KIKA.LA

Book Bluff Buddy!

2012-01-12T07:18:00.000-08:00

Please tell me I'm not the only one.

the one who

sits down, or walks by someone reading a book,

and then nearly falls off her chair or gives herself whiplash as she jerks back or inconspicuously leans side to side trying to get a glimpse of

what they're reading.

this was me everyday last semester with my friend Ashley.

she was in one of my classes and everyday she would come in with a different book!

I said to myself,

"I have got to meet this girl. . . We could talk books!"

And now, she is officially a Book Bluff Buddy!

. . .

Meet Ashley!

. . .

When did reading become a love/obsession/necessity for you?

Um….since before I can remember. I’ve always been reading, and some of my favorite memories have been of me reading with either my mom or by myself trying to figure out how the words go.

What is your favorite genre to read?

Fantasy and Sci-Fi are actually my favorites. I love being able to travel to different places, be it different worlds and planets or how Earth might have been had we gone down a different pathway when the world was developing.

Do you have a favorite Heroine?

Um….gotta let me think on that one. Now, hear me out; I’m not a real fan of lead females. There are very few that I like, and so it makes it hard for me to actually think of one that is my favorite. But Siri from “Warbreaker” by Brandon Sanderson is my favorite heroine. She is strong and willing to do whatever it is that she needs to do. And she’s a rule-breaker…girls that don’t do what they are told are more interesting to me. And the fact that she differs from the lead girl in the book makes me happy. J

A favorite male lead?

My favorite male lead is actually Merlin from T.A. Barron’s series “Merlin.” It’s all about how Merlin came to be. It’s all about his teenage years and it goes through his life through his eyes. It’s not just an observant side of the book, but it actually comes through his mind, so you are able to see and hear and feel all that Merlin is feeling.

A favorite villain?

Hmm…a favorite villain. I don’t have a specific villain, but I don’t have a favorite villain type. I like the villains that you don’t suspect to be the villain. Like, there are the people that support the main character, and so you like them. But there is a certain twist that happens that you as the reader do not expect, that suddenly makes them the villain. I love those type of villains and the authors that can successfully pull that off have my respect as a reader!

And lastly, If you could describe yourself with one book, what would that book be?

Oh goodness…now that’s a hard one. I’ve read a LOT of books, so I’m not sure that I would be able to pick only one book that would describe me. There are some books that have a character that feels like they would describe me. Like Dorothea Duckfontein Dillworthy (Dotty) from “Lord Brocktree” by Brian Jacques. There are times that I can see myself in her, and then there are times when I wish that I had her courage. And whenever I need a good pick-me-up book, that’s the book I pick up.

Wahooo for Ashley being the first ever

Book Bluff Buddy!

well, to be interviewed of course, there are many book bluff buddies out there!

Hope you all are having a good day and that

winter for you, wherever you are

isn't too cold :)

Winner!

2012-01-01T21:56:00.000-08:00

Is it really January 1st?!

I am so sorry I'm late on the giveaway.

This break has really gotten away from me,

with a wedding, a loss in the family, and then the festivities of

the holidays, I've been quite held up.

but I'm happy to be back.

The winner of the Giveaway chosen my random.org is:

Marcie!

please e-mail thebookbluff@gmail.com with your address

and I'll put it in the mail for you!

Thank you all who entered!

and happy new year :D

Feature and Follow Friday!

2011-12-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

Oh. My. Lanta.

This friday couldn't have come fast enough.

I finished my last final today at exactly 4:00

and my brain is fried.
BUT I do feel a lot lighter/happier/relieved ect. ect. ect.

Anywho, Enough of that, lets hop to it!

This weeks Question is:

When you've read a book, what do you do with it?

(Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

Two Things.

1. I'm a total Library addict.

and

2. I'm quite protective/obsessive when it comes to my books

So besides returning checked out books to the library
the ones I buy, I put back in it's special place on my beloved bookshelf.

It's hard for me to part with my books,

don't get me wrong I like lending them out. . .

scratch that--

I LOVE lending out my books to friends/family/co-workers etc.

but unless I have another copy I wouldn't dream of getting
rid of them. . .
Although, that's the other thing
. . .
I have a thing
for multiple copies of favorite books on my shelf :)

Don't forget to leave a link to your page so
I can visit back
and last
Don't Forget to enter my
Comfort Read Giveaway

{HERE}

Comfort Read Giveaway!

2011-12-07T23:10:00.000-08:00

What better way to kick off finals week with a Comfort Read Giveaway?

I think it was last year that I first discovered Sarah Addison Allen

Garden Spells is one of my all time favorite books of hers and a definite

comfort read!

It's full of quirky characters and magic.

The giveaway is open to everyone and ends on the 30th of December.

Simply fill out this form to enter.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Reading!

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Book Truths

2011-12-06T19:51:00.000-08:00

I never read the backs of books.

I feel like it's going to spoil it somehow.

But I have no problem whatsoever reading reviews about it.

Makes no sense?

Probably.

It's my book truth.

Have any Book Truths of your own?

Link up so we can check it out!

Winners of the 2011 Goodreads choice awards. . .

2011-12-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to say Divergent won favorite book of 2011! It also took Favorite YA fantasy & science fiction. so happy my sweet friend Rosana gave it to me before the end of the year and encouraged me to read it LOL. Veronica Roth did a thank you video for all the fans.

Here are some of the nominees. . .

And for all you Mortal Instrument fans, don't fret Cassandra Clare took home Best goodreads author.

Rosana has been trying to get me to read these for months now, I don't know what's taking me so long.

The nominees for best author had some pretty awesome names up there.

Feature and Follow Friday!

2011-12-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

Much like the blog hop

Feature and Follow Friday,

Hosted by Alison can Read and Parajunkie

is an opportunity for book bloggers to meet new bloggers and explore new books!

So, lets have at it!

This weeks' question is:

What is your biggest pet peeve(s) when it comes to books?

LOVE TRIANGLES: I know I might be in the minority on this one, but Love triangles

are not my thing. I understand the beginnings of one, but I hate it when

the love triangle becomes the main plot of the story and when

the author forgets to resolve it. . . like for the next 3 books.

bleh.

WHEN THE GUY ENDS UP WITH THE WRONG GIRL

and vice versa

WHEN AN AUTHOR DOESN'T WRITE A SEQUEL

*cough* Robin McKinley, I need the sequel to Sunshine!
. . .OR doesn't know when to stop!
*cough* stephanie plum, anita blake etc.

what are yours?

Make sure to leave a comment so I can follow you back!

Happy reading :)

What a day!

2011-12-03T00:30:00.000-08:00

Today I shot my last show for my capstone class.

I was so happy

because I got to do a segment on books!

Link to full episode to come.

Divergent by: Veronica Roth

2011-11-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

On these mornings when my brother makes breakfast, and my father's hand skims my hair as he reads the newspaper, and my mother hums as she clears the table--it is on these mornings that I feel guiltiest for wanting to leave them.

It's rare I have someone to talk books with at work, which is why I love My sweet friend Rosana so much. We work together in the newsroom and I can always count on her for a good recommendation.
Last week I told her I was in a slump and the next day she placed this beloved fireball in my hands and simply said, "You'll love it."

And I did.

Here's the thing, being a dystopian junkie at times the themes can be overwrought, the characters too dramatic, a bit unbelievable and sometimes all out aggravating.

Especially now with the burst of dystopias hitting the market, trying to find the good ones can be like finding a needle in a haystack. So it's quite refreshing to get one and find the world believable and the characters intriguing.
Divergent is a dystopia Chicago where the people live in Factions. Each faction, Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless take on specific roles in the society so that everything works together. almost.
Every 16 year old in the society take aptitude tests for which faction they fit best with. Then, on the appointed day, they each choose which faction they will spend the rest of their life with.

I really liked Beatrice. In the beginning I was kind of worried. I thought to myself, not another annoying mary sue character that tries to play down her obviously good looks. But Beatrice was real. She was flawed, she was selfish, compassionate, immature and young. The journey with her was one I was glued to by the end of pge 8. At times when I got to see in her head or read her thought I was like, yeesh, that's kind of harsh, but hey that's what makes her her. . . well, and not me I guess.

One of my favorite characters was Beatrice's mom. I really loved that woman.

Will was also a favorite of mine:

"What, did you do, memorize a map of the city for fun?"
says Christina.
"Yes," says Will looking puzzled. "Didn't you?"

I like Tori and Marlene I hope I see them in the other books.

While violence doesn't really bother me too much, this one was a bit graphic. It was enough to have me take notice but not overwhelming so that it bothered me. Except for that one scene, yeah that one (you'll know which one I'm talking about if you read it) I was like whoa. no not there! really? yuck. ech.

Eric and Peter gave me the creeps.

Four, oh four was a gem. (and can I just say I knew it was him! I just knew it when he tells Beatrice about his past) I love the quiet way about him. He was a strong character without having to be infront and everywhere all the time.

"You're going to want to march into breakfast tomorrow and show your attackers they had no effect on you," he adds, "but you should let that bruise on your cheek show, and keep your head down"
The idea nauseates me.
" I don't think I can do that," I say hollowly. I lift my eyes to his.
"You have to."
...

"I don't want to say this," He says, "but I feel like I have to. It is more important for you to be safe than right. for the time being. Understand?"
His straight eyebrows are drawn low over his eyes. My stomach writhes, partly because I know he makes a good point but I don't want to admit it, and partly because I want something I don't know how to express; I want to press the space between us until it disappears.
I nod.
"But please, when you see an opportunity. . ." He presses his hand to my cheek, cold and strong, and tilts my head up so I have to look at him. His eyes glint. They look almost predatory. "Ruin them."

LINKAGE:
The Book Smugglers
Imagination in Focus
Confessions of a Bookaholic
The Book Monsters
Reading The Best of The Best
Fragments of Fiction

Did you know. . .

2011-11-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

Ellen's in Breaking Dawn?

this is
about all I'll ever see of that movie.
mercifully.

She's also in Justin Biebers new christmas song

All jokingness aside,

I really do like this song :)

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Amen Sister. . .

2011-11-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

I do wish there were more signs like this.

everywhere.

via: Leila

via: Sarah Enni

For the Love . . .of books

2011-11-02T22:38:00.000-07:00

I've been pinning a lot lately on

here are a few pins and blogs I found while pinning :)

I've seen the updated cover of To Kill a Mockingbird

before, but it still does funny things to my heart every time I see it

I love it.

You can find my board for books Here

Aren't these awesome? Found these on Pinterest from

the tumblr Bookfessions

This one had me laughing and nodding in agreement.

And aren't these fabulous?

she has an etsy shop here

How come I feel like I'm always late on these things. . .

2011-10-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

Probably cause I always am. LOL

I did not know there was going to more books in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series (which I love) But alas there is!

*squeee* Due out November 8 is The Alloy of Law! It takes place three hundred years after the mistborn trilogy, so I'm excited to meet some new characters!

And the cover? love it. almost like Steam punk meets Wild Wild West. I cannot wait.

Also, looky what I just got in the mail: In the Forests of the Night

I enjoyed Kersten Hamilton's first book Tyger Tyger so was simply giddy to get this one.

It's due out November 22.

Lastly, I was looking at the stack of books on my night stand last night,
and thought to myself, what about the books I've finished but
haven't written reviews about?
I'd still like to keep track of them, so I made a new page.
It's real simple---just a track record of books I've read for the month.
So if you ever want to skip the whole review thing and just look at the books LOL
Just click here. It's also on my sidebar :)

Till we meet again,
Happy reading!

I know I'm late on this, but. . .

2011-10-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Bitterblue!!!

Oh I have been waiting for this one for so long!

It's the third in the series after Graceling, and Fire, and I simply

cannot get enough of this cover!

Kristin Cashore is brilliant and I cannot wait to get my hands on this.

Thanks to the wonderful Angie for the heads up.

*sigh*

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by: E. Lockhart

2011-10-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

Remember these books that I love so much? I found them from this post over at Leila's blog. It had been a while since I had looked at that list and thought it was high time I picked another. Lo and behold The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks came into my hands. I'd heard many good things about it so was quite excited to get started.
To me, this was a perfect example of a good book at the wrong time. I don't think I was in the right mood to really appreciate it.
While I wasn't overwhelming awwed by it, I still enjoyed it. I loved Frankie's voice.

She had never wanted anything so badly as she wanted Matthew to be her boyfriend. But he'd just made this statement--that was nearly impossible to answer with any dignity. What would she say that was most likely to et her where she wanted to be? Her synapses went into a series of calculations and evalutations that can be listed as follows:
Could say: "Here I am."
Veto. Sounds coy. Could say: "Of course I came."
Veto. Sounds like I idolize him.
Could say: "Why wouldn't I?"
Veto. He'll feel awkward answering that question.
Could change the subject.
Veto. People like to be listen to.
Could say: "I've never been to a party on the golf course."
Veto. Too juvenile.
Could say instead : "I'm always up for a party."
Veto. Too irksome. Plus, sounds like I went to lots of parties last year, which he'll soon find out I didn't.
I need to make him laugh. And I need to unsettle him enough so that's he's not entirely certain I like him

The politics of the group intrigued me. When Frankie sees Alpha and realizes its the same boy from the beach who asked for her icecream cone, I got a bit giddy on seeing how it all would play out. The whole Alpha and she-wolf thing had me laughing.

Matthew nodded. "Me and Alpha. We matched everyone up, and Alpha got the she-wolf to paste the invitations."
"The she-wolf?"
"Alpha's girlfriend."
Alpha had a girlfriend. Since when did Alpha have a girlfriend? Hadn't he just been flirting with Frankie three weeks ago? "I didn't know he had one," she said as coolly as she could.
"Oh, he's always got one. And she's always the she-wolf," said Matthew. "The girl may change in fact, the girl will always change. But the name remains the same."
Hm. Frankie wondered if she had underestimated Alpha. When she'd met him at the rock wall, she had thought he either didn't remember her or was backing off because Matthew had claimed her. But now it seemed Alpha had already hooked up with the she-wolf and if he always had someone, he was at least as popular with girls as Matthew. "Isn't he supposed to be an alpha dog?" Frankie asked. "Not a wolf?"
"Of course. But we're gentlemen. We'd never call a girl a---"
"I see. And Alpha got this she[wolf to make invitations?"
"They just started going out. She's still trying to impress him." Matthew laughed. "She hasn't realized yet that it's impossible."
Frankie absorbed the information. Who was the she-wolf? How had she managed to be already so in with this pack of boys that they'd had her make the invitations to their secret party?
And why was it impossible to impress Alpha?

And while I grew to love Frankie, and her feminist sister, I was puzzled at why such an independent woman like Frankie would stay with a guy like Matthew. A guy who only loved Frankie when she wasn't speaking her mind or when she was down needing his help. Wouldn't Frankie, this girl with spunk, awesome personality and strong character want someone more like Alpha? who likes her the way she is? Likes her no matter what? even when she speaks her mind?
For instance when she uses her neglected positive. words like gruntled from disgruntled ore maculate from immaculate or turbed from perturbed.

He got up from his desk, walked over to the couch on which she sat, and kissed her on the lips. There was no one else around.
"Mmmm," she whispered. "Now I'm gruntled."
"What?"
"Gruntled. I was disgruntled before."
"Why?"
"It's drizzling, there's nothing to do but study, the vending machine's broken. You know, disgruntled."
"And now, you're. . . "
"Gruntled."
She had expected Matthew's face to light at the new word, but he touched her chin lightly and said, "I don't think that word means what you think it means."
"What?" Frankie didn't think it was a word. She though it was--she thought it was what she'd later call a "neglected positive."

He then informs Frankie that she is making a false neglected positive as opposed to an imaginary neglected positive. He then goes over and begins to look up words in the dictionary to prove to her that he was right.

What annoyed her now was not that Matthew was right--but that he wouldn't just enjoy the made-up word. That he needed to be right. And that he'd chucked her--actually chucked her under the chin, like you do to a dog, when informing her that, essentially, her cleverness with gruntled had been completely trumped by his stellar memory for obscure bits of the dictionary.
"It was a joke," she told him.
"I know," he said. "But it's only funny if you're really making up a word, and in this case you're not."
"You don't have to make me feel like such a nimrod."
"Way to take the fun out of it."
"Don't be so sensitive, Frankie"
"I'm not."
"You're pouting over a word in the dictionary."
"Fine." Frankie went back to her book, but she didn't read. If she was too sensitive, she thought, she was never going to last with this boy, this marvelous boy who made her feel dizzy when he kissed her.

I loved how alpha got it right off and simply laughed when Frankie used her neglected positive with him.

"Nocuous? Like the positive of innocuous? that's funny."

Matthew also had this weird Jekyll and Hyde thing going on. One minute he'd be a chauvanistic punk on the phone with Frankie, and then the minute Alpha walks into the room he's suddenly this cool headed free loving chill dude, who doesn't mind anything. it was weird.

Frankie flipped the phone closed. "He's letting me go," she told Trish.
"Letting you? Since when does he let you?" Trish sat up in bed.
"No, it wasn't like that. It's not that he's letting me. He just didn't want me to."
"So he was jealous."
"Maybe. But he doesn't want me to be mad about it. And he ended up saying I could do whatever I wanted."
"How did you go from you telling him not to push you around to him letting you go?" asked Trish. "That's a big leap."
"Yeah." Frankie flipped her pillow over and switched out the light. "I'm not sure how that happened."

Looking for Alibrandi by: Melina Marchetta

2011-10-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

Right off the bat--I loved this one. Ever since Jellicoe Road I've been scouring shelves to find anything I can of Melina Marchetta. It's only the second book of hers I've read, but I can guarantee you this, it's not the last.
Oddly enough, I wasn't constantly thinking about Jellicoe Road when reading this one (although that book is fabulous in and of itself). I fell in love with Josie and her story so much I was swallowed whole.
I loved Josie. I loved her spunk, her dramatics, her narration, her everything. I loved her pride and embarrassment of her loud, passionate Italian family and Her love/hate relationship with her grandma.
Jacob Coote was more than just a heart throb and I loved how stubborn and opposite both Josie and he could be, and yet how they fit so perfectly.
John Barton had a special place in my heart, and his story nearly brought me to tears.
Josie's growth in this book felt so real. When she and some friends ditched a school walkathon, leaving all the year 7 kids without anyone to watch them, she was scolded and punished by one of the sisters at the school. While her friends were reassuring her that what she did was "no big deal" Josie thought

I was wrong, I thought to myself. I honestly believed it. Not because Sister Louise told me or because she made me believe I was. I knew deep down that I was wrong and I think that my emancipation began at that moment.

I was determined to hate her father that left her young pregnant mother, all those years ago. But yet he too found a special place in my hear.

But the best thing about living with him was that he snored. Remember how I said that nighttime scares me a lot because I feel as if everyone could be dead? Well, just being able to hear Michael snoring made the nighttime sound so alive. Sometimes I'd just lie in bed grinning. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I really felt as if I had a father. I didn't realize how much it would mean to me.

Marchetta is brilliant in this book. I can't believe this was her debut novel. There is so much packed into this relatively small book that is executed so beautifully you can't help but love it.

We had confession on Friday. We have it once a term. It's the same thing every time. I sit there mumbling to myself because I usually forget the "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned" bit. Once I get over that I go through my sins. The same ones every time.
I was disrespectful to my mother and grandmother.
I've been lazy.
I've been selfish.
Once, last year, I started going through my sins and Father Stephen said, "Oh, it's your, Josie."
Can you believe it? He recognized me by my sins. I'm so boring that I can't even change my sins from term to term.

LINKAGE:
See Michelle Read
Cachic's Book Nook

The Hero and The Crown by: Robin McKinley

2011-09-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

It's not often the changing seasons have me reaching for any author in particular. But I tell you, every fall I find myself reaching back for something warm and familiar. . . something Robin McKinley. The first book I read of hers was Sunshine which I kid you not, brings the smell of cinnamon rolls wafting to my very nostrils. beautiful book I tell you, and just the thing I crave, yes crave, in the fall. I then read The Blue Sword and by golly this woman had solidified herself on my bookshelf for life. It had been a while since I left the world of Damar and when I saw this one sitting on my shelf, reminicent feelings of my love for the first book (The Blue Sword) came flooding back and I knew it was time to visit that beautiful world again.
I knew this one although second in the series, served as a prequel to the first one, telling the history of the blue sword and the story surrounding it. I was a bit hesitant because I loved the characters in the first one so much, I wasn't sure if I wanted to dive back into their world with out them.
The story tells of the princess Aerin, and her journey finding a place among her family, kingdom and people. Being born of the Kings second wife, (who everyone whispered was a witch who be-spelled him) and her mothers untimely death while giving birth to her, Aerin's cruel cousins had plenty to goad her with.
I loved Aerin's determination to be her own woman. I loved her diligence in working hard and fighting for what she believed in, asking the hard questions, even though she knew the answer---but understood that it mattered she even ask them at all. Her perseverance and patience to find just the right amount of ingredients for the dragon formula left me smiling in admiration. Her cousin Tor had my heart from the beginning. And Talat, her galant, stubborn, diva of a steed, or as Luthe would say

---One fat, elderly, self-centered stallion---

neighed his way into my heart as well. I also loved Luthe, and his quirky ways.
All this said, I didn't like too much how Aerin all but ignored Tor--or was completely oblivious to him---in the beginning. The whole thing with the black dragon and Maur's head, did a fine job of creeping me out.
I'm sad to say, this one just didn't touch me like The Blue Sword did. I wonder if I were to read this one first and The Blue Sword second, if I would feel differently. But I am happy I read this one, and that I was able to revisit the world of Damar.

She remember little clearly after that; she saw Teka's face bent over hers, and Tor's, and her father's, and others' whom she dimly remembered as the healers who had done her so little good before. She did not know how many days or weeks she spent this way; and then one night she woke again from an especially vivid dream of the blond man.
"You stupid woman---climb off your deathbed while you still can, and come to me."
The words still rang in her ears. She sat up slowly. She drew on her boots, and her leggings and tunic' she picked up the red stone on the table by her bed, and thrust it into the breast of her shirt. She looked at her sword--the king's sword--hanging over her bed, and did not touch it; she fumbled for a cloak, and drew it over her shoulders. She had to sit down on the edge of her bed again and catch her breath.
I must tell them where I am going, she thought. But I don't know where I am going.

PS: if you haven't read Robin McKinley before, and am not used to her style, she tends to wander in her writing. For instance, it might take 2 pages for a character to actually do something, because she'll go off on tangents. But honestly it happens more as a train of thought, and flows with what's happening. It doesn't bother me, (except when I'm not in the mood, and it drives me crazy---which can happen for all authors if your just in one of those moods.) But truth is, Robin McKinley is a fabulous writer, and is one of my favorites.

LINKAGE:
-Book Harbinger
-The Book Monsters

Jellicoe Road by: Melena Marchetta

2011-09-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die.
I counted.

It's been two weeks and four books since finishing this beautiful piece. And yet I'm still sitting here at my keyboard, uselessly trying to claw out a review that would do this book justice.
It had been floating up and down my radar for quite a while. But every time I had it in my hands, I let it fly by knowing I could always come back to it. And now that I have finished it. have savored it. I'm warmed through and through, knowing that I will always come back to it.
I jumped into this one head first, as I do with most, if not all my other books---Straying far from the jacket cover, or any kind of synopsis in the back--- and heading straight for the story.
In a way this book tells the story of Taylor, Jonah, Raffaela, Chaz and Jessa. But it's not just that, it also tells Tate and Fitz, Webb and Jude, and Narnie's story. A story of a different time, of different people, but yet the same in many ways. There's so much here that connects all of these people and by the time you're finished reading it, you'll feel that some how, in some way you have become connected with them as well. There's so much in here that's just so thick, so real, and so raw.

Someone asked us later, "Didn't you wonder why no one came across you sooner?"
Did I wonder?
When you see your parents zipped up in black body bags on the Jellicoe Road like some kind of garbage, don't you know?
Wonder dies.

and yet there are still those parts that make you laugh, smile and shake your head.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Griggs." Anson Choi feigns surprise. "What's her name?"
"I didn't actually catch her name," Griggs continues.
"Lily," Raffaela says over her shoulder and this time I give her a sideways look.
"Great to know that I"m in love with a girl with a cool name."
"It's Taylor's middle name," Raffaela calls back again.
. . .
Placing Raffaela in the path of an oncoming car becomes one of the major priorities of the next ten seconds of my life.

The writing in this book is beautiful and without a doubt top notch. I could keep putting favorite passages in here, but this whole silly copy right infringement thingy would get in the way for posting the entire book. I loved the language in it. Like when Taylor "pashed" with the leader of the cadets. or having a best friend named Raffy or Narnie. Or seeing a creepy, yet intriguing, but undeniably scary man called The Brigader. And well, lets just say if I could have a Jonah Griggs of my very own I would live and die a very happy woman.

There is no denying, this book will make you feel.
It's powerful and will take your breath away, and yet at the same time will be the very thing that keeps your heart pumping.
This one has certainly solidified itself on my beloved shelf,
and will be one that I will continually find myself reaching for.

LINKAGE: these are 3 of my all time favorite bloggers. 'nuf said.
Angievielle
Bookshelves of Doom
The YaYaYa's

Blogger Hop and Book Blogger Follow Friday

2011-09-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

It's that time again!

this week's question is

“What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season – A particular book release? Halloween? The leaves changing color? Cooler temperatures? A vacation?

I have to say, fall is one of my FAVORITE seasons to read in.

I love the changing of the leaves,

the pumpkin and cinnamon spice that's usually in the air,

the scarfs, boots, and cardigans

and just curling up with a good book and a cup of nice hot chocolate.

and this week's question for Follow Friday is

Q: If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? Why and to what?

hmm. I don' think I can think of any books I would like to change the ending to . . .

although it could just be my muddled brain in the morning.

But I think overall how the author wrote the book is why I like or dislike it,

and well, if I could always change the ending

than what would be the joy of disliking the book? ;)

Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend! (labor day woohoo!)

Happy reading :D

Kevin's Point of View by: Del Shannon

2011-08-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

May I first begin by giving a big thank you to Del Shannon for being so understanding with me? Del sent me a copy of Kevin's point of View to review quite a while ago--- (I'm too embarrassed to say exactly when) But I was eager to read and review it. Unfortunately it was in the middle of finals. And between a move to Austin, TX for an internship in the spring, right after winter semester and another move in the summer to Vienna for a study abroad, time seemed to get the better of me. And now I'm back home in Utah getting ready to start fall semester on Monday (if that gives you any indication of how long its taken me! echhh I cringe) I kept on emailing Del back apologizing and letting him now why the review had not been up and he was completely understanding telling me that while he did want me to finish the book, school was important and to focus on my finals. Isn't that awesome? yes yes, it is. And so is he. And so here we are, and there you are, so lets get to it.

Kevin's point of View tells a story of a rather ordinary twelve-year-old boy named Kevin Tobin. Kevin and his family are still fragile from the loss of their father in a mountain biking accident a year ago. Kevin copes with the loss by escaping reality into character's he's cropped up in his head.
One day a package mysteriously shows up on the Tobin's doorstep that sends Kevin, his best friend, his sister and even her boyfriend on an adventure they will never forget.
I think the most common word I've seen in reviews for this book is Strange. Which kind of makes me laugh--- I don't know why, because it was kind of strange. But it was a lot more than just strange. It was humorous, adventurous, serious, light hearted, happy and sad too. Looking at the cover I thought it would be a light go-lucky kind of read. Which it did have those parts in it, but it also had another side to it that had you thinking maybe this wasn't just a simple read through and move on kind of book. There were parts that had me laughing and parts that had me cringing. . . and parts that had me doing both.

"Kevin? Kevin, answer me," Mrs. Tobin demanded, her voice rising slightly. she waited five more seconds then pushed the key into the lock and swung the door open just in time to see Kevin's wet, naked body leaping out the bathroom window and into the backyard.
Captain Tobin thought furiously as he battled the large swells of the north Atlantic. How could it have been the cook? He looked back at his rapidly sinking submarine and saw the outline of the traitorous cook screaming at him from the deck. In the distance he spotted an enemy helicopter, no doubt sent to pluck their man from the Fathom. It would be headed in his direction next.
"We'll meet again," hissed Tobin under his breath. "But next time you'll be the one swimming home."
"Kevin Alexander Tobin, you get back into this house this instant," Mrs. Tobin boomed, hanging halfway out the bathroom window. Her face was sunburn red and her eyes bugged out like she'd been slugged in the stomach. She watched her naked son run from the big maple tree, to the rose bushes, to the garden back to the rose bushes, and then to the edge of the deck.
Mrs. Tobin snatched a towel from the rack, leaped over Betsy, who was laughing uncontrollably on the hallway floor, and ran to the back door. Reaching the door she yelled again for her delusional son to get back in the house before the neighbors called the police.

The book had many twists and turns and ended in a way I never thought it would when I started the book (or even when I was in the middle of the book). I enjoyed the element of Kevin's imagination. At first I got a bit short with how often he went into his imagination modes, but as I read further and saw how Kevin was able to pull the courage he needed through the characters he created in his imagination I became more interested in the story.
The adventure element was awesome. It was action packed with caves, helicopters and trains. Over all? I liked the book. I think especially young boys would like this one.

"May I help you?" the blue uniformed woman asked cheerfully when he reached the counter.
"I just need to borrow a felt-tipped pen to write an address," replied Pudge.
"Sure," the woman answered, pulling a black pen from her pocket and handing it to him. Pudge took the pen and, with a wavering hand scrawled on the fron tof the wet Package:
Devin Talon
1635 Maple Av
Black Hawk, CO 80422
Finishing the address he returned the pen and slid the package across the counter.
"this is going to. . . Colorado?" She asked, placing the package on the scale while straining to read the sloppily written address on the wet paper.
"Yes," Pudge replied, his body turned away from the counter scanning the lobby.
"Do you want this sent first class?"
"Yes."
"Do you need insurance?" she continued, running through her standard questions for packages.
"There isn't enough insurance in the world for this package," Pudge mumbled as he continued his search of the lobby.
"Excuse me?"
"No. No insurance," Pudge answered abruptly, turning back to face the counter. "How long will it take to get there?"
"Oh, about three days is my guess," She answered. "Will that be okay?"
"Great," Pudge answered not trying to hid his sarcasm.
"Good. That will be $8.75," she announced, placing the postage on the package.
Pudge pulled a soggy $10 bill from his pocket and pushed it across the counter. Taking the bil she opened her cash drawer, pulled $1.25 in change and started to push it across the counter when she noticed the strange, wet man was now racing out of the room. Shrugging, she put the change in her pocket, picked up the package and tossed it into the outgoing mail bin. Almost immediately the address began to smear and fade as the ink ran randomly through the wet, brown paper. Within an hour the only discernable part of the address now read:
evin T n
37 Map Av
B , CO 8 2

It was now the responsibility of the U.S. Postal Service to see that it reached its intended destination. Of course, it would not.

LINKAGE:
BookWorm Lisa
Reading Teen
Oktopus Ink
Reading Tween
Dad Does
Book Loving Mommy

What I'm reading. . .

2011-08-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

Jet lag and all. School starts on Monday

and this is the first time I've gotten to sit down and just read :)

It is like reuniting with an old friend,

this reading thing and I.

I'm currently reading this

"Placing Raffaela in the path of an oncoming car becomes one of the major priorities of the next ten seconds of my life."

LOL. oh my goodness how could you not love this one?

I Cannot wait to get back to it.

I just finished this one

and will be posting the review very soon!

Del Shannon has been so kind to me, even though it's taken

MONTHS for me to get this review up.

Thanks Del for always being so understanding with everything.

Happy Reading to all!

Out to. . .

2011-07-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

VIENNA!

This is the Shonbrunn Palace and a few of us from the program

I am here in Vienna on a study abroad and am loving every minute of it.

Unfortunately this means the blog will probably be in the dark until mid August when I

return to the states.

Here's the library in Vienna! isn't it beautiful?!

We're going to go see the Royal Library sometime next week and I am very excited.

Another cool thing?

we're staying with host families and live in districts!

Does this remind you of a particular popular dystopian novel? hehe.

I live in the 13th district.

I'm missing the book community but am excited to catch up on all the posts, blogs and books

when I get back.

Happy Reading!

Jane Eyre by: Charlotte Bronte

2011-06-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

    So while I’ve been here in Texas doing my internship I’ve been listening to audio books on my long drives to and from work. I honestly don’t mind the drives, they’re kind of my special time just for me, to think, to ponder, to catch up with family phone calls, or simply just relax with the windows down and either music or audio books playing in the background. I’ve always loved period dramas, I think I would go mad if I lived during that time but I do love watching and reading literature from that time. I decided to listen to the classics and I started off with Jane Eyre. Oh what a lovely classic this one is. It’s one of my sisters absolute favorites and I must say it didn’t take long for it to burrow it’s way into my heart.
    If you are unfamiliar (probably not but bear with me) about the story here’s a short synopsis:
     Unprivileged, shunned and ignored from a very young age Jane Eyre still manages to become a remarkable young woman, if but less remarkable in appearance. She takes a job being a governess to a young girl who’s care she's in, is an older-- but not old mind you, Mr. Rochester. They fall in love, but pasts untold bring to light circumstances that promises them apart.
    On a side note I think The Bronte sisters, Jane Austin, and Emily Dickinson, were all truly women before their time.
    Besides the much cliche’d slighted lovers synopsis I gave, this book is so much more, so much deeper, than your overly wraught romance.
    I loved Janes character. I loved her plainness, her frankness, her sense of humor and her stallwart character of *morals.
Believe you me when I say that many a time throughout the book I would’ve retaliated with such **vigor and sting they would’ve thought me ***possessed. A much different reaction to Jane’s quiet, calm to all the chaos and betrayal thrown her way. and it wasn’t that annoying “holier than thou” silence, that grating silence you would get frustrated at a character for.

It was a contemplative silence that was simply Jane. I loved Mr. Rochester too but don't worry I won't go into that one, I know your lids have been drooping since paragraph two. I have to say I have a love/hate relationship with audio books and it usually hinges on the reader, and this one was FABULOUS!

As far as movie adaptions go I think my favorite is the 2006 version. Although I'd say even though I liked Ruth Wilson more as Jane than Mia Wasikowska, the 2011 version stayed truer to Jane's character. The bed scene in the 2006 version? Jane ****would never do that and if you've read the book the scene that actually happened was ten times more heart wrenching, it also shined a light into Jane's true character. Lovely read, Lovely story, Lovely book.

________________________________________________________________________________

*Not that I’m a snoot or anything, but because there’s a reason why she has such a strong sense of morals, she suffered a horrible upbringing and so much more at the hands of others who didn’t have any or simply disregarded them

** eh, shortly put, I probably would’ve just slapped him/her. . .That or simply throw a tantrum, complete with stomping of feet and gnashing of teeth. Probably more the later than the former.

***Well because generally speaking I’m an impulsive person (if by chance you happened not to notice) who is led by her emotions. Good for some things, not so good for others.

****Can I sound anymore prudish?

Welcome!

2011-05-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

If you're participating in Armchair BEA and cruising on through feel free to poke around!

If you're just browsing through, you're welcome in too :D

Hi! My name is Kika, I'm a junior in college and am from Utah.

I'd usually be blogging from there, but this summer I'm

doing a broadcast internship out here in Austin, TX

so I will be participating from Texas this year!
(anyone out there from Texas?)

I actually just picked up my Austin Public Library card, as well as

a Round Rock library card!

mmm Two library cards Makes me a very happy girl :)

Anywho--- onto the blog.

My love is in Young Adult and childrens literature,

I'd die (no pun intended) for the perfect mystery,

and

often times I get lost in the ebbs and flows

of fantasy and science fiction.

My tastes are eclectic and I simply delight in new characters

stories,

and adventures.

So if you have favorites or suggestion send them my way!

This yer with Armchair BEA,

I'll be making my rounds among the many other participants of BEA

and will also be hosting a few giveaways on the blog.

I'll still be working a lot and so won't have all the time I'd like to be meeting all the other

wonderful bloggers out there

but I will be trying to keep up with all the Twitter parties as well.

Leave a note if you've stopped by, I'd love to visit you back!

Let the fun begin :D

(With the end of the semester and moving out here to Texas I haven't been the best in updating the blog---so if the posts seem a bit spotty as of late,
I apologize)

Honest Truly, I do. . .

2011-05-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hope it's good.

Seeing this just makes me giddy all over.

I have GOT to get me. . .

2011-05-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

One of these

Here

via: leila

So Sad. . .

2011-02-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

Brian Jaques

1939-2011

My heart did a little stutter this morning as I read this post over at The Bookshelves of Doom. While anthropomorphized books in general aren't exactly my cup of tea, Brian Jaques' Red Wall series hold a special place in my heart. My fifth grade teacher Ms. McGuire read these books out loud to my class every day. It was one of the first times I can remember being enveloped by the power of books. I remember our class would get so caught up in the story and characters, we would beg Ms. McGuire for one more chapter--just one more every time she went to close the book. He was such a great author and will be sorely missed by many, Rest in Peace.

BBC News
EW's Shelf Life

The Help by: Kathryn Stockett

2011-02-06T17:21:00.000-08:00

      Sister got this one for me and let me tell you, saying I loved it seems to skimp on the feelings this book left me with. . I fell in love with the characters and the wonderful writing.
    I found myself day dreaming through out the school day just thinking about this book. Every time I went to re-open this gold covered delight at night I knew I was in for a treat.

     The Help tells a story of the deep south. A time when "The Help" was the staple to every household. A staple that was an unwanted/wanted/talked about/not talked about/necessity. The book tells the story of day to day life through the eyes of two housemaids named Aibeleen and Minny and one well to do white woman Skeeter. Skeeter is much too tall for her mothers ideals and much too ambitions for a woman of her time. When Skeeter lands a job at a local newspaper writing an editorial column answering household questions that readers write in with, Skeeter realizes she--nor any other well to do white woman---has not a clue how to remove stains from lace, or how best to get rid of household odors. Skeeter makes the oddest of choices when she asks her friend to enlist the help of Aibeleen her maid, to help her in answering the questions. Skeeter begins to see the irony of it all---and comes up with a bold idea enlisting the help of both Minny and Aibeleen. A bold idea that embarks the woman on a courageous journey of empowerment and friendship.

    Man oh man does this book have soul. It has happiness, sadness, sarcasm and wit. It is oh so beautiful, sobbering and true. Kathryn Stockett covered the issue of inequality and racism with such realism, tact, and beauty you can't help but keep on reading. I'm still in awe at how wonderfully she put this novel together. You meet Minny who is a maid with attitude and spunk, she kept me rolling every time I read her parts,

Even though she has zero kids and nothing to do all day, she is the laziest woman I've ever seen. Including my sister Doreena who never lifted a royal finger growing up because she had the heart defect that we later found out was a fly on the X-ray machine.

You also meet Aibileen who is the help and nanny to adorable Mae Mobley. And quite the oposite in personality to Minny, where Minny is harder and spunky, Aibeleen is gentle and kind.

She say, "Mae Mo bad."
The way she say it, like it's a fact, make my insides hurt.
"Mae Mobley," I say cause I got a notion to try something. "You a smart girl?"
    She just look at me, like she don't know.
    "You a smart girl," I say again.
    She say, "Mae Mo smart."
     I say, "You a kind little girl?"
    She just look at me. She two years old. She don't know what she is yet.
    I say, "You a kind girl," and she nod, repeat it back to me. But before I can do another one, she get up and chase that poor dog around the yard and laugh and that's when I get to wondering, what would happen if I told her she something good, ever day?

I loved the friendship and the character dynamic between the three women. It was sobering to see the lives the help lived going to work in the nice neighborhoods and then returning home to their torn down shamble of a house. The little dance they did everyday at work, and then teaching their children the same dance, when they were old enough to work. It was interesting to see Skeeter's character become disillusioned with the world she lived in, and how so different people can be to you when you stand up for what you believe in.
This book was such a treat, by the time I finished the book I had all sorts of sticky notes sticking out the side, full of notes and thoughts I had as I read--highlighting certain passages. I finished it the day before Martin Luther King day and attended an awesome forum later on at school where former Secreatary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke, giving a wonderful speech on challenging ourselves by doing hard things. It's crazy to me to think of Racism and segregation happening simply 20 years before I was born---that my parents lived through that. It's a sobering thought to know it still goes on today. I'm happy though, to see how far we've come and to see how much we've learned.

Aibeleen potty training Mae Mobley:

"Go just a little for me, Baby Girl."
    She stick her lip out, shake her head.
    Miss Leefolt gone to get her hair done, else I ask her again will she set the example even though that woman's already said no five times.

. . .

    Mae Mobley, she shake her head and say, "You go."
Now, I ain't saying I ain't heard this before, but usually I can get around it. I know, though, she got to see how it's done for she gone get to business.
I say, "I don't got to go."
    We look at each other. She point again and say, "You go."
    . . . I know what I'm on have to do. I just don't know how to go about it. Should I take her out to the garage to mine or go here in their bathroom? What if Miss Leefolt come home and I'm setting up on this toilet? She have a fit.
    I put her diaper back on and we go out to the garage. Rain make it smell a little swampy. Even with the light on it's dark, and they ain't no fancy wallpaper like inside the house. Fact, they really ain't no proper walls at all, just ply-board hammered together. I wonder if she gone be scared.
    "Alright, Baby Girl, here 'tis. Aibileen's bathroom."
    She stick her head in and her mouth make the shape of a Cheerio. She say, "Oooo."
    I take down my underthings and I tee-tee fast, use the paper, and get it all back on before sh can really see anything. Then I flush.
    "And that's how you go in the toilet," I say.
    Well, don't she look surprise. Got her mouth hanging open like she done seen a miracle. I step out and for I know it, she got her diaper off and that little monkey done climbed on that toilet, holding herself up so she don't fall in, going tee-tee for herself.
    "Mae Mobley! you going! that's real good!" She smile and I catches her for she dip down in it. We run back inside and she get her two cookies.

. . .

Late that afternoon, Miss Leefolt come home with her hair all teased up. She got a permanent and she smell like pneumonia.
    "Guess what Mae Mobley done today?" I say. "Went to the bathroom in the toilet bowl."
    "Oh, that's wonderful!" She give her girl a hug, something I don't see enough of. I know she mean it, too, cause Miss Leefolt do not like changing diapers.
    I say, "You got to make sure she go in the pot from now on. It's real confusing for her if you don't." Miss Leefolt smile, say, "Alright."
    "Let's see if she do it one more time for I go home." We go in the bathroom. I get her diapers off and put her up on that toilet. But Baby Girl, she shaking her head.
    "Come on, Mae Mobley, can't you go in the pot for your mama?"
    "Noooo."
    Finally I put her back down on her feet. "That's alright, you did real good today."
    But Miss Leefolt, she got her lips sticking out and she hmphing and frowning down at her. Before I can get her diaper on again, Baby Girl run off fast as she can. Nekkid little white baby running through the house. She in the kitchen. She got the back door open, she in the garage, trying to reach the knob to my bathroom. We run after her and Miss Leefolt pointing her finger. Her voice go about ten pitches too high. "This is not your bathroom!"
    Baby Girl wagging her head. "My bafroom!"
Miss Leefolt snatch her up, give her a pop on the leg.
    "Miss Leefolt she don't know what she do----"
    "Get back in the house, Aibileen!"
    I hate it, but I go in the kitchen. I stand in the middle, leave the door open behind me.
     "I did not raise you to use the colored bathroom!" I hear her hiss whispering, thinking I can't hear, and I think, Lady, you didn't raise your child at all.
    "This is dirty out here, Mae Mobley. You'll catch diseases! No no no!"
And I hear her pop her again and again on her bare legs.
    After a second, Miss Leefot potato-sack her inside. There ain't nothing I can do but watch it happen. My heart feel like it's squeezing up into my throat-pipe. Miss Leefolt drop Mae Mobley in front a the tee-vee and she march to her bedroom and slam the door. I go give Baby Girl a hug. She still crying and she look awful confused.
    "I'm real sorry, Mae Mobley," I whisper to her. I'm cussing myself for taking her out there in the first place. But I don't know what else to say, so I just hold her.
    We set there watching Li'l Rascals until Miss Leefolt come out, ask ain't it past time for me to go. I tuck my bus dime in my pocket. Give Mae Mobley one more hug, whisper, "You a smart girl. You a good girl."
    On the ride home, I don't see the big white houses passing outside the window. I don't talk to my maid friends. I see Baby Girl getting spanked cause a me. I see her listening to Miss Leefolt call me dirty, diseased.
    The bus speeds up along State Street. We pass over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and my jaw so tight I could break my teeth off. I feel that bitter seed growing inside a me, the one planted after Treelore died. I want to yell so loud that Baby Girl can hear me that dirty ain't a color, disease ain't the Negro side a town. I want to stop that moment from coming---and it come in ever white child's life---when they start to think that colored folks ain't as good as whites.
    We turn on Farish and I stand up cause my stop be coming. I pray that wasn't her moment. pray I still got time. . .

LINKAGE:
Joe
    Write Meg
Man of La Book
    Steph Su Reads
    One Librarians Book Reviews
    Shelah Books It

Book Blogs: Awesomeness of

2011-01-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

I have been unable to snatch one bit of luxury, life, and necessity---(which means I have not been able to pick up a book to read --other than textbooks---since the beginning of the semester) and it has been driving me up the wall. Seriously. I think this complex is unhealthy for me. So I'm sitting here at my desk doing calculus seriously not understanding a single ounce of it all and there in front of me is the ever growing stack of books waiting, begging, pleading for me to just take a peek. . .Well, I did. . .Not for long because I simply couldn't get past the cover:

If you have not yet tasted of Juliet Marillier's work

you are missing out.

big time.

(I highly recommend her sevenwaters series =)

All that besides, if you look closer at the cover in the lower right hand corner,

yes that right there,
the quote.

Do you see who it's attributed to?

yes my friends, THE BOOK SMUGGLERS!

you hear me? A BOOK BLOG, on the COVER

how awesome is that?!

I kept on reading it over and over and then rubbed my hand of the cover just to make sure it was really there and ran to my computer. I shot Ana an email asking her "is this you guys? is it? is it?!"

Thankfully she wrote me back the next minute and said "yes it is!!! *grin*"

Grin indeed I say! Yahooo for book lovers, bloggers, and supporters :D

Any who, that's all for now. . .back to studying. cheers!

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters By: Barack Obama, Loren Long

2010-12-31T15:58:00.000-08:00

This book is something special. I saw it on the rack at B&N and sat down to take a quick look. But as soon as I began reading, I knew it wasn't going to be just a quick look through.
     President Obama writes the book as if it were a letter to his daughters. The story or letter, as it were is lovingly written and the illustrations beautiful.
     Obama begins each page with
"Have I told you . . ."
Telling his girls how wonderful, strong, and kind they are. Subsequently highlighting a historic figure from American history that emulates these characterisics. From Jackie Robinson to Abe Lincoln, I smiled and shook my head with pride as I read about each and every figure. My favorite part is at the end, after 13 strong historic figures are highlighted, he writes.. .

"And have I told you that they are all part of you.
Have I told you that you are one of them."

Beautiful I tell you just beautiful. It gave me such delight to read this book to my little sisters.---and to be honest to read it all on my own, many times. It warmed me to the chore. A well written book indeed.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

I hope you all are having a wonderful time with friends and family.
This was my first year participating in the Secret Santa hosted by Kate over at the NeverEndingShelf.

I got Nikki from Wicked Awesome Books and let me tell you.

I totally lucked out.

Spoiled. I tell you, I'm Spoiled.

Thank you so much Nikki!!!

It was so fun to be paired up with someone who you know if you met in real life would just love.

Thank you again Nikki! I hope you all are snuggling up with loved ones, lots of good food, and hopefully a good book. I'm curling up with this lovely edition of Penguin Classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Lee. What holiday treat are you curling up with? Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Am I Biased. . .

2010-12-21T01:25:00.000-08:00

For cringing when I saw these?

Made from torn out book pages. *major cringe*

But When my friend made one out of sheet music, I didn't cringe half as much . . . Probably because they were free leaflets of sheet music that didn't have to be torn out.

Speaking of Cringing, have you seen the trailer for Water for Elephants? (not that the trailer makes me cringe--I actually have high hopes for this one)

I cringe every time I see Robert Pattinson. . .

Which then makes me think of Kristen Stewart

and then my eye starts to twitch.

I hope the movies' good.

Because by all means, a book that good deserves at least that much.

I'm thinking about what books to put on my round up of 2010 reading. Some Bloggers have already started.

Also, to leave on a high note, Leila started another blog. *yay* it's called Bookshelves of Lesser Doom, a little sister blog to her book blog Booshelves of Doom. The sister blog is less bookish but still full of all the lovable wit and sarcasm you could ask for, much awesomeness indeed.

If you are what you eat. . .

2010-12-15T23:25:00.000-08:00

"Then Voldemort is a unicorn."

-This quote had me rolling

via: failblog.org and GoodReads

How Many have You Read?

2010-12-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

I have been tagged for this quite a few times on Facebook. And well, since this semester has been quite hectic and reading books other than textbooks have been minimal at best, I thought I would post the list here on the blog. . .

Here's the Blurb:

"Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here.

Instructions: Copy this into your NOTES. Bold those books you've read in their entirety, italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read an excerpt."

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling ----- (no I have not read the HP series and it's my biggest shame as a book lover)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot - maybe
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad started but never finished
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adam
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

And the total is: 10
. . .WOW. I need to read more of the classics haha. But at least I got higher than the 6 right? How many have you read???

The Bell Tower

2010-12-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

At School the bell tower plays every hour on the hour.

         The opening day of Harry Potter This is what we heard instead. . .

And yes, this was played every hour on the hour.

                    Awesome? why yes, very much so. . .

My Favorite part is the scream in the beginning 

The "Elements" and Proper English

2010-11-21T15:07:00.000-08:00

In light of Leila's post where Daniel Radcliffe sings the "Elements" which is quite fabulous really.
My friend sent me this: ". . .It's The Freedom Language"

PW's top books for 2010

2010-11-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Publisher Weekly released it's top books for 2010 this morning in two lists.
One list is the top books for adults and the other is PW's Top books for Children

Sad story?
I have not read one book on the Top 10 books of the year.
Not only that it's not till the #9 spot with *The Lonely Polygamist that I've even heard of the title.

Happy Story?
Incarceron, Mockingjay and Matched all made the children's list. And yes those I have heard of and have read. . .well except for **matched.

KEY BEE:
*Only because it was on the book table at Costco
**So much for the credibility line. Well I have heard of it.

Tyger Tyger by: Kersten Hamilton

2010-11-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

"Of course she's frightening," Mrs. Wyllston said. "She's Ginny Greenteeth. She drowns travelers in bogs."

    I have to admit, when I first saw the cover of this book I was a bit iffy as to what would be *inside. But let me tell you, from the moment I read the first line I was hooked and couldn't get enough. And now that I've finished the book with a little smile still hugging the corner of my mouth, I now fondly look over the cover knowing who those figures might be, what they might be doing and why. But best of all I know now what's inside that lovely cover.
    Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton tells the story of Teagan Wyllston. A teenage girl who is focused, driven, and has a plan. Teagan gets good grades and has a goal in sight, she wants to be a veterinarian. She volunteers at the Zoo and plans on getting a scholarship to get into veterinarian school. With all this planning and strict scheduling Teagan doesn't have the time, or room for boys. That was her best friend Abby's job. That is, until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives.
    One day Abby calls Teagan frantic about a "psychic dream" she had last night of Teagan being in danger of goblins and shadows. Rolling her eyes Teagan entertained Abby's persistent rants and let Abby pull her toward the church where Abby prayed for Teagan's Safety. When they return to Teagan's house, it's to find that Finn Mac Cumhaill will be the Wyllston's new house guest.
   With Teagan swatting the sparks that seem to fill the air whenever Finn is close by and Abby spraying holly water in his face because she belives Finn somehow is the devil incarnate and connected to the foreboding nightmare she's had about Teagan, a tragedy strikes the Wyllston household that leaves everything in shambles.
     Teagan is completely blind sided by the tragedy and finds that she has to dig into her mothers past to find the answers she needs, and the only one that can help her is Finn Mac Cumhaill.
      Oh there was just so much I loved about this book. I don't know if it was the mood that I was in or what but the first line just drew me immediately into the story with Teagan at the zoo. I loved the Wyllston's home with the laundry shoot, the maid's stairs, and everything else described. I could just imagine it, Her father a librarian, books all around the house, and her mother an artist and writer, with her artwork all around the house.

"Teagan knelt beside her mother, took her hand and breathed in the scent of paint, linseed oil and turpentine. Her mom always smelled like creation."

The strong point in this book for me was not only the lovely **mythology and folklore of the Irish, but the characters themselves. I loved Finn from the beginning, an Italian quirky best friend Abby who's uncles and cousins run the mafia, and a little brother with an impeccable sense of direction and a quirky fear of Elvis Impersonators, what more could you ask for? Of course Mr. Wyllston warmed a place in my heart from the very beginning and stayed there warming the cockles of my heart.

"Excellent," Mr. Wylltson said. "That means I read. When I meet someone who says they're not 'much for books,' I can guarantee that they haven't met the right book yet."
Mr. Wylltson stood up. "I'd be happy to make some introductions."

He's a man of literature, of thought, of love. He is one who sings the monsters out from under his sons bed, and out of his closet so that Aiden can sleep at night. He's one who takes notice when his children are scared and frightened and doesn't brush it off but takes it to heart and encourages them. Like when Aiden squeals because he sees a shadow, Mr. Wylltson says,

". . .And that's why I think you should practice a more manly scream. A . . . Tarzan scream. Like this."
Teagan put her hands over her ears as he demonstrated.
"John Paul Wylltson," Mrs. Wylltson said, "You'll not be calling elephants to my table."

    Which segues perfectly into the family dynamic. I loved it. I loved Teagan's nick name of Tea and how it felt warm and nice being with all of them in the Wyllston home. And wait till you meet Mamieo, talk about kick-butt grandma. Her relationship with the almighty was a sweet layer to the book, and not at all self rightously fidgety.
    Now don't get me wrong, not all is nice and dandy, there are some frightful characters in here with quite the skirmish and twisted ways that you would expect from any Goblin filled book. Speaking of Goblins, you don't read much about goblins, but let me tell you the Goblins were frightful alright. They were Grotesque, disgusting creatures, especially the cat-sid'he. *shiver* echhh. Hamilton did a wonderful job creating both worlds, the warm household full of art and literature that belonged to the Wyllston, and the odd magical other-world where things that went in never came out.
    The pacing was perfect for me. There were some points that I felt jump-cut a little bit, where I wish the moment was explored more, but all in all a fantastic read. I will definitely be looking out for Ms Hamilton's other works. Tyger Tyger is due out later this month, so be on the look out! you won't want to miss this one.

KeyBee:
* Yes you can point the finger, I am a cover snob
**Which I'm a total sucker for

_________________________________________

Book Source: Review Copy from Publisher
__________________________________________

Linkage:
     Cry Havoc Reviews
     Tales of a Whimsy
    Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf
    A Blog About Nothing
    Blkosiner's Book Reviews
    You're Killing Me
    B.K. Walker Books
    Manda's Movements

The Blogger Hop

2010-10-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

(Never heard of it? Simply click the image above to find out more)

The Question This week is:

"What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter the cost?"

For me, I would hire Tom Holdman to do a mural for my personal library at home. The first time I saw Holdmans work was at my local library. He did two large murals named "Windows to the imagination" depicting characters from stories and fairytale's. The art work is beautiful and I could spend hours just slowly looking through the mural picking out characters I know and scenes I've read about.

And when the sun shines through painting all the colors on the walls, floor, and bookshelves? *sigh* oh I could just float away.

It's a Book. . .And a Bag

2010-10-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

***I already have a taker for the goodie bag. Thank you all!***

Love this :)

Also, I received a bag full of goodies in the mail yesterday and couldn't help but feel a little bummed---only because they weren't my kind of goodies. But then I thought, there is probably someone out there who would really enjoy this. So if you love romance books, send me your name and address in THIS FORM and I'll send you the goody bag.

That is all, hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

***No this isn't a contest, I'll just send it to the first person who responds***

They Don't Even Care About Us.

2010-10-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

    I still remember the first time I opened the cover to The Hunger Games and lost myself in the dystopian world of district 12. I was disgusted by the districts, the life the people were given, the inhumanity of it all.
   Katnis and her will to do what was right immediately spoke to me. She was so strong and always tried to do what she felt was right. I felt with her, her heartache, resentment and struggle as she played the hand that was so awfully dealt her.
   There are times when music touches me deeply, even more so there are times when it resonates within me the characters I have met in books. So much so that whenever I hear it I'm immediately there, marching next to the characters I've cried with, cheered with and loss with.
    When I was reading The Hunger Games I was listening to Michael Jackson's They Don't even Care about Us when Katnis was entering the games for the first time.
   Every beat of the song with the repeated verse of

All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us

I was there with Katniss. The fear of being there mixed with the hate and resentment that eventually won out with blind courage and disgust of it all. I was there, Marching next to her, chin held high.
I cried with her.
Loss with her.
The beat kept me going. With each double beat that was kept constant in the song I wiped the tears off and kept pushing forward. I yelled back with each stumble,

    Beat me, hate me
    You can never break me
    Will me, thrill me
    You can never kill me

Challenging the mayor and all else to bring it on again.
I could take it.
They could never break me.

***Warning the second video has graphic images that may be too much for viewers. ***

My Hunger song is They don't even Care About Us. What's yours?

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

2010-10-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

   I came by this one from a much beloved author, Juliet Marillier. We were talking about the tattoo patterns from a character in one of her Sevenwaters Series, Bran. I mentioned how when I met this character, the New Zealand Mauri tattoo's came to mind when she described Brans body tattoos in her book. I thought I was just relating to what I knew being of Polynesian decent, but then she assured me saying that in fact the Mauri tattoo's did play an inspiring role when creating Bran's tattoos. I was delighted. She then asked if I had read Guardian of the Dead. . . I hadn't. Which meant I of course had to read it now.
   Guardian of The Dead by Karen Healey is a beautifully crafted debut novel that is set in New Zealand and packed with Maori mythology. If you're like me and am a sucker for cultural mythology, or just mythology period, this one will be one you'll want to pick up. And if you're still iffy? Look at the cover, I mean forget-about-it, talk about chills.
    Ellie Spencer is your average teen at a boarding school. The big dilemma in her life is the next big paper that's due, she has a crush on a boy at school and also has a best friend named Kevin. Pretty typical eh? Until that is, the string of horrible murderers called the eyelash killer, so named because the killer takes the victims eyes, draws a little too close for comfort. (creepy I now)
    An accidental bump into her mysterious crush Mark one day sets off a series of events that leaves Ellie feeling lost and confused---forgetting things she wants to remember but can't quite grasp. Then when her best friend Kevin who is nonchalant when it comes to girls (despite all the swooning from every girl in a 5-mile radius) and professes to be quite asexual becomes oddly glued to a new girl named Reka, Ellie finds herself worrying about a lot more than just that big paper that's due next week.
    I was glued from page 1. I'm not sure if it's because of the work load I've had at school, and my long fast from reading anything other than textbooks, but when I opened the cover to Guardian of the Dead I dove in head first.
   I loved the plot of the story. There was much mystery and intrigue to be had. I was instantly glued to Ellie's crush. He was so mysterious, I was reading faster to find out exactly who he was and why he kept on popping up at the weirdest of places in the oddest of times. Healey would drop you hints here and there about him, little bits and pieces leading you on just so but never giving you the entire picture. The book incorporated lots of the Maori mythology---which I loved. I started this book not knowing much about the New Zealand Mythology and closed it loving that I learned more about their culture and people.
     Ellie is a bit over weight, which was quite refreshing when it comes to heroines and Kevin was a true best friend. As far as main character goes I was a bit more interested in the secondary ones. I would've loved to delve deeper into the characters and have that richness added to the already vivid canvass of the story. What was given of the characters, wasn't bad at all mind you, indeed it was my connection with them that kept me flipping pages. And believe me, some of them kept me wanting to back as far away from them as possible.

She titled a glance at me as she passed, and I saw her eyes, undimmed by dusk and fog. they were strong and dark --- like greenstone under water--- but there was something wrong with them. It took me a long moment to realize that her face gave reason to my fears.
The woman had no pupils.

All in all a good read. Action driven plot infused with mythology and legend with characters that kept me glued to the pages. I'll definitely be looking out for Healey's other works.

    With a start, I realized I was still hanging outside the class room door, leaning against the cream-painted walls. Geography was in five minutes, and I hadn't done the homework. Why was I standing here noodling about poor suicidal Kathy someone? What was I---I'd wanted to talk to Mark. Or had he wanted to talk to me? I peered through the door's glass inset, rubbing at my aching temples. The wire mesh in the little rectangle mad everything look fuzzy and undefined, but I could see La Gribaldi shaking her crowned head at Mark, big arms folded over her breasts again. Mark seemed to be pleading for something. An extension? La Gribaldi looked unconvinced. Abruptly, she moved toward the door and I sprang back to lean against the corridor's far wall as she came out of the classroom, stiffening as she paused to stare at me. She surveyed me from toe to top, much as Reka had done in the mists, but her dark eyes met mine, a little puzzled, a little wary.
    "Interesting," she murmured, and walked on.
    Mark tried to scoot out after her, but I made my move lurching to block his path like a transportable human wall.
"Didn't you want to talk to me about something?" I asked.
As conversational gambits go, it probably lacked a certain something.
    He stopped, but didn't look at me. "No?"
    "Oh," I said, confused all over again. Maybe I had wanted to talk to him? There had been something, damn it. I improvised: "Um, I was wondering. Do you want to study for the Classics midterm exam with me?"
    Mark hesitated, pale face guarded. Something silver glinted at the wrist of his ragged sleeve. "When?"
    "After school sometime? In the library?
    "I have a job after school. And on the weekends."
    I didn't ask, Then why do all your uniform pants have holes?
"Just an idea," I said, trying not to sound huffy about the rejection. What had I expected? That after crashing into him at the gates we were going to be best buds?
    The headache eased and he nodded, smiling slightly. "It's not a bad idea. I'll think about it and let you know?"
    I brightened. "Sure!"
    "See you later."
    I frowned after him. His final sentence was a perfectly normal farewell. Why did it sound so tantalizingly familiar?

LINKAGE:
The Bookshelf Sophisticate
A Blog About Nothing
Bookworming in the 21st Century
Thoughts of A Book Junkie
The Never Ending Shelf
Book Faery
Girls without a Bookshelf

Bookshelf Review from CSN stores

2010-10-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

On to the bookshelf! The munchkins (my two little sisters) came over to help me put the bookshelf together.

First off, I'd like to let you know that this is my kind of bookshelf. All the tools needed for assembly of the bookshelf was that hammer, and screw driver. awesome I tell you, no power tools needed!

I only wish it had some kind of mark to line up the top and bottom shelves, instead of just lining it up with the holes on the side of the shelf. . . Only because I tend to always accidentally do stuff crooked and I was scared I was going to screw in the shelf crooked.

After that simply flip the shelf over, nail in the back and put in the pegs for the shelves---

And then voila! you have your bookshelf.

Can I just tell you this bookshelf is super sturdy? It looks and feels solid, and can hold all the books easy peasy. I love it! Assembly was a cinch and remember I did it with four extra hands "helping" out ;) Epic win on both.

Picture Frame Review

2010-10-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

I came home about 2 weeks ago to this at my door. I was so excited, my bookshelf and picture frame were here from CSN stores! The shipping was fast. Faster than I anticipated, which was a very pleasant surprise.

With the recent move I haven't had time to really unpack and so putting together the bookshelf was kind of put on the back burner until I got situated, and with school now in full swing it only added to the leaning tower of obstacles. But this weekend I was simply delighted to find that I would have some time to put it together!

The picture frame was a joy to receive. Like I said before, the shipping was faster than I anticipated and I haven't even received back the pictures I ordered from the Utah Blogger Social. So I just grabbed some pictures I had laying around and stuck it in there. And it looks quite lovely on my wall. I must say.

The picture frame itself is paper light and quite thin (Here it is next to a normal size book.) Which makes hanging up a complete breeze. It's easy to insert and remove pictures, and it also comes with a hook on the back so that hanging up can be just that much easier.

With light weight things, come the question of durability. I guess time will tell. But I will say it feels durable and I have dropped it once already and it still has stayed in one piece.

Bwahaha

2010-10-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

Snooki also apparently read her first novel back in Feb.

"I have mind blowing news! I am officially reading my first bo! Lmao! Nicholas Sparks "dear John!" ... I'm proud of myself,"

Anywho, good on her for reading her first book! and umm jury is still out on whether giving her a book deal was a good call or not.

via: Buzz Feed

I Challenge You!

2010-10-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Yes You Ms. Hunger Games---

The Hunger Games was challenged this week in New Hampshire by a mother of a student who had nightmares from reading the book and brought the issue in front of the school board. How fitting this incident happened during Banned Books Week.

“Twenty-four children are pitted in a life-or-death struggle with each other. The reason? Entertainment. That’s sick,” LaSalle said. “You guys don’t want Columbine, but you’re putting forth material that will totally desensitize the children to murdering other children.”

*Oh but don't you see? That's the point. it IS sick. . . **Kids/tweens/adults/ are horrified at such a thing. That is why this ***compassionate and courageous character named Katnis in this deplorable dystopian world is so lovable.

The school board acted quickly and removed her daughter from the class that was reading The Hunger Games, to which the mother responded.

“The answer to this situation is not removing my daughter from the classroom,” LaSalle said. “It’s removing this filth from the school district."

    My issue isn't with the mother or her daughter not liking The Hunger Games. Everyone's entitled to their opinion and there are plenty a book where my opinion goes against the grain, but that's the beauty of it. We're all able to read something, determine for ourselves whether we like it or not, and then go on from there. It is when you try and take that freedom of reading away from someone else---Like trying to remove the book from other classrooms, other students, and other peoples children-- that this thing called censorship begins to rear it's ugly head.

And, as always Thank you Ms. Leila for your lovely wit and insight.

Key-Bee
*     Mother dearest, did you even read the book?
**   practically everyone---I say practically everyone because there are some questionable characters
       out there
*** Aren't you loving the Alliteration?

Banned Books Week

2010-09-27T00:02:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it is Banned Books Week already? (September 25- October 2) Time seems like it is flying past. Banned Books Week has been something I've always been passionate about. I don't know if you guys heard about the uproar this past summer with Humble, Texas and their Teen Lit Fest with disinviting an author, (Ellen Hopkins) because a small group of one librarian and some disgruntled parents believed her writing was inappropriate, regardless of the overwhelming majority who were in favor of having Hopkins at the fest she was still dis-invited. Many authors heard about Hopkins' dis-invite and pulled out from the fest as well. In fact I believe the entire Teen Lit Fest ended up being canceled due to the many authors pulling out. Pete Hautman one of the authors that pulled out of the fest posted about the event and I really liked what he said here in a segment of his post.

A few years ago, at a National Book Awards banquet, I met Judy Blume. She had just delivered a passionate speech about censorship. I joked, “Hey Judy, how do I get MY books challenged? I think it would be good for sales.” Judy was not amused. She looked at me and said, in a voice as dry as ash, “It will happen, and you will not like it.” She was right on both counts.

This incident with Humble, Texas is just a small example of how well and alive censorship is in our society today. I'm no a zealot towards the cause, I know our history and how far we've come. I just also believe that we can do better. Thanks to Scope Notes for the heads up, there's this awesome Quiz made in honor of Banned Books Week by Mental Floss. Check it out and see your score! Click HERE to take it.

Also here is a list of ALA's ten most frequently challenged books of 2009

1. ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs

2. “And Tango Makes Three” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality

3. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide

4. “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee
Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

6. “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

7. “My Sister’s Keeper,” by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence

8. “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things,” by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

9. “The Color Purple,” Alice Walker
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

10. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

Linkage:

Banned Books Week Events
Highlights from the Read Out in Chicago

Front and Center by: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2010-09-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

Over at Angieville the lovely Angie talks about the perfect book for the perfect season in her review of the Sugar Queen by Sara Addison Allen. (both book and review are awesome by the way) I can't tell you how much more I fall for a book when the stars align and the serendipity of finding that special book at just the right time happens.
    And that my friends is exactly what happened to me and these lovely books by Catherin Gilbert Murdock, her Dairy Queen series. Of course in that same regard, running into Leila's post would also fall under that category of lovely serendipity, for with out it I would have never found the books.
     Front and Center is the last book in CGM's Dairy Queen series and quite a fine one at that.
    After returning from helping her brother from a horrible accident that paralyzed him and permanently removed him from the playing part of the football field D.J. Schwenk is looking forward to returning back to school, to basketball, and to the anonymity she is both used to and comfortable with.
But the people in her life have other plans. Her basketball coach is breathing down her back to become the player and leader on the court that he knows she can be. The only problem is that a leader requires a voice, to lead and direct. And as we know the Schwenk family may be many things, but talking isn't their high point.
As if coach telling her to start calling back colleges right now, her two older brothers already talking as if it's a given that she'll choose a division one school, and D.J. secretly just wanting to attend a simple college who's basketball team could probably play her high school team for a good game, isn't enough. Beaner, her childhood friend wants to start a relationship since a particular Hawley quarter back is out of the way, and totally out of D.J.'s thoughts thank you very much. D.J. finds herself growing and maturing in ways she never thought she would.
     Trilogy's can be a tricky business, and I can't tell you how many trilogies I've picked up, that have been so promising, only to have the sequel or third installment shatter the love. So much that I refuse to acknowledge the others and only take in the one I love. Cold hearted I know. But these Dairy Queen series are simply wonderful. Each book held it's own and kept me eager for more. You go Ms. Murdock.
D.J.'s fresh voice and awesome narration of her story is one that you'll be glued to. She is flawed, and stubborn, bold and strong, and completely 100% D.J. . Finding myself once again sitting down with her had me in the comfortable lull of a sit down with a good friend. D.J.'s situations and relationships, with her family, friends and high school life rang with authenticity. There was no overwhelming fabrications, or wells of self pity. Instead there was the fresh light voice of D.J. Schwenk.
   I fell into D.J.'s story while on a road trip with my sisters to Washington, and that lovely serendipity of reading that perfect book at the perfect time hit me full force as I was sold hook line and sinker into D.J.'s world. I will always reminisce this past summer's road trips with the discovery of these lovely books. If you're up for a good summer read with a fresh voice that has a strong funny heroine, D.J. Schwenk is the girl for you.

Dairy Queen Trilogy:
Dairy Queen
The Off Season
Front and Center

LINKAGE:

The Story Siren

Steph Su Reads

See Michelle Read

One Librarians Book Reviews

Ems Bookshelf

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

Bookshelf for the Bookie

2010-09-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to find in my inbox an email from the lovely Alexandra from csnstores.com asking if I would do another review for one of their products. Happily I accepted and me and the roomie started perusing the website to see what I should review. We laughed and joked while looking at the website saying that I should review an imposible-to-sit in modern chair and dub it my new reading chair and see how long I would last sitting in it, but alas we matured a bit and decided to review this lovely bookshelf. We don't have a bookshelf in the living room yet and it would fit perfectly in a space we have beside the couch. Hope the instructions won't be too hard to figure out! Can't wait to fill it with books :)

Also, not too long ago I attended the Utah Book Bloggers
summer Social for the first time and had a blast.
What better way to commemorate the occasion by framing those pictures?
So I am lucky enough to review this lovely DanyaB Hanging Wood Frame as well.

Linkage:

CSNstores.com

100 Follower Giveaway

Book Blogging Social

Heart's Blood by: Juliet Marillier

2010-09-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

    While still reminiscing about Juliet Marillier's truly exquisite Sevenwaters series I discovered earlier this year, I was simply giddy to find in my hands another one of her works, Heart's Blood. I found myself sneaking bits and pieces between classes and then impatiently urging the day forward to night where I could finally, once again open the cover and loose myself in her writing.
    Escaping a past full of demons and abuse, Caitrain clings to her fathers craft of scribing. Hoping her gender will be over looked Caitrain finds herself taking a job at the fabled Whistling Tor. Where the villagers curse and shun in fright the whole of Whisting Tor, Caitrain finds exactly what she's looking for.
      The dark forest where the disquieted spirits of many roam, the odd household Whistling Tor employs and the frightening Lord Anluan that carries the curse bestowed upon his household and people for generations, would by all means be anyones keep away. But for Caitrin it is her safeguard. The safeguard keeping the very real demons of her past out.

    To say this was a good read would be an understatement. There is something so sweet and unrefined, so raw about Juliet Marillier's writing. She creates her characters with such art and dimension they become real and tangible, even her secondary characters are complex and well defined. While this isn't the closest retelling of Beauty and the Beast, indeed I didn't even know it was one until I read some reviews on it, (and I kind of like to think of it as it's own story) it still embodies the same wonderment and magic a fairytale does.

    Sucking me in from page one I was tossed and turned by the story Ms Marillier created. I loved all the characters, even the secondary ones. Caitrin was strong and smart. She struggled, she overcame, she failed, and tried again. She was everything I loved in a heroine. The household of Whistling Tor was one of my favorite. Their stories, their history, the lives they took on were each of interest to me. Marillier's writing always holds such depth and history mixed with just the right amount of fiction. She does this so artfully time and time again, the lines between actual history and fictional history blur.
While my favorite of hers belongs to her Sevenwaters series, Heart's Blood will always have a special place on my shelf, and heart. Indeed anything from Ms. Marillier will.

. . . . . And here is where I would put an excerpt. But being so eager to pass on this goodness I unwittingly lent it out before I could write a passage down. So until the book returns. . .

LINKAGE:
    Escape through the pages
Book Harbinger
The Never Ending Shelf
    Tempting Persephone
    Teens Read Too
    One Librarians Reviews

Utah Book Bloggers Bash

2010-09-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

So about a week or two ago was the Utah Book Bloggers bi-annual Social. It was my first time going, I was a bit nervous and probably wouldn't have gone if Natasha hadn't DM'd me on Twitter, but I'm so glad I did because it was so much fun. Thank you to Natasha from Maw Books, Becky from One Literature Nut, and Suey from It's All About Books who headed up the event! It was so awesome to meet together face to face and mingle. We had a little potluck, a lovely book swap, and chatted it up.

This is a picture of the book swap.

I'm not good at taking pictures as you can see, every picture I got

Graham from Graham Chops was either going one way or the

other. Both pictures I have he's straddling the books. eh.

good thing I'm not a photographer.

These ladies were such a treat to meet!

Sharla from WinterWrite

(I'll be stalking your blog for your review on TGLaPPPS)
and Lyn from Barding Well

Matt Kirby with his ARC of The Clockwork Three
and

Cute Bree Despain with her ARC of The Lost Saint

Now I like to think myself mature for my age. . .
But when I saw all these kiddos and that playground in the back, all that
hard won maturity flew out the window as I raced--yes raced each and every one of them
to the play ground.
I would love to attribute the lovely bloggers to whom these rambunctious chicks belong
to, but alas I am at a loss. So if any of guys know whom I should link please let me know so that I may link.
I do however know that the cute little boys in the picture belong to the lovely Natasha

As much fun as it was meeting new faces
It was just as good seeing old and familiar faces.
This here my friend is author Emily Wing Smith who I met last year at
The Beautiful Creatures Signing
As you can see she's a hoot and a half.
It was there we became sister soul mates of the flip-flop. I think at the next shin-dig
I see her I shall bring her ridiculous flip-flops and make her wear them---
speaking of flip-flops I was bummed Sara Zarr couldn't make it.

It truly was a treat meeting everyone and seeing old faces. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by such awesome bloggers, and lovely authors. Thank you, thank you, Thank You! (I know I'm missing many links in here for all who attended, please let me know and I'll add them)

Some memorable moments:

Suey: (pointing to me as I arrived at the social) We need to talk

Kika: (Uh oh. am I in trouble?)Are you Drew's mom? (a classmate and friend of mine)

Suey: *laughing* That's what I need to talk to you about, yes I am!

Kika: (phew, not in trouble) No way, that's so funny!

(me thinking in my head a conversation with Drew--- "Oh hey Drew! yeah I'm friends with your mom. We actually go to awesome book bloggy shin-digs together cool huh?"

----Drew looking at me as if I'm crazy. "Nice, so you hang out with my mom. . . ")

Talking with Myke about all his fun adventures, the Polynesian culture, and of course the hilarious church meeting he went to.
Meeting Kim and finally being able to put a physical face to her lovely blog---and also playing with her kids
Everyone Admiring Debbie's cards---that were truly lovely.
Everyone trying and failing to pronounce Britt's Book Habitue and then doing a double take whenever she did pronounce it right.

Fellow Chums who Posted about the Event: I know I'm missing people let me know, I would love to read their posts and link to them
    Suey
    Myke

The Blog Hop

2010-08-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

The blogger hop is a weekly meme hosted over at Crazy for Books. Taken after Twitters FollowFriday it's a way for book bloggers to meet fellow book chums, explore new book blogs, and share the love for the written word. This weeks question is

"Do you use a rating system?"

No I don't use a rating system, but I am on goodreads where all the books I review here on the blog are rated there with their 5 star system. My reviews here on the blog are filled with my thoughts and feelings that are at times too much, too little, too in between to fit into a rigid (for lack of a better word) rating. I do however try to start the my thoughts and feelings part of my review with an opening line of "I really wanted to like this one." or "this one pulled me down and wouldn't let me go" and then elaborate on that to finish the review, why and what. How 'bout you? What do you like?

10 Highest Paid Authors

2010-08-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Forbes just released its 10 highest-paid authors list a couple days ago, making a combined $270 million in the past 12 months up to June 1. James Patterson tops the list with $70 million, Stephanie Meyers comes in second with $40 million---not too bad for not even writing a book last year---and Stephen King comes in third with a handsome $38 million, rounding up our top hitters. But not to fear our Harry Potter fans, although it was a slow year for J.K. Rowling, she still makes the list at no.10 with $10 million. Are there any authors that surprised you who made the list?

2010 Highest Paid Authors List

1. James Patterson ($70 million)

2. Stephenie Meyer ($40 million)

3. Stephen King ($34 million)

4. Danielle Steel ($32 million)

5. Ken Follett ($20 million)

6. Dean Koontz ($18 million)

7. Janet Evanovich ($16 million)

8. John Grisham ($15 million)

9. Nicholas Sparks ($14 million)

10. J.K. Rowling ($10 million)

With a bank breaking deal of $100 million for writing 17 books by 2013, James Patterson is expected to stay at the top of the list. Did you know Mr. Patterson doesn't have a computer in his home office and still writes all his novels longhand?

Ms. Meyers made her dough through of course books sales, (despite not having actually written a new book last year) but also through her movie adaptions. $7 million of the 40 was made through the adaptions last year and the third twilight movie adaption grossed $165 million within it's first 6 days.

The Off Season by: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2010-08-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

After finishing Dairy Queen, I immediately went out and got the two remaining books of the series, The Off Season and Front and Center, well because I knew I would drive myself crazy if I finished the second book and didn't have the third one within arms reach. This series my friends has been such a treat, I've loved every moment of it. I'm so happy I ran into the post at Leila's blog and I can't wait to get my hands on some of the other recommendations listed there as well.

    The Off Season starts right back up where the Dairy Queen left off. D.J. may look like your average teenager, but "average" doesn't come in the package of a dairy farmer, the starter for her high school football team, and girlfriend to thee Brian Nelson---you know, the quarterback for Hawley, only the biggest archrival in all of history to Red Bend high school.
But all in all, life is good. Win and Bill, the two older Schwenk boys are doing wonderful being college star football players, Amber and D.J. are back to being friends again and this whole learning how to talk business, thanks to Brian, is coming along just great. When you're raised in a family where you don't talk about anything, ever, learning how to, can be a bit scary. Which is why D.J. thinks Brian is such an awesome guy, among many other things too, but the fact that he has no reservations about talking and saying what he feels--- that right there, to D.J. takes courage, that right there takes strength.

    But things begin to crumble around D.J. when her mom throws her back out while in the middle of a yelling tirade (of all things) at Curtis. Curtis the too shy to even breathe younger brother. However D.J.'s little brother and his startling, out of character behavior is the least of her worries at the moment, her dad's ideas to make extra money are becoming more ridiculous and eccentric by the minute, the barn refuses to stay in one piece, (regardless of how much duct tape and nails the family plasters on it) and the numb horror at watching one of D.J.'s older brothers get injured in a game on national TV, is just about all the family can take. As D.J. travels to help take care of her injured brother, she finds strength she never knew she had, not only for her family and friends but also for herself.

     I cannot tell you enough how much I love the original voice in this series. Ms. Murdock has done a fantastic job at capturing the awesomely lovable character, D.J. She's funny and strong and you can't help but root for her from the beginning. D.J. faces so many challenges, and while she has her shortcomings she never wallows in the self-pity. Her reference to her mothers work outs by walking the farm land as "Her puffy-breath walking thing." always had me smiling.

     I loved the journey with D.J., the discovery of self worth and strength that she finds. The halting and timid words in the Schwenk household that is paired so tightly with the emphatic actions of love and care they bestow on each other. Learning to talk was one of my favorite growing points with D.J. but more importantly and lovable was watching the discovery and growth D.J. made with finding that at times talk is cheap next to action. That while her family's high point isn't talking, they've got the action part down pretty well, and that at times it's that particular part of this whole mess that takes the more strength and courage to do.

    I felt. . . I felt like that time Mom explained where babies come from. For years I knew where babies come from because of course I live on a farm, and every couple weeks the vet comes and puts on a long rubber glove that goes all the way to his armpit, and sticks his arm in a cow's rear, a cow who's ready to be bred, and puts a baby seed inside her--that's what Dad called it when I asked, baby seed. Because of course bringing a bul in whenever you want to get a cow pregnant is really expensive and time-consuming, not to mention getting the both of them, you know, in the mood. So the vet almost always does it instead, which I guess isn't so romantic for the cow, but I wan't giving that too much thought when I was nine. And so of course it made perfect sense to me that whenever Mom wanted a baby that the vet would come and put a baby seed inside her as well. Only when I explained this at dinner one night Dad started laughing so hard he had to leave the table, and Mom almost had a hernia trying not to laugh as well, and Bill, who I think was born knowing where babies really come from, made all sorts of fun of me even though Win smacked him, and for years after that whenever the vet came by, Dad would shout for Mom that Doc Hansen was here, their own little joke at my expense. Anyway, after that dinner back when I was nine Mom explained to me where babies really come from, human babies, and that process was so much more disturbing than what the vet does, plus combined with all my humiliation at making such a fool of myself in fron of everyone, that for years after I couldn't even think about it without feeling sick.

   That's the same way I felt now, which makes a little sense when you think about it because both times I was being let in on something that was ten times worse that what I'd thought. No wonder the farm was getting smaller all the time and we were selling heifers we could be keeping to milk, and not buying any new machinery, and never going to Win and Bill's games, and repairing the milk house with blowtorches and duct tape. It's not that the farm wasn't making money---it was losing it. And if Mom didn't work full time--up to now I'd always thought it was sort of a side job for her, something she did for fun even though she has a ton of things to do at home---well, we'd be more than broke. We'd be gone, and all our beautiful cropland would be turned into houses just like had almost happened already, and all our wonderful cows would go who knows where and probably end up as fast food hamburger.    All my life Dad had said Win would inherit the farm one day. That's what their huge fight had been about last Christmas, when Win had made a crack about how Dad couldn't break even. Did Win know about the farm losing money? Did Bill? Because Bill had backed Win up in the middle of that fight, which is why neither of them talked to us for months. While little old responsible D.J. stuck around---which I had to do anyway seeing as I didn't have a big athletic scholarship to escape with -- and kept on working, wondering why Dad never fixed anything or spent any money, and why Mom's Caravan was ten years old and Dad's pickup way older. It was just like the babies thing, my two older brothers in on a family secret while the dumb little sister was kept in the dark.

    I'd never though, not once, that maybe Dad's not spending money wasn't voluntary. That it was the only choice he had. And I have to tell you, as tough as farming is, the idea of farming when you're losing money year after year. . . that's not life even, that's like death. That's eternal damnation.

Linkage:

Persnickety Snark

Teens Read Too

Tiny Pink Books

Nashville Book Worm

Becky's Book Reviews

Who Said You Can't Take It With You?

2010-08-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

                    I kid you not---Coffin Bookshelves

Speaking of bookshelves did you see these awesome bookshelves? Practical? Maybe not, but still awesome none the less. I want one. or two.

___________________________
Via Bookshelves of Doom
___________________________

The Name of The Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss

2010-08-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

With much recommendation, raving reviews--- "It grabbed me by the throat, threw me down and had its way with me", Ana from the Book Smugglers saying "it may well be the best book I read since The Book Smugglers’ inception"---and a whole lot of "Here, take it, take it!" I knew I had no choice but to pick this one up and give it a go.

My name is Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as "Quothe." Names are important as they tell you a great deal about a person. I've had more names than anyone has a right to.
    The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean "The Flame," "The Thunder," or "The Broken Tree."
    "The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. when left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.
    "The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.
    I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.
    My first mentor called me E'lir because I was clever and I knew it. My girst real lover called me Dulator because she like the sound of it. I have been called Shadicar, LIghtfinger, and Six-String. I have been called Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Arcane, and Kvothe Kingkiller. I have earned those names. Bought and paid for them.
    But I was brought up as Kvothe. My father once told me it ment "to know."
    I have, of course, been called many other things. Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.
    I have stolen pincesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
    You may have heard of me.

       The Name of the Wind is Patrick Rothfuss 's debut novel, one that has washed in on a tidal wave of much praise and love. The book begins with an innkeeper, his inn, and three types of silences. The innkeeper Kote, is known by many names, none of which the small town is aware of, yet still important all the same. Kvothe (Pronounced Quothe) is one of the more important names of note, and is the name in which the story is told.
    A Chronicler, making his way through the forest to the nearest town is almost caught up by demons, demons in the shape of big spiders the size of wagon wheels, known as Scrael. Yet the Chronicler is saved by a curious figure draped in a heavy black cloak with unmistakable flame-red hair. When Chronicler wakes it is to find himself in an inn. The innkeeper to his surprise, is the mysterious figure who saved him in the forest. However the mysterious-ism is slowly fading as Chronicler's growing suspicion of who the innkeeper might really be is made stronger as he recalls the events that happened the night in the forest. Chronicler, being a recorder of stories begs Kvothe to record his story. A story that has been recorded time and time again, whispered and rumored about, sung and praised about, yet all varying in facts, circumstance, and detail and never---never before told from Kvothe's own lips. Kvothe finally relents and tells the Chronicler that the story will take three days, nothing less. And so our story, and the Kingkiller Chronicles begin. . .

    Kvothe, born to a traveling performing troupe was brought up in a world of art, happiness and love. He finds an endless spring to his rabid thirst for knowledge in an old meandering tinker, an arcanist to be exact named Ben who joins their troupe after Kvothe spies him doing the most interesting thing with the wind. When fate takes a hard turn Kvothe finds himself beaten, starved and alone in the hard part of town where he scuttles around doing anything to get by.
   Remembering what once was and could be, Kvothe gambles and makes it in to the prestigious university where magic is learned.

    This first installment covers the first day of telling. Kvothe speaks while Chornicler writes and Bast, Kvothe's assistant and students sits in and listens. The story is switched between first person and third person narrative as the story switches between the life sketches Kvothe paints and the present time of the inn where three men sit.

    I'm definitely in the minority on this one, which surprised me because I am always down for a good fantasy read. And when it comes to widely appreciated books I'm usually in the green. The hype for The Name of The Wind got me all puffed up like an inflated happy balloon flying high, only to leave me squeeking out spent anticipated air. It wasn't horrible mind you, all those raving reviews have to stem from somewhere right? I didn't hate the book, I actually liked it fine, but unparalleled is not a word I would use to describe this one.

   Kvothe's childhood was infused with love, song, and dance. It was wrought with the richness of someone who is loved and cherished. The love between his parents and the love they had for him made me feel all cozy inside. I felt him, the genuine curiosity of a little boy relentlessly asking for more problems, puzzles, and questions from a chuckling gray haired Ben. The troupe was like the fabled gypsies. Moving along, performing, singing and dancing, acting out plays and sonnets, always on the road moving from place to place. I also enjoyed the songs, the little nursery rhymes, the love story between Lyra and Lanre and the myth and story of the Chandrain, they were all interesting and left me wanting more. His night time meetings with the not-all-there Auri and the surreal banter left me smiling. However, I must say the book to me felt like each and every one of it's 662 pages.

    It was a slow beginning, and I mean s-l-o-w. The book also meandered quite a bit, not exactly that he went off on unholy tangents, just that it seemed the book could've told what it had in easily half the amount of pages that it did. I was intrigued by the scrael but they never came back into play in the book. The mysterious innkeeper caught my attention, but the more he told about his story, the more I felt Kvothes character was suffering from a bit of male Mary-Sue-ism. I wanted to like him so much, finish the book wearing his colors and cheering his name--- but I couldn't. The constant reminder of how brilliant he was got a bit exasperating, only because he was constantly telling me that he was brilliant. And was it just me that besides his two friends all Kvothe met at the university was girl after beautiful girl?

     I understand that this is the beginning of his story, the making of the hero Kvothe is to become--- however it was a bit amusing that here this unparalleled Einstein of a child, who bested scholars beyond his years and street roughened bullies beyond his size, had an arch nemesis that was non other than a cowardly spoiled snooty classmate---who usually got the better of him.
    The book seemed to do a little dance. Kvothe was broke, got some money, but then found himself broke again. Kvothe finds Denna, she runs away, they find each other again, she runs away,--- Wash, rinse, repeat.

   Speaking of His love interest, Denna left me scratching my head. What was so special about her? What about her pulled Kvothe so deeply into her. The only things I gleamed from her was that she was beautiful, and that she liked to travel. Alot. I felt like I knew Fela (one of Kvothes beautiful friends from the university) better than I knew her, which isn't saying much because I don't know Fela all that well either. Quite frankly all the secondary characters were quite flat, nothing really to hold on to. And to that extent I felt like I didn't know Kvothe all that much either. I mean I know his story, but I didn't feel like I knew him. Or maybe I just didn't like him. All in all what it boils down to is Rothfuss is a talented writer, there's no doubt about that, and an awesome funny person, have you read his blog? I can see (though not quite understand) the unbelievable praise the book has been given. Yes I'll probably read the sequel when it comes out because I'm a glutton for punishment, no I don't think I'll recommend this to anyone but yes I do have hope that I will like the sequel. And yes I must be somewhat addled in the brain for not falling head over heals for this one, well because, everyone else did.

I looked at the paper, It read:

    I, by signing below, hereby attest to the fact that I can neither read nor write.

I looked up at the owner. He held a straight face. I dipped the pen and carefully wrote the letters "D D" as if they were initials.
    He fanned the ink dry and slid my "receipt" across the desk toward me.
"What does D stand for?" he asked with the barest hint of a smile.
    "Defeasance," I said. "It means to render something null and void, usually a contract. The second D is for Decrepitate. Which is the act of throwing someone into a fire." He gave me a blank look. "Decrepication is the punishment for forgery in Junpaui. I think false receipts fall in that category."
    I made no move to touch the money or the receipt. There was a tense silence.
    "This isn't Junpui," he said, his face carefully composed.
    "True enough," I admitted. " You have a keen sense of defalcation. Perhaps I should add a third D."
    He gave another sharp, barking laugh and smiled. "You've convinced me, young master." He pulled out a fresh slip of paper and set it in front of me. "You write me a receipt, and I will sign it."
    I took up the pen and wrote. "I the undersigned, do agree to return the copy of the book Rhetoric and Logic with the inscription "to Kvothe" to the bearer of this note in exchange for two silver pennies, provided he present this receipt before the date--"
I looked up. "What day is it?"
    "Shuden. The thirty-fifth."
    I had fallen out of the habit of keeping track of the date. On the streets, one day is largely the same as the next, save that people are a little more drunk on Hepten, a little more generous on Mourning.
    But if it was the thirty-fifth then I only had five days to get to the University. I knew from Ben that admissions only lasted until Cendling. If I missed them, I would have to wait two months for the next term to start.
    I filled in the date on the recept and drew a line for the bookseller to sign. He looked a little bemused as I slid the paper toward him. What's more, he didn't notice that the receipt read pennies instead of talents. Talents were worth significantly more. This meant he had just agreed to give me back the book for less money than he had bought it for.
    My satisfaction damped itself when it occurred to me how foolish all of this was. Pennies or talents, I wouldn't have enough money to buy the book back in two span. If everything went well I wouldn't even be in Tarbean tomorrow.
    Despite its uselessness, the receipt helped ease the sting of parting with the last thing I owned from my childhood. I blew on the paper, folded it carefully into a pocket, and collected my two silver talents. I was surprised when the man held out his hand to me.
     He smiled in an apologetic way. "Sorry about the note. But you didn't look like you'd be coming back." He gave a little shrug. "Here." He pressed a copper jot into my hand.
     I decided that he was not an altogether bad fellow. I smiled back at him and for a second I almost felt guilty about how I'd written the receipt.
    I also felt guilty about the three pens I'd stolen, but only for a second. And since there was no convenient way to give them back, I stole a bottle of ink before I left.

Fellow Bluffs:

Science Fiction Book Review Podcast

Brenda Loves Books

The Allure of Books

Good Books and Wine

Giraffe Days

Lurv a la Mode
The Book Smugglers

The Dairy Queen by: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2010-08-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

I was in a reading slump one day and ran into a post over at Leila's blog. A friend had written in and said:

"I'm trying to choose a book to read to a group of 16-18-yr-old girls. They're my summer campers, I read them a book every year - usually featuring a strong, funny female protagonist. Do you have any ideas for a book I could reasonably read out loud in 5 or 6 days?"

    Leila recommended Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock and then opened it up for any other suggestions from her readers. Lots of readers chimed in while I feverishly scribbled down titles and authors adding many books to my TBR pile. Feeling like a kid at a candy store not knowing which sweets to try first I decided to settle down with Dairy Queen.
D.J. Schwenk has taken over the responsibilities of the old farm, milking fourteen times a week and keeping the ancient barn that probably belongs in a museum up and running. When Brian Nelson, the lazy Hawley back-up quarter back is sent to the Schwenk farm to learn some good old work ethic D.J. wonders what she ever did in the past life to deserve such bad luck.
    With two older brothers away being college football stars, a father with a broken hip, a mother running herself to the ground with being a teacher/substitute principal and a little brother who is almost mute D.J. can't help but compare herself to the cows she milks twice a day.
    Armed with an inner voice like Oprah Winfrey, a best friend who can make you laugh until your insides hurt and an absurd wish to join the football team D.J. has her ducks quite set out for her.

I'm not one who's too big on the sports reads or much on the farming ones for that matter, but make no mistake when I say this book is the stuff of awesomeness. With D.J.'s wit, humor, and personality she hits the description of "a strong funny, female protagonist" on the head. Dairy Queen was a treat that had me going back for seconds. I couldn't believe this was Murdock's debut novel, she got D.J.'s voice spot on, so much I thought she was a cow farmer or sports player herself, if not a teenager.
     While the book is filled with a light sarcastic air highlighted with D.J.'s awesome inner voice and personality, the book also has some weighty stuff. Being in a family where talking is, well, a rare occurrence if one at all D.J. isn't too surprised at her little brothers' silence. But why her brothers have never called home or even talked to the family since the fight with dad is still a mild surprise for D.J. While D.J. has her plate full with you know, running the farm and all at just 15 years old, her voice is never "woe is me" or self-pittying.
    This book is definitely going under my best discoveries of 2010 . Humor well written, is hard to find in books. So much of the humor is in the delivery of it, the sound of voice or visual that goes along with it, so reading it in books more often than not, is a hit and miss for me. This my friends was a definite hit. I am on my way now to pick up the sequel, Off Season. So run along, grab a milkshake with one of those nice bendy straws so that you can sip as you read.

This whole enormous deal wouldn't have happened, none of it, if Dad hadn't messed up his hip moving the manure spreader. Some people laugh at that, like Brian did. The first time I said Manure Spreader he bent in half, he was laughing so hard. Which would have been hilariously funny except that it wasn't. I tried to explain how important a manure spreader is, but it only made him laugh harder, in this really obnoxious way he has sometimes, and besides, you're probably laughing now too. So what. I know where you milk comes from, and your hamburgers.
I'll always remember the day it all started because Joe Namath was so sick. Dad names all his cows after football players. It's pretty funny, actually, going to the 4-H fair, where they list the cows by farm and name. right there next to "Happy Valley Buttercup" is "Schwenk Walter Payton," because none of my grandpas or great-grandpas could ever come up with a name for our place better than boring old "Scwenk Farm."

I'm not a big fan of the photographed people on the covers of books, but these ones aren't too bad, I actually really like them, well the first two anyway. generally speaking, I like it when there's a bit of ambiguity when it comes down to the specific characteristics of the cover models face, well because you build your own idea of the characters in your head when you read the book.

Linkage:
    Bookshelves of Doom
    Young Adult Book Reviews
    Persnickety Snark
    StephSu Reads
    Teens Read Too

Nick-Nacks and Winner!

2010-08-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

The winner to my 100+ follower Giveaway is Michelle over at The True Book Addict Congratulations!!!
Head over to her blog to have a look around!

Have you seen the cover to the 5th installment of the Diary of A Wimpy Kid Series?

I flipped through the first installment of these books in the book store and couldn't help but laugh at every page. I love this series! Thanks Scope Notes for the heads up. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth is due out Nov. 9 *yipeeee!*

Have you heard of the crazy YA fantasy show down that's going down? Thanks to Kate for the heads up and Heather for creating it! Alls I can say is if Katsa doesn't kick some serious Edward booty we might have to do some serious readjustments.

***On another side note, I don't know whether to call these posts "Nick-Nacks" or "Have you heard" . . . or for those of you who don't care for them can suggest something like "who cares" or "stop being lazy and do a book review"***

Zan-Gah by: Allan Richard Shickman

2010-08-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

Zan-Gah is a prehistoric adventure book that has received great reviews and many awards including the Mom's Gold Choice Award. I'm partial to historic fiction and a complete sucker for adventure reads so when I held this book in my hands I was more than ready to go.
Zan-Gah is a coming of age story. A lion causing havoc among the people has killed a little boy, bringing the quarrelsome clans together in the hunt to kill the lion. Zan, a lanky youth is allowed to join the hunt against his worrisome mothers' wishes and to everyone's surprise, as well as his own, Zan kills the lion. He is then given a new name, Zan-Gah.
It is not long after his new found respect and honor that Zan-Gah embarks on a mission to find and bring back his long lost twin brother Dael. Zan's mission is filled with remorse, triumph, imprisonment, and courage.
    Allan Richard Shickman did a wonderful job creating Zan's world. I felt like I was on a safari, seeing the planes of Africa or rocky deserts of Arizona. The clans were a treat to meet and learn about, the calmer Northen clan, or the peculiar violent Hru clan. Each clan had different norms and cultures.
    Zan was a courageous young man I enjoyed getting to know. The atmosphere of the land where Zan traveled was rich with character, where the grass grew, where the hot sun scorched, where the cacti bulged with promised liquid inside. The narrators voice felt a bit disjointed at times, leaving off phrases with exclamation points that didn't seem to fit. Almost as if it required a dramatic feel, but instead of creating it, the sentence just ended in the exclamation point. It left me puzzling over the lines to think of how I was supposed to voice it in my head.
    They occurred all over the book and so I assume it must be the voice in which the book is read, but I somehow never really got the lilt down. I enjoyed getting to know each new character, their different dynamics intrigued me I wanted to know more.
    The story was told as if at night by a campfire, everyone leaning in just a little bit to catch every word. While the cover might be begging for something more, Zan and his adventure held me and carried me along, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and following Zan on his next adventure.

Zan secretly blamed himself for Dael's disappearance. His grief struck him, not all at once, but little by little until it was a great weight on his heart. Dael was truly gone, and it seemed that Zan, like his mother, would never again be happy. It was as if an important part of himself were lost and he did not know where to look for it. Like Wumna he turned toward the sound of footsteps in hopeful expectation. Sometimes the brush of rustling leaves was enough to arrest his attention and make him look around, ready to rise in joy to receive someone--who was not there. Zan longed to share the story of the lion hunt with his brother--to show him the beautifu pelt and the spear still dark with blood. Dael did not yet know how staunchly he had faced the lioness, nor had he seen the scars of honor that were a record of Zan's bravery. He longed to tell Dael his new name, Zan-Gah, and how the great northern elder had given it to him. But mostly he wished he could throw his arm around Dael's shoulder and tell him that he was sorry.

____________________________________

Book Source: Review Copy from Publisher
____________________________________

LINKAGE:
    Spellbound By Books
    The Book Worm
    A Moment With Mystee
    Reading Vacation
    A Blog About Nothing
    Girl Without A Bookshelf
    Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
    A Diary of A Bookworm

You princesses think you got it bad

2010-08-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

A Reliable Wife By: Robert Goolrick

2010-08-02T23:44:00.000-07:00

I swung by Bookshleves of Doom for my daily dose a few days ago, and came across Leila's review of A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. I saw the word "Potboiler" pop up in that review and wondered what it meant. Well, after meeting the definition I wondered why anyone would read a book that was described as a Potboiler? And along these same lines if you were singing praises for it why would you describe it as

A ROUSING HISTORICAL POTBOILER,

-The Boston Globe

I mean am I right to come to the conclusion that the term Potboiler isn't exactly a compliment? Anyways, I then saw that Leila said she went into work the next day after reading the book and couldn't stop talking about it. Well then, if it had Leila talking about it all day at work, of course I had to read it.
Ralph Truitte stood in the freezing cold waiting for the train. It was late and he was impatient. His face and body gave nothing away, not his disappointment nor embarrassment he felt as it seemed the entire town sat there starring at him. A women had answered his add in the Chicago post asking for a "reliable wife". In fact a lot of women had, but only one stood out to him. "I am a simple honest woman..." the letter had said. However, as the woman Ralph came to pick up stepped off the train two things became immediately clear. Looking at her face she was anything but "simple", and well since it wasn't the woman in the picture he held in his pocket, it would seem she was anything but honest as well.

He looked at her without warmth or welcome.
"This begins in a lie. I want you to know I know that."

    If you think this is some kind of simple, predictable love story you are in for a rude awakening. A cold, dark, twisted awakening. Reading this book felt like I was back in my AP Lit class in high school. Like there were soon to be discussions and questions and a whole lot of parallels drawn. Like there were deeper meanings behind every relationship in the book and a whole lot more layers underneath everything else. And all these things kept circulating in my mind with every turn the novel took. One things for sure, Potboiler would be the last thing on earth I would use to describe this book. (poor quality of work hurriedly put together for profit? phhh I beg to differ)

    Goolrick's prose were beautiful, his vivid descriptions of Mrs. Larson's dishes were delectable, and oh the contrast between the old house and the luscious home Ralph built for his first wife made me swoon. The entire work was deeply atmospheric, the cold contrast between Wisconsin and the glowing city of Saint Louis, Ralphs recollections of his youth, his travels, the descriptions of the libraries and books Catherine lost herself in, the hidden garden and the lists, all of it pulled you in and added to the richness of the piece. The plot was filled with chutes and ladders and a whole lot of twists, that had me reeling and saying say what?!

    The characters were complex in their own way and real with their flaws and inadequacies. Although because the voice was omniscient it was hard for me to really feel close to any of the characters. With each of the characters it was more of a knowledge of their feelings, a description of them than a feeling of their feelings, does that make sense? The book itself is quite sensual, without being graphically Harlequin-esque, in fact at times it's quite chilling.

He wanted to slice her open and lay inside the warm blood of her body

That was one of the times that the breaks screeched and I was like, say what?! Along with passages that talked about the town's people waking up one morning and killing their wives, eating books, and killing their sons, well because, Such things happen. (There's a phrase you'll be all too familiar with before the end of the book.) Ralph Truitt is older, a lot older than Catherine and yet his lusts seem to shine bright as if he were still a teenage boy. I wondered to myself is this realistic? As I was paging through the back pages of the book Goolrick addresses this in the interview.

     The most interesting question came from a young man in his thirties who asked me to discuss the relationship between love and aging. We think when we're young that, as we get older, our passions and enthusiasms will fade, will lose their hold on us, and we will enter into some more gentle phase. I don't find it to be true. Our passions, in fact, intensify, like a sauce that has been reduced to its essence by a long slow simmering over a low flame.


   Goolrick mentions Michael Lesy's Wisconsin Death Trip as one of the major inspirations for his novel. The book no doubt held my interest, I finished it in one sitting and then sat there pondering. I liked the book. I'm not completely head over heals about it, but one things for sure, it lingered with me, it makes me want to talk about it. I thought of John Steinbeck on a few occasions as I was reading. Leila thought of DuMaurier's Rebecca. What are your feelings? Am I just a weird potboiler lover?

LINKAGE:
   In Favor--
Estella's Revenge
    Bookalicious
    The Roy Girls Read
    The Book Lady's Blog
    Booking Mama
Dolce Bellezza
    Skrishnasbooks

Not so much/or somewhere in the middle---
Mere Musings
Lola's Reviews

What's your fancy? Book Covers

2010-07-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

The YAYAYA'S post about Fire Covers got me thinking about book covers. What sets the trends for them? We have all seen the trend of dark, shadowed, forlorn covers hit the YA section of the bookstores with a vengeance when the pandemonium of Twilight hit. Indeed I thought I'd need a flash light to venture through that dark abyss of pitch black covers. Then 100 Scope Notes featured this article, from Publishers Weekly portraying the latest trends of book covers as a fashion show. fun yes? My question to you is, which book cover trend tickles your fancy?

Is it the florals?

Or maybe your more of a foliage type of person

How 'bout time period costumes?

Maybe you like the drama of wind swept hair

Or maybe you'd prefer the wind beneath some wings

Other times it's all in the hands

(All Book cover art is from the article, check it out to see more!)

So tell me, what book cover trends are your favorite? Which ones not so much?

Sevenwaters Series BY: Juliet Marilier Peek-a-Boo Review

2010-07-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Kate over at The Never Ending Shelf's short reviews called Book Views, Peek-a-Boo Reviews are short reviews (mostly just my thoughts) on books that are piling up on my night stand waiting to have their reviews written up. This Peek-a-Boo review covers all four books

Sevenwaters Series BY: Juliet Marrilier

So I have just discovered the lovely Juliet Marrilier and her awesome Sevenwaters series. AMAZING I tell you, truly amazing. (I don't know why I'm doing my Peek-a-Boo reviews on books that so obviously deserve their own full post--if not blog. I'll probably end up doing a full post later on) I keep asking myself why, why did I deny myself of such goodness for so long? These books quickly won place in my Best of 2010 reads hands down. Daughter of The Forest pulled me down and drowned me in it's awesomeness. Sorcha was such a beautiful character, she had such a hard task to fulfill, but she stuck with it with her quiet steadfast way. It was this first book that started the spell and kept me enraptured with this close knit Sevenwaters family and their fabled forest. The second installment, Son of The Shadows brought the story of Sorcha's daughter, Liadan. Liadan is much like her mother, quiet and attentive. She acquired her mother's skill of healing and even some of her own, becoming a seer. Liadan's story stole my heart away hook line and sinker. Liadan's strength to defy the fair folk and the prophecy, choosing to make her own life's decisions made my heart sing. This one was definitely a passionate read. Juliet Marrillier just keeps on getting better!

The third installment Child of the Prophecy started out rocky--- I didn't warm up to the main character Fainne until the wee last pages of the book, and even then, hmmmm. Her endless lament of "And if they die/ If things don't work out---it'll all be my fault" ground on my nerves, "Then Do something!" I found myself saying. Fainne's inaction at every turn made me want to pull my eyebrows out. (scary thought, me eyebrowless) Every time she lamented "I didn't have a choice" I always felt she did, I felt she could've took more action, stood taller, refused longer. While the protagonists was harder to warm up to, the story itself did not falter one bit, Juliet Marillier's talent shines through. Even when the main character ground on my nerves I still had to keep reading because never once did the writing and the story fail me, it was just that good, now if that isn't good writing you tell me what is.

The fourth installment Heir of Sevenwaters put me back into good spirits. Clodagh, daughter of Sean of Sevenwaters is put to a task. The fair folk that made a pact with the family of Sevenwaters have now left, no one knowing where they went and leaving the forest open for others to come in their place. Clodagh knows that her path will eventually cross with these new comers and she doesn't know how she'll deal with them. I loved Clodagh, unlike Fainne, Sorcha, or Liadan, she has no "special" talents other than being good at running a house hold. Often being told she'd "make a good wife for someone someday". I relished the journey I took with Clodagh. Marillier's writing will have you spell-bound, and this family of Sevenwaters stole my heart from the very first book like a thief in the night. (You guys picking up on all the cliche's in this post yet?) Seer of Sevenwaters, the next installment to this beautiful series is due out in December! *yippeeee*

The Blog Hop

2010-07-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer over at
Crazy-For-Books! It's a lovely meme where

bloggers get to meet and greet each other "hopping" around through blogs. It runs all weekend so what are you waiting for? Hop On!!!

So the question for this week is:

"Tell us about the book your reading!"

I've actually just barley started Robin McKinley's Rose Daughter, like quite literally, I just now opened the cover. I don't know what it's about, but am excited to read it, I've been a Robin McKinley fan for a while and so I'm not worried. What're you reading?

***Also Click Here to enter bookshelf giveaway***

Magic Bleeds BY: Ilona Andrews, Peek-a-Boo Review

2010-07-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Peek-a-Boo Review: short review--mostly just my thoughts

Magic Bleeds BY: Ilona Andrews

The Kate series by husband and wife duo Ilona Andrews is a series that is fast becoming more popular, and rightfully so. I'm not a series kind of reading gal but this one has served me well. The thing I like about these books is they progress. Kate over comes obstacles, and things are taken care of. Now that doesn't say that things are always ended neat with a happily ever after, it means that in book 4 you're not dealing with the same problems as you did in book 1. Ilona posted something about this on their awesome blog. She said especially dealing with series things needed to progress. You need to be moving somewhere, the issue of Kate's and Curran's relationship needed to be resolved, were they going to be together or not. The interest was piqued in book1 and the tension built in book 2, then in book 3 all us readers were nearly mad with anticipation, they had to choose! In book 4 the issue is resolved. That isn't the only thing either though. While Kate's lineage has always been one of interest and of grave danger, it is always progressing. We learn more about it, what is the story of Kate's father, who is Kate's mother, where does this leave Kate? The issues and problems that Kate deals with progress and are addressed, it's not always the same monster under the bed that we deal with. That being said, in this installment, Kate gets introduced to more interesting familial bonds, she might've just lost her job forever and like I said before, this whole Curran business needs to be dealt with. . . and so it is. I will say this, it seems like Kate is always either gonna loose her job, or lost it, she's always on her 100th work hour with blood, mud stained jeans, and yet she still has plenty more work to do.

No, no nnnnoooo

2010-07-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

How come every time I see photos of the making of Water for Elephants I cringe and find myself saying "No, no, nnnoooooo"

A Conspiracy of Kings By: Megan Whalen Turner, Peek-a-Boo Review

2010-07-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

When I do a review for a book I usually have to do it right after I finish the book, or close to it or else I forget things that stood out to me or things I especially want to mention. Sometimes life happens and books that I've read begin to stack up and then sometimes I blanch at the idea of writing up all those reviews and instead opt to bury myself in yet another book as to not think of the current problem at hand. (avoid it and it'll go away, smart I know) Peek-a-Boo reviews are short reviews---mostly just my thoughts--for some of the books that are stacking up on my night stand waiting to get a review written up.

A Conspiracy of Kings BY: Megan Whalen Turner

Ok by everything that is right and good in this world Megan Whalen Turner deserves a full review for anything she touches. But see this in turn is such a daunting task I cower when I'm put to the task to write up a review for her. How can you put into words the summation of such an impeccable series? Such awesome Brilliance? I just don't know. I read this fourth installment to the awesome thief series a while ago and yes as most everyone has lamented before I was a bit disappointed when this book was not to focus on the swoon-worthy Eugenidese but of the heir to Sounis, Sophos.
The brilliance that is MWT was all up in this book, through and through, I mentally reprimanded myself with being such a spoiled nut and putting up a fit for this book not being about Gen because to be given the chance back into this world of brilliance is Christmas enough for anyone. Yes you do see Gen and all his awesomeness as well as his lovely Queen of Attolia, Irene. And while that woman I feel doesn't get enough love from all the fan base, I salute and totally love her. I'd love to hear her story. It makes me reminiscent of my Tamora Peirce days of strong heroines, thinking about her story. You go Irene! If you haven't taken a sip of this brilliance, gulp don't sip.

TWoow Wuve and Happily Ever After

2010-07-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

So today I was thinking about happily ever afters and TWooow Wuve. What happens when real life settles in? What happens after the dragons are slain, the princess is saved, and the village is once again restored to peace? The photo gallery Fallen Princesses came to my mind from the photographer Dina Goldstein. The pictures themselves are quite sobering, dark even but what an interesting take. Here are some from Fallen Princesses

Ariel on display in a tank.

Rapunzel with Cancer.

Sleeping Beauty who never woke up.

Snow White after the seven dwarfs.

Bell getting plastic surgery and Botox.

While this definitely puts a controversial slant on these princesses you can't help but wonder what does happen after The happily ever after. Do you like your happily ever afters? Are you content with ending there? or are you one of those readers who wants to know what happens after the HEA. What happens after they kill the beast, after they find true love, after the battle is won.

100 Follower Giveaway! Thank you CSN Stores

2010-07-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

The lovely people over at CSN Stores contacted me recently and asked if I would review one of their products or host a giveaway. (I know cool or what?) I was simply giddy with excitement and chose to do the giveaway in honor of my 100+ followers. In response they offered this awesome corner shelf for the giveaway! CSN Stores have an amazing collection of bedroom furniture sets that make me want to jump right back into bed and laze the day away. The cool thing? There's so much more! Check them out, they have over 200 stores online that you can browse!

I have met so many awesome people with this blog and book community I don't know what I'd do without you all. Not to mention all the lovely book recommendations as well!

So again much heartfelt thanks!

Simply fill out this form

to enter!

Thank you and good luck to you all!!!

Contest ends August 7 at Midnight
Open to US and CANADA

(sorry international, I will host a book giveaway later that will be open internationally)

Obernewtyn by: Isobelle Carmody

2010-07-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

    I'm not quite sure how I came across this book, but as I was getting ready for a weekend trip last week, I shrugged my shoulders and slipped it into my purse for the long drive ahead.

    Obernewtyn is a dystopian novel telling of a world that had been shattered by a gruesome chemical holocaust,leaving a zealous council in its wake. Overly cautious of anything different, the council holds a firm hand over "misfits" those born with unnatural abilities, being able to read minds, thoughts, or impressions. The council burns the unnatural misfits at the stake for the sake of religion, safety and peace.
Those who aren't burnt at the stake are sent to Obernewtyn, a facility far away in the mountains where "misfits" are taken in to be treated for their illnessess.
When Elsepth Gordie a "misfit" and an orphan is sent to Obernewtyn she discovers all is not as it may seem here in the mountains. What are the secrets held here between these walls at Obernewtyn, if these treatments for the misfits are so effective why hasn't anyone seen any cured misfits? Why didn't anyone who went to go see the doctor come back as they were before, and what did Rushton, the overseer of the stables have to do with anything up in the main building of Obernewtyn?


    This book seemed to be held together with but a thread, precariously wrapped around storyline, character, and theme. It took me a while to get into the book, but got much easier as I continued to read. While not my favorite book it still held merit. The characters didn't seem as tangible to me. While yes I got to know Elsepth Gordie her trials and triumphs didn't seem as deep as they could've or should've been. The shock of having an ability that was so forbidden even to the cause of death at the stake or banishment to the fabled Obernewtyn never really registered to me through Elsepth. Yes there was fear there that she felt, but never really the horrified realization that I would suspect from someone in her position.

There were other characters I would've loved to know better and certain details I would've liked to get a better understanding of. For instance, the misfits and their abilities. Once you discovered that you were a misfit were you able to hone your powers automatically? Or did you have to be trained, schooled, and guided how best to use your abilities. It seemed with Elsepth and some other misfits that while their abilities were such a forbidden curse they still knew the intricacies about their abilities, what they could and couldn't do.

One particular incident stood out to me, Elsepth's brother was able to do something that seemed too far fetched to be believable so no one dared to, and yet in a moment of total despair and anger Elsepth put together her strength and determination and knew how it was done and simply did it. While yes this could've been just one of those moments that takes those leaps of faith, I would've liked to see her explore, slowly piece together the path or even unknowingly but faithfully deal her cards, but instead it was a light bulb that went off, a revelation that she just knew. So that little rubarb of debate is just one of taste, not really anything of stuff, just my preference with that little incident. I wish Carmody explored Rushton's character more, I wanted to laugh with Matthew and know Daemons story. I wanted to know Selmar and Cameo better, how they were before the doctor "treated" them and who exactly that creepy little Ariel was.

As I said before, while this book wasn't my cup of tea the story was still engaging, the mystery of Obernewtyn kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what secrets it held. The odd and sinister characters that I was able to meet from the fabled facility up in the mountains dutifully made my skin crawl. I read that Isobelle Carmody actually wrote this book while in high school and to that I salute. I don't think I could ever sit still long enough in high school to write more than ten pages, let alone a novel. Carmody has received many awards for her writing and has been cemented in the forefront of fantasy writers in Australia. Many have a special love for this series and to that I'm happy. There are many books that I admire and hold dear that are anything but and yet I still love them. I'm sure we all have some of those that we keep dear. So to all who love this series cheers! For those who don't you may pull up a chair and we can discuss, and for those who haven't read it yet but are curious check out the linkage.

LINKAGE:

See Michele Read

I was a teenage Book Geek

Royal Reviews

Daughter of The Forest by: Juliet Marillier

2010-07-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

    This book is truly special. It sends my heart in a pitter-patter just thinking about it. As I wrapped myself up in this tale that lingered with me like body heat on a blanket, I kept on asking myself over and over why this treasure hasn't been shown it's due. Why isn't this book displayed on shelves? Plastered on posters? Being passed out like sweets as it should be? Because in all honesty it was kind of an accident that I even stumbled upon it. It took me a few tries to start this one (thanks to my book slump) but when I finally sat down to read this hidden treat, I tell you my friends I couldn't put it down.

    Synopsis: Loosely based on the fairy tale of the six swans by the Brothers Grimm, (an old Celtic tale) Daughter of the Forest brings you a stalwart king, his six sons and seventh child, daughter Sorcha. When their evil step mother turns all six brothers into swans that are only able to return for an allotted time twice a year, it is up to Sorcha to set them free. With the high price of complete silence Sorcha must weave six shirts from a stinging thorny plant and place them on her brothers so that they might walk again as humans.
    While the outline sounds simple enough, I assure you, this amazingly written piece of works holds so much more.

    One of the first things that stuck out to me in this book, and then continued to glue me to it's pages was the warm relationship between Sorcha and her six brothers. How close they were, how concerned they were for one another, the relationship they shared with one another that words need not always be the relayer of messages was down right awesome.
    The characters were beautifully written. The brothers each were their own, and Sorcha. Oh Sorcha, how I cried with you, laughed with you and oh how I loved with you. Sorcha's love interest and her do not fall head over heals into each others arms at first glance. No their love was one of journey, of hurt, of trust, of laughter and of so much more.
Each new character I met was well drawn out. Red, a strong leader doing what's right. Simon and his inner turmoil and nightmares from torture, Janis the cook whom I could imagine only too well in her kitchen amidst her pots of soup and pans of hot cakes. I do wish the step mother was explored a little deeper but don't have any quarrels with what Marillier did explore.
   Finding out Juliet Marillier wrote this book based loosely on the Brothers Grim tale of The Six Swans made me want to go out and read the fairy tale. Folklore of any kind interests me. I loved reading about the Fairy Folk and the gods and goddesses in this book. Sorcha was a wonderful character that was tangible, and real, shortcomings and all. Her hurt was very real to me, as was her happiness. This book wasn't a half hearted read that you could lazily flip through. While yes it's a comfort read it also captures you and takes more time to read than just your off the cuff fluff read. While slow on the get go this book will take you on wonders---don't you dare close your eyes.

Linkage:
     Slip Carefully
    Nose in a Book
    It's All About Books
    One Librarian's Book Reviews
     Book Love Affair

Silver Borne by: Patricia Briggs

2010-07-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned one of my favorite urban fantasy series---if not my favorite--- is the Mercy Thompson series? So you can only imagine the excitement I felt as I held the latest installment in my eager little hands.

Synopsis This is book #5 in the series and while dedicated to her shop, working as a car mechanic Mercy can’t ever seem to find herself out of trouble. Dealing with the Fae is sticky, oey, goey business and Mercy has found herself in the thick of it when she tries to return a book she borrowed from a friend. The simple book seems to be so much more than what it appears when Mercy finds her friends’ bookshop closed up and all kind of fey inquiring after the book with alarming interest. Still, Mercy has other problems as well. Her long time friend Samuel is having problems. Wolf problems. Doing this whole werewolf thing lone wolf without the strength and support of a pack is wearing on him, and considering his very old age on top of his isolation calls for well warranted caution, even to the point of swift justice, for both the safety of himself but especially for those around him. Even more chilling for Mercy is the stone cold realization that someone is using the pack bond to jeopardize her new and precarious bond with her mate, the local pack Alpha Adam. Whoever is using the bond is making Mercy do things she would never do, leaving her horrified as to how helpless and vulnerable she is to another’s whim.

Review: Let me tell you my friends as I’ve said time and time before, Ms. Briggs never fails to perform. Her work warrants high standards and she meets them time and time again with each new book.These series are action packed, but with reason. It isn't just a hay day with fey and vampire going at each other and a sprinkling of werewolf's just for good measure. Patricia Briggs is a masterful story teller, and you see this through her work where her talent truly shines. So while these books are fast paced, the story that propels the action is always in the for front, there is reason to each dip and turn Ms. Briggs makes in her books.

The main character Mercy, is my kind of heroine. She has grown so much from the first book in the series and continues to do so. Being the Alpha's mate she is required to take up a more prominent position in the pack, which she does with timid confidence and shining courage. Being a coyote shifter in a pack of werewolf's is intimidating enough, but being the Alpha's mate and cemented high up in the packs hierarchy above other werewolf's is a whole 'nother can of worms. A whole can of worms Mercy is willing to not even bat an eyelash at if it's what it takes to be with Adam.

The folklore that is the history of the fey is intriguing and I am always delighted when Ms. Briggs weaves their lore into the story. Learning also the culture of the pack and the vampires is equally intriguing. Originally a high fantasy author Patricia Briggs has made a seamless cross over to an urban fantasy author, one that deserves well worth praise.

The Mercy Thompson covers are one of my favorite, and the artist Dan Dos Santos is an easy favorite as well. You can often see me singing his praises any chance I get, and wherever his art work is you can bet I'm there. These books are one of those rare finds where the beautiful covers match the masterful work inside. So, without further ado have at it and enjoy! Much goodness to ensue.

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