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Tuesday 28 December 2010

2011: Goals & Changes

I know I've been an awful blogger these months: I've done a great deal of memes instead of reviews, I've been MIA too many times,I haven't been outgoing...
I plan in 2011 became a much better blogger:
  • I have a few ideas for new feautures
  • I plan on doing movie reviews as well
  • I plan reading other genres outside YA, though 80% of this blog will be YA related
  • I plan on writting 3 reviews per week
  • I'm going to do less memes
  • I plan on reading more (I want to read 100 books)
If you have any suggestion you would like to tell me comment or e-mail me.

Friday 24 December 2010

Christmas and TOP 3 books (in no particular order)

Merry Christmas, or as Étienne (from Anna and the French Kiss) would say: Happy Christmas!
I've noticed that a few bloggers are doing list about their favorite books from 2010, in different categories. I'm not going to make one, I’m just going to mention the 3 books that I most love this year (in no particular order) :
                                    

Wildthorn by Jane   

                                                              

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden


                                                        
             
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

                                                         



(after a painful waiting for this one, because my copy was delayed, I read it and LOVED it)

Monday 20 December 2010

Little Women

                                                 


Title: Little Women
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Publisher: Signet Classics
Summary:
Little Women is the heartwarming story of the March family that has thrilled generations of readers. It is the story of four sisters--Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth-- and of the courage, humor and ingenuity they display to survive poverty and the absence of their father during the Civil War.
(details above from Goodreads)
Review:
Though this book is a classic, it's aimed at teenage girls, so I decided to review it here!
Little Women was a wonderful book to read. Though the book was published in 1868 teenage girls can still relate with the main character because, as most teenage girls: Jo, Beth, Amy and Meg, were trying to find themselves while dealing with family and romance problems.
My favorite character is Jo! She's courageous, creative, dreamy, strong, cheerful and a tom-boy!
Now, about the guy's... I loved them all; they were all perfect and very nice. But if I had to choose one, I would say that Laurie was my favorite. I loved his personality, his sense of humor and his charisma.
The plot is interesting: there are tears, laughs and a lot of romance.
What I most liked in this book was the strong bonds that united the four sisters. Of course they had a few quarrels but they also had a wonderful time together.
This book sends to the reader a strong message of feminism through the characters, that in a time where women didn't have many rights these four young women with the help of their mother and housekeeper, managed to survive and be happy!
A must read!
10/10

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Triskellion by Will Peterson

                                          Triskellion


Title: Triskellion
Author: Will Peterson
Release Date: February 4th 2008
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Summary: Rachel and Adam are sent to stay with their grandmother, following their parents' divorce. But the quiet English village is a sinister, unsettling place. Is there a dark heart beating beneath the thatched roofs of Triskellion? It is a place protected by an ancient, three-bladed artefact; a village where crops never fail and where the war memorial is blank; a community with much to protect. With the help of the mysterious Gabriel, Rachel and Adam begin to unearth centuries-old secrets and make a shocking revelation about their family's past - and their own future...

(details above from Goodreads)
Review:
Triskellion was a great book to read! The way that the authors (Will Peterson is a pen name, this book was actually written by two people) manage to combine archeological facts with the paranormal plot was spectacular!
The plot is full of action and mystery, and the ending is amazing, and it will let you impatiently waiting for the next book! The twins, Rachel and Adam, are very interesting character to read about, they're somewhat too juvenile for their ages, but at the same time, they stand up for themselves, and do some pretty risky things. The twins are very believable characters and teens can find a connection with them!
The setting is the thing that I most loved in the whole book! Who doesn't think that a small, isolated, village, in the middle of England is the best place to settle a story that has so many secrets?
I'm fascinated with archeology and history stuff so I really appreciated all the facts in the book. But, to all of you that don't share my love for History, I must say, that the book isn't overloaded with History stuff, and that all the facts that are there, only make the mystery bigger!
 So, if you're looking for a book full of mystery and unpredictable twists go and read Triskellion!
9/10

Sunday 12 December 2010

In my Maibox (7)






In my Mailbox is a weekly meme host by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.
I didn't do IMM in the past few weeks, because I decided to stop requesting and buying books books since my TBR pile was huge. Unfortunately I wasn't capable of not buying books.
As today this is the last IMM of the year, I decided to do it.  Note that not all books listed above were bought this week.



       

From Netgalley:
Here Lies Bridgite Paige Harbison - I had requested this before I decided to stop requesting books, but my request was only approved after the decision was made.

Bought:
Observations by Jane Harris - it's considered an adult book, but the protagonist is 15. It's an historical romance.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory - again it's an adult book, but I loved The Other Boleyn Girl, so I'm really looking forward to read this.

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkein - I never read anything by him before,I've only seen the movies, so when I saw this at the store, I decided to buy it!

What have you got in your mailbox?

Saturday 11 December 2010

Christmas, books and traditions!


It's December, the weather is getting cold, and in some places there's snow. People start decorating their houses, when we turn on the radio there's Christmas songs. People rush into the stores to shop, and so on.... In conclusion, this time of the year brings many traditions, and I'm no exception.
Every year besides doing a few things listed above I always re-read one or two Harry Potter books in December. Maybe it's because when I think of Hogwarts, I always imagine the castle in the Winter when the floor is covered by snow, that drags me; or maybe it's the felling of union that's present in the books (just look at the Weaslys), but Harry Potter books, especially the third and the fifth, just make me think about Christmas.
I really enjoy, sitting near the fireplace, with a blanket, a hot chocolate reading a Harry Potter  book and listening to the rain. It's one of the things that I most appreciate in the holidays season! 
What about you? Is there any book you re-read every Christmas?

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

Wainting on Wednesday is a wekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
                                           Once in a Full Moon
Title: Once in a full moon
Author: Ellen Schreiber
Publish Date: 28th December 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Summary:
Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon.

My thoughts: I love werewolves and the plot seems great!
What are you waiting on?

Discussion for all aspiring writers, writers, and authors

This discussion post is actually about writing and not about books. I know that this is a bookblog, but I believe that writing and reading are intimately connected so I decided to do this post, with a question related writing.
Now that we have put the initial ramble aside...

Yesterday I found this information in Jeffrey A. Carver site:
"If you can stand the thought of not writing, don't attempt a career as a writer. It's difficult and often painful. Don't subject yourself to it unless you are driven by a passion for it. If you find this too discouraging, you probably shouldn't aim to be a professional writer. But nothing says you can't be a happy amateur. (Remember, the root of the word "amateur" is amare, to love.) ".


So... my question is to all  aspiring writers (the ones that have a great deal of ideas, but can't sit down and put them in paper) ,writers (the ones who sit down and actually write) and authors: if you can have only one of the following things what would you choose: the ability of putting letters together and forming words or your creativity?

As an aspiring writer (I write only a few things but I don't consider myself a writer), I couldn't imagine myself, without my creativity. I love when I imagine a world, where I can set the rules and decided what's right and what's wrong, I can get lost in those thoughts for hours... I do believe that I could live without the written word, if I have my imagination was with me.

What about you?

Tuesday 7 December 2010

I'm alive!

This is just a short post to let you know that I'm alive.
In the past weeks I was caught up with school work and revising, so I wasn't able to post here, but I promise you that starting tomorrow I'll post here regularly!
So, a quick question: what would you like to see here?
Bye!

Friday 26 November 2010

2011 Debut Author Reading Challenge

2011 Debut Author Reading Challange (DAC) is a year -long challenge hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren!
The goal of DAC is to read at least 12 YA/MG debuts in 2011 (to learn more about it, visit this post)!
So, here is the list of books that I plan to read in 2011:
  1. The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
  2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  3. Timeless by Alexandra Monir
  4. Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
  5. XVI by Julia Karr
  6. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
  7. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
  8. Angelfire (Angelfire, #1) by Courtney Allison Moulton
  9. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
  10. Dead Rules by Randy Russell
  11.  The Demon Trapper's Daughter (Demon Trappers #1) by Jana Oliver
  12. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
This list will probably change during the year!

Wednesday 24 November 2010

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Mandigan


                                                           The Mermaid's Mirror


Title: The Mermaid's Mirror
Author: L.K. Mandigan
Age: Young Adult
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Realease Date: October 4th 2010
Summary: Lena has lived her whole life near the beach — walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves — the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.
As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.
But her father — a former surfer himself — refuses to allow her to take lessons. After his near drowning years ago, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.
Yet something keeps drawing Lena to the water . . . an ancient, powerful magic. And one morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman — with a silvery tail.
Now nothing can stop Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.
And soon . . . what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life forever.

(details above from Godreads)

Review:I really enjoyed this book! As a sea lover I’m fascinated with all myths and legends related to it!
One thing that I really enjoyed in this book was that mermaids are seen in a different way than the clichés beautiful creatures that enchant the sailors with their angelical voices and other worldly appearance. No, in this book mermaids are much more than that. They are creatures who live in a structured world, where there are rules, and hierarchy, where they have traditions.
The characters are well developed and they are not flat, so they seemed believable to my eyes. But I think that other characters could be more developed, as Nyx for exemple.
The plot was interesting and I loved the sense of mystery and fantasy that was very present in it.
I liked the fact that this book showed instead of telling because it made it easier to me to enter  Lena’s day-to-day life, which was very important, since that life that is shown to us in the first part of the book will dramatically change.
The end was the thing that I least enjoyed!
Overall it was good book, full of magic, mystery and fantasy.

10/10

Monday 22 November 2010

Worldwide Monday - Harry Potter Special Edition

Worldwide Monday is a new feature at Fragments inspired by all the book blogs that do cover judge features (they are to many for me too list).
As a blogger based outside USA, UK  or any other country with a large number of book bloggers, most of my books (and I believe that this happens to other bloggers from other countries too) have different covers from the UK, USA, (insert a country name here) versions. 
 I decided to start this feature to show the different covers that the books have in different countries.
With all the excitement because of the new Harry Potter movie (IT'S GREAT)  I decided to dedicate this World Wide Monday to a few cover of the Harry Potter seventh book. Most of the countries have the same Harry Potter cover, so today the "battle" will be between different editions of the UK cover.

What cover do you prefer? Decisons... Decisions...

Sunday 14 November 2010

In my Maibox (6)

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme host by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie:


 For Review:

      From Netgaley:
                  The Iron Queen Mystify Tyger Tyger

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa - I'm so excited to read this!
Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton - This has lots of Irish mythology and as I'm going to Ireland with school in a few months I want to know all about Irish mythology!
Mystify by Artist Arthur - is the second book in a series about a girl that hears ghost, think! I love paranormal novels!


     From the Library:

                       
Triskelion by Will Peterson - It's set in a small town in England where the habitants try to hide to hide terrible secrets.


What's in your mailbox?

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

                                  Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars, #1)


Title:Pretty Litle Liars
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Releae Date: October 1st 2006
Age Group: Young Adult
Summary: Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.
Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.
But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.
How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.
(details above from Goodreads)

Review:This book gave me different feelings. At first I didn't like it very much: I thought the characters were too frivolous and too fake but through the plot they gain a little bit more substance.
When I finished reading it I actually liked the book. Sure the characters were the stereotypical rich, daddy girls but they also had flaws and weaknesses. And of course, the plot made me breathless!
The problems that the girls deal with are ordinary, and many other books deal with them too, but I enjoyed the way Sara Sheppard approached it!
I think that the setting is appropriate to the type of characters that are in the book. To me Rosewood felt truly real.
 I loved the way that the "clues" were written: as by accident the narrator had said too much and then quickly ended up the chapter and moved to another POV, to avoid doing the same again! Those just made me continue to turn page after page.
The plot is interesting and I couldn't guess practically any of the upcoming twists!
Overall it was an exciting book, with an average writing that made me turn page after page!

8/10

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Wainting on Wednesday is a wekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
                                                Angelfire (Angelfire, #1)
Title: Angelfire
Series:Angelfire,  book 1
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Realease Date: February 15th 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Summary:This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.


(Details above from Goodreads)


My thoughts: One word: angels. Also the plot sounds really good, the summary is intriguing and I love paranormal books so I can't wait to read it.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My teaser this week is:
Ali knew more about them than anyone else did, including the bad stuff they wanted to bury - just like a body.
 Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard, page 18, TV Tie-in Edition

I hope you liked it.
What's your teaser?

Monday 8 November 2010

Worldwide Monday - Germany vs Spain

Worldwide Monday is a new feature at Fragments inspired by all the book blogs that do cover judge features (they are to many for me too list).
As a blogger based outside USA, UK  or any other country with a large number of book bloggers, most of my books (and I believe that this happens to other bloggers from other countries too) have different covers from the UK, USA, (insert a country name here) versions. 
 I decided to start this feature to show the different covers that the books have in different countries.



 This week pick is CITY OF GLASS by Cassandra Clare:

                                              
              


What cover do you prefer? The blue and cold German cover or the yellowish Spanish cover?
Decisons... Decisions...

Saturday 6 November 2010

Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

                                          Betrayed (House of Night, #2)




Title: Betrayed
Series: House of the Night (book 2)
Auhors: P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher:St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date:October 2nd 2007
Age Group: Young Adults
Genre:Paranormal, Vampires, Horor
Summary: Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night.  She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world

(details above from Amazon and Goodreads)

Review:

This book was much better than the first one (you can see my review here) and I really enjoyed reading it.
The characters were much developed and I was able to relate to them in a way that I couldn't in the first book.
As any series book this one shows us new facets from already known characters, unfortunately some of these revelations were sometimes  easily excpected.
The plot is better than in Marked (the first book of the series) but some of the twists are very predictable. This book was much more exciting to read than the first because there is more mystery and strong feelings.
In this book Zoey's life becomes more complicated which allowed the authors to create funny moments and sad moments.
Overall I liked this book and I can't wait to read the third one, but I would enjoyed it much more if I could not guess the next event.
 8.5/10

Friday 5 November 2010

The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

 The Society of S (An Ethical Vampire Novel, #1)          A Sociedade do Sangue Portuguese Cover


Title: The Society of S (Ethical Vampire #1)
Author: Susan Hubbard
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: May 1st 2007
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Horror, Vampires, Family, Mystery
Summary: If you ever want to hide from the world, live in a small city, where everyone seems anonymous."
That's the advice of twelve-year-old Ariella Montero, who lives with her father in Saratoga Springs, New York, in a house haunted more by secrets than by memories. The Society of S traces her journey south, to Asheville and Savannah, and on to Florida, as she learns that everything she knows about her family is a lie.
When she finds her mother, she learns the truth: Ariella is a fledgling member of the Society of S.S stands for Sanguinists: a sect of environmentalists concerned with ethics and human rights -- although they happen to be vampires. S also stands for synesthete: a person able to see words and letters in colors. The letter S is lucky for Sara, Ariella's mother, who gravitates to cities such as Savannah and Sarasota. But will it be lucky for Ariella? Susan Hubbard's novel is an intricate literary mystery that raises provocative questions about the way we live now. Ariella's voice will lure you into a world where you'll meet the others among us: vampires who cope with their special nature and need for blood in a variety of ways, ranging from the savage to the mundane to the scientific


(details above from Amazon and Goodreads)

Review: This book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. When I read the summary I imagined more suspense and horror but that didn’t happened much: with a few exceptions the story didn’t gave me any strong feelings.
The writing was too simple, even for a Young Adult novel.
I liked to read the story from Ariella point of view: she’s an interesting girl, with a strong personallity.
The other characters are intriguing and they’re not flat but I just couldn’t relate to them.
The novel is settled in the small town of Saratoga Springs and many events from the plot occurred in the old and strange Victorian mansion where Ari and her father live, which create a great atmosphere.
Until today I still can’t understand the title because in this book the Society of S is only referred once or twice!
Overall this book isn’t the best that I read about vampires but the end let me with some curiosity so I’ll probably read the second book in the series.
7/10

Sunday 31 October 2010

In my Maibox (5)

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme host by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie:

From Netgalley:
A Long Walk to Water  by Linda Sue Park - It's set in Sudan and tell a story of a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985
FAMOUS by Simone Bryant - It's set in a upper class high-school .
The Oracle  Rebounds  by Allisson van Dippen - About a girl that gives relationship advices but her relationship is not going so well.

What did you have this week?

Saturday 30 October 2010

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Losing Faith

Title: Losing Faith
Author: Denise Jaden
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adults´
Release Date: September 7th 2010
Summary: A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don't know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted
secret about Faith's final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.


(details above from Goodreads)

Review: 
This book was very interesting and kept me turning page after page. The themes were diverse and at the same time interesting (death, religion, teenage love, cults, family life, school) so the book had more than one dimension, as the characters. 
One thing that I really appreciated is that the author doesn't push religion into us!  
The plot is intense and the twists are not as predictable as you may think.   
Being this a book that deals with death is important to know (well at least I think it's important) that you won't cry during all the book, but you will cry (well, I cried).
I love the end of the book it is so intense and with so much psychological action that made stop reading it  impossible.
The characters seemed real, and I really liked that they focused on other stuff besides the main problem, because that just made me believe more in them. Many authors fall in the mistake of making all the characters focus only on the main problem and when that happens I usually finish the book with the sense that I didn't really know them.
Tessa, is 100% my favorite character, she is smart, determinated and doesn't worry about what others think of her, but she knows to admit when she's wrong (of course in her own strange way but still...) and she copes with her difficult life in a way that fascinates me.
I just wish that we knew a little bit more of Faith.
Overall is a well written book with an interesting story.
Check it out.
9.5/10

Sunday 24 October 2010

In my Maibox (4)


 



In my Mailbox is a weekly meme host by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie:

For Review:


From Netgalley:


                      What Can't Wait Lost in the River of Grass Everything I Was Those That Wake

  • What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Pérez- It's about a girl who always put her family well being in front of her. It's a 2011 debut
  • Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby  -  It's a thriller about a field trip that goes incredibly wrong. Sounds really great.
  • Everything I Was  by Corinne Demas - It's about a girl from Upper West Side that ends up living in her grandfather house because her family is broke.
  • The Last Full Measure by Ann Rinaldi - It's an historical fiction and sounds interesting.
  • Those That Wake by Jesse Karp - It's set in NYC but the city lost its energy, people just walk in the street head down and don't talk to each other.
What did you get in your Mailbox?

Thursday 21 October 2010

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler



Title: Hunger
Series: Horsemen of the Apocalypse (book 1)
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Release Date:18/10/2010
Publiser: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age Group: Young Adult
Summary: “Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”
Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

 (Details above from Goodreads and Netgalley


Review:
The thing that made me want to read this book in the first place was the mix of mythology with a contemporary problem that is anorexia.
I thought this was a good book and it was interesting and funny to read it!
The first pages of the book were a bit confusing but after you get through them the book becomes more interesting.
.: SPOILLERS:.
The plot is intriguing (in a good way) even though a little predictable, and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the hunger around the world and the contrast between the rich civilization where food is a regular part of the day to day life and the poor countries where people eat dirt cookies and rats because they're the only things that are to eat.
My favourite character was Death. He had an interesting sense of humour but he could easily become a frightening creature.  Lisabeth’s character is interesting too but maybe because of the confusing first pages I ended the book with the felling that I didn’t know her that well.
One thing that I loved was the fact  the narrator used multiple POVs so we could "see" the plot from the eyes of different characters and have different perspectives of the story.
.:END OF SPOILLERS:.
This book made me re-think about some things that I take for granted but for some people are very rare.
8/10 

Waiting for Payday ( 4)

Waiting for the Payday is a new meme hosted by Bookish Snob that allows bloggers to share books that they are desperate to read even if they have already been out for a while but that they just don't have the money for!
This week the book that I'm desperate to read:
                                                         Twenty Boy Summer
Title: Twenty Boy Summer
Author: Sarah Ockler
 Publisher:Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 1st 2009
Summary: "Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.


My thoughts: I've been reading Sarah Ockler blog and I find it very interesting. This book has recently been challenged but I've just heard amazing things about it.

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Wainting on Wednesday is a wekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
                                                                  

Title: The Lying Game
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date:12/07/2010
Summary: Sutton Mercer has a life any girl would kill for...and someone did.

Shortlybefore her seventeenth birthday, Emma discovers she has a long-lost twin. She contacts Sutton, who agrees to a rendezvous, but never shows up. Curious at first, Emma slips into Sutton's life, assuming her identity. When it becomes clear that Sutton is not coming back, that someone made sure she never could, Emma plunges in to investigate who could have wanted her sister gone (a fairly long list, she discovers). Unfortunately, taking over Sutton's life means innocent little Emma has inherited all that bad blood-and then some.

From bestselling author Sara Shepard comes an exciting new series full of juicy plot lines, to-die-for lifestyles, and magnetic characters. With Sutton narrating from the afterlife and Emma in the midst of high school drama,the mystery unfolds with all of Sara's customary pacing and superb writing.  

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:




  • Grab your current read







  • Open to a random page







  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page






  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)







  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!




  • ""That's it, then?" she said. "Either I'm Famine or, you're going to kill me?" "


    Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler, page 51

    Sunday 17 October 2010

    In my Mailbox (3)

    In my Mailbox is a weekly meme host by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

    For review:

    NetGalley:

                      The Mermaid's Mirror Hunger The Keening The Vespertine  Manifest  Trickster's Girl


    • The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell - sounds great is a historical fiction set in the Victorian era and it's a 2011 debut
    • The Keening by A. LaFaye - again it's a historical fiction set in Main during the Spanish Influenza.
    • Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler - I'm actually finishing this book and it's good so far!
    • The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan - I love mermaid's story, they are all so magic ...
    • Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell - It's past in the future and sounds really good! 
    • Manifest by Artist Arthur - It's about a girl that hear the voice of a dead guy in her head!
    What have you got this week?