Brizmus Blogs Books

Reviews from Brizmus Blogs Books

2012-01-23T08:56:00.000+09:00

Title: Graveminder

Author Melissa Marr

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
The blurb about this book said "for fans of Charlaine Harris, Joe Hill, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Neil Gaiman, and Carol Goodman." I've never heard of Joe Hill, Sherrilyn Kenyon, or Carol Goodman, I've read one Charlaine Harris, and I didn't like it, and I ADORE Neil Gaiman. For me, I would say this is an adult book for adults that like YA. If you like a little mystery/suspense along with a little bit of undead and some harsh realism, this book could be for you.

What I Have to Say:
I'm happy and surprised to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I say surprised because I almost didn't read it - I'd read Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, and I didn't really like either of them all that much, so I sort-of thought that meant I wasn't a Melissa Marr fan. And then, much to the horror of many book bloggers I know, I'm not a fan of zombies. At all. And this book seemed to be a book about zombies trying to disguise itself as something else.

In the end, though, it said it would appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman, whom I adore, so I read it. And while nothing about it reminded me of Neil Gaiman, I did enjoy it.

In Graveminder, Melissa Marr has taken the perfectly normal world in which we live and added something totally bizarre. And she has done this in such a way that the reader almost believes that maybe Claysville, the home of said bizarreness, exists somewhere in the world, and we just don't know it. What I liked most about this book, though, was Rebekkah. She is an utterly believable main character put into utterly real situations with utterly real feelings. She reminded me of myself a little bit, and as such I felt a very close connection to her. Even though there was the occasional zombie involved, I really understood what she was going through and could relate to her feelings. No one will have been through EXACTLY what Rebecca is going through, but I think most readers will find themselves able to relate to her on some level.

Relationships are scary, and the world is huge place just waiting to be explored. Melissa Marr deals fabulously with these facts of life and the emotions associated with them.

I'll admit that I probably would have enjoyed the book more if the what hadn't been zombies (it's okay, that's not a spoiler), but then I think there are some that will find that the zombies make the book. They're done well and far from over the top, so, as zombies go, these rate up there, but zombies just aren't really my thing. Also, there were quite a few things that I found to be lacking in explanation. I almost think Marr did that on purpose, but I still found it frustrating and wish she would have tied up the loose ends before it was all over.

All in all though, a good book!

Summary:Melissa Mar is known to young adult readers as the author of the popular faery series Wicked Lovely. Her debut leap into adult fiction lands her in the small community of Claysville, a town where the dead walk free unless their graves are not properly tended. Into this eerie maelstrom, Rebekkah Barrow descends as she returns to a place that she once believed she knew. Kelley Armstrong justly described Graveminder as "a deliciously creepy tale that is as skillfully wrought as it is spellbindingly imagined." A new genre author to watch.

Cover Story:I love this cover. The colors are really pretty, and something about the way they're all put together with the girl holding the lantern just seems creepy in a beautifully mystical kind of way.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me for review by William Morrow Publishing. This in no way affected my review.

Review: All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

2012-01-17T05:27:00.000+09:00

Title: All the Flowers in Shanghai

Author: Duncan Jepson

Rating:

Who Should Read It? If you like books about China, I'd say this book is a must. Do yourself a favor, though, and don't read most of the reviews out there. After write mine, I went and read a couple, and they are just FILLED with things you don't need to know before going into it. If you're into China, or just books about China like I am, I'd head over to pick yourself up a copy as soon as possible!

What I Have to Say:
While I've never really had all that much interest in China (I've always been more of a Japan girl), I have this weird fascination with books about China. I LOVE reading about Chinese history and Red China and Mao Tse Tung and foot binding and, well, if it involves Chinese history in any way, I want to, have to read it! So I of course jumped at the opportunity to review Duncan Jesper's first novel, All the Flowers in Shanghai.

And mostly, I wasn't disappointed. This story, written in letter format, is the tragic tale of a Chinese woman, Xiao Feng, whose life, via some pretty unexpected circumstances, takes a turn for the worse and doesn't go according to plan. At all. It's about the choices, both bad and good, that she makes throughout her life, and how they affect her. It's about how the communist regime swept in and affected the priveleged before they could even notice a change, and thus the story of how communism changes Xiao Feng and causes her to look back on her choices.

This book takes a close look at all of the good, the bad, and the ugly that was China in between the times of foot binding and communism. It's a passionate story of hate and learning what love is, the love between a mother and daughter, between a mother and son. But it's also a tragic story of things lost forever due to bad choices and heart-wrenching sacrifices. It is beautifully written and will warm your heart while at the same time making it feel somewhat icy cold.

The thing I liked most about this book was that, from the beginning to the end, it took me places that I wasn't expecting to go. And it's to the point story-telling allowed me to catch a real glimpse of what life must have been like for elite women in China, whose sole purpose, it seems, was to have an heir. The prose was simple, but the imagery of lifestyle was vivid, and nothing was spared.

What I didn't like so much was the lack of vividity in the descriptions. In a sense, it was fitting. The story was written in the form of a letter, and what Xiao Feng was seeing was, without a doubt, dulled by her life experiences. However, she was also surrounded by so much beauty, and I felt like Jepson's descriptive pose didn't really give that beauty the justice that it deserved. I would have liked to see a little bit more intricacy of description.

Also, because it was written as a letter, we only got the point of view of Xiao Feng. Sometimes, this work, but I feel like, in this case, the letter format occasionally led to some awkward phrasings and unnecessary side-notes that came out of nowhere and didn't really fit. I also felt like All the Flowers in Shanghai could have really benefited from multiple perspectives. As opposed to taking away from or changing Xiao Feng's story, I felt like it would have really added some heavy emotion to understand what the people around her were thinking.

All in all, a wonderful read that I definitely recommend. You won't be disappointed by this touching story of Xiao Feng, a woman trying to reconcile her past and move forward despite the bad choices that she made in the past.

Summary:
All the Flowers in Shanghai is Jepson's stunning debut novel. Set in 1930s Shanghai,the Paris of the East, but where following the path of duty still takes precedence over personal desires, a young Chinese woman named Feng finds herself in an arranged marriage to a wealthy businessman. In the enclosed world of her new household-a place of public ceremony and private cruelty-she learns that, above all else, she must bear a male heir. Ruthless and embittered by the life that has been forced on her, Feng seeks revenge by doing the unthinkable. Years later, she must come to a reckoning with the decisions she has made to assure her place in family and society, before the entire country is caught up in the fast-flowing tide of revolution.

Cover Story: I have seen pretty much this EXACT cover WAY too many times - apparently all books about China need to have a beautiful Chinese lady in a sarong on the cover. Don't get me wrong, I like the cover, and if I saw it in a store, that would be enough to make me want to read the book, but I just feel like. . .eh, it's not very special.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me for review by William Morrow. This in no way affected my review.

Guest Review: Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell

2012-01-12T16:27:00.000+09:00

There are several Bernard Cornwell fans in my life. So when Danielle at Harper Collins agreed to send me an advance copy of his latest novel (out January 17, 2013), I was psyched for the opportunity to share it with some of those people. After my brother read it, his friend Franklin read it, and I'm thrilled today to present you with Franklin's review. Enjoy!

Title: Death of Kings: A Novel (Saxon Tales)

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Rating:

Who should read it? Anyone interested in English history, not just the main events that are known by all throughout the world, but the history of how people lived, how they survived and the environment in which they lived. Certainly anyone that is a fan of Bernard Cornwell and the intriguing characters that narrate his novels should read this book.

What I (Franklin!) have to say:
This is the eagerly anticipated sixth installment in Bernard Cornwell’s series, The Saxon Tales. The series is centered on Uhtred of Babbenburg, the narrator, who not only witnesses the events that took place in 9th century England, but participates in the events with and on behalf of Alfred the Great. There is one thing about history, what has happened in the past cannot be changed. Therefore, as the title implies, Uhtred witnesses the death of Alfred the Great in 899 AD, and then worries for the future of Wessex and England as a whole since the Danes (Vikings) have been trying to conquer Wessex and kill Alfred the Great for many years.

Uhtred has several conflicts in which he contends and some that he resolves. He wants to return to his home of Babbenburg, he wants to do his duty to the king that he has sworn an oath (Alfred), and he contends with the prospect of swearing an oath to Alfred’s son Edward. Furthermore, the reader will get a glimpse of one of the greatest female leaders in history, who just happens to be Alfred’s daughter, Aethelfled. In 890 AD England is becoming more Christian. Uhtred has to contend with Christian’s over his worship of Thor even though Alfred tries for years to convert Uhtred to Christianity.

Like the prior books in The Saxon Tales Bernard Cornwell does a wonderful job of describing life as it occurred in 9th century England. It is hard for us to imagine a world or life without large buildings, automobiles, and air travel. In the Death of Kings, Mr. Cornwell brings to life a world without plumbing and electricity. Furthermore, the reader experiences the horrible and personal way in which battle was executed in 890 AD, the shield wall.

The Death of Kings is easy to read, and when the reader is finished he will be clamoring for more!

Summary: The fate of a young nation rests in the hands of a reluctant warrior in the thrilling sixth volume of the New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales series. Following the intrigue and action of The Burning Land and Sword Song, this latest chapter in Bernard Cornwell’s epic saga of England is a gripping tale of divided loyalties and mounting chaos. At a crucial moment in time, as Alfred the Great lays dying, the fate of all—Angles, Saxons, and Vikings alike—hangs desperately in the balance. For all fans of classic Cornwell adventures, such as Agincourt and Stonehenge, and for readers of William Dietrich’s Hadrian’s Wall or Robert E. Howard’s Bran Mak Morn, the stunning Death of Kings will prove once again why the Wall Street Journal calls Bernard Cornwell “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today.”

Cover Story: Simply stated – the crown without a king!

And there you have it - thanks so much, Franklin!

World Book Night

2012-01-07T07:04:00.000+09:00

Have you guys heard about World Book Night? It's an event to help get people reading, and it's super cool.
Basically, a bunch of people (they're hoping to get 50,000 volunteers) are going to receive 20 free copies of a book, and on April 23, they're supposed to pass them out to people (they know or don't know) that they think don't read that often or even at all.

There's a set list of 30 books to choose from, and participants will receive 20 copies of the book that they choose.

I think it's a great idea and a great way to spread the joy and power of reading, and I'm sad that, when April 23 comes around, I won't be in the country, so I won't be able to participate.

I highly encourage you, though, to take a look at the books below, and if there's one you want to spread around, get people reading, go check out the site and sign up to be a volunteer!

I can't decide which one I'd pick, if I could, but I'm thinking it'd have to be either Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card or the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Or maybe the Namesake. . .impossible to choose!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Blood Work by Michael Connelly
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Peace Like A River by Leif Enger
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The Stand by Stephen King
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The History of Love by Nicholas Krauss
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Just Kids by Patti Smith
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

読書の進め - Reading Recommendations, and Welcome to 2012

2012-01-06T02:13:00.000+09:00

So, one of my blogging goals of 2012 (aside from actually making a real return to blogging, which is top 2012 priority), I've decided I want to make a concerted effort to blog about book news. I'm regularly reading articles about books that I love, and for some reason, in the past, I've never really blogged about them. No longer.

So, I'm sure that most of you receive the Shelf Awareness newsletter, but if you're anything like myself, you never more than scan it. Which means that you perhaps missed the interesting article I read today. About a small little book store in Tokyo called Dokusho no Susume (you can see the actual Japanese for that in the title), which means Reading Recommendations.

And that's exactly what this little book store is about - reading recommendations. The owner, Katsuyoshi Shimizu, stocks books that he recommends, and all throughout the store, you can find little pieces of paper with the books, saying to whom he would recommend them and when (based on mood, etc. . .). He'll also personally approach you and talk to you while you're browsing, to help you find just what you're looking for. (However, according to the report of one Japanese male, he waited and waited for Shimizu to approach him, but he never did. And when he went back to find Shimizu-san, Shimizu-san had disappeared)

How cool is that? If you'd like to read more about it, check out this article in the Mainichi Daily News.

I adore Japan, and I'm already whole-heartedly looking forward to my return in April, but now I've got yet another reason to be psyched. I'll definitely be taking a trip to Tokyo, and you can bet that, when I do, I'll be visiting this book store.

Since I already mentioned one goal of 2012, I'll end this with yet another. One I'm particularly psyched about. I've got all 3 volumes of the Japanese version of 1Q84 by Murakami Haruki, and now that I'm back in the states, I'v acquired an English copy. Since I'll be away from Japan for nearly four months, I'm going to keep my Japanese up by reading the Japanese version and using the English version as a guide, for places I really have trouble.

What are some exciting goals you have for yourself for 2012?

Review: Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot

2012-01-04T07:41:00.000+09:00

Title: Queen of Babble in the Big City

Author: Meg Cabot

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
Meg Cabot fans, of course! Anyone interested in that perfect fluff book that exists solely to brighten up their day.

What I Have to Say:
Um, yes. That's what I have to say. I don't know how to write reviews for Meg Cabot's books. Reason being that they're all the same to me. I don't say that in a bad way, though. I adore Meg Cabot. So much so that I genuinely believe that, if you've ever liked a Meg Cabot book, you're going to like all other Meg Cabot books, and so all that really needs to be said about a Meg Cabot book in a review is that it is a Meg Cabot book. Did that make sense?
This is a Meg Cabot book.
And I loved it. Naturally. Yes, Lizzie Nichols, the Queen of Babble herself, is slightly annoying. And yes, it is slightly perturbing that she seems to lack any common sense. No, I don't get what Lizzie Nichols sees in her supposedly wonderful boyfriend, Luke. And no, I don't get how oblivious she seems to so many obvious things. But I also wouldn't have expected anything other than that, and in a weird way, I sort-of love it for that. Because the characters are annoying in totally real ways, in almost lovable ways. And I do love them all, in the end.
It's fun, it's fluff, it's bubble gum. It's not going to make you think, it's not going to leave you awed, and it's certainly not going to teach you anything (except maybe a little bit of social protocol), but you're also not going to be able to put it down. It will make you smile, it will probably make you laugh, and it will make everything in your life feel all better for the short period of time in which you're reading it.
So, yeah, like I said, it's a Meg Cabot book. And it's wonderful.

Summary: Lizzie Nichols is back, pounding the New York City pavement and looking for a job, a place to live, and her proper place in the universe (not necessarily in that order).

"Summer Fling" Luke's use of the "L" (Living Together) word has her happily abandoning plans to share a one-room walk-up with best friend Shari in exchange for cohabitation with the love of her life in his mom's ritzy Fifth Avenue pied-à-terre. Lizzie's landed a non-paying gig in her chosen field—vintage wedding gown rehab—and a paying one as a receptionist at Shari's boyfriend's father's posh law firm. So life is good . . . for the moment.

But almost immediately her notoriously big mouth is getting her into trouble. At work she's becoming too chummy with society bride-to-be Jill Higgins, inflaming the ire of Jill's troublesome future mother-in-law. At home she's made the grievous error of bringing up the "M" (Marriage) word to commitment-shy Luke. Once again joblessness and homelessness are looming large for hapless blabbermouth Liz—unless she can figure out some way to babble her way to a happily ever after.

Cover Story: Totally Lizzie Nichols! BUT, maybe it's just me, but I'm really over all these YA covers with girls who have their heads cut off. . .
And thus I prefer the cover on which she is just covered by boxes (or is it a cake?)

Review: The Secret of Ka by Christopher Pike

2011-12-28T18:38:00.000+09:00

So, things in my life are changing, and it seems like over the next few months, I'm going to be having quite a bit of free time. . .at least for the months of February and March. And I'd really like to take that free time to get back into book blogging. . .so I'm hoping to take the month of January to ease into it, and I figured I'd start with this lovely little book I read a while ago from Net Galley. Enjoy! And say hi! :-)

Title: the Secret of Ka

Author: Christopher Pike

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
I've always thought of Christopher Pike as a horror author. If you've never really been into that aspect of him, you could still love this book. It's a beautiful, wonderful mystery style YA book that's got a little something for everyone! As long as you can deal with the occasional discrepancy.

What I Have to Say:
The Secret of Ka reminded me of the 80's, and for those of you wondering, that's a good thing. A great thing, even. I used to love R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike and the Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High, and this book somehow managed to feel to me like all of those things combined while reading it. It's a lovely, somewhat fluffy, magical mystery, with bored teenagers, love, and magic carpets.

So it was good, a super fun read! Unfortunately, that's all it was. I don't feel like we really got to know Sara and Amesh, the two main characters, all that well. They were lacking in dimension, and I didn't really like what I did learn about them. And I never really understood why they came to like each other. . .they somehow just didn't seem like a good fit to me. Also, I felt like, since the author decided (seemingly at random) that the story was to take place in Turkey, I felt like he could have done a little bit more research on Turkey itself.

The thing is, though, it didn't have to take place in Turkey, as so much of it was in this beautiful, fantasy place of Pike's creation. I almost felt like it would have been better if the entire thing had just been in some fictive place or even some place totally boring and plain, like Montana. I'm not entirely sure why Turkey had to even come into the picture.

All of this aside, I really did enjoying reading. It was a quick, light read with lots of twists and turns and enough action and thinking to keep you turning the pages right up to the very end. Final verdict - I liked it, despite the bad things I have to say about it!

Summary: One minute Sara's bored on vacation in Istanbul. The next, she's unearthed a flying carpet that cleverly drags her to the mysterious Island of the Djinn—or genies. By her side is Amesh, a cute guy she has a crush on but doesn't yet trust. When Amesh learns the secret of invoking djinn, he loses control. He swears he'll call upon only one djinn and make one wish. The plan sounds safe enough. But neither Sara nor Amesh are any match for the monster that that swells before them. It hypnotizes Amesh, compelling him to steal Sara’s flying carpet and leave her stranded on the island.

Discovering the carpet has sparked a new path for Sara, one that will lead her to battle creatures even deadlier than djinn. In this fight, Sara can save mankind, herself, or the boy she cares for. Who will she be forced to sacrifice?

Cover Story: Love love LOVE this cover! It's absolutely GORGEOUS with the dark blue night sky and the stars twinkling in the sky. And then Sara majestically flying on the carpet. Just lovely!

Disclosure: I received this book for free via net galley. This in no way affected my review.

Review: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

2011-11-16T22:08:00.000+09:00

Title:Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Author: Jeff Lindsay

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
People that still like the TV show despite Dexter's newfound anxiety. A good book, I think, for people that love a good but easy mystery, especially if it involves a little bit of gore. As this book does.

What I Have to Say:
I was a little bit disappointed with this book, and it's hard to say why. I watched the first two seasons of Dexter, and I liked them, but by the end of the second season, I was feeling so bored (and so annoyed with all of the characters) that I didn't keep watching for the third season.

What I had liked so much about Dexter was his calm stoicism, his lack of anxiety and stress, his lack of reaction in the face of possible discovery. And slowly, over the course of the first two seasons of the show, that started to change. Until I felt like Dexter was just one big ball of nerves. And that annoyed me. Enough to stop watching.

The book was even worse, when it came to that change. It was a short, somewhat fluffy, easy read, and as such, the change from calm, stoic Dexter to ball of anxiety Dexter seemed to happen immediately. In the first chapter, he was the Dexter I loved. And then, suddenly, he wasn't anymore.

It's hard to say if this would have annoyed me so much if it hadn't already annoyed me in the TV show, but the fact is - it did, and this made reading it very frustrating for me. Honestly, if it hadn't been so short and easy to read, I probably wouldn't have finished it. And that's saying a lot for me, because I finish EVERY book I start. Seriously.

So that's what I have to say. It wasn't actually a bad book. The story was funny and interesting, and if I hadn't had weird expectations and preconceptions from the TV show, I might have actually liked it.

So, if it seems like it might appeal to you, I definitely wouldn't let me change that for you.

Summary:Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep's clothing. He's handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He's a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likeable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened -- of himself or some other fiend.

Cover Story: Well, it's Dexter. I don't know if I've even seen the other cover. Just a typical TV novel cover; nothing special.

Double Review: Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

2011-11-10T08:29:00.003+09:00

Title: Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy

Author: Lisa See

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
Lisa See is a gifted author, it's just a fact, and Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy are no exception. If you've ever been won over by Lisa See in the past, definitely check these books out. If you have any interest in Asian history, these books are for you.

What I Have to Say:

First of all, I went back and forth as to do this as a double review or to review them separately. Dreams of Joy, while being the sequel to Shanghai Girls, is also, fundamentally, a totally different story. Shanghai Girls is the story of sisters. Sisters leading a privileged life, growing up together in China, and then clinging to each other when everything starts to go wrong, in their lives and in China, and they have no one else. Dreams of Joy is the story of a twisted relationship between a "mother" trying to raise her daughter to be a good Chinese girl in America. Shanghai Girls is the story of China, while Dreams of Joy is the story of China in America.

Really, these two books are both so beautifully written and poignantly touching that they deserve their own separate reviews. But after reading Shanghai Girls, I was so enthralled by the story of these two sisters that I immediately picked up Dreams of Joy and just kept reading. I couldn't stop. As such, they're so tangled in my head that they're practically the same book, and I wouldn't even know how to separate them for a review.

So, in order to not give anything from the second away while writing about the first, I will stick to feelings. I cried, I laughed, I was horrified, I was disgusted, I was overwhelmed by beauty, I was annoyed. . .I can't think of any feeling I didn't feel. To summarize - I was moved.

Lisa see has written about the plight of China and of Chinese Americans during (and before) World War II in a vivid, heart-capturing way. Shanghai Girls becomes one of those books that you literally CAN'T put down - the story will be twisting around so much in your head that you'll find you have to pick it back up.

And then, it has no ending. Whatsoever. If I hadn't had Dreams of Joy right on hand, I think I would have been annoyed. But because I did, I was able to smoothly transition into the rest of the story, and I wasn't as disappointed. The story of mother and daughter was just as well-written and beautifully touching as the drama-filled yet loving relationship of two sisters.

I loved these books, and they are totally deserving of the 5 stars I've given them. Only as a pair, though. They need each other. And despite them being so deserving, it was still hard to give them 5 stars, because, as wonderful and as readable as they were, they were still now "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."

Summary: Shanghai Girls: May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.

But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)--where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months--they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.

A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See.

Dreams of Joy: In her beloved New York Times bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and, most recently, Shanghai Girls, Lisa See has brilliantly illuminated the potent bonds of mother love, romantic love, and love of country. Now, in her most powerful novel yet, she returns to these timeless themes, continuing the story of sisters Pearl and May from Shanghai Girls, and Pearl’s strong-willed nineteen-year-old daughter, Joy.

Reeling from newly uncovered family secrets, and anger at her mother and aunt for keeping them from her, Joy runs away to Shanghai in early 1957 to find her birth father—the artist Z.G. Li, with whom both May and Pearl were once in love. Dazzled by him, and blinded by idealism and defiance, Joy throws herself into the New Society of Red China, heedless of the dangers in the communist regime.

Devastated by Joy’s flight and terrified for her safety, Pearl is determined to save her daughter, no matter the personal cost. From the crowded city to remote villages, Pearl confronts old demons and almost insurmountable challenges as she follows Joy, hoping for reconciliation. Yet even as Joy’s and Pearl’s separate journeys converge, one of the most tragic episodes in China’s history threatens their very lives.

Acclaimed for her richly drawn characters and vivid storytelling, Lisa See once again renders a family challenged by tragedy and time, yet ultimately united by the resilience of love.

Cover Story: They're perfect. Both of the covers for both of the books are perfect. And that is all.

These books were sent to me for free, but this in no way affected my review.

Review: Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind

2011-10-30T07:28:00.000+09:00

Title: Debt of Bones: Sword of Truth Prequel Novel

Author: Terry Goodkind

Rating:1/2

Who Should Read It? Lovers of Terry Goodkind. I would really recommend that you do what I didn't do and read the other Sword of Truth books FIRST.

What I Have to Say: When I started this book, I didn't know that it was a prequel novel. I for some reason thought that it was the first book in the Sword of Truth Series. As such, I felt kind of lost. I mean, it was the before to things that I was supposed to already know, even though they hadn't already happened. That's just a weird feeling. I really wish I would have known so that I could have read it AFTER reading the books.

That said, I really enjoyed it. Not enough to make me feel the need to go immediately read the other books or anything, but enough. Enough to read through the whole thing without ever feeling that I wanted to stop.

BUT, it just felt, well. . .generic. And that could be because I hadn't read any of the other books to be curious about the back story, but, well,. . .I wasn't curious. I never felt like I got to know any of the other characters, and I kept going back to it getting it mixed up with other epic fantasies. It was short, and there just wasn't enough. . .feeling. Again, this could be because I was supposed to ALREADY know and love the characters.

If I could just get over the lack of caring about the characters, it really was a good, solid piece of epic fantasy. The story was convincing and enthralling. It was solid and well thought out, and despite me not loving it so much, it convinced me that Terry Goodkind is definitely an author worth reading.

Summary:A milestone of storytelling set in the world of The Sword of Truth, Debt of Bones is the story of young Abby's struggle to win the aid of the wizard Zedd Zorander, the most important man alive.

Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to break, both Abby and Zedd are caught in a desperate fight to save the life of a child...but neither can escape the shadow of an ancient betrayal.

With time running out, their only choice may be a debt of bones. The world-for Zedd, for Abby, for everyone-will never again be the same.

Discover why millions of readers the world over have elevated Terry Goodkind to the ranks of legend.

Cover Story: Maybe it's just me, but I tend to find all Terry Goodkind covers relatively boring. This one is no exception.

Review: The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham

2011-10-27T09:39:00.000+09:00

Title: The Other Lands: Book Two of the Acacia Trilogy

Author: David Anthony Durham

Rating:

Who Should Read It? This book is perfect for lovers of dark epic fantasy! If you loved the first book in this trilogy, you will love this one just as much, if not more. If you haven't read the first book in the trilogy but you love dark epic fantasy with a focus on the fantasy, read the first book and then love this one!

What I Have to Say:
Wow. Just wow.

I know I said it after reading the first book in this triology, but MAN, does David Anthony Durham sure does know how to do epic fantasy. Even though quite a bit of time has passed, The Other Lands seems to start off right where the first book in this trilogy, the War with the Mein, leaves off, and we are once again immediately drawn into the world of Acacia and the Akaran children. Without repeating or summarizing what he has said before, Durhamn subtly brings the reader up to speed on what happened in this first book of the trilogy, while still allowing for the story to progress. Durham seems to be quite good at this kind of thing. There are so many characters in the story that it seems like it might be easy to occasionally lose track. And yet, without ever repeating anything, when a character shows up again, through a word or an action or a thought or even sometimes an article of clothing, Durham reminds the reader who the character is without becoming wordy, redundant, or repetitive.

As in the first book, the world Durham has created is awe-inspiring - it is unique and amazing and creative while at the same time paralleling old cultures we have seen on our Earth throughout time. This time, though, we make our way over to the Other Lands, where an entirely new world and new culture that, honestly, is like no other I have ever read or even heard of.

With Durham's deft hand and engaging writing style, we learn what happens to the quota slaves, we begin to learn the truth behind the "league," and we finally come to really understand the kind of people that the Akaran children have grown up to be (and can I just say - I LOVE Mena and Dariel, but grrrr!!! Corrin!). The Other Lands actually focuses quite a bit more on characters than the War with the Mein, which seemed to focus primarily on world building, and Durham has proven to be just as adept at writing character-driven stories.

Because of this change, to a more character-driven story along with a little bit of magic and a new entirely unique, entirely creative culture, The Other Lands seems a bit more fantasy and a bit less epic than its predecessor. Some people might not love this, but I found it to be absolutely fantastic, and I can only hope the third book in the trilogy (HOW am I going to wait to read it?) will continue in this vein.

Durham is a great story teller telling a great story. The characters are all well-developed with strong voices, but Durham's voice also shines through, clear and strong. It is a beautiful and beautifully written book that will leave you absolutely DYING to finish the trilogy!

Summary:Queen Corinn Akaran of the known world has a primary goal that is to topple the Lothan Aklun and so she sends her brother Daniel, disguised as a slave, on an exploratory expedition to the Other Lands. Daniel soon discovers a mainland that is a more lush, exotic, and expansive than the Known World.

Cover Story: I asbolutely ADORE the cover of the version I read, which I think is the British cover. THe odd looking bird, the ship sailing towards huge rocks in rough water - absolutely beautiful! The American cover (which you see in the Amazon tag) is also lovely, but it just seems to pale in comparison to the British one, in my opinion. If you get a great feeling from either of these covers, though, you're going to love this book!

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review by Transworld Books. This in no way affected my review.

Review: White Cat by Holly Black

2011-10-09T04:02:00.000+09:00

Title: White Cat

Author: Holly Black

Rating:1/2

Who Should Read It? Everyone who has ever enjoyed a YA book. For serious! Especially those who enjoy male protagonists but find good ones hard to come by.

What I Have to Say:
I seriously ADORED this book. Unexpectedly adored this book. I'd read several reviews of it, and everyone said it was good, but after how I felt about "the Spiderwick Chronicles" (liked but certainly didn't love), I never felt over inspired to read it. Then a friend gave me a copy, and I was looking for something a little different, so I gave it a try.
And I am SO glad I did.
Cassel grows up a non-curse worker in a family of curse workers, and this has caused some resentment and some problems for him throughout his life. When he wakes up one morning to find that he has sleep-walked to the school roof after a dream in which a White Cat steals his tongue, his entire world changes.
Holly Black does an AMAZING job of subtly creating a world that is similar to ours but also completely different. The world she has created is fascinating. Curse workers work with their hands, so everyone wears gloves. The idea of being touched by bare hands actually repels some people. She slowly develops it throughout the book in such a way that you're dying for more, to know more, without ever realizing why.
Cassel's attempt at coming to terms with his past and allowing himself to live in the present, dealing with his manipulative brothers and his jailed mother.
White Cat was filled with twists and turns that will keep you wanting more until the very end. As the plot develops and Cassel learns more about his somewhat mysterious past, you'll find yourself rooting for him despite some of the horrible things he's done.
The only unfortunate thing about this book is that it doesn't keep you guessing. Some of the bigger plot points were extremely obvious very early on in the book. Luckily, this didn't really take away from anything. And I would recommend against reading the summary beforehand. It gives way too much away.
Definitely worth the read!

Summary:Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

Cover Story: I guess it's alright. It's got the right feel, even if I don't love the real person on the cover making it seem like a movie cover for the book. It's better than the original brown cover, though.

I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK IN THIS SERIES!!!!

(Not really a) Review: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

2011-08-26T22:49:00.001+09:00

I just finished Sisterhood Everlasting, the last of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares.

And I'm still crying. It was one of the most poignantly beautiful stories I've read in ages. My heart is in a million pieces right now, but they are all beautifully broken.

It's this weird feeling that I don't know how to describe - a mixture of betrayal at the author's choice, a sadness so profound I don't know how I will ever come out of it, hope, and the feeling that the world, despite how screwy it is, has an endless amount of beauty and love to offer if you just stop for a minute to look for it.

My heart has been in a very weird place, lately, and I think that reading from this weird place caused this book to have an even more profound impact on me than if I had read it from a normal place. It's like my heart had been flattened out and was being slowly drained and sucked into a black hole, and this book turned the black hole into helium which proceeded to fill up my heart until it burst into a million pieces. A million heart-wrenchingly sad yet hopefully beautiful pieces.

This isn't a review, as it never could be. But I am left utterly bewildered and utterly enchanted, and I would almost recommend that, if you haven't read all of the Traveling Pants books, you go out and do so now. Because for this book to fall into its proper place, you need to have first read the other four (just watching the movie won't do), and you NEED to read this book. Now.

Review: the Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

2011-07-25T06:47:00.001+09:00

I miss Brizmus Blogs Books. It's time to get back into book blogging, and what better way to start than with this?

Title: the Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Rating:

Who Should Read It? Heh, I think this should be pretty obvious. Fans of Twilight, of course!

What I Have to Say:
Maybe as I'm getting older, my book tastes are maturing. . .though given that that seems extremely doubtful, I'm going to have to say that this book just doesn't live up to it's Twilight predecessors. Don't get me wrong, it was a fabulously enjoyable read, but it just didn't elicit that "ohmygod this is an AMAZING story" feeling that the 4 twlight books did. And then the whole - love immediately happens after two people have known each other for, like, 2 seconds. I'm feeling sort of over that lately. I got my fill of that in Twilight. And the Host.
But then, what can you really do in a short 192 pages when you've got SO MUCH going on. I'll grant her that. And the fact is, it really was good. Bree was sort-of awesome. I liked her pretty much immediately (which, let's face it, is more than I can say for Bella, whom I never really started to like), and I was sad when her inevitable end came. Seriously sad. I might have even cried (I can't actually remember, but it does seem cry-worthy).
I could go on about all the positives and negatives of the book, but this is one of those books where, if you're gonna read it you're gonna read it, and if you're not, you're not.
So we'll end here. It was a great read, even if it doesn't have in it all the emotion of Twilight and even if we do see repetitive themes.

Summary:Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits.

In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

Cover Story: Totally loving it! So Twilight, and that hourglass just adds the perfect touch. Perfection! :-)

Review: Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

2011-05-10T22:53:00.001+09:00

Title: Wildthorn

Author: Jane Eagland

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
A GREAT book for all fans of YA, especially those that like a lot of intrigue and a bit of mystery.

What I Have to Say:
I really really really LOVED this book, and I desperately wanted to feel like I could give it 5 stars or even 4 1/2 stars. Unfortunately, though, there were just some parts that felt over-contrived. If that makes sense. As difficult as it was to get to the point in which things worked out for Lou, things worked out just a little bit too easily for her. Things always ended up being pretty much EXACTLY as you expected them to be.

That said, this book read SO smoothly. I had barely started before I was finished - almost like I got so into it that I never even really felt myself reading.

The story starts off when Lou ends up at the doors of a mental institution, where she is told she is crazy, and she must be schizophrenic, as she doesn't even seem to know her own name. The more she tries to convince the people there that she is not crazy, the crazier she seems. No one believes her, except for one exceptionally sympathetic worker, Eliza.

This book moves flawlessly back and forth between Louisa's time at Wildthorn, the mental institution, and her memories of growing up with her mother, her doctor father, and her terrible brother. This book moves back and forth between past and present so smoothly that, if you don't think about it too much, it's difficult to know whether Lou's memories are memories or figments of her imagination. Is she actually Louisa Cosgrove? Or is she really the crazy Lucy Childs?

I really enjoyed every aspect of this story, except maybe the love story. I don't want to say too much about it, as I'm afraid it will give to much away, but it really just felt out of place to me. I was totally incapable of believing it, even from a fictional point of view.

Anyway, overall, this book is mysterious, well-written, and full of mystery and intrigue! It will keep you easily reading and excited right up until the very end.

Summary:Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...

Cover Story: It's kind of fabulous. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like the corsette might be symbolic for all the different ways that Lou found herself trapped throughout her life. Wonderful cover!

Disclosure: This book was received for review from Net Galley. This in no way affected my review.

Review: Karma Bites by Stacey Kramer and Valerie Thomas

2011-05-02T22:15:00.002+09:00

As I think has been evidenced by my lack of presence in the blogging world lately, I haven't really been feeling the desire to say anything about books lately. I want to read them and not feel like I HAVE to have something to say. It's weird, as I used to feel like I was just DYING to get something out every time I would finish reading something. Anyhow, I'm going to give this a try here, but it's been a while. Also, have you entered this awesome contest yet? If not, you should. So go do it. Now.

Title: Karma Bites

Author: Stacey Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Rating: 1/2

Who Should Read It?
This is a book that will really appeal to middle grade readers. It's absolutely brilliant for the age range to which it's aiming, and adults might still enjoy it for nostalgia purposes.

What I Have to Say:
Karma Bites was cute. Really cute. An absolutely adorable read for any middle grade reader, I think. I feel like the problem I have, a lot of times, with middle grade books, is that I am so far away from being that age that I'm just totally incapable of understanding the main character. Which leaves me finding them absolutely annoying and unsupportable. Franny Flanders, while slightly annoying at times, managed to escape the annoying middle grade main character stereotype.

She was funny and ballsy and ridiculous, and even though she often had absolutely nothing going for her, she managed to be just the right amount of OCD neurotic ridiculous (which is something, I must say, I can totally understand). And maybe that's why I almost ended up loving her at the end. She messed up EVERYTHING, but in that way that it's just messed up enough so that everything is okay. And this is something I also do regularly in my daily life. Which made her, despite our age difference, totally relate-to-able.

Franny Flanders aside, the rest of the characters, from the into the occult Granny with the magic box to Alden, the supposed love of Franny's life who once managed to touch her ear for a whole few seconds, to her two best friends who can't talk to each other, were all just the right amount of ridiculous. I loved reading about everything and everyone Franny managed to screw up.

Unfortunately, there were also times when this book lagged. Some things that were funny in the beginning just kept going on and on and on and on and on (and then on and on some more), when I really wished they would just end. The twists never really felt like twists, instead feeling more like inevitabilities. The plot was just too easy at times. And then, while I'm into magic and therefore loved that aspect of the book, I'm also tired of reading about stereotypical cliques, and without those, this book couldn't have existed.

Still, my final conclusion is that it was an overall pleasant and funny read, best read in one sitting.

Summary: Life seems to have it in for Franny Flanders.

Her best friends aren’t speaking, her parents just divorced, and her hippie grandmother has moved in. The only karma Franny’s got is bad karma.

Then Franny gets her hands on a box of magic recipes that could fix all of her problems. It could even change the world! Finally, life is looking up.

But Franny is about to learn that magic and karma aren’t to be played with. When you mess with the universe, it can bite back in unexpected ways.

Ouch!

Cover Story: I really enjoy this cover! I don't know why, but it sort of reminds me of a Goosebumps cover. I used to LOVE those books back when I was, like 10. Definitely got the nostalgia feeling going on!

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review for the publisher, which in no way affected what I had to say. :-P

CONTEST prizes: all about Neil Gaiman; SIGNED How to Talk To Girls at Parties Print

2011-04-25T21:37:00.000+09:00

This is a print that was done in conjunction with Neil Gaiman's short story,How to Talk to Girls at Parties, which can be read by clicking this link! It's a great story, so I highly recommend reading it! The print will be signed by the artist!
This was donated thanks to Cat from neverwear.net. It's beautiful, and I SO wish I could be the one to win it. All you've got to do to win is something to help Japan (it doesn't have to involve money, for you poor people like me). Let me know what you did, and you're entered!
You don't want to pass this up!
The contest will only be going on for a couple more weeks no, so HURRY and ENTER!

CONTEST Books: SIGNED copy of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

2011-04-18T19:19:00.001+09:00

Summary:Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

I read and ADORED this book long before I started book blogging. If you haven't read it yet, with the upcoming release of the movie, you totally should. All you have to do is do something to help Japan, let me know what you did, and you'll be entered to win!

CONTEST Books: If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous

2011-04-11T17:07:00.001+09:00

Have you entered my Book Blogging to Save Japan contest yet! Do something to help Japan in this time of crisis, let me know what you did (either in a comment or by e-mail - zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com), and be entered to win!
Below is just one of the many awesome books you have the opportunity to win!

Title: If You Follow Me

Author: Malena Watrous

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Summary:Hoping to outpace her grief in the wake of her father's suicide, Marina has come to the small, rural Japanese town of Shika to teach English for a year. But in Japan, as she soon discovers, you can never really throw away your past . . . or anything else, for that matter.

If You Follow Me is at once a fish-out-of-water tale, a dark comedy of manners, and a strange kind of love story. Alive with vibrant and unforgettable characters from an ambitious town matchmaker to a high school student-cum-rap artist wannabe with an addiction to self-tanning lotion it guides readers over cultural bridges even as it celebrates the awkward, unlikely triumph of the human spirit.

This book totally sounds like it's all about me! I can't wait to read it! Be sure to enter for your chance to win!

CONTEST Books: Hopeful Monsters by Hiromi Goto

2011-03-29T08:04:00.002+09:00

Have you entered my Book Blogging to Save Japan contest yet! Do something to help Japan in this time of crisis, let me know what you did (either in a comment or by e-mail - zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com), and be entered to win!
Below is just one of the many awesome books you have the opportunity to win!

Title: Hopeful Monsters

Author: Hiromi Goto

Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press

Summary:“Hopeful monsters” are genetically abnormal organisms that, nonetheless, adapt and survive in their environments. In these devastating stories, the hopeful monsters in question are those who will not be tethered by familial duty nor bound by the ghosts of their past.

Home becomes fraught, reality a nightmare as Hiromi Goto weaves her characters through tales of domestic crises and cultural dissonance. They are the walking wounded—a mother who is terrified by a newborn daughter who bears a tail; a “stinky girl” who studies the human condition in a shopping mall; a family on holiday wih a visiting grandfather who cannot abide their “foreign” nature. But wills are a force unto themselves, and Goto’s characters are imbued with the light of myth and magic-realism. With humor and keen insight, Goto makes the familiar seem strange, and deciphers those moments when the idyllic skews into the absurd and the sublime.

Doesn't that sound AWESOME?!? I know I can't wait to read it! Be sure to enter for your chance to win!

Book Blogging for Japan CONTEST!

2011-03-27T05:44:00.001+09:00

Do something for Japan, let me know what it is, and WIN A BOOK!

Left is Sendai, Japan before.
Right is Sendai, Japan now.

As many of you know, I've been living in Japan for the past year, and as such, this recent tragedy has really struck close to home for me.

As such, I've decided to host a Book Blogging for Japan CONTEST!!!! Right now, there will be 9 winners! To enter, all you have to do is help Japan. You do something to help Japan and send me an e-mail (zedster.tbb(at)gmail(dot)com) or post a comment letting me know what you did, and you're entered!

You can do something as simple as donate money, or, if you're poor like me, you can be creative.

Some EXAMPLES of things you can do:
-Thursday night I went to a meditation session where we meditated for the survivors.
-A kindergarten teacher is having her class collect marbles for when they're good. For each marble the kids earn, parents are donating a dollar.
-make a paper crane - there is a myth in Japan that for every thousand paper cranes you fold, you get a wish.

What can you win?
#1 - a box of books from me! Old books I've read, whatever fits in the box!
#2 - Hopeful Monsters: Stories by Hiromi Goto - donated by Arsenal Pulp Press!
#3-5 winners will win If You Follow Me: A Novel (P.S.) by Malena Watrous - donated by Harper Collins
#4-2 winners will receive books donated by Egmont UK.
#5-a SIGNED copy of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

If you've never heard of these books, they will be being featured in the blog over the next few days, so keep a look out!

The contest will end at a date to be determined in the future. I look forward to seeing what kinds of things you guys come up with to help.

You don't have to spread the word to be entered, but the more people helping Japan the better, so I'd really appreciate it if you would!

**If you're hosting a contest for Japan, I'd love to link it up, so please let me know! Also, please let me know if you'd like to donate a book to the contest.**

Review: The Atomic Weight of Secrets or the Arrival of the Mysterious Men In Black by Eden Unger Bowditch

2011-03-25T01:47:00.002+09:00

Title: the Atomic Weight of Secrets or the Arrival of the Mysterious Men In Black

Author: Eden Unger Bowditch

Rating:

Who Should Read It?
This is a great book for ages 12 or 13 and over. I think it might be a little too slow for those younger than that, but adults interested in YA (especially those that have ever been intrigued by a bit of science) will love it!

What I Have to Say:
i LOVED this book! I'm going to be honest - what attracted me to this book most in the beginning was the title. I liked how it was long and started off with "the Atomic Weight of Secrets." It sounded mathy to me, and I love math!

It starts when 5 exceptionally brilliant children are, seemingly without warning, separated from their brilliant, scientist parents, and brought to live together. When I started reading it, even though I immediately enjoyed it, it was initially hard for me to tell if it was really a book for me. It did start off a little bit slowly, and there was something about the men in black with their odd outfits and even odder hats that didn't sit right with me. It almost felt, well, pointless. And even after finishing the book, I'm still not sure I understand.

By the end, though, that didn't matter, and I actually began to enjoy the author's creativity in describing these elusive "men in black." The character's were all extremely wonderfully developed and enjoyable - you could tell, by the time the author put into giving back story and helping us to know everything there was to know about each of the five children, that she really loved these children. As such, I also grew not only to know them, but to love them.

All five of the children are brilliant scientists, just like their parents, but the fact that they are also children and, thus, childish, makes them incredibly endearing. It's impossible not to find yourself completely drawn in as these children fight and work to understand each other, the men in black, and why their parents would just allow them to be abandoned like that. As they learn to work together to try to "save" their parents, their five separate stories begin to meld together in a beautiful way.

Though the book did feel slow at times, for the most part it was just action-packed and exciting; absolutely perfect for the train on which I was reading it!

I would definitely recommend it to those interested in YA! And I know I'll definitely be reading the second book in the series, if only to find out more about what is up with these men in black and their funny goggles or black bunny ears!

Summary:In 1903, five truly brilliant young inventors, the children of the world’s most important scientists, went about their lives and their work as they always had.

But all that changed the day the men in black arrived.

They arrived to take twelve-year-old Jasper Modest and his six-year-old sister, Lucy—he with his remarkable creations and she with her perfect memory—from their London, England home to a place across the ocean they’d never seen before.

They arrived to take nine-year-old Wallace Banneker, last in a long line of Africa-descended scientists, from his chemistry, his father, and his New York home to a life he’d never imagined.

Twelve-year-old Noah Canto-Sagas, already missing his world-famous and beloved mother, was taken from Toronto, Canada, carrying only his clothes, his violin, and his remarkable mind.

And thirteen-year-old Faye Vigyanveta, the genius daughter of India’s wealthiest and most accomplished scientists, was removed by force from her life of luxury.

From all across the world, they’ve been taken to mysterious Sole Manner Farm, and a beautiful but isolated schoolhouse in Dayton, Ohio, without a word from their parents as to why. Not even the wonderful schoolteacher they find there, Miss Brett, can explain it. She can give them love and care, but she can’t give them answers.

Things only get stranger from there. What is the book with no pages Jasper and Lucy find in their mother’s underwear drawer, and why do the men in black want it so badly?

How is it all the children have been taught the same bizarre poem—and yet no other rhymes or stories their entire lives?

And why haven’t their parents tried to contact them?

Whatever the reasons, to brash, impetuous Faye, the situation is clear: They and their parents have been kidnapped by these terrible men in black, and the only way they’re going to escape and rescue their parents is by completing the invention they didn’t even know they were all working on—an invention that will change the world forever.

But what if the men in black aren’t trying to harm the children? What if they’re trying to protect them?

And if they’re trying to protect them—from what?

An amazing story about the wonders of science and the still greater wonders of friendship, The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Mysterious Men in Black , the first book of the Young Inventors Guild trilogy, is a truly original novel. Young readers will forever treasure Eden Unger Bowditch’s funny, inventive, poignant, and wonderfully fun fiction debut.

Cover Story: I hadn't seen the cover before reading the book (or if I had, I don't remember it), but looking at it after the fact, it would certainly inspire me to read the book. It's intriguing! Unfortunately, I think it's also a little bit more adult than the book itself. Other than that, great cover, which I'm planning on taking a little more time to examine in a minute!

Japan - fleeing and feeling and donating

2011-03-23T01:46:00.000+09:00

So, as most of you probably know, I have been living in Japna for the last year. And with all of the things going on in Japan lately, I have received SO many wonderful comments and e-mails from you guys inquiring about my safety. First of all, I just want to say thank you SO much. I really appreciate all of your thoughts and concerns, and I am sure Japan and all of the Japanese people do as well.

Second of all, yes, I am safe. The area I live in was basically unaffected. I felt the quake a little bit (I was actually teaching 2 year olds at the time, and the building we were in shook like we were in a boat for about 4 minutes - the worst we got was some crying two year olds. And me feeling motion sick), but other than that my area was unaffected.

Still, because my family was worrying so much (and let's face it, when it came to radiation, me, too), I have returned to the states. It was a little bit crazy going through everything to get my re-entry permit and a last minute flight and to get myself packed, but now I have safely arrived in Colorado with my sister.

I've been a little bit blah and a little bit depressed about the whole situation, so I've been doing my best to avoid the internet. I'm therefore super sorry about the lack of reviews lately. I know I had promised some reviews for the 15th/16th, and if you are one of those people to whom I promised a review, I am incredibly sorry. They'll be up soon! Now that I'm starting to return to life a little bit.

Now, I know you all want to help Japan (I know I can't watch the news without crying and feeling sick), and what they need more than anything right now is money. There are lots of great ways to donate, and I hope you will. For a list of donation possibilites, go check out this article. If I can manage to get back on my feet anytime soon, I might have some kind of donation giveaway.

In the meantime, please keep Japan (and Libya, of course) in your thoughts (and prayers, if you have those), and I'll try to start posting reviews again soon. I have been on a mega YA kick to try to fluff this disaster out of my mind.

Review: the Shape Changer's Wife by Sharon Shinn

2011-03-02T08:40:00.000+09:00

Title: the Shape Changer's Wife

Author: Sharon Shinn

Rating:

Who Should Read It? Fans of fantasy and fairy tales will, without a doubt, want to give this book a try!

What I Have to Say:
If you're a fan of cute fantasy, the Shape Changer's Wife will, without a doubt, have you hooked from page one. It's well-written and beautifully developed, with a story that will bring tears to your eyes (well, it certainly brought tears to my eyes).

Aubrey, a young magician, finds himself the apprentice of Glyrenden, a hated, shape-changing magician. Living in the house of Glyrenden brings along some awkward, strange characters in the shape-changer's wife, Lillith, the house-keeper who doesn't seem to know how to keep house, Arachne, and the oversized brute of a man, Orion. What ensues is a beautiful story of magic, love, romance, and hope.

My absolute favorite thing about this book is the character development - we don't just learn more about the characters - there becomes more about the characters to learn, as they grow and develop with the help of their surroundings. The effect that Aubrey has on Lillith still has my heart pounding at the beauty.

The Shape-Changer's Wife is a short, sweet story with a fairy-tale feel that will tear at your heart strings and possibly give you hope for the world. And, like a true story-teller, Shinn leaves the end open for interpretation. Love this booK!

Summary: From the national bestselling author of The Samaria Trilogy...this is the novel that launched Sharon Shinn's career and inspired Peter S. Beagle to call her "the most original writer of fantasy since Robin McKinley."

Aubrey was a student of the fine art of wizardry. But the more knowledge he acquired, the more he wanted to learn. He traveled in search of the greatest master of all, the gifted shape-changer Glyrenden. From him, Aubrey expected to discover the secret of long-lost spells and the mysteries of arcane magic.

But there was one discovery he never expected, a mystery he risked every thing to solve. Her name was Lilith...

Cover Story: While I don't love this cover, I do find it extraordinarily intriguing. It piques my curiosity, the way the woman's head is so beautiful yet ordinary. The way she is so hidden.

This book was sent to me as a Secret Santa present by Simcha from SFF Chat! Thanks, Simcha! This was my first Sharon Shinn, and I LOVED it!

Review: The Last Greatest Magician in the World by Jim Steinmeyer

2011-02-16T08:31:00.000+09:00

Title: The Last Greatest Magician in the World: Howard Thurston vs. Houdini and the Battle of American Wizards

Author: Jim Steinmeyer

Rating:

Who Should Read It? This is a great non-fiction for people who are used to reading fiction but thinking of delving into the world of non. There's mystery and magic and excitement, and well - Neil Patrick Harris and Neil Gaiman loved it. What more do I need say?

What I Have to Say:Jim Steinmeyer knows magic, and he knows magicians, and he knows how to write about them. Put those three things together, and what you get in The Last Greatest Magician is one of the most intriguing and exciting biographies I've ever read.

To be honest, before reading this book, it had been AGES since I last read a biography. It's not that I'm not interested - reading about the lives of interesting or well-known (or sometimes not well-known) people has always fascinated me, but I've often found biographies to be somewhat dry. I've therefore always preferred fiction books laced with fact. In the Last Greatest Magician in the World, though, Steinmeryer has, for the most part, managed to avoid the dry stigma attached to biographies. There are definitely some parts that are dry (let's face it, when you're telling the life story of someone, that's just going to happen), but the majority of the time I actually forgot that I was reading a biography. It was exciting and intense and filled with good guys and bad guys and crazy plots of madness and revenge.

Steinmeyer takes subject matter that is, even at its core, exciting, and turns it into an utterly readable, magnificent story. I wanted to like Thurston, and it seems obvious to me that the author has a great respect for Thurston, but he approached the material in such an objective way that, even through the author's obvious bias, there were times when I hated him, when I desperately wanted Houdini to one-up him. Even now, after having finished, I can't decide if I liked him or hated him. One thing is clear, though, in the Last Greatest Magician in the World, Steinmeyer pulls you so completely into the world of Thurston that there is no grey - either you love him or you hate him.

Steinmeyer writes with knowledge, grace, and intelligence. As someone who has been interested in magic from a very young age (haven't we all?), I was thrilled to read the story of Thurston and his interactions with his wives and children and, especially, other well-known magicians such as Houdini and Thurston. If you have ever had an interest in magic, this book is definitely for you. Steinmeyer has turned Thurston's story into the story of all magician's, and it will satisfy your curiosity on all counts. Even if you're not a huge fan of biographies, I would recommend giving this book a try. (and plus, Neil Patrick Harris says it's awesome!)

Summary:Here is the seminal biography of the magician's magician, Howard Thurston, a man who surpassed Houdini in the eyes of showmen and fans and set the standard fro how stage magic is performed today.

Everyone knows Houdini-but who was Thurston? In this rich, vivid biography of the "greatest magician in the world," celebrated historian of stage magic Jim Steinmeyer captures the career and controversies of the wonder-worker extraordinaire, Howard Thurston.

The public's fickleness over magicians has left Thurston all but forgotten today. Yet Steinmeyer shows how his story is one of the most remarkable in show business. During his life, from 1869 to 1936, Thurston successfully navigated the most dramatic changes in entertainment-from street performances to sideshows to wagon tours through America's still-wild West to stage magic amid the glitter of grand theaters.

Thurston became one of America's most renowned vaudeville stars, boldly performing an act with just a handful of playing cards, and then had the foresight to leave vaudeville, expanding his show into an extravaganza with more than forty tons of apparatusand costumes. His touring production was an American institution for nearly thirty years, and Thurston earned a brand name equal to Ziegfeld or Ringling Brothers.

Steinmeyer explores the stage and psychological rivalry between Thurston and Houdini during the first decades of the twentieth century- a contest that Thurston won. He won with a bigger show, a more successful reputation, and the title of America's greatest magician. In The Last Greatest Magician in the World, Thurston's magic show is revealed as the one that animates our collective memories.

Cover Story: Super cool - so mystical and magical and intriguing!

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review via Shelf Awareness. This in no way affected my review.