Books are Wonderful

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2012-03-12T10:52:00.000-04:00

Recent Reviews:

Coming Soon:

Watch this space for a Hunger Games giveaway where you can win the swag below

What's in my To-Read pile:

A lot ... you can see more here:

Review: Demon’s Covenant by Sarah Reess Brennan

2011-12-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

Mae Crawford’s always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she’s even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse? Jamie hasn’t told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick’s powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician’s carefully laid trap?

Note: This review references Demon’s Lexicon. I try to keep the big reveal a secret, but, proceed with caution if you have not read the first book.

It took a very long time for me to finish Demon’s Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan. I should note, however, that this doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a good story.

I disliked the character of Mae in the first book - I found her little annoying. I know she was driven by her love for her brother, but she also accosted strangers and then practically threw herself at them and it seemed a little off. Unfortunately, Demon’s Covenant was written from Mae’s point of view. I was hoping I would gain insight into her character and thus, love her more, but that was not the case here and so the book dragged on for me.

Picking up where the Demon’s Lexicon left off, Demon’s Covenant finds Jaime acting strange, Nick and Alan’s relationship tense and Mae in the middle of boy trouble (something she manages to find with practically every male character in this book! Quite an accomplishment). We visit the familiar Goblin Market which is just as rich in it’s description and magic as in the first installation of the story. The Obsidian Circle and Gerald are back with the threat of a new mark that makes them even more powerful. Other familiar characters are back as well and we see a lot more interaction and relationship between Jaime, Mae and Annabel.

I’m not sure if this was because of Mae, however, I found that middle of the book dragged a bit. It seemed as though things were happening, but the plot was not moving forward. The ending, however, made up for what the middle lacked. Action-packed and with several heartwarming moments, I thought it was well executed. I kept thinking that Sarah was going to pull the rug out from under us - especially after the first book - and she did! While not on the same level as the ending of Demon’s Lexicon, (but let’s face it, who saw that end coming?) it came startlingly close and was every bit brilliant.

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Review: Knightley Academy by Violet Haberdasher

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Henry Grim is a servant boy at the Midsummer School—until he passes the elite Knightley Academy exam and suddenly finds himself one of the first commoners at the Academy, studying alongside the cleverest and bravest—and most arrogant—young aristocrats in the country. They thwart Henry’s efforts to become a full-fledged Knight of the Realm, but he and two commoner classmates are determined to succeed. In the process, the boys uncover a conspiracy that violates the Hundred Years’ Peace treaty—and could lead to war! Can Henry manage to save his school and country from their enemies—and continue to study at the Academy?

Henry Grimm is an orphan who works in the kitchens of a prestigious boarding school for boys. As a commoner, he is not allowed to take Knighley Academy entrance exam, but, after finding a loophole in the rules, he is admitted as the first commoner to Knightley Academy - a school for Knights. Knightley Academy follows Henry and his friends and the troubles and truimphs they experience during their first year at Knightley.

Initially, you might think that Knightley Academy by Violet Haberdasher, is just another Harry Potter knock-off. There’s an orphaned boy gaining access to a special school, who is mentored by adults who want him to succeed. A teacher who seems to dislike said boy on sight, a nemisis much like the pointed-chin Malfoy. Even the way the story is written is reminiscent of Harry Potter. However, that’s where the similarities end.

While the stories do share a lot of similar elements, they are not the same. The idea of a young, unfortunate boy finding out that he’s special in some way (or in this case, attending a special school), finding friends in unlikely places and over coming a difficult situation - against all odds - is not a new idea. It’s been written and rewritten for years. It’s the execution of the idea that makes a story stand out.

I’d venture to say that Knightley Academy can stand on it’s own. There were times when I found the prose a little awkward and the situations a little unrealistic. One of the conflicts in the story was related to a political treaty and politics is a main theme that runs through the entire narrative and sometimes reads a bit dry. As the story progresses, it comes into its own, and even though it started slow, the end had me rooting for Henry.

While I wouldn’t call it original, I think that it is a fun read for young readers. I’m looking forward to seeing how this story develops.

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Review: Lips Touch by Laini Taylor

2011-12-27T10:05:00.000-05:00

Everyone dreams of getting the kiss of a lifetime… but what if that kiss carried some unexpected consequences? A girl who’s always been in the shadows finds herself pursued by the unbelievably attractive new boy at school, who may or may not be the death of her. Another girl grows up mute because of a curse placed on her by a vindictive spirit, and later must decide whether to utter her first words to the boy she loves and risk killing everyone who hears her if the curse is real. And a third girl discovers that the real reason for her transient life with her mother has to do with belonging — literally belonging — to anther world entirely, full of dreaded creatures who can transform into animals, and whose queen keeps little girls as personal pets until they grow to child-bearing age.

From a writer of unparalleled imagination and emotional insight, three stories about the deliciousness of wanting and waiting for that moment when lips touch.

I only heard of Laini Taylor this year, and the first book I read was Daughter of Smoke and Bones - which I loved. When I saw Lips Touch in the bookstore I thought I’d give it a try. I’m so happy I did!

Written in usual Laini style, Lips Touch Three Times is an anthology of three short stories, all dealing with that scary yet wonderful thing - the first kiss. Each story is completely different from the next. Each story takes you to a different part of the world, to a different time and to a different myth.

The first story is about Kizzy, a girl whose loneliness seeps through the pages and makes you feel sadness for her, a girl whose longing attracts the worse kind of fae. While this one was my least favourite - I didn’t like the abrupt ending - Laini’s descriptive writing allows the reader to feel all that Kizzy feels and, in a way, understand why she does the things she does.

The second takes the reader to India and the underworld and introduces an Englishwoman, Estelle, who is working with a demon - bartering for the souls of children. This short story has complex, three dimensional characters and was intriguing from the beginning - when Estelle delivers a curse on a baby - to the end - when that baby, now a young girl, wonders if she should push the limits of the curse. In my opinion, the ending was wonderfully thought out and executed.

The final story - and my personal favourite - introduces you to the dark world of the Druj, where human feelings are longed for, but never understood. This is the longest story in the collection; it is also the darkest. Mab, a prisoner of the Druj from childhood, manages to escape with her daughter and has been hiding from the Druj since. When a Druj she trusted enters her life again and tries to take her daughter away, the reason isn’t what Mab - or the reader - expects.

Lips Touch Three Times is just a sampling of Laini’s beautiful writing and promises to leave the reader wanting more.

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Review: The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson

2011-12-26T20:02:00.003-05:00

Nina, Mel and Avery have been best friends since they were tiny. But one summer can change everything. When Nina goes away for a month, she comes back to find the world has changed. Mel and Avery have their own secret: one Nina can’t be part of.

After reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson, then being thrilled by her newest novel, The Name of the Star (not to be confused with her pal John Green’s novel, The Fault in our Stars), I decided to pick up some of her other works, which lead me to The Bermudez Triangle.

The story begins with three friends going out for dinner, simple enough. It’s the last time they will all be together until Nina, returns from her summer course at Stanford—Avery and Mel will be staying at home, working.

The bulk of the story really centers around relationships - from Nina and Steve, Avery and Mel to Nina, Avery and Mel, each relationship is different and complicated and I thought that Maureen managed to capture the emotions of each of her characters with perfection. As a reader, I felt the butterflies when Steve admits that he’s been trying to get Nina to notice him, the hesitance as Avery tries not to put labels to her relationship with Mel, the betrayal that Nina feels in the changing room when she walks in on Mel and Avery kissing, and so much more.

The great thing about this story is that it explores the fact that relationships can be messy. It doesn’t necessarily tie things up in a neat bow, but it explores the complexity of friendships, dating relationships, and even a bit of family dynamics - all in a very realistic manner.

The one flaw for me was that the story dragged a little in the middle, however, the relationships kept me intrigued enough to push through.

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Bookish Haul (#11)

2011-11-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!
I've decided to call my weekly round-up My Book Haul due to the fact that many times these books don't come from my mailbox, but other areas. =)

This week's haul comes from "the box", an online win and the bookstore (thanks to my reading challenge reward).

Immortal

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneliness.

Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.

Gillian Shields's electrifying tale will dazzle readers with suspense, mysticism, and romance.

Sea Change

Bestselling author Aimee Friedman is back, with her signature combination of warmth and humor. And with this book, she adds a touch of fantasy. . .

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

Bloodlands

It was called the New Badlands, home to the survivors of a cataclysm that altered the entire nation. Then the vampires arrived, and it was rechristened the Bloodlands. Not because of the vampire, but because of the gun-for- hire who'd decided to slay every monster in the country by any and every means necessary.

Blood Rules

After the man named Gabriel came to the Bloodlands, Mariah Lyander was forced to face her true nature, and the horrible things she had done. To redeem herself, she embarks on a quest to find a rumored cure for her were-creatures hoping to recover her own humanity-and Gabriel's love.

Every Thing On It

A spider lives inside my headWho weaves a strange and wondrous webOf silken threads and silver stringsTo catch all sorts of flying things,Like crumbs of thought and bits of smilesAnd specks of dried-up tears,And dust of dreams that catch and clingFor years and years and years . . .
Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is, an amazing collection of never-before-published poems and drawings from the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up. You will say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.

Prized

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

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Review: Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper

2011-11-26T21:41:00.000-05:00

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters-until she becomes one.
When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.
Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people-until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process-or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

When I first heard of Tangled Tides, by Karen Hooper, my mind immediately went to Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”. However, to say that Tangled Tides is just a fun story about mermaids would be doing it an injustice. Yes, it is a story where the protagonist is a mermaid, but there are other mythical sea creatures weaved tightly into the tale making it more than just another mermaid story.

Tangled Tides follows the story of Yara, as she is transformed from human to mermaid and the complicated web of family secrets that follow. There is mythology, betrayal, mystery and a splash of romance. Written using three different points of view, the reader gets a complete look from all parties involved.

I enjoyed this story immensely, though, in the very end I got a little confused and had to go re-read a few pages. However, the good far outweighed anything else. I loved the way Karen took different pieces of mythology and knitted them together as her own. I loved the world that she created - though I wished we could have seen more of Rathe and life there. I also appreciated the way she worked out communication under water - speaking through eye contact as opposed to voice.

Once I was hooked, I couldn’t put it down. Tangled is a good word to describe the twists and turns that can be found within the pages of this novel. Why do the mermaids want Yara? Why are the selkies fighting for her allegiance? Who is she and why is she important? The story keeps you on your toes, unraveling the secrets of Yara’s past and future.

I can’t wait to see what else lies ahead for Yara and the others. I think anyone who loves mythology and fantasy would enjoy this tale.

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Review: Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

2011-11-08T10:05:00.000-05:00

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia’s mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia’s choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

In my opinion, writing a good dystopian novel can be tricky. First you’re building a world on something that already exists - our world. Next, you have to take a part of our world, skew it, then write about it, but in a way that makes the reader think that this could happen, especially given the current state of the world. This is usually what I look for in my dystopian novels and I found it in Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien.

Birthmarked opens up with a birthing scene - a very gutsy move. Gaia, a young midwife, delivers her first baby; significant because it’s the first time she’s doing it on her own and because it lays the path for the reader to learn about the Enclave, the baby quota and the world that will be explored in Birthmarked.

After delivering the baby to the Enclave, Gaia heads home to find her parents have been taken to the Enclave for questioning. The mystery builds as Gaia questions why her parents were taken, what record the guards were interrogating her about and why her mother hid a ribbon with strange symbols on them.

Caragh does a great job at describing Gaia’s world and situation. Gaia’s home and all the places she travels to are carefully described, giving the reader a three dimensional view of the world. Once Gaia makes it into the walls of the Enclave the action is almost non-stop, like a wild ride with just enough pause for you to catch your breath and the right amount of twists and turns to keep you intrigued.

There is a splattering of biology in the narrative, but it is so well-weaved into the plot that it does not read like a science book. For the shipping enthusiasts there is a bit of romance which, while not necessary to the plot advancement, does a good job at adding layer of charm.

What I liked best about this book was the questions that it raised. It’s a great book to open discussions on prejudices in society, hierarchy and class. It also opens questions about the way we use our limited resources and what might happen if we aren’t careful to care for the world we have. While these are great questions, I appreciated the way that they were subtly intertwined in the narrative. There was no blaring agenda, the questions rose organically from the story and I appreciated this greatly.

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Bookish Haul (#10)

2011-11-06T00:20:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!
I've decided to call my weekly round-up My Book Haul due to the fact that many times these books don't come from my mailbox, but other areas. =)

This week's haul comes from "the box", a literary Halloween party grab bag, Amazon, RAK and ARCs. Thanks Dani from Refracted Light for my October RAK, Nevermore, NetGalley and Random House for The Gathering Storm, LibraryThing and Veronica Breville for A Banshee's Tale and Rhemalda Publishing for Tangled Tides.

Tangled Tides

Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters-until she becomes one.
When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people-until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process-or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans.

A Banshee's Tale

Catherine Dalry feels like a normal child, growing up in a normal small town, raised by normal, middle-income parents. That is, until she starts school. Children and adults alike look at her with trepidation and scorn. She learns quickly that her version of normal and theirs differ greatly.

Just as Catherine is preparing to turn sixteen, she is forced on a journey that will change her life in ways most only dream of. An ancient book teaches her of the connection between her freaky eyes and the secretive ranks she is now forced to join by matter of inheritance. She is a Guide, or in the old country, a Banshee. As far as the masses are concerned, Catherine’s destiny is to be the wailing spectral woman that wanders the land lamenting and signaling the impending death of a loved one. As her life is pulled in countless directions, she leans on her best friend and psychic, Will; her beloved aunt, teacher, and fellow Guide, Lucie; and her attractive and terminally arrogant Caomhnóir or protector, Zane.

The world of myth, mystery, and fairytale monsters engulfs Catherine and sets her ona course of self-discovery and life altering responsibility.

The Gathering Storm

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn. The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Nevermore

A page-turning psychological mystery that is equal parts horror, humor, and romance, Nevermore is the story of Varen—a Poe fan and Goth—and Isobel—a cheerleader and unlikely heroine. When an English Lit. project pairs the two, Isobel finds herself swept into Varen’s world, one that he has created in his notebook and in his mind, one where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel slowly learns that dreams and words can be much more powerful than she’d ever imagined. As labels of “Goth” and “cheerleader” fade away, Isobel and Varen slip into a consuming romance, braced against the ever-clearer horror that the most chilling realities are those within our own minds. When Isobel has a single chance to rescue Varen from the shadows of his nightmares, will she be able to save him—and herself?

Spellbound

In the wake of Karen Holly's tragic death, many people believe that her boyfriend, Jason, is responsible, and when Jason takes a new girlfriend, newcomer Cindy, she and her friends must return to the scene of Karen's murder. Reissue.

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

The red words painted on the trailer caused quite a buzz around town and before an hour was up, half of Antler was standing in line with two dollars clutched in hand to see the fattest boy in the world.

Toby Wilson is having the toughest summer of his life. It's the summer his mother leaves for good; the summer his best friend's brother returns from Vietnam in a coffin. And the summer that Zachary Beaver, the fattest boy in the world, arrives in their sleepy Texas town. While it's a summer filled with heartache of every kind, it's also a summer of new friendships gained and old friendships renewed. And it's Zachary Beaver who turns the town of Antler upside down and leaves everyone, especially Toby, changed forever.

What Is He Thinking??

In WHAT IS HE THINKING??, Rebecca interviews a range of men from high-profile types to the guys next door, men that every woman can relate to. Although the interviews focus on single guys ages 20-35, Rebecca also includes words of wisdom from older mentors she respects who have been successfully married for years, such as her dad, life coach, and pastor.

The men share their thoughts on topics like how women can respect themselves and the men in their lives, modesty, purity, taking it slow, friendship, letting guys lead, and more. This book gives them the floor to say what they would really like women to know.

The men respond candidly to questions like:

What is the most attractive quality to you in a woman?
Is modesty truly attractive?
Is neediness a turn-off?
What do you find beautiful?
How can we be dependent on God for our identity, not on you?
How can we help you with boundaries physically?
Rebecca also discusses her own dating life, speaking openly about the single life, her struggle with loneliness, and her hope for the future. She challenges women to see the men in their lives as brothers in Christ and to trust God with their dating lives.

Half-Blood

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

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Review: Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

2011-11-01T17:18:00.001-04:00

After her father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself. What Ella finds there starts a quest that will change her life and the entire kingdom. With a supernatural twist on this beloved fairytale, it’s a must read you’ll never forget.

Though it seems like it is, and the narrator begins the story that way, I don’t think it’s fair to call Cinder and Ella, by Melissa Lemon, a retelling of the Cinderella story. Sure, there is a prince, and a party, and a missing father, and horrible sisters, and Cinder; but this story isn’t really about any of these things, it’s really about Ella and the legend of the trees.

Cinder and Ella follow the two sisters as they try to navigate life in their drama-filled household. Their father has disappeared and is assumed to be dead after speaking with the evil prince. Their mother sits in a corner all day, spinning at a wheel to make a living. Their older sister thinks her job is to primp and preen herself, while making demands of her mother for the best and newest clothing and accessories. Their youngest sister cries and generally behaves like a brat. Ella - forgotten by her mother, who merges her and Cinder’s name together, referring to Cinder as Cinderella - is sullen and dissatisfied with her family’s situation and holds fast to the hope that her father still lives.

Cinder takes up employment at the castle, working as a servant while Ella runs away from home, distressed that she’s left to carry out the desires of her demanding sisters. As Cinder works her way to the top, Ella find a new place to call home and all seems well until an unsuspecting knight starts out on a quest to find the sister that Cinder keeps crying out for in her sleep. The prince takes notice of the knights quest and the story begins to develop as the reader and knight try to figure out what the prince wants and how Ella will escape his dark plans.

Along the way we are introduced to the legend of the trees; each life is tied to a tree and as long as the person lives to take care of it, so does the tree. I felt that if the story was centered more around this legend and in developing the story behind it, instead of trying to be a retelling of an old fairy tale, then the narrative would have left the reader with a better impression.

The narrative was written in the third person, in a storytelling style, which feels as though you’re being told a fairy tale, but also lacks structure in the plot. It wasn’t very descriptive and so the setting and characters felt very two-dimensional. It also felt a little forced, especially since it had to live up to being a Cinderella story with a twist. I am convinced that it would have done better as a story about a girl named Ella, her dysfunctional family and the legend of the trees; instead there was a lot of untapped potential and I think anyone looking for another Cinderella story might not enjoy this particular version.

[review of egalley from NetGalley]

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Best of the Bunch :: October

2011-10-31T14:52:00.001-04:00

Best of the Bunch is hosted by Lyrical over at Lyrical Reviews YA.
This is a monthly meme where, at the end of every month you pick one book that you read that month that's a must-have/must-read. Afterwards, you can add your link to Lyrical's post and see what other bloggers must-reads.

Let's begin! October's must-read is .... The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.

The first in Maureen Johnson's Shades of London trilogy, leaves the reader wanting more. I believe this is Maureen's first supernatural, published novel. I thought it was a good start and am curious to see where the second book leads.

Read my review of The Name of the Star here!

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

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Dark Eden Arc and App Giveaway

2011-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

One of the things I like about Patrick Carman's Dark Eden is that it's more than a book, it's an experience.

Enterdarkeden.com is dedicated to this experience. There are videos, images, even a Fear Test to see what you are afraid of, there is also an app that's free to download and offers the first episode for free, but the rest you have to purchase, either one at a time, or all for $9.99.

Since I find this idea quite fascinating I'm going to be doing a quick little giveaway. I have an ARC of Dark Eden and I'm also throwing in a $15 iTunes gift card so that you can experience the app for yourself.

>> Read my review here
>> Learn more about the app

The Rules:

Ends 11th November at 11:29pm Eastern Time
Must be over 13 to enter
Unfortunately this is US only. The iTunes card will only work for US accounts.
Winner will be alerted and has 48 hours to answer or another winner will be chosen.

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Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

2011-10-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Take an American girl from Bénouville, Louisiana. Relocate her to a boarding school in London. Throw in a couple of ghosts, a dallop of mystery and a dash of romance and you’ve got the page-turning, spine-tingling, keeps-you-up-at-night-to-finish-reading-it novel that is The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.

Rory, has a witty and spunky voice - which I found to be similar to Maureen’s Twitter-chatter style. The story opens up with Rory giving the reader a very brief background of her family and home, the reason she decided to go to Wexford, and her arrival at her new school. We meet Claudia, the house mistress, and Charlotte, the head girl - for some reason I blended the two characters in my head and had a bit of trouble sorting them out in the end, however, this isn’t pertinent to the tale. We are introduced to Jazza (Rory’s cautious roommate), and Jerome (Rory’s Ripper-addicted interest, of sorts); both were such fun characters to read that I found myself looking forward to seeing more of them.

The main plot is the ghost story/mystery that is weaved throughout. There is a killer on the loose, one who is copying the Jack the Ripper slayings. Yet, in a city with CCTVs everywhere, the killer seems to be invisible to the police; that is, until Rory thinks she spotted someone out and about, near the site of one of the killings. Once she tells the police her story, the plot picks up pace and takes you on a whirlwind adventure with eccentric roommates, mysterious strangers, and so much Jack the Ripper information that you come away feeling well versed on the topic - and a somewhat creepier for it.

I love reading Maureen’s novels because she is very descriptive about places and situations, so much so that you feel as though you’re walking next to the characters - The Name of the Star is written in this fashion. I also enjoyed the bits of family information that Rory litters throughout her narrative; funny little anecdotes to help describe the way she’s feeling. One thing that I appreciated about the story is that, compared to other protagonists who have supernatural abilities thrusted upon them, Rory reacts in a very normal and completely expected way. She experiences denial and disbelief in a believable way.

The Name of the Star is the first in a trilogy, and while this story ties up a lot of loose-ends, the ending leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction and curiosity as to what will happen next.

I utterly enjoyed reading it, and highly recommend this to anyone who is a mystery fan.

PS - there are no vampires.

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Review: Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

2011-10-23T16:45:00.002-04:00

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night’s experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains… . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Patrick Carman’s Dark Eden is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and— ultimately—immortality.

Seven teenagers, all with irrational fears, are chosen by their therapist - Dr. Stevens - to take part in an experiment to help them overcome the fears. The chosen seven are taken to Fort Eden - located in a remote area - where they are told they will be cured in a week.

The story is narrated by Will, who, in the opening scene, is at Dr. Stevens’s office, having a conversation with her about the new treatment. Will acquires the files of the other six participants while Dr. Stevens leaves the room to answer a phone call. The mystery of the other six and their fears, the remote site and the treatment slowly unwinds after this, and Will gives the reader bits of information from the files and from what he observers.

Dark Eden had a strong start, so much so that I had very high expectations for the ending - which, I admit, was not very strong at all.

The enigmatic Rainsford, the rooms that each participant disappears into, the creepy caretaker, the mystery of the fears, all come together to produce a page-turning and chill-inducing read. The characters, all described in detail by Will, came alive and I found myself rooting for them - and confused as to whether I wanted them to be cured or not.

I was very thrown in the end, it was not what I was expecting. I’m trying not to spoil it, but either I missed something huge throughout the story or the ending really did come out of the blue. It seemed quite convenient to me, and while it explained things I felt as though it was a quick and inferior explanation. I think many readers will enjoy this book, but, I’m not sure many will find the ending satisfactory.

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Bookish Haul (#9)

2011-10-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!
I've decided to call my weekly round-up My Book Haul due to the fact that many times these books don't come from my mailbox, but other areas. =)

This week's haul comes from Books of Wonder purchases and my cousin! Check out her blog!

Misfit

Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.
Author Jon Skovron takes on the dark side of human nature with his signature funny, heartfelt prose.

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn

Also Known As: Two Pearls of Wisdom, Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye, and Eon (All the same book just published with different publishers)
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragon-eye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. As tension builds and Eon's desperate lie comes to light, readers won't be able to stop turning the pages...

Eona

Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power-and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans. . . .
Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama and romance, its unforgettable fight scenes, and its surprises, is the conclusion to an epic only Alison Goodman could create.

All These Things I've Done (Birthright)

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Goliath

Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.
The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.

Drink, Slay, Love

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.
Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.
The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade

A dark, gothic tale of romance… and murder.
The latest book in the grippingly dark series, The Poison Diaries.
Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure.

The Eleventh Plague

The wars that followed The Collapse nearly destroyed civilization. Now, twenty years later, the world is faced with a choice—rebuild what was or make something new.
Stephen Quinn, a quiet and dutiful fifteen-year-old scavenger, travels Post-Collapse America with his Dad and stern ex-Marine Grandfather. They travel light. They keep to themselves. Nothing ever changes. But when his Grandfather passes suddenly and Stephen and his Dad decide to risk it all to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen's life is turned upside down. With his father terribly injured, Stephen is left alone to make his own choices for the first time.
Stephen’s choices lead him to Settler's Landing, a lost slice of the Pre-Collapse world where he encounters a seemingly benign world of barbecues, baseball games and days spent in a one-room schoolhouse. Distrustful of such tranquility, Stephen quickly falls in with Jenny Tan, the beautiful town outcast. As his relationship with Jenny grows it brings him into violent conflict with the leaders of Settler's Landing who are determined to remake the world they grew up in, no matter what the cost.

Dearly, Departed

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?
The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.
But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.
In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

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TWITTER Haiku Contest

2011-10-19T21:52:00.001-04:00

I'm going to Books of Wonder this weekend for their Fantastic Fiction event. I thought I'd share the event with anyone who can't make it by giving them a chance to win a signed, personalized book. See all the details below!

The Contest:

Write a haiku. Your topics are narrowed to the authors who are attending the event and their books. Or, your love for books in general.
Tweet it! This step is important. No tweet, no entry!

The Prize(s):

One copy of a book of your choice - that's being promoted - signed with your name.
Note: two winners will be chosen.

The Rules:

Tweet your haiku at any time from now until the contest ends.
Contest ends at 9:59 a.m. EDT on Saturday, 22nd October
Tweet your haiku to @shanellareads
Include the hashtag #fanhai
Haiku needs to be in 5-7-5 format
Haiku is limited to 117 characters or less (in order to allow for rules 2&3
Tweet as often as you want.
Yes, this is international.
Must be 13-years or older.
Haiku Example: It is doable // making a haiku that fits // these requirements // @shanellareads #fanhai

The Winners:

I will be choosing two winners. Winners are chosen based on how amused/impressed/etc I am with their haiku.
You will know you are in the selection for winners if I re-tweet your haiku.
Winners will be DMed* at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Saturday, 22nd.
If selected, you will have until 11:30 a.m. EDT to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be selected.
Winners will be announced at 12 p.m.

* You will have to follow @shanellareads in order to be DMed (at least until the contest is over)
Ask any questions in the comments below!

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Bookish Haul (#8)

2011-10-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!
I've decided to call my weekly round-up My Book Haul due to the fact that many times these books don't come from my mailbox, but other areas. =)

This week's haul comes from "the box" and RAK! Thanks to Amber and Jenna for the random acts of kindness.

Graveminder

Three sips to mind the dead . . .

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead, and Bek must go back to the place she left a decade earlier. She soon discovers that Claysville is not just the sleepy town she remembers, and that Maylene had good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in Claysville the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected; beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. If the dead are not properly cared for, they will come back to satiate themselves with food, drink, and stories from the land of the living. Only the Graveminder, by tradition a Barrow woman, and her Undertaker—in this case Byron Montgomery, with whom Bek shares a complicated past—can set things right once the dead begin to walk.

Although she is still grieving for Maylene, Rebekkah will soon find that she has more than a funeral to attend to in Claysville, and that what awaits her may be far worse.

Divergent

One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a "perfect society." At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly "perfect society." To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.

Cinderella in Cleats

It started just like any other Saturday: Whitney, her best friend, Jason, and their fathers tossed an old football around in the park. But when her dad dies of a heart attack, Whitney doesn't realize her passion for the sport and her friendship with Jason will never be the same.

Two years later, Whitney's ready to begin the long journey of re-discovering her love for football, encountering a sexist coach, an unethical but irresistible opponent, a mustard yellow T-shirt, and Jason along the way.

How many boys, romance, and hits on the field can Whitney handle before it becomes too much and she's forced to throw in the towel on her dreams?

Hex Hall

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It’s gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie’s estranged father—an elusive European warlock—only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it’s her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

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Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

2011-10-12T09:40:00.000-04:00

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

In a society that dictates every aspect of a person’s life - what they eat, where they work, who they should marry, even when they die - Cassia, made her first non-society choice between a boy that society has chosen for her (her best childhood friend) and the boy that society deems an aberration; untouchable, but suddenly desirable to Cassia.

Ally Condie’s Crossed, written from the point of view of Cassia and Ky, follows soon after Matched. Setting-wise we are introduced to different districts and lands outside of Society’s rule. Ally isn’t very descriptive in her writing so it’s a little hard to imagine the setting unless you’re filling in the space on your own. This isn’t usually a problem for my imagination, but some readers might be put off by this.

The narrative, from Ky’s point of view, illuminates aspects of his personality that we didn’t necessarily get to see though Cassia’s rose-tinted glasses in Matched. It makes him more three dimensional and highlights flaws that were easily overlooked in the first book.

Xander hardly makes an appearance, however, more is revealed about his personality and background through the other characters. I enjoyed the layer of complexity this brought to the story.

The story was well-paced; I was hoping that Cassia and Ky’s paths would intersect early in the narrative and found the timing for this to be just right. Still, I wished there was more Xander, I’ve always found his character to be more interesting than Ky’s - from his introduction in Matched, Xander has always been the one I viewed as the bad-boy/risk-taker due to his citizen status.

While Crossed did a good job in setting up the final book of the trilogy, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. I’m curious to see how Ally Condie will tie them all up and am looking forward to the conclusion of Cassia’s story.

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Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again For The First Time

2011-10-11T00:30:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week you will find the top ten books that I wish I could read again, for the first time. I fear that a lot of these are going to be popular around the blogs.
What did you pick?

(clicking on the images below will take you to amazon.com)

The Hunger Games: I'd love to experience this again - without the hype. I think I had a lot of expectations when initially reading this book and it was mostly because of the hype.

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale : I just love faerie books and this was my first proper introduction.

The Iron King : The Iron Fey series is one of my new fave series. It's the same with Hunger Games though, I'd love to re-read it without the hype

Daughter of Smoke and Bone : This book was excellent. So excellent that every time I read it, I want it to be the first time.

Leviathan : I think Scott Westerfeld's smart narration brings a lot to this trilogy. I'd love to experience it for the first time all over again.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: The same as Hunger Games, I'd like to read these without the hype

Between : I thought this book was excellent. I'd love to reread it without the hype.

The Name of the Star : I sped through this book in a couple of days and since I read the first 70 or so pages weeks before, I wish I could do it all again

Warped : This book, I don't see it a lot around the internets, but I think it's a good book. If I could read it all over again for the first time, I'd take it slower than I did initially.

Witch Song : This was an excellent fantasy novel.

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Review: Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard

2011-10-07T12:19:00.001-04:00

A recently widowed mother of two, Sylvie Bates-McAllister finds her life upended by a late-night phone call from the headmaster of the prestigious private school founded by her grandfather where her adopted son Scott teaches. Allegations of Scott’s involvement in a hazing scandal cause a ripple effect, throwing the entire family into chaos. For Charles, Sylvie’s biological son, it dredges up a ghost from the past who is suddenly painfully present. For his wife Joanna, it forces her to reevaluate everything she’s hoped for in the golden Bates-McAllisters. And for Scott, it illuminates harsh truths about a world he has never truly felt himself a part of.

But for all the Bates-McAllisters, the call exposes a tangled web of secrets that ties the family together: the mystery of the school hazing, the event that tore Charles and Scott apart the night of their high school awards ceremony, and the intended recipient of a certain bracelet. The quest to unravel the truth takes the family on individual journeys across state lines, into hospitals, through the Pennsylvania woods, and face-to-face with the long-dormant question: what if the life you always planned for and dreamed of isn’t what you want after all?

This was my first introduction to Sara Shepard. I've heard of the success of her Pretty Little Liars and Lying Games series and while this is an adult novel, I thought I'd give it a try.

The story is centered around a very dysfunctional family. Sylvie - the matriarch of the family - is awaken by a phone call. There is a death at the private school that her adopted son, Scott, works in as a wrestling coach. There is talk of hazing. Then the assumptions start; or, I should say continue.

It's clear, from the beginning, that this family hardly talks to each other about anything substantial. Everyone assumes that Scott had something to do with the death of the student, yet, no one talks directly to him. The family history is shown through flashbacks from Sylvie and her biological son, Charles. Even in the flashbacks it's clear that there is no communication. Charles carries this attitude into his marriage with Joanna, who, while a little better than Sylvie, Scott and Charles, also makes a lot of assumptions.

It seemed as though all the conflicts were centered around conjectures by one or more parties. It made for a very comedic tragedy in a sense, a reflection on a society that could sometimes be together, but yet be alone.

I was a bit confused with the ending. There didn't seem to be any solid resolution and the last several chapters read as a very long epilogue. In the very end we finally hear Scott's point of view, which turns out to be a little anti-climactic.

The story dragged in a few places and the conflict between Joanna and Charles was never resolved in the narrative, however, one can assume that they worked it out somehow.

Overall I found that the story itself wasn't enough to engage me - most likely because of the lack of communication between the characters. Yet, there were a few subplots that were interesting enough to keep me turning the pages.

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Top Ten Book Endings That Left Me With My Mouth Hanging Open

2011-10-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week you will find the top ten books that left me with my mouth hanging. Wow, this is a difficult one! It's difficult to chose which book had the biggest "wow" factor, but I'll try to pick only ten. What did you pick?

(clicking on the images below will take you to amazon.com)

Liar :: This one left me scratching my head .. banging it against the wall ... generally walking around in a daze. "What? What just happened?" was all I could think while reading this book. It was great.

Between :: This isn't a book that I would have picked up normally, but I'm glad I read it, it was a great book. It stayed with me for quite a few weeks after I closed the book.

The Book Thief :: It took me a long time to get though this book, but mostly because it was so packed with emotion that I had to take it in little bites.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone :: This entire book is just beautiful. Laini is an awesome writer. It didn't really on a cliffhanger, but it ended with me wanting more. I can't wait for the sequel.

The Name of the Star :: This is Maureen's first paranormal novel, and I enjoyed it immensely. The villan in the story is a ghost and the main characters are your modern day ghostbusters (sorta ...). The last paragraph had me wishing I waited to read the book, but only because I can't wait until the sequel comes out.

Daughter of the Blood :: The entire Black Jewel trilogy was a great read. I revisit these books from time to time. The ending of Daughter of the Blood made me happy that I had the second book to five into right away. I practically devoured these books. Note, this isn't a YA novel.

Goliath :: I really wish that this was not a trilogy ... I know it was a retelling of WWI, but I wish there was more to this story. I can't say it was too cliffhanger-y, but it was definitely jaw-dropping.

Crossed :: I admit, I liked Matched, but I didn't love it. However, Crossed, I loved the ending. I definitely wanted to have the final book in my hand, ready to go. I can't wait to see the reactions to this one.

The Hunger Games :: Well, I didn't put Harry Potter on this list but, I have to put Hunger Games. This book especially had me on pins and needles to get to the next book. I can't wait to see it realized on the silver screen.

Rampant :: Two words; killer unicorns.

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Best of the Bunch :: September

2011-10-02T22:53:00.000-04:00

Best of the Bunch is hosted by Lyrical over at Lyrical Reviews YA.
This is a monthly meme where, at the end of every month you pick one book that you read that month that's a must-have/must-read. Afterwards, you can add your link to Lyrical's post and see what other bloggers must-reads.

I'm a little late on this, but, September's must-read is .... The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa.
I'm a fan of the Iron Fey stories, and this addition does now disappoint. Told from the point of view of Ash - the Winter Prince - we're taken on a whirl-wind adventure through faerie as Ash tries to find a way to be with Meghan.

Read my review of The Iron Knight here!

My name - my True Name - is Ashallayn’darkmyr Tallyn.
I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.
My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

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My Book Haul (#7)

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!
I've decided to call my weekly round-up My Book Haul due to the fact that many times these books don't come from my mailbox, but other areas. =)

This week's haul comes from quite a few places! One from the Brooklyn Book Festival, another from the bookstore, one from a friend and the rest looked interesting in "the box" so I grabbed them.

To Timbuktu: Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story

Casey and Steven met in Morocco, moved to China then went all the way to Timbuktu. This illustrated travel memoir tells the story of their first two years out of college spent teaching English, making friends across language barriers, researching, painting, and learning to be themselves wherever they are. (via goodreads)

The Night Circus

"Opens at Nightfall; Closes at Dawn." The Le Cirque des Rêves is a circus unlike any other, just as this magical debut novel is equally unique. At the center of The Night Circus spectacle are two specially gifted young magicians, Celia and Marco, pitted against each other in professional competition, drawn towards one another in love. Erin Morgenstern's literary fantasy has already drawn raves for its captivating evocativeness: "A world of almost unbearable beauty.... A love story on a grand scale: it creates, it destroys, it ultimately transcends." "A novel so magical that there is no escaping its spell... If you choose to read just one novel this year, this is it." (via goodreads)

The Last Olympian

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate. (via goodreads)

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

Hamlet Kennedy just wants to be your average, happy, vanilla eighth grader. But with Shakespearean scholar parents who dress in Elizabethan regalia and generally go about in public as if it were the sixteenth century, that's not terribly easy. It gets worse when they decide that Hamlet's genius sevenyear- old sister will attend middle school with her - and even worse when the Shakespeare project is announced and her sister is named the new math tutor. By the time an in-class recitation reveals that our heroine is an extraordinary Shakespearean actress, Hamlet can no longer hide from the fact that she - like her family - is anything but average.In a novel every bit as funny as her debut, Erin Dionne has created another eighth grader whose situation is utterly unique - but whose foibles and farces will resound with every girl currently suffering through middle school. (via goodreads)

Here Lies Arthur

Gwynna is just a girl who is forced to run when her village is attacked and burns to the ground. To her horror, she is discovered in the wood. But it is Myrddin the bard who has found her, a traveler and spinner of tales. He agrees to protect Gwynna if she will agree to be bound in service to him. Gwynna is frightened but intrigued-and says yes-for this Myrddin serves the young, rough, and powerful Arthur. In the course of their travels, Myrddin transforms Gwynna into the mysterious Lady of the Lake, a boy warrior, and a spy. It is part of a plot to transform Arthur from the leader of (con't)(con'd from summary) a ragtag war band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time.If Gwynna and Myrrdin's trickery is discovered, what will become of Gwynna? Worse, what will become of Arthur? Only the endless battling, the mighty belief of men, and the sheer cunning of one remarkable girl will tell. (via goodreads)

The Death Collector

What starts as an ordinary pick-pocketing incident in Victorian London unites three teens against a madman. Eddie is the pickpocket; George is an assistant at the British Museum; Elizabeth has a nose for trouble—and all of them are being hunted by Augustus Lorimore. Lorimore is a sinister factory owner, a villain bent on reanimating the dead, both humans and dinosaurs—and one of each is already terrorizing the streets of London. It’s up to Eddie, George, and Elizabeth to stop Lorimore’s monsters . . . or die trying. (via goodreads)

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Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

2011-09-29T13:00:00.000-04:00

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he’s taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

“Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amélie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings with the name Louis. I’m not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day.”

Thus begins Anna and the French Kiss; the witty tale of Anna, a rich little poor girl, whose daddy - an author with a formulaic plot that usually involves people falling in love, contracting a life-threatening diseases and dying - sends her to Paris for school, to impress his wealthy friends.

Anna doesn’t want to be shipped away to Paris during her senior year, so, in true teenage spirit,* she throws a tantrum; a rather useless one as the story opens up with Anna in Paris, knowing next to nothing about the place in which she has to spend an entire year. She is a girl of privilege, attending a prestigious school in a city that many people love, yet she doesn’t try to learn anything useful about her new home, I found this slightly disturbing.

The biggest thing Anna has going for her is her wit and her funny narrative, which makes her character endearing. I think, without these, she might have come off a bit abrasive.

Through Anna, we are introduced to her new friends and love interest - Étienne, who is suppose to be shorter than Anna, even though she mistakes him for a wall when she walks into him in the very beginning of the story. We are also introduced to the school, then slowly to Paris, when Anna is practically dragged from the dorms by Étienne for a night around town.

Stephanie Perkins isn’t very descriptive in Anna’s exploration of Paris; and while it is primarily a love story, a little more description of Paris would have been perfect; after-all, it is the City of Love. We do, however, get to see a lot of Étienne’s hair, and eyes, and the things he says and the strange things he does.

I found it a little ironic that Anna’s story contained similar elements as her father’s bestseller novels (which she hated). Anna and the French Kiss is a book for the hopeless romantic, unfortunately, I’m not a hopeless romantic, but if you are you’ll definitely enjoy the witty prose.

*generalization of course

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Top Ten Books I Want To Reread

2011-09-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week you will find the top ten books that I want to re-read. I could just list the seven Harry Potter books, but I don't think I'd list any of them, though I want to re-read them! I'll try to branch out =) What did you pick?

(clicking on the images below will take you to amazon.com)

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Recaps & Giveaway

2011-09-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

This week's reviews:

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Giveaways on the Blog:

Books to the Rescue iPad2 Giveaway

On Tumblr:

Memes:

The Book Haul (#6)

2011-09-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!
I've decided to call my weekly round-up The Book Haul due to the fact that many times these books don't come from my mailbox, but other areas. =)

These books were all acquired for FREE on KINDLE! =) Click on the covers to check if they're still available for free.

Bright Young Things

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.
Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .
Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.
The only person Cordelia can trust is ¬Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.
Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ¬illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

Remedial Magic

Delve deeper into the world of the fae with a Faeriewalker bonus story.
Having a prodigy for an older brother is not so fun…especially one who is magic wiz-kid. But Kimber has a plan to finally step out of his shadow.

The Emerald Talisman

You can run from your destiny, but you can't hide.
To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

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Friday Memes (#5)

2011-09-22T22:02:00.002-04:00

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read and allows book bloggers to connect.

Q. Do you have a favorite series that you read over and over again? Tell us a bit about it and why you keep on revisiting it??

I have quite a few series that I like to revisit. Harry Potter is one, I think it's neat and I'm sure this will be a popular choice. However, I also like re-reading Scott Westerfeld's works, particularly Uglies and Leviathan - he's just such a great story teller. I also love re-reading Holly Black's faery stories because I think she's the authority on faeries.

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

2011-09-20T05:30:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week you will find the top ten books that I feel that everyone else has read. Every book? ha! Some of these are on my TBR list, so I'm hoping I get to them very, very soon! A few of these, I might not read, but I see them everywhere. EVERYWHERE! What did you pick?

(clicking on the images below will take you to amazon.com)

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Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-19T13:00:00.000-04:00

My name - my True Name - is Ashallayn’darkmyr Tallyn.
I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.
My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

I think it's a great sign, when I read a series and every new book in the series becomes a new favourite. This is what the Iron Fey series is like.
I now have a new favourite - The Iron Knight.

The Iron Knight picks up after the Iron Queen's epilogue; it's unique in that it is written in Ash's voice as opposed to Meghan's.

Ash is on a mission to find a way find a way to live in the Iron Kingdom with Meghan. Ash's narrative never reads as mushy and emo - a trait I've often noticed in male lead characters written by females - he has a mission and he keeps to it. Of course, there are glimpses of his love for Meghan as well as his history; in short, we get to learn a lot about Ash.

I enjoyed the development of the story. Compared to the previous books, this book is more a quest than an opposition of power. We are taken into parts of Faery that we (and the characters) have not seen before. A few new characters and even minor characters take on relatively major roles.

I was pleasantly surprised with the development of Puck's and Ash's characters as well as the story of their history together. There was also a surprise twist, pretty early in the book, which I found particularly enjoyable.

Excellent character development and story. Julie Kagawa finds new ways to keep the reader engaged and the plot moving. If I wasn't before, The Iron Knight would have made me a Julie Kagawa fan.

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In My Mailbox (#5)

2011-09-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!

Witch Song

The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fade, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save.

Enclave

In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known.

The Little White Horse

In 1842, newly orphaned Maria Merryweather, her governess, and dog arrive at her ancestral home in an enchanted village in England's West Country where the people's bliss is marred by a dark shadow.

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Recap and Giveaways

2011-09-17T09:11:00.000-04:00

This week's reviews:

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Giveaways on the Blog and around the internet:

Books to the Rescue iPad2 Giveaway

Bright, Young & Luxe Giveaway (LC's Adventure in Wonderland)

On Tumblr:

Memes:

Friday Memes (#4)

2011-09-15T22:37:00.001-04:00

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read and allows book bloggers to connect.

Q. It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

hmmm ... for me the answer is obvious. With Pottermore and my upcoming trip to Hogwarts, I'd want to see the Harry Potter world become real. I'd also love to visit The Borrow. (I'm sure this is a very common answer)

Book Blogger hop is hosted by Crazy For Books and is a great way to get to know other book bloggers and bookish people =)

Q. As a book blogger, how do you introduce yourself in your profile?

hmm ... I want to say, "just look at the about!" ha! My blogger profile isn't really up to date, and I don't really talk about myself in my About section, only my love for reading. I don't like talking about myself, so there isn't much there. However, I'm always up for making friends, so that's where I'd share more about myself.

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Review: Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-14T15:00:00.000-04:00

Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon’s right hand, bane of many a faery queen’s existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl’s death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.
Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone’s come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck’s help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

Summer's Crossing takes place between The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight.

Written from the point of view of Robin Goodfellow, this novella picks up right after The Iron Queen ends.

Puck agrees to take Ash into Arcadia - the seat of the Summer Court - so Ash could complete a task that Leanansidhe asked of him as a returned favor. Along the way, Puck has a tough choice to make and gets to play a complex trick on Titania.

I really enjoyed reading in Puck’s voice. It allowed the reader a chance to see what goes on beneath the goofball that is Puck. It was also a peek into the relationship that Ash and Puck had before Ariella's unfortunate end.

Summer’s Crossing was all that Puck was and more. It was cunning, funny and the master trickster worked his magic through the narrative.

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Review: Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.
Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....
An eBook exclusive story from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Winter's Passage is a story set between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. It follows Meghan and Ash as they travel from the human world to Tir Na Nog, the seat of the Winter Court.

Picking up right after the end of The Iron King, Ash and Meghan set out, first to visit Puck and then to go to Tir Na Nog. However, something is following them and they can't seem to hide form it or outrun it.

This novella was a bit mushy for me. Meghan doesn't seem her spunky self; when she's around Ash she reads as insecure, which, given the situation is understandable, but I missed the old Meghan.

The threat that they were running from wasn't as exciting as I expected, however, with the different creatures and fey that they met on the way, new dimensions to the Faery world were laid and I really enjoyed the quick exploration of those stories.
Winter's Passage concludes pretty close to the opening of The Iron Daughter.

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Books to the Rescue iPad 2 Giveaway

2011-09-12T00:05:00.000-04:00

Shana, over at The Writer's Lair Books is hosting an iPad 2 giveaway tour (of sorts). I'm proud to be a part of this ... below you will find information on how to participate. Read carefully and may the odds be ever in your favour.

I love Apple and am giving away an iPad 2 (again) and you can win it! AND I'm promoting literacy among children at the same time!

I love to read. In fact, my mother said she used to put a book in front of me and come and turn the pages ever so often when I was a baby. She could clean a whole house and I was completely pre-occupied. So, it was so natural for me to become a writer and eventually a book publisher. I am a book junkie (that's right I said it) and I love sharing books, especially with youth. So, I came up with this neat idea to gather up some other bloggers to help encourage reading and literacy among children. I asked Jennifer of 'Crazy For Books' blog and Lexie from 'voiceboks' to co-host with me a special 'Books to the Rescue' iPad 2 Giveaway.

This giveaway is so fabulous and extrememly important. Why?

Because each blogger that is participating in this giveaway is donating a book to either a school, library, or youth organization.

Flightless Goose by Eric D. Goodman and Red Rain by Tim Wendel are two fantastic books that are appropriate for elementary and high school aged students respectively. I was so excited that so many bloggers wanted to be a part of this idea. Over 30 bloggers are participating in this event! Their fabulous blogs are listed below.AND one lucky person will win an Apple iPad 2! What do you have to do to get that? Well, it’s simple and easy to do. Below is our Rafflecopter entry form. In bold are the mandatory entries you have to complete in order to enter this giveaway. There are thirty-three (it's really not that many). You just go down the list and 'like' each Facebook page. You must like the facebook pages with your PERSONAL profile in order for your entry to be counted. You will click on “Click Here” and it will reveal a link. You must do them all to have officially entered the giveaway. You will earn 33 entries. It’s so easy (and fast). Below the mandatory 33, there are additional actions that you may do to earn extra entries (like bonuses). Some you can do everyday until the giveaway is over. Who doesn’t like extra credit? There is no need to re-enter on each blog. If you enter on one blog it will register on the other 32 blogs participating in this giveaway. You MUST be 18+ to enter. The contest begins at 12:01 a.m. EST, September 12, 2011, and the contest is over 11:59 p.m. EST, September 28, 2011. So, you got it? Sure? If you have any questions, you can leave us a reply and we will follow up. So, ON YOUR MARK…GET READY…GET SET…GO!

A list of participating blogs are here: Prowling Books In the Lair Crazy for Books voiceBoks Misadventures with Andi The Adventures of J-Man and MillerBug Our Family World At Home Moma Our Way to Learn Celebration Ideas Online Quality Baskets Counting My Kisses The Write To Make A Living Pawsitive Living I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Insights By April My Devotional Thoughts Enjoy Life, Enjoy Now ChicnSavvy Reviews Lori's Reading Corner 7 On a Shoestring Rants~N~Scribbles Bubba and Mack Simply Stacie Makobi Scribe Sassy Mama In LA Deals4Dummies Your Child Will Read Books Are Wonderful Centsible Savings Mummy Deals StuffSmart

In My Mailbox (#4)

2011-09-11T09:37:00.002-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!

The Borders Stash III

The Mockingbirds

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.
Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.
In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it. (via Goodreads)

The Poison Diaries

In the right dose, everything is a poison. Even love . . .
Jessamine Luxton has lived all her sixteen years in an isolated cottage near Alnwick Castle, with little company apart from the plants in her garden. Her father, Thomas, a feared and respected apothecary, has taught her much about the incredible powers of plants: that even the most innocent-looking weed can cure -- or kill.
When Jessamine begins to fall in love with a mysterious boy who claims to communicate with plants, she is drawn into the dangerous world of the poison garden in a way she never could have imagined . . . (via Goodreads)

The Amanda Project

Mysterious, charismatic, and one of a kind—the only way to find Amanda is to think like Amanda.
When enigmatic freshman Amanda Valentino arrived at Endeavor High, she chose three people—Callie, Hal, and Nia—to guide her through the choppy waters of her new school. Except she didn't tell them about each other. When Amanda leaves, the three must reluctantly work together to figure out why. But once they start piecing together the cryptic clues that Amanda herself is leaving for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew about her is false. The more they dig, the mystery of where—and who—Amanda is deepens. (via Goodreads)

Vampire Academy

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever

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The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-09T15:00:00.000-04:00

My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who’s sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I’m not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

This is a review of the third book in The Iron Fey series. If you have not read The Iron King and The Iron Daughter then this review will be quite spoiler-filled.

She’s defeated the Iron King, she’s returned the Scepter to the Winter Court; exiled, Meghan is finally on her way home for some deserved rest. Or so she thinks.

The action starts right away; Iron Fey are waiting at Meghan’s home, the False King is hunting her and Meghan realises that the only way she and her family would ever be safe would mean stopping the False King once and for all.

The story revisits familiar places and and we see a lot of familiar faces, from Grimalkin, the cait sith to Leanansidhe, the Exile Queen. One of the many great things about this novel is the continued character development. There was more time to explore each of the main characters and some of the supporting characters. Ash’s warmth seeped through his icy mask. Puck’s goofiness couldn’t hide his cunning and Meghan stepped up to her birthright, her spunkiness morphing into a steady and brave leader. Grimalkin remained the same sardonic character as always, showing a dash of affection for his companions.

I liked the pacing of the story; while action-packed it isn’t overwhelming. There was enough mystery and romance splashed in the dangerous journey to keep me intrigued and entertained. I’ve always loved the series for its faery tale, so I was happy that Julie was able to explore Meghan and Ash’s relationship without making it the center of the story.

I figured out part of the ending, still, I thought Julie was able to put together a brilliant conclusion. I’m definitely looking forward to its continuation.

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Friday Memes (#3)

2011-09-09T01:36:00.001-04:00

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read and allows book bloggers to connect.

Q. Have you ever wanted a villain to win at the end of a story? If so, which one?

In Ally Condie's Matched, I've wanted the society to win, but mainly because I really rather Xander to Kai ... However, the story is still going on, so who knows!?

Book Blogger hop is hosted by Crazy For Books and is a great way to get to know other book bloggers and bookish people =)

Q. Many of us primarily read one genre of books, with others sprinkled in. If authors stopped writing that genre, what genre would you start reading? Or would you give up reading completely if you couldn’t read that genre anymore?

I'm a huge sci-fi/fantasy reader ... however, if authors stop writing science fiction or fantasy, I might just end up reading mysteries only. I do love a good mystery =)

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Top Ten Sequels I'm Dying To Read

2011-09-06T07:03:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week you will find the top ten books that are on the top of my TBR list for fall. I'm super excited to read some of these and the rest, well, they are a step out of my normal reading list, but I'm looking forward to the journey. What's on your list?

This is might be a repeat of some of last Tuesday's books!
(clicking on the images below will take you to amazon.com)

This was a little hard! I realise I'm behind on my series books ... gotta get to reading!

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In My Mailbox (#3)

2011-09-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!

The Borders Stash II

The Mother-Daughter Book Club

The book club is about to get a makeover....
Even if Megan would rather be at the mall, Cassidy is late for hockey practice, Emma's already read every book in existence, and Jess is missing her mother too much to care, the new book club is scheduled to meet every month.
But what begins as a mom-imposed ritual of reading Little Women soon helps four unlikely friends navigate the drama of middle school. From stolen journals, to secret crushes, to a fashion-fiasco first dance, the girls are up to their Wellie boots in drama. They can't help but wonder: What would Jo March do?

Hourglass

One hour to rewrite the past . . .
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows. (via Goodreads)

The Bermudez Triangle

What happens when your two best friends fall in love...with each other?
"Their friendship went so far back, it bordered on the Biblical -- in the beginning, there was Nina and Avery and Mel." So says high school senior Nina Bermudez about herself and her two best friends, nicknamed "The Bermudez Triangle" by a jealous wannabe back on Nina's eleventh birthday. But the threesome faces their first separation when Nina goes away the summer before their senior year. And in ten short weeks, everything changes.
Nina returns home bursting with stories about Steve, the quirky yet adorable eco-warrior she fell for hard while away. But when she asks her best friends about their summer romances, an awkward silence follows.
Nina soon learns the shocking truth when she sees Mel and Avery...kissing. Their friendship is rocked by what feels like the ultimate challenge. But it's only the beginning of a sometimes painful, sometimes funny, always gripping journey as three girls discover who they are and what they really want. (via Goodreads)

A Game of Thrones

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective wall. To the south, the King's powers are failing, and his enemies are emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the King's new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but also the kingdom itself. A heroic fantasy of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and evildoers who come together in a time of grim omens. The first volume in George Martin's series.

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Blogger Hop (#2)

2011-09-02T03:39:00.000-04:00

I'm taking part in the Book Blooger Hop!
Book Blogger hop is hosted by Crazy For Books and is a great way to get to know other book bloggers and bookish people =)
Every week you get to answer a question and then hop around to other blogs to see what others have to say.

Q. What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season?

Hmmm, so many things! Looking forward to my new job, some awesome launch parties and book events, some great plays, movies, and all the books I've recently pre-ordered ... =)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-08-31T15:58:00.000-04:00

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.
When one of the strangers —beautiful, haunted Akiva— fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I’m at a lost to describe this book. Is it a fairy tale? A twist to the old Romeo and Juliet story? A tale of war? A tale of prejudice? It’s all of these things and more.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is my first introduction to Laini Taylor’s work. And it’s was quite an introduction. My friend, Anna - who wrote a BEAUTIFUL review of this novel - mentioned Laini to me many times, always singing her praises. I think Anna has great taste in novels, so I was pretty excited to read this book, especially after I read her review.

Karou is an artist whose imagination creates the wonderful hybrid creatures on the pages of her art-book - which is popular among the other art students at her school in Prague. The creatures are so realistic and Karou even has stories about them, telling it all with the wry smile that hides the fact that her imaginative creations and fantastic stories are real.

I was transported.

Laini’s descriptive writing style printed such an impressive image of Prague in my head that I’m ready to call a travel agent and book my flight. If only Brimstone’s shop could be reached via plane.

I was enthralled.

Karou, Zuzana, Issa, Twiga, Yasri, Brimstone and the rest, leaped out of the pages. Laini’s characters are so well developed that I can picture them, right now, almost as if they are crowding my room, vying for my attention. The story was constantly moving, shifting, twisting; but never overwhelming or dull. I practically devoured it.

I was mystified.

One of the best parts of this story was the reveal in the end. In the back of my mind I knew what was happening, I knew where the story was going - because of the clues that were hidden along the way - but it wasn’t until the reveal that everything became clear. I love when authors can achieve that balance, giving just enough for you to think you’ve got it, but leaving just enough out for you to be surprised in the end. This was the case with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It was a perfect blend of romance, adventure, and suspense. I cannot wait to read more from Laini!

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The Best of the Bunch ~ August 2011

2011-08-31T08:26:00.003-04:00

Best of the Bunch is hosted by Lyrical over at Lyrical Reviews YA.
This is a monthly meme where, at the end of every month you pick one book that you read that month that's a must-have/must-read. Afterwards, you can add your link to Lyrical's post and see what other bloggers must-reads.

This month's must-read is Goliath by Scott Westerfeld. I'm a huge fan of Scott Westerfeld's books and Goliath just serves to cement that fondness. Set during WWI, it is the third book in the Leviathan series. While the story is a WWI tale, it's set in an alternate universe where there are two powers - the Clankers and the Darwinist - and the world itself is steampunk-esque.
This trilogy has a little bit of everything; there is action, suspense, a touch of romance to feed your romantic soul, a lot of adventure. Of course, before you can read Goliath you'll have to read Leviathan and Behemoth, both of are great reads as well!

Read my review of Goliath here!

Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.
The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.

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Top Ten Books That Are On The Top Of My TBR List For Fall

2011-08-30T07:29:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week you will find the top ten books that are on the top of my TBR list for fall. I'm super excited to read some of these and the rest, well, they are a step out of my normal reading list, but I'm looking forward to the journey. What's on your list?

(clicking on the images below will take you to amazon.com)

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Goliath by Scott Westerfeld

2011-08-29T13:00:00.006-04:00

Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.
The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.

I am convinced that anything Scott Westerfeld writes is brilliant. Goliath is no exception.

(Warning: This review might contain spoilers for the first two books in the trilogy - Leviathan and Behemoth.)

Goliath picks up where Behemoth leaves off; Alek and Deryn are back on the Leviathan after playing major roles in the Ottoman Empire revolution.

Alek feels a bit useless onboard the ship since he was a key player in the rebellion, but now just a little better than a prisoner. Deryn is off doing things middies do. The story picks up when the Leviathan makes a detour and witnesses a scary sight in the middle of nowhere Siberia. Secrets abound and the two stars are caught up in the middle of it all.

In this third and final installment of the story, Alek finally learns Deryn’s secret. I really appreciated that Scott decided to reveal this closer to the beginning of the book as opposed to the very end, and I’m very happy with the way it was done.

The introduction of Tesla adds another layer of intrigue to the books. Who is this man and what is the Goliath? While the book is action-packed it’s also perfectly paced. There’s enough mystery to keep the pages turning and Scott Westerfeld interweaves pieces of history into his fantastic prose.

I especially love this trilogy because it makes me enjoy history in a way I’ve never truly enjoyed it before. Sometimes the depiction of the stories are so boring that I often forget that history is real life and real life can be exciting - especially if told by a master. War, even though it’s a horrible thing, is also exciting to read about. What happened? How did it get started? How did it get resolved? What can we learn from the past to make a better future?

Even though it is fiction, reading this trilogy has caused me to read more about what happened during World War I and, on a whole, has sparked an interest in history that I haven’t experienced before. The only downside is that perspicacious lorises aren’t real. I mean, who wouldn’t want one after reading about Bovril? Also, this.

History buffs, steampunk lovers and anyone who loves a good story will most definitely enjoy the Leviathan Trilogy. My only hope is that Scott does what he did with the Uglies trilogy and adds a fourth book. Or hey, a second trilogy? One can only hope.

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In My Mailbox (#2)

2011-08-28T00:24:00.006-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!

The Borders Stash I

The Help

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the slice. To her horror, she finds that her cheerful mother tastes of despair. Soon, she’s privy to the secret knowledge that most families keep hidden: her father’s detachment, her mother’s transgression, her brother’s increasing retreat from the world. But there are some family secrets that even her cursed taste buds can’t discern.

The Iron Knight (for review via the fair folks of NetGalley)

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.
Unless he can earn a soul.
To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.
And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

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Book Blogger Hop (#1)

2011-08-26T14:09:00.008-04:00

I'm taking part in the Book Blooger Hop!
Book Blogger hop is hosted bu Crazy For Books and is a great way to get to know other book bloggers and bookish people =)
Every week you get to answer a question and then hop around to other blogs to see what others have to say.

Q. Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets?

I don't have any pets! I recently finished reading The Iron Queen and was thinking that if I had a pet cat I'd name him Grimalkin!

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Feature & Follow Friday (#2)

2011-08-26T11:55:00.010-04:00

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read and allows book bloggers to connect.
I've decided to do the feature, both on my blog and on this companion site. (Listen, if the doctor can have a companion, so can this um ... my blog!)

Q. In some books like the Sookie Stackhouse series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish this would happen with in real life?

There's a story I'd always remember from the time I was a young girl. We had some mushrooms growing out of an old stump in my backyard, and one day my dad told me that if I got up early enough - before the sunrise - I'd see little fairies playing among them.

I tried to get up early, but never got to see them. So, I think the mythical creature I'd most like to be real would be fairies. Of course, after seeing Torchwood's Small Worlds, I'm not really sure anymore...

How about you?

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Top Ten Books I Loved But Never Wrote A Review For

2011-08-23T07:00:00.004-04:00

I'm participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
I started this blog towards the end of December, 2010. My first review was done in January, 2011. Of course, I've been reading for many years before that and there have been books that I'd have loved to review, but I decided to just review the ones I've read since the start of the blog. This week I'll take you through ten books that I've read in the past that I have absolutely loved! Have you read them? If so, let me know in the comments!

Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
I read this trilogy in 2004 while waiting for the Half Blood Prince to be released. At the time it was controversial because there was ... well, I won't say, I don't want to spoil it, just know it was controversial. I read it and loved it. The idea that magical people had to use their magic or else go mad was not one I've heard about before. The down side of using magic? Well, you'll find out when you read the book.
The trilogy is set in Sydney and New York City, the characters use a magical door to move from one country to the next - I wish this existed - and the story follows Reason and her friends as they try to figure out just what's going on with them. I loved it! It's one of my favourite trilogies and I think more people need to read these books!
The China Garden by Liz Berry
This story has mystery, intrigue, adventure, fantasy and romance, all mixed up into a lovely little book, it's perfectly balanced and a great read. It's set in England and follows Clare as she unravels the secret behind her heritage. Absolutely lovely book, I had to get it used because I couldn't find it ANYWHERE! I see it pop up in bookstores every now and then. This book will always be on my bookshelf.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Sometimes I feel as though this series is underrated - and the movie didn't do it justice. There is a subtle genius to the series. It's something I want to re-read because I'm sure I'd find a lot of things that I missed the first time around. One of the sad things about these books though, is that you really start feeling sad for the Baudelaire children. They can't seem to catch a break! I was cheering them along until the very end.
I also loved the way the author defined words, there really should be a dictionary according to Lemony Snicket.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
I'm an absolute fan of this trilogy! Never have I seen the heros so flawed, the villans so dreadful and the story so thrilling. The movie did not do the book justice. I loved the idea that characters of a book could be read out of their story, or humans read into a story. I loved the development of the characters. I generally loved the books. This story sticks with you for a very long time.
Magyk by Angie Sage
I picked this one up on a whim and I'm so glad I did. There are wizards, magic (or magyk), ghosts, mysteries, seven children, princesses and many more awesome things. It's geared to young readers, but I think anyone could enjoy them - yes, them, it's a series of books! I haven't finished reading the books, but I'm planning on it! Love the way it's going.
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
Sleeping Beauty retold and awesome. That's all I have to say about this book. It's just awesome. Oh and, go read it.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Loved, loved, loved this book and series. It's smartly written and makes me wish I'd thought of the story first! Colfer has a way with words. Following Artemis, a genius child and criminal, as he makes deals with fairies and gets entangled into many crazy situations, it's a roller-coaster of awesome.
Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
Not a Young Adult book, and definitely not recommended for young teens, however, this is one of my favourite fantasy books ever. The Dark Jewels trilogy follows the story of Jaenelle; a young girl and one of the magical race called Bloods. Yet, it's never told from the perspective of Jaenelle, only from others who interact with her.
One thing that I loved about this trilogy is that there are different levels of magical ability among the Blood - you are born with a certain level of magic and you can mature up to a certain level, based on your original level. Jaenelle, a young girl in this book, is cast aside by the adults in her family because they do not recognise that her magic is above anything ever recorded. They believe that she failed her birthright ceremony; they think her eccentric, and so they ignore her, missing out on seeing the special girl living in their own household.
The trilogy spans Jaenelle, from a young girl learning craft, to a young woman fighting for the survival of the Bloods. There is a lot of spinoffs to this book from Anne Bishop, but none - in my opinion - compares to this trilogy.
Dark Secrets: Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler
I'm absolutely in love with this series. The town of Wisteria holds so many different stories and secrets. This series touch on some of those stories. Each book is a stand alone, but it's really fun reading them as it's set in the same town and some of the people are familiar to the reader. I really wished there were more books, but, alas, they've stopped publishing them.
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
Two words: killer unicorns. What's not to like?

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Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

2011-08-22T15:36:00.001-04:00

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother’s room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories—Ben’s told in words, Rose’s in pictures—weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

Two stories, set fifty years apart; interwoven. One told through pictures and the other told through words.

The first story is of Ben, a young boy in the 1977 who just lost his mother and sets out to look for his father. The second story follows Rose, a young girl from 1927’s New Jersey who sets out to look for her idol, a movie star.

Both children’s search take them to New York City. Both children - deaf - are struggling to find what they are looking for in a world where hearing is normal and sometimes taken for granted. In a sense, they end up mirroring each other’s search and face similar hardships. How their lives intertwine in the end, though I was able to guess, was still very bittersweet.

I enjoyed the illustrations immensely. Brian Selznick sets out to tell a story through his pictures and he succeeds. The details in some of the pictures were amazing. I found myself looking forward to Rose’s story even though I loved reading Ben’s.

Brian also gives the reader a glimpse into Deaf culture, a culture that I’ve never experienced, and opened my eyes to a different lifestyle. I appreciated the way he told the story, giving the reader a glimpse into a world that some might not be familiar with. The story also echos with the longing we all have to belong somewhere, to be a part of something.

Wonderstruck is, at it’s core, a story of acceptance and community. It’s quite relatable and because of this, I think many people will enjoy reading it.

In My Mailbox (#1)

2011-08-21T08:13:00.005-04:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
Each post shows a list of books that were bought/borrowed/received for reviews for this week.
It's always fun to see what other people are talking about and what's coming out soon!

The Books:
Lobsters Scream When You Boil Them: And 100 Other Myths About Food and Cooking . . . by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

13 Words by Lemony Snicket

Also check out Lemony Snicket's 13 Words book trailer, the inspiration for this video.

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Feature & Follow Friday (#1)

2011-08-19T00:08:00.017-04:00

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read and allows book bloggers to connect.
I've decided to do the feature, both on my blog and on this companion site. (Listen, if the doctor can have a companion, so can this um ... my blog!)

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

I've always wanted to be a part of a Jane Austen novel. I don't really care which one (other than Mansfield Park, that wasn't a favourite of mine ... I wish Fanny was more fiesty!)

I really like Emma, so it would have been nice to be in her circle. Of course, I'd prefer that Ms. Woodhouse not set me up with random single men ... I mean, look at poor Harriet Smith!. Though, thinking about it, suggestions would be welcomed (hehe).

Let's see, if I was a character, I would have been Emma's distant cousin, who lived in the city and knew of Mr. Frank Churchill's relationship with Ms. Fairfax. I'd have been visiting Emma during the picnic on Mr. Knightley's property and confirmed his suspicions of Frank and Jane. Poor Emma wouldn't have listened to me either and we'd have a little falling out as she'd accuse me of being fanciful and letting the city get to my head. However, once their relationship was revealed and Emma realized that she was wrong, we'd go for a turn around the garden where we would discuss our conflict, become friends again and put the squabble behind us.

I'd have been present at Emma's wedding to Mr. Knightley where, unfortunately, I'd twist my ankle dancing. Fortunately, my dance partner - a business partner of Mr. Knightley - would come to my rescue. We'd get to know each other and realise that we adore each other's company and live in Jane Austenesque happiness afterwards.

How about you?

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After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

2011-08-18T21:38:00.002-04:00

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can’t stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They’re wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it’s neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It’s Alan’s cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.
Filled with heart-pounding romance, paranormal activity, and rich teen characters to love-and introducing an exciting new YA voice, Steven Wedel-this novel is exactly what Carrie Jones fans have been waiting for. Meet your next obsession.

I might have loved this book, really loved it, if it wasn’t for the love story.

After Obsession is written by two authors and the story is told from two perspective - Alan and Aimee. Aimee has visions, she sees the future and it’s never pretty. Alan, half Native American, is labeled a Spirit Warrior by his spirit guide and is in touch with the spiritual aspects of his Native American heritage. Aimee’s view is written in the odd numbered chapters while Alan’s view picks up in the even numbered chapter.

In the beginning, it was a little disorienting switching between views, however, both characters are so differently written that it was easy to slip into a rhythm and figure out who is who without needing to know which chapter you were reading. While Aimee was a fun character, I liked reading Alan’s perspective, mostly because he went into things I haven’t read much off - his Native American heritage.

The possession story itself, while not completely scary, was still suspenseful enough to leave me biting my nails as I turned the page (but, I’m a bit of a scaredy cat, so I might not be the best judge of these things). Courtney is being possessed by an evil spirit, however, I can’t say that I cared too much about what happened to Courtney, and I wish this was different. I might have rooted for her some more, if there was more story around why Courtney did and believed as she did.

The biggest issue I had with this story was Blake. Or more precisely Aimee’s relationship with Blake. Blake was a great source of conflict for Alan, however, every thing he did to Alan could have happened without him being to be Aimee’s boyfriend. Aimee’s excuse for breaking up with Blake - though a good excuse - seemed convenient. Her entire relationship with him seemed unnecessary. Along the same lines, the relationship that developed between Alan and Aimee seemed convenient and rushed. I couldn’t believe in their sudden connection to each other, so whenever the romantic story line came up I couldn’t help but feel a bit cheated, as though it was just there to be there.

The love story aside, After Obsession was a quick and fun read and will be good for those who enjoy a little bit of suspense.

Currently Reading Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

2011-08-17T08:57:00.000-04:00

Release Date: 13th September, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Details: Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother’s room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.
Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben’s told in words, Rose’s in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. [via amazon.com]

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Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham

2011-08-15T14:34:00.000-04:00

Down the Mysterly River is the children’s book debut of Bill Willingham, the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel series Fables. Complete with illustrations by Fables artist Mark Buckingham, it is a spirited, highly original tale of adventure, suspense, and everlasting friendship.
Max “the Wolf” is a top notch Boy Scout, an expert at orienteering and a master of being prepared. So it is a little odd that he suddenly finds himself, with no recollection of his immediate past, lost in an unfamiliar wood. Even odder still, he encounters a badger named Banderbrock, a black bear named Walden, and McTavish the Monster (who might also be an old barn cat)—all of whom talk—and who are as clueless as Max.
Before long, Max and his friends are on the run from a relentless group of hunters and their deadly hounds. Armed with powerful blue swords and known as the Blue Cutters, these hunters capture and change the very essence of their prey. For what purpose, Max can’t guess. But unless he can solve the mystery of the strange forested world he’s landed in, Max may find himself and his friends changed beyond recognition, lost in a lost world…

When Max the Wolf - who isn’t really a wolf, but a boy - finds himself in a strange forest with talking animals he is surprised, to say the least.

When Max and his new friends run into some strange men who seem to know them and who are trying to capture them, they are a bit confused. In this strange new world these fugitives band together to escape detection and to figure out the mystery of where they are, and why they are where they are.

This story, though aimed for middle-graders, will charm almost anyone. Very reminiscent of stories I’ve read as a child, Bill Willingham takes you on an adventure you won’t soon forget.

Max and his friends, Walden the Bear, Banderbrock the Badger and McTavish the Cat (sort of), are all interesting and very solid characters. The book mostly follows them, but every now and then it takes a peek at what’s happening with the Blue Cutters and the mysterious Man in Green.

Bill Willingham drops a lot of clues as to where Max and his friends are and what they are doing there. Enough to leave you guessing, or to allow a better detective to figure out the mystery, which is tied up very nicely at the end of the story. He has a very descriptive writing style that allows the reader to see the characters as they race through the forest. He also does a good job at giving the reader just enough to leave you intrigued while not exactly giving away the ending.

I want to say I figured it out, and in a way I did, but only a tiny part. I absolutely enjoyed the ending, he definitely pulled the wool over my eyes.

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

2011-08-13T02:51:00.000-04:00

Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet are arguably the most famous and beloved letters of the twentieth century. Written when the poet was himself still a young man, with most of his greatest work before him, they were addressed to a student who had sent Rilke some of his own writing, asking for advice on becoming a writer. The two never met, but over a period of several years Rilke wrote him these ten letters, which have been cherished by hundreds of thousands of readers …
Eloquent and personal, Rilke’s meditations on the creative process, the nature of love, the wisdom of children, and the importance of solitude offer a wealth of spiritual and practical guidance for anyone. At the same time, this collection, in Stephen Mitchell’s definitive translation, reveals the thoughts and feelings of one of the greatest poets and most distinctive sensibilities of the twentieth century.

These ten letters from Rainer Rilke to Franz Kappus may be small, but they are filled with many words of wisdom and ideas that would keep one thinking for a long time after the pages are closed.

Rilke does not mince words. He speaks of many things to the poet, of life, love, of taking time to be in silence and so much more. All packed into ten short letters.

An excellent read for anyone whose journey is just about to being. Or anyone standing at the crossroads of life. Or, anyone in general.

“Being an artist means, not reckoning and counting, but ripening like the tree which does not force its sap and stands confident in the storms of spring without the fear that after them may come no summer. It does come. But it comes only to the patient, who are there as though eternity lay before them, so unconcernedly still and wide. I learn it daily, learn it with pain to which I am grateful: patience is everything!”

Girl vs. Ghost by Kate McMurry and Marie August

2011-08-11T01:17:00.000-04:00

Isabel Lindley doesn’t believe in magic, but her best friend is obsessed with witchcraft. Strictly as a favor, Isabel agrees to help with a spell and is shocked when the ghost of a teenage boy splat-lands in her bedroom. Her friend is thrilled—even though only Isabel can see or hear the ghost—but Isabel is horrified. She’s the most ordinary sixteen-year-old girl on the planet. What is she supposed to do with a ghost who doesn’t know his own name, how he died, or why the heck he’s tied to Isabel with a psychic chain? Her only hope to take back her life is to help him solve the mystery of his demise so he can go to the Light. Or wherever. She’s not particular, as long as the ghost is gone.

Isabel and Tripp are in for a surprise when a spell goes wrong and a ghost ends up tied, literally, to Isabel.

Girl vs. Ghost is the first in a trilogy of books by the mother/daughter team, Kate McMurry and Marie August. The story follows Isabel, Tripp and their newly acquired ghost as they unravel the mystery of the ghost, where he came from and what he wants.

I thought the story was fast paced - but well paced. Isabel and Tripp were fun together, though, I’m not entirely sure how Isabel puts up with Tripp! She’s quite a character.

It’s written from multiple perspectives, however, it’s easy to pick up on whose point of view you’re reading. Sometimes, as many characters share their view of certain scenes, it did get a bit dizzying, but nothing overbearing.

The one thing I didn’t like, were the times some of the characters seemed to speak in a manner that didn’t fit them. Well, either that’s what happened or grandmothers say, “No biggie” all the time! You never know …

I’m curious to see where the other two books lead; the ending - though not a cliff-hanger - did leave a few questions unanswered. If you like light-hearted ghost stories, this is a book for you. (Trust me, it’s not scary!)

Love Wins by Rob Bell

2011-08-08T19:26:00.000-04:00

Millions of Christians have struggled with how to reconcile God’s love and God’s judgment: Has God created billions of people over thousands of years only to select a few to go to heaven and everyone else to suffer forever in hell? Is this acceptable to God? How is this “good news”?
Troubling questions—so troubling that many have lost their faith because of them. Others only whisper the questions to themselves, fearing or being taught that they might lose their faith and their church if they ask them out loud.
But what if these questions trouble us for good reason? What if the story of heaven and hell we have been taught is not, in fact, what the Bible teaches? What if what Jesus meant by heaven, hell, and salvation are very different from how we have come to understand them?
What if it is God who wants us to face these questions?
Author, pastor, and innovative teacher Rob Bell presents a deeply biblical vision for rediscovering a richer, grander, truer, and more spiritually satisfying way of understanding heaven, hell, God, Jesus, salvation, and repentance. The result is the discovery that the “good news” is much, much better than we ever imagined.
Love wins.

After finishing this book, I have to say that I am not quite sure what Rob Bell was really going on about.

There were a lot of talk about what heaven might be and what hell might be. There were a few stories from the Bible, but in the end, I didn’t close the book feeling as though I gained any new insights.

To take one aspect of God and elaborate on just that one aspect is a little dangerous. God is love, but why is it so difficult to believe that He is also wrath? In a way, I felt that this book pushes God into a box and wraps Him in the pretty paper the author wants him to be.

There are some interesting points in the book, but in the end there wasn’t much that I could take away. Also, I was a bit put off by the writing style. It kept jarring me out of the narrative and I had to put it down many times before finally pushing through to the end.

If you want questions with hardly any answers, then Love Wins is the book for you.

The Taker by Alma Katsu

2011-08-04T22:33:00.000-04:00

On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever.
A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her … despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.
Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.
Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. The Taker is the first in a trilogy by Alma Katsu.

Well written, well researched, descriptive and a little frightening, Alma tells the story of Lanny, a young girl from the 1800s, who is in love with the town founder’s handsome son Jonathan, and what she does to keep him.

Luke - a present day doctor from the town that Lanny once grew up in - plays the role of the listener, and I’d venture to say that he’s inconsequential to the story; though I’m sure in the remainder of the trilogy he will become important.

I was not a fan of Lanny, she was obsessed with Jonathan - who has very few redeeming qualities, other than his face - and mislabels her feelings for him as love. Her character seemed a bit creepy and self-serving. Her world resolves around Jonathan - who was promiscuous and hardly courageous - and she would do just about anything to have him. I’m not entirely sure what anyone in the town saw in him, other than his good looks.

Adair, the villan of the story, is quite intriguing. Upon meeting him, the story takes a turn for the disturbing. For fear of giving away spoilers, I wouldn’t delve into the mystery around Adair, however, reading his storyline was probably the most engrossing part of the novel for me.

The thing that irked me the most was the improper use of love and sex among the characters. Though I believe this is on purpose, obsession was labeled as love and sex was used as a terrible weapon. It was a disturbing theme that ran though the entire story and not quite my cup of tea.

I think the mystery of the book and Lanny’s quick thinking will appeal to a number of readers. The story has a strong conclusion, while still leaving it open for future books.

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

2011-07-29T16:26:00.000-04:00

Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.
Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.
Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.
Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.
Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.
Daddy was wrong.
A kidnapping leaves a father fanatical about his only child’s safety. A story of obsessive love and the quest for independence.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the appealing thing about this book should probably be the romance that blossoms between Ashlyn and Colin. However, the thing that stood out the most to me was the dysfunctional family.

There is a manipulative father whose obsession with his daughter’s safety screams creepy. A mother who seems to be along for the ride, constantly trying to be in the spotlight. Then there is Ashlyn, the poor girl, I can’t help but feel sorry for her. With no social life to speak of, it’s no wonder she reads as immature. I’m a bit surprised that she can interact with people outside of her home bubble.

This book is definitely cotton candy (a termed coined by my bookish friend Anna) but it’s cotton candy followed by a sweet tart.

I wasn’t bowled over by Ashlyn and Colin’s romance, actually, I felt as though their past - and her fear of him - was left unresolved. I also didn’t see the romance grow on Colin’s side, granted we only see Ashlyn’s side of the story, but there wasn’t enough proof to show that he was interested. As a matter of fact, she seemed to throw herself at him, numerous times.

I was also confused about Colin’s education. Was he in school? Taking the semester off? Did he finish early but then decided to go back to school for further education? This mattered little to the plot, but I still wondered because it was mentioned here and there.

Regardless of these inconsistencies, Overprotective stretches the imagination a bit with the psychology behind the family. It’s a quick read and if you want some fluff, it’s perfect for that long train/plane ride.

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