Monday, February 28, 2011

Breathless Reads Tour Photos

This past Friday, I had the luck to make it to the Raleigh, N.C. stop of the Breathless Reads Tour, and oh my god, was it worth it! I'm really actually wishing I'd written this up the next day, because I've kind of lost some of the details since the haze of fangirlism has worn off. But honestly, all the ladies there were amazing, and their answers to questions were both funny and insightful. This was my first author event, so I was super, super nervous - not to mention I'm incredibly (almost painfully) shy, so I didn't socialize as much as I wanted to originally. I still had an amazing time, though, and came away with some amazing books that are now pretty much priceless to me. I took a few pictures while I was there (and so did the boyfriend). They're a little blurry, and by no means top quality, but I did at least want to share a couple!

From left to right, Ally Condie (author of Matched); Andrea Cremer (author of Nightshade); Rosemary (Bookstore employee); Kristin Miller (author of The Eternal Ones); Questionnaire moderators (Sorry, I can't for the life of me remember their names!); Beth Revis (author of Across the Universe); and Brenna Yovanoff (author of The Replacement). 

So let me start off by saying Ally Condie is a hot mama. I'm totally jealous of her runner's body. All the authors were incredibly nice, but Ally just struck me as really sweet. Andrea Cremer is a total vivacious red head - I want her hair! She was witty and adorable and I honestly think hearing her talk made me like Nightshade even more! Kristin Miller was one of the main talkers of the bunch, and she definitely knows her stuff. I actually really, really want to read her Kiki Strike books now - I've never picked one up.

This is, honestly, the least blurry picture I managed to get of Beth Revis during the questionnaire! I think she must move constantly, lol! But really, she seemed so cool, and so bouncy (especially when talking about explosions), and I just loved her. I would have loved to have been one of her students. And Brenna Yovanoff at the end was so sweet and soft-spoken. I also hearted her armwarmers hardcore. I love me some unique accessories. ;D

Follow the jump for more!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

In My Mailbox (8)

Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend so far! I apologize in advance for all my mispronunciations - I'm pitiful when it comes to pronouncing things, lol! And I'm not sure why, but the video quality came out a little ickier than normal. I hope my camera isn't fading on me!



 I'm going to be posting a couple photos from the Breathless Reads signing later in the week, so keep an eye out for that as well!

-------------------------------

So that's what I got this week. What's in your mailbox?

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Review: Across the Universe

Title: Across the Universe   
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Penguin Group
Category: Young Adult
Page Count: 416 
Release Date: January 2011
Series: none
Source: Bought
Challenge: 2011 DAC, Breathless Reads Tour Mini Challenge
Quick Rating: 5/5
Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed. She has left her boyfriend, friends - and planet - behind to join her parents as a member of Project Ark Ship.

Amy and her parents believe they will wake on a new planet, Centauri-Earth, three hundred years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed’s scheduled landing, cryo chamber 42 is mysteriously unplugged, and Amy is violently woken from her frozen slumber.

Someone tried to murder her.

Now, Amy is caught inside a tiny world where nothing makes sense. Godspeed’s 2,312 passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader. And Elder, Eldest’s rebellious teenage heir, is both fascinated with Amy and eager to discover whether he has what it takes to lead.

Amy desperately wants to trust Elder. But should she put her faith in a boy who has never seen life outside she ship’s cold metal walls? All Amy knows is that she and Elder must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets before whoever woke her tries to kill again.

There are very few books I devour in one sitting. Across the Universe was one of them. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews about it, and I’m beginning to feel this may be one of those books where you either love it, or you didn’t really like it at all - no middle ground.

From the very beginning, I found Across the Universe haunting, horrifying, and beautiful all at the same time. I loved the prose, and not because it was overly complex or anything, but because it was simple. The simplicity and ease of the book was what made me gobble it up - because it was so easily edible! Even though I wasn’t overloaded with descriptions, I could picture everything clearly and perfectly. It felt cinematic. Like I was reading a movie. Even without the handy reversible cover blueprint of the Godspeed, I felt like I knew exactly where everything was, and how it was laid out. I loved all the made up slang words, and just the whole concept of everything was amazing.

Follow the jump for more!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Book Hop & Follow Friday (7)

Happy Friday! This week I'm participating in a few memes. Book Blogger Hop is hosted over at Crazy for Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View.

Book Blogger Hop

Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?
Since my blog is so new, I'd have to say no! It hasn't been long enough for me to not like my name anymore, lol! Though I will admit to some blog name envy - some blogs just have absolutely brilliant titles.


Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it...
My current obsession is Being Human on Syfy. It's all about a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost who all just really want to be...normal. I'm just so excited that the show actually features a vampire I like, and who is a total hottie! Not since Buffy have I actually liked vampire men all that much - too whiny and always falling for human girls, ya know? But not Aidan! He's a total badass who, gasp, actually might be in love with one of his own kind! Josh, the werewolf, is, for lack of a better word, adorkable. He's so cute and sweet and nervous, and I'm such a sucker for werewolves anyway. But, yeah, this show is amazing, not just because it clearly is, but because my boyfriend actually likes it and actually watches it every week with me! (He will not, however, watch my other guilty pleasure obsession, Pretty Little Liars.)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Blood and Flowers
by Penny Blubaugh
(March 1st, 2011)
Three years ago, Persia ran away from her drug-addict parents and found a home with the Outlaws, an underground theater troupe. With time, this motley band of mortals and fey, puppeteers and actors, becomes the loving family Persia never had, and soon Persia not only discovers a passion for theater but also falls in love with one of the other Outlaws. Life could not be more perfect.

Until an enemy makes an unfair accusation against the group and forces them to flee their world and hide in the neighboring realm of Faerie. But in Faerie, all is not flowers and rainbows. With bloodthirsty trolls, a hostile monarchy, and a dangerous code of magic, the fey world is far from the safe haven the Outlaws had hoped for....

Following up her critically acclaimed Serendipity Market, Penny Blubaugh has created a beautiful and mysterious world where anything can happen—especially what you least expect.

Everything from the title, to the cover (which totally looks like Tilda Swinton!), to the main character's name, this book looks and sounds amazing. And, honestly, I do have a weakness for faeries. I'm so excited to get my hands on a copy!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Mini Update

So I just wanted to post a really quick mini update. I haven't even been gone for a full week, and I already feel bad about not paying attention to the blog. Kinda sad, right? Well, I actually got sick again - the joys of working in a public library, I know. And being sick, for some reason, has the side effect of making me avoid computers like the plague. So, I haven't checked my e-mail, I've missed a couple posts I had wanted to make, and I'm a little behind with...well...everything. I am literally terrified to open up my Google Reader. But, first things first. Here is a late mini IMM. But, better late than never, right?


I managed to snag two more of the the Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning! At this rate, I might find the whole series for free. I am no the proud owner of a very used copy of The Immortal Highlander and Spell of the Highlander.

I also finally updated the other question for Friday. I'm going to be replying to all the comments soon - sorry I haven't done it before this!

Also, I should be posting a review for Across the Universe soon, as well as Nightshade. Nightshade I'm currently re-writing, since I tried to write it while under the influence of cold medication and it really...just doesn't make any sense at all, lol! And even though I avoid computers while sick, luckily I don't avoid books. So, while I may have been reading at a slower pace, my Breathless Reads Tour Mini Challenge is still mostly on pace. I'll be getting the original post updated this week as well.

So that's it for the most part. I've got a lot of catching up to do, but I'll get it done eventually. ;D

Friday, February 18, 2011

Book Hop & Follow Friday (7)

Happy Friday! This week I'm participating in a few memes. Book Blogger Hop is hosted over at Crazy for Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View.

Book Blogger Hop

What book(s) would you like to see turned into a movie?
What books wouldn't I love to see turned into movies? I'm definitely a movie junkie. But, really, I'd probably love to see the Outlander series turned into a movie, or a very epic mini-series. I would only worry that film-Jamie wouldn't live up to the Jamie that's in my head.


If you are a fan of Science Fiction, what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before...any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?
What an easy question this week! I loooove sci-fi books, and sci-fi movies even more. ;D Hands down, my favorite sci-fi books are The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. One of the funniest series I've ever read, and it's so different from a lot of sci-fi that just seems to take itself a little too seriously. If you haven't ever read it, DO IT!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday (6)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Burn Bright
by Marianne de Pierres
(March 1st, 2011)
Into a world of wild secrets and deadly pleasures comes a girl whose innocence may be her greatest strength.

In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .

Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.

When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?

Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?

Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

I saw this one last week on someone's WoW post last week...but I cannot for the life of me remember who! Anyway, not only is that cover absolutely amazing, it sounds really good too. I looove the word "Ixion" and the name "Retra", and just...gah! It sounds amazing.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Review: Matched


Title: Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Category: Young Adult
Page Count: 369
Release Date: November 2010
Series: n/a
Source: Library
Challenge: 2011 A-Z Challenge & Breathless Reads Tour Mini Challenge  
Quick Rating: 4/5
In the Society, Officials decide.

Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one…until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s know and a path no one else has ever dared follow - between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and story-telling with the resonance of a classic.

Dystopian fiction is taking over the world, and really, I think I’m okay with that. However, my only problem is that a lot of dystopia books are being insanely hyped, and I go in to it expected fireworks, and all I get are sparklers (and, ok, maybe a mortar and Roman candle or two). Which are still really fun, and keep me entertained for hours, but I’m just not as initially dazzled as I expected to be.

Matched was that way for me. It was a fast read, and when I finished, I found myself dangling the book upside down and wondering where the rest of it was. Initially, I was disappointed. But now, with a little time to think and go over my notes, I’m actually impressed.

The whole concept is, hands down, amazing. The Society had an element of the Nazi party to me (you know - kill off the old, keep only the healthiest), and it was absolutely horrifying to me. My disgust with the Officials and Society grew deeper and deeper right along with Cassia, and by the end, I wanted to punch that snarky Officer right in the face for all her meddling. And only living with 100 songs, or 100 poems, or 100 paintings? My mind can’t even wrap around that. Still, though, I felt everything was a little underdeveloped. For being a decent sized book, I was kind of surprised at the lack of real detail. Like more of an explanation between an “Aberration” and an “Anomaly”. Is there any form of religion? What is this whole war thing going on that keeps getting mentioned? What’s beyond the Outer Provinces? How was Society formed? What happened to the world as it was before? I was left with a million questions by the end, and while mildly frustrating, it left me really, really eager for the next installment.

Follow the jump for more!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

So it's a little late, but I actually just remembered it's officially Valentine's Day! I celebrated it last night to avoid all the crazy couples out tonight, so I got to sit around and read all day long. What better way to celebrate? 

But, I just wanted to wish a Happy Valentine's Days to all my followers - I never expected to be this close to 100 already! Thank you to each and every one of you, and I'm sending tons of mental heart-shaped balloons your way. <3

Sunday, February 13, 2011

In My Mailbox (7)

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Valentine's Day weekend! I decided to do another vlog post for IMM this week. I had so much fun doing the other one, I couldn't resist!


-------------------------------

So that's what I got this week. What's in your mailbox?

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Review: Lady Chatterley's Lover

Title: Lady Chatterley’s Lover
Author: D. H. Lawrence
Publisher: Barnes & Noble Classics
Category: adult fiction
Page Count: 384
Release Date: May 2005 (originally 1928)
Series: none
Source: Bought
Challenge: 2011 WCRD
Quick Rating: n/a *
The last, and most famous, of D. H. Lawrence’s novels, Lady Chatterley’s Lover was published in 1928 and quickly banned in England and the United States as pornographic. While sexually tame by today’s standards, the book is memorable for better reasons - Lawrence’s masterful and lyrical prose, and a vibrant story that takes us bodily into the world of its characters.

As the novel opens, Constance Chatterley finds herself trapped in an unfulfilling marriage to a rich aristocrat whose war wounds have left him paralyzed and impotent. After a brief but unsatisfying affair with a playwright, Lady Chatterley enjoys an extremely passionate relationship with Oliver Mellors, the gamekeeper on the family estate. As Lady Chatterley falls in love with Mellors, she moves from the heartless, bloodless world of intelligentsia and aristocracy into a vital and profound connection rooted in sexual fulfillment.

Perhaps even more relevant today than when it first appear, Lady Chatterley’s Lover is a triumph of passions and an erotic celebration of life.
 So this was my first book of the year for the 2011 Wordsworth Classics Reading Challenge. I initially chose this one because I’ve seen the movie, and loved it. The actual novel, however, is so much more than the movie portrays. While the 1981 film version made it seem like the story was nothing but a steamy love affair, Lady Chatterley’s Lover contains such beautiful language and deep social commentary, it’s on a completely different level of depth than its movie counterpart. I’m definitely thinking of checking out the 1993 mini-series, since it’s supposed to be the most accurate.

The problem I usually have with classics is, I hate to admit it, boredom. Pacing was an entirely different thing in the era of “classics” and it takes a profound story to keep me hooked. I ended up staying up just as late with Lady Chatterley as I do with any other kind of modern book, just itching to know what happened next. While the pacing is definitely slower, and the author tended to use his characters to go off on tangents for a couple of pages, it was never distracting to the point that I wanted to quit. I’ll also admit, it was pleasant to read an “erotic” book from this era. By today’s standards, it’s extremely tasteful, and strangely beautiful and passionate. Being able to see into literally every character’s head, even the minors, was a mildly overwhelming, yet insightful experience. Normally, we only see one or two perspectives on a situation, but you were allowed into the head of characters that were only present for one chapter.

The only problem I actually had with the novel was the repetitiousness of the author, but that was his style, and I did eventually get used to it. For example, the word “ridiculous”, or other variant of the word, was used twenty times on pages nine and ten. However, some passages were so beautifully written, any repetition is quickly forgiven. One thing I’ve always loved about the classics is the way the English language is used to it’s greatest capabilities, and the way each author has such a distinctive style. I actually bought the cheaper Barnes & Noble Classics edition of this just so I could highlight all the passages I loved, and not feel bad about it (I’m one of those readers who cringes at a dog-earred page). I also want to mention, the questions at the end of the B&N edition were a really awesome feature, and really made me think about what I had read. And as much as I would love to go a careful dissection of the novel, I’m cutting myself off here. I’m really wishing I was in school again so I could do a thorough book report on it! If you enjoy classics, and you haven’t read Lady Chatterley, I do recommend picking it up at some point.

The Final Word: While probably not a classic I’m going to revisit over and over, it was one of the most satisfying “classic” readings I’ve ever had. Julian Moynahan said it best: “The genuine yet carefully restrained optimism of Lady Chatterley’s Lover is founded on a belief that the world is alive and that aliveness is the only thing worth cherishing.” (1959) It will appeal to lovers of romance, freedom, and following your desires.

Overall: n/a
Cover:
Concept: n/a
Characters: n/a
* I’m actually not planning on rating any of the classics I read this year. I just don’t feel you can hold them to the same standards as today’s novels. They are considered classics for a reason, and thus are above such a simple numbered judgment.

Tea: Since Lipton is actually mentioned by name, I’d recommend their Ginger Twist Herbal Tea for something traditional, but with that little bit of exotic spice thrown in.


Memorable Quotes:
“Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically…We’ve got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen.” (pg. 3)
 
“…they were just as good as the men themselves, only better, since they were women.” (pg. 5)

“The oak-leaves were to her like oak-leaves seen ruffling in a mirror, she herself was a figure somebody had read about, picking primroses that were only shadows, or memories, or words.” (pg. 19)

“Her body was going meaningless, going full and opaque, so much insignificant substance. It made her feel immensely depressed and hopeless. What hope was there? She was old, old at twenty-seven, with no gleam and sparkle in the flesh. Old through neglect and denial, yes denial.” (pg. 76)

“He glanced apprehensively at her. Her face was averted, and she was crying blindly, in all the anguish of her generation’s forlornness. His heart melted suddenly, like a drop of fire, and he put out his hand and laid his fingers on her knee.
“You shouldn’t cry,” he said softly.” (pg. 124)

“ ”And are you sorry?” she said.
“In a way!” he replied, looking up at the sky. “I thought I’d done with it all. Now I’ve begun again.”
“Begun what?”
“Life.” “ (pg. 126)
 
“She was like a forest, like the dark interlacing of the oak-wood, humming inaudibly with myriad unfolding buds. Meanwhile the birds of desire were asleep in the vast interlaced intricacy of her body.” (pg. 148)

“Then he stood there, above her, fastening his breeches and looking down at her with dark, wide eyes, his face a little flushed and his hair ruffled, curiously warm and still and beautiful in the dim light of the lantern, so beautiful , she would never tell him how beautiful. It made her want to cling fast to him, to hold him, for there was a warm, half-sleepy remoteness in his beauty that made her want to cry out and clutch him, to have him. She would never have him. So she lay on the blanket with curved, soft naked haunches, and he had no idea what she was thinking, but to him too she was beautiful, the soft, marvelous thing he could go into, beyond everything.” (pg. 189)

“ “Well, so many words, because I can’t touch you. If I could sleep with my arms round you, the ink would stay in the bottle.” “ (pg. 326)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Breathless Reads Tour Mini Challenge




On February 25th, the Breathless Reads Tour is making a stop in Raleigh, N.C. With it being only about an hour and a half away, and on a Friday, there is no way I'm not going! The only problem is, I've been an absolute complete slacker, and have not read any of these fantastic books yet, though all of them were on my 2011 tbr list. I can't in good conscience go to a book signing (and my very first one at that!) and not have read the books by all the attending authors, thus my "mini-challenge" was born.

My goal is to read all five books by all five attending authors by February 24th. This should theoretically give me about two and a half days per book. I'm confident I can get this done, and maybe even have time to spare! I'm going to use this little challenge to also have some stocked up book reviews to post, in case I'm running a little low. And, lucky me, a couple of these fill other challenges I've signed up for. I'll be reading them in this order (decided at random):

  • Matched by Ally Condie (started 2/11/11; finished 2/13/11)
  • Across the Universe by Beth Revis (started 2/13/11; finished 2/14/11)
  • Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (started 2/14/11; finished 2/16/11)
  • The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (started 2/17/11; finished 2/20/11)
  • The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller (started 2/20/11; finished 2/24/11)

I'll be posting links to reviews on this post once they're written, as well as start and finish dates. Wish me luck!

Visit the Breathless Reads site at http://breathlessreads.com/.

Book Hop & Follow Friday (6)

Happy Friday! This week I'm participating in a few memes. Book Blogger Hop is hosted over at Crazy for Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View.


Book Blogger Hop

Tell us about one of your posts from this week and give us a link so we can read it (review or otherwise)! 
I just realized, I haven't posted a review this week! I feel so bad about that, lol! I'll definitely get one up tomorrow. If I have to pick one from this week, though, I guess I'd probably pick my IMM post from Sunday. I cannot stress how awesome library book sales can be. If you're on a budget, it's a great way to go in and get a whole bunch of books for what the price of one or two new ones will cost you at the bookstore. Ask around at your local library to see if they have a sponsoring "Friends of the Library" program, and see if they're interested in hosting a book sale! My library earns anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 extra a year from our book sale weekend, and it's all made off of books donated from the community.



What is your favorite romance-hero type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?
I have to admit, I like the cocky smartass, with a little bit of that brutish manliness thrown in. Muscles, long hair, and an accent are definitely a bonus as well. I love the hero that knows what he wants, and just goes for it, no questions asked. No wimpy whining. No "But you're better without me!" speeches. Just good ole "I love you, I want you, I'll have you" from all those cheesy romance novels I secretly devour. ;D
 

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Eona
by Alison Goodman
(April 19th, 2011)
Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power--and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans....

Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama and romance, its unforgettable fight scenes, and its surprises, is the conclusion to an epic only Alison Goodman could create.

This book seriously needs to hurry up. I absolutely loved Eon. I read it in one sitting - I wanted to read a bit before I hopped in the shower, and ended up staying in bed all day to finish it. I've been waiting for this sequel for what feels like forever.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Sunday, February 6, 2011

In My Mailbox (6)

So this week I definitely shouldn't have, but I totally did. I went to another library book sale. I spent a little too much probably, but I found a couple of great books. It wasn't as good as my library's sale...but what can I say? I'm biased! I would have done another vlog post this weekend, but with being sick, I'd sound like a stuffy frog, and no one needs to hear that. XD

{Booksale}

(I bought Dracula because it was such an awesome old edition, full of illustrations. I was really happy to find Swan Thieves too! I love Elizabeth Kostova. And The Bitten is actually the fourth in a vampire huntress series, so I'm going to have to find the first ones. :-P)

(Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! I can't believe I haven't read this yet. I also found a Wuthering Heights remix, Wuthering Bites. The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters was a series I read a while ago, and really loved, so now I'm going to have to find Volume 2 to match. Harry Potter to fuel my addition of course, and Sarah Addison Allen is a local NC author that was recommended to me by a friend.)
 
(I was so excited to find Valiant since I found Tithe at the first book sale I went to. I absolutely love Brian Froud, so I couldn't pass his up. I also managed to find the first House of Night book, Marked. I've been meaning to try the series at some point. I also found Inkspell and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke. Only Inkheart wasn't there! Now I'm going to have to hunt down a library binding of it to complete the collection.)

{Bought & Borrowed}

(I had a few awesome coupons for Barnes & Noble, so I finally bought the Twilight series, in a lovely box set. And I borrowed Wicked Lovely from the library this week as well.)

-------------------------------

So that's what I got this week. What's in your mailbox?

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Friday, February 4, 2011

Book Hop & Follow Friday (5)

Happy Friday! This week I'm participating in a few memes. Book Blogger Hop is hosted over at Crazy for Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View.


Book Blogger Hop

What are you reading now, and why are you reading it? 


I'm currently reading Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence. This is my first selection for the Wordsworth Classics Challenge. I've been totally slacking on getting to this one. :-P But, I'm currently 44 pages in, and I'm loving it.


What is the book you are currently "pushing"? 

Hmm...I'm really not much of a "pushy" person. I tend to just mention if a book was really, really good. I did just make my mum read the Hunger Games trilogy, though. But, otherwise, I'd have to say I really push the Mortal Instruments series, or Harry Potter. Working in a library, you really just have to be an advocate for books in general. Every patron's taste is different, and you have to roll with it when suggesting items, even if you don't like their favored genre.
 

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Review: Splendor

Title: Splendor
Author: Anna Godbersen
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Category: Young Adult
Page Count: 391 
Release Date: October 2009
Series: Luxe, Rumors, Envy
Source: Library
Challenge: none 
Quick Rating: 2/5
New beginnings.

Shocking revelations.

Unexpected endings.

As spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new role as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searched for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father’s death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes.

Carolina Broad, society’s newest darling, fans a flame from her past, oblivious to how it might burn her future. Penelope Schoonmaker is finally Manhattan royalty - but when a real prince visits the city, she covets a title that comes with a crown. Her husband, Henry, bravely went to war, only to discover that his father’s rule extends well beyond New York’s shores and that fighting for love may prove a losing battle.

In this dramatic conclusion to the bestselling Luxe series, New York’s most dazzling socialites chase dreams, cling to promises, and tempt fate. As society watches what will become of the city’s oldest families and newest fortunes, one question remains: Will its stars fade away or will they shine ever brighter?
Thank God that’s over with. I have finally finished the Luxe series, and I’m so happy I don’t have to suffer through all these characters’ depressing lives a second more. I found Splendor to be a very weak installment of the series, though not quite as rage-inducing as Rumors. It seemed slow, and yet rushed, all at the same time. It was a whole lot of muck to sift through for a very lackluster, unsatisfying ending.

Even the prologue, which I’ve always found to be one of the best of it’s predecessors, wasn’t as good. It didn’t hook me like the others - I didn’t feel compelled to keep reading until I found out all about the cryptic beginning. At least the dresses didn’t disappoint.

Follow the jump for more!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday (4)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


The Near Witch
by Victoria Schwab 
(August 2nd, 2011)
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
 
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.


But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

I'm definitely excited to get my hands on Near Witch in August. And not only that, but if you head over to Victoria Schwab's blog, you can enter for a chance to win a really awesome prize pack! 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?