I do still read......

I feel like it has been FOREVER since I have talked about reading.

Today feel like a good day to change that.

I have actually read a ton lately here are a few

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

Book Description from Amazon

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

I read this book for my bookclub. It was good. I hated the end with a burning passion. I think the characters could have been developed way better. I also think it would have made an awesome series.

 I would recommend this book if you are reading simply for the joy of reading....as I often do.

 If you are reading it for a book club where you are going to tear it apart and analyze it then its not that great.

Dark Corners

By Liz Schulte

Book Description from Barnes and Noble

Ella Reynolds knew from the first moment she walked into the old house someone or something was watching her. Waiting. Her husband's violent murder sent her spiraling into a world of grief and isolation, but Ella isn't alone. Who or what is responsible for her husband's death is still with her. Darkness has engulfed the past year of Ella's life. Everyday reality slips a little more between her fingers as she struggles to break free from her memories. She must look deeper into her past as well as the present to discover truth of her husband's homicide. A string of uncanny events takes place and practical explanations run thin as Ella follows the terrifying road to closure. As the past and present come to a head, Ella must decipher who or what the murderer is before it takes her as well.

Liz is my blog and Facebook friend. Her blog is http://www.lizschulte.com/. If you do not already follow you should. She is very funny and her posts are always very cool.

I greatly enjoyed this book. I found it to be very suspenseful and creepy which are two of my favorite things! The writing is very good. I found myself very often not being able to put the book down. I also really enjoyed the paranormal edge the book had which set it apart from just an ordinary thriller/crime/murder type suspense book. 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers.

The House on the Corner

By Andrew Leon

Book Description from Barnes and Noble

Three siblings have their plans for the summer ruined as they move across country as soon as school is out. The new house has been mostly vacant for the previous two decades, when the previous owners mysteriously vanished. The kids in the neighborhood believe the house is haunted, and even the adults can't deny that strange things happen around the creepy, old house on the corner. The Howards think these are no more than stories springing from overactive imaginations. That is until they discover a cache of ancient weapons. And what does the crazy old man across the street with his dire warnings have to do with it? Tom, Sam, and Ruth are convinced that things are anything but normal.

All children dream the improbable; some dream the impossible. What happens when three children stumble into the impossible? Will it bring them together, or will it tear them apart?

Andrew happens to be one of my first blog friends. He often wishes he could be my bbf instead of Stacey. And although there is no replacing Stacey he is still one of my favorite blogs. Anyway Andrew's blog is http://strangepegs.blogspot.com/. He always has very interesting thought provoking posts so if you do not already follow him you should check it out. So The House Around the Corner is young adult fiction. It is a great story. Very imaginative. The dialogue between the kids is very realistic. I was worried about reading Andrew's book because I knew I would eventually have to review it and I did not want to hurt him if I did not like it. But in the end I found the story to be very......magical. It brought me back to my youth. It was funny and had an element of adventure which is how I envision my childhood. I was bothered somewhat at one part in the story with how the adults behaved which I thought was a bit odd from their behavior earlier in the book but other then that I enjoyed it. My son also read this book which I thought would be a good idea being that it is geared for his age. He also liked it. He thought the siblings were really funny and he liked the back and forth conversations they had. He also liked the references to Star Wars....well because he loves Star Wars. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who like young adult fiction.

Juliet

By Anne Fortier

Book Description from Good Reads

When Julie Jacobs inherits a key to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy, she is told that it will lead her to an old family treasure. Soon she is launched on a winding and perilous journey into the history of her ancestor Giulietta, whose legendary love for a young man named Romeo rocked the foundations of medieval Siena. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families immortalized in Shakespeare’s unforgettable blood feud, she begins to realize that the notorious curse—“A plague on both your houses!”—is still at work, and that she is the next target. It seems that the only one who can save Julie from her fate is Romeo—but where is he?

I enjoyed this book but the back and forth between time started to get on my nerves. 
This did not happen when I read Samantha Sotto's book Before Ever After. 
I don't know why it bothered me so much but if it weren't for the fact that I loved that the book was set it Siena, Italy.... which is beautiful I probably would have put the book down. I really really really did not like the character of Janice who is Julie's twin sister. I found her to be annoying and obnoxious and I cringed every time she was on the page. I just wanted her to go away. The story is well written and other then Janice the characters are likable. The romance aspect of the book is sweet but I think if you like the Dan Brown type books you could probably get past the romance and enjoy the historical mystery aspect. 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes either romance or 
historical fiction/historical mystery.

Well that is all I have for today folks.

Have a great weekend and as always if there are any books out there that you really loved I always enjoy a good book recommendation!