that matter, do you ever READ fan-fiction?

I have never read fan fiction. Although I'm embarrased to say this, I had to google what exactly it was when I read the question above. (I had a pretty good idea, I just wanted to make sure). Now that I know what fan-fiction is, I don't think I would write it. I don't think I would be very good at it. I'd rather just leave the story to the author and read what they created.

Teaser Tuesdays (Feb. 14)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works..

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share does not give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers:

This was perhaps the closest to a sweet thing that Max had yet said to her, and she softened all over at the sound of it. "I like talking to you, too," she said, and then they moved on to other topics- the view of New York from above versus the view from below, the beauty of its lights pulsating at night, the strangeness of wanting hamburgers on  a hot day, and on.

 p. 97, Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen

"Bright Young Things" by Anna Godbersen

Bright Young Things
by Anna Godbersen
279 pages (ebook edition w/ bonus material)

Short Version: Cordelia and Letty escape small town life and head to the big city of New York during the Prohibition days. Cordelia is on a mission to find her father she never knew, while Letty hopes to become a star.

Why I Read It: I noticed this ebook on Nook's Facebook page when it was featured as a free ebook for a day. The time period drew me in so I had to try it especially since it cost me nothing!

The Book: From Goodreads
The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.
Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do "anything" to be a star. . . .
Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined--and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.
The only person Cordelia can trust is -Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.
Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the -illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall--together and apart. From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Luxe" comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

My Thoughts: Although this book took me 3 weeks to read (WAAAAY longer than it should have taken me...it's all work's fault) it was the easy read I was looking for. I was immediately drawn to Cordelia for being brave enough to escape her life in Ohio for something more. She left all she knew behind to find a father she never met. Letty was not as strong of a character to me but I started liking her more as she found her voice and was no longer Cordelia's shadow. I was worried how they would keep Letty involved in the story once her and Cordelia had a falling out and went separate ways. Cordelia makes a new best friend and they remain prominent throughout the story but Letty's story gets put to the back burner a bit. In the end it was all connected and worked out but I had my doubts as I was reading.
I love the time period the book takes place it. It really involved Prohibition and the speakeasies and gangsters of New York. Cordelia's father is a big gangster and of course the boy she falls for is his enemy's son. That created a good amount of drama. I was a bit surprised how things turned out. I won't spoil it but I will say I thought it was going to be the opposite of what happened.
I did not realize this book was part of a series until I finished it and got to the Bonus Material, which was an excerpt from the next book. Because of this the ending is a little open. There is enough closure to finish the book and not be upset but I was wondering what the future for Cordelia, Letty and their new friends and family would be like. Well lucky for me I am now reading the next book...Beautiful Days, so I will be finding out soon!

4/5 Stars

#4 for Mount TBR Reading Challenge
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#1 for 2012 Ebook Challenge
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Feature & Follow Friday (#5)

Q: What would you prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

I would definitely read my favorite book until I got sick of it (although if it were my favorite I don't know that I would get sick of it). Reading only mediocre books would make reading not as enjoyable or fun.



Booking Through Thursday: Only Five

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks....

If you had to pick only 5 books to ever read again, what would they be and why?

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern because I LOVE THIS BOOK. I will never get bored with the details and imagery.

2. Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, there was a twist at the end of this book that threw me off gaurd. I have been wanted to read it again so that I can pay attention more to the details.

3. The Secret History by Donna Tartt, I couldn't put this murder mystery in reverse down. The characters were all so unique in their own ways and the psychological aspect behind it all was great!

4. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, one of my favorite books about sisters with a little paranormal activity thrown in. The book takes place in London near the Highgate Cemetary and it is the perfect setting for this book. (I'd love to go to London to see this cemetary!)

5. Fay: A Novel by Larry Brown, a friend of mine recommended this book to me and told me it was her all time favorite. As soon as I started reading I knew it would be in my top favorite books as well. Fay is a poor girl who is just trying to survive make something of herself. I could read this book over and over just cheering her on to make the right choices.

Those are the 5 books I would choose...what about you?

Feature & Follow Friday (#4)

Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kick ass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?


Most of the books I consider my favorites have some kind of twist in the plot that I did not see coming. I love when something is thrown at me that I was not expecting. If I can guess what is going to happen it is not as entertaining to me. The Night Circus, Discovery of Witches, and Her Fearful Symmetry (some of my top books) all have some kind of loop that I was not expecting. They all have magic or things from the paranormal world as well (I just realized this as I was typing, so I must like those things more than I thought as well). 

Booking Through Thursday: Found Books

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks...

Have you ever read a random book left in a waiting room or on a park bench, etc., and did you like it?

I don't think I have ever picked up a random book and started reading it. I always have a book or my nook with me in case I have a few minutes to read, so I never read the random books. I do have one book that was left at a meeting I worked. I picked it up but it is on my book shelf still waiting to be read.

What about you?