A Reading Kabocha

What's Next Wednesday #6

2012-02-15T20:06:00.000+04:00

What's Next Wednesday is a new meme I thought of instead of the other awesome meme, Waiting on Wednesday, since I don't exactly wait on books (I just sort of pine or buy in that instant). Instead, What's Next Wednesday will feature my next read of the week.

Currently there's no cool graphic (let's say it's...pending), but the book cover should suffice!

My next read will be: The Rose and the Beast by Francesca Lia Block

From Goodreads:

With language that is both lyrical and distinctly her own, Francesca Lia Block turns nine fairy tales inside out. Escaping the poisoned apple, Snow frees herself from possession to find the truth of love in an unexpected place. A club girl from L.A., awakening from a long sleep to the memories of her past, finally finds release from its curse. And Beauty learns that Beasts can understand more than men. Within these singular, timeless landscapes, the brutal and the magical collide, and the heroine triumphs because of the strength she finds in a pen, a paintbrush, a lover, a friend, a mother, and finally, in herself.

I've heard so many good things about Francesca Lia Block, and this is the first book I've read of hers. Looking forward to it!

Teaser Tuesday #56

2012-02-14T19:37:00.002+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: Feast of Fools (Morganville Vampires #4) by Rachel Caine

"What about the guy? Francois?" Eve rolled her eyes when she said his name, doing her best foo-foo French pronunciation. (p.g 143)

This series keeps getting better and better. Always the action in Morganville.

Review: Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) by Rachel Caine

2012-02-10T17:18:00.000+04:00

The residents of the Glass House- Claire's roomies- barely got out of the last scrape with the ruling vampires, and now Claire has made an agreement with the Founder. This means that whatever the vampire Amelie wants, Claire is at her beck and call. Of course, that hardly guarentees Claire's safety, and the more she learns, the more she looks like a good meal to the bad, mean vamps.

Personal Take: I love how the more I read this series, the more I learn how Morganville works. The characters are solid, so I won't go into them- though they are a dynamic bunch! Even the bad guys! There are new characters introduced in this book, and it's almost as if they were always there. What I truly enjoy in these books is seeing how Claire matures and astounds as the plot goes on. Never a dull moment with this girl.

A lot of discoveries were made in this book, but not delved in too deeply, but Caine gives enough to keep readers satisfied and curious (yearning?) for the next book.

Audience: Fans of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series, as well as older teens and adults.

Rating: 4/5

Other recommendations: I've reviewed Glass Houses and The Dead Girls' Dance. Other series by Caine is The Weather Warden series, and I think her new series The Revivalist looks great too. Honestly, I'll probably read anything of hers at this point.

Teaser Tuesday #55

2012-02-08T21:25:00.001+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) by Rachel Caine

Oliver made a sound of deep frustrations. "You stupid, stupid girl." (p.g 136)

Music Monday (10)

2012-02-06T19:17:00.001+04:00

This song has a nice beat, nice lyrics, and I love listening to Neon Hitch's part.

This week's song: Ass Back Home by Gym Class Heroes ft. Neon Hitch

Review: Need by Carrie Jones

2012-02-02T20:37:00.002+04:00

After the death of her step dad, Zara relocates to a small town in Maine with her grandmother. Instead of spending the rest of the school year with her head down, Zara's presence stirs the town, and it's not only the human residents. When a series of kidnapping frightens the town, Zara and her new friends may have stumbled on to the culprits, and it's nothing Zara has ever imagined.

Personal Take: Another hyped up book bites the dust. Reading Need was like given a platter disguised as a new dish, but it's really the same old meal and you're just sick of eating-er reading it. The dialogue between characters was jumpy, the flow of events was practically nonexistent. And the characterization was just..not impressive.

I mean, if you want to make characters standout, don't describe them as "bouncy" constantly. If I see someone bouncing the whole time while walking, I'd freak out. And the whole thing about the pixies..New word, same creature. Not impressed at all.

I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the series, since it didn't really catch my interest.

Audience: Probably those who enjoyed Twilight? I felt that it was a little similar to that series at the beginning, but it veered off into something else.

Rating: 2/5

Other recommendations: This book is part of a 4-book series. Check it out.

What's Next Wednesday #5

2012-02-01T21:25:00.002+04:00

Currently there's no cool graphic (let's say it's...pending), but the book cover should suffice!

My next read will be: Feast of Fools (Morganville Vampires #4) by Rachel Caine

From Goodreads:

In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans have learned to live in relative peace. Still, students like Claire Danvers know that after dark, studying can take a back-seat to staying alive. But the tenuous good-neighbor policy is really turned on its head with the arrival of Mr. Bishop.

Bad to the bone, the ancient old-school vampire cares nothing about harmony. Staying at the top of the food chain is enough. What he wants from the town's living and dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball attended by vampires and their human dates that Claire realizes Bishop's plan -- and the elaborately evil trap he's set for the warm-blooded souls of Morganville....

So, I'm hoping this series has a pattern of a cliffhanger every other book!

Teaser Tuesday #54

2012-01-31T19:43:00.002+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) by Rachel Caine

Claire didn't even think. She fastened her hands around the stake and pulled, one massive yank, and for one terrifying second she thought it wouldn't work, but then she felt it sliding free, scraping against bone as it went. (p.g 94)

What's Next Wednesday #4

2012-01-26T19:04:00.002+04:00

Currently there's no cool graphic (let's say it's...pending), but the book cover should suffice!

My next read will be: Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) by Rachel Caine

From Goodreads:

MORGANVILLE IS SUCH A NICE PLACE TO LIVE...
When Claire Danvers learned that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving freshman would do: She applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy.

...AND DIE, IF YOU DON'T MIND THAT SORT OF THING.
Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure those closest to Claire. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from her past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home. To what end, Claire will soon discover -- and it will give a terrifying new meaning to night school.

Can't wait to get back to this series!

Teaser Tuesday #53

2012-01-24T20:53:00.001+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: Need by Carrie Jones

He slams the door, turns around, and finally notices that I exist. How kind of him. (p.g 22)

Music Monday (9)

2012-01-23T20:15:00.001+04:00

Whenever this song comes on my iPod, something inside me relates to much to it. All I had to do was read the subtitles once, but after that, it gave me so much hope and motivation during my no-job days.

This week's music: Run by Epik High.

Review: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

2012-01-21T20:02:00.002+04:00

After losing her brother in a terrible incident, Andi Alpers is close to losing it herself. Angry that her mother isn't coping with grief, and that her father left them in the wake of such a tragedy, all she has left is her music. It's only when she's nearly failing school that her father intervenes and decides to take her to Paris. Her only ticket back home- her senior thesis. Before she even gets to the bottom of it, however, Andi stumbles upon a diary belonging to a girl. Even though the courses of two centuries divides them, Andi feels a connection-- a connection to Alexandrine's Paris, and to the lost prince of France.

Personal Take: Ever since I was young, I was always intrigued by the French and Russian revolution. For example, the anime The Rose of Versailles was the intro I got about the subject (I was 12 then, I think), and from there on, a couple of books as a teen (those will be mentioned below). There are A LOT of material on both, especially since there are never any solid records. I'm glad to say that Revolution is a great addition to many historical fiction books on that topic.

I really loved Andi, despite her meanness and messed up self. I find that I'm usually tough on those "tortured" characters, but I really sympathized with Andi, and I loved her voice. Her sarcasm was cutting but engaging, and her narration heartfelt.

Surprising, I felt little connection with Alexandrine and her diary entries. I felt that Donnelly only used her to skim over the revolution's events. And there were holes in her character-- like, if she was as poor as she described, how was she literate? I would have loved to know that. I also wished she was much closer to the other members of the royal family, like Marie-Therese.

Of course, that's not to say that I didn't choke up with tears. God, both Andi and Alexandrine did a good job in that.

There were a lot of parallels between characters from the revolution and from Andi's present life, and it seemed like too much of a nudge of "oh what a coincidence- but no not really". Still, the amount of research put into this, and the way Donnelly weaves it in set me on an online search-hunt for the true events, and I love when books do that.

It was a moving and heartfelt read that shows the complexity of history and the idea of revolutions.

Audience: Older teens and history buffs (Andi is one angry gal!).

Rating: 4.5/5

Other recommendations: After the anime, the books I've read are Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles Austria-France 1769 (The Royal Diaries) by Kathryn Lasky, The Dark Tower by Sharon Stewart, which is centered around Marie-Therese (I always found her so interesting!). Two other books I have on my reading list is Trianon and Madame Royale by Elena Marie Vidal. And finally, the biography Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser.

What's Next Wednesday #3

2012-01-18T21:30:00.002+04:00

Currently there's no cool graphic (let's say it's...pending), but the book cover should suffice!

My next read will be: Need by Carrie Jones

From Goodreads:

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.

Been reading A LOT of good things about this series. Thought it's about time I get to it!

Teaser Tuesday #52

2012-01-17T21:03:00.003+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

"Is that what I think it is?" he says, lifting up the edge of a tarp.

"If you think it's a guillotine, then yes," G says, throwing the tarp back. (p.g 63)

Really loving this book.

Review: The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

2012-01-16T22:50:00.004+04:00

I suddenly see where I'm standing, and that's at the edge of change - really, really big change.Eighteen-year-old Indigo Skye feels like she has it all - a waitress job she loves, an adorable refrigerator-delivery-guy boyfriend, and a home life that's slightly crazed but rich in love. Until a mysterious man at the restaurant leaves her a 2.5 million-dollar tip, and her life as she knew it is transformed.At first its amazing: a hot new car, enormous flat-screen TV, and presents for everyone she cares about. She laughs off the warnings that money changes people, that they come to rely on what they have instead of who they are. Because it won't happen...not to her. Or will it? What do you do when you can buy anything your heart desires -- but what your heart desires can't be bought? This is the story of a girl who gets rich, gets lost, and ultimately finds her way back - if not to where she started, then to where she can start again.

Personal Take: I love Deb Caletti's work. She manages to take a mundane plot summary and turns it into the kind of experience that is so full of life it's hard to forget about it. Like Sarah Dessen, Caletti has a pattern. It's not redundant or anything, it just gives her a distinguished writing style that her readers love, and feel comfortable with. In this book, Emerson's name is dropped at the beginning and at the end of the book, the main character reaches a resolution guided by Emerson's principles. We see from the beginning there are all these diverse characters, they hang out together, and they accept each other and understand each other, despite what the rest of the world may believe about them. And it's nice, to see how people could be nonjudgmental and have uncomplicated lives. But then something happens. Change occurs and it strikes them all. The lesson is how you deal with change is a reflection of who you are. Deb Caletti rocked it, but it is definitely not her best.

Audience: Teens and above. Not much swearing.

Rating: 3\5

Other recommendations: The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti. My first experience with Caletti, and my best. I have read this book, maybe a year and a half ago and I can still feel every raindrop that fell on the pavement.

Music Monday (8)

2012-01-16T21:48:00.001+04:00

So, I'm reading Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, and a friend of mind kindly sent me the playlist for the book. This is the first time I ever read a book along with a playlist. Needless to say, I'm listening to the playlist more than I'm reading.

One of my favorite is Beautiful by G. Love ft Tristan Prettyman.

The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires #2) by Rachel Caine

2012-01-15T20:08:00.002+04:00

After the shock of learning Morganville's deadly secret-- that it's run by vampires-- Claire does the only thing she's able to do, study, and transfer without getting hurt. It's a little difficult when her older roommate, Shane (also possibly her new boyfriend) accidentally calls in a gang of anti-vampire biker gang run by his dad. The gang will stop at nothing to get what they want, and what they want is Morganville to be burned to the ground.

Personal Take: This series reminds me so much of the Southern Vampires series by Charlaine Harris, but for YA. So many things keep happening to the characters be they human or vampire; it keeps you at the edge of your seat. The events that happen aren't over-exaggerated drama either, which makes for a nice flow, because I don't have to roll my eyes a lot.

I've also grown to love Claire. She's enjoyable, and adapts fast, and I LOVE that she's becoming a badass chick! While the book does follow her POV, I love how Caine also manages to get in as much as she can about the other characters as well. This is not only about Claire, but about her roommates who have all gone through a lot in Morganville.

It's engaging, it's fast paced, and I just can't wait to read more of this series.

Audience: Older teens and adults that enjoy Southern Vampire Series (there are swear words).

Rating: 4/5

Other recommendations: Other series by Caine is The Weather Warden series, and I think her new series The Revivalist looks great too. Honestly, I'll probably read anything of hers at this point.

What's Next Wednesday #2

2012-01-11T21:10:00.000+04:00

Currently there's no cool graphic (let's say it's...pending), but the book cover should suffice!

From Goodreads:

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

A friend of mine sent me the playlist for this book a while back. Can't wait to listen while reading!

Teaser Tuesday #51

2012-01-10T21:00:00.003+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires #2) by Rachel Caine

"About what?" Eve was still frowning at the pasta like she suspected it was going to do something clever, like try to escape from the pot. (p.g 31)

The major cliffhanger at the end of the first book couldn't keep me away!

Music Monday (7)

2012-01-09T18:15:00.000+04:00

One of the my favorite bands making a comeback this year is The Fray. Who could forget their awesome track, How to Save a Friend?

One of their new singles, Heartbeat, is equally addictive.

Review: Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine

2012-01-08T19:47:00.000+04:00

Sixteen year old Claire Danvers is a genius for her young age. Too bad that made her a walking target for the mean college girls. After a particularly bad incident, Claire stumbles on a residence ad for for a 4th roommate at an off campus house. Her new roommates, while odd, have her back, especially when strange things are happening in Morganville. For one, not everyone is alive, and, as Claire finds out, every human is for himself.

Personal Take: A friend of mine has been trying to get me to read this sooner for a LONG time, and honestly, I wish I did! Why is that the best vampire books are the ones not centered around vampires?

Caine's writing style is reminiscent of the old teen books. The narration is great, the pace is fast, but steady. The characters-- I LOVE THEM! Claire is a great protagonist, and has a lot of growth. In fact, she grows quite a bit in the first book!

Caine treats us like Claire-- new to everything, and not fully grasping what's going on in Morganville. While it is a little, tiny itty bitty frustrating, I like it better than the info dump that's rampant in most YA these days. Plus, I know Caine is going to expand throughout the rest of her series. The romance is at a low, but the best part, Caine makes it clear, is the adventures of Claire and her roommates in Morganville.

The book sets the story, but so far, it's unpredictable, and I can't wait to see where Caine goes with it.

It's been such a long time since I enjoyed what I read to the point of addiction.

Audience: Older teens, as there are some swear words, and somewhere racy scenes.

Rating: 4/5

Other recommendations: That same friend also recommends The Weather Warden series, and I think her new series The Revivalist looks great too. Honestly, I'll probably read anything of hers at this point.

Teaser Tuesday #50

2012-01-05T18:52:00.003+04:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Teaser Tuesdays go like this:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

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

BE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!

This week's teaser is from: Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine

"Um..." Claire felt stupid even trying to say it. "Shotgun?"

"Keep practicing. Got to be fast on the trigger around here." (p.g 49)

I am LOVING this. Like, I want to hide in an empty cubicle and read it all day long kind of love!