Cicely Loves Books

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Downton Abbey: The Complete Scripts-Season 1 by Julian Fellowes

Synopsis: The full scripts of award-winning Downton Abbey, season one including previously unseen material Downton Abbey has become an international phenomenon and the most successful British drama of our time. Created by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes, the first season delighted viewers and critics alike with stellar performances, ravishing costumes, and a gripping plot. Set in a grand country house during the late Edwardian era, season one of Downton Abbey follows the lives of the Crawley family upstairs and their servants downstairs as they approach the announcement of the First World War. Fellowes succeeds in not only entertaining his audience with a combination of sustained storylines and sharp one-liners but also in delivering a social commentary of British life. The scripts from season one give readers the opportunity to read the work in more detail and to study the characters, pace, and themes in depth. With extended commentary from Fellowes, highlighting ...

So, I'm new here.

Haha, new. Not really. Unless blogging for 4 years is new. Then. I guess I am. I have to say, I miss blogging, I miss reviewing and most of all I MISS READING! Here's a little post just to post. I'm hoping to have more soon. I'm currently not accepting any review requests. And, any books I've previously agreed to review I will not be promising a date or that I will actually get to it. I'm horrible, I know. But, this gig is my hobby and I just can't promise a whole lot right now with a baby coming in just 11 short weeks. 11 weeks! Ahh. And, with my utter disconnect to reading I'm only reading what I really want to read right now; I think I've read 3 books in 2 months. I KNOW! I used to read more than that in a week! :( Hopefully that changes soon. Some Recent Releases Take a Chance by Abbi Glines A Rosemary Beach Novel (Chance #1) When Harlow Manning's rocker father goes on tour, he sends her to Rosemary Beach, Florida, to live with her half-sister,...

Of Triton by Anna Banks (The Syrena Legacy #2) (audio)

In this sequel to Of Poseidon, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death. As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known So here is the second half of Of Poseidon and it clears up what will happen to Emma if she is ever found out and about her mother , the lost princess of Poseidon. Galen is such an alpha male and he borders much more on controlling in this book than he did in the first or maybe I don't remember. And Emma comes out muc...

Weekly Round-up 2/24

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel. I'm listening to Viva Jacquelina! by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren. Last week I reviewed Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews and Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan. from NetGalley Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel Publish date: May 13, 2014 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to...

The Hunger Games Companion by Lois H. Gresh

Synopsis: The ultimate companion guide to the blockbuster Hunger Games trilogy. For all those who adore Katniss and Peeta, and can't get enough of The Hunger Games , this companion guide to the wildly popular Hunger Games series is a must-read and a terrific gift. Go deeper into the post-apocalyptic world created by Suzanne Collins than you ever thought possible: an alternative future where boys and girls are chosen from twelve districts to compete in The Hunger Games , a televised fight-to-the-death. When sixteen-year-old Katniss learns that her little sister has been chosen, she steps up to fight in her place and the games begin. The Hunger Games Companion takes readers behind the scenes and includes fascinating background facts about the action in all three books, a revealing biography of the author, and amazing insights into the series' main themes and features - from the nature of evil, to weaponry and rebellions, to surviving the end of the worl...

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (The Lynburn Legacy #2)

With her link to Jared broken, Kami is alone and scared. But like the feisty girl reporter that she is, she begins making plans to defeat the evil sorcerers now threatening to overtake her town. Finding allies is the first step and that might be harder than she thought. I loved Unspoken so much and yet it took me a long time to get around to the sequel. I think that is partly because people keep talking about the ending on Twitter and I wasn't up for it yet. It turns out though if you are spoiled that the ending is shocking it actually makes it less shocking or at least that is what happened to me. It's the downside of following an author. Anyway, other than that I wish I had read Untold sooner. It was really good though less funny than the first book. I admire Kami for her willingness and courage to stand up to the sorcerers and there were some plot threads left open, aside from the obvious big character developments, that I can't wait to find out the answer. I also hope t...

Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen

Synopsis: For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless, filled with romance and heartbreak, adventure and intrigue, friendship and rivalry. After a month in New York, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are small-town girls no longer. Letty will at last chase her Broadway dreams no matter the cost. Cordelia, still reeling from the death of her father at the hands of the man she thought she loved, is set to honor Darius Grey's legacy? . . . ?and take her revenge. Promised to Cordelia's half brother, Charlie Grey, Astrid is caught up in a world of dazzling jewels and glittering nights and the sparkle is blinding. A bitter rivalry will ensnare them all in a dangerous feud played out in the speakeasies of Manhattan and the great lawns of Long Island, and for Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty, the stakes could be deadly. Release Date: July 31st, 2012 Number of pages: 368 My review: This was such a great sequel to Bright Young Things ! I loved how the direction of thi...

Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews (Southern series #3) (audio)

Weezie Foley is trying to get her shop together for the historical district's annual decorating contest. But standing in her way are her competitors across the street, a crazy holiday schedule, and a little old lady who gets stealing and returning Weezie's stuff. I didn't realize that this was the third in a series. But it didn't matter. There was enough background given to get me up to speed with the characters. I think I missed out on some background relationships but not so much that I was confused. This was a cute book along the lines of the other Mary Kay Andrews books I've read. I enjoyed it though I started it before Christmas and then put it on hold to listen to Fangirl and then The Ocean at the End of the Lane . I liked Weezie and Bebe and their friendship. They always have each others' backs and that is nice. Everyone should have a friend like that. I enjoyed the quirky, funny aspects of the book like Weezie's kooky family and her auction buying tr...

Weekly Round-Up 2/17

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan. I'm listening to Of Triton by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel. Last week I reviewed Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier and Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt. And if you are interested I've added an Audio Books by Narrator tab onto my menu. It's fun to see what books some of my favorite narrators have read. I've discovered a few books this way. Of Triton by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel. 7 hours, 52 minutes. In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm bel...

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier (Ruby Red #3)

Picking up where Sapphire Blue left, Gwyneth is heartbroken after her last encounter with the Count. And when Gideon doesn't deny anything the Count said, she is determined to move on and not be a sad sack. But the Circle is moving closer to being closed and it is becoming apparent that the Count may not have the best intentions when it does. It's up Gwyneth and her best friend Leslie to figure out what will happen when the Circle is closed and put an end to the Count's plans. Upfront let me just say that normally the insta-love thing bothers me. But somehow with Gwen and Gideon it doesn't. That may be because of the time travel thing. It feels like they've spend a lot of time together even though it's only been a few weeks. Still ( spoiler ) I feel like deciding to spend an eternity together is a bold choice from two teenagers that really just met . So I wasn't feeling that part of the ending too much. I also felt like it wrapped up pretty easily and that ...

The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy Edited by Leah Wilson

Synopsis: Includes 3 brand new essays on Gale, the Games, and Mockingjay ! **Already read the first edition of The Girl Who Was on Fire ? Look for The Girl Who Was on Fire - Booster Pack in the Kindle store to get just the three new essays and the extra movie content.** Katniss Everdeen’s adventures may have come to an end, but her story continues to blaze in the hearts of millions worldwide. In The Girl Who Was on Fire - Movie Edition , sixteen YA authors take you back to the world of the Hunger Games with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, Panem, and the series, really is. • How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems? • What does the rebel...

Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt

Brighton is desperate to achieve 100% participation for her school in volunteer activities in order to get her name on the wall next to her late father's. Jonah is unwilling to get involved in anything in his new town, instead driving to his old one every weekend where he tries to pretend everything is exactly the same. But 24 hours together can change many things and Brighton and Jonah are about to discover more about each other and themselves then they ever thought. I read this before last year ended but saved the review for closer publication. It was absolutely one of the best books I've read in a long time and it didn't take me long at all to finish it. I stayed up til 1 a.m. one night because I simply could not put it down. It is pretty different than Tiffany's first book but that's not a bad thing. It just proves how talented a writer Tiffany is. I loved Brighton and how her perfect facade slowly disintegrates as the night wears on and how Jacob's tough gu...

Weekly Round-Up 2/10

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier. I'm listening to Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews, a book I started in December and then put aside for Fangirl . It's apparently the third in a series so I'll have to go back for the other two sometime. Last week I reviewed The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews It's the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to do up her shop for the Savannah historical district window decorating contest––which she intends to win. She throws herself into putting up a Graceland/Blue Christmas motif, with lots of tinsel, an aluminum tree, and all...

What's In A Name Challenge 2014

This is a fun one. I've done the What's In A Name Challenge in the past and I liked it. It's been a while but I thought I'd sign up again. This year it's being hosted by The Worm Hole. The categories: A reference to time - The Here and Now by Ann Brashares A position of royalty - The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo A number written in letters - The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente A forename or names - Of Triton by Anna Banks A type or element of weather

2014 Audiobook Challenge

Book Challenges! It's been a while but I'm ready to get back in there. So of course, I'm starting with an audio book challenge. Specifically the 2014 Audiobook Challenge hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens. I'll join at the Binge Listener level. Last year I listened to 24 audio books so I'll try to top that this year. I've already got a few under my belt. 1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, r ead by Rebecca Lowman and Maxwell Caulfield. 2. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, read by the author. 3. Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews, read by Isabel Keating. 4. Of Triton by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel. 5. Viva Jacquelina! by L.A. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren 6. The House of Hades by Rick Riordian, read by Nick Chamian 7. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente, read the author. 8. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handeler, read by Khristine Hvam. 9. When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicke...

100 Books in a Year Challenge

My public library has a 100 Book Club. I didn't make it last year but this year I really want to. So with that in mind I'm signing up for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge from Book Chick City. Maybe this will be the extra motivation I need to get it done. 1. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell 2. Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt 3. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Steifvater 4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 5. The Here and Now by Ann Brashares 6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 7. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 8. Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier 9. Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews 10. Of Triton by Anna Banks 11. Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan 12. Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel 13. Viva Jacquelina! by L.A. Meyer 14. A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty 15. The House of Hades by Rick Riordian 16. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente 17. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige 18. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Han...

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (audio)

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy. Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what. Wher...

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle #2)

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after... I find this series has sort of a dreamy, menacing quality to it. It's permeated each book so far. Granted there have only been 2 books but it's pretty palatable. I did like learning more about Ronan, who just seemed like a dangerous sardonic character in the first book. He is much more the focus of this book to the determent of Blue sadly. She becomes a secondary character in this book only notable for her romantic feelings. But her family takes a bit of a larger role and that is cool. I just wanted more of Blue and maybe less of Gansey. So Ronan's secrets and his family history are explored and someone is o...

Weekly Round-Up 2/3

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library. I'm reading Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier. And I am listening to The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, read by the author. I finished The Dream Thieves last week by Maggie Stiefvater so that review will be out this week. Last week I reviewed Fangirl and Attachments , both by Rainbow Rowell.