December Rewind

Aloha! 

How was your Christmas and New Year's? Hanukah? Kwanzaa? We're flying back tonight after a decadent seven-day holiday in O'ahu, Hawai'i. It's perfect reading environment here, you guys. I'm certainly not looking forward to going home to wintry Winnipeg. I wish we could move here! I'll keep this short and sweet as my December has been crazy busy with life, so much so that I've sort of neglected blogging for a bit. 

READ & REVIEWED BOOKS

December 1 - Untraceable by SR Johannes

                 3 - Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

                 3 - Legend by Marie Lu

                 3 - Sophie & Carter by Chelsea Fine

                 5 - Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

                 5 - Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

                 7 - Say Not What If by Andrew Friedman

                 8 - Devil's Kiss by Chadda Sarwat

               10 - Madly & Wolfhardt by M. Leighton

               11 - Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

               13 - A Million Suns by Beth Revis

               14 - Existence by Abbi Glines

               15 - Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe

               15 - The Taming by Teresa Toten & Nick Walters

               17 - Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

               22 - Face of a Maiden by Emma Wildes

               24 - Brightest Kind of Darkness by PT Michelle

               25 - Touch by Jus Accardo

               27 - Slide by Jill Hathaway

               28 - The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith

               28 - Reason to Breathe by Rebbeca Donovan

               30 - Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

Average Rating for the Month of December: 3.54 out of 5 Stars

Recommended Reads from December:  THE TAMING, BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS, A MILLION SUNS AND TOUCH. 

CONTEST WINNERS:

               Jo won a copy of Untraceable by SR Johannes

Yiota Yiotini won a pre-order of The Taming by Teresa Toten & Nick Walters

COMING UP IN JANUARY

There's a contest on the blog right now where you can win 21 books in one shot. It'll be a great addition or a starter set for your bookshelf! If you haven't entered yet, you've got a bit of time since the contest will run for the entire month of January. Remember: You must be a GFC follower to win. I've noticed some entrants who have tweeted and commented on the contest but are not following the blog. Just...FYI :)

I've planned to keep giving away books that have received a 5 Star rating on the blog, so keep watching for those. As always, I love to hear your thoughts and your comments is the fuel that keeps this blog going. Please feel free to tell me to shut up or leave me some love :) 

I really have nothing going on for January - no tours of any kind. This is going to be a long winter but I've got a ton of books to keep me from Cabin Fever. I've joined a couple of challenges for 2012 and I can't wait to jump right in! I think I've bored you enough. Here's to a fruitful 2012, fellow bookworms!

How was your 2011?

Review: Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

Publication Date: January 2^nd, 2012

Little, Brown Books for Young Children

Format: Hardback, 392 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Nastasya has lived for hundreds of years, but for some reason, life never seems to get any better. She left her spoiled, rich girl life to find peace at River's Edge, a safe haven for wayward immortals. There, she learned to embrace River's Edge, despite some drama involving the sexy Reyn, who she wants but won't allow herself to have. But just as she's getting comfortable, her family's ties to dark magick force her to leave.

She falls back into her old, hard partying ways, but will her decision lead her into the hands of a dark immortal? Or will it be her first step to embracing the darkness within her?

It seems like it has been forever since I've read Immortal Beloved, the predecessor of this book. I needed a refresher course - I had to think really hard and try to remember the cast and the story line of the series. I can only remember loving Immortal Beloved. Sadly, Darkness Falls wasn't quite successful in conjuring up the same enthusiasm. 

Firstly, I don't remember being this annoyed with Nastasya. Was she really this...well, shallow? I just can't reconcile the personality of a person who'd been around more four hundred some odd years to this person who had the mind set of a seventeen year old. She'd had lovers - many in her lifetime and yet the way she acted around Reyn didn't really show any maturity on her part.  I applaud the author for giving her some genuine voice characteristic of a teen but you'd think Nas would've shown a bit more of her immortal age. And while her innermost thoughts were entertaining at best, I also had some moments when I had to say, are you for real?!

The magick/wizardry/witchcraft in this book is still signature Cate Tiernan. Well-evolved and ingenious. This novel moved a bit slow for me. It's hard to continue on when I couldn't care less what happens next in the story. I wanted to give up but Reyn kept pulling me in - even if he was less than visible in this book. I think I could count in one hand how many times he was involved in the story. 

I finally got what River's Edge was. It's a rehab for dark magicians wanting to change their old ways by going back to basics. The therapy is of course, unconventional but it was fun to see how Nas slowly saw the errors of her ways. She's not fully changed but she's getting there. I'm also glad that she's finally realizing she had to face this thing with Reyn and that she's hopefully rid of Ince for real. *crosses fingers*

Overall, I read this book to pass the time. I liked it enough but wasn't overly enthusiastic about it. I hope the next one will be better. 

Review: Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

Publication Date: May 9^th, 2011

Self-Pub

Format: Kindle Edition

RATING: 1 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…

Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible a secret.

Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

I have deliberated whether or not to go ahead and actually write a review for this book because I know beforehand that this is going be ugly. Reading this book made me angry. Abuse is such a delicate, serious subject matter and this novel failed to highlight the difficult situations that abused people go through. Don't get me wrong, the physical and verbal mistreatments that Emma went through was graphic and hard to take but what it failed to show was that ANY victim has hope and the ability to help themselves.

This book was drawn-out. In spite of all the abuse, Emma still found it in her to go to successions of parties - even, take note, A HOOK UP PARTY.  It offended me that Emma's story focuses more on her inner struggle to stay away from the hot guy when her life was in danger on a daily basis. Then, when she got mad because the hot guy was finally getting wind of what was happening to her, she turned to another guy and decided that this other guy was better for her than the one who actually cared. WHAT.THE.EFFITY. It's so messed up. Why did I keep reading, you ask? Simple. I wanted to know that Emma actually found a way out of her miserable life - but she didn't.

Emma Thomas is probably one of the most irritating characters I've ever read. Her weakness and naivete made me furious. Her reason for not reporting the abuse? Weak at best. She was trying to protect her cousins from the reality that their mother (Emma's aunt) was a monster but heck, they already know. She even said it in the beginning of the novel. The other reason was that she was terrified that the kids will be taken away from their home - okay, I'll give her that. But who's to say that her aunt is not capable of doing the same thing to her kids? Wouldn't it be better if she'd cried foul now and save her cousins from perhaps, an inevitable fate? She had a way out but because she's blind and naive, she believed the best of the monsters that she called her aunt and uncle. And really, this is what I don't get. There's to be a sequel. I'm asking WHY, when the entire book was wasted on stories about parties, makeovers and jealous, petty teens? The abuse just kind of took a backseat.

I also don't get how her so-called best friend knew about the abuse and yet she was more worried about Emma's anger than perhaps, Emma's life. This girl was beaten with any object her aunt could get her hands on. She's taken blows to the head, she's been poisoned, and thrown against a glass door, cutting her everywhere. I'm pretty sure her parents would gladly take Emma in if she moved out. But she chose not to do anything about it. Is this really the reality of the people related to an abused party? Do we really just stand by and watch it happen over and over again? I hope not. We report animal abuse, for pete's sake. When do we actually stop and say, I'm sorry but you're not that clumsy. You don't hit the door or fall down the stairs, or trip over air on a regular basis. 

This review is difficult to write. I hate offending people simply because I wanted to express my opinion.  I don't know the author's background. I don't know if she's speaking from experience and I meant no disrespect, but this novel failed completely. The way Emma's story was told made light of her situation. It was a waste of my time and my anger. What is the whole point of this book? What is the moral lesson I can take as I walk away from this? The answer is NOTHING. I walked away furious because Emma was in a more perilous situation than when she started. The abusive aunt didn't get what she deserved.

I am a part of a minority who didn't like this book. You can take this review for what it is but at the end of the day, the only opinion that matters is yours.

Review: The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith

Publication Date: March 4^th, 2008

Simon & Schuster

Format: Hardcover, 240 pages

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

The last place Ryan Walsh should be this afternoon is on a train heading to Wrigley Field. She should be in class, enduring yet another miserable day of her first year of high school. But for once, Ryan isn't thinking about what she should be doing. She's not worried about her lack of friends, or her suffering math grade, or how it's been five whole years since the last time she was really and truly happy. Because she's finally returning to the place that her father loved, where the two of them spent so many afternoons cheering on their team. And on this -- the fifth anniversary of his death -- it feels like there's nowhere else in the world she should be.

Ryan is once again filled with hope as she makes her way to the game. Good luck is often hard to come by at a place like Wrigley Field, but it's on this day that she meets Nick, the new kid from her school, who seems to love the Cubs nearly as much as she does. But Nick carries with him a secret that makes Ryan wonder if anyone can ever really escape their past, or believe in the promise of those reassuring words: "Wait till next year." Is it too much for Ryan to hope that this year, this season, might be her comeback season?

I always have a difficult time reviewing books about grief - this book in particular, is even harder. I can't quite reconcile my feelings toward the main character. On the one hand, I truly feel for her. Ryan's inability to move forward five years after her father's death deserves all my sympathy. On the other, and forgive me if I may sound a bit callous, but to be inside Ryan's head was painful in a way that didn't have anything to do with her grief. We see her struggle day in and day out with the memories of her dad, the life lessons he'd imparted through baseball euphemisms, and everybody else's capability to move on, leaving her seemingly stagnant in her own depressed state. I wanted to take her by the shoulders and tell her to snap out of it. I wanted her to see that whatever she was doing was the exact opposite of how her father would want her to do. I get it, truly I do. You cannot possibly know what a person is going through unless you've actually been there. But that doesn't mean that she had my full empathy.

This book is really about life's inevitable disappointments - and what better way to immortalize life's heartaches than the Cubs' merry-go-round of curses and heartbreaks? I'm a bit of a sports nut myself, so I understand the emotions we go through with every wins and every losses. I just have never actually applied it in reality. The author either did her homework well, or she wrote from experience. This book is rich in sports history and psychology euphemisms - some a bit more clichéd than others. But the beauty of it all is that the author, in one way or another, gave it a fresh new take that it didn't induce some justified eye rolls.

I also loved that even though Ryan was always on the outside looking in, she couldn't care less either way. She didn't spend her time grumbling about her isolation in school and at home, she just accepted it the way it is. It was her choice, after all. And really, this is where I'm feeling the most conflicted about our character. I have this certain admiration for her but at the same time, it wasn't easy to ignore her defeatist attitude.

A lot of people have cried over this book; it was an emotional read after all. I would too had I known Nick's eventual fate. And I don't know, it was just not as draining a read as I thought it would be. I also wish that the author didn't leave the ending in such a manner. It was vague that I didn't get any resolution. But you need to read this book and take it for what it is.

Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Publication Date: March 27^th, 2012

Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins

Format: ARC, 250 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

I'm having quite a conundrum. While I can appreciate the originality of the whole sliding business and the suspenseful whodunnit mysteries patent in this book, there is a certain disorganization in the plot events that was unable to hold my initial enthusiasm over this book. I can understand the need to give us a taste of what sliding was like for Vee but I thought that the author didn't quite succeed in providing a cohesiveness to the events necessary to have a smooth, well-told story.

I found that Vee spent so much time agonizing about what she should do than actually doing what she's supposed to do. I can understand her reluctance to a degree. After all, the realization that she had the ability to change things came late in the game. She didn't actually decide her course of action until there was only about less than a quarter left to the book. And even then, the author just kind of glanced over the fact, it wasn't really discussed in a detailed manner. A great quality of a murder/mystery novel is the methodical way in which it was solved. Unfortunately, Slide was lacking in this department. A lot of the fact finding hinges on Vee's abilities so really, the clues were mostly to the letter that they leave less to the imagination of the reader.  I'm a bit disappointed in the randomness of her ability as well.  There wasn't any scientific or even any mystical explanations given. It was just...there. 

The predictability factor in this book was also too transparent - and I'm not talking about the eventual murderer. I thought that the author tried too hard to sway me into believing the credibility of the obvious suspects that it hindered my enjoyment of actually solving the puzzle right along with Vee.

There was an over all coldness - aloofness with all the characters here. It's difficult to sympathize to anyone when it seems like they don't really want you to feel anything for them. That's pretty much how I felt about everyone in this book. The characters failed to grab me. Most of the reviews on Goodreads were liking Vee to Veronica Mars. Unfortunately, I've seen nary an episode so I can't really say whether or not I agree. I have griped about the high school stereo-types over and and over again and Slide was full of them. But. BUT. Slide's use of these typecasting is forgivable because the story actually revolved around the high school society echelon.

To summarize, this book just didn't hit the spot. It was a good read but not a great one.

Review: Touch by Jus Accardo

Publication Date: November 1^st, 2011

Engtangled Publishing

Format: Paperback, 251 pages

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

December 24, 2011, 4:42 pm - Somewhere over the Pacific: In Which I Decided Not to Finish Reading Touch.

Technically speaking, this book was written flawlessly that it deserved a five star rating. But because I’m an emotional reader, the character’s actions and how he or she made me feel are usually directly proportionate to how I rate a book.  I’m seething and I haven’t even finished reading. It’s very unfortunate because this book had me entranced right up until the dreaded love triangle was introduced. After that, I was just pissed. I don’t know if I should continue.

I can understand the emotional state she was in. She was going through grief of different kinds and to be able to have something to anchor her down was a plausible, acceptable course of action. What she did, however, just infuriated me. I don’t expect a perfect character but I do expect some consistencies in his or her traits. Why, oh why does love make us weak? Gah. Her sporadic childishness irked me. 

Nowadays, I wish books would come with a disclaimer: WARNING: LOVE TRIANGLE AHEAD. PROCEED WITH CAUTION…OR RUN AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN.

This review was frustrating to write. I loved Kale. I felt for him. I love his innocence and his intensity. I love reading about his wonders of the world he knew nothing about. And at the beginning of the novel, I have admired Dez. But things took a turn for the worse. Suddenly, Dez’s actions and reasons started to grate on my nerves. Again, unfortunate because, seriously? This was a fantastic take on Marvel Comics' mutants. Nay, I say this book's genetically enhanced mutants has much better abilities than the X-Men. Yes, I went there.  I love reading each one of the Sixes’ powers. This novel is resonant of Shatter Me, only with more details and a lot more twists and ultimately - BETTER. I’m so mad that I’m letting that one element of the story get to me. It threw a monkey wrench on what had began as a great story.

_________________________________________________________

December 24, 2011, 5:53 pm - Somewhere over the Pacific: Wherein I Ate Crow. 

I always sound like an a$$ when I write something at the heat of the moment. But I'm a big enough person to admit when I'm wrong. This is one of those momentous occasions. I previously gave this book a ONE STAR rating and decided to flounced on it. But as I sat in my Economy Plus seat, going over this book in my head, there's this gnat of guilt that was quickly eating away at me. So I picked it up again and plowed on.

I'm an idiot. I'm glad I kept going. If I were you, I'd completely ignore the first part of this review and go read this book. Love triangle schmiangle. I'm sorry this review is full of spoilers but I need to say what I needed to say. Touch is full of awesome - even with the love triangle, and hey, you know what? It wasn't even a LOVE TRIANGLE. So yes, don't let this deter you from reading this book. This book is action-packed, infused with romance that was sweet and sizzling for the most part. It's HEROES, X-MEN, SHATTER ME all rolled into one. This is definitely one of those can't-afford-to-miss reads.

Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Publication Date: June 27^th, 2011

P.T. Michelle

Format: Kindle Edition

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

This is Final Destination less the gore; The Numbers by Rachel Ward less the dark themes - it was the marriage of both which made this book that much more appealing. If you're thinking that this book will be lacking in suspense and, or will be tame, think again. PT Michelle found a median in which she told this story without losing any of the thrilling elements found in both aforementioned works. The realistic romance, the mystery surrounding Nara's abilities and her constant meddling with fate made for some gripping read.

I have this habit of reading multiple books simultaneously in the hopes that I'll find something so compelling that I wouldn't want to stop reading until I devoured the entire thing. I think I had about five on the go when I finally settled on this book. I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this.

Nara can see disasters, mishaps, heartbreaks of the following day through her dreams. She has the power to help - change the course of fate for the people around her. But there is a hefty price she has to pay for her interference and Fate is determined to exact the proper cost. After she prevented one major disaster to happen, her power to see the future starts to fade. And then she meets Ethan - and the dreams stopped coming altogether. Ethan is like Nara's personal dream catcher, able to absorb her nightmares and dreams that usually plague her. Being a normal teenager again sounded so good in theory, but she'll soon learn that it's not at all what it's cracked up to be. Especially if Fate is determined to get exactly what it wanted all along - death among the people Nara saved...including hers.

The best thing about this book is that the author waited until the bitter end for the book's revelations. You'd think I'd be annoyed by this because I'm a terminally impatient person. The thing is, she paced it so well that there was really no recourse but to leave her readers huffing and puffing to get to the last page.  And in any case, it was easy to get lost into this book because of its cohesive plots and subplots. Before I knew it, I was already halfway through.

For those who are in the lookout for swoon-worthy boys, well, acquaint yourself with Ethan; protective without overwhelming and a hero in his own right. The relationship between our main characters wasn't awkward nor did it suffer from the insta-luv syndrome. I adore these two.

Over all, this book wasn't at all what I was expecting and it made my reading experience even more pleasurable. PT Michelle's writing was straight-forward and was not bogged down with too much frills. I'm looking forward to reading more of Patrice Michelle/PT Michelle's work!

Review: Face of the Maiden by Emma Wildes

Publication Date: June 1^st, 2009

Samhain Publishing

Format: Kindle Copy

RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Her arrival stirs something deep and dark. Perhaps even deadly. Celia Fairmont's new home on the wild coast of Cornwall is a sprawling ancient mansion steeped in history and deep, dark secrets. From the first night her dreams are plagued by images of clandestine meetings with a handsome, reckless lover. The man in her visions looks disturbingly like the oldest son of her new guardian, the Earl of Ashbourne, but there the resemblance stops. Phillip Leighton is practical to a fault and too preoccupied with estate business to even notice her presence. Phillip Leighton does not have time for illogical romantic fantasies about his father's young ward. The very lovely Miss Fairmont is unsophisticated and innocent-not at all suited to be the next Countess of Ashbourne. And besides, he is practically engaged to a titled widow. But erotic dreams disturb his nights, and by day she preoccupies his thoughts, and he finds himself fascinated against his will. Phillip can't seem to keep Celia out of his head-or out of his arms. When a series of puzzling accidents begin to happen, he knows with a chilling certainty that their future is on a collision course with the past when forbidden passion erupted into untold violence. Warning: This title contains explicit sensual love scenes, sexy ghosts, violence, some bad language in a polite Regency way, and a devilish wayward rake or two.

I didn't think I'd enjoy this book as much as I did. I've never been fond of Regency Romances but this one hit the curiosity spot. With a delicious combination of romance, suspense, murders, adultery, and a creepy ghost story to boot, this book was definitely one of those rare finds.

Upon completion of her education, Celia Fairmont found herself in the mercy of some charitable distant relatives. Moving to Ashbourne was a challenge in itself; because she has to get used to living a much more affluent life that she was accustomed to. But adapting to the life inside the mansion and to the dictates of the society would be the least of her worries. The haunting of Celia Fairmont begins as her dreams are plagued with nights of forbidden passion and a restless ghost of a man intent on harming her.

I really loved that the author was able to mix all the eclectic elements into one scrumptious story. She created an impressive balance that didn't feel like she was favouring one over another. The romance wasn't overdone and the er, intimate moments were tasteful for the most part. I'm hardly knowledgeable with the amorous relationships of the Victorian period, but I'm not sure if an unwed man and an unwed woman would fall into bed, so to speak, quite as easily as Phillip and Celia did. No matter. I'm all for uncontainable, irrisistible,all consuming desires (I can't believe I just wrote desires). The process in which our MCs uncovered the mysteries of the ghosts were paced really well. None of the conflicts were resolved in a forcible manner.

There is also a sort of reincarnation element to this story. Phillip and Celia's connection to the past and the reason why they were both being haunted was to right a wrong and to bring about an eternal justice - although in Celia's case, her connection didn't have anything to do with her lineage. Hers was by virtue of an uncanny resemblance to Caroline Leighton - an ancestor who had a tempestuous forbidden romance while being married to the Earl of Ashbourne at the time. Rumoured to have abandoned her children and husband to be with her lover, she'd become the notorious adulterer in the history of the Leighton family. The forbidden relationship was told through Celia's dreams sequences. The best thing about the author's writing was her ability to stimulate convincing emotions from her characters and in turn, successfully conveyed them to her readers. Caroline's desperation was irrefutable and her fear of being found out was fierce. On the flip side, I found it hard to gauge her lover's emotions and it was mostly because the author opted not to write about Phillip's dreams. I understood to a point. This book would've been a door stopper of a novel had she decided to write about Phillip's dreams simultaneously with Celia's.

Over all, this was a fantastic read - a fast one at that. Every single element of the story was a page-turner. Ms. Wildes also managed to accompish one thing that had been the single reason for my adverse allergic reaction to Regency novels: she simplified the very formal language of the times.

Dani's Review: The Rise of Scourge

Publication Date: July 1^st, 2008

HarperCollins

Dani’s Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

When kittypet Tiny crosses paths with some wild forest cats defending their territory, he is left with scars—and a bitter, deep-seated grudge. As his reputation grows among the strays and loners that live in the dirty brick alleyways of Twolegplace, he changes his name to Scourge and puts everything about his old life behind him—except his deadly desire for revenge.

This is my 10 year old. She decided she'd give reviewing a try. I'm all for whatever will get her reading more. She does love books like mom, so I don't really have to do much er, pushing. Please leave her some love, will ya? Thanks! - Joy

Confessions of an Addict (9): The Year End Edition

Well, it's not like this is news, isn't it? I've been a certifiable addict long before I've been blogging. I thought about doing my Confessions year end post by giving you a total tally of my purchases for the year but I realized, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO KNOW. The fact is, I'm scared to know. So I decided to the next best thing - or worst thing.  I logged into my Amazon account and figured out the number of books I've purchased for the year. I know, I know. This is hardly an accurate measure of my book buying binges. I visit my local bookstore once every Saturday and I've placed orders everywhere else. I even sought out an Australian on line book shop because of my love for Australian authors. And I've recently discovered BooksofWonder.com where I've just purchased a whole slew of autographed books. Gah.

So according to Amazon.com and Amazon.ca I've placed 80 orders in 2011. That's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. But then I got to thinking, for each order placed for the year, was that just one or two books? Well, it isn't. I've amassed a staggering 602 books this year on purchases through Amazon alone. That is a 7.52 per order on average. This does not include my Kindle purchases! Good Lord. No wonder I'm so broke. This is like, Carrie Bradshaw's sudden realization that her shoe purchases was the primary reason she was on the brink of homelessness. While I'm far from being homeless (fingers crossed), I could not even fathom the dollar value of my purchases for the year. The husband follows this blog but I doubt he reads my posts. I sincerely hope not. Besides, it's not like I can hide my hoarding from him anyway. You won't be able to walk into a room in the house without tripping over books.

The picture on the right is my to-be-read bookshelf. It's stacks deep, I know. At this rate, my life would soon be over run by books (as if it isn't yet). When did this madness ever begin, anyway? Damn Stephenie Meyer and her sparkly vampires! I blame her for this addiction to the YA genre. It was because of her books that I couldn't get enough. OVERWHELMING seem like a word which could hardly describe the state of what started out to be a hobby. Now, I just can't stop my panic buying. I have this sense of trepidation when I don't get any books in the mail. And it's gotten to a point where even my family has a schedule working around me. Our first agenda for Saturday is to hit Indigo ( a Canadian bookstore chain). Sometimes, it's sad that they don't even bother asking me anymore if I wanted to do something because they know the answer will always be, 'It depends. Are we going to the bookstore?'

The thing is, it's not like I've told my husband that he shouldn't say NO to me. Or that he shouldn't protest. I told him that he's got free reign to tell me when enough is enough. But he said he'd rather I buy books than waste my money on purses, which I also have a severe addiction to. His response, though soothing at the time, could hardly placate my unease when I see my bursting bookshelves. I'm not complaining. The guy is a saint and I'm lucky that he hasn't divorced me yet. I just don't want to be that person. You know, the one that gets so lost in their personal vices they don't even notice life passing them by. Whoa. That's deep, man.

Anyway, there is a point to these inane ramblings. Throughout the year, I've collected books that I didn't even realize I have dupli-copies of. At the time of this writing, I have counted 21. TWENTY freaking ONE books that I either, pre-ordered then bought at the store, or because I'm such a spastic loon that I didn't even realized I have those books already. So...who wants them? Okay, okay. Calm down. I know you want them. Without further ado, ladies and gents, I present to you...dramatic drum roll...

The Leaning Tower of Books.

SHATTERED SOULS by Mary Lindsey

ILLUMINATED by Erica Orloff

EXPOSED by Kimberly Marcus

MY TEENAGE BEATING HEART by C.K. Kelly Martin

VIRTUOSITY by Jessica Martinez

AUDITION by Stasia Ward Kehoe

IN THE NAME OF STAR by Maureen Johnson

LEGEND by Marie Lu

CITY OF BONES by Cassandra Clare

CITY OF ASHES by Cassandra Clare

CITY OF GLASS by Cassandra Clare

MICHAEL VEY: THE PRISONER OF CELL 25 by Richard Paul Evans

GUARDIAN OF THE DEAD by Karen Healey

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson

STORK by Wendy Delsol

REMEMBRANCE by Michelle Madow
FALLEN ANGEL by Heather Terrell

VARIANT by Robison Wells

THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner

THE DEATH CURE by James Dashner

MATCHED by Ally Condie

ENTER BELOW!

Guest Post: How to Earn an Online English Degree by Carrie Oakley

Hello fellow bloggers! 

I urge you to take a few moments and read these important steps to perhaps, change the course of your career. I, for one, have always been interested to actually earn a degree in writing. With a full time job and two kids, I always say that I'll never have the time. Well, it may not be that difficult to pursue for some of us. - Joy

Five Steps to Earning an Online English Degree

Chances are if you like to read, you also like to write. You may have dreams of writing your own book; you may even have dreams of getting that book published. If you have ever wanted to be a writer but you never earned a college degree, you may want to think about going back to school to get a degree in English.

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, going back to school to pursue any degree will be a challenge. However, thanks to computers, you can now easily earn any liberal arts degree from home by applying to a school that offers online courses.

If you’re ready to take your love for reading and writing to the next level, consider getting your Bachelor Degree in English through online college. Listed below are the five steps to earning an online English degree:

1. Do a school search: There are essentially two types of online coursework: coursework through a conventional university or college and coursework through a strictly online college. If there is a particular university or college located near your home that interests you, call to see what online coursework they offer for English degrees. With this type of college, roughly fifty percent or less of your classes will be online classes; this means that you will still need to occasionally go to campus in person for class or student/teacher conferences. The second type of online coursework is offered through a strictly online college. With this type of coursework, you will never have to attend a class in person. In fact, your “campus” is digital, so all interaction between students and the teacher will be through e-mail or other digital messaging. You will work by yourself.
2. Apply to the school: Once you have decided which type of college and online coursework fits your needs best, apply to the school. Once you apply, you will receive either a letter or e-mail stating your acceptance. After you are accepted, you will need to submit your payment for tuition and fees.
3.  If needed, apply for financial aid: If you need assistance with tuition, apply for financial aid at the same time you apply for college admittance. If you wait until after you have been admitted, all financial aid funds may already be awarded to other students. You want to get your name in the pot early. If you are awarded financial aid, you will need to notify your college’s financial aid department, so that they can apply the aid to your tuition payment.
4. Keep up with your email: If you are taking online classes, it is imperative to check the email account registered with your college multiple times a day. Email will be the primary way that your teacher will notify you of class assignments, projects, quizzes, tests and other updates. Not checking your e-mail account is the best way to fall behind in your coursework.
5.  Keep track of deadlines: Just because you don’t have a specific class time doesn’t mean you can wait two weeks to read the assigned chapter and do your homework. Online courses still give out deadlines and expect chapters to be read on time. Just like not checking your email, not keeping up with deadlines for readings and assignments can put you way behind on your coursework; it could even make you fail the class.

The most important thing to remember about online college is that even though it’s a little more convenient than conventional college, it is definitely not easier. You will still have to work hard and take the necessary time to do your best; especially if you are seeking an English degree, which requires a lot of writing on a regular basis.

Carrie Oakley is editor and writer for Online Universities. She likes to write articles about many topics of interest, including education and career planning. 

If this interest you at all and would like to ask Carrie some questions, you can reach her via e-mail, carrie@onlinecolleges.org . 

Review: Hollowland (The Hollows #1) by Amanda Hocking

Publication Date: October 6^th, 2010

Amanda Hocking

Format: Kindle copy

Download Free Copy

RATING: 2 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

I am thoroughly convinced that this is how the world will end: Zombies. I have this strange fear and fascination about them so I try to procure as much books as I can about these rabid, virus-infested creatures. I've been lucky to have enjoyed what I've read so far. Unfortunately, I encountered so many problems with this book.

I'm finding it hard to write about the cracks in the plot without spoiling one of the major conflicts in the book. Suffice it to say, whatever inconsistencies I found, were chocked up to perhaps, an oversight. It's major. It had something to do with Remy and Max's DNAs. The lion, though pretty, freaking awesome, was a bit of a stretch. The world building was close to non-existent. Ms. Hocking doesn't really give much. You'd have to fend for yourself - dictate your own emotions and picture the world better than what she has described. I do appreciate a minimalist style of writing, but sometimes, what you consider white noise is music to my ears. That once you eliminate them, the product is just deafening silence. Does that make sense?

This is not my first Amanda Hocking book. I read Switched a while back and couldn't continue on with the rest of the Trylle Trilogy. The thing about Ms. Hocking's characters is that they feel cold - emotionless. Remy could be swathed in zombie matter, fighting for her life, yet the emotions she was going through could be compared to say, as if she was gardening. She was almost mechanical about the whole deal with little to no range of emotions. Don't get me wrong, I love that she kicks ass without batting an eyelash, but heck, you have to make me feel like you're ACTUALLY scared. It's weird because I never once felt a certain anxiety about what was going to happen next - no trepidation whatsoever. The same goes with the relationship between her and Laz. To be honest, I thought that Blue was the better love interest here. Laz started off comedic, kind of like a side kick,  and aside from being a former rock star, he really didn't have much going for him. I thought that Ms. Hocking's almost methodical writing made for some characters lacking in emotional depths.  I came. I saw. I did. Those three sentences could probably sum up her story telling. It literally felt like someone was watching a zombie movie and giving me a play-by-play at the same time.

Perhaps it's because this is a free book, but man, there were so many typos here. I know, I know, I shouldn't complain because it's free. Let's get real here, Amanda Hocking has hit the big time. Free or not, there's still no excuse for editing errors.

I did like Ms. Hocking's innate talent for writing violence and gore. They were vivid and acerbic. But some of her fight scenes - especially ones which involved a melee of zombies - tend to be a bit over the top and convoluted. I had a hard time imagining that Remy single-handedly fought off rabid zombies with almost no weapons. This girl was a super woman. I appreciate her tenacity but it wasn't at all convincing.

To summarize, I can understand why people would take a shining to Ms. Hocking's writing and stories. But I need to be emotionally vested in the story and characters for me to actually enjoy it. This is my second Hocking book, and prognosis is not looking all that good.

IMM #19

In My Mailbox is a weekly event over at The Story Siren, which showcases the books we've purchased, borrowed and received in the mail this week. This is the nineteenth episode of HOARDERS, Books Edition.

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GIFTED:

Slide by Jill Hathaway Courtesy of the biggest Melina Marchetta fan girl ever...second to me, that is! Alexa of Collections. You're freaking awesome! :D

I've participated in My Secret Bookworm Santa this year and this is what my Santa sent me. Thanks so much! 

ILLUMINATED by Erica Orloff

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

FOR REVIEW:

Thanks so much to Candlewick Press for these ARCs.

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman

Thanks to Putnam/Penguin Group for my THIRD copy of Legend by Marie Lu. 

NET GALLEY:

THE TAMING by Teresa Toten and Eric Walters 

EVERYTHING ELSE:

CICADA by Belle Whittington

THE BREAK UP ARTIST by Shannen Crane Camp

SIRENZ by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman

GIRL AT SEA by Maureen Johnson

PYXIS by K.C. Neal

AIREL by Aaron Patterson & Chris White

ILLUMINATED by Erica Orloff

SHATTERED SOULS by Mary Lindsey

BELLE'S SONG by K.M. Grant

THE PROBABILITY OF MIRACLES by Wendy Wunder

My friend from Denmark sent this pretty Christmas card. Thanks, Astrid :D

What's in your mailbox?

Review and Giveaway: The Taming by Teresa Toten and Eric Walters

(Sorry for the awful pic resolution!)

Publication Date: January 24^th, 2012

Doubleday Canada

Format: ARC E-galley

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Katie likes to believe she's invisible. It seems much safer than being exposed as she is--shy, poor, awkward. So getting up on stage in the school production of The Taming of the Shrew should be complete torture. But as Katie tells it, something totally unexpected happened when she stepped on stage: "My head exploded. I loved it. Acting hit me like a sucker punch and I loved, loved, loved it! . . . Invisible Katie became visible Katharina."

Evan Cooper is, as they say, another story. He knows just what it takes to get noticed, and he uses every one of the skills he's honed after years of being the new kid. Like tossing the keys to his father's high-end Audi to a kid he's never met, first day of school. "I have insurance for car theft," he explains to a shocked Danny. "And there's a full tank." An abuse of the power that comes with privilege and money? Sure.

But more dangerously, is his romance with Katie another version of the same thing? Or is it the real thing?

*Gratuitous sigh* Young love. It's great isn't it?  The first time you see him across the hall...the first time you notice the hair flopping on his forehead...the silly way he makes you feel when he smiles at you...or how you tried, in vain, to calm your heart the first time he talked to you. Sigh. Oh to be young again.

Juxtaposing The Taming of the Shrew, I had images of Heath Ledger in all his badass glory serenading a very shrewd Julia Stiles in the stands. If you're not familiar with the movie, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of those must-see movies that you can't afford to miss. It's romantic, funny, and hearfelt. I was sure this book would be fun. And it was...until I was hit by a streaking wrecking ball I never saw coming.

Katie and Evan's romance started off ideally enough. You have Katie, who works hard at blending into the walls of her high school and Evan, who draws attention anywhere he goes. There isn't anything spectacular about their first meeting - no fireworks (at least not on Evan's side) and the earth hardly moved. Somehow, perfect Evan was able to see the beauty in simple Kate and have developed a fierce attraction, much to Kate's surprise. Who wouldn't want the attention of this handsome new comer? He's gentlemanly, rich and not at all drawn to the usual popular crowd. He's perfect. And Kate would do just about anything to keep him.

I want you to read this. This book, pardon the language, fucked with my head. I was deceived. It started off funny and quirky with dialogues that brought out quite a few chuckles from me. I was duped and left to feel comfortable - too comfortable that I did not see that huge ass wrecking ball heading my way. If you'd ever had to do a complete, dissection of The Taming of the Shrew, then perhaps you'd realize that Shakespeare's comedy, is not all that funny. Let me put it this way, I've never seen it in this light. I'm dumbfounded. It was like finding out for the first time that Tiger Woods is a manwhore. Tiger Woods - whom I held in such a high regard for as long as I can remember. My opinion of him then, was that he was the most perfect athlete. Private, honest, family man. And then, bam! Elin Nordegren was chasing him with a golf club. Anyway, I'm rambling and probably not even making a whole lot of sense. My point is, not everything is what it seems.

The writing tag team of Toten and Walters did a phenomenal job of giving our main characters their genuine voices and personalities. This book is dark and what blew my mind was the lack of epiphany about the direction in which the authors were taking me at the time. They set me up. I credit the writers for this element of...surprise. If you guys read my status updates on Goodreads, you'd see how I was taken for a ride. My slow realization that, holy crap. I can't believe this shit is about to get down! This book is amazing! The ending left me feeling conflicted. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy for Katie and sad for Evan. I wish that I could take Evan and put him in another book - change his one and only major flaw. This guy was perfect. I believe I even swooned many a times until I got to the part where...anyway. I can't say. I was sad for him. And knowing what I know about him, this probably doesn't paint a good picture of me. But I really can't help it. He was just...sad. I liked that once Katie realized what was going on, she didn't become one of those characters. I wish I could elaborate more but the beauty of this book was from the unexpectedness of what happened. It's making me feel guilty that I thoroughly enjoyed this book when the subject matters were awfully serious.

BITS & PIECES - The Goods. 

Danny's inability to say Petruchio's name correctly. Variations include: PISTACHIO, PINOCCHIO.

Travis' undecipherable sexuality. Even he's confused himself. Picture a Jared Leto, complete with guyliner and goth wardrobe.

Josh's feeble capacity to understand the Shakespearean language. He's a terrible actor but an awesome athlete.

"It would help if I had a clue about what the hell they're talking about. Like, later, on the page they're talking about cocks. Can we do that?" - Josh

"Chickens," I wisphered so no one else would hear. "It's a rooster reference." - Katie

EVAN: "My father once said to me that the best thing in the world is a beautiful woman. But the worst thing in the world is a beautiful woman who knows she's beautiful."

Intelligent dialogues and witty banters.
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YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. Heck, I'll pre-order it for you! 

And the Winner is...

Hey guys! The winner of the Untraceable 5 Star Giveaway is...

Jo

I drew the winner using the Random Number Generator based on the number of comments on my review. Well, the first time I did it, Shelli's (the author) number came up! Lol. So I had to draw another number and this time, Jo's number came up. I tried to repost the the widget with the winner's number but it's not letting me *pouts*. 

Congratulations, Jo! This book is all kinds of awesome and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. 

Heads up, there's another 5 Star Giveaway tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Review: Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe

Publication Date: October 13^th, 2011

Viking Juvenile

Format: Hardcover, 458 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. 

At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent.

Dare I tell that since I came here to dance
I have been giving pieces of my body away
To ridiculous diets,
To repeated injuries,
To Remington?
And that maybe
I think
With each bit of my body
I lose a little piece of my soul.

This isn't a book about a girl's ultimate dream to be a prima ballerina at a prestigious dance company. This is a book about her realizing that dance is so far off her horizon, it's basically out in space. It was really hard to figure out how dance came to be Sara's life. Was it due to her parents' constant pushing? Or was it because dance came to her naturally? And it wasn't because Sara wants to leave the slow, New England life she'd known. Ballet is just ballet. She accepted the dance scholarship with great trepidation because, really, what else was she to do?

This is written in verse form, a style that I'm a huge fan of. I know it's not for everyone but I really love the neat, straightforward writing of these novels. I've yet to read one that I did not like. The words are like disjointed lyrics, stilted prose and yet, succinct and purposely vivid. Ms. Kehoe's style encapsulate all that. She captured the glamour and elegance of the dancers' costumes in not so many words, the ghastly pain Sara endured and the life of a ballerina who's always starving - for food and for attention. She also managed to portray the beauty and grace of ballet with every plié, jeté, and tendu.

But.

But.

I was unable to develop an affinity to the characters, most especially to Sara and Remington. Sara has a very timid personality. She feels so much but has the greatest inability to voice them out. She frustrated me most of the time. She wasn't blind - she knew what was going on and yet she kept making the same mistakes consciously. And I understand, truly, I do. She's young, utterly fascinated by the attention of an older man and a tiny part of her is thrilled that she's able to inspire Rem. But the word, "NO", is not in her vocabulary.  Remington is probably one of the most selfish, egocentric character I've the displeasure of reading. I've been staring at my blinking cursor trying to find a redeeming quality to Rem and regrettably finding none. Sorry. This man is completely one-dimensional. My detachment to the characters was also one of the factors why this book didn't make me feel anything. Somehow, these two had a numbing effect on me.

This verse novel is a bit on the narrative side and perhaps it's also one of the things that hindered me from enjoying this book more. And yes, I am aware that most verse books are actually narrative but the dialogues in this one was more sparse than most.

I think that this book would be quite enjoyable to some but just not for me. I am interested to read more of Ms. Kehoe's future books, however.