Deranged Book Lovers

Going Bovine by Libba Bay

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Title: Going Bovine

Author: Libba Bay

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 stars

"You've been assigned an identity since birth. Then you spend the rest of your life walking around in it to see if it really fits. You try all these different selves and abandon just as many. But really, it's about dismantling all that false armor, getting down to what's real."

Mad, crazy and hilarious. That's Going Bovine for you, dear bloggers. This book tells about Cameron, an average teenage boy diagnosed with mad cow disease and gone to a journey to find a cure under the guidance of a punk angel and accompanied by a dwarf and yard gnome. Yes, yard gnome.

It starts off a bit slow by telling how Cameron lives his life. He's pretty much an ignorant who doesn't care about most anything; his school, his family, and even himself. Then he is diagnosed with mad cow disease and finds out that his life is soon to be over. Then a punk angel named Dulcie shows up and tells him there's a cure and Cameron must undergo a journey (by following random signs) to find Dr. X who has the cure. Oh, and he has to take the dwarf as his wingman.

Like I said, it starts off a bit slow and I didn't really enjoy the first quarter part however the story picks up the pace and gets more interesting along the way. Especially after Cameron and Gonzo hit the road. Their road trip is crazy and hilarious; they meet a lot of bizarre people: drag queen, a supposedly dead jazz artist, teen pop star, snow globe employees, and many more. I can't say much except thumbs up for Libba Bay for creating this, she surely has a very wide and lively imagination.

However, even though it's funny and wacky, it's also quite deep. Despite all the craziness, I - as a reader - am constantly reminded with Cameron dying situation and how he realizes the things that important for him during the trip. How he - toward the end - values life and enjoys living more than before. The only thing I don't really like is the present tense use in this book, I like past tense more. But it doesn't prevent me from liking and enjoying this hilarious story.

It's an awesome book, just be patient in the beginning and you'll be rewarded.

Lynossa

What had happened to us?

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:26:00 +0000

So... in case you're wondering about where are we...

Well, I can't speak for Kay-c and Mithee, as far as I know they were (probably still are) busy with their study and recently there was a flood in Philippines and we haven't been in touch for awhile. I hope they're okay.
In my case, stuffs happened; I got loads of work I had to finish and then I got chickenpox! Can you imagine someone my age got chickenpox? Disaster! Anyway, I did read several books throughout December, I just didn't have the time to write review and now I've forgotten! But I have a week free so I'm going to write and post my reviews this week. To authors who had requested review, I'm sorry for neglecting you guys, if I have time I will reply and read your books but if not, I'm sorry.
By the way if you happen to join my classic reading challenge, don't worry I still remember. I will contact you soon!

Last but not least, Merry Christmas for those who celebrate it!

Lynossa

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

noreply@blogger.com (Kay-c @DerangedBookLovers) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Title: The Lost Hero
Series: Heroes of Olympus #1
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Pages: Paperback 557 pages
Rating: 4.5 - Almost Perfect!

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Summary:

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper. His best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids”, as Leo puts it. What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea — except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret. Her father, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.

Review

I just recently found out that My favorite Mythology Author had another Percyish series…Well..since they said it’s a bit like that. And Since I looooove. Percy Jackson Series <333333 I will go beyond anything just to have this one (okay that’s exaggeration ;))

The first thing I thought when I read the title is “Percy? Is he lost or something?” well since we all know that percy is in RR’s last series. I was excited to meet the new characters...:]

Moving on to my review. I was a bit reluctant to accept the new heroes of the new series. It was hard for me to even accept that they got thicker books to read to! And We could to know their views! I know I sounded so bitter but I just love PJ series, you know!

But WHY?!! WHYY?! Why did you make it like this?? You made me love your other book instead of hate it! WHY?? MR RIORDAN!!!

Moving on.

I have to admit. Mr. Riordan isn’t the best novelist around. But he definitely has the most funniest humor in town! I can’t help but laugh so hard to his jokes. And my mom would wonder what had happened to me because awhile ago I was quietly reading the book then suddenly I burst out laughing and can’t seem to stop it.

I can’t also help but also feel bad about percy not being part of this series. I JUST MISS HIM. But I am glad that some old characters remain in the series. But that just made it worse.

The New characters weren’t so bad. Infact they are funny. They are easy to like. But you know…someone who has grown reading percy’s adventure. I can’t help but compare the book.

The plot is intense. But the idea of Jason losing his memory does not give me any new feeling. Maybe because it’s my first time meeting him as well. So as he regain his lost memory that’s also the part where I am able to know him more. And also I help but hate him. His arrival in the series being so cool and powerful all of a sudden was “WOAH!” …but I can’t also help but wonder what his background is.

Piper and Leo were cool. Being so wise and good and techy stuff made me think that they are great group!

And being introduced to Roman camp was another good thing about this book. At least we get to know that camp half-blood is not the only existing camp for demigods but also there is a counterpart. Which made me even more curious.

The ENDING WAS SO..!!! not..COOL! SERIOUSLY?! PERCY?! AS IN?!! NOOOOOOOOOO!

Now it made me feel so anxious.

Kay-c

Also Known as Rowan Pohi by Ralph Fletcher

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:27:00 +0000

Title: Also Known as Rowan Pohi

Author: Ralph Fletcher

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Rating: 3 stars

Also Known as Rowan Pohi is a quite short, light and interesting reading about Bobby Steele, a boy who decides to trick his way into Whitestone, a prestigious school in Bobby’s town. It’s begun with a prank with his friends when they invented Rowan Pohi, a smart and talented boy who wanted to enter Whitestone. But when they received a letter telling them that Rowan is accepted, Bobby decided to take his place and be Rowan Pohi.

This is a light reading; it only took me about one and a half hour to finish it. The main character, Bobby Steele, hated his name due to its association with his father, Bobby Steele Senior, after a terrible event between his father and his mother. Thinking that his future is doomed due to the name and his low rank school, Bobby thinks Rowan Pohi is his getaway ticket to be what he always wanted to be.

I like Bobby, I can relate to him. For him Rowan Pohi is his mardi grass. He could be himself, or, not himself, depend on from which side you’re looking at. Being Rowan Pohi gives him a chance he couldn’t get as Bobby Steele, a chance for clean start and promising future. Other characters aren’t that interesting although I quite like his friends and their friendship.

Overall this is too short to make you feel deeply engaged but it’s still a nice reading, a book that fits for kids and those who like reading kids books like me.

Lynossa

Review: The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

noreply@blogger.com (Mithee (The Deranged Book Lovers)) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:29:00 +0000

Title: The Thief
Author: Megan Whalen Tuner
Series: Attolia #1/ The Queen's Thief #1
Pages: 280 (Paperback)

Release date: October 31 1996
Published by: Greenwillow Books

Summary: (Goodreads)

"I can steal anything."

After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task - to steal a hidden treasure from another land.

To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.

Review:

I’ve been seeing this Queen’s Thief/Attolia series in every fiction novel forum I go to. For a novel that was published in 1996 and still make people talk 15 years later, I thought that this has got to be a really good series. And now that I have read it, I am very happy to say that this did not disappoint. I may actually have a new series to obsess.

The first half of The Thief was really slow. It consisted of Gen (the thief), the magus, Sophos, Pol and Ambiades traveling from Sounis to a land in Attolia to steal the Hamiathes Gift as ordered by the king of Sounis, a bargain that will free Gen from the prison of the Sounis king for stealing from him. Nothing much happened, and it was quite boring but Gen's humor made up for the lack of interesting events.

At first, Gen was portrayed as a whiny, stupid, poor, good for nothing, gluttonous thief who doesn't particularly care about anything. But later, his true identity and intentions were revealed. I was very surprised with the turn of events. He was a very good actor that I didn't question about who he really was. But then again, that's one of the things that made me love this book. Gen is an awesome character too, because even though he's always sleepy and hungry, he is very charming and clever. I just got the second book, and I really can't wait to start it!

Mithee

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

noreply@blogger.com (Mithee (The Deranged Book Lovers)) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:20:00 +0000

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Anna #1
Pages: 316 (Hardcover)

Release date: August 30th 2011
Published by: Tor Teen

Summary: (Goodreads)

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Review:

Anna Dressed in Blood is the first horror book (that I’m aware of) that I have read. It follows the story of Thesius Cassio Lowood, better known as Cas, a young ghost hunter who travels with his mother around the world to kill ghosts that do harm to people.

This was the first horror book that I’m aware of that I’ve read because this has been the only book that gave me chills, goosebumps all over my body, made me look constantly over my shoulder to see if some strange something is lurking in my back, and ultimately because this has been the only book so far that screamed horror to me.

The first half of this book was really good. I loved Anna even though she scared me. She is vicious and barbaric. She wouldn’t think twice before she snaps your neck or rip you in half (literally) once you step into her house. The readers would get real curious as to why she spared Cas’s life.

The second half of the book though was a landslide. One wouldn’t think it real should there be rumors about ghosts that rip people in half and hide their bodies, but the first half of the book made it somewhat believable. However, the second half went over the top. First, how Anna was saved was very abrupt. Second, the romance was not believable. And third, I didn’t buy the underlying and ultimate conflict in the book.

Despite the disappointing parts though, Anna Dressed in Blood is a very quick read and will make for a very good read for the Halloween.

Mithee

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:28:00 +0000

Title: A Monster Calls

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Rating: 4-and-a-half stars

Conor O'Malley has nightmare and he's afraid the monster from his nightmare will come to him in real life and the nightmare turns into real. So when a monster shows up, he's not afraid at all. That until the monster interferes in his life and shows him what's hidden under his nightmare.

Patrick Ness did it again! That's the first thing I had in mind after I finished reading this book. In my opinion Patrick Ness is one of the authors who aren't only good at creating loveable and believable characters but also good at create engaging plot. A Monster Calls shows exactly a great author he is. It might be short but it's deep nonetheless. There are stories written for more than 300 pages and you can't still feel the connection with the characters and there are stories written only 100ish pages and you feel in love with the characters since the first chapter. A Monster Calls fall into the later.

Conor is a poor kid; his mother is sick and has been through many treatment with barely a result. I've experienced what he experiences in this book and it wasn't easy for me, who undoubtedly an adult and has many people supported me. Conor on the other hand, is alone and has to deal with all those stuffs by himself. He doesn't have friend at school because everyone pities him, and it doesn't help him at all. And that's why the monster comes to him. The monster comes to tell him a story and after that, Conor must tell him his story, the story in his nightmare.

It's great story with a great message. It's also beautifully written. It's a must read for anyone had experienced loss in his/her life.

Lynossa

The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:39:00 +0000

Title: The Stranger You Seek

Author: Amanda Kyle Williams

Publisher: Random House

Rating: Three-and-a-half stars

"The papers have called me a monster. You’ve either concluded that I am a braggart as well as a sadist or that I have a deep and driving need to be caught and punished."

A letter was sent to police, taunting them, mocking them to capture the serial killer who has brutally murdered three people, at least, as far as they know. Keye Street, a recovering alcoholic addict ex-FBI profiler was asked by her long-time friend Rauser to help him solve the case, but then the murder acknowledged her and contacted her. It's one thing to get involved in a case but it's another thing to have it get into your life. Was is someone she knew? Will it draw her back to her addiction?

I'm a huge fan of serial killer stories, I've watched Criminal Minds, I've read Hannibal the Cannibal series, and planning on getting my hands on Mr.Ripley's series. When I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it, the blurb offered the things that I liked in serial killer stories. The story was written in first-person POV which sometimes can be annoyed but the annoyance is quite limited in here. Even though Keye Street is a selfish arrogant with a tendency to push herself to the limit, she's a reliable narrator and a good observant so I could imagine the situation quite well. The killings were described in details, although not to the point of gory so it's quite safe. Even though the story isn't as depth in profiling serial killer as I would like it to be, it was good and believable. There are a lot of things I knew already either from Criminal Minds or my simple googling session after watching the series, but there are things I didn't know as well and it was fun to read. Well, not exactly fun but you know what I mean.

I think fan of darker mystery, serial killer cases, Criminal Minds might enjoy this book.

Lynossa

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:00:00 +0000

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. It's been awhile since the last time we're participating but I just spot on several titles that interest me and I just need to spread the words about it!

Lynossa WoWs:

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Expected published date: 27th September 2011

Blurb (Goodreads):

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I've read many good review about this book and I almost pre-order it but then I decided I'll be patient and wait to see whether this is too heavy on romance or not.

2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Expected published date: January 2012.

I've read in goodreads someone posted this about the book: "You know you're a bestselling author when the font size used on the book cover for your name is larger than that used for the actual title." LOL that's so funny even though it's not the final cover. Anyway, I'm so excited about this I decided to pre-order it! Yep, this is actually the first pre-order I made, I never bought any book before it's published, especially without knowing what the story will be! I guess most of the time I wanted to see other people's opinion first before I spend my money. Well, I hope it's worth every penny of it!
ps: I heard John Green will sign all pre-order book. I hope his hand will be okay after that!

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:04:00 +0000

Title: The Unwanteds

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Aladdin (Simon & Schuster Imprint)

Rating: Two and a half stars

In the land of Quill, once in a year, thirteen years old kids must face Purge, to decide whether they're Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Alex Stowe is Unwanted while his twin brother Aaron is wanted. That meant Aaron will stay in the society and Alex will be sentenced to death. Or so he thought, until he and other Unwanted kids arrived in Artime where he was allowed to draw, spoke what was on his mind, and snacked in the middle of the night. But Alex missed his twin brother and wanted to contact him. Would he do it even though it might jeopardize Artime?

In the beginning, I was a bit annoyed because there's no explanation why the world turned out like that. For me good dystopian has to have a logical reason why the world became that way. But I decided to keep reading in case the explanation is located in the end of the story. It did have explanation, but it made me think this isn't supposed to be called as dystopian...

Anyway the plot was interesting and idea was great. basically the stoy is good enough to keep me reading until the end; the kids with creative traits were banished from tight and strick society? twins separated and must fight against one another? I'm on it. Plus the strange creatures are amazing as well, I like Simber a lot.

The characters, however aren't so interesting for me. Alex is okay, Lani is a bit bratty, Megan and Samheed a bit typical. Mr. Today also just okay, remind me a bit about Dumbledore but definitely not as awesome as him.The romance part was weird and it just didn't click at all; it felt a bit forced for me.

Then in some parts of the story there are several sub chapters where the narration voice shifted uncomfortably, at least for me. For example there's one that shifted from Alex to Samheed even to Mr. Today while it was supposed to be from Alex POV or another sub-chapter where the narration shifted from Alex to Samheed to Lani. Seriously, it's annoying and confusing. How Alex could possibly know what's Samheed or Mr Today's thought?

So overall the story is good and worthy to read although a bit predictable but the characters were just okay and narration was a bit annoying.

Lynossa

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Author: Stephen Chbosky

Publisher: Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster Imprint)

Rating: Four and a half stars

When we get out of the tunnels, Sam screamed this really fun scream, and there it was. Downtown. Lights on buildings and everything that makes you wonder. Sam sat down and started laughing. Patrick started laughing. I started laughing.
And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

Charlie is a sensitive and smart boy. He also a different from anyone in his age; a bit awkward in social and often thinks too much, he can suddenly cry or laugh because of simple things. This book is about his journey on his first year of high school; how he met his best friends: Patrick and Sam, about his first sexual experience, about the first time he was stoned, and about his interaction with his family. Told in simple words, Charlie took us on a roller coaster ride of being an ordinary yet special kid.

You know some books that plunged you into endless action? With dead bodies and mysteries along the plot, and sometimes it makes you afraid to turn off the light? Well, this is not one of those books. This is a book for those who like to think about life, for those who enjoy seeing life from different eyes and - just like Charlie - like to wonder how people got into their places, for people who like to read about people with disorder, because I think that's Charlie, the main character of this story.

I instantly fell in love with Charlie after reading few pages. For me he's so likeable; it wasn't hard to portray him at all. You can see the dynamic and development in Charlie not only from the way he told his stories but also from the way those were written. The same also applied to Patrick and Sam, and even Charlie's family such as his sister, his mother, his father, and his brother. The connection between them felt real and natural. I think Stephen Chbosky did a great job at creating such believable characters.

There were times when the plot went too slow, but this isn't an action story so I'm cool with that. The messages in this story were powerful, I remember reading one sentence and literary stopped because I need to digest it and savor it. But at the same time those weren't too heavy or preachy, not at all - because I hate preachy -it's just perfect for me.

I'm happy that in the end, I could find out what exactly that trigger the Charlie's problem, despite it was sad and shocking, but it made me understand Charlie even more. I wish it was longer, I haven't satisfied savoring Charlie's words! All I can say, if you have the same taste like me, you'll love this!

Lynossa

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 05:12:00 +0000

Title: The Floating Islands

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Publisher: Random House

Rating: three and a half stars

They flew as geese fly in the fall, in a formation like a spear point. At first the shape the winged men made was stark as a rune against the empty sky, but as they approached the ship, they broke their formation, wheeled, and circled low. The morning light caught in the feathers of their glorious wings, crimson as blood, except for one man whose wings were black as grief.

Trei had just lost his family in a terrible disaster and had to seek for a new place in The Floating Islands when he saw the Kajurai, the flying men swam at the air. Trei knew that's the one thing he ever wanted to be. The only person who understood his feeling is Arenai, his newly-found cousin. Being a woman in The Floating Islands meant you have to prepare to be a good wife and that's it. But that's not what Araene wanted. Both of them tried hard to be what they wanted but danger lurked in when Trei's old country decided to attack The Floating Islands. Will they able to be what they wanted to be? And where would Trei's loyalty lies?

The Floating Islands is a very interesting story; I enjoy reading it. Not only that but I also like Trei and Araene for being bold and fearless in pursuing what they wanted. However the other characters aren't so interesting. I guess on of my problems with this book is the conflicts aren't deep enough. Most of the characters are very good and helpful. Trei managed to fit in with the other kajurai apprentices without much problem (I would love to see a bit of clash in there), and the same thing also happened to Araene. Most of the characters are good and they rarely showed their bad side, which I would prefer to see more instead of the good-goody two shoes kind of characters. So for me it's lack of deep conflicts, either between characters or in plot, but overall it's pretty good.

I would recommend it for fantasy and middle-grade lovers.

Lynossa

The Ask and The Answer (Chaos Walking #2) by Patrick Ness

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Title: The Ask and The Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books

Rating: 4 stars

This is the second book of Chaos Walking trilogy. If you haven't read the first book I suggest you to not continue reading this. You can read my review on The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) instead.

My hearing's still gone so I feel it more than hear it, feel the rumble thru the dirt, feel the air pulse with three hard vibrashuns, one right after the other, and I see the Mayor turn his head suddenly back toward the town, see Davy and all the Spackle do the same.
More bombs.
In the distance, toward the city, the biggest bomb that've ever exploded in the history of this world.

Trapped in Haven, Todd would do anything to keep Viola alive, including followed everything Mayor Prentiss asked him to do. Meanwhile, separated from Todd, Viola was under the care of Mistress Cole. When Mistress Cole decided to stand up against Mayor Prentiss and re-created The Answer, Mayor Prentiss replied back with The Ask. Todd and Viola wedged between the feud and had to decide which side they were on. Until they realized no one on their side, and they had to stand up from themselves.

After reading the first book, the weird misspelling no longer bother me. I'd also made several mental preparation of what I might encounter in this book. I must say the preparation worked because the book is bleak and depressing. It wasn't bad or anything, it just very depressing because everytime there was a hope, it was crushed over and over again. Most of the time I felt annoyed with Todd; he seemed couldn't decide what he should do and he couldn't control his temper all the time. However it was quite understandable as Viola is his anchor and when she's not there with him, he was lost. It was sad how he insecure he was; how he constantly worried that Viola left him . But I get it that underneath all that, he was a sweet boy and he was hurt as much as he hurt others.

I wish the last book will be brighter and give me some happy ending because it was just depressing despite still being awesome. For those who have read the first book and wonder whether you should read the second or not, I think you should but prepare yourself for the emotion ride that Mr. Ness seems to be good at creating it.

Lynossa

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:41:00 +0000

Title: Cryer's Cross

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children Publishing

Rating: 3 stars

A small and quiet town, Cryer's Cross, was shocked when a teenage girl went missing. The townfolks searched everywhere and couldn't find a clue, until they finally gave up and returned to their normal life. But Kendall, a teenage girl with OCD, couldn't ignore it and pretend it didn't affect it. Especially after her boyfriend, Nico, went missing as well. What happened in Cryer's Cross? Was the missing teens has anything to do with the newcomers? Or was it about old secret that was hidden for years?

I actually had high hopes on this book. I've read many reviews and it sounded very good. Perhaps that's the problem with too much exposure; you expect too much. It doesn't mean I think this book is bad; it was okay however I expect more from it. It suppose to scare me but I didn't feel that way at all.

One thing that keeps me reading is the main character, Kendall. It so fascinating for me to read the point of view of an OCD; it makes me knows more about OCD and how it affects people who have it. For those who like psychology element in a book, I think you might like this.

Lynossa

Midnight Summer Festival Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:06:00 +0000

Once again thank you for everyone who participated in our Midnight Summer Festival Winners. Now it's time for me to announce the winners. Here are the winners!

1. The Raven Queen by Jules Watson

SYKI

2. The Morrigan's Brood series by Christopher and Heather Dunbar

JULIE WITT

3. Sirensong by Jenna Black

JASMINE 1485

4. Mistwood by Leah Cypess/The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

VIVIEN

Congratulation for all the winners. I've sent you emails and you have 48 hours to respond my email before I pick another winner(s).

Midnight Summer Festival: Wrap-up Post

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:42:00 +0000

So... this is the end of our Midnight Summer Festival. It was fun although I was busy so I can't be as active as I wanted to be. Thank you for everyone who were participating; all those awesome authors and readers. Thank you.
Thank you to Jules Watson, Christopher and Heather Dunbar, Jenna Black, Leah Cypess and Brenna Yovanoff for sharing your awesome thoughts about Celtic Mythology. I hope everyone will fall in love with this mythology just like it happened to me years ago.
Thank you for my co-host Rie from Mission to Read and Carmel from Rabid Reads for helping me out. You guys are awesome!
Last but not least to all of the readers and followers of this blog, don't forget that the giveaways are still running until July 25 so you still have time! You can follow the links below that will direct you to the forms. Don't forget the extra entries to increase your chance to win! All International contests!

The Raven Queen Giveaway

The Morrigan's Brood series Giveaway

Sirensong (Faeriewalker #3) Giveaway

Mistwood/The Replacement Giveaway

Changeling and The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 03:03:00 +0000

Changeling is a part of Celtic Mythology; according to the tale, faeries like to switch human baby with their own sick baby. What happens after that? Some said the human babies were eaten, some said they were raise in faerie world. Most of the stories centered around the human baby, but in The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, the main character is the faerie baby.

Title: The Replacement

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Publisher: Razorbill

Rating: 4 stars

In small town Gentry, Mackie Doyle is dying. he's allergic to iron, blood, and consecrated ground. He is a replacement that left in a crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Despite his origin, he would give anything to live among us, to play music and spend time with Tate, an intriguing girl. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing and a faerie baby left in her place is dead, willing or not Mackie is drawn into the Mayhem and finally accept his true nature.

I love this book. I seriously love this. The dark elements in it is just perfect in its portion. although at first I was annoyed by Mackie who seemed couldn't grow backbone, eventually he stepped out and be the person Tate knew he is. He didn't turn into some kind of superhero, but he is hero in a way. Other characters are great as well; I like Mackie's friends and family. Not only that by I also fell in love with Mayhem; okay it's creepy, seriously creepy but it also awesome in its creepiness. The characters in it are so scary, I probably fainted on the spot if I met them in dark alley. You have to read this!

Lynossa

I'm going to giveaway a copy of this book or Mistwood by Leah Cypess, depend on your choice. All you need to do is fill the form HERE. It opens internationally and ends at July 25. Good luck!

Brenna Yovanoff on Celtic Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 01:49:00 +0000

Hi everyone! In honor of the Deranged Booklovers mythology event, I’m here to talk a little bit about the folklore in my book The Replacement.

I always tell people that when I first started working on The Replacement, I never meant to write a faerie story.

Which, when I step back and think about it, is totally ridiculous, since from the very beginning I knew I was writing a book about changelings. And most of the mythology surrounding changelings comes straight out of faerie lore.

But when I first started The Replacement, I was entirely focused on the idea of the changelings themselves, and not at all on where they came from. Because I wanted to tell a modern-day story about a creature that people had pretty much stopped believing in by the time Queen Victoria was in power, I was entirely focused on how that creature’s life would look in contemporary society, where so many things are made of iron or stainless steel, which is toxic to the fae.

It wasn’t until I’d gotten a few chapters in and started thinking about the larger implications of babies being switched in the middle of the night for other babies that I knew I’d need to talk about the faeries themselves.

I’ve always been fascinated by the strange and unsettling, and I knew the world I wanted to write about was one filled with people who were not only fantastical, but frightening in their own right.

The inhabitants of the House of Mayhem aren’t what one might immediately picture when thinking of faeries, but they take their roots in the same folklore. The dead girls who wander Mayhem are direct adaptations of the Sluagh—what Celtic mythology refers to as the spirits of the restless dead.

The Sluagh were a perfect jumping-off place for the town of Gentry and the kind of world I wanted to create.

Brenna Yovanoff's debut novel is The Replacement, a story about a boy who was placed when he was a baby to substitute a human baby. Visit her HERE and HERE!

Shapeshifter: Mistwood by Leah Cypess

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Shapeshifter is an ability to shift into any creature - animal and mystical creature. This power usually held by creature from Otherworld or spirit. I took fancy of shapeshifter after I played Neverwinter Nights and one of the Druid's ability is shapeshifting into animals of other magical creatures such as golem or balor. I won plenty fights using this ability :D

In Celtic Mythology, there are several stories about shapeshifter. The most notably is the legend of Kelpie. Kelpie is an Otherworld creature who could shapeshift itself into anything it wants; man or animal. Although its favorite form is a white horse. It lured people to ride it and then took them into the lake to the Otherworld. There's also mythology about shapeshifter as the one portrayed by Leah Cypess in this story; a magical forest spirit who could turn itself into any animal and possessed huge power that man can't compete.

Title: Mistwood

Author: Leah Cypess

Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)

Rating: 4 stars

Isabel is a shapeshifter, she lived in Mistwood until Prince Rokan caught her. The Prince bound her and asked her to serve and protect her, just like she did to all kings in the past. The problem is, Isabel had lost her memories; she didn't remember what happened in the past and why she's in Mistwood instead of guarding the king's family. Not only that, she also couldn't shapeshift inside the castle. What had happened in the past? Why people seemed relieved that she couldn't remember anything? And what should she do when someone showed up and claimed to be the real prince?

I really like this book. I'm always fascinated with Celtic Mythology and shapeshifter is part of it. For me it seems so romantic yet terrifying that one is able to shift into any creature one wants. Shapeshifter aside, I like this book because of the strong main character; I had enough with damsel in distress and Isabel is definitely not. I liked her initial cold and intimidating attitude but I also enjoyed her development, especially after she realized her true nature. Other characters are also interesting; especially Clarisse. Even though Isabel can't stand her, the truth is they are quite similar. Rokan is very human; I like the way Leah Cypess didn't make him overly handsome or overly powerful. He surprisingly very human with all the doubts and flaws.

If you like shapeshifter like me and had a thing for a strong kickass main character who don't need men to rescue her every five seconds, you'll love this book.

Lynossa

I will giveaway a copy of this book, the details will follow later!

Leah Cypess on Celtic Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 03:00:00 +0000

I'm a big fan of all the tropes of fantasy, many of which come from various types of mythology. My first book, Mistwood, is about a shapeshifter - a concept that has always fascinated me. How cool would it be to be able to change into any animal you wanted? On the other hand, how awful would it be, for such a creature, to be trapped in only one type of body? Would it make it better or worse if that body was a human body?

On my website, I've collected a list of books about shapeshifters - http://www.leahcypess.com/shapeshifter/. But the book that probably most influenced Mistwood is not on that list, because it's not technically a shapeshifter book. It's The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, about a unicorn who sets out on a quest to find out what happened to the rest of her kind. I'm not going to say more, because explaining how this book influenced Mistwood would be a bit of a spoiler for The Last Unicorn, and I think everyone should read it - it's a thoroughly original story that reads like the best type of fairy-tale. (Full disclosure: I was introduced to this book through the movie version, which is also awesome.)

My second book, Nightspell, is about ghosts -- this time, a trope I find more frightening than fascinating. Back when I read the classic ghost book Wait Till Helen Comes, I couldn't even fall asleep until I had gotten the book physically out of my bedroom. But I'm also a fan of mysteries, and the idea of ghosts trying to solve their own murders - not a new idea, certainly! - has an intrinsic appeal to me. My attempt to write in that genre turned into a high fantasy about a
kingdom where ghosts coexist uneasily with the living, but it has its roots in a combination of all the murder mysteries and ghost stories I read when I was younger.

What's next? Well, my secret goal is to play with every fantasy trope in existence, so hopefully there are a lot more mythological creatures in my writing future!

Leah Cypess is the author of Mistwood and the upcoming novel, Nightspell. Visit her HERE!

Faeries: Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker #1) by Jenna Black

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 02:49:00 +0000

Faerie is a race in Celtic Mythology. This race lives in Otherworld but they're able to come to our world on certain times; Samhain night is considered as one of those times. Some people use the term faerie for any mythical creatures, but some use this term for more ethereal creatures.
Several scholars consider the origin of faeries is actually Gods/Goddesses in Celtic Mythology, but when Christian entered land of Britain, one of the way to reduce human's believe toward these creatures' power was by changing them into faeries; Lugh became the cute green-hatted leprechaun, for example.
In Faeriewalker series by Jenna Black, Faeries live side by side with human in a city called Avalon. This city is the only city in the world where Faerie and human can live together. But the balance within this city is disrupted when powerful faeries are fighting among each others for power.

Title: Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker #1)

Author: Jenna Black

Publisher: St. Martin Griffin

Rating: 3 and a half stars

Tired of dealing with her constant drunken mother, Dana Hathaway decided living in Avalon with his Fae father might be a good idea. The moment she set on her foot in Avalon, she discovered that it was actually a bad idea. Chased by Fae and humans, trapped in the middle of Fae politics and had to deal with handsome Fae teen, she found out that she actually a Faeriwalkers, a person who can walk in both human and Fae's world. In order to survive, Dana had to know where she could place her trust and decided which side she choose.

In my opinion Glimmerglass is very interesting. I'm not a huge fan of Fae, honestly, there's something about the too-handsome and too-powerful creature that irks me. But Glimmerglass is surprisingly acceptable for me. Even though there were some damsel-in-distress moments, I still can stand it. I enjoyed Ms. Black's writing style; it flows naturally. The characters are interesting; some of them seemed to follow stereotype but after awhile, I found out that they were more than meet the eyes.

Overall Glimmerglass is very interesting, although I'm not fascinated by the characters , I enjoy reading it and surely I will read the second book in near time and hope Dana has grown some backbones!

Lynossa

This month is the release month for the third book in Faeriwalker series; Sirensong. Mr. Black had kindly agreed to giveaway a copy of Sirensong to one lucky winner. This is an international giveaway and all you need to do is fill the form HERE!

Jenna Black on Celtic Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Ever since I read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology in high school, I have been in love with mythology. My first love (because of Ms. Hamilton’s book) was Greek mythology, but that love rapidly grew to include mythology from all over the world. I also love novels that incorporate mythology, and it was mostly through novels that I learned about Celtic mythology, at least at first. I absolutely devoured the Fairy Tale series that Terri Windling edited, especially Tam Lin, by Pamela Dean. Another of my all-time favorite books is War for the Oaks, by Emma Bull. Then there are the books of Charles de Lint…

One of the reasons I particularly love writing stories with mythological underpinnings is that mythology is so changeable. Reading summaries of some of the most prominent mythological tales can be like reading a choose-your-own-adventure book—first either A, B, or C happened, then our hero did either D, E, or F, and then G, H, or I happened, all depending on whose version you choose. (Look up Tam Lin on Wikipedia to get a hint of what I mean.) Because there are so many different versions of the stories, it’s easy to pick and choose the aspects that you like best, and it also feels very natural to tinker with it so that it fits the story you want to tell.

At the heart of every mythological story—no matter how many variations of it exist—is a kernel of certainty, a constant on which all the variations are built. The story of Tam Lin, for example, is always the story of a man who is rescued from the Queen of Faerie by a mortal woman who loves him. Any story based on Tam Lin is bound to have that basic story as its core, even if the details are wildly different. (If you look at the Wikipedia entry again, you’ll see that even Tam Lin’s name and the name of the woman who rescued him are not constant.)

That is the way I like to use mythology in my books: to take the core of the story/legend, and then build the details I need for my own story. I have used many elements of Celtic mythology in my Faeriewalker series—the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and the Wild Hunt, for example—but I have mixed and matched and made up the elements in ways you won’t find in any of the original ballads or stories. If there is any source material in which the Erlking is associated with the Wild Hunt, I’m not aware of it. (The Erlking isn’t even associated with Celtic mythology; his origins are Scandinavian. But when I needed someone to lead my Wild Hunt, the legend of the Erlking popped into my mind and I thought his story blended well with that of the Wild Hunt.)

I think my love of using mythology in this fashion, of not sticking strictly to the original stories, stems from the same drive that inspired me to become a writer in the first place. I think it’s a rare writer who didn’t in her childhood find herself reading a book (or even watching a movie), without thinking something to the effect of, “The story would be much better if X happened instead of Y. If I were the author, I’d make X happen instead.” That’s pretty much what I like to do with the mythology in my books. I don’t actually think I’m making the mythology “better,” of course; I merely think I’m making it better for my book. I’m sure there are mythology aficionados out there who cringe at seeing the original tales manhandled by modern-day authors like me. But while my books are based on old stories and legends, they aren’t a retelling of those stories, and for me, playing fast and loose with the mythology is part of the fun of writing them.

Visit Jenna Black HERE.

Celtic's Gods/Goddesses:Morrigan's Brood Preview + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 05:14:00 +0000

Just like other mythologies, Celtic myth also had its own gods and goddesses. Morrigan is one of the most famous goddess in Celtic Mythology. There are many fictions portrayed her; some as a villain, some as a hero. No matter how she was portrayed, she always a strong and powerful woman.

Title: Morrigan's Brood (Morrigan's Brood #1)

Author: Christopher Dunbar & Heather Poinsett Dunbar

Publisher: Triscelle Publishing

Teaser: The sound of howling wolves echoed through the hall. The walls almost began to shake, and the end of the grand joke came to a sudden end before completion.
A stratling bang from upstairs echoed through the lower basement as a door slammed open and closed. Shrill screams moved through the halls and into the lower chamber. Sound of growls, thuds, and cries of pain continued. All conversation stopped.

I've received the ebook copy of this series few days ago and haven't got the chance to finish it. But based on what I've read so far, it's great; I believe Chris and Heather Dunbar did an extensive research on this one. I'll review it as soon as I'm finish.

The couple had agreed to giveaway a copy of Morrigan's Brood and Morrigan's Brood: Crone of War
for one lucky winner. All you have to do is fill the form HERE.
This giveaway opens to everyone around the wold and ends on July 25th.

Christopher & Heather Dunbar on Celtic Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Celtic Mythology for the Dunbars

Heather: I find all mythology to be fascinating. However, Celtic mythology is my favorite. I grew up reading a lot of classical mythology stories, and it kind of got a little boring after awhile. My interest in anything Celtic intensified in the mid-nineties, when I spent a wonderful summer in Europe as an intern. I worked in Epping Forest around London and then backpacked through Western Europe. The history and mythology of the ancient peoples in Europe just inspired me unlike anything else. I wanted to learn more. I still love learning about it. It’s so multifaceted, and one could become lost in examining all the stories.
The Celts seemed to love tales involving characters who could be both villainous and heroic. Today, many authors strive for the same thing in our books. I feel proud to have a Celtic heritage (my family is primarily Germanic and Irish). After my travels, I went back home to Texas and began to study everything I could about the Celtic tribes of Europe. A lot of them suffered during the Roman era due to constant invasions, and their culture faded and merged with the Romans, except in Scotland and Ireland. Today, more people are discovering the wonderful tales within Celtic mythology and realizing that the stories still resonate with us.

Chris: Until I met Heather, my only understanding of mythology had come from classical Greek and Roman mythology, and to a much lesser extent, Viking mythology. Celtic, Asian, African, Polynesian, and many other mythologies were not covered in school.

I feel somewhat connected with Celtic mythology, as half of my heritage is from Celtic lineage. The Celts were a great people, and their culture, beliefs, and language spanned all of Europe, western Asia, and even eastern North America, as recent archeological evidence has demonstrated.

Much of Celtic mythology has been lost, as the Celtic races have been usurped by other races and by other faiths, yet some elements of the Celts have survived, most notably in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, the Isle of Man, and Cornwall. Celtic languages (Irish, Scots, and Manx, for example), customs, and beliefs have seen recent revivals, and I am happy to learn of so many people who, like me, are rediscovering the Celts.

Our favorite Gods/Goddesses/Myth creatures

Heather: Hmmmm… there are so many to chose from. Yet, I will have to admit that my favorite is The Morrigan. I do love to read about other deities and heroes, such as Lugh, Brigid, Cernunnos, and Cu Chulainn, but The Morrigan just really spoke to me when I learned about Her.

Chris: I would have to say The Morrigan, though since the question below asks about Her, I will say that, given that they are the chief beings in our series, I would say vampires… though not the Hollywood vampires with which most people are familiar. I like the old-world vampires, before even the name “vampire” was known. These beings, who consumed the life essences of mortals, had many names, respective of their cultures of origin. Deargh Du, Algul, Ekimmu Cruitne, Ekimmu, and Lamia are just a few names attributed to these blood-drinkers.

The Morrigan

Read more »

Celtic Warriors: The Raven Queen Preview + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lynossa (Deranged Book Lovers)) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:05:00 +0000

As Jules Watson said in her post yesterday, Celtic has many interesting legends on its warriors. Those warriors are not only male, but also female. One of the most popular is... Maeve; wife of King Conor of Ulaid, a strong powerful woman who had the determination even greater than most men.

Title: The Raven Queen

Author: Jules Watson

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Teaser: Breathing hard, she pulled her sword free and knelt before him. "I triumphed against those who opposed me, and won the loyalty of lords and warriors. The long dark was mild, and leaf-bud early. The crops are abundant, the flocks and herds swelling. All is fertile and unfurls with life." p218

I haven't finish read this book due to work and my country's crappy post service but I've got to tell you so far I'm enjoying it. It got the action, the romance, and all that jazz. I'm going to post my review as soon as I finish reading it.

One lucky winner will be able to obtain a signed copy of The Raven Queen by Jules Watson. All you have to do is fill this FORM et voila, you're done!