Saturday, April 30, 2011

In My Mailbox (51)

In My Mailbox is held weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren. Click here for details on how to participate.

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Bought:


Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard
The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells



Won:


Wither by Lauren DeStefano (Received from Becky via The Book Depository)


Borrowed (from Sarah):



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Sorry for the qualities of these pictures...I was feeling lazy. But anyway, what a great week for books!!! Spent my gift cards on those 3 books...Wow, I never knew bookstores could be so expensive. And I knew I had to get at least one summer book as well as Anna and the French Kiss. OH MY GOSH ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS! I CANT BELIEVE I HAVE IT! Now I must get to reading it soon!!!

And thanks to Sarah again for letting my borrow another book! Gosh, the cover for The Iron Daughter is so beautiful, isn't it?!

What a busy weekend I have. All the time is spent working on projects that are due on Monday and I have so much to do still. The life of a student sometimes...Not to mention the gloomy weather! So much rain is falling, seriously. And the sudden change in humidity is giving me headaches...

But I wish you all a fantabulous weekend! Happy reading!


Friday, April 29, 2011

Friday's Finest (60)


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


Clockwork Angel
by Cassandra Clare

"One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us."



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One of my favourite quotes from this book -- which is of course about books. Tessa is an avid reader and I love how her wisdom shines in this quote.


Got a Friday's Finest to share? Link it below!











Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Blog Hop (9)



Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?
Holy cow, this is hard! What the heck! I haven't even read 10 dystopian novels I don't think...But I did hear tons of awesome things about some which I would be willing to include in the list:

1) The Hunger Games Trilogy - 3 (all star favourite!!!)
2) Delirium - 1 (the others in the series aren't released yet!)
3) Divergent - 1 (look at its ratings and reviews...holy horses! and this is the one i haven't read.)
4) The Uglies Trilogy - 3 + 1 (the 2nd earliest series I read! this calls for a reread!)
5) The Giver - 1 (okay, I only read the 1st one in class and I hadn't a clue about the others in the series. but this one is a classic for sure.)


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Book Blogger Hop
Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books.

Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer release are you are most looking forward to?

Ooh, another question that makes me have to choose a book! First of all, I'm already looking forward to summer vacation. It'll be the best summer yet, I can guarantee that. And second of all, it's so difficult to pick just one release! If I had to...I'd pick The Summer I Learned How to Fly by Dana Reinhardt. I already chose it for my WoW at one point but I don't care because I'm really really excited for its release! Just the title and cover of it makes me want to pick it up!




Justine's Thoughts: Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)
By Richelle Mead

Source: Library
Pages:
443

Rating:

5/5


A quote:

Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to leave the world.

Any thoughts (No major spoilers):

Oh my gosh. This is probably my most favourite book in the series so far. Not only is it intense and suspenseful, it is heartbreaking and addictive!

It focuses more on Rose -- her upcoming life as a guardian, her duty to protect Lissa, her relationship with Dimitri. Oh my gosh. I love Dimitri. The deeper I get into the series, the more my love grows for him. But...oh my gosh! Agh!

Anyway. Rose’s development is evident in Shadow Kiss. From her previous experiences, she learns to cut back on her attitude and irresponsibility. The way she handles situations, even though she tries to fix things by herself, screams determination. It’s what I love about her.

The ending is such a cliff-hanger. Not one that stops right before someone does something. But it’s enough to make me go crazy, especially because it involves Rose and Dimitri. I would have never thought in the beginning that something like that would happen, but oh my gosh, it did. I will have to read to find out what happens next. And if you would like to know, I guess you’d better start the series!


Monday, April 25, 2011

Daily Dose (64)


This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
(Click the photo to see its source!)


















Friday, April 22, 2011

Friday's Finest (59)


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


Before I Die
by Jenny Downham

There's a terrible stillness. I notice a small tear in the wallpaper above her shoulder. I notice finger marks grimed on the light switch. Somewhere down in the house, a door opens and shuts. As Zoey turns to face me, I realize that life is made up of a series of moments, each one a journey to the end.



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Got a Friday's Finest to share? Link it below!










Thursday, April 21, 2011

Justine's Thoughts: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook
By Nicholas Sparks

Source: Library
Pages:
207

Rating:

5/5


Book Description:

At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...

A quote:

Silence is holy. It draws people together because only those who are comfortable with each other can sit without speaking. This is the great paradox.

Any thoughts:

At last, I have read the famous novel, The Notebook, the tale of love. Some have called it cheesy and sappy. Some have claimed it their ultimate favourite. Me, a hopeless romantic although I cannot relate to a love as deep as this, I found it poetic.

Nicholas Sparks’ beautiful imagery and unique voice is captivating. The way it is told is like a story within a story in which Allie and Noah bring up sweet memories from the past. Their connection intensely develops in a short period of time at the mention of the summer they had spent together years ago. Their love is so profound and breathless, that it appealed to me.

Of course, it also made me cry my eyes out. Noah has a true heart and he is willing to do anything for Allie. It even breaks my heart when he aches for her, especially in the states that they’re in when they’re living in the nursing homes. That part tore me into pieces.

The book focused more on the part before Allie’s engagement, when she visits Noah at the house he built, however, the present time introduces and concludes the entire story. In the movie, it is the same with the present, but it is mostly based on the summer when Allie and Noah first met. If I had to choose which I like more, it would be the movie, which I initially watched first quite a long time ago. Something about Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling’s chemistry and acting and real relationship made it believable. And it made me cry as well.

An unforgettable love story, indeed, as they say. I wish I had my own copy. I could definitely read it again and again.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (68)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.


The Summer I Learned to Fly
by Dana Reinhardt

Release Date:
July 12, 2011

Drew's a bit of a loner. She has a pet rat, her dead dad's Book of Lists, an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese from working at her mom's cheese shop, and a crush on Nick, the surf bum who works behind the counter. It's the summer before eighth grade and Drew's days seem like business as usual, until one night after closing time, when she meets a strange boy in the alley named Emmett Crane. Who he is, why he's there, where the cut on his cheek came from, and his bottomless knowledge of rats are all mysteries Drew will untangle as they are drawn closer together, and Drew enters into the first true friendship, and adventure, of her life.


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Markus Zusak, the author of The Book Thief, is quoted on the cover! :O

This sounds like a light read with a hint of relationship matters, just like a Sarah Dessen book. This one is a bit younger since it takes place during the summer of eighth grade. We'll see how it goes, though. Still, it seems like a book I would love.



Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Teaser Tuesday (43)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.



From page 112 of "Delirium"
by Lauren Oliver

For some of us, it's about more than the deliria. Some of us, the lucky ones, will get the chance to be reborn: newer, fresher, better. Healed and whole and perfect again, like a misshapen slab of iron that comes out of the fire glowing, glittering, razor sharp.



I'm taking my time with this book. The writing is too precious to only give a second glance, as you can see above. Gosh, I love this.




Monday, April 18, 2011

Daily Dose (63)


This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
(Click the photo to see its source!)


















Saturday, April 16, 2011

In My Mailbox (50)

In My Mailbox is held weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren. Click here for details on how to participate.

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Won:

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Received from Stephanie via The Book Depository)

Borrowed (from Sarah):

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Whoa, I totally screamed in delight when I got Delirium and saw it's beautiful hardback cover. I've been waiting so long to read it and now I got the chance to. Thanks soooooo much, Stephanie!

Sarah and I swapped books: The Iron King for Clockwork Angel. Both beginnings of a possibly amazing series. :D And so far, Clockwork Angel is pretty darn good.

I LOVE THE MONTH OF APRIL! Only because of plenty of days off. Oh and also because the weather is becoming so much more like Spring...and then after that, SUMMER! But then what also makes me sad is the fact that I can't play rugby anymore this season, which means I will never play rugby ever ever again. Because I will definitely not play it while in university. It would be too intense.

But enough of my ramblings, I hope you all have a fabulous, warm weekend! :)



Friday, April 15, 2011

The Blog Hop (8)



Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.
Yes! A couple people actually. Only a couple, which is quite good enough for me. First is Sarah from Read Away the Day and she started blogging only recently! We swapped books yesterday, too! I knew that she always had an interest in books but it is also recently that we started talking in depth about the things we like such as The Mortal Instruments. And now she's got a blog so we can talk about books as much as we can! Follow her, guys! She's lovely!

Second is Steff, who used to be a part of this blog for a while. You can still see some of her reviews by clicking here. Now though, she would often ask me what amazing books are a must-read and I would tell her and then she would buy it at the bookstore. Or sometimes, I just lend her my copies. Then we'd talk about it!

Third is Marga (or Alessandra). She likes books and is sometimes picky when it comes to what she likes, hehe. I lent her The Hunger Games trilogy, which is the only series we both love. But hey, we talk about it a lot even in casual conversation:
"He totally looks like a Gale."
"Yeah, he could be your Gale!"
"But I like Peeta."
"Well then he could be your Peeta on the inside, and Gale on the outside."

I have another friend and her name is Meghan. She was my best friend in the elementary school I moved out of. Thanks to the ever popular Facebook, we still chat about series such as The Mortal Instruments and The Hunger Games. Haha, those seem to be the popular ones. I haven't seen her in forever though, but I'm just glad we get to talk about books!


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Book Blogger Hop
Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books.

Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her.

Ahhhhhh, okay. I'm reading Clockwork Angel right now and it's pretty darn good. It's tough to pick just one character, are you kidding me! I could either talk about Will or Jem and all their awesome qualities...but I'll go for the amazing heroine, Tessa. She's been through a lot due to her ability, which I will not explain further. So far from what I've seen of her, she is brave and funny and really great. Most of all, she loves books! Put all those together and you have a wonderful heroine. I'm excited to read more about Tessa and her ability and her journey in the world of Shadowhunters. How I missed Cassandra Clare and her books!



Friday's Finest (59)


Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.


The Sky Is Everywhere
by Jandy Nelson

I’ve never once thought about the interpretative, the storytelling aspect of life, of my life. I always felt like I was in a story, yes, but not like I was the author of it, or like I had any say in its telling whatsoever. You can tell your story any way you damn well please. It’s your solo.




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Got a Friday's Finest to share? Link it below!









Thursday, April 14, 2011

Justine's Thoughts: The Tempest's Roar by R.A.R. Clouston


The Tempest’s Roar
By R.A.R. Clouston

Source: the author, R.A.R. Clouston
Pages:
348
Rating: 2/5

This is a story of the whales and dolphins who rule the Seven Seas and the odyssey of a white dolphin named Apollo whose destiny is to save whalekind from destruction on this planet man calls Earth but whales know as Planet Ocean. Whether you choose to believe it or not, humans are not the only intelligent beings on this endangered blue marble drifting silently through space; for that reason, Apollo’s story must be told lest you and your kind live on in ignorance of the complex civilization that lies beneath the waves. If you dare to join him, Apollo will take you into a world filled with mystery and magic, mayhem and madness—a place of budding life and sudden death where the light of the sun penetrates only the upper layers, leaving the rest of its vast dominions inked in eternal darkness. You will find pleasure in clear, sunlit shallows above rippled sandy bottoms where tiny fish zoom and zip, and feel terror in deep, dark, cold waters where monsters dwell. And when your journey is done, you will never again look upon the oceans that surround you through the same eyes, or think about the whales and dolphins who dwell within them with the same mind, for this is a true tale of life, and death, and renewal that exists beyond the thin blue line that divides Apollo’s world from yours: it is a world unlike anything you have ever known and you ignore it at your peril.

A quote:

You are precious to me than any treasure in the ocean.


Any thoughts:

In The Tempest’s Roar, Clouston directs the story to the reader and addresses him or her as if a story is being spoken. He tells a tale of a dolphin named Apollo who is known to be different amongst all dolphins because of his rare, white skin. Although the story is centered on him, there is also a little purpoise named Pan, who we are first introduced to. I imagine him as a young child that provides the entertaining parts in the book due to his silly behaviour at times. He happens to be my favourite out of all the characters. There were quite a lot of them, which became puzzling because their names were based on Greek gods that were often hard to remember. One I found memorable though was Zeus, a great whale. The problem was, I didn’t imagine him as a great whale because I would forget what species he belongs to. This was the same for other minor characters.

The setting in my opinion is all the same: oceans. There is one exception in which a story is being told by Apollo and it took place in the aquariums in Oceania. Still, I could not grasp the details of the oceans. Phrases such as “following the migration routes” and “flows in a counter clockwise motion around the vast South Atlantic gyre” were difficult for me to imagine since I don’t have the sufficient knowledge to imagine it. I would end up either reading it gradually or skimming the paragraph to get past through it.

The writing is well done but with one important downside. Most sentences are way too long, which led me to losing what I was just reading and eventually reading without comprehending. The parts with dialogue were good and interesting, but the stories as well lasted a long time. Both Pan and Apollo have the opportunity to retell a story with formal prose that seems too unrealistic for me, even past the viability of all ocean creatures having a gathering once every year.

Themes and morals were ever present throughout this novel. Although there was a lot that was happening (war, family, God, love), one thing for certain is that this novel contains truth. Clouston addresses us, the readers, for a purpose and that is to spread his word about oceans and its creatures. We are not the only ones that God created for he created everything in existence and we must do everything we can to support life in different forms.

While this book may not be for an average teen like me, I am certain it will be a pleasure to those who strongly believe in the world’s oceanic creatures and are dedicated to helping them.

Thank you to Geri and R.A.R. Clouston for providing me a copy of this book!



Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Welcoming These Two Bloggers Into the Blogosphere

There are two new, awesome bloggers I wanted to welcome into the blogosphere. And they are...


and


Sarah is my friend in real life. She loves to read a lot and she has an incredible talent in art. And she's amazing. Her blog is new and lovely, so I encourage all of you to go check it out and follow her! You will not be disappointed!

Rida is someone new I met in the blogosphere. I don't exactly know how I stumbled upon her blog, but I instantly loved it and followed her. You guys should do the same! She's Canadian as well and she loves reading like the rest of us. :D

I hope you guys take the time to visit them! They're great people and it's always so nice to have new bloggers enter the blogosphere. All I want to say to Sarah and Rida is:






Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Teaser Tuesday (42)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.



From page 188 of "The Iron King"
by Julie Kagawa

"But if the Nevernever dies, won't you disappear, as well?"
"I am a cat," Grimalkin replied, as if that explained anything.



Grimalkin = my fave character, seriously. Oh, and Team Puck or Team Ash? I have not an idea yet. Who knew it was so hard to choose?! I'm leaning towards one of them, though. :O




Monday, April 11, 2011

Daily Dose (62)


This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly.
(Click the photo to see its source!)