Life of a Blogger: Embarrassing Things

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature hosted by Jessi of Novel Heartbeat. Each week, we share a little about ourselves and our real lives so we can get to know the people behind the blogs!

This week's topic is Embarrassing Things. I try not to get embarrassed by the things I do, but here's two embarrassing things about me.

1. I'm clumsy, which is not embarrassing by itself, but when you fall down for no reason, it's hard to play it cool.

2. I play Dungeons and Dragons. Seriously though, it's actually really fun and I think lots of people would enjoy it if they looked past the crazy stigma about it. Also embarrassing: I haven't told my mom because she thinks it turns people crazy. True story.

WoW: The Vault of Dreamers

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick:

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

Doesn't this one sound super creepy!?!?

Review: The Tropic of Serpents

Info:

Title: The Tropic of Serpents
Author: Marie Brennan
Series: Memoir by Lady Trent #2
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Source: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review.

Synopsis:
The thrilling adventure of Lady Trent continues in Marie Brennan's The Tropic of Serpents . . .

Attentive readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world’s premier dragon naturalist. Now, in this remarkably candid second volume, Lady Trent looks back at the next stage of her illustrious (and occasionally scandalous) career.

Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics.

The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell . . . where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before.

Review:
The Tropic of Serpents is a great follow-up to A Natural History of Dragons. I really love the format of a faux memoir. It feels like historical fiction, but, you know, with dragons.

Isabella Camherst is a great main character. I love her fiestiness, especially in a time when it was frowned upon for women to pursue academics or go on adventures. She is definitely scientific, but also follows her emotions and her heart. She cares about people as well as science and I really respect her for that. The only thing that bothered me about her was her relationship (or lack of) with her son. Even though I don't have kids yet, I couldn't imagine leaving my 2 year old son for a year like Isabella does. At the same time though, I respect her for following her passions.

This installment features lots of cultural differences, political maneuvering (which Mrs. Camherst is caught up in involuntarily) and dragonic research. Not to mention a jungle that terrified me. It was honestly called "The Green Hell" and the tribe that lived there had little fear of outsiders because, in their words, "Our home will eat you." Nope, I'm not a fan of jungles.

If you love adventure stories, dragons or historical-esque settings, this book was really enjoyable. i think some people could find it a little dry, due to the historical style of the writing, but I really enjoyed it. I also loved the pictures that were scattered throughout.

Find the Book:
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Find the Author:
Goodreads | Web | Twitter 

Bonus:
Check out this awesome video of Marie Brennan on tour with Mary Robinette:

I'm on BookTube!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to announce that I have officially become a BookTuber! Yay! But don't worry, I'll still be blogging here as well. Check out my first video below and I would REALLY appreciate any views, likes and subscribes!

Stacking the Shelves (6)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme by Tynga's Reviews to share the books you've recently acquired.

I missed a couple from last week and got a few new ones this week.

For Review:

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore
Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne
Wildflower by Alecia Whitaker
- Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada for these ones!

Won:

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
- Thanks to Lori at Writing my Own Fairy Tale!

Gifted:

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood - Rescued this one from my mom's garage sale yesterday!

Life of a Blogger: Siblings

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature hosted by Jessi of Novel Heartbeat. Each week, we share a little about ourselves and our real lives so we can get to know the people behind the blogs!

This week we're talking about siblings. I'm lucky enough to have two awesome brothers: Dan and Scott. Technically they're my half brothers, but we're fairly close and I'm also close with their dad's side of the family. They are both a lot older than me (14 years and 12 years), so we're kind of half a generation apart. That didn't stop my brother Scott from teasing me non-stop when I was little! He constantly would flick me in the back of the head when we were driving and once pushed me down, stood on my hair and poked me, saying "Get up Megan! Get up!"

These days I don't see my brother Dan as much as I'd like, since he lives a 10 hour drive away. I see my brother Scott fairly often, since he's only an hour away.

Did I mention they're both cowboys!?

My brother Scott and I at my grad

My brother Dan and sister-in-law Helen

I'd love to here about your siblings!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dove Arising

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick: Dove Arising by Karen Bao

Release Date: February 25, 2014

Phaet Theta has lived her whole life in a colony on the Moon. She’s barely spoken since her father died in an accident nine years ago. She cultivates the plants in Greenhouse 22, lets her best friend talk for her, and stays off the government’s radar.

Then her mother is arrested.

The only way to save her younger siblings from the degrading Shelter is by enlisting in the Militia, the faceless army that polices the Lunar bases and protects them from attacks by desperate Earth-dwellers. Training is brutal, but it’s where Phaet forms an uneasy but meaningful alliance with the preternaturally accomplished Wes, a fellow outsider.

Rank high, save her siblings, free her mom:  that’s the plan. Until Phaet’s logically ordered world begins to crumble...

Haunting and prescient, Dove Arising heralds the emergence of a bold new voice in science fiction.


This one sounds SO GOOD! It comes out February 2015, so way far away! :(