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Book Haul (119)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Julie:

So...so this is two weeks in books. Yeah, I know it's kind of dull in my inbox/mailbox, isn't it? I mean, I guess it's a good thing since I've got that whole college thing coming up and PLENTY of books to read as it is but...I liked having those surprise packages in my mailbox when I got home, or that awesome email from Netgalley/Edelweiss about a new book approval. Ah well.

Gifted:

Soulless by Gail Carriger

(thanks Catie!)

Egalleys:

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot

Bought:

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

The Hunger Pains by The Harvard Lampoon

And there you go. I already read Let's Pretend This Never Happened, and y'all...this book is HILARIOUS. Seriously, pick it up. But only if you're over...I dunno, 14ish? It's very much of the adult, which is why it's, you know, an adult book. Swearing, drinking, drugs, lots of talk about girly parts...yeah.

ANYWAY, thoughts on these books? What did you guys get?

--Julie

Lanna:

Also: sorry I've been kind of MIA on the blog recently, Julie has been the one posting pretty much. It's really because I just haven't been reading all that much - I thought once I moved I'd read more but it hasn't worked out that way and when I do want to read, I end up getting distracted. I need to do a read-a-thon week and actually stick to it, just to get back into the habit of reading because I miss it and I miss blogging (one of the best positives of having a co-blogger is even when you're failing at the blogging thing, there's an awesome person there to prevent the blog from going all ghost town... basically, Julie is awesome).

Later.

In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:17:00 +0000

In Your Room

Jordanna Fraiberg

Razorbill

[October 16, 2008]

Molly and Charlie have fallen head over heels in love- even though they've never met. Molly is a fashion-conscious city girl in L.A. Charlie is an earthy, mountain-biking dude from Boulder, Colorado. Each of them has big plans with their respective friends for the summer, until they discover that their parents decided to swap houses!

Luckily there's no amount of homesickness that a bit of snooping can't cure. Charlie and Molly begin crawling under beds and poking around in closets to find out a little more about each other, and they like what they find.

Can Charlie and Molly's long-distance romance survive jealousy, misunderstandings and the thousand miles between them?

MTV's Room Raiders meets You've Got Mail in this sweet, old-fashioned love story for the digital age. . . .

This book? Five kinds of adorable.

I loved Molly and Charlie. They were both sweet and fun characters. I loved how much they changed while they were spending time in each others rooms. Both were kind of single minded with this is what I like and I can't believe I'm leaving it for a summer thinking. But they spent a summer talking and learning and having new experiences and they came out better for it.

I loved their relationship too. It was honest and real and their looks honestly didn't matter and I thought that was wonderful. How many times do we read a book and hear about how attractive the love interest is? Isn't that always how the relationship starts? Well that wasn't an option in this book, which made it immediately stand out.

Charlie and Molly also had some family/personal problems that were touched on, too. That kinda balance is always good, you know?

I know this is a pretty crappy endorsement, but I read this in February, so it's kind of blurry in my memory. I DO know that I loved this book a whole lot and y'all should pick it up.

--Julie

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Unbreak My Heart

Melissa C. Walker

Bloomsbury USA

[May 22, 2012]

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

This book gave me a lot of The Feels.

So, first my schpeal on cheating. It's really not okay and I hate when characters do it. It's never ago and it frustrates me. However, in this book? It made a good point. Technically, Clem was never REALLY cheating with her best friend's boyfriend. Of course, it was still wrong, but was it as bad as I thought at first? Nope. And this book also raised the good point: Why is she the only one at fault? This wasn't a one-sided thing, the boyfriend was just as much at fault as Clem. Yet he's forgiven and still dating Clem's best friend, but Clem can't even get her best friend to talk to her. Why is this fair? Why do we treat the two so differently? They both did an equally bad thing, so how can we punish them differently? It was a good question, and I'm glad Melissa Walker looked at it.

At first Clem bothered me. Yeah, I got that she was upset and needed to be brought out of it. She was just so horrible to her family and they only wanted to help. But she developed a lot. She grew up a lot. She started to move on and then I really liked her. She was nice and fun and just a good person. I liked meeting this Clem a whole lot more.

And James? James was freaking awesome. He was a genuinely good guy. He was goofy and happy and lovely and I just wanted to hug this kid so badly. Also, I want to see his hair color. Because it sounded interesting. The romance was fun and adorable and just so cute. I didn't want it to end. James and Clem are simply fantastic, guys.

One of my favorite things about this book, beside the romance and the characters, was the fact that there was so much more. Clem and James both had family issues and that was a big part of the plot. Probably a bigger portion than the romance. I liked seeing the different problems and how they were dealt with. And I really appreciated the fact that Unbreak My Heart had a lot of layers.

Overall, Unbreak My Heart was pretty freaking amazing. It had romance, awesome characters, development, family issues, friend issues, good questions...a ton of aspects that make a great novel. Sometimes it was light and fun, but sometimes it was a bit deeper. Definitely one to pick up this summer!

--Julie

Book THREE in the Hourglass Series!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:21:00 +0000

Y'all know I don't usually do this but the news was finally announced and nothing else was on the blog for today and it's a Myra McEntire book why are you questioning my actions?

Today, Myra announced that book 3 in the Hourglass series is coming out in the summer of 2013! You can read the whole announcement with the title and whatnot here:

http://www.hypable.com/2012/05/23/myra-mcentire-sells-infintyglass-the-third-hourglass-novel-to-egmont-usa/

And she also blogged about it a bit here:

http://myramcentire.blogspot.com/2012/05/book-news.html

I'm trying not to mourn the fact that there will be no ARCs and I have to wait until next June. TRYING SO HARD. It becomes harder to do when I think about all the things that happen in Timepiece. But...I'm gonna manage. Most likely.

And for those of you going to BEA, Myra will be signing paperbacks of Hourglass and Egmont will have Timepiece posters. I'm not cursing out my college for keeping me from BEA inside my head. Not at all.

--Julie

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

There are some spoilers in this review for the sake of giving examples. Some details and a couple of non-spoilery scenes are discussed.

Of Poseidon

Anna Banks

Feiwel and Friends

[May 22, 2012]

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen-literally, ouch!-both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

I was sure I was going to love this one, I really was. Mermaids! A release date on Boy's birthday! Pretty cover! Macmillian as a publisher! Super nice author! So much potential!

I was really, really let down.

Emma and Galen were okay on their own. Most of the time. But as a couple? They had a horrible relationship. He would request that she do something reasonable. Example: She had a stalker they could sense in the water. He asks her to stay out of the water when he's not there. Does she listen? Not only does she not listen, she gets angry at him. She yells at him. This isn't the only instance where this happens. I'm happy that a female character wants to be independent but...really?

And Galen? Galen also has issues. He's ridiculously over protective. There's this part where he's texting and calling Emma repeatedly and she's deliberately ignoring it because she's on a date and she's mad at Galen. So, he then follows her on her date. Which is going to take place an hour away. And he threatens harm repeatedly to Emma's date for being a nice guy and telling her she doesn't have to go with Galen. By time Galen gets Emma home, they're a couple again. That's not okay. You don't stalk people. It especially bothered me because the reason he was bothering her wasn't time sensitive. Her grandma wasn't dying and he wasn't trying to bring her to the hospital.

There's also a lack of logic in this book. For example, it's established pretty early on that Emma can talk to fish. It's something she's aware of basically from the time she finds out she's a Syrena. Talking requires oxygen. But there's a couple instances where Emma mentions being afraid to not hold her breath underwater and they're always mentioning how she's learning endurance for holding her breath. I'm not sure how you can talk and hold your breath at the same time.

There was also this alternation is perspective. First person for Emma, but third person for Galen. It was kind of confusing and kind of annoying going back and forth. I don't mind switching characters, but I like my books in first OR third, not both.

Despite all this, it wasn't a totally horrible book for me. I did really like two of the side characters, Rachel and Toraf, and I would love to read more about them. I also liked the idea of this story. What the summary doesn't mention is that there are two kingdoms and because Emma is of Poseidon, she's supposed to marry the king of the other kingdom and the king happens to be Galen's older brother, Grom. And he has to marry Emma because the girl before her who was of Poseidon - and also Grom's love - died years before in a mine accident. I found that pretty interesting. Is Emma really going to have to marry Grom? If not, who will he have to marry? The ending was also a really big cliffhanger that made me want book 2 desperately. I kind of wish I had decided not to finish this book because now I really want to make it through the next one despite how much it'll annoy me.

So...yeah. Of Poseidon was not the right book for me...but I might be picking up book 2 anyway.

Positive Reviews:

Katie's Book Blog

The Hiding Spot

Between the Pages

--Julie

Book Haul (118)

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Lanna:

(Please ignore the weird eye movements - I had my glasses on but the light was reflecting too much on the lenses, so I took them off and when I don't have them on, my eyes get weird...)

Later.

Historic Saturday: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Code Name Verity

Elizabeth Wein

Hyperion Books for Children

[May 15, 2012]

Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?

Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.

Code Name Verity was one of those books where I wasn't sure it was for me. World War II fascinates me as something that happened in history, but I tend to avoid books that take place during it because they just don't interest me. They tend to tackle the same topics/ideas over and overs with slight variations. But everyone was raving about this one and it sounded different, so I thought I'd try it. And while I'm not going to sing its praises from the rooftops, I did really enjoy it.

I have to put in a bit of a disclaimer. I read this as an egalley on my Kindle and I'm not sure what it was, but the formatting was really wonky. And that did effect my experience reading it, I know that. I almost feel like I can't judge it until I read a finished copy, so I can read it properly. So...yeah.

I really liked reading about Maddie and Verity's story. I liked how Verity told it and how there were always these little surprises. Sometimes I could guess it, but not always. I really, really liked the twist that comes a little more than half way through the book. That was wholly unexpected.

Code Name Verity is an emotional story. Everyone I've heard from has talked about the tears, oh the tears! I never cried, but I was pretty freaking close. It wasn't what I expected to be teary about either. I certainly felt emotionally drained by the end of the book, though. Very much like I did after Mockingjay.

If anything, I would say I want more. I want to know what goes on after the book ends. I want to know how things turn out for our characters as the war wraps up and even beyond then. I have some suspicions, but I just wanna know if I'm right.

Elizabeth Wein knows how to tell a damned good story. She knows how to make things tense and high stress and mess with your head. She knows how to make your heart break and she knows how to make you smile.

Overall, Code Name Verity was unexpectedly amazing. I really wish I could've loved it the way everyone else did, and maybe if I reread it as a physical book with all the proper formatting, I would. I strongly encourage you to go and pick up a copy of this book and read this book.

--Julie

From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:03:00 +0000

From What I Remember...

Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Hyperion

[May 15, 2012]

KYLIE: Tijuana WHAT? I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY, and is this a wedding band on my finger.

MAX: It all started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics Okay, it was kind of hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded in TIjuana. WIth less than twenty-four hours before graduation. Awesome.

WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring thier passports across the border--but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.

LILY: I just walked in on my boyfriend, Max Langston, canoodling with Kylie Flores, freak of the century. Still, I can't completely hold it against him. He NEEDS me. It's even clearer now. And I'm not giving him up without a fight.

I kind of loved this book? I think?

Let's talk about our characters. I was really worried that so many points of view would make the story disjointed or weird, but it didn't really. Yes the story would've been perfectly fine with just Kylie and Max's perspective, but I liked hearing from Will and even Lily was interesting to read about. I really loved Kylie and Will and Max definitely grew on me. I understood Lily, but I still didn't particularly like her. I don't think we were supposed to. All four of these characters grew a lot from their experiences in the book and I loved seeing that.

The story itself had a lot of layers. Every single character had personal issues going on and the this happened to add to it. Their personal issues affected how each one of them acted and decided on things. Everything was necessary and tight and they were all interesting. Two of them were pretty different from the norm, one was kind of different, and one was fairly common but important. I really liked all the stories and it affected the main story. Nothing was simple, but nothing was unimportant either.

One aspect that would usually bother me is that Max technically cheated with Kylie. And to some extent, it did. But it also bothered Max and Kylie a lot. They weren't being totally thoughtless and when they were, it was usually because there was a lot of alcohol involved. I'm not saying that makes it right, but it didn't seem as horrible as it would've if they didn't feel bad and they weren't drinking. This also added to Lily's character. It gave me some more sympathy for her.

This story was also really well written. Each narrator had their own style so they weren't easy to mix up. They were subtle differences, but they were definitely there. And I was engaged from beginning to end. I didn't want to put it down whenever I was forced to for silly reasons like sleep.

But honestly guys, I really, really enjoyed this book. Maybe I loved it? It might be too soon to tell. I do know that this is a book I want to buy for my shelves and it's one you should all read.

--Julie

The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The Right and the Real

Joelle Anthony

Putnam Juvenile

[April 26, 2012]

Kicked out for refusing to join a cult, seventeen-year-old Jamie must find a way to survive on her own.

Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right and the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn’t just an ordinary spiritual leader, but Jesus Christ, himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church’s disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh is the most popular boy at school too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her Dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad’s marriage to the fanatic Mira, or getting kicked out, or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.

Jamie’s life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won’t be easy, but when her Dad gets himself into serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him?

So, cults right? Religious cults. Creepy and weird and make me feel icky. But I also find them fascinating. I was intrigued by the premise of the story and remember hearing a lot of good things about Restoring Harmony, so I decided to try this one.

I really liked it while I was reading, but there was no major wow factor for me. It might just be me because as much as I've been enjoying what I read lately, most of them lack that special something that makes me fall head over heels, obsessively in love with them. I read it like a week ago, and already it's pretty vague and the main character's just another character in my head. I can't tell you what makes her unique.

I can tell you I liked some of the side characters, the people that help Jamie out. I loved watching her relationships and interactions with them. For me, that was the more interesting aspect of the book. The fact that one of those relationships was a romantic one is not the only thing that made me feel this way, promise.

It was also well written. I'd definitely be open to reading more by Joelle, I just don't think this was the right book for me.

--Julie

Discussion: E-books/readers - A Change of Opinion

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

This probably won't be an interesting discussion at all, I was just curious to see if anyone else has had a change of heart about the whole e-books/e-readers thing and to see if anyone agrees with me about the sense of ownership thing when it comes to ebooks - so yeah, if you don't want to read the post, you could just skip down to the questions.

Okay, back when the whole e-reader thing started becoming a big deal and there was the whole e-books vs. "real" books debate going on, I was very firmly anti-ebook.

I mean, it didn't bother me if other people chose to have an e-reader and read e-books, but it was something I personally didn't want to do. But my opinion has changed since then and so have the opinions of some people I know (like my two best friends who both bought Kindles).

I still prefer physical books to ebooks, but I'd totally be open to having an e-reader now and I love sites like Netgalley (although I don't review many books on there -- mainly because I don't have an e-reader so to read the books, I have to read them on my laptop which is just full of distractions and a pain on the eyes).

My attachment to physical books is mostly down to nostalgic/sentimental reasons - it feels more like...reading, when it's done with a book that you can hold in your hands and feel the pages and feel the weight of it and really see the progress you're making than it does with an ebook.

My only real issue with ebooks now is that they seem to often be more expensive than physical books (or the same price - at least the ones I've looked at have been)...which wouldn't be so bad, except that when I have an ebook, it doesn't feel like I OWN the book. Books on my shelves, I look at those and feel like they're mine but with ebooks I don't...it always feels like I'm just borrowing them, that they're temporary.

I never include ebooks in book hauls and all of the ebooks that I own never get added to the books I own on Goodreads or Shelfari. Basically, I just wanted to see if anyone else has had a change of heart about ebooks that were against them before.

Discussion questions:

1. Ebooks and ereaders: yay or nay? (And why?)
2. Has your opinion on them changed at all?
3. When you have an ebook, does it feel like you own it?

And I'll stop rambling now.

Later.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore Releases Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Just a reminder that Gilt by Katherine Longshore, which I ADORED, releases today!

Don't forget to grab this one today!

--Julie

When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

When Lightning Strikes

by Meg Cabot

Summary: Jess Mastriani was misunderstood by her teachers and had a crush on the local bad boy, but that didn't mean she was trouble. But trouble found her when she survived a lightning strike and discovered that a newfound talent had been bestowed upon her.

Now, whenever she sees a picture of a missing child, Jess knows exactly where he or she is when she wakes up the next morning. Reuniting lost children with their desperate parents is one thing, but Jess must choose whether to use her power for good...or for evil.

I don't have a lot to say about this book, so the review will be pretty short (at least in comparison to my usual rambling reviews), but yeah - I really loved it.

I won it in a contest years ago and it's just sat on my shelf unread for all that time and I wish I had read it sooner. I think the reason that I didn't is that a lot of Meg Cabots books (her older ones anyway) have the most awful covers* that are all cartoonish and like the book is aimed at 12 year old girls and the covers really don't do the content of the book justice (I know, I know, we shouldn't judge a book by its cover and I do know better but it's hard not to sometimes).

The book was awesome - it was cute and fun and left me wishing I had the rest of the series to read right away. The main character is fiesty and bad ass and likeable and I loved the relationships in the book and the side characters (especially Rob - he's pretty awesome).

The plot wasn't incredibly mind blowing or anything, but it was good and kept me hooked from start to finish. If you liked The Mediator series (which I absolutely adore), also by Meg Cabot, then this series will probably do it for you too - it has the same charm that those books have with the loveable characters and entertainin plot and they're really quick reads that are perfect for reading if you're not in the mood for something heavy.

But yeah, that's all I have to say about the book. I'd probably rate it 4 out of 5 stars (it would be 5 out of 5 if I was just rating it on enjoyability, but if I'm comparing it to other books that just totally wow me then this book isn't quite that good...my rating system is weird, I might need to rethink it - and I'm rambling, sorry).

Later.

*The cover that I have is one of the awful cartoonish ones (as shown above), but there's bind-ups released with new covers and there's some other versions too that are a bit less terrible. While the newer covers aren't anything special, I do like them better than the cartoon ones and would cringe less having to read them in front of people.

Bout of Books: A Readathon

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:53:00 +0000

So, there's this awesome week-long read-a-thon called Bout of Books happening this week, the 14-20. As I've now got a crapload of free time, I fully intend to do this.

I don't have any specific goals, other than to read more. I've been averaging 3 or 4 books a week, so I'm aiming for 5 or 6, maybe even 7! But I'll just be listing as many as I feel necessary. I have a lot of books I need to get to!

Ideas for My Reads This Week:

~~Code Name Verity (reading this now, actually)~~
~~From What I Remember...~~
~~Unbreak My Heart~~
Of Poseidon
Collision
Catching Jordan
Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas
The Indigo Notebook
Darkness Before Dawn
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else
~~How to Ruin My Teenage Life~~
~~How To Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation~~

Ambitious? Maybe, but I can dream, right? These are pretty much all review books and short, fun contemporary books. So, we'll see how it goes. Most of the updates will be on my twitter/goodreads (goodreads is connected to twitter, linked in the sidebar), but if you guys want updates here, I'll add them as small updates at night.

Anyone joining me in this?

--Julie

Books of the Past Week (or...Three Weeks)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

We've chosen not to continue calling this post In My Mailbox. We're not comfortable doing it considering everything going on. But it is not plagiarism to call it something else because Kristi herself has said she got her idea from somewhere else, so we do give credit to Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. We also give credit to all the YA vloggers who have been doing Book Hauls for years and years.

Week 1: Not enough books

Week 2: Enough books to do a vlog, too exhausted by family stuff

So, now we're on week three.

WARNING: GUSH FESTS AHEAD.

Egalleys:

Timepiece by Myra McEntire (wsdghsaoighsngjsng YES YESYES YESYESYESYES. Already read. LOVEDLOVEDLOVED)

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Throne of Glass by Sarah .J. Mass

Gifted:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (signed)

[Thanks Brent!]

Everneath by Brodi Ashton (signed) + a crapload of swag

[Thanks Suzanne!]

Gifted/For Review:

...Timepiece by Myra McEntire (this showed up about three days after I finished reading the egalley. YAY timing.)

[MYRA <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 Eternal thanks]

For Review:

Defiance by C.J. Redwine(love beyond all words. love. obsessive love.)

Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London

Stunning by Sara Shepard

Puchased: (*coughs*)

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles

How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Ebooks Purchased:

Tainted by Temptation by Katy Madison

...Yup. But I mean, it's three weeks worth! (And maybe there's a reason I'm not showing you the freebies...)

How have you guys been doing book wise?

--Julie

Shopping Bookish

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

(Giving all credit to The Perpetual Page Turner for this post. 1.) Because she did a post like this and 2.) She linked me to Etsy. It's all her fault I got reobsessed.)

I can be kind of an Etsy-addict. Around Christmas time is when it first happened. I needed a Hunger Games gift for my friend. Things went downhill from there. Time passed, I stopped. But then last night...last night things went bad again. So, in order to justify the hours I spent on Etsy, I thought I would share the bookish things I found and said "NEED. ALL OF THE NEED WHY AM I SO BROKE/CREDIT CARD LESS?"

The Austen-Inspired

It's not a secret that I'm an Austen fan, mostly Pride and Prejudice. So...this section's a little out of hand.

"In Vain I Have Struggled" Pillow

My Heart Belongs at Pemberley canvas

Mr. Darcy's proposal screenprint

Mr. Darcy's proposal mug

Another Darcy proposal print

Pride and Prejudice Paper Hearts Mobile

Laughter quote poster

For My Mates at Hogwarts

Because let's face it, we're YA lovers. Where would we be without our beloved Potter?

"Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home" ceramic

Dumbledore quote adhesive

Nox/Lumos Ring

Hedwig necklace

Dark Mark necklace

Stag patronus necklace

Ravenclaw necklace

Keep Calm and... Harry Potter pins

May The Odds Be Ever In Our Favor

...Yup.

Real or Not Real tote bag

Mockingjay necklace

The Hunger Games pins

Alternate Mockingjay pin

Peeta quote bookmark

Finnick bracelet

Let the Games Begin scrabble tile pendant

What Would Katniss Do pendant

Divergent

Because...because I found stuff.

Dauntless necklace

5 Factions charm bracelet

Etc.

For none of the above:

"I am a book drunkard" print

Happily Ever After pillow

C.S. Lewis pin

I'm going to leave it there for now. Anything catch your fancy? Anything you've found on your own?

--Julie

Books I've Read But Won't Be Reviewing (4)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

It's that time again! And more YA for you! I know we've kind of been slacking, but today I'm taking my AP test so after this, I should be back to reviewing normally tomorrow, if not by next week.

There are a couple sequels in this post, so watch for spoilers!

On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God

Louise Rennison

HarperTeen

[May 28, 2002] (??)

Fourteen-year-old Georgia Nicolson is back in British author Louise Rennison's irreverent, laugh-out-loud sequel to the Michael L. Printz Honor Book Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. Written in diary form, these truly hilarious books chronicle the often minute-by-minute, very dramatic, and significant flip-flops of a teenager's psyche.

7:18 p.m.
My eyes are all swollen up like mice eyes from crying. Even my nose is swollen. It's not small at the best of times, but now it looks like I've got three cheeks. Marvelous. Thank you, God. 9:00 p.m.
I'll never get over this.
9:10 p.m.
Time goes very slowly when you're suicidal.
What tragedy has her so distraught? Her parents have told her she's moving to New Zealand just when she's managed to snog (kiss--look it up in the glossary) the SG (Sex God, a.k.a Robbie). This is of course not the only source of drama in Georgia's eventful life. Her half Scottish wildcat, Angus, who is the size of a small Labrador, herds the poodles next door and terrorizes the neighborhood. Her little sister, Libby, who is slightly mad, stores her "pooey knickers" and her scuba-diving Barbie doll in Georgia's bed. Her mother (from whom she inherited her orangutan eyebrow gene and possibly her "gigantic basoomas") is clearly inhabiting Earth solely to make her life miserable, and even her best friend Jas is "half girl, half turnip."

I think, originally, I intended to review this whole series together, but since I'm not sure that'll work, I'm just gonna mention when I read them here instead.

Divergent

Veronica Roth

Katherine Tegan Books

[May 3, 2011]

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

The only reason I'm not reviewing this is because it's a reread and I've already reviewed it. And so has Lanna. I was getting ready for Insurgent and also I LOVE this book. The day after I finished my reread, my mom asked to borrow it. So, you know, mom win.

Insurgent

Veronica Roth

Katherine Tegan Books

[May 1, 2012]

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Can we talk about the perfectness Veronica Roth writes? I mean...dear God. I read this monster of a book in a few hours. SO, SO, SO, SO, SO GOOD guys.

At the Bride Hunt Ball

Olivia Parker

Avon

[May 27, 2008]

To Snare a Bride . . .

To Gabriel Devine, Duke of Wolverest, the bonds of marriage are nothing more than shackles. But if he's to remain a lifelong bachelor, that leaves only his younger brother to carry on the family name. Inviting the "ton"'s most eligible ladies to an elegant ball, Gabriel is certain any one of them would be all too eager to become the next duchess and provide an heir--leaving Gabriel to continue his ecstatic pursuit of pleasure.

To Catch a Rogue . . .

Her social-climbing stepmother would give anything to have Madelyn Haywood betrothed to a future duke. But Madelyn believes the brothers Devine to be nothing more than heartless rogues--especially Gabriel, whose rakish reputation precedes him. He is nothing more than a slave to passion, and she will not be conquered by his caresses---and yet his wicked ways tempt her so . . .

This was cute and fun. I really liked this one and I think I'll need to pick up more Olivia Parker books.

The Earl Next Door

Amanda Grange

????

????

Marianne thought her new neighbor, Lord Ravensford, would be a gentleman, but she was sadly disillusioned. Mistaking her for a lightskirt, he offered to make her his mistress, insulting her beyond measure. Equally, Lord Ravensford had desperately wanted to convince her of his respectability. Then danger and intrigue make them join forces, and they find themselves caught up in a desperate adventure that swept them to the shores of revolutionary France. But was it necessity that had brought them together, or was it something more?

Honestly, I was disappointed in this. I've read one of Amanda Grange's other books and it was good, but this one just wasn't as well written. I did really enjoy the story itself though.

So, there you go. I've already got another book for the next post, so it won't be too long!

--Julie

Behind the Books (1)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 05 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

On twitter last weekend, there was some talk about wanting to know more about the blogger's personal life. This is something Lanna and I talked about once or twice because we do have a lot of other interests. And to be quite honest, sometimes I don't want to talk about books. So, every once in a while, this is something one or both of us can do and you can get a better idea of who we are when we're not being book people.

Things on My Mind This Week:

1.) On Monday, I took a math placement test for college and actually saw the campus for the first time.

One of the buildings on campus. And yeah, that's me.

On Tuesday, I set in my commitment deposit. So, I'm now officially going to college in New York City. This is equal parts terrifying and wonderful. It's what I originally planned to do, then realistically said that won't happen, and then unexpectedly got accepted and couldn't say no. I got into the Macaulay Honors College at City College and I could sit here and explain how awesome that is, but instead I'll just send you to their website. I'm going to be an English major so I can get a Publishing Certificate, which requires two, 150 hour paid internships that they help set up. Basically, it's perfect for me.

2.) I just finished taking my Calculus final...yeah. My AP test is on Wednesday and as desperately as I want to get a 4 or 5 so the credits will transfer, I'm pretty sure I'll get a 2. Yay. So...your thoughts that I get at least a 3 would be appreciated. In other news...don't be surprised if I'm kinda quiet for the next few days on twitter.And err...I apologize for the blog silence lately, too. Sorry to say that's not going to chance in the very near future. =/

3.) At City, the only thing I don't have paid for is a meal plan and I've been told it's not worth it. However, I do have an almost full kitchen. I don't have an oven, but there's a common area kitchen that has one...somewhere in the dorm. I keep finding recipes I like so I can feed myself, but a lot of it's desserts. Next time you talk to a picky eater, don't tell them they should just try more food. Pity them because it's really freaking hard to find new food and trying new food makes them want to throw up. Or...that's me anyway.

4.) I graduate in less than two months. 49 days, counting today. 21 and a half of those days will be spent in classes (Technically, 23 and a half, but I'm missing a day to go to BEA and a day to go to my orientation). Pardon me while I go curl into a ball and cry and then I jump up and down in glee. That basically sums up how I feel about this development.

5.) I wanna write again. I used to write a ton, even though it was mostly fanfiction that I will never ever link you to. I did a few WriMos successfully, but then blogging happened and I just...stopped. I failed WriMos and never got more than 20K into a project before losing interest. I have an idea and I really like it and I'm not going to say if it's possible for me to do or not until after this AP test, but I want it to work. I really, really do.

6.) Today is my little brother's communion and tomorrow we're having a surprise party for my grandma. This means a lot of time with my family, including my sister and brother-in-law who drove up from Virginia with their puppy yesterday. The cats have already established that they hate the puppy. And parties in my family last a looooooooooong time. So...I'm gonna have a fun, productive weekend.

7.) I've recently developed an obsession with Someone That I Used to Know by Gotye. I bought it because it was on Glee and then it fit the scene I was working on...I've played it a lot since then. Just 'cause. Definitely a song you should look up.

So, there you go. That's what's on my mind currently. Anything on your mind lately?

--Julie

Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Please note: This book is NOT YA and the book, and so this review, will talk about sex and other such things that some people may not want to read about (although, I won't get graphic).

Fifty Shades of Grey

by E. L. James

Summary: When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

So this book actually pleasantly surprised me. I was expecting it to be beyond terrible, but it sort of wasn't (which isn't much of a compliment - I was expecting terrible and it just wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be and the fact that it exceeded my very, very low expectations of it made my final opinion of the book more positive than it would've been otherwise). I'm still not sure how I feel about it being a published Twilight fanfic, but I don't want to talk about that in this review so you can read the discussion post on that if you want.

Anyway, this review will be a bit odd because the book actually got two different ratings from me, because I really was torn on what to rate it and then I realised that's because it depends on what I'm basing my opinions on (enjoyability or... more critically, as a book in general and how it measures up against books I loved or books I hated). So I'm going to give both ratings and the reasoning for each and if you're reading this review, you can decide for yourself which matters more.

I'll start with the positive: 3 stars out of 5

Why: While the book wasn't, well, good, it was entertaining. I enjoyed reading it and want to read the sequel. A book making me feel that way, regardless of its flaws, definitely has some merit.

I got off to a rocky start with the book, I thought it was laughably bad and my reactions while reading were frequent eye rolls, facepalms and laughing (and not because it was intended to be funny) and then parts of it just made me plain angry. I thought it was poorly written (more on that later)... but in the second half of the book, I found myself so caught up in the story that I barely noticed some of the annoying flaws.

The characters - I was expecting them to be flat and dull and very Edward Cullen/Bella Swan...and in some ways, they were, but they were actually more complex than I was expecting them to be (again, my expectations were extremely low, so that's not a big compliment) and reading about their relationship was really interesting. I loved their email exchanges too and the fact that Ana wasn't quite the doormat I expected her to be, she actually stood up for herself and I liked that a lot.

The BDSM thing: I think this is the aspect that kind of confuses things for me. The book is marketed as erotic fiction...and the women reading it (at least, the ones who read it and love it) have been gushing over how sexy Christian is and how hot the book is and all that jazz - really, the sex aspect of the book did nothing for me (and there was a particular scene that kind of grossed me out) - and I think trying to view it from that angle--as something romantic and erotic--is what hindered me from liking the book in the beginning (or at least one of the main reasons).

I don't think the book was particularly erotic, I don't think Ana and Christians relationship was romantic, I don't think Christian is swoon-worthy (lets face it, if he wasn't described as being hot then I highly doubt that the other women reading this book would consider his controlling nature, stalker tendencies, arrogance and other fucked up issues to be attractive qualities). When I stopped trying to view the book in that way, I really started to like it. Christian is fucked up, he has a lot of issues and Ana wants him so she tries to be with him as he is but it was like - they both cared about each other and both wanted each other but what he wanted wasn't enough for Ana and what she wanted was something he didn't feel he could give...and it was sad and messed up and that was entertaining to read about.

Back to the BDSM thing: I didn't view this as really...a story that erotically portrayed BDSM because it was never entirely mutual (and Christian was into one of the rarer forms that extends beyond sex and into dominating other aspects of her life too). Christian was the one into BDSM and while Ana experimented and found some things he did pleasurable, it was never something that she actually wanted...she wanted him, and that was the only way she felt she could have him, so she tried it for him. It wasn't a relationship between a dominant and submissive where it's what they both want and need, it was a relationship between a dominant and a woman who was not a submissive but tried to be because she didn't want to lose this guy.

And this got way longer than I expected, I'll try and keep the next part shorter.

The other rating: 2 stars out of 5

I already mentioned the writing - lets just say it was blatantly obvious when reading that Stephenie Meyer was her inspiration, the writing style was (while not quite being as bad as Twilight) very Meyer-ish. And Ana seemed to blush at least once every page (sometimes multiple times per page). There was an excessive use of synonyms for said thrown in there (seriously, it's distracting reading a conversation where, in one short conversation, a character randomly goes from squeaking to whispering to gasping words out - if you picture it happening, it's just really funny and hard to take seriously).

I wanted to thrown the book across the room every time Ana mentioned her "inner goddess" - the personification of her "inner goddess" and her subconscious drove me nuts (I can't remember much from psychology, but wasn't the subconscious the part of the brain that...well, we're not really aware of? because the way it's written in the book, she's very aware of it and the thoughts happening there).

The BDSM thing again: if I read it as other people seem to be reading it...as something supposed to be erotic and romantic, it lowers my rating. I don't think it's attractive having someone be hit as punishment (in a way that would feel humiliating and degrading) and I don't think it's an attractive quality in a romantic lead that he would not only want to hurt a woman, but take pleasure in it.

Again, it would've been different if Ana was actually a submissive, someone who wanted that lifestyle (watch The Secretary and you'll see what I mean by it being a mutual thing) - then, while I wouldn't see the appeal of it, I would consider it in a less negative light. When it's not entirely mutual, it makes the relationship come across as overly controlling and borderline abusive (I would consider it physically abusive if Ana didn't consent to it and allow him to do it knowing she could walk away - clarification, for those who misunderstood that point: I meant that I don't consider it to be on the same level as domestic violence, it's not someone hitting someone against their will, it's all done by request/with consent and would stop as soon as the sub asked the dom to stop/wouldn't happen at all without consent and I believe that people should have the right to do what they want with their own body, within reason, even if that means having someone dominate them and punish them by spanking).

There were more issues but they were smaller and I can't quite remember them now (it's 3:20am - I woke up and then couldn't get back to sleep so decided to write this review but my brain is still a bit hazy).

So yeah... that's how it got two ratings from me, it all depended on my interpretation of the story - trying to interpret it in the same way all those swooning women creaming their panties over the book were interpreting it just made me view the book in a negative light, but viewing it as a book displaying a screwed up relationship that seemed doomed to fail because of the issues of one of the characters...well, that made it way more enjoyable to read.

Later.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:27:00 +0000

I actually got the book a while ago (and I was one of the Amity UK faction leaders, which made me smile), but the reviews couldn't go up until after it was out. The cover in this post is the new UK cover (which is nice, but I adored the original covers so I prefer the other version). :)

Insurgent

by Veronica Roth

Summary: War looms in sixteen-year-old Tris’s dark dystopian world as disputes between the factions grow. Tris must now fight against all odds to discover the truth that can save her and the people she loves. Sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge – and the choices she makes will have devastating and unexpected consequences.

I absolutely loved the first book and I'd seen quite a lot of people say that Insurgent was even better - I'm not sure if I agree with that, but it is definitely awesome and as good as the first book (but in different ways).

The characters were a big thing I loved about Divergent, but in this one - while that is still true - my favourite characters who were still present were more annoying in this book and I kept wanting to reach into the book to whack them upside the head for making stupid choices... but, it's weird, because the way that they annoyed me just made them more realistic and made me like the book more instead of less.

Basically: still loved the characters, even when I thought they were being idiots and Tris is such a bad ass protagonist. Characters I loved to hate totally made me want to punch them (this is a good thing), some characters changed my opinion and jumped from my Nay list to my Yay list and there were a few new additions that I really liked too.

I only really had one notable issue with the first book (the Will thing), but this book totally resolved that because even the characters acknowledged the issue I had with that and reacted accordingly and while I'm still not into that aspect of the first book, I really liked how the fallout of it was handled.

I said this book was awesome in a different way to Divergent and that's kind of hard to explain. With Divergent, I guess it was more of an OMG-wow!-lovelovelove! swept up in the story kind of feeling but the plot in this one was more shocking and desperate and it still had the world and the characters that I loved from the first book but was like seeing this whole other side to them...and I loved it, but like I said, it felt different to the first book.

Favourite thing about the book: the ending (and when I say ending, I mean the last 100-ish pages). I can't talk about it because of spoilers, obviously, but that part of the book kind of pushed it from hovering around the 4 stars out of 5 mark to closer to 5. And also kind of made me want to hurl the book across the room in outrage at the fact the next book seems forever away and with an ending like that, I want the next book now. :(

And I think that's enough rambling for one review: this series is one of my favourites and definitely top three favourite dystopian YA series' (of which there are loads now, but this one is so much better than most).

Later.

p.s. there is a crumb or something lodged under my g key so if there's any missing g-related typos in this post.. sorry 'bout that.

While He Was Away by Karen Schreck

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

While He Was Away

Karen Schreck

Sourcebooks Fire

[May 1, 2012]

"This is just something I have to do, okay?" I hear David say. "The right thing."

He cradles my face in his hands. He kisses me hard. Then he lets go of me. His eyes dart from me to whatever's next.

All she wants is for him to stay. She's been doing pretty well, pretending he doesn't have to go. But one day, after one last night to remember, she wakes up and there's no denying it anymore. He's gone.

When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing.

She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?

I read this book and then I let it sit and frankly, I'm not impressed.

I didn't really have expectations when I went into this one. I hadn't heard anything about it, but all the military novels out this year intrigue me, so of course I decided to try it. I guess the only thing I was hoping for was watching Penna and David's relationship go through his deployment, but that became a pretty minor plot line.

It was pretty well written and Penna's a nice enough character. Yet nothing was truly remarkable. I liked the characters, but the most interesting one's weren't really that well developed. I wanted more from some of the characters.

There were a couple different story lines and relationships being looked at here. And, for me, none of those story lines or relationship developments were really finished. There were a couple that had a bit of closure, but I didn't finish this book and feel satisfied with what I'd read. I felt like there was lot more that could've been said and explored and closed. Even in some of the places where there was closure, I wasn't really happy about how it ended. In other places, there were hints of a plot line that then never developed. That was kinda frustrating.

Maybe this book will work for you. It was slow and steady and well written, it just wasn't a stand out for me. It wasn't even really good for me. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the book. But if you need something with a slower pace and less romance and more family/friend relationships, then this isn't a bad book to try.

--Julie

Discussion: Bad Book Experience...

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:35:00 +0000

I've discussed before how an author can end up on my instant read list if they wow me with an amazing book and how the personalities of authors can sometimes impact whether or not I'll read their books and how much I'll enjoy them...now I want to talk about how authors can sometimes end up on my Won't Read List if I have a bad experience with one of their books.

I didn't actually fully realise I did this until a few minutes ago when I saw a book on goodreads and the summary sounded interesting and the cover drew me in - and I was all set to put it on my Amazon wish list until I noticed one great big flaw: the author.

It's nothing against the author personally, in fact she actually seems to be lovely from what I've seen of her twitter...but I read one of her books a while ago and I just hated it and I've been avoiding her other books ever since.

I try not to go into books with expectations, but sometimes a book is so hyped up that it's impossible not to have them - and anytime I start a book, I want to love it, I want it to be good and when I have a bad experience with one book from an author, it makes me ridiculously reluctant to give any of their other books another chance.

I wasn't going to include examples of my - book avoidance, but it's difficult to explain without them. So to be clear, with the following examples: I'm usually in the minority in not liking the books mentioned and just because they didn't work for me, doesn't mean they won't for you, opinions being subjective and all that.

I'm in the very small minority of people, it seems, that didn't enjoy the book 13 Little Blue Envelopes - and I wanted to love it, because Maureen Johnson is so funny and lovely and her blog is great, but the book just didn't do it for me. And so I avoided her other books for years, even though at least two of them are ones I would have read if they had a different author name on the cover. I eventually caved with The Name of the Star and actually liked the book (enough to want to read the sequel, not enough to be totally won over and give her other books a chance quite yet).

I could not get into A Great and Terrible Beauty (and I am most definitely in the minority on that one it seems, because so many people seem to freaking adore that series) and Libba Bray is another one of those people who just seem so freaking awesome in videos and things posted online...but I haven't read any of her other books, even though two are ones I would usually have in my TBR pile by now.

I didn't like Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr and so Sweethearts remained on my shelf for years, unread and forgotten, even though it would just take a couple of hours to read it at most (sadly, I ended up just giving the book away because it felt wrong to keep it on my shelves when I'd probably never read it). I avoided books by Annette Curtis Klaus after loathing The Silver Kiss, but when I finally got over my reluctance to give her books another chance, I read and loved Blood & Chocolate.

There are plenty of other examples, but those ones are the ones that come to mind instantly because they're the ones where a big part of me actually wants to read some of their other books (or in Annette Curtis Klaus's case, I did and she won me over) but I just have a lot of trouble getting past the memory of reading the other books that put me off their books to begin with.

I think one of the problems is more that I can't tell if my problems with the book are down to the authors style of writing (the way they string words together, the way they execute plots and write characters) or if it's things that will be unique to that one book of theirs (like with The Silver Kiss - hated the plot, loathed the characters and was just bored in general but Blood and Chocolate had characters I loved, a great plot and kept me hooked from start to finish). And so I avoid the other books because I don't really like finding out when there's so many other books that I want to read that feel like less of a - risk.

I almost wish I could be blind to author names on covers because chances are, all the authors that I avoid because of one bad book experience probably have written a book that I will love (or at the very least, like and enjoy reading) - based on the summaries of some of their books, they all have at least one book that has a summary that appeals to me...and yet I'm probably missing out on their better books because it seems to take me years to get over a case of bad-book-induced-author-avoidance.

Questions:

1. Do any of you have this same problem? The whole not liking one book by an author has you avoiding the rest of their books thing?

2. Have you ever given an author on your unofficial list of avoided authors another chance and been pleasantly surprised? (Got any examples if you do?)

3. The examples I mentioned above - would you recommend any of their other books to me, even as someone who didn't enjoy some of the most-praised books by them?

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Something Like Normal

Trish Doller

Bloomsbury USA Children's

[June 19, 2012]

A powerful debut novel about a young Marine's return home from Afghanistan and the new life and love he finds while fending off the ghosts of war.

When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and a way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge.

His sense of humor, sense of his own strength, and incredible sense of honor make Travis an irresistible and eminently lovable hero in this fantastic and timely debut novel.

Can you say awesome?

Let's start with our protagonist, Travis Stephenson. Travis is far from perfect. He's damaged, for very understandable reasons, he's a bit of a rebel, and he's done some crappy things. But this can be said for most teenagers, even if it's not in a way you expect (my rebellion is trusting some people on the internet. I'M SUCH A REBEL, GUYS.) I loved Travis. He was very different from narrators I usually read, in part because HE IS A GUY. He was lovely and gentle at times, but a lot of the time he was what you expect a teenager in the military to be like. Trish Doller did her research and she did it really well.

The story itself was also really different from what I usually read because the military in YA isn't exactly common. So you have a guy suffering from PTSD, trying to deal with what he saw in Afghanistan, trying to deal with his family problems, and kind of falling in love with a girl who's life he somewhat ruined. It's unique and interesting and while it has aspects we've seen before, it combines in this fantastic, beautiful way.

Guys...I wish I could explain why you need to read Something Like Normal. But I can't. I can sit here and tell you it's different and it's incredible, but you don't get it until you read it. Trust me on this, lovelies. This is truly an incredible read that followed me for days, weeks, really, afterward. Trish Doller is on my insta-buy list. I trust her. I trust her writing. I trust her ability to tell me an fantastic story that most authors can't. I trust her to write something I'll love.

Run for this book. Or, you know, click "buy" on your preferred website.

--Julie

A Q&A with Julie Kagawa and a Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Today, we have the marvelous Julie Kagawa on the blog to talk about The Immortal Rules (which release Tuesday) and some other fun things.

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.

Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?

At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.

And now that you know a bit more about The Immortal Rules and Julie herself, I have a giveaway for you!

One finished copy of The Immortal Rules can be in your hands and all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway So, that's it! Good luck with the contest and thanks so much for stopping by, Julie!

--Julie

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

noreply@blogger.com (lanna-lovely) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:00:00 +0000

The Iron King
by Julie Kagawa

Summary: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Generally, I don't like books about fae/fay/faeries (however you'd like to spell it) and there are few exceptions. I'm not sure what it is about them--whether it's the world, the courts, the nature of fae, their usual attitudes to humans or the word games and manipulations and tricks, I dunno--but usually, I don't like stories where fae are the focus (unless it's fae in our world instead of showing theirs too, but even then...).

I loved this book. The fact that it was a book about fae and I still loved it? Impressive. The fact that it was a book about fae, mostly set in the fae world, and I still loved it? Even more impressive. I really, really wish I had a read it sooner; everyone kept saying how awesome it is and I've had it on my shelves for ages but the fae aspect of it had me putting it off.

It's 5:41am right now so I kind of can't think of much to say about the book really and I don't think that will change later. Plot? Loved it, never bored me. Characters? Awesome, particularly Grim, Puck and Ash (can I please keep Puck and Ash?). Romance? Adored it, it didn't dominate the book and it seemed to be setting up for a love triange in future books but this is one of those rare times that it doesn't bug me because it was done well and I genuinely don't know which character I'd be rooting for because I love them both (I do hope they consider just having a polyamorous relationship really if it goes down the love triangle path, that way everyone wins - but I doubt that'd happen).

Really, if I try to think of negative things about the book, there is hardly any and they're trivial at best (like the fact that Meghan refers to her brother as her "half brother" so often instead of just her brother, or that her mum calls her step dad Meghans father - but those are just little irritations based on personal reasons, or the fact that some names didn't ever stop sounding silly, like the "Nevernever"). The only big-ish thing that bugged me was that Meghan seemed weak too often for my liking and always seemed to need to be rescued - I kept wishing she had a bit more fight in her (beyond just determination to save someone), but there was a turning point and she got pretty bad ass in spite of the odds being against her and I ended up liking her character even more for how much she grew and how different she was from in the beginning.

Anyway, loved the book, it'd get 4.5 stars out of 5 (maybe even 5...probably closer to 5 actually) and I really wish I had the sequels to read right now. I'm on a book buying ban but I may have to break it soon to get the next books that are released.

Later.

Plagiarising, Bullying, Equality and Finding Conclusions

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:55:00 +0000

When I talk about the current YA drama, I usually keep it on my twitter. If I were to post every time there was drama on the blog, I'd never get to talk about books. And you probably care more about the books, right? Right. But this time, I had a hard time keeping quiet and I couldn't pick a place to vent all my feelings and I wasn't sure where it could even fit.

From a really young age, I've been taught that certain things were wrong either by my parents, my teachers, my religion, T.V., or my older siblings. There's the obvious, like killing people, but it was also important that I learned that intentionally hurting other people is wrong, stealing is wrong, and plagiarism is wrong. I've also been taught that we have democracy for a reason. I can't remember a time when I didn't know these basic things.

Let's start with plagiarism. I don't want to name names and I'm doing my best to avoid the specifics of the case that inspired this post, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't in the comments either. I just wanna talk about the ideas this event is bringing up.

Why is plagiarism wrong? I mean, we all know it's bad, but why? Let's start there.

When you plagiarize something, you're stealing another persons idea, work, layout, concept, words, whatever it may be. You're taking it away from them and claiming it's wholly yours. Not even touching on the legality of it, it's rude. It's mean. It's inconsiderate. It's unprofessional. It's something, as lovers of the written word that is so easily taken and reclaimed, should be entirely against.

Sometimes, we accidentally take things. We get this idea and don't realize we only had it because our subconscious has it stored in memory from when we did see it. Other times we're so inspired by something, we go to make it our own and don't really manage to do it. It might be accidental, but it's still plagiarism.

If you intentionally plagiarized someone's work, then I have no pity for you. None whatsoever. No amount of apologies or begging will fix that. But if you did it accidentally? Then it becomes trickier. Yeah, I still want to see an apology and I want an apology for those you took from and I want an explanation. If you keep the posts up, I definitely want to see you credit those people you took from.

But how do we tell the difference? It's nearly impossible to tell when someone's lying on the computer. There's no body language to read, no voice inflictions to listen for, only words. That's not a question I can answer for you, friends. All I can do is point you in the direction and let you figure it out for yourself.

Recently, there's been a lot of talk about the fact that some of the Big Six colluded about ebooks in order to prevent Amazon from forming a monopoly on ebooks and now the publishers that haven't settled are going to court against the Department of Justice. I asked my teacher, who likes talking about current events, which was worse, forming a collusion or letting a monopoly form. He couldn't answer the question. I still can't.

So, what's worse, being a plagiarist or a bully?

As we've discussed, plagiarism is wrong. No doubt about it. But so is bullying. Does it become okay to bully a plagiarist because they've done something wrong? No, I don't think it is.

It's one thing to discuss what's happened, to be upset and disappointed and confused. It's one thing to say you won't be visiting that blog or reading those author's books. It's another to wage a hate campaign. It's another to attack from all sides. I think we as a technology driven society have become really detached from the idea that there is a person on the other side of that screen. Yes, it's a person who may or may not have done something wrong, but still a person with feelings and thoughts and people who love them. And we're not talking about a murderer here, we're not talking about someone who tortures small animals and babies for fun.

And, to go for the cliche, two wrongs don't make a right. Berating, attacking, and trying to hurt a person who may or may not have plagiarized isn't going to fix things. It isn't going to undo what that person might've done. And maybe this is just me, but it's not going to make you feel better.

I've been bullied, online and in person, as many of us have. I've also been the bully. I've done things that I look back at now and regret, a lot of it because of an accident or a misunderstanding that I didn't take time to look into, but I've done some things on purpose.The two events that stick out in my mind brought me to tears when I realized what I'd done. The first event I was able to fix, but I still feel bad. I don't have a lot of regrets in life, but all three of these things would be on the list of events I wish I could redo.

Many bloggers have commented on what this is going to do to our already pretty poor reputation as bloggers, myself included. At first, I hadn't heard about the attacks that came after, just about a major blogger who plagiarized and I thought "Dear God, if this one can do it, why would publishers trust any of us?" Then I learned about the bullying that came after and my heart sunk. The YA community has always been so anti-bully. What will outsiders think if one of the most well known YA bloggers who's very against plagiarism is caught plagiarized, then a community against bullying starts bullying that blogger? How can we be so hypocritical? How can those observing trust us to be honest with anything?

Someone who represents a community messing up is bad enough. When the rest of the community proceeds to mess up more, that looks worse. A blogger I follow on twitter (terribly sorry I can't remember who, a lot of people have been discussing this) brought up a good point. People may not judge a community based on the actions of one, but when two or three or more act poorly, then that community may be judged on that.

Many of us agree that the plagiarist shouldn't be bullied. Hurrah, an agreement! However, from there we start differing. Maybe we should leave it alone entirely because this blogger's so important, maybe we never should've heard about it at all. Maybe we should make this HUGE because look at how important they are! We can't let this blogger get off easy! Even I'm not totally sure how to handle this

For those of you who haven't noticed, I'm an American. I believe that we should all be equal, even among bloggers. Is this a big deal because of who the blogger is? Yes. But shouldn't it be a big deal every time? Of course it should!

I do get both sides, I do! And if anything, I tend to lean towards making it bigger than normal. When the average Joe messes up, some people notice. When the president messes up, a lot of people notice and, theoretically, we keep the president from being president again. And while none of this is THAT huge of a deal, I kind of look at it the same kind of way. Like a president, YA bloggers have certain figure heads to the rest of the world. So shouldn't this be the same? Shouldn't we also notice, say something, and try to keep the blogger from being as prominent as they were before? Is it that simple?

This then leads me to feel this would be a lot better if we didn't have certain bloggers that represent us to the outside world. This whole mess would be a lot easier and less complicated if all bloggers really were equal and there wasn't this hierarchy decided by followers and page views and how long we've been around. If we took turns representing the community and numbers and how long you've been blogging stopped being so important. But, that's just a silly dream, isn't it?

So, what's the moral of the story? It might be that I can be highly idealistic.

Really, I'm not sure there is a moral or a conclusion that we can come to. But, I needed to get this off my chest and try to explain how I felt. And I hoped that maybe I could reach other people who are watching this mess, or maybe even involved, so we could all try to find the bottom. And maybe I'm kind of hoping that those that have bullied will stop and think. Maybe.

If you know what's going on, I hope you can figure out how you feel, because I sure can't. If you do or don't, I hope you can think about all of this and find a conclusion. And I really hope we can all stop plagiarizing, stop bullying, and try to be equal.

--Julie