Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday's Finest (16)

Made by Michelle's Bookshelf
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.


"Whether or not you believe in Fate comes down to one thing: who you blame when something goes wrong. Do you think it's your fault--that if you tried better, or worked harder, it wouldn't have happened? Or do you just chalk it up to circumstances?
I know people who'll hear about the people who died, and will say it was God's will. I know people who'll say it was bad luck. And then there's my personal favorite: They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Then again, you could say the same thing about me, couldn't you?"

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Justine's Thoughts: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

The Lovely Bones
By Alice Sebold

Pages:

328

Book Description:

Susie Salmon, murdered at age fourteen, is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, while back on earth her grief-stricken family is unravelling. Out of unspeakable tragedy and loss, The Lovely Bones succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humour, suspense, even joy. This phenomenal #1 bestseller is a novel celebrated at once for its narrative artistry, its luminous clarity of emotion, and its astonishing power to lay claim to the hearts of millions of readers around the world.

A quote:

Between a man and a woman there was always one person who was stronger than the other one. That doesn’t mean the weaker one doesn’t love the stronger.

Any thoughts:

Alice Sebold explores the aftermath of someone who has passed. It’s unbelievably wonderful. Her writing is purely magnificent; every single line is quotable (expect many quotes from this novel for Friday’s Finest) and powerful. I liked it regardless of a few things, and I would suggest this to anyone who is looking for a deep read.

I watched the movie first. Let me just say that it was beautifully depressing. Heaven was perceived as a fanatical place, one’s favourite place to be. It’s so colourful and lively, that I wanted to pause and look everywhere. But I couldn’t. I would get the DVD, but at the same time, I wouldn’t. I’m not too sure that the plot is right for me. When I say it’s ‘beautifully depressing’, I’m talking about both the quality (‘beautifully’) and the plot (‘depressing’).

The movie covered half of the book, which I suppose is understandable considering that the book stretches on for years after Susie’s death and that the movie can only be a certain amount of time long. I have to say, however, that it was put together well. It was wrapped up quite nicely and I was satisfied.

Now onto the book. Alice Sebold writes the truth. She tells the story with such a voice that makes you slow down and absorb the words. It definitely makes you think in that way. And the experience of having to go through grief, you could almost feel it. Unfortunately, I didn’t. I didn’t feel myself present in the book. Maybe it was because Susie was in heaven and she was watching the events occur as a witness, or maybe I just didn’t connect. Whatever it is, it didn’t grip me, and that was a problem, for I found myself being too eager to finish the book.

The plot is a little disturbing, to be honest, especially how she was murdered. But Alice Sebold focuses on how the characters, including Susie in heaven and her murderer, get through it, ever so realistically. It just seemed like it dragged on for a long time. The beginning was great and afterwards it began to slow down then I started losing interest. Nevertheless, its beauty with words got through to me and kept me going.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (27)


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

The Replacement
by Brenna Yovanoff

Release Date:
September 16th, 2010

Description:
Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?

---

Ooh, this sounds like my type of read. I mean, there's even a love story...I like it.


Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (15)



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

The rules are:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS.
My teaser:

"Language, young Todd," he says, "binds us like prisoners on a chain. Haven't you learned anything from your church, boy?" And then he says his most familiar preaching. "If one of us falls, we all fall."


~pg. 7 "The Knife of Never Letting Go"
by Patrick Ness

This book is told in a unique way. The narrator speaks strangely...There are run on sentences and spelling mistakes everywhere. It bugs me because I'm one who notices those all the time. But I have to admit that it's interesting.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Daily Dose (23)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day.



Sunday, April 25, 2010

Kiss and Tell (1)


Kiss and Tell is a new meme hosted at Fantasy 4 Eva.

So, everyone! How are you all doing? It's been such a long while since I actually did an interactive post. This meme that I've decided to participate in every week will help me keep in touch with you guys. All I have to do is gush about a book that have either captured my attention (at a library or at a book store) or wanted for a really long time (oh, I have tons of those).

So let's start shall we?

Vampire Academy (#1)
by Richelle Mead

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Thoughts
I have always wanted to start this series. Always! Every time I would stumble upon it, I would think about the cover and how the girl looks exactly like Angelina Jolie. Doesn't she?! I believe so. Anyway, I know of many bloggers that absolutely love this series. What I want to know is how good it is -- although I assume that it's an amazing series -- so that I can decide if I should buy it or borrow it from the library. (I'm not the type of person who buys a lot of books. I go to the library instead). Ooh, but I'm so excited to start this...whenever that will be.

Assumed Rating
10 Kiss And Tells
(Am I being generous or is it that good?)

---

Need
by Carrie Jones

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you"d have to fear.


Thoughts
I have seen this book everywhere. Even in drugstores and...other stores that don't usually sell books. So I've thought about giving it a try. Still haven't. I did read different sorts of reviews about this one so my final decision is to borrow it from the library. Yay me!

Assumed Rating
7 Kiss and Tells

Friday, April 23, 2010

Friday's Finest (15)


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.


"Paper and scissors...We are between a rock and a hard place."

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Justine's Thoughts: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins

Pages:

374

Book Description:

In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.

A quote:

I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.

Any thoughts:

I lost count of how many times I have been spoiled before reading The Hunger Games. But because I became lost in the book, deeply involved in the matter of everything in it, none of the spoilers affected me. Yes, it is that good. And if you haven’t started the series yet, I suggest you get The Hunger Games and read it now.

One of the things I love is the plot -- very unique, influential, organized, and amazing. The setting Suzanne Collins has created matches this type of plot, and it is so brilliant. You get a vivid picture in your mind of what the world in this book looks like. [(no spoilers ahead) To those who have read it: how did you picture the Cornucopia? I remember it being described as a golden cone that sticks out of the ground, and that’s exactly how I pictured it. But how were people supposed to climb it if it’s a cone? Don’t they slide right down?]

And the thing I love most is the characters. Katniss is a wonderful heroine. I admire her and her strength and her archery skills and everything else. She’s awesome, to say the least. One lucky girl, too. She has two guys pining for her and I do like them both, but I would have to go with Peeta. He is...heartbreaking, and that is all I’m going to say, but it’s true; he makes my heart break. The other guy is Gale, and although we don’t see much of him, he is good for Katniss and if not for Peeta, I would choose him. But anyway, I won’t get into the Eternal Debate (which you take a look at over at Steph Su’s blog).

All I am trying to say is, this book is unbelievably good. And I am absolutely dying of the excruciating pain of waiting for the third book, Mockingjay.

If you would like to view Steff’s thoughts on The Hunger Games, click here.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

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

(A late post -- sorry!)


The Summer of Moonlight Secrets
by Danette Haworth

Release Date:
May 25th, 2010

Description:
At The Meriwether, Florida’s famous antebellum hotel off of Hope Springs, nothing is quite as it seems.

Secret staircases give way to servants’ quarters and Prohibition-era speakeasies make for the perfect hide-and-seek spot.

Allie Jo Jackson knows every nook and cranny of The Meriwether—she’s lived there her whole life—and nothing surprises her, until the first time she spots the enigmatic and beautiful Tara emerging from the springs.

Tara’s shimmery skin, long flowing hair, and strange penchant for late moonlight swims disguise a mysterious secret—and once Allie Jo and her friend Chase discover Tara’s secret, nothing will ever be the same.

---

Ooh, sounds so interesting! And the cover looks cute :)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Contests R Us ['Round the Blogosphere]


It's been a while since I've done this!

  • Ends April 26: Mega International and Fantastic YA Contest at the Bookologist. Open internationally. Click here.
  • Ends April 30: April Debut Contest at Personal Demons. Open internationally. Click here.
  • Ends April 30: Blogoversary Giveaway at Today's Adventure. Open internationally. Click here.
  • Ends April 30: 300 Followers Contest at Escape In A Book. Open internationally. Click here.
  • Ends April 30: Huge contest at Flipping Pages for All Ages and Wastepaper Prose. Open internationally. Click here.
  • Ends May 3: Spring Fling Giveaway at Pure Imagination. Open to US and Canada. Click here.
  • Ends May 5: My Thank You Giveaway at La Femme Readers. Open to US and Canada. Click here.
  • Ends May 13: Birthday Phenomenon at Cleverly Ink. Open internationally. Click here.
Good luck to those who enter!! :)

Monday, April 19, 2010

Daily Dose (22)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day.



Saturday, April 17, 2010

In My Mailbox (16)


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


Justine:


The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

---
So I'm reading this one right now and all I can say is that it's poetic, descriptive, interesting and very good so far. :D

---


The Knife of Never Letting Go
by Patrick Ness

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown.

But Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets.

Or are there?

Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence.

Which is impossible.

Prentisstown has been lying to him.

And now he's going to have to run...

---

I really cannot wait to read this one!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Friday's Finest (14)


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.


"In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn; color your hair; watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five.
In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world; or you can just jump off it. "

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

There are so much quoteable passages in this novel. And I promise to share them all. There's just so much meaning...

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Justine's Thoughts: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones
By Cassandra Clare

Pages:

485

Book Description:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder--much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing--not even a smear of blood--to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the eath of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundane like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Claire’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride they will never want to end.

A quote:

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and then throw it in the face of the person who gave you the lemons until they give you the oranges you originally asked for.

Any thoughts:

City of Bones is fully packed with action involving creatures that would cause a spark in your curiosity and imagination. What I loved most was how it started in the very beginning and from then on I became fully engrossed, and I was always looking forward to continue reading.

The characters were fantastic. Each one of them draws you more into the story. Clary is a normal teenager, stubborn, strong, and the kind who doesn’t really know she’s beautiful. She irritated me at times, but I always found myself sticking by her decisions, because if not, then we won’t have an interesting story. Simon is Clary’s best friend, the really nice, nerdy type of guy, and I prefer him to be nothing more. Jace...*dreamy sigh*...now he is my type of guy--powerful, funny, confident, unbreakable on the outside, but beneath all that is a whole other side of him that I love.

And in the very end came an unexpected twist. I was blown into pieces when I read it. I kept thinking, “WHY?!” But all I can say is that the truth is unveiled. And you now what they say about the truth--it hurts. Well, it did hurt me, and now I’m torn, which is why I shall soon read the next instalment in the series: City of Ashes.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (25)


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


The Clockwork Angel
by Cassandra Clare

Release Date:
August 31st, 2010

Description:
Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

---

I can't wait!!! I adore the Mortal Instruments series!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (14)


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

The rules are:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS.
My teaser:

In the space between yes and no, there's a lifetime. It's the difference between the path you walk and one you leave behind; it's the gap between who you thought you could be and who you really are; it's the legroom for the lies you'll tell yourself in the future.


~pg. 20 "Change of Heart"
by Jodi Picoult

Monday, April 12, 2010

Daily Dose (21)



This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day.



Friday, April 9, 2010

Friday's Finest (13)


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.


"Life, he realize, was much like a song. In the beginning there is mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it's in the middle where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing worthwhile."

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

This was such a great book. I loved it so much. And the movie, too.
Review coming up soon!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (24)


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


Shadow Hills
by Anastasia Hopcus

Release Date:
July 13th, 2010

Description:
Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

---

Ah, I've seen bookmarks from this book on other blogs and I never really got to read its synopsis. It does sound good. I love mysterious paranormal novels.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (13)


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

The rules are:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS.
My teaser:

Lacy turned to him. Her eyes reminded him of the sky you see from airplanes: a boundless gray that could be anywhere, and nowhere, all at once.


~pg. 100 "Nineteen Minutes"
by Jodi Picoult

One fun fact about me: I have a thing for eyes.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Daily Dose (20)


This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day.