Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 1

Happy Monday! This week I'm taking part in Bout of Books 10.0, a week-long readathon where a bunch of readers throughout the world make reading a priority and share their thoughts on bookish things across social media. You can find out all the details on the official Bout of Books website.

What I really like about this readathon is that it's very laid back. There are no challenges and no specific goals. All one has to do to participate is read more than she usually does in a week. As I've just wrapped on my second year of law school, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to jump back into reading before my summer internships get underway. I'll be posting little updates for you at the end of each day to share my progress, but feel free to follow me on Twitter and Goodreads for even more updates.

Day 1

Currently Reading: The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY]

Books Completed: None yet! 

Pages Read Today: 154

Pages Read Total: 154

My Thoughts on Today: I'm overall happy with my start to Bout of Books! While I definitely spent time doing other things when I could have been reading, I definitely read more than I usually do in one day! I'm really enjoying The Devil in the Marshalsea as well. It's creepy, and Hodgson's writing makes me feel like I'm watching the story unfold in movie form. Very cool!

Goals for Tomorrow: I would love to finish The Devil in the Marshalsea tomorrow and possibly move on to my next book. Stay tuned to find out what that book will be! 

Book Review | Time of Attack by Marc Cameron

Have you ever felt really accomplished upon finishing a book? That's how I feel about Time of Attack by Marc Cameron! I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway back in January, and began reading it on March 30th. Well, it took me just over a month, but I finally finished it, and I can't wait to share my thoughts on the story with all of you.

Time of Attack is a part of the Jericho Quinn series by Cameron, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. This book has two parallel story lines, the first centering on Special Agent Quinn. While attending a friend's wedding, his ex-wife is shot by a sniper who was aiming for his young daughter. Quinn then goes on a hunt to track down the mysterious woman who left his ex-wife without a leg. Along the way he encounters many interesting characters, and ends up traveling to Japan in an effort to find the shooter.

While Quinn finds himself in all sorts of crazy situations, readers are also following another storyline. A manmade disease is suddenly being given to American soldiers before they return home from Afghanistan. Soon dozens are infected, and doctors have no idea how to stop the illness from spreading, nor do they know how to cure it.

As you can imagine, these two plots are action-packed. A good way to describe Time of Attack is a James Bond book filled with extra adventure and mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, though I did find it a bit slow going for me despite all the fast-paced scenes. The main reason I didn't like this reading experience was because of the book itself. It is very narrow and tall, but very wide. It was uncomfortable to hold the book. While this did not detract from the actual story at all, it definitely made me want to put it down more often that I would have in a better binding.

I'm also not a huge fan of violence, so be aware that if you read this book you'll be dealing with more mature themes. This genre is not my usual cup of tea, so it was great to escape from my norm and pick up something new, but I wouldn't want to read this type of book all the time.

My favorite aspect of Time of Attack was the character development. There are a lot of different characters in this book, but I didn't lose track of them due to Cameron's crafty writing. He does a great job at describing the characters just enough so you remember who they are, and builds strong background stories for those in the spotlight.

Overall, Time of Attack is a great read if you're looking for an action-packed thrill ride. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, but would recommend the eBook version on Amazon HERE unless you don't mind a bulky book. I don't think I'll be rereading this one, but I will keep an eye out for more Jericho Quinn novels in the future, especially since this one had a bit of a cliffhanger ending! If you've read any of Marc Cameron's books, let me know what you thought in the comments!

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I mention easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I'm late to the John Green party, but at last I've arrived. I've been wanting to read The Fault in Our Stars for several months now, and knew I had to pick it up before the movie came out this June. I'm drastically afraid of being spoiled (for any book, TV show, or movie), and I knew the TFIOS ending was in my near future whether I read the book or not. Well, I zoomed through TFIOS as soon as it arrived to my mailbox, and it was a roller coaster that only goes up.

Okay, that's not entirely true, this book was a roller coaster of emotions for me (but snaps for you if you caught that reference). I laughed, I cried, I had all the cliché emotions. Why? Because TFIOS is the story of Hazel, a sixteen-year-old girl with cancer. The book opens with Hazel at her support group, where we meet Augustus – the love interest. TFIOS is told through Hazel's point of view, as she and Augustus join forces to create a new kind of dream team.

I don't want to say much else about the plot, as the book is a short 313 pages, and I think it's best discovered on your own. In fact, I found TFIOS an intellectually troubling read. Green left hints, or so I thought. Every time I thought I had the ending figured out, things changed. I liked that; it kept things interesting. And at one point I exclaimed "Oh my God!" out loud while reading. I was never disappointed, and loved the twists and turns even though I needed to keep the tissue box within reach.

As for the characters, I loved them all. It's quite rare that I genuinely think all of the characters in a story are great. Here, they just were. My favorite was Peter Van Houton, even though I know that's probably an unpopular opinion.

There is so much I could say about TFIOS, but I'll stop by emphasizing the magic in John Green's writing. This book is going to be one that I reread sometime soon, as I want to relive the metaphorical goodness. I highly recommend TFIOS, and gave it a 4.5/5 stars on Goodreads, docked for a couple things that bothered me in the first two chapters. There is no reason not to read TFIOS. Grab your copy on Amazon HERE, and please share your thoughts on the book with me in the comments, as I'm sure many of you have read it already.

I use Amazon affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Snapshot Sunday | Spring in Bloom at City Hall

It's finally spring here in New York City! This week we had lots of rain, but also some sunshine. When I saw these gorgeous tulips outside of City Hall, I had to capture them. It's funny – you can see all of the soil surrounding the flowers as if they are out of place in the middle of a bustling city. Well, they are, but they're cheery and beautiful nonetheless. And yes, I did use an Instagram filter on this snapshot to really make those colors pop! 

Book Review & Giveaway | Serendipidus by Jennifer Ott

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

This Sunday is a bit different here at OpenLetter2NYC! I just completed my first ever 24-hour readathon! I heard about Dewey's Readathon last minute, but I decided to participate a bit. It was a great experience, and I can't wait until the next one!

During the readathon, I completed Serendipidus by Jennifer Ott. This book is just delightful! The story revolves around Venetia De Mille, a famous supermodel living in New York City. Venetia was raised in a nunnery, not knowing who her parents are. All the nuns knew was that she was to love nature. That she did! Venetia was very in tune with the Earth, and even talked to animals more than people. The nuns made her leave the convent so she could find her true destiny in life, and when Venetia ends up in bustling NYC, she lucked into a modeling job after being scouted in Central Park. She wasn't thrilled with her career, but her angelic looks allowed her to buy a penthouse apartment away from the noisy city streets.

Serendipidus really gets going when Venetia meets a shunned scientist, Poindexter Scheigopherer. When a sudden and violent storm shakes the Earth to a halt, Venetia and Poindexter join forces to try and get the Earth spinning again. What follows is their trip around the world as they try to get society to wake up from the devastation before it's too late and they all meet their doom.

While Serendipidus is a short read at just over 200 pages, it is a great one, packed with adventure, humor, and thought-provoking passages. Our villain in this story is none other than Medusa Dominatrix, and while she is quite despicable for trying to end Earth's existence, I always laughed at her ridiculous antics and looked forward to every appearance she made in the story. I was also very impressed with Ott's ability to make such a deep and dark, apocalyptic plot very uplifting and enjoyable. Serendipidus is full of hope, and it really helps shed light on how our actions are affecting the Earth even when we don't think anything of them. Ott does a great job at creating a wonderful story while simultaneously commenting on society.

Overall, I loved Serendipidus and highly recommend it. It is a quick and easy read, and one that I think anyone will enjoy. Part end of the word, part urban fantasy, and part humor, Serendipidus has something for everyone. You can purchase the book on Amazon for just $2.99 HERE. You can also enter to win a copy of Serendipidus by entering the giveaway below. Best of luck!


Did you take part in Dewey's Readathon? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Snapshot Sunday | My Street Art Obsession

I always love seeing street art throughout the city. Whether it's a mural or a smaller piece, I always feel the need to snap a picture no matter how touristy I feel doing so. Now that it's spring and finally sunny outside, I've been able to walk a lot more, and have been spotting new-to-me street art. Here are a couple that I particularly liked this week.

"Love Me" – taken on Broadway near Canal Street

Funky Alien Creatures! Not sure what to call this. Taken on E 2nd Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery.

Do you enjoy street art as much as I do? Let me know in the comments!

Book Review | Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Today's book review is of Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, a brand new release that just hit bookstores earlier this month. I read this book as part of the Booksplosion Read Along group on Goodreads, an online book club that reads a book together every month. I went into Rebel Belle not knowing what I thought of the plot, which I'd heard described as "Legally Blonde meets The Terminator." I'm a huge Elle Woods fan, but The Terminator is not really my thing. I do happen to love the pink and girly cover, complete with the rose gold lettering on the spine. If I was judging Rebel Belle simply on presentation, it would get a five out of five stars!


As for the story, it is definitely something quite new. Our protagonist is Harper Price, a perfect, southern belle who is about to be crowned Homecoming Queen the night we meet her. Harper realizes she forgot to wear lip gloss to the dance (which is totally not acceptable), so she borrow's her best friend's and heads to the bathroom to quickly apply it before the crowning ceremony. Then, something weird happens.

I won't give too many other details, since I personally think it is more fun to discover Rebel Belle's twists and turns along the way. Let's just say that Harper is given superpowers through the kiss of her high school's janitor right before he dies at the hand of her history teacher. The remainder of the novel follows Harper as she learns what these new powers mean, and how she must live the rest of her life.

Overall, I really enjoyed Rebel Belle. The story was a bit slow at first, but got progressively better and faster with each chapter. I was, however, quite disappointed with the myriad of grammatical errors throughout the book. The story is told in first person from Harper's point of view. Harper speaks to the reader as if she is telling a story, and perhaps Hawkins made the artistic decision to keep the language of the book colloquial. But the number of sentences ending in prepositions is staggeringly high, and I also noticed a handful of comma mistakes. Despite the fun story, these errors were distracting, and I ended up with a sour taste in my mouth. I'm also shocked that many other reviews neglect to mention the grammar whatsoever. 

Nonetheless, I do recommend Rebel Belle for its unique story and great characters. The book is light and funny, but also contains some great action. I would definitely label it a summer read. Rebel Belle is also the first book in a new series. I don't think I'll be continuing on with it, as I was satisfied with the ending, and would prefer to leave the story as depicted in the last few scenes. If you like action mixed with fantasy mixed with southern belles, give Rebel Belle a shot. And, if you've already read it, please share your thoughts with me in the comments!

You can purchase Rebel Belle on Amazon HERE.

I use Amazon affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.