The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Description
An all-new series from the masterful, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

"There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love . . . or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them-not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all-family money, good looks, devoted friends-but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys:

Opinion
So I got to the end of this book and i was really loving it. The only thing is that this book ended and it really didn't have anything to do with Blue and the foretold dangerous kiss of hers. I was really confused so I read the description again.....and then I reallize that it's a series.....Grr. Now I'm really upset because the next one isn't out yet and wont be out until September 17th.....again grr. This book was AMAZING!!!! I loved it. I don't see how she could (hasn't yet) fallen in love with Gansey. He's kind of egotistical...I dont know maybe he'll change. And when you find out about Noah?! OH MY GOD! Sorry guys, cant tell you that part you'll just have to find that out by yourselves. Then Adam....I don't know.....I see a lot of ego in Adam also. He gets beat by his dad a lot and he doesn't want to save himself by moving in with Gansey because he doesn't want "charity". I think he should try for some charity, because his home life isn't that great. OH, and what is this crap that Blue will tell Gansey about the kiss she cant have but not Adam? She's technically dating Adam right now and not Gansey. Seems kind of unfair to not tell the guy that wants to kiss you why he shouldn't do so. I don't know....I'm really excited for the next one though.

Arabian Nights translated by Hussain Haddawy

Description

Husain Haddawy's rapturously received translation of The Arabian Nights is based on a landmark reconstruction of the earliest extant manuscript version. These stories (and stories within stories, and stories within stories within stories), told by the Princess Shahrazad under the threat of death if she ceases to amuse, first reached the West around 1700. They fired in the European imagination an appetite for the mysterious and exotic which has never left it. Collected over centuries from India, Persia, and Arabia, and ranging from vivacious erotica, animal fables, and adventure fantasies to pointed Sufi tales, the stories of The Arabian Nights provided the daily entertainment of the medieval Islamic world at the height of its glory.

Opinion

I was hoping to hear an old version of the classic Aladdin and genies, but was instead met by strange tales of mermaids and sea people, Demons, sex scandals, and murder. I enjoyed it....for the most part. I was a little upset that we didn't really get to hear a lot about Shahrazad and Shahrayar who was kind of the main characters. It was also a little repetitive with the whole "...but morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence" then the next chapter would always start with "sister please tell us another of your stories" and then the story would start again. After a while though I just learned to completely skipped that part and just went to the next part of the story.