Yule Ball Celebration!

Earlier in December we had the pleasure of attending a Harry Potter Ball at our favorite local bookstore:  Alamosa Books!

They had many activities for wizards and muggles to participate in:

Being sorted by the sorting hat:  

Racing with Owls:

Fighting other wizards:

And hanging out with friends:

Thanks Alamosa Books!  We can't wait for next year's ball!

Best Books of 2013

 Although this was not the best year as far as consistent reviews go, Rebecca and I actually did read many books. (We’ll try harder next year, I promise.) And at the end of every year I really enjoy compiling our “Best Of” list and giving you, our readers, some recommendations if you haven’t read the following books yet. So, here it is, another year gone by and another list of the top ten books we’ve read (split between Rebecca and me).

Enjoy!

Rebecca & Esso

Rebecca's best books:

Rank	Title	Rebecca says:
1	The Fault in Our Stars by John Green	I laughed, and I cried as I gained insight into the lives of the chronically ill and their caretakers.
2	Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness	I was on the edge of my seat while reading.  Ness paints an interesting picture of the true nature of people and makes me wonder if we could colonize another planet.
3	The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey	Would we survive an alien invasion?  With determination and some help we would put up a heck of a fight.
4	Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi	Rossi continues to develop strong characters in this second book.  I can’t wait to see how Perry and Aria save the world.
5	Cast in Sorrow by Michelle Sagara	Sagara did not disappoint with Kaylin’s latest journey.  One person can have such a large impact on many.

Esso's best books:

Rank	Title	Esso says:
1	Siege & Storm By Leigh Bardugo	As a continuation of Alina’s story this book couldn’t get any better. I love the new characters we’re introduced to, particularly the unexpected, swoon-worthy, privateer Sturmhond. More please!
2	The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey	A YA novel that is more survival than dystopian. Yancey is a magnificent writer and isn’t afraid to take chances and pull out all the stops in this story.
3	The Final Descent by Rick Yancey	It is finally the end for Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop. The ending is somewhat controversial for fans of the series, but I can’t imagine it any other way.
4	Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher	A contemporary YA fiction novel, this is a huge surprise coming from me. Pitcher made me fall for this story and the characters she created. This is a book that will draw you in and keep you for all 261 pages. Good luck putting it down.
5	Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers	Assassin nuns. Read it. You won’t be disappointed.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, Rick Yancey is the reigning champion (according to me), seeing as he has maintained a spot on our “Best Of” list every year since our blog’s inception. That is no typo; you’ll notice Yancey acquired three of these coveted spots this year. I think we should all commence in singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” now.  Go ahead, I'll sing with you.