Better with Books

Odd Books: Strange Book Titles for Children (Part 2)

2011-09-30T11:42:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of other children's book titles that sound a little strange with a dose of humour.

Peek-a-Poo What's in Your Diaper?
by Guido van Genechten (2010)

Hmm, what's in the diaper you say? I bet it starts with a P, but then again, I don't really want to know. O_o

But speaking of something that starts with P...

Pooh Gets Stuck
by Isabel Gaines (1999)

Silly Pooh. XD

The Gas We Pass:
The Story of Farts (My Body Science)
by Shinta Cho (2001)

XD

Cooking With Pooh: Yummy Tummy Cookie Cutter Treats : Cookie Cutters (The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)
by Mouse Works (1995)

"Pooh Bear, that's not funny. Put that down! It's not food!"

=P

Why is mommy moaning?
Berenstein Bears

LOL

Odd Books: omg, what's wrong with these titles...

2011-08-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

Here are some books that can make you gape at the title for a while...

Anybody Can Be Cool... But Awesome Takes Practice (1988)
by Lorraine Peterson

And you wonder why you got picked on in the 80s and 90s. >.>

Teach Your Wife to Be a Widow (1959)
by Donald Rogers

Why am I not surprised that this book is sold out on Abebooks? XP

The Man Who Left His Wife and Had a Nifty Time (1966)
A Novel of High Infidelity by Bill Manville

A novel of high infidelity? No kidding. >.>

Hmm, that's one long title. I was gonna comment on the length of the title and how that's similar to a lot of talking and redundant explanations, when really, I bet men who "left their wives and had a nifty time" want less talking and more of something else, but I think I'll save it. >.>

Have you seen or heard any strange book titles?

Odd Books: Strange Book Titles for Children

2011-08-05T21:08:00.001-04:00

~~Kids say the darnedest things~~ Some books have the darnedest titles.

Who's Bottom is This? A Lift-the-flap Book (I'm learning about)
by M. Butterfield, C.J. Church

A Lift-the-flap book, you say? Once a little boy reads this book (or after he has this book read to him), he'll start lifting up girls' skirts and dresses on the playground and wonder why he's getting scolded or getting slapped by girls. That's nothing though. The day the little boy lifts a man's kilt ...

Who Cares About Elderly People? (1995)
Pam Adams and Rachel Letch

That title's got to change...

Other titles in this series are Who Cares About Disabled People and Who Cares about Law and Order? Oh boy...

Have you seen or heard of strange book titles for children?

Odd Books: some things shouldn't go together... or should it?

2011-07-29T00:01:00.004-04:00

I've been book browsing on the net (not surprising, right?) and there are some book titles out there that just make you say "what?" or cringe and think "weird..." or quite plainly, those book titles render you baffled and think "those two things shouldn't go together." Here's what I mean.

Babes with Bullets: Women Having Fun with Guns (2005)
by Debbie Ferns

I'm not saying that women aren't allowed to carry guns, but with that book title alone, you'd think it's porn. No offence. Thank goodness there are photos on the book cover to clarify... >.>

Electricity and Gynecology (Chicago, 1915)
by May Cushman Rice

This is actually a serious book that is historically significant in the field of gynaecology, but just hearing the title makes you want to make the sound of car noises moving away from you and say "vibrator!"

... Oh c'mon, I'm not the only one who thought of this upon reading this title.

Oral Sadism and the Vegetarian Personality: Readings from the Journal of Polymorphous Perversity (1987)
by Glenn C. Ellenbogen PhD

The description on Amazon makes this book look intriguing and brimming with hilarity. The New York Daily News says that is book is "for the Jung at heart!"

I want one. =P

How to Be Happy Though Married (1968)
by Tim LaHaye

How to be happy though married? What's that suppose to mean?

Have you seen or heard of any odd book titles?

Odd Books: If these books ended up in the wrong hands...

2011-07-22T00:01:00.002-04:00

Again, I've been book browsing online and I seem to have found a couple of strange books, books that if they ended up in the wrong hands, there might be trouble. Of course, none of you reading this are trouble, right? =P

How to Start Your Own Country (1999)
by Erwin S. Strauss (Paladin Press)

Really? We could start our own country? I don't know about that... o_o

How to Be Pope (2005)
by Piers Marchant

So, you wanna be a pope, eh? Once the cardinals elect you as pope, this book can teach you how to fulfill your papal duties, how to wave like a pope to the world, who does your laundry, where to buy gas within the Vatican, what the job benefits are, etc. Now why would this book be published? I would think something like this to be top secret.

When I first read info about this book, I had mistakenly read that this book was written by Priest Merchant instead of Piers Marchant. Oops...

This book couldn't really end up in the wrong hands, could it? Like if you were trying to cut the Vatican's gas supply or wanted to put a red sock in the pope's batch of whites? I'm kidding. =P

How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found (1997)
by Dough Richman

Hmm, is this what teenage runaways read before they run away? >.> In the Amazon reviews section, at least one of the reviews says that the book needs to be updated. um...

Have you seen or heard of any strange book titles?

In My Mailbox / Mailbox Monday and Books Bought

2011-07-18T00:01:00.003-04:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia by A Girl and Her Books, and for the month of July, the Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is hosted by A Sea of Books. (For more information about Mailbox Monday and on how to join, click here.)

I forgot to write a post for this a couple of weeks earlier, but I was surprised to receive:

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (sequel to I Am Number Four, from Harper Collins USA, YA, unsolicited)

You can visit iamnumberfourfans.com

Books Bought
The past couple of weeks, I bought the following (or someone bought for me =P).

The Art of War by Sun-Tsu (N.-F.)
Born Liars by Ian Leslie (N.-F.)
Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond (N.-F.)
Die for Me by Amy Plum (YA)
The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen (YA) (I'm getting sick of vampires, but in this one, the protagonist falls in love with a vampire hunter, at least that's what I can gather. I can live with that.)
The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller (YA)
Souls in the Great Machine by Sean McMullen (SF)
Psychohistorical Crisis by Donald Kingsbury (SF)
Maelstrom by Peter Watts (SF)
The Affinity Bridge by George Mann (Steampunk)
Sly Mongoose by Tobias S. Buckell (SF)
Wireless by Charles Stross (Sf)
Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher (Paranormal Romance) (*whistles*)
The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks (Romantic Suspense) (*whistles*)
Demon Night by Meljean Brook (Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy) (I read somewhere that the male protagonist for this one has the whole cowboy thing going on. Hmm... no whistle.)

Review: Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cash

2011-07-17T23:51:00.002-04:00

A nice YA romance where even death could not keep them apart.

Synopsis:

Caitlyn Monahan knows she belongs somewhere else. It’s what her dead mother’s note suggested, and it’s what her recurring nightmares allude to. Desperate to flee these terrifying dreams—and her small town—she accepts a spot at a boarding school in France. Only, when she arrives, her nightmares get worse.

But then there are her amazing dreams, so vivid and so real, with visits from an alluring, mysterious, and gorgeous Italian boy from the 1500s. Caitlyn knows they are soul mates, but how can she be in love with someone who exists only in her dreams?

Then, as her reality and dream world collide, Caitlyn searches for the real reason why she was brought to this school. And what she discovers will change her life forever. (lisacash.com)

Review:

Cash writes with great attention to historical detail. The setting of the story couldn't be better, and the characters, while most of them don't really appear to be alive and leaping off the pages (many characters only exist in Caitlyn's dreams anyway), are written with just enough detail to tell the story. However, the interplay between the past (400 years ago) and the present is amazing, and readers can't deny how a certain hand of fate is making the romance in this story possible.

By the end of the story, some questions are still left unanswered, but it's a satisfying read, one that shows how love can transcend time. There's something very romantic and heart wrenching about a love where one person is in one world while the other exists in another world, although personally, I find there is something lacking in their romance. Without spoiling the story, I'll just say that these two young lovers rely a little too much on fate. Many readers probably wouldn't find this to be a problem.

At the heart of this story, there is also a mystery to be solved or a quest to be fulfilled. Told in Caitlyn's point of view, the story is peppered with French, Italian and Latin, it brings in elements of the paranormal, and a rich history that sets the mood very well (albeit some historical facts are fictional). When a romance is set in France, even when most of it is happening in her dreams, love is definitely in the air.

For those who don't mind reading (or dreaming) about a gorgeous young lad who's heart is set for his one and only, even after 400 years, and for those who enjoy a YA story charged with European history, give this one a try.

Visit Lisa Cash's website here.

Read the prologue to Wake Unto Me here.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Canada for sending me a copy!

Author: Lisa Cash, Title: Wake Unto Me, Genre: YA,

Publisher: Speak (Penguin Group), 307 pages, $8.99 USD, $10.99 CAD, softcover.

Odd Books: Codex Seraphinianus

2011-07-15T11:12:00.000-04:00

I was browsing through rare book collections online and found the following to be intriguing, imaginative, sometimes disturbing, yet fascinating.

The Codex Seraphinianus book by Italian architect Luigi Serafini is probably the oddest book I've ever seen. It's an illustrated encyclopaedia of things from an imaginary world that's written in an indecipherable language. It's very hard to try and categorize this book. Below is the front and back cover of the 1983 US edition published by Abbeville. It features a couple having sex and metamorphosing into a crocodile.

1983 US edition (wikipedia)

This strange book has 11 chapters. There are entries about odd clothing, food, flora, fauna, bizarre technology, strange games and athletic sports... It's just a mighty strange book that captures the imagination. It makes you wonder why the original publisher for this book agreed to print this bizarre collection of works.

The first edition was published in Milano in two volumes in 1981. On abebooks, the most expensive first edition copy to ever sell went for $5000. The most affordable edition is the revised 2006 Italian edition with new illustrations. Below is a video from Abebooks featuring the Codex Seraphinianus.

Codex Seraphinianus on wikipedia, Abebooks, The Strand.

Review: What a Goddess Wants by Stephanie Julian

2011-06-30T00:01:00.023-04:00

Julian weaves a sizzling romance with blazing love-making scenes. She delivers what readers want, and then some.

(With this review, this blog doesn't have an "E" rating for "everyone" anymore.)

What a Goddess Wants is an erotic romance and the first book in the Forgotten Goddess series by Stephanie Julian.

Review:

Hot, hot, hot!
Tessa is the Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn. For a long time, she hasn't felt almighty power running through her veins or a pair of caring eyes on her as if she was really worshipped until she met Caligo. Cal is a Cimmerian warrior who thought he wouldn't dare take up another job for a spoiled goddess, but Tessa is different. She has his skin blazing with heat when they touch and a desire for her more potent than anything he can imagine.

The characters seem very real, the world they live in is well written, and the looming threat to Tessa's existence is palpable. Not knowing what might happen next makes for a hotter romance. Tessa and Cal make use of every opportunity they can get to lose themselves in each other's embrace, and that's just the start of things that lead to heart-racing sensual action.

Cal curses quite a bit, but that fits his character extremely well. If the end of the world as I know it was getting closer to my doorstep, hell, I would curse too. He also calls his Tessa "babe." In short, Cal is one sexy hunk a hunk who embodies strength and loyalty worthy of a Cimmerian warrior, and who didn't know what he was missing until Tessa found him.

Tessa may be a petite goddess in both her divine prowess and physical stature, but she certainly won't give up her powers that easily or go down without a fight. As a goddess, she is more than beautiful: she is perfect, and Cal will make sure that every part of her is worshipped, giving exactly what the goddess wants.

This book is one real page-turner. While one steaming hot scene may come to an end, you can only wonder what the next passion driven scene will be like (and there are a lot of them!)

I can't wait for the next instalment of the The Forgotten Goddess series!!

Visit Stephanie Julian's blog HERE.

What A Goddess Wants is available in-stores and online starting
July 1st, 2011.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me an ARC!

Author: Stephanie Julian, Title: What a Goddess Wants,
Genre: Erotic Romance, Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca, 352 pages, $14.99 USD.

Review: EONA by Alison Goodman

2011-05-26T20:20:00.002-04:00

Maybe a good standalone sequel to EON, but not everything is to like about EONA as the protagonist.

To read the synopsis, click HERE.

Review:

This novel is a fantasy quest taking place is a world influenced by the East Asian culture we know of today. The mythology and the world in general that the author has created is quite amazing. As a reader, you're plunged right into a world where tomorrow is uncertain and where there are external forces that many people don't comprehend, including Eona, the protagonist herself, but there's still hope.

There are many plot lines that can reel readers in, and the story is well written with a language worthy of the grandeur of this epic tale, but Eona is a flawed character, perhaps terribly flawed to be more precise. Of course, everyone is flawed (and that's what makes all of us unique), but there's something about Eona that is discomforting. I grew to dislike her, and since she's the protagonist, that's not a good sign. Sometimes, I can't help but label her a pathological liar. I've put the book down for a while because I got annoyed by her and the decisions she makes. Certain character relationships are strange too, but I don't want to delve deeper lest I would spoil the book.

Despite certain downers, I bet it's a great book for those who have read EON, the previous book, but it didn't do it for me. I really think it's a shame, because otherwise, it's a good book.

Author: Alison Goodman, Title: EONA, Genre: YA, Fantasy, Publisher: Puffin Canada (Penguin Group), 656 pages, April 2011

In My Mailbox / Mailbox Monday and Books Bought

2011-05-01T18:46:00.002-04:00

It's MAY!!! The birds are singing (as early as 4 in the morning), I can wear shorts outside, and a fan is already stationed on top of my dresser. XD

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia by A Girl and Her Books, and for the month of May, the Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is hosted by Mari Reads. (For more information about Mailbox Monday and on how to join, click here.)

Last week, I received:

Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cash (from Penguin Group, for review, YA)

I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan (from Little, Brown for review, YA)

Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson (a win from Kathy of BermudaOnion, Fiction)

Life on Mars: Tales from the New Frontier edited by Jonathan Strahan (from Penguin Group, for review, YA anthology). This anthology includes short stories from: Kage Baker (may she rest in peace), John Barnes, Stephen Baxter, Cory Doctorow, Ellen Klages, Nancy Kress, Ian McDonald, Nnedi Okorafor, Alastair Reynolds, Chris Roberson, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Rachel Swirsky.

Books Bought

My better half and I went to the Friends of the Montreal Library book sale on Saturday. It's mainly a French book sale, but they had two rows of tables topped with English fiction. The sale is still on until May 8th, 2011. All adult books are $1 while children's books are 50 cents (I think). We brought home the following:

Judge and Jury by James Patterson and Andrew Gross
Away Laughing on a Fast Camel by Louise Rennison
Countdown by Iris Johansen
Authenticity by Deirdre Madden (looking forward to this one)
The Ethical Assassin by David Liss
Black Lightning by John Saul
Jeff Herman's Guide to book publishers, editors, & literary agents 2005 *cough cough*

In My Mailbox / Mailbox Monday and Books Bought

2011-04-25T18:48:00.001-04:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia by A Girl and Her Books, and for the month of April, the Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is hosted by Passage to the Past. (For more information about Mailbox Monday and on how to join, click here.)

Last week, I received and ARC of What a Goddess Wants (erotic romance) by Stephanie Julian from Sourcebooks. I finished reading it just today and it is hot!

My review will appear around

June 30th, 2011.

Books Bought

A friend of mine found a copy of Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times for me among the bargain books at a Chapters bookstore.

In My Mailbox / Mailbox Monday and Books Bought

2011-04-18T01:09:00.000-04:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. The Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is hosted by Passage to the Past for the month of April. (For more information about Mailbox Monday and on how to join, click here.)

Last week, I received and ARC of Eona by Alison Goodman from Penguin Group. Eona is the sequel to Eon.

Content from PenguinYoungReaders.

Books Bought

Last Thursday, I went to the Dorval Library Book Sale. Gotta love book sales. I met up with Cindy from Cindy's Love of Books and Tina from Bookshipper.

While I didn't find many books of interest at first, I didn't give up. I went around and checked the books on the tables (and under the tables) twice or three times. I did some digging and it paid off. I brought home 24 books, all for $15 CAD. Woot-woot!

I brought home the following:

Lit Riffs edited by Matthew Miele
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
A Princess of Mars (Penguin Classics) by Edgar Rice Burroughs and John Seelye
An English/French Dictionary (because I somehow misplace mine pretty often)
The Navigator of New York by Wayne Johnston
Sea Glass (Glass, book 2) by Maria V. Snyder (now I'm only missing book 1!!)
Science Fiction: A Historical Anthology (Galaxy Books, 729) by Eric S. Rabkin
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
The Art Of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein
The White Tiger: A Novel by Aravind Adiga
The Trespass: A Novel by Barbara Ewing (The cover is so pretty that on my last round around the tables, I decided to adopt it, even though I have not the vaguest idea what the book is about. The book was staring at me.)
Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross

The Private Patient by P.D. James
Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
Fire Me Up (Aisling Grey, Guardian, Book 2) by Katie MacAlister
You Slay Me (Aisling Grey, Guardian, Book 1) by Katie MacAlister
Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland
Rough Justice by Jack Higgin

Event: A Novel by David Lynn Golemon
Phantom Prospect (Rogue Angel) by Alex Archer
Restless Soul (Rogue Angel) by Alex Archer
Nation by Terry Pratchett
The Chase by Clive Cussler (I've never read a Clive Cussler novel)

What did you get in your mailbox? Did you buy any books last week? =)

FUN FACT: Books as Movie Props

2011-04-07T00:23:00.001-04:00

Book prop used in the making
Disney's Tron: Legacy (2010).
Image from video by
ChicGreekGeek.

Movie makers use a multitude of props to bring a story to life on the big screen. Of those props are books. These books appear real with an authentic looking dust jacket. Great attention to detail can be observed on these book props as the dust jacket may show a non-existent publisher logo and carry a fake ISBN number. It may be interesting to look at the role of book props in movies, especially if the movie in question is an adaptation of a real book or novel. Confusing, ain't it? =)

Book Prop in Tron:Legacy (2010)
I found a video on youtube, showing some of the props used in the making of Disney's Tron: Legacy that were on display. Among the props is a book entitled The Digital Frontier: Mapping the Other Universe by none other than Kevin Flynn. With a generic cover image, it looks like any other non-fiction and informative book out there.

Content from ChicGreekGeek

Book Prop in Thor (2011)
Another book prop I found is a seemingly authentic book entitled Myths and Legends from Around the World by Anneka Sunden. This book appears in the Thor trailer (2011) at 1:12 minutes. Just to make sure, I did a quick google search and found no matches with that title and that author. I think I would be surprised if that book actually exists. If so, I'd go out to get myself a copy. =P

Notice how the dust jacket is torn at the corner and how it shows signs of wear. Wait a minute... is that Thor on the cover? =)

at 1:12 of Thor trailer

Content from Marvel.

Review: Edge of Sight by Roxanne St.Claire

2011-04-06T13:15:00.000-04:00

St.Claire makes a troubled guardian with a facial scar and wearing an eye-patch sound utterly attractive.

To read the synopsis, click HERE.

Review:
Samantha Fairchild and Zach Angelino (nice name) seem to have no place to hide as a hired killer is out for a second chance to cover his tracks and silence a witness.

These characters are believable, layered individuals with a past they can't ignore any longer. Samantha won't rest her feet despite a sprained ankle, while Zach has trouble saying the three simple yet meaningful words. His actions before leaving Samantha for war leaves her devastated while he's hoping for the better, but it doesn't exactly turn out that way, at least not yet. These characters are on the run, and they can deny each other all they want, but neither can escape being lured towards the other.

This is a great book to start off the Guardian Angelinos series. The pacing is great, there's a ton of action (of both kinds), and the romance will keep you reading until you reach the end of the book. Since other attractive male Angelinos are mentioned in the book, I wonder who's being featured in the next books in the series...

Note: When I found out about this book in the blogosphere during the book tour, I entered a few contests in the hopes of winning a copy as I liked the premise of the book. However, I didn't win. I caved and resorted to going to the bookstore, and ta-da!!

Author: Roxanne St.Claire, Title: Edge of Sight: A Guardian Angelinos Novel, Genre: Romantic Suspense, Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing, 2010), 376 pages.

Book to Movie: Beastly by Alex Flinn

2011-03-30T19:59:00.002-04:00

Beastly is a modern adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Neil Patrick Harris. While the movie was previously scheduled to show in theatres over the summer of 2010, it premiered but a couple of weeks ago. As is the case for many adaptations, certain elements from the book are lost when adapted to the screen, but the main plot remains the same.

Some Differences:

In the book, there's a chat room that the Beast enters from time to time to chat with the silent mermaid (Ariel from The Little Mermaid), Froggie (to be transformed from a kiss) and Grizzlyguy (who kills a dwarf, but he kills the dwarf as a bear, so he claims it isn't a crime). They all have to deal with their fairytale transformations, but this is not included in the movie. It would have added a great dose of comedy to the movie, but that surely wasn't the movie makers' intent.

A significant change from the book to the movie is that in the book, the Beast is REALLY a beast with fur, fangs and claws. That's not the case in the movie. Perhaps the movie makers wanted to capitalize on Alex Pettyfer's physique? Realistically, branch-like tattoos, vicious scars and swirling adamantium on the surface of skin are easier to conceal under a black hood than a beast-like appearance. (It's not adamantium. I don't know what it is, so I'll just call it adamantium.) Can you imagine having to hide your furry hands and feet in public? And those feet would be huge! The Beast would need massive shoes!

In the book, the Beast becomes feral near the end. He becomes more beast than man in a desperate attempt to save Beauty. It's a heart-pumping climax in the book where the Beast risks his life, but such a scene is not present in the movie, which was a bit of a let down. However, to be fair, Alex Pettyfer's character is not a beast in terms of animal-like characteristics, therefore this scene in the book could not be adapted for the screen as the Beast wouldn't have feral instincts to protect his beloved.

In the movie, some of the encounters between the characters felt contrived. I won't point out which scenes felt like such, but that's just my opinion.

The casting is alright, but one thing the casting director did absolutely right was casting Neil Patrick Harris as Will, the blind tutor. His lines were great. You can't go wrong with someone like ~~Barney~~, I mean Neil Patrick Harris.

The enchantress or witch (played by Mary-Kate Olsen) has a slightly different role in the book than in the movie. SPOILER ALERT: in the book, she also plays the role of the Beast's housekeeper; she keeps an eye on him, but that's not the case at all in the movie where she only plays the role of the witch. I really thought that by the end of the movie, she would reveal herself as the housekeeper, but that didn't happen. However, the ending bit where she's about to meet the Beast's father is very appropriate. That's one of the twists I actually liked in the movie.

There are other differences between the book and the movie, but they aren't as major.

All in All . . .

It is a story about inner beauty and true love (although the Beast does "kidnap" Beauty). I went to see the movie mainly out of curiosity in terms of how it matches up to the book. While there are some surprises in store, I wasn't blown away, nor was I disappointed in general; it's still a nice story. It's only worth seeing if there's no other movie of interest to see, or if you're curious about it. It appears to me that the movie could be trying to get Twilight fans to go see it at a time when the Twilight craze has significantly died down, and when there are no Twilight Saga movies being played in theatres, of course. That's just me.

Click HERE for my review of Beastly (book).

Review: iDrakula by Bekka Black

2011-03-27T00:37:00.002-04:00

A nice modern spin on a classic, even though some of us are dead tired of vampires.

Review:
(3 stars)
This story is unveiled little by little via text messages, emails and photos. There are also Ipad web browser spreads to advance the story. This combination leads to a face-paced story that most of us are unaccustomed to, but it's a fresh modern twist on a vampire story.

Yes, there are vampires in this story, and some of us would rather not see another vampire book for the rest of our days. I certainly thought the same, but it peaked my curiosity due to its format. By flipping through the pages, I knew it would be a quick read, so I gave it a shot, and ultimately, this book surprised me.

This story is well thought out. Only certain elements from the Dracula classic is borrowed for iDrakula, which to me, that's not a bad thing. There's lots of room for modern takes on vampirism. Madness due to vampirism is associated with a psychotic disorder, blood loss is associated with a certain type of anemia, there's no cell reception or wifi in a "certain" part of Romania . . . many elements of this story allow the reader to interpret the events realistically and according to our times.

It was a very short read, but I expected it to be so. Due to the format of the book, it's really one event happening after the other; there's no time to flesh out a character, and I bet it's hard to do so via text messages and emails only. It's difficult and even unfair to compare this book with others due to its format. I'm giving it 3 stars mainly because the concept of vampires is overused. Had it been a longer book (even through emails and texts) and had it been about something else, I may have a different opinion.

Would I Reccomend this?
If you're attempting to collect every version of Dracula there is, you might consider including this one to your collection. If you're looking for a fast-paced book and you would like to explore the use of text-messages and emails in a book, don't shy away from this one. I personally would not buy iDrakula at its retail price, but I probably would as an app (described below). I might even enjoy the story more as an app. After all, it is written in the form of texts, emails, and even voice mails. Reading this story in print means that you miss out on voice mails.

iDrakula for the iphone!
With the iDrakula app, you can sample the first 5 days of messages from this fast-paced story. You can also read the whole story for $1.99. Just like in the book, the story will unfold via texts, photos and emails, but in addition, you'll find voice mail messages that you won't find in the book. Messages in this app will make themselves available daily at midnight as the story progresses. This gives you the feeling that you're experiencing the eerie events as they occur, but of course, you can also read them all at once.

image from http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2010/11/03/app-of-the-week-idrakula/

For a full description of this app, visit PC World's App Guide or simply see it for yourself by downloading this app and the first 5 days of messages via itunes for free.

A Little Surprising:
On the cover of iDrakula is a book endorsement by James Rollins. THE James Rollins. (There aren't that many James Rollins who are also best-selling authors, are there?) It struck me as odd since he's know for writing thrillers and mysteries, but not young adult fiction. Then again, most readers read through a multitude of genres, so that shouldn't limit whom a high profile author endorses either.

Interesting Fact:
"In 2007, the first book written solely in text messages, Viimeiset viestit (Last Messages), was released by Finnish author Hannu Luntiala. It is about a business executive who travels throughout Europe and India." -- Wikipedia

Many thanks to Cindy for passing along this book to me. =)

You can find her newly designed blog HERE.

Title: iDrakula, Author: Bekka Black, Publisher: Sourcebooks (2010), 150 pages, Genre: Young Adult and a text-messaging/emailing genre all its own (perhaps the genre has yet to be coined?), $9.99 USD / $11.99 CAD

Review: Scrapped Princess - books 1-2-3

2010-11-04T03:17:00.002-04:00

November 4th, 2010

Manga Review: Scrapped Princess

Created/written by: Ichiro Sakaki

Volumes 1, 2 & 3

... The End? So Soon?

About the Series:

[As an anime], it begins as high fantasy and then quickly mixes into varying degrees of post-apocalyptic and science fiction elements through the application of Clarke's third law. The atmosphere has undertones of sadness, though many of the characters and situations are superficially light-hearted.

(...)

The manga is only three volumes, and has no plot overlap with the anime; the only things in common are the three main characters, the idea of the Scrapped Princess, and the Mauser Faith they are running from. Between May and November 2007 three of the original light novels have been translated into English by Tokyopop. (Wikipedia)

Review:
First and foremost, I was dissapointed that the manga itself is only three volumes long. I didn't know this at the time, so I kept reading the series until I got to the end of Volume 3 where the creator apologizes for his "inadequacies." ={

I like the premise of the story and I enjoyed following this group of travelers, although there doesn't seem to be a clear point as to why they're traveling, except that they're traveling from place to place for a safe place to stay because the Scrapped Princess (Pacifica Casull) has been prophesied to bring destruction and bloodshed, even before she was born. Many people seem to hate her and want her dead, simply for being born. Hence, as a newborn, she was "scrapped," but she was rescued. At 15, she goes on an adventure with her two foster siblings who are also her protectors. One is a swordsman while the other is a sorceress.

The artwork is great, but I find the fight scenes a little hard to follow at times. Maybe it's just me. However, I like Pacifica because she's strong, lively, and she never gives up, even though there's always someone out there wanting to kill her due to the prophecy. She loves the idea of living like royalty, even though she can't afford it since she's on the run all the time. I also like how she enjoys food like no one else, being called a glutton by her siblings. Hey, that reminds me of someone . . . *rubs her own belly while tapping her chin*

In the end, the manga is a huge let down (and I think the creator knows it) but I still have my hopes up for the anime, even though there's no plot overlap between the anime and the manga. I think I'm going to watch it.

You can watch Episode 1 Part 1/3 below (Engl dubbed):

Concerning the manga, I'm giving it 2 stars, just because the ending is unexpected (it ends abruptly). Feels like I got robbed. Damn that Pacifica . . . (no, not really).

2 stars for the manga. (Rating doesn't apply to the anime!!!)

In My Mailbox (10-25-2010)

2010-10-25T00:46:00.002-04:00

October 25th, 2010
In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. The Mailbox Monday Blog Tour is hosted by Avis at She Reads and Reads for the month of October. (For more information about Mailbox Monday and on how to join, click here.)

Last Wednesday, I went to the McGill Bookfair in Montreal. I went with Avis (She Reads and Reads) and with Amanda (Tales and Treats). I really tried to restrict my impulsive book buying behaviour and it looks like I succeeded very well, perhaps too well. (Hope I don't relapse.) I attribute it to how the prices of books have gone up compared to last year's sale. It's still a good sale though (6 books for $19). I picked up the following, although not all of them are for me:

Earlier in the week, I received the following in the mail:

To Fetch a Thief (A Chet and Bernie Mystery) by Spencer Quinn

About the Book:

Chet has smelled a lot of unusual things in his years as trusted companion and partner to P.I. Bernie Little, but nothing has prepared him for the exotic scents he encounters when an old-fashioned traveling circus comes to town. Bernie scores tickets to this less-than-greatest- show-on-earth because his son Charlie is crazy about elephants. The only problem is that Peanut, the headlining pachyderm of this particular one-ring circus, has gone missing—along with her trainer, Uri DeLeath. Stranger still, no one saw them leave. How does an elephant vanish without a trace?

At first there’s nothing Bernie and Chet can do— it’s a police matter and they have no standing in the case. But then they’re hired by Popo the Clown, who has his own reasons for wanting to find out what has become of the mysteriously missing duo. After Chet takes a few sniffs in Peanut’s trailer and picks up her one-of-a-kind scent, he and Bernie are in hot pursuit, heading far away from the bright lights of the traveling show and into the dark desert night.

Some very dangerous people would prefer that Chet and Bernie disappear for good and will go to any lengths to make that happen. Across the border in Mexico and separated from Bernie, Chet must use all his natural strength and doggy smarts to try to save himself—not to mention Bernie and a decidedly uncooperative Peanut, too.

To Fetch a Thief shows why readers everywhere have fallen head-over-paws in love with the Chet and Bernie mystery series. Top-notch suspense, humor, and insight into the ways our canine companions think and behave make this the most entertaining and irresistible book in the series yet.(amazon.ca)
Read Chapter 1 of To Fetch a Thief here.

I have heard of Dog on It and Thereby Hangs a Tail from the same author and series, and I love how these books are told from Chet's point of view. Who wouldn't want to know how a puppy detective thinks? I must read all three books from the Chet and Bernie Mystery series. It looks like the author is hard at work on the next book in the series.

Visit the official blog of Chet the Dog by visiting:

Chet: A Dog's Life

(www.chetthedog.com)

Many thanks to Atria Books from Simon & Schuster for sending me a review copy! =)

BBAM (10-24-2010)

2010-10-24T21:43:00.004-04:00

October 24th, 2010

What's BBAM?
If you're wondering, BBAM stands for "Book Blogger Association of Montreal." About once a month, book bloggers from the Montreal, Quebec region meet to chat about books, book blogs, book fairs, publishers, authors, and everything else in between. Other areas of interest would seep into our conversations too. It all happens in good company and over great tasting tea.

Books would get passed around too, although whenever a particular book is set on the table and up for grabs, and it just so happens that two or more of us want that same book, it can get dangerous. =P

Where and with Whom?
This month's meet-up was held at the usual tea shop in Montreal. I met up with Cindy (Cindy's Love of Books), Donna (BooksBound), Tina (BookShipper), and last month's new member, Amanda (Tales and Treats). Two new book bloggers joined us today: Laura Fabiani (Library of Clean Reads, NouveauWriter, and author of Daughter of Mine) and Sandra (Library of Clean Reads). Avis from She Reads and Reads wasn't able to attend the meet-up this time. Still, at the rate we're going, we'll have to reserve the whole tea shop!

What I Brought Home

I brought home the following books from Amanda:

Non-Fiction

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

Classics

Tales from the 1001 Nights
The Aeneid of Virgil
Oedipus the King by Sophocles
A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
The Time Machine and The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

Middle Grade

The Lightning Thief from Rick Riordan

Fiction (Fantasy)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Son of a Witch by Gregory McGuire

From Donna:

Fiction (Crime, Mystery)

The Empty Chair by Jeffery Deaver

From Tina:

Non-Fiction

Keep the Change by Steve Dublanica

From Laura:

Children/Middle Grade:

Julia Gillian (and the Dream of the Dog) by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Drazen Kozjan

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The next meet-up will be in early December. =)

Review: Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

2010-10-19T12:33:00.011-04:00

October 20th, 2010

Note: book to be published on 12/1/2010

What a great story about romance and family drama. Such believable characters! And that Patrick? Ooh la la!

About the Book:

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.

She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?

Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery. (hachettebookgroup.com)

Review:
I loved this book. The story brings me back to when I was a teen as I was trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted for myself. Hannah continuously presses on for answers about her family's past, even thought it makes her appear selfish for wanting to unearth these secrets and that it may hurt the very people she is surrounded by. She has the right to know, although she may not like what she hears. Tension between mother and daughter is always around, but in the end, there is something that keeps people together and something that allows us to forgive one another, but never forget.

The main characters seemed so real to me and the setting couldn't be better. A lot is left unsaid between the Hannafords, but when secrets are revealed, they will catch you by surprise. There are moments of joy and laughter, and there are moments of sadness and sorrow. I cried while reading a particular passage. *snif*

I think the author did a great job of capturing what it feels like to be a teen as Hannah wonders about what could have been and as she is discovering herself. As a reader, I can relate to her and her situation. A multitude of emotions are experienced, and sometimes, a storm can surface and wreck havoc to then be followed by sunshine and blue skies. Although a couple of scenes are rather clichés (which story doesn't have these? they work for a reason,) there are powerful scenes in the book that can move you to tears or leave a lasting impression.

The blurb doesn't mention Patrick, but what I can say is you won't be dissapointed.

Would I Recommend this Book?
I sure would! I'd recommended it to YA readers, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction. There's a good dose of family drama, romance, mystery, and friendship. This story felt like it was told with a true teenage voice where the pacing is just great.

Note:
I read most of the book during my break on campus, and I was contemplating on skipping my next class, just so I can finish reading the book. (I did go to class. I was a good girl.)

Extra:
The ARC for this novel is entitled Fixing Delilah Hannaford and has a romantic looking cover with an air of reminiscence (if I can say that). However, it appears the final version of the novel's title is shorter (simply Fixing Delilah) and the book has a cover with a more modern interpretation.

Which title and which cover do you prefer?

----------------------------------------------------

Publish Date: 12/1/2010

US/Can Price: $16.99/$18.99

ISBN: 9780316052092

Pages: 320

Many thanks to Hachette Book Group for handing out this ARC during BEA 2010.

Winner of Beautiful Darkness Giveaway

2010-10-14T01:30:00.000-04:00

Thursday October 14th, 2010

There were a total of 35 valid entries for the Beautiful Darkness giveaway. The winner was chosen via random.org, and the arc copy of Beautiful Darkness goes to:

Christy

Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who entered.=)

(NOW CLOSED) Giveaway: Beautiful Darkness by K. Garcia & M. Stohl

2010-09-12T16:57:00.005-04:00

September 12th, 2010
A friend of mine has given me an arc of Beautiful Darkness (the sequel to Beautiful Creatures), although I already have one, so I'm giving away my extra copy.

About the Book:

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems. (amazon.com)

Looking at the spine of the arc, Beautiful Creatures will be released October 26th, 2010.

For an entry in the giveaway, simply leave a comment with your name an email address. To protect your email from spam, leave your email in the following format: jane.smith (at) hotmail.com.

The winner will be chosen via random.org.
I will mail the book to the winner myself.

Contest is open to Canada and the U.S.
Contest closes on October 9th, 2010, 11:59pm EDT.

Good luck! =)

News: End of MG Book Challenge - 1st Edition

2010-09-12T16:09:00.002-04:00

September 12th, 2010
I will no longer host the Middle Grade Book Challenge. I know I haven't been as good of a host as others, but it was a unique experience for me, and I had the chance to experiment with the McKlinky and I tried to do something meaningful, among other things. Boy is it tough to host a challenge and be able to keep track of it.

My friend Cindy at Cindy's Love of Books will be taking over this time to host the 2nd edition of the Middle Grade Book Challenge. If you're still interested despite my failed attempt, or if you're hearing about this for the first time, give it a try over at Cindy's blog. Unlike me, she is more organized, and definitely more dedicated of a middle grade reader because she has a son who reads books aimed for that age group.

For those of you who have followed along, thank you for giving it a try, whether or not you've succeeded in the challenge as it is a personal challenge; no one is forcing you and no one would scold you for not completing a challenge. For those of you who would be joining in and tagging along in this challenge, best of luck to you.

Middle Grade Book Challenge - June Reviews

2010-06-01T00:01:00.004-04:00

It's June! This is the tenth month of the Middle Grade Book Challenge.

Are you reading middle grade books this month? If so, which titles and from which authors?

Just add your blog link/name to the MckLinky below. You can also copy/paste one of the codes (available on this post) below your book review on your blog to share your April reviews and other bloggers' April reviews with others.

For Blogger users (and for those using blogs that accepts Javascript):

Note: in some blogging environments like Blogger, the list will not show up in the "PREVIEW" mode. The list shows up only after you PUBLISH the post.