Mammoth Book Challenge 8/8 [Completed!!]

I decided to do the Mammoth Book Challenge, which I found here:
http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.com/2011/12/2012-mammoth-book-challenge.html

I have already read two that qualify by her standards, so I decided to do "Level Four," which is eight books with >450 pages. I'll keep you posted on when a book I read qualifies for this challenge, and we'll see how many I can plow through this year!

Mammoth Books of 2012, with links to my review!
1. The Red Pyramid -Rick Riordan (516 pages)
2. Redeeming Love -Francine Rivers (464 pages)
3. The Likeness - Tana French (466 pages)
4. Divergent - Veronica Roth (487 pages)
5. Insurgent - Veronica Roth (525 pages)
6. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith (489 pages)
7. Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin (809 pages)
8. Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl (514 pages)

Just Finished: In Zanesville, Jo Ann Beard

In Zanesville, by Jo Ann Beard.
First published April 7th, 2011.
Little, Brown and Company.
ISBN: 0316084476

Awwwwwww.

So often, I feel like I was the only one who was like I was as a child.

Scratch that, I still feel like I'm the only one who is like I am ;)

But this writer has really captured what it is like to be in that stage past childhood and before young-adulthood. The strange mingling of discovery and lethargy. The strange, random, paralyzing fear. The fascination of art.

Nothing really happens in this book. There is no plot curve, no action, nothing. It is completely a mood novel. However, it isn't boring.

The characters are like a milder, 1970's version of John Green characters, except these are actually possible. The two main characters are best friends who read a lot and are very smart, but do not have the impossibly witty conversation that seems to be popular in realistic fiction these days.

The bottom line? A deeply identifiable book that has several "Aughhh I've done thattttt" hysterical moments. Solid four stars. Not purchase-worthy, but will probably re-read at some point.

Stay nerdy, my friends.

Introductory Jazz

Hello marvelous people-who-waste-time-on-the-internet!

My name is Julie, and I am a fellow internet time-waster. When I'm not reading books, talking about books, or writing about books, I spend some time doing school and going to work.

I also make YouTube videos about books, you can check that out if you have an affinity for watching random strangers ramble.

And naturally I have a Goodreads account.

Mostly I read... almost anything. I have a particular fondness for YA, classics, and books about crazy/seriously demented people.

I will probably be doing most of my reviews on this blog and on Goodreads, with some fun insanity thrown in between. I hope to do some more fun videos, because quite frankly, I suck at reviewing on camera.

Wellp, that's about it in the way of introduction...

Oh wait! I forgot to actually say anything about myself!

I'm old enough to smoke and not old enough to drink, I will finish my BA in Criminal Justice at the end of June, I love horses... I drink coffee like it's oxygen, and I am prone to lapsing into long, disjointed philosophical bouts of thought that I will spare my blog readers from.

Stay nerdy, my friends.