50 for Jen

Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

2009-08-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Poison Study

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Series: The Study Series

Summary: Yelena has spent the last year in the Commander's dungeons awaiting execution for murder, and it looks like she is finally next in line, until the commander's food tester dies. The Code dictates the position goes to the next in the line for execution and she has two choice; either be executed or undertake training that might kill her. She will learn under Valek the most feared man in Ixia, a country that is set to stomp out any magic. Magic like the stuff that the General who's son she killed might be dabbling in as he tries to get revenge on Yelena.

Thoughts: Snyder's debut novel is at the height of excellence. The imaginary country, government and society is all well constructed. As are the characters with Yelena and Valek being both clever and interesting. Although Valek tends to pop up and save her a little too often for my liking, regardless Yelena manages to hold her own against some super-evil villains. The Commander also was interesting managing to set up a military dictatorship, a strict legal code, and having the determination to follow said code and live like all the civilians. He is an wonderful leader despite his shocking secret. The novel was a complete story yet also did a fabulous job setting up for the rest of the series. Readers will become truly invested in the fate of all the characters.

Cover: The original cover is nice, but the spiffy one pictured is the YA cover. The leaves are kind of transparently shiny, making it gorgeous!

Rating: 4.5 stars

PS: Look out for her lovely new book Sea Glass out this fall!

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

2009-07-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Title: The Reformed Vampire Support Group

Author: Catherine Jinks

Summary: Instead of the dark, sexy, and powerful image of vampires present in protagonist Nina Harrison's Zadia Bloodstone novels, vampirism is a disease. Affecting dead people, this disease causes light sensitivity, brittle skin, and digestive problems. Nina is forever 15 and stuck living with her mother, and participating in the Reformed Vampire Support Group (to help vampires adjust and to promote an alternate diet), when a member is staked and shot with a mysterious silver bullet. So in an effort to prove vampires aren't weak, Nina embarks to solve the mystery with fellow Support Group members, former-punk-rocker-turned-vamp Dave, and a human, sympathiser Father Ramone. In the process they also encounter the underground werewolf trade, giving her her first trial at resisting the scent of human blood and fanging hamsters to deal with the alternate nutrition.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed the alternate to the forever young, sparkly love tales that dominate vampire fiction. These tales are also inject the all superhuman vamp into the story in the form of Nina's Zadia Bloodstone novels. The disease-like form of vampirism was also let us see the characters as real people rather than super-beings with no repercussions. Nina is a witty realist and made the book incredibly funny. Calm, regular Dave was also a good balance to the unusual mix of the group. The suspense and action was well balanced and the novel in general was well paced. The dynamics between the group member were excellent. The dialogue between the lot is hilarious. I enjoyed Nina's realisation that vampires don't need to be Zadia to get what they want from life, and that along with the ending was immensely satisfying. Readers who want to be subverted from the usual vampires will enjoy this dark, witty, mystery.

Cover: I like the cover, its cute but I wish all the members of the support group were shown rather than the skeletal group. The alternate cover is black and white but also quite nice.

Rating: 5 Stars

PS: Hope everyone is having a lovely summer.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

2009-07-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Summary: Jenna Fox is 17 when she awakens in a new town from a car accident a year ago, remembering nothing but bouts of encyclopedic knowledge. She can remember entire book passages but not if she had ever had a best friend. As she begins to remember snippets of her life, she begins to wonder about the accident, and her family's bizarre behavior.

Thoughts: I loved The Adoration of Jenna Fox! Jenna, her family, and classmates are fascinating, as are the dynamics between them. While the novel is science fiction, it blends seamlessly into the current time period. Nothing about this novel is outrageous in any way. The most interesting point is what makes us human. Jenna's father had invented a substance that serves as artificial blood or organs, and the book looks quite thoroughly at the ethics of the practice. IWhat I love most about the novel was that it was impossible to peg what was going on until Jenna herself knew. The ending was also great!

Cover: I like the image. There seems to be a lot of these hands-holding-something type covers lately, but this one is treated more softly than the others.

Rating: 5 Stars

PS: The website for the book is really nice too!

The Demons Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

2009-07-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

Title: The Demon's Lexicon

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary: Nick and his brother Alan are always on the run, along with their crazy mother, from the magicians and their demons that killed his father. Before they leave their latest home a girl and boy come to him with a problem. The girls brother has been marked by a demon and will be possessed without their help. Alan then gets marked also, so they set out to hunt down the magician responsible for unleashing the demon. Through this Nick begins to suspect his past isn't as everyone says.

Thoughts: I loved The Demon's Lexicon. The characters are brilliant. I liked Nick's narration, and his insistence that Alan was the good one, and how important Alan was to him. I also liked Alan who is the nice, bookish, older brother with quite a lot of secrets. Their relationship was so important to Nick that the revelations shocked him, even an obvious one, as he had just accepted Alan's word. This book was unusual in the magicians being cruel, and evil rather than the wonderful, and strange qualities usually associated with them. The book is quite twisty, there is one obvious revelation (about their mother), and a series that really surprised me. The pieces fit together perfectly and I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Cover: The cover is lovely, I would really have liked to see perhaps a figure of Alan in the background.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

PS: This is going to be a series, yay!

Tithe: A Modern Fairytale by Holly Black

2009-07-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

Title: Tithe: A Modern Fairytale

Author: Holly Black

Sequels/Companion Novels: Valiant, Ironside

Summary: Sixteen-year-old, Philly resident, Kaye Fierch ends up shipped back to her grandmother's house after her mothers boyfriend tries to stab her mother. However once she gets there she sees the reappearance of her imaginary friends from childhood. Faeries are real and she is one of them. Her friends tell her that the Unseelie court has selected her for their next tithe (human sacrifice) and she should pretend to be human until the they removed her glamour and reveal her. This will allow her friends freedom from the sinister Faerie courts for seven years. Unfortunately she is also in love with a knight of the dark court who would rather make alliances with the light. Adding the interference of a few of her human friends the tithe may not go as planned.

Thoughts: It's not very often I find myself liking faerie books but this one was great. I found Kaye a bit abrasive at first but I love how strong she is as well as her ability to take things in stride. Kaye is also very clever and inventive in dealing with her troubles. I also found the rules of the faerie courts dealt with in a neat, matter-of-fact way. I also enjoyed the contrast between the modern world (which was full of Stark Trek, comic, and literary references), and the beautiful (but cruel) faerie world.

Cover: The cover is lovely and matches the companion novels well.

Rating: 5 Stars

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

2009-06-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

Title: Audrey, Wait!

Author: Robin Benway

Summary: As soon as Audrey dumps her musician boyfriend, Evan, he writes an angry break-up song, Audrey, Wait!, which goes straight to the top of the charts. Suddenly, Audrey is famous and has no idea how to react to all of the people who just won't leave her alone. When hanging out with her best friend is big production she will certainly have issues dealing with her new crush. But the media attention doesn't stop and articles are written about everything: her arm warmers, the Lolita's singer wanted her to be their muse, and what her MTV reunion with Evan.

Thoughts: I really loved the wittiness of Audrey and all of her friends. I even felt a little bad for Evan who was in the same boat. I really liked the direction the book went. It was also really interesting when Audrey met her favorite band (Lolitas) and the weren't all they were cracked up to be. However Audrey and even her friends sometimes made cringe worthy choices. It was natural for her to slip up in all of this, but she'd have to know that interview she gave would come off wrong. Also, this author put in the music references really well. It's clear that Audrey is a girl who loves music and not a bunch of song names slapped in to appeal to teenagers. This book was a really excellent, fun read!

Rating: 4/5

Cover: The cover is lovely. I like the girls pose and the font. I'd seen the old cover before and it didn't spark my interest at all. This one is totally great. My sister saw it and immediately wanted to read the book!

PS: Hope exams went well for every one!

The Droughtlanders by Carrie Mac

2009-05-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Title: The Droughtlanders

Author: Carrie Mac

Series: Triskelia (Book 1)

Summary: Eli and his brother Seth live in the Keylands. They have learned to remain in their cities away from the Droughtlands, barren patches of land filled with poverty and "sicks". Seth joins the Keyland guards who aim to rid the world of Droughlanders, and Eli whose eyes have been opened by his mother, aims to join the Droughlanders secret organization determined for equality between the two classes.

Thoughts: While dystopian books are usually awesome this was lacking. The setting doesn't initially seem that out there but has the full discovery quite quickly. Eli is of course the sensitive character who makes the realization that society isn't perfect. I found Eli to be slightly overdone as an underdog type character (he is overly meek and far more naive than his twin). He takes quite a while to deprogram (he is homophobic towards another character). Of course he seems more likable in comparison to his evil twin Seth. Seth is a violent bully, however he manages to be morally sound than most of the guard. I found Seth's sudden burst of compassion a little out of character compared to the death he orchestrated at the beginning of the book. So while I wasn't completely happy with the characters, the logistics of the world held up quite well. The Droughtlands and Triskelia are quite well explained although I would like more details on the Keylands. As a warning people who like to shy away from the darker themes like drug addiction and rape probably won't be happy reading this.

Cover: I like the cover. Fits well with the rest of the series too.

Rating: 2/5 Stars (Not for everyone)

PS: The author is Canadian (from BC)!

Feed by M.T. Anderson

2009-05-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

Ttile: Feed

Author: M.T. Anderson

Summary: Titus is a regular teenager, in a world where regular people have mini-computers surgically wired into their brains. Great for reference and learning, but full of advertising, its sets intellect back. He meets a girl, Violet, and after a troubling encounter with a hacker, they decide to fight the feed.

Thoughts: This is a dystopian future novel, which of course earns it some brownie points. Major ew factor however as a few characters skin starts falling off. I found the story very interesting, and I particularly liked the pages of adverts popping up through out the book. Violet is a great character, Titus is OK (although I had trouble identifying with him), but his friends are not the nicest, as they bully Violet for making an intelligent comment. I found parts of the book very slow and clipped however the pacing was a bit slow throughout the first bit of the novel. Its also a really great statement about corperate power. Its more of an interesting book than it is a magical one.

Cover: The cover is really interesting, looking at it closely the back of Titus's head looks a bit like a fingerprint.

Rating: 3 stars

PS: I've been out for school stuff the past while but after my class trip (for the next 5 days), I should be caught up.

Lovely Tags (Awards and Meme-type things)

2009-04-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, its awards time!

Book people tend to be really lovely so this has been spreading like wildfire.

The Lovely Award!

It's from Liyana, Donna, and H!

All of whom are of course lovely!

It goes to 15 bloggers that are fun and that are recently discovered (within the past couple weeks for me)!

I'm going to pick a few (sorry) ^_^

And next I've gotten The Let's Be Friends Award from Jessica Marie, who I would love to be friends with. ^_^

Also I think this is a really lovely idea for an award.

"Blogs that received the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers."

Some people I would like to befriend are

Words Speak Volumes

Jackie, Tatianna, Michelle, Angelina and Jessica

Chelsie

Beth and Nathan

Also another one of these from Bookworm. Thanks!

Also I've been tagged by Priya.

"All the meme requires you to do is to take a picture of yourself immediately without fixing your hair, changing your clothes, etc."

Taken on Earth Day, when I was tagged:

I tag anyone who wants to do this.

Friday Fives - Dragons

2009-04-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

This week I'm counting down the Top 5 Dragons (both the creature and people with the title)

5. Madison Moss (The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima)

Madison is an art student from Ohio. She stays with her Aunt at Legend's. She is a descendant of the Dragon who the Warriors, Enchanters, Wizards, and Seers first obtained their powers from. She absorbs the magic of others (lacking her own). Madison is integral to the final outcome being the only one who is able to use the magical Dragon Heart. In Dragon Heir the spunky Madison heads back to the hills, and to her family where the town knows her as a witch.

4. Norbert (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling)

A Norwegian Ridgeback who was hatched from an egg by Hagrid (of course). While incredibly vicious Norbert is also stunningly cute! Unfortunately Malfoy rendered it necessary for Norbert to be sent to be raised by Ron's brother, Charlie.

3. Liam Ironarm - The Shang Dragon (Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce)

Liam was a Shang warrior (trained by Wildcat). Skilled in both hand-to-hand combat and use of weapons Liam was the oldest Dragon in over 40 years (most wouldn't live past 40). He was first introduced to Alanna and Coram by saying "Red-heads have to stick together". Eventually he accompanies them on the quest for the Dominion Jewel and back to the palace for the final battle against Roger. He eventually ends his relationship with Alanna due to his fear of magic and all who wield it.

2. Fwup (Pure Dead Series by Debi Gliori)

Fwup, a teenage dragon, is one of the creatures of the Strega-Borgia. She is usually seen with Sab (a griffin), Knot (a yeti), and Tock (a vegetarian crocodile). This series is known for being both odd and extremely funny. Fwup eventually discovers she is female and is intent upon making up for lost time.

1. Saphira (Eragon by Christopher Paolini)

Saphira is the dragon hatched by Eragon, from the egg stolen from Galbatorix by the Varden (notably Brom and Jeod). She was guarded by Arya until being sent to the Spine for Eragon to find. She is incredibly clever and has a slightly wry sense of humor. It is later revealed that she is the only female dragon left.

Readers' Choice

Let me know your favorite Dragon in the comments. ^_^

Odd Google Results

For the Lulz these two kept popping up when I googled the images.

Smeargol from LOTR

(although I love that dragon firework)

Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars (the prequel set)

(Who is actually a Gungan)

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

2009-04-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Blood Hound

Author: Tamora Pierce

Series: Tortall Lengend / Provest's Dog

Summary: Our terrier Beka Cooper takes on a new role. This time as a Bloodhound on a hunt. She follows the scent of colemonging (counterfeiting) to a new city (Port Caynn), with a new partner, new allies and new friends. She also has a new Rogue to contend with, one who is a lot less hospitable than her own.

Thoughts: The diary style in this is fabulous, there are even paw prints (from Pounce) to make it look more realistic (although I don't like the cross-outs then spell-rights). Bloodhound is also excellent for details. Slang, political structure, and all other logistics are planned and detailed (with a super-handy reference guide in the back). Pierce has created an entire world, and throwing the reader into it, explains it beautifully. We can know Tortall as well as our own country. Beka is also the idea protagonist; smart, strong, shy. Taken away from the usual cast of characters for most of the book, the new characters take an interesting turn. Beka keeps her stern-but-kind mentor however nearly everyone else mainly featured is new (even a new pet!). A charming new "friend" and a new cast of rogue drag Beka away from her usual routine as facets of her we hadn't seen before come out. However for devoted fans the usual whip back in for a very satisfying ending.

Cover: I really like the illustration but they've stuck the blue bands across the top and bottom (under the lettering), I would have preferred it treated like the first 0ne (they cut out the pigeons). Nice colour though, and Beka lacks the demon eyes this time. I also really like the metallic sheen to the covers.

Rating: 5 stars

PS: Stop by randombuzzers.com to see Tammy answer fan questions!

Challenge: 7/26 Pierce books read

Friday Fives - Detective Types

2009-04-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today the theme for Friday Fives is Top Five Detective Types (anyone who solves the mystery/crime.)

5. Suze - from the Mediator series by Meg Cabot, Suze can talk to ghosts. Most of the ones she sees are not yet at peace. A surprising amount of them have been murdered and she needs to find out who has done it before they off her. Not only is she stunningly resourceful, she also performs some incredibly awesome exorcisms.
4. Nancy Drew - Nancy Drew is the original teenage detective (trumping both Donna Parker and Trixie Belson). She just wants to help. Nancy often inadvertently discovers a crime/conspiracy and with the help of cousins Bess and George she always solves the case. We also have her to thank for inspiring other teen mystery novels (Claudia Kishi, that's you!).

3. Harriet the Spy - Harriet is the best spy ever, observing everything she notices about people in her journal (some of them not very nice). She also has a spy route where she checks up on the most interesting people once a day (a bachelor with 26 cats, a rich couple with an ugly statue, a depressed divorcee, and of course an Italian family who run a grocery store). Harriet wants to figure out everything about everyone (future House maybe?) and eventually has a feud with the spy catchers club after they read her journal.

2. Beka Cooper - Beka Cooper is a Provest's Dog (think medieval cop) and once she sinks her teeth into something, she won't let go. Beka obsessively records everything about the victims of two of the districts' most notorious serial killers. She also talks to Pigeons, and has the sight. She is accompanied by rogues, mages, other puppies, and her fair but stern mentors. And it's by Tamora Pierce!

1. Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock Holmes is the greatest investigative mind ever. Accompanied by his sidekick Watson, he solves crimes with his keen observations. He also is knowledgeable about chemistry and botany (poisons) and sensational literature. His only vice is his drug addiction.

Let me know your favorite detectives.

BTW Readers Choice for Top Wizard is Gandalf ^_^

Blog Awards!

2009-04-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

I've got a few to put up ^_^

Firstly from Christina (who is a fabulous commenter!).

Plus one from Liyana Thanks <3

"This award goes to awesome people who make the time to comment on other's posts."

The panda is so cute! The lovely people I choose as super - awesome commenters are ...

1. Steph

2. Amber and Cheryl

3. Cecilia

4. Alea

5. Lenore

I've also got something from Steph ^_^

"The Rules:
1) Put the logo on your blog/post.2) Nominate up to 9 blogs which allur

e, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
5) Remember to link to the person from whom your received your Splash award.
6) Have F~U~N"

My choices are ...

1. Iryna

2. Amy

3. Liyana

4. Donna

5. Michelle

Also I'm done nominations for these but I got another couple

From the lovely Iryna

And from Liyana

Terrior by Tamora Pierce

2009-04-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Title: Terrior

Author: Tamora Pierce

Series: The Legend of Beka Cooper / Provest's Dog

Summary: Going back 200 years before the Song of the Lioness series, we visit George Cooper's ancesstress, 16 year old Beka Cooper is a puppy (rookie) for the Provest's gaurd (sorta like a medieval cop). She manages to get into the slums of Tortall, where she grew up. Paired with two of the best Dogs and a group of rogue friends she sets out to uncover the two biggest serial killers preying on the people of the slums. Once she has a case in her teeth, she won't let it go, becoming the terrior among puppies.

Thoughts: The story was lovely. Set back in the realm of Tortall (we see some things that will be familiar to readers of the Lioness quartet). We get a look outside of the Knights, and nobility into the life of the commoners. This book also had really great dog or slum slang Incorporated into it. I really liked the characters; we get all the Pierce usuals, a tough but fair mentor, a rougish friend/love interest, and our brave heroine. All have their own unique traits especially Beka who takes a step away from the usual bluntness by being painfully shy. I actually really hate diary format, but it was handled really well, without getting in the way of telling the story at all. There are a few excerpts from others diaries at the beginning, which were fine except one which had spelling errors that were supposed to be in keeping with the characters education.

Cover: I really like the cover. Its lovely, and has a great coppery tone to it. Beka also looks really strong.

Rating: 4.5 stars

PS: First of my Tamora Pierce challenge. I've finished five by now. The new book in the trilogy Bloodhound is coming out and Pierce will answer reader questions here so ask away. ^_^

Challenge : I am an insane Tamora Pierce fan

2009-04-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'm almost done my 50 book challenge so,

The Rules

1. I will read every published Tamora Pierce book (starting April 11)

2. I will reveiw each mini-series (exept Provest Gaurd, where each book will be done individually.

If anyone would like to try you can do all from both realms or a mini-challenge of either Tortall or Emelan (some people don't like both sets.

THE TORTALL UNIVERSE

Provest’s Dogs
1. Terrior
2. Bloodhound (not yet released)
3. Mastiff (not yet released)

Song of The Lioness
1. The First Adventure
2. In the Hand of the Goddess
3. The Women who Rides Like a Man
4. Lioness Rampant

The Immortals
1. Wild Magic
2. Wolf-Speaker
3. Emperor Mage
4. In the Realm of the Gods

Protector of The Small
1. First Test
2. Page
3. Squire
4. Lady Knight

Daughter of the Lioness / Trickster
1. Trickster’s Choice
2. Trickster’s Queen

THE EMELAN UNIVERSE

The Magic Circle
1. Sandry’s Book
2. Tris’s Book
3. Daja’s Book
4. Briar’s Book

The Circle Opens
1. Magic Steps
2. Street Magic
3. Coldfire
4. Shatterglass

The Circle Reforged
1. The Will of The Empress
2. Melting Stones

Ones in italics = complete

BTW new review coming up, sorry ^_^

Friday Fives - Top 5 Wizards

2009-04-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

I'm introducing a new once-a-week feature for Fridays. Friday Fives. Inspired by a list Mia's favorite movies in The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. So the feature works as a top-five list

Top 5 Wizards

5. Scarpo (Children of the Red King)

Delightfully wicked, he was an apprentice of Charlie's ancestor Mathwyny and was who Clairwen was stolen from. He also offers advice with slightly morbid humor and hides various magical artifacts for the protagonists. Charlie visits him by traveling through a painting of him.

4. Jason (Wizard/Dragon Heir)

Jason is the character who survived for years in the isolated boarding school used as a front to steal wizards powers. His father and best friend were both killed in an attempt to take his wizardry. While weaker than then Nick and Seph, Jason has excellent control and is particularly skilled at illusions and invisibility. Jason also has tremendous knowledge of other magical beings (enchantors, warriors etc.). He also desperately wanted to meet and work for The Dragon.

3. Harry Dresden (The Dresden Files)

Not only is he a crime solving wizard; he has the greatest sidekicks ever, a Chicago police Sergeant, and a centuries old ghosts that inhabits his own skull. He also has a super-awesome TV show based after him.

2. Dumbledore (Harry Potter)

Dumbledore is most likely the most powerful wizard in the entire series. He served as the headmaster of Hogwarts and was chief of Wizgamot and has received order of Merlin first class. Dumbledore has served as mentor to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He is the wisest character and seemingly knows everything about the wizarding wo

rld and subsequently does most of the explaining to readers.

1. Nita and Kit (Young Wizards)

Its a tie. This wizardly duo travels through space, dimension and time. Both Nita and Kit are intelligent, kind, and slightly sarcastic. Nita was originally a specialists in organic life (notably plants) but later changed to precognition, theory, spell writing and "kernals". Kit was a specialist in mechanical wizardry and along with his dog Ponch he is able to create new dimensions. These two are pretty much the most awesome wizards ever. Also they are totally book people, and so they are also super-easy to connect with.

Know any other amazing wizards? Post in the comments.

Readers Choice = Gandalf

Scholastic Strikes Back (at Meg Cabot)

2009-04-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Note the Star Wars reference.

We've got another pop-culture update by scholastic from the original PD1 to the New Edition.

The first was an attempted removal of Britney Spears references.

Original Edition had this passage.

"He taught himself how to play the guitar - and

he writes all his own songs! The one he played for me is called "Tall Drink of Water." It's about this very tall pretty girl who doesnt know this boy is in love with her. I predict that one day it will be number one on the Billboard chart. Michael Moscovitz could one day be as famous as Puff Daddy."

And the new one and the 3 in one have this.

"He taught himself how to play the guitar - and he writes all his own songs! The one he played for me is called "Tall Drink of Water." It's about this very tall pretty girl who doesn't know this boy is in love with her. I predict that one day it will be number one on the Billboard chart. Michael Moscovitz could one day be as famous as Kanye West."

I'm quite hard to anger but NO! NO! NO!

They've done this through out the whole book and I don't understand why. Putting aside the fact that neither of them play the guitar (according to wikipedia), I suppose Kanye is a bit more revelent? It does lack the comedic flair of Puff however.

Still the people who brought us cheap Tamora Pierce books and $2 editions of The Dark is Rising have totally betrayed our trust.

Maybe I'm nitpicking though?

Night World - Book 1 - Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness, Spellbinder

2009-04-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

Title: Volume 1 (Contains 3 short novels called : Secret Vampire, Daughters Of Darkness, Spellbinder)

Author: LJ Smith

Series: Night World

Summary:

In Secret Vampire - Poppy is dying. She will be gone by the end of the summer, unless James, her best friend and object of her affections will change her. James is a vampire and to change Poppy, a human, goes against the laws of the Night World. This could mean death for both of them.

In Daughters of Darkness - 3 vampire sisters flee to live among humans. Their brother Ash is sent to bring them back, but unwittingly finds his soulmate, their beautiful human friend.

In Spellbinder a witch finds her human soulmate. To keep her from being executed her cousin decides he must go. Its a fight between Blaise and Thea with a soulmate between them.

Thoughts:

Secret Vampire - I loved all the characters, Poppy is magnificently brave, her brother magnificently stubborn and James was just magnificent.

Daughters of Darkness - I liked the tie-in with characters in other Night World novels. I would like to see more of the 3 sisters in later stories.

Spellbinder - I love the characters in this, the ending did fall a bit flat however for me, but my concerns are dealt with in later books.

Overall - I love the tie-in between groups of seemingly un-related characters. I also liked gaining a fresh set of main characters in each story. The main characters also are all excellent secondary characters for the others storeys. The logistics of the Night World are excellent. The plots that span all the stories are also excellent.

Cover : I really like the cover, Poppy is our cover girl, and the image of her is striking. I also like the grey scale with hinds of colour. These also follow the trend of having at matte cover with certain bits glossy.

PS: The conclusion should come out sometime in the next year. The first nine books in the series are being re-published three to a book. Each group of three is about $6 at Costco.

I fear the Zombie Chickens

2009-04-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Look what I got from Christina!

I have no doubt that the lovely Christina would survive the zombie apocolypse.

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all..."

I think most people I want to nominate have already got it ^_^ But a couple somehow have been missed

1. Iryna One of the funnest blogs!

2. Amy Who is one of the nicest blogger! She has really great taste in books too ^_^

3. Donna I've just discovered her but she is really funny!

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

2009-04-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

Title: Enthusiasm

Author: Polly Shulman

Summary: Julie has a best friend named Ashleigh. Ashleigh is an enthusiast; every once in a while she gets a new obsession and throws herself fully into it, dragging Julie along with her. But when Julie's passion Pride and Prejudice is Ashleigh's latest craze, Ashleigh emulates everything about the 19th century (speech, dress) and worst of all a quest for her "Mr. Darcy". So Ashleigh's attempt to find him leads them to the local boys school meaning love, but who for?

Thoughts: Who doesn't have a friend like this. I found Ashleigh a charming and cute character, but she could bridge to annoying every once in a while. I also at times felt like this book was more about Ashleigh than Julie and at other points she felt absent. Julie is a good character but she is a bit clueless and doesn't seem to be sure of herself. I liked the hero in this book also. As for the plot, even though we have a touch more insight than Julie, there are some things I think that she should have picked up on. The plot' is super-good and gets quick, exciting, and a bit suspenseful at the end. I did find the pacing plodded at the midway point. There was also a kissing scene which I felt was really awkward. Overall it was cute, sassy and I like the offbeat incorporation and references to Pride and Prejudice. Carolyn Mackler fans, this is right up your alley.

Cover: The cover is gorgeous, it has a nice colour scheme, a good title treatment and a nice image. I'm kinda miffed that Ashleigh is our cover girl and not Julie.

Rating: 3 stars

PS: For Canadians this is a Chapters/Indigo bargain book, its $2 for the hardcover!

Sisterhood Award ^_^ Part 2

2009-03-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

I've got another two sisterhood awards ^_^ from the ultra-fabulous Cheryl and Amber and from the lovely Amy (wish her a sweet sixteen).

The Rules-

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate up to 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award

I've already done a round of nominations, so just the one today ^_^

and the winner is ..

the awesome Priya of Book Crumbs

Evermore by Alyson Noel

2009-03-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

Title: Evermore

Author: Alyson Noel

Series: The Immortals (Book 1)

Summary: Ever since Ever's parents, dog and little sister died in a tragic accident, she sees ghosts. Specifically her little sister. Not only can she see the paranormals, she is psychic, she sees auras, she reads minds, and she hates it. Already an outsider at her new school, she meets someone who can silence the noise in her head. Damen. He is smart, gorgeous, and no doubt hiding a whole host of secrets. She doesn't know what he is but he brings forth a world of magic.

Thoughts: Evermore veered very closely to one of those poor-me-because-I-want-to-be-normal books. However it was good. It was well written and suspenseful. The author plays into the readers expectations and subverts them (no spoilers, but this is major). The characters good for the most part. Ever's little sister is great, so are her friends (though they are a bit odd). There was one scene where Ever indulges in some drinking that was just really awkward and broke the flow of the book. However; the book ended on a really satisfactory note. I would like to see the author explain the logistics of the magic in the book further. However, as far as the situation goes the end is good and there isn't anything further that I want to see from the characters. The worrying thing is that this is a series. There aren't loose ends to look at in the next book, because this book could easily stand alone.

Cover: The cover is lovely. I like the colours, title treatment, and the flower is done up all shiny (think the House of Night type covers). Although there are a couple books who have already used that cover image.

Rating: 3 stars (I liked it, but not fantastic)

Look What Scholastic Did to Meg Cabot!

2009-03-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

Ok so here is a passage from Princess Diaries #1

"My favorite CD right now is the latest Britney Spears, which I know is kinda dork, and I could never tell Lilly, but secretly I sort of want to be Britney Spears. Once I had a dream Iwas Britney, and I was performing in the auditorium at Albert Einstein and I had this little pink minidress on, and Josh Ritcher complimented me on it right before I went onstage. Isn't that an embarrassing thing to admit? The funny thing is while I know I could never tell Lilly about that without her going all Freudian on me and telling me how the pink dress is a phallic symbol and and being Britney signifies my low self esteem."

But in the Princess Diaries Collection (1 - 3 in one book) they have removed the Britney references from that paragraph (they did forget one).

They have this on page 167 - 168:

"My favorite CD right now is the latest Hillary Duff, which I know is kinda dork, and I could never tell Lilly, but secretly I sort of want to be Hillary Duff. Once I had a dream Iwas Hillary, and I was performing in the auditorium at Albert Einstein and I had this little pink minidress on, and Josh Ritcher complimented me on it right before I went onstage. Isn't that an embarrassing thing to admit? The funny thing is while I know I could never tell Lilly about that without her going all Freudian on me and telling me how the pink dress is a phallic symbol and and being Britney signifies my low self esteem."

I really hate when publishers modernize things. Meg Cabot isn't even out of date. Neither is Britney Spears. They didn't even do a good job (the next page it's Britney again). This is really upsetting.

Not sure whether this bothers anyone else or it's just my pet peeve.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

2009-03-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Title: City of Glass

Author: Cassandra Clare (pen name)

Series: The Mortal Instruments

Prior Books: The City of Bones, The City of Ashes

Summary: Clary Fray is travelling to the City of Glass (home-base for the shadowhunters) to find the one person she thinks can save her mothers life. But she is in for a lot more than she bargained for: not only is it against the law for her to enter sans permission, but her assumed brother (they have a possibly incestuous relationship) is not happy. To top it off her friend Simon is kept prisoner. She allys herself with a mysterious shadowhunter Sebastian. As Valentine (her insane father) tries to initiate a war; the Downworlders are called on as possible allies. Clary is the key who is about to find out where everyones loyalties lie.

Thoughts: I've always loved this series, Cassandra Clare's writing makes the characters seem so real and the reader feels like they are looking right over their shoulders. The characters are also vivid and funny. The whole is-Jace-her-brother plot was really well done, while we all knew what the results would be, Clare still makes it suspenseful. In addition there is a lot more behind past events in the series that's revealed. I don't want to spoil this too much there is the kind of ending we all hope for. This is also probably the most action orientated out of the bunch. The Mortal Instruments has always done urban fantasy really well (the worlds blend together great) and even with a change of scenery it still maintains the same feeling as the previous two. Well done Miss Clare! (This book was so good, I skipped school to read it!)

Cover: I love the covers of the series, their gorgeous. However I don't like how they always stick a quote right in the center. It should join the other reviews on the back. I also want to know why Tamora Pierce's quote didn't earn center spot. (No offence to Miss Myer but Tamora is like the ruler of YA fantasy.) It's too bad there are only the 3 books because Simon, Alec, and Isabelle definitely deserve their own beautiful covers.

Rating: 5 stars (I realize this review sounded a little snappy but I really did love it)

PS: The new inquisitor is somewhat reminiscent of Cornelius Fudge to me, anyone else picture him this way? Also anyone exited for the prequel trilogy? I cant wait to see Clare do Victorian England.

I Won the Sisterhood Award! <3

2009-03-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

The ultra-lovely Christina, has given me the sisterhood award!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate up to 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award

Since I'm a bit new to book blogging I thought it would be ok to pick five awesome people.

So in addition to reciprocating this to Christina, who is a great reciprocant for it, I nominate:

1. Iryna from A Garden of Books (who is absolutly lovely)

2. Amber and

3. Cheryl from Just Your Typical Book Blog

( I think people with joint blogs really embody sisterhood)

4. Senfaye from A Maze of Books (who is so awesome she needs another)

5. Lenore from Presenting Lenore (who is incredibly nice and friendly)

<3>

Need by Carrie Jones

2009-03-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

Title : Need

Author : Carrie Jones

Summary : Zara White has an obsession with phobias. And as of recently she has a dead step-father, a move to Maine with her grandmother and a bizarre stalker to contend with. However the stalker is more than imaginary as she and her new friends can see as he leaves a glittering trail of gold dust. Coupled with the mysterious rivalry between her friends Nick and the popular Ian as well as the disappearances of some locals, there is something supernatural going on.

Thoughts : I didn't have high expectations for this book. I thought it would lure me in with its super-gorgeous cover and then disappoint. However it was excellent. The phobias were well integrated into the story. They had the potential to be annoying but weren't. It had a wonderful suspenseful quality and how unpredictable it was. I especially love the ways that the faeries and weres were portrayed. Her friends Izzy and Devyn are great characters and I can't wait to hear more about them in the sequel. The only complaint I have is that it was a bit choppy in parts.

Cover : The cover is gorgeous I love the colour scheme. The lips and text are also done with a shiny quality that seams to be really popular. The tree branches in the bottom are also have an eerie beautiful quality in some places.

Rating : 4.5 stars

Guess the Author

2009-03-20T22:29:00.000-07:00

Iryna invented an awesome new meme.

So five facts about an author.

Leave guesses in the comments

I will post the answer next week

1. He is a MALE author

2. He has one the Printz award and Printz honor

3. His new book has TWO covers

4. He is a popular Youtube vlogger.

5. Maureen Johnson is a close friend of his.

Congradulations to Senfaye, Priya, and Lenore who correctly guessed is this guy.

Geek Charming by Robin Palmer

2009-03-19T15:31:00.001-07:00

Title : Geek Charming

Author : Robin Palmer

Summary : Popular girl Dylan drops her expensive purse in the mall fountain. Film geek Josh retrieves it at the cost of being in his documentary, a look at the popularity within Castle High. While participating they become friends as Dylan transforms Josh into a prince in hopes of interesting his crush, Amy Loubalu, Dylan's worst enemy. Josh transforms Dylan into a decent human being. However one Dylan is dumped by her boyfriend her popularity is on the line and Josh is the one who can repair it.

Thoughts : I thought the whole Prince Charming thing was cute. Castle High. Geek Charming. I loved Josh's character. At the beginning Dylan was the dumb-popular girl. Not the fabulous Mimi Force type. The Paris Hilton type. She couldn't just get the bag out of the fountain she ran around like a chicken with its head cut off. I was happy that she is sort of decent at the end because I couldn't stand her at the beginning. She needed some common sense knocked into her, and I'm sure plenty of readers would love to do it. I liked her OK at the end though. I also liked the changing perspectives, character growth, and writing style. The ending was satisfying. We see more Amy, more Josh and less of her annoying friend Lola and her tool of a boyfriend Asher. I won't spoil the romantic pairings for you. So the question is slog through a few painful chapters for the decent rest of the book? Might as well, its alright and about $6 bucks at Wal-Mart. I wouldn't spend to much effort hunting it down though.

Cover : It has a lovely cover I like the bright colours and the sparkles. It does have a princessy feel that fits well with Dylan's character.

Rating : 2.5 stars (because Dylan was so annoying the first half of the book)

Tuesday Teasers <3

2009-03-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

TEASER TUESDAYS ask you to:

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

This is a fabulous new meme <3

"For me it was something else entirely. Namely the fact that a mere two feet away from the door in which we were standing, in prime grabber location, were Jason's parents"

-The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

"That sould divert me, but my mind keeps returning to the simple, scary fact. I am Liking Norah"

- Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

2009-03-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Title : Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Authors : David Levithan, Rachel Cohn

Summary : Nick and Norah meet at a punk-rock club. Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for 5 minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend Tris. He doesn't realize that Norah already knows the evil-ex. Or that she has an evil-ex of her own that she never really dumped. After Norah kisses Nick to avoid conversation with Tris they become a seven--minute-couple and go out in New York for an adventure. (This summary doesn't do the book justice.)

Thoughts : I liked the back-and-forth style of the novel (Rachel wrote Norah's chapters. David wrote Nicks.). It was paced well. All of the characters are real and likable (except Tal). It was a fantastic book. Nick and Norah are witty, charming and very interesting. I even like Tris the evil-ex. It ended on a high note. This book should be required reading for all human beings. It's hard to convey what a good book this is.

Cover : I have the movie cover which is lovely. I like the picture chosen and the title treatment. It also features the awesome Kat Dennings and Micheal Cera. The original cover is also quite nice.

Rating : 5 stars

PS: I also watched the movie and while different, its a pretty good adaption (it does villainize Tris a bit)

Hunted - House of Night - by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

2009-03-15T18:51:00.001-07:00

Title : Hunted

Authors : PC Cast, Kristin Cast

Series : House of Night

Prior Books : Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed

Summary : Zoey Redbird, a vampire fledgling, and crew have escaped the House of Night; fleeing from a now evil High Priestess Neferet and her evil consort, Kalona. The problem is that Neferet gaurds the wicked fallen angel with vigilence and no one seems to realize that he and his demon Ravenmocker children are evil. Zoey's involvement with Kalona in a past life may be the key to banishing him or the unraveling of the resistance. On the romance front her reforged relationship with Eric Night (her new vampire mate) may come into contest with reapearances of Heath (her human consort) and James Stark (her undead protector).

Thoughts : It was suspenseful and well thought out. I'm eager for the next installment! I still find Zoey's friends more lovable than Zoey herself. I am particularly fond of Aphrodite (a former rival), Darius (Aphrodite's Son of Erebus boyfriend), Jack and Damien. Unfortunately the Twins are somewhat annoying as is Zoey herself. Zoey is a character who tends to be all over the place. She is incredibly indecisive when it comes to dating and who she's with rotates constantly. I'm all for Eric though. It was well paced and probably my favorite of all of the House of Night novels.

Cover : The cover is gorgeous. I love the red highlights and how some aspects (the symbols) are shiny. The only thing I don't like is that this one is a hardcover and the previous books were only released in paperback.

Rating : 4 Stars

PS: Also Insert Book Title Here is giving away a copy!

Canadians residents can get this series at Costco for extremely cheap.

March Break

2009-03-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Its March break for me now so I'm in the States with Borders <3

So this break here's my stuff to read

Saturday : A Swifly Tilting Plannet + Need by Carrie Jones

Sunday : Hunted by PC and Kristen Cast + Nick and Norah

PS: If anyone is in Dartmouth they had autographed Tamora Pierce copies of Melting Stones. I already have it but it was an exciting find!

More later, this internet is patchy

Hero - Perry Moore

2009-03-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Title : Hero

Author : Perry Moore (from Narnia!)

Summary : Hero is about a group of ultra-modern, teen, superheros-in-training. They are all exepted into a justice-league like organization. However Thom and his team of misfits have problems of their own. Thom will be the world's first gay superhero, he also has to deal with his dad's reputation as the world's most disgraced superhero, as well as the sudden reapperance of his mother who had left the family years ago. As for the rest some just want to be heros and others struggle with their love lives. On top of it all there is something sinister going on in the league while the brutal murders of some of the world's top heros take place.

Thoughts : As much as I love the concept, I found the book didn't hold my intrest as well as it should have. First I love how the league is very reminicent of the Justice League. For example Warrior Woman (very Wonder Woman) and Uberman (Superman). Quite a few seem to be spoofs of really popular heros. The superpowers mostly seem to be based off popular heros (no Wolverine though). Thom's powers of healing are also logistically really well planned outl The leader Justice (think Martian Manhunter meets Superman) is a great character. His father's past was cleverly revealed and well though out. However; I found the book hard to focus as many little spurts of detail overwhelm the picture. There are so many characters crammed into little bits of writing. The story also tends to veer off into minutia. It felt very disjointed and sureal. I also found Thom slightly hard to relate to. I like aspects of him like keeping his name rather than going for an alter-ego. Other aspects are not so likable. I found his treatment of his dad horrible. In other words Thom is melodramatic and can be a bit of a brat. I also would have liked to see more explanation on his mothers part in the story as the focus is diverted to too many minor characters and we can't get close to the main ones. The story ended on a high note however. This was OK for a debut novel, it's not fantastic; I think that the sequel will be more promising.

Cover : I do really want to mention the cover here, however; it's amazing. I like the content, the way the title has been treated and the colours.

Rating : 2/5 stars

Operation Teen Book Drop 2009

2009-03-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

Frozen Fire by Tim Bolwer

2009-03-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Title: Frozen Fire

Author: Tim Bowler

Summary: Dusty gets a phone call from a mysterious boy who says he wants to die. He tells her to call him Josh. Josh was Dusty's brother who's dissapearance haunts her. The boy knows things that other people are thinking or feeling. Dusty hopes that he can lead her to Josh but the lynch mob in town hopes to kill him. In persuing him they will turn on her. However the boy is her only chance at getting back her family.

Thoughts: For some reason this book threw me off a bit at first. While Dusty is not a lovable heroine and hard to identify with, I think that I would have preferred it be in first person. While the book is mysterious and intrigueing, it gets off to a slow start. Sometimes the reader will have a hard time navigating through all the prose. Also for someone portrayed as so tough Dusty seems really overemotional. Her whole life hinges on her brother Josh, who as we find out isn't such a great brother at all. Though I had problems getting into it at first, I really loved the mysterious quality of the boy and the sudden plot twists. The ending is fantastic.

Rating: 4 stars

The Fate Of Dumbledore

2009-03-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Read this in a fanfic

"After Snap killed him dumblydore had become an alcoholoc and punchedd and abuzed hogwatz students"

Later

"Snap would never hurt anyon exep he killed our headmar last yr"

What do you think?

Video Of The Week - John Green

2009-03-08T18:50:00.001-07:00

John Green, author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and the new Paper Towns, answers the question of 15-year-old Katie. How awesome is this?

The House of Night

2009-03-08T18:48:00.001-07:00

Series : House of Night

Books : Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed, Hunted

Authors : P.C. Cast, Kristen Cast

Summary : The four books in the House of Night series (Marked, Betrayed, Chosen and Untamed) as well as the upcoming Hunted (March 10), follow the life of Zoey Redbird. Zoey has been marked as a fledgling vampire who is unable to live apart from adult vamps for any long period of time. So she attends a new school, House of Night, where she realizes her powers are far above the norm. While Zoey has conflicts and friendships with other fledgelings, their is a problem. Humans, vampires and other fledglings are dying. Who is it? Vamps? The Uber-religeous group her step-dad fronts? Or something else entirely?

Thoughts : Not bad, the mythological basis is good. The vampire mythology is portrayed well. The characters are really diverse. However sometimes they seem unreal. They also have unique vocabularies. You can only say ho-bag so many times in one sentence, Zoey. Also, she overdoes it on the relationships. Really overdoes it. Her friends are cute though.

Rating : 3.5 stars

PS: For any Canadian's COSTCO sells them for about $6.

The Bishop's Daughter - Tiffany L. Warren

2009-03-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

Title : The Bishop's Daughter

Author : Tiffany L. Warren

Summary : The Bishop's Daughter follows Emoni, the eldest daughter of Bishop Prentiss; as well as Derrin Bainbridge, her love interest. Emoni is the ever reliable, girl-next-store who sometimes tries too hard not to be a "wild PK" (preacher's kid). Darrin is a handsome and together writer but living off his parent's money. He wants the story of a lifetime but is unwilling to betray the Prentiss Family, that had brought him into their lives. The two navigate their feelings for each other while trying to balance their futures.

Thoughts : The story is beautiful and not-at-all preachy. It is enthralling, I took this for some "bathtub reading" and read the whole thing in one sitting. The character's are relatable, and the book leaves you with a peaceful satisfied feeling. The blog entries are cute too.

PS. The Trustee is incredibly creepy.

Thankyou Librarything ^_^