What's Up Wrap Up - Mar 2011

A slow month to be sure - especially when I got sick in the middle of it and wanted nothing more than to sleep it all away - but I tried to step up my reading this past week to make up for it!

Still... I think I had a rather good-looking pile of books read and reviewed. My blog almost posts by itself (which is really nice, I highly recommend the "getting ahead on posts" ambition - it pays off when you're sick!) - I just have to work on getting ahead on the Minis and Thinks.

Happy April, all! 

How Did March Go
Books Read
27 books devoured - 9 borrowed, 3 bought, 15 for review
Total To Date: 88
11 eBooks - 2 bought, 9 eARC
Total To Date: 45
18 books that were part of a series
4 YA 2011 debuts - Total To Date: 17

Books Reviewed
24 reviews posted - 12 full reviews, 12 mini-reviews - Total To Date: 67
6 *5* reviews
13 *4* reviews
5 *3* reviews
4 YA 2011 debuts

Blog Maintenance
Added more book info to reviews including publisher and release date
Review (by month) & (by author) updated 3/19

Other Blog-Related Niceties
Continued Weekly Blog Feature: Thursday Thinks
- How Do You Juggle Your Reading Pile?
- On Sequel and Series
- On Review Spoilers
- The Name Game
- The Start Of My Blog
Reviews on LibraryThing and GoodReads updated
Reviews on B&N and Amazon in progress...

Thursday Thinks #12 - Let's blog about the very beginning

Hey, lovely Readers!

So I'm scrambling for "thinks" at the moment, and I thought today it'd be fun to see how everyone stumbled across blogs - both as bloggers and blog followers. If you had told me 2 years ago that I would be running a book blog, I might have raised an eyebrow and called you crazy. I never dreamed that such a world existed where I'd find people who had mountains of books that rivaled my own and enthusiastically blogged about books.

Two years ago, I thought blogs were diaries. An way to record and share life experiences, observations, and thoughts online. I knew people who kept blogs about adoption, pregnancy, political opinions, etc. I didn't consider writing or books as blog-worthy material until FP.com writer S.J. Maas started up her LiveJournal which I started to follow and mentioned Mandy Hubbard as her inspiration. So then I read all about Mandy Hubbard's publication story - absolutely fascinating, by the way! - and proceeded to fall further into the land of book blogs as I found The Story Siren, Books By Their Cover, Presenting Lenore, and several others.

Also, I somehow discovered Felicia Day's blog after watched Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - and from there, checked out some of her book recommendations. By that time, I had started haphazardly reviewing books that included Lisa Shearin's Raine Benares series - FABULOUS :D - and let me tell you how thrilled I was when Ms. Shearin left a comment on my blog! I truly appreciated it!

I was hooked. I don't think I've ever had so much fun - or encountered so many awesome people who shared a love for books! The book bloggers are so supportive and fun - and I am always impressed with how creative you all are! The authors who have online presences are also very supportive and awesome with a capital A - and I love how generous they are with their time and talent!

Sometimes I wonder how much longer I'll be blogging and marvel at how old some of these book blogs are (or how young some of you bloggers are!). I'd like to say forever, but I'm not sure - I'll probably come and go, but I know that I love the book blogs.

I, for one, am glad I found you all. :)

How did you discover the book blogs?

What inspired you to start a blog?

---
And just for fun, here's my very first entry. I think I've shied away from work woes and focused more on books a.k.a. my happy place :)

BkRv: No, he can't read my poker face

Book Review /  
RED GLOVE

by Holly Black - @hollyblack


YA | Series Book 2

First Line (eARC) / I don't know whether it's day or night when the girl gets up to leave.

The What About / from the publisher (2nd paragraph abridged since it had WHITE CAT spoilers)

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

[Furthermore] if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue - crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too - they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone - least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

The Review / I could not wait to read Red Glove after being blown away by the ending of WHITE CAT - and let me say that Holly Black does not disappoint! She delivers a high-stakes sequel that will have readers gripping each page with anticipation as the roller-coaster suspense continues to climb uphill.

Cassel lives a glass-half-full life - his brothers have betrayed him, his mother totally ruined the love of his life, and he can no longer hide under the cloak of normalcy because he happens to be a mob boss's dream-come-true (or should I say, curse-come-true?).

So how does Cassel cope with all these unwanted - not to mention, quite unpleasant - changes in his life? How does he keep a respectful distance from Lila whom he would give anything to kiss, but whose true feelings have been replaced by false affections? How does he deal with his brothers - one who hates Cassel for ruining his plans of taking over the mob family, the other who dotes on Cassel simply because that is what his memory journals tell him is true? How does he handle his mother who means well, but simply cannot pass up a good con that involves a rich wallet?

Like its predecessor, Red Glove is one cool character that doesn't break a sweat. Holly Black sets up the stage with great meticulous care and manipulates readers right where she wants us to be - so wrapped up in the con of the story that we don't see the ending until we are there. And let me say that this also ends with  heartache that makes me want to reach out and hug Cassel until the world turns around.

I'd like to say that fans of Veronica Mars or Heist Society may delight in The Curse Workers series. Although the series may be more dark than quippy or bubbly, I think it is a perfect read if you like con games and main characters who will give their enemies a run for their money!

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED APRIL 2011 BY SIMON AND SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: WHITE CAT

Monday Mini(BkRv) :: 34 - 36

:: 34 ::

Book Review / 

Shrinking Violet
by Danielle Joseph - @daniellejoseph1


YA | Girls

First Line / Until a few years ago, I always dreamed that a radio station would be a sleek glass architectural gem on Ocean Drive.

Landing a job at the local radio station is a dream-come-true for Theresa, which surprises everyone since Theresa barely speaks up in public. Yet, behind the mic, she blossoms into sultry-voiced Sweet T. When the station hears that Theresa has no prom date yet, the DJ announces an impromptu song-writing contest for an all-inclusive prom night extravaganza. Great for ever-confident Sweet T, but bad - very bad for Theresa who still would rather melt into the wallpaper.

The Review / Shrinking Violet is sweet as tea, and as a ex-wallflower myself, I could sympathize with Theresa and her shyness. Especially when it becomes obvious that her mother cannot relate to it. I don't recall a lot of books about quiet girls, mostly the underdogs and popular ones, so I had a nice time with watching Theresa grow more confident and vocal. It's tough to break away from the wallflower schtick, but what a stress relief when you do!

---Disclaimer / Bought / eBook
---RELEASED MAY 2009 BY MTV BOOKS (SIMON & SCHUSTER)

:: 35 ::

Book Review / 

One Dance With A Duke
by Tessa Dare - @tessadare

Romance | Historical | Series Book 1

First Line /

Blackberry glaze.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Amelia d'Orsay suppressed a small cry of jubilation. Even at a rout like this one, a well-bred lady's abrupt shout of joy was likely to draw notice, and Amelia did not care to explain herself to the crush of young ladies surrounding her. Especially when the reason for her delight was not a triumph at the card table or a proposal of marriage, but rather the completion of a dinner menu.

Amelia could care less for dances, but someone had to keep an eye on her wayward brother who has a tendency to gamble more than what he actually has. This time he's deep in debt with the Duke of Midnight. Since the Duke only arrives to balls at midnight and strictly stays for but one dance, Amelia usurps that dance to discuss her brother's debt and finds that the strange Duke is more than she bargained for.

The Review / I had read One Dance first before Twice Tempted, but loved the latter so much that I had to review it first in December. One Dance was also amazing in its own right, and I loved the Duke of Midnight and his reason of dancing only one dance at midnight. I can sympathize with him! The main series plot gets introduced here with involves a murder mystery, but does not get resolved for obvious reasons. I thought it was a little strange to leave it hanging at the end of One Dance although the romance gets resolved wonderfully, but I guess that's how it's supposed to work for this series!

---Disclaimer / Bought / eBook
---RELEASED MAY 2010 BY RANDOM HOUSE
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: TWICE TEMPTED BY A ROGUE, THREE NIGHTS WITH A SCOUNDREL

:: 36 ::

Book Review / 

The Shifter
by Janice Hardy - @Janice_Hardy


YA | Fantasy | Series Book 1

First Line / Stealing eggs is a lot harder than stealing a whole chicken.

Nya has the power to take people's physical pain away by absorbing it herself, but unlike the trained Healers who can then move it into the metal pynvium, Nya has to either bear the pain or shift it to another person. Which is illegal, not to mention ethically questionable. Yet she lives in desperate times where families will do anything to save a loved one, even take on their pain. If caught, Nya can get into serious trouble. Even more worrisome is the fact that there is a pynvium shortage and the trained Healers - including her sister Tali - are disappearing without reason.

The Review / I highly recommend checking out The Shifter, especially if you are interested in how to steal eggs because it sounds rather fascinating! :) Janice Hardy sets up a truly riveting world where pain becomes a commodity - an illegal substance, almost - and cranks up the action and suspense as to how this perfect world is slowly crumbling down. I sometimes felt overwhelmed by all the plot points - keeping track of all those involved and what Nya has to deal with next, but I'm thinking that this laid foundation for the sequel which should be packed with action!

---Disclaimer / Bought / eBook
---RELEASED OCTOBER 2009 BY BALZAR+BRAY (HARPERCOLLINS)
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: BLUE FIRE, DARKFALL

BkRv: Stuck between an affair and a marriage proposal

Book Review / 

An Affair Without End
by Candace Camp - @campcandace


Romance | Historical | Series Book 3

First Line / London was cold, damp, and dirty. And Lady Vivian Carlyle was delighted to be there.

 








The What About / from Publishers Weekly

Camp concludes the Willowmere trilogy (A Lady Never Tells, A Gentleman Always Remembers) with this delightful romantic mystery. Lady Vivian Carlyle, steadfastly single at 28, has always lived by her own rules. When she approaches her childhood friend Oliver, the earl of Stewkesbury, and proposes an affair, he is aghast. Bachelor Oliver is polite and stuffy—hardly a likely match for vivacious Vivian—but he can't deny their mutual attraction. Meanwhile, polite society is plagued by jewelry thefts, and when Vivian is asked to recover a family friend's missing brooch, she and Oliver are thrown headfirst into cunning intrigue. With clever and witty banter, sharp attention to detail, and utterly likable characters (including Oliver's brash American cousin Camellia and Vivian's brother Gregory, who enjoy their own warm and surprising romance), Camp is at the top of her game.

The Review / It has been far too long since I last read a romance by Candace Camp - if only because I had overdosed on the genre and pretty much fell out of love, so to speak. An Affair Without End had sounded too good to resist, and let me say that I am now staring at my copy longingly because a re-read seems to also be hard to resist!

Compared to Francesca from The Courtship Wager (Matchmakers series), Vivian will certainly match Francesca in her feisty zest for the ton and perhaps even kick it up a notch as she challenges society's rules for a well-bred lady. She had cajones, dear Readers, and Oliver never stood a chance of resisting her scandalous proposition! I loved their witty banters and snipes at each other - a perfect historical romance full of fluff and fun that warmed me like hot chocolate!

I'm not sure if I will chase after the first 2 books of the series - they could be fun, but I've been down that road before (reading the last book and then starting at the beginning) and I think I prefer basking in the afterglow of An Affair Without End for a little while longer. I love Vivian and Oliver - not to mention, Camellia and Gregory - too much to let them go for their earlier selves. What I appreciate about Ms. Camp is that she writes series, but each book can definitely stand by itself with no major cliff-hangers to worry over.


---Disclaimer / Publisher
---RELEASED MARCH 2011 BY POCKET BOOKS (SIMON & SCHUSTER)
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: A LADY NEVER TELLS, A GENTLEMAN NEVER FORGETS

Thursday Thinks #11 - The Name Game

Okay, not really a game, but more an observation. I am sure that it's not intentional on anyone's part, but as a reader, it's a little bizarre to read 3 books in the past month that has the same name for their female leads. What are the chances of that? I haven't a clue.

The name is Evie. Pretty cute name, I think, and I would have said not very common until this past month. Where have I spotted this name?

• Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
• This Girl Is Different by J.J. Johnson
• Swept Off Her Feet by Hester Browne

All very different books. All released different times. All read, however, at around the same time.

Is there such a thing as "hot names" in books as there are for naming actual babies?

I think the name Janie and Parker might be making a comeback - I've been noticing that they've been popping up here and there for a while. It is a little interesting since I'm sure authors are very aware of what names might cause an eyebrow raise such as Bella, Romeo, Katniss, Cinderella, Buffy, etc. I'm also sure that it's not a major issue of using the "popular" names as long as their characters totally own it. All 3 Evies had strong personalities, and there is no way I would have mixed any of them up.

Anyhow, just a random (and short) thought. Thanks for reading!

What names have you been seeing left and right?

What do you consider a "hot name" that authors want to think twice before using?
...Or should authors even worry a lot about using "popular names"?

BkRv: Here's me using AWESOMESAUCE in a review

Book Review /  

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

by A.S. King - @AS_King

YA

First Line (ARC) / The pastor is saying something about how Charlie was a free spirit. He was and he wasn't. He was free because on the inside he was tied up in knots. He lived hard because inside he was dying. Charlie made inner conflict look delicious.

The What About / from the publisher

Vera's spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she's kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.

So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?

Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising.

The Review / Please Ignore Vera Dietz is AWESOMESAUCE that will definitely make you wanting some pizza while reading! Take heed, dear Readers, that you might want to arm yourself with pizza before taking on A.S. King's sophomore release. I had been worried that nothing could top D100D - I mean, who can really best pirates? - but seriously I think Vera Dietz can kick their booties out of the ballpark!

No pirates to be had here, but Vera Dietz has enough on her plate to deal with! Her best friend died, but before that he really screwed her up and now she has to face the world alone. Please Ignore Vera Dietz is not simply about Vera - it involves her single dad who is trying to do right by her, the dead best friend who is trying to make amends through ghostly means, the pagoda who overlooks the neighborhood, and Vera's younger self who tries to describer her relationship with Charlie. I got drawn deeper and deeper into the story as Ms. King danced in and out of the many different perspectives.

It's hard to pinpoint what exactly I loved about Please Ignore Vera Dietz. Vera's narration just flowed really smoothly, and you can't help but love her quirkiness. Her relationship with Charlie is larger-than-life, and I couldn't help but wish that Charlie was still alive. And don't get me started on the flowcharts - if you love flowcharts, then you definitely need to check these out! Hilarious! Not to mention that Ms. King kindly gave a shout-out to the Boys from the Dwarf - and I had to giggle because I am a fan!

This book definitely is MAGIC, pure and simple, and I really really really hope you pick up a copy right now because it'll be like meeting a long-lost friend!

---Disclaimer / Bookswap'd
---RELEASED OCTOBER 2010 BY RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN'S

BkRv: Please don't feed the goblins!

Book Review / 

Tyger Tyger
by Kersten Hamilton - @KerstenHamilton


YA | Fantasy | Series Book 1

First Line (eARC) / Please, Teagan Wylltson's fingers curled in American Sign Language as she spoke. Trade sweater for banana? She leaned over the fence around the chimp enclosure. Come on, Cindy, she coaxed. Be a good girl. Trade.

 








The What About / from the publisher

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures—goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty—are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

The Review / Amazing dive into Celtic mythology that definitely left me aching for more! Tyger Tyger was such an unexpected delight that I am surprised that I waited so long to finally read it! Right from the start, Teagan is such a fascinating character - and her family and best friend seem just as colorful! I mean, how cool is it that she gets to talk to chimps via sign language? Super-awesome! And I really adore her family - her father and his quirky bookish humor; her little brother who hates Elvis impersonators; her mother who writes and illustrates children's books!

Unfortunately the goblins soon take over the story - and pretty much turns Tea's world upside-down and wreaks havoc on her family, work, and nearly everything normal in her life.

Tyger Tyger has such a richness in its story that will resonate with anyone who loves a good mythology. Kersten Hamilton's writing captured the very essence of all things Irish in my opinion (not that I am Irish by any means), all beautiful and mysterious and achingly, dangerously heart-breaking. The story kept me on my toes and I can't count how many times I held my breath in fear for Teagan, Finn, and company! I was surprised at all the different places Tyger Tyger took us, but it was hard to mind since I was too wrapped up in all the excitement!

Tyger Tyger is a definite WIN - and I hope that we get to see more of this gorgeous world that Ms. Hamilton has dreamed up!

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED NOVEMBER 2010 BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT

Monday Mini(BkRv) :: 31 - 33

:: 31 ::

Book Review / 

Paranormalcy
by Kiersten White - @kierstenwhite

YA | Fantasy | Series Book 1

First Line / "Wait - did you - You just yawned!" The vampire's arms, raised over his head in the classic Dracula pose, dropped to his sides. He pulled his exaggerated white fangs back behind his lips. "What, imminent death isn't exciting enough for you?"

"Normal" in Evie's world involves tagging supernaturals like vampires and hags and carrying around a blinged-out taser. It does not include having a school locker or hanging out with friends on a Saturday night. When the Agency captures a shape-shifter who happens to be Evie's age and somehow supernaturals are found dead without reason, Evie finds herself a far cry from the usual "paranormalcy" and isn't sure if "normal" will any safer.

The Review / Paranormalcy is like a piece of hot pink bubblegum wrapped in a sparkly foil tied up with a flirty bow and stuffed in Buffy Summer's locker. I'm sure that makes absolutely no sense, but I'm going to roll with it for lack of any better way to say GO AND READ THIS BOOK FOR THE LOVE OF BUFFY! Not as fast-paced or action-packed as Angelfire, but definitely a joyride that will make you giggle and sigh and gasp and hold breath as Evie learns the truth of her origin and what that means for all supernaturals in her midst.

---Disclaimer / Bought
---RELEASED AUGUST 2010 BY HARPERTEEN
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: SUPERNATURALLY

:: 32 ::

Book Review / 

The Julian Game
by Adele Griffin - @adelegriffin


YA

First Line / "This is the craziest idea you ever had," said Natalya.

Raye and her best friend Natalya create a fake Facebook profile for kicks. When queen bee Ella learns about it and wants to use it as a way to humiliate her ex Julian for dumping her, Raye finds herself torn between entering the Inner Circle of Popularity and finally getting attention from Julian albeit through a false identity. After all things are said and done, will Raye come out the victor - or will she be left to rot after Ella and Julian get done with her?

The Review / I expected something different from what I got from The Julian Game, and I have to admit that I was a tad bit disappointed. From the sounds of it, I thought there'd be more hijinks, more girl in electric blue wigs, more to the fake Facebook profile - but no, not really. The Julian Game isn't perfect, but I think there lies its beauty. The characters seemed genuine in their imperfections - and their actions (or lack of) seemed to speak volumes as they decided whether to fight against or simply accept the bullying that ensues as Ella targets Raye. 

---Disclaimer / Borrowed
---RELEASED AUGUST 2010 BY G.P. PUTNAM'S SON (PENGUIN GROUP)

:: 33 ::

Book Review /  
Anna and the French Kiss 

by Stephanie Perkins - @naturallysteph 

YA | Girls | Series Book 1

First Line / Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amélie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napolean, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings named Louis. I'm not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day. The art museum is called the Louvre and it's shaped like a pyramid and the Mona Lisa lives there along with that statue of the woman missing her arms. And there are cafés or bistros or whatever they call them on every street corner. And mimes. The food is supposed to be good, and the people drink a lot of wine and smoke a lot of cigarettes.

Anna gets shipped off to a Parisian boarding school for her senior year in high school, which should be a dream-come-true - but honestly? Her life in the States was on the verge of perfection, especially since her crush was finally going somewhere. Yet Anna finds herself falling in love with the City of Love, its customs, and more importantly Etienne St. Clair. The only trouble is: He's already found his love, and it's not Anna. But should it be?

The Review / I'll keep this short since the "first line" is long, but really that paragraph and the following 2 pages is what hooked me. Anna and the French Kiss took me through a Tunnel Of Love that felt more like a whirlwind as emotions itched to break free, but kept painfully in check. Beautiful, provocative, fun, and wonderfully real in its feelings - definitely a date-worthy book that will give you both tears of sadness and joy by the last page!

---Disclaimer / Bought
---RELEASED DECEMBER 2010 BY DUTTON BOOKS (PENGUIN)
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: LOLA AND THE THE BOY NEXT DOOR

BkRv: Not at all withering - but it will make you thirst for more!

Book Review / 

WITHER
by Lauren DeStefano - @LaurenDeStefano

YA | Girls | Dystopia | Series Book 1

First Line (eARC) / I wait. They keep us in the dark for so long that we lose sense of our eyelids. We sleep huddled together like rats, staring out, and dream of our bodies swaying.

 








The What About / from the publisher

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape - before her time runs out?

 The Review / WITHER is absolutely, without a ounce of doubt, magical - and even more amazing since it doesn't rely on any magic of any sort to keep us wrapped around its story. The characters will keep you on your toes with worry, anticipation, horror, sadness, and most of all curiosity.

Such a strange world that Lauren DeStefano has dreamed up - such a strange and horrific world where children die so young and so tragically. I can hardly imagine what a short lifespan would be like. Truly it's startling to think that I could be dead in Rhine's world, and it really makes you look at your life and wonder how much you are making of it.

Rhine and her sister-wives are trapped in a house to be basically broodmares, and their husband is nice enough but obviously blinded by the evil machinations of his scientist-father who really runs the show and keeps everyone under lock and key. Despite the differences among the sister-wives, they all find solace and companionship in each other - although eventually they will all betray each other in some fashion.

Their relationships with Linden are also pretty interesting, fluctuating between love and hate and resignation. Rhine has the most tenuous relationship out of the three. She yearns for freedom and will play by the rules to earn enough trust to venture outside, but she hesitates when she starts to know Linden and how vulnerable he truly is.

Ms. DeStefano crafted such a marvelous story where nothing seems real and everyone is trapped by the power of the ticking clock, whether they pay attention to it or not. WITHER will make you look twice at your watch and make sure you set your priorities straight!

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED MARCH 2011 BY SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S

Thursday Thinks #10 - Oh, the Spoils of Reviews!

Many of us out there, wherever "there" may be for you, review books on a regular basis. Some longer than others, some more eloquently than others, some more critically, more vaguely, more honestly, more spoiler-y. In short, our reviews are all different, unique to the individual who dares to post their thoughts publicly.

I am by far not the best reviewer. I'd like to think I am average, but I cannot help but feel a little lost as to what is considered TMI / spoiler, especially when I am trying to justify my reactions to the story. I hope that I trend towards being vague, but I know there are some reviews where there is no way I could have been too vague if I wanted to convey my thoughts to the best of my abilities.

I can ask anyone and everyone how I can improve my reviews, but honestly I probably will not change what I do only because I don't really have a set formula. Sometimes I talk about character development or romantic entanglements. Other times I am simply enthusiastic and won't exactly say why, but that YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.

Or I can mention a part of the book that startled me because it was a touchy subject to read about and digest. Wouldn't you want to know if this book had a rape, murder, suicide, or other equally-startling scene - especially if the jacket or backcover summary makes no mention of it? The scene may not be the main focus (oftentimes it can serve as a catalyst or influence on the characters), but it is still there within the pages. When I review, should I refer to it as a *SPOILER* scene that made me want to cry for the character and stab the attacker in the eye?

I could try to put a SPOILER ALERT, but that is hard to do when I don't know if it is one - especially if I am writing about it to serve a purpose for my review. Would blog readers prefer the general reactions - the oohs and aahs and not-my-cups-of-tea? Would they like a fair warning of what they might expect, teasing hints of what to expect? I know that I like to know what I'm getting myself into, especially when the scene may be strikingly realistic to the point of terrifying. I like to prepare myself mentally to read it.

What do you consider as spoilers?
How much is too much? How vague is too vague?

BkRv: If this is ten miles, I'd run faster and farther!

Book Review / 

Ten Miles Past Normal
by Frances O'Roark Dowell - (@ none found)

YA | Girls

First Line (eARC) / No one can figure out where the terrible smell is coming from, but everyone on the bus this morning can smell it and has an opinion.

 








The What About / in my own words

Living on a farm seemed SO cool when you're 9-years-old, but come high school where smelling like goat poop is like social suicide, Janie wishes that her young, naive self had never convinced her parents to uproot their lives and move to the countryside. High school wants normal, and Janie is afraid that she has a long ways to go before she gets there. While she tries to fit in and catch the boy of her dreams, what happens when Janie discovers that it's much more interesting to be not normal and having friends with names like Monster and Verbena?

The Review / Ten Miles Past Normal is one of those books where I got really sad when the last page came and had to leave all these interesting characters behind! This is definitely a book for anyone who went through high school feeling out of place but - hopefully, eventually, unexpectedly, happily - found a niche to call their own.

Janie was such an excellent character! She was funny, easy to relate with, creative, level-headed, endearing, and when she finally found her groove in high school, Janie definitely became a rockstar - or she definitely had the makings of one (I say that because the ending really leaves it up in the air). Her family were interesting, her new friends were interesting, her best friend was interesting - seriously, Frances O'Roark Dowell has brought to life such fascinating characters that I wish they had gone to MY high school.

What's unusual is that there really isn't any major romance arc. I say "unusual" because I like to have a little romance to further whet my curiosity. While I kept my eye out for one and thought there could have been one, Ten Miles Past Normal didn't need one. Janie didn't really need a guy. I didn't really need the romance to drive a story. The characters, like I said, really took off with the story and I gladly followed their lead! It was refreshing, truth be told, to see how Janie carved her own place in the world, without the support of a love interest and the distracting desire to have one.

A really great contemporary, Ten Miles Past Normal delighted me with its larger-than-life characters and brought back fond memories of me not being normal during high school.

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED MARCH 2011 BY SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S

Monday Mini(BkRv) :: 28 - 30

:: 28 ::

Book Review / 

The Finishing Touches
by Hester Browne - @hesterbrowne

Chick Lit

First Line / "Betsy, if you want a sneaky cry at weddings and funerals, dye your lashes." That was probably one of the best tips Franny gave me, out of the thousands she'd passed on, over twenty-seven happy years.

Betsy thought she left her Little Orphan Annie in a Marmalade Box in the past until she finds herself back at the finishing school for a memorial service for her foster mother Lady Franny Phillimore. Had her real mother been a student at the school? As Betsy sets out to uncover the truth of how she came to be abandoned on the doorstep, she is also tasked to saving the school from bankruptcy by replacing its antiquated curriculum of flower-arranging and table-setting with more practical courses on balancing budget and acceptable dating practices for the modern-day young women.

The Review / I had been delighted to spot this Hester Browne book on the shelf since I had loved The Little Lady Agency series and despaired that it had ended a few years ago! While The Finishing Touches holds a completely different story with new characters, Ms. Browne's writing still sparkles with the same delightful fun I have come to adore! I enjoyed Betsy and many Franny-isms that she shared and tweaked to fit the modern times! Manners, once learned and mastered, are definitely timeless - and I would have definitely loved to attend the Phillimore Academy for Young Ladies!

---Disclaimer / Bought
---RELEASED JUNE 2009 BY SIMON & SCHUSTER

:: 29 ::

Book Review / 

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior
by Maureen McGowan - @MaureenMcGowan


YA | Series Book ?

First Line (eARC) / Cinderella's shoulders quivered with fatigue as she tipped the twenty-seventh wooden bucket into her stepmother's bath.

A choose-your-own-journey-to-the-happy-ending version of the ever-popular Cinderella fairy tale, but with a heroine who has magical talents of her own not to mention some wicked ninja skills and a Prince Charming who certainly has a heart of gold!

The Review / Somehow I missed the memo that this is a choose-your-own-adventure book, so I'll warn you now, dear Readers, that you are in charge of Cinderella's fate! She can be as bold and daring as you like her to be, or she can play fiddle to her wicked stepmother who keeps her on a tight, enchanted leash. Whilte there were no crazy ninja sequences (which, I admit, was why I wanted to read this book), I still enjoyed the characters and wished there had been more time to explore their personalities!

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED APRIL 2011 BY SILVER DOLPHIN BOOKS
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: SLEEPING BEAUTY: VAMPIRE SLAYER

:: 30 ::

Book Review / 

Passion Play
by Beth Bernobich - @beth_bernobich

Fantasy | Series Book 1

First Line / In the game of word links, a large vocabulary was not always an advantage.

To be free from an father with anger management issues and an impending marriage to a man who makes her blood run cold, how dear of a price will Therez Zhalina pay for the sake of never returning home? Her body, her dignity, her soul? Under a new identity as Ilse, she finds an unexpected refuge in a pleasure house whose owner makes no demands from her. However, she finds that Lord Kosenmark is more than he appears to be - and she falls into the intricate dance of politics and intrigue that hint at an impending power-struggle.

The Review / I had hoped that Passion Play would be similar to Troubled Waters, but instead the beginning quickly dissipated that thought! What happens to Therez may leave you queasy when she gets horribly taken advantage of, but after that point, the story takes a turn for the better as Ilse dives into Lord Kosenmark's political agenda.  All in all, Passion Play is the most realistic fantasy that I have encountered that dares to tackle the worst-case-scenario of what happens to a naive daughter from a wealthy merchant family, but thankfully in the end allows her to recover in an inspiring manner.

---Disclaimer / Library
---RELEASED OCTOBER 2010 BY TOR
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: QUEEN'S HUNT, ALLEGIANCE, THE EDGE OF THE EMPIRE

BkRv: I'm the shadow on the ground, I'm the Vespers in the wind

Book Review / 

The Vespertine

by Saundra Mitchell - @SaundraMitchell

YA | Girls | Historical 


First Line (eARC) / I woke in Oakhaven, entirely ruined.

 








The What About / from the publisher

It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

The Review / This is the first Saundra Mitchell book that I have read, but what an introduction! The Vespertine is fantastic read with all the good trimmings of scandalous romance and mysterious premonitions that come calling at sunset. Right from the get-go, Amelia draws us into the middle of her story where she is basically locked away by her brother for doing something unspeakable - and from there, we get thrown back to the beginning and race through the pages with breathless curiosity. Almost like the girl on the cover, though I'm still not sure why she's running exactly...

I fell in love with the characters and writing - not to mention the time period that Ms. Mitchell chose to set the story in! Very lush, very provocative, very tempestuous. I have a fondness for calling cards and dances, not to mention handsomely-dressed men! :) It was fun to follow Amelia and her cousin Zora around as they got measured for gowns and spied on boys under the pretense of picnicking or walking. 

The Vespertine reminded me a little of The Witch Of Blackbird Pond which is one of my favorite childhood classics that I haven't read for a long, long time. Amelia's arrival to Baltimore as the "new girl" reminded me about Kit's arrival to Connecticut from Barbados, although Amelia managed to keep her tongue in check most of the time.

As far as Amelia's Vesper visions go, I felt that this aspect of the story was a little downplayed and perhaps left open to interpretation as to the why and the what happens next. I was a little surprised at how things turned out for Amelia and her visions - I had expected a little more severe consequence based on the time period, but a different route had been taken. Not to mention Nathaniel's secret - I am more than curious about what's going on with him! Overall I think her Vesper visions played an important part in the story, but they weren't the important part of Amelia's life - at least, not until they foretold of dark futures.

There will be a companion piece to The Vespertine, but I'm not sure if it will be directly related to Amelia or Nathaniel. From the looks of it, it might be of different story altogether - but I would think a "companion" might have cameos? We shall see in 2012!

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED MARCH 2011 BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
---OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: THE SPRINGSWEET

Thursday Thinks #9 - Here a sequel, there a sequel, everywhere a sequel, sequel!

This is probably old news, but has anyone been keeping track of how many books that are ending in "to be continued..." lately? What happened to all the standalone books? Are they becoming extinct? Is writing a series is becoming the new expectation?

This year alone I have read at least 10 books that are the 1st in their series with the sequel in progress. Don't get me wrong - Series are great! They keep the readers engaged in the world and characters that the author has imagined. Sequels can allow readers to give the author and world a second chance to see if this is a series worth following. There are books where I did not feel too keen on Book One, but fell madly in love with its sequel. For instance, I was not hooked on The Darkest Power series until I read The Awakening (Book Two) where things started to fall together and characters came to life. On the flip side, I have read sequels that did not meet my high expectations after loving Book One.

There are several books that I left with the expectation of a sequel based on how it ended, but there are also other books that I leave with a sense of satisfaction of a story well done. Examples include if i stay, Delirium, and Outside In. Books that are good enough to stand alone, although a sequel may be welcomed (and for these examples, a sequel has happened or will be). drought, as far as I know, is a standalone at the moment. Does it leave us with questions? Oh, most definitely! But can I live with not knowing the answers? Certainly. The ending leaves it vague enough for any possible continuation, but a sequel is not absolutely necessary if it does not happen.

Series are a good thing, depending on the story, but it gets a little harrowing to not only keep track of release dates of the next book, but also reading with the knowledge that you may be left on a cliff-hanger at the end. This especially sucks when Book One just got released, and Book Two may take a year or so for its appearance. Which is why standalone books are sometimes a relief to read! Here is a book that will tell the entire story - or at least, has the good sense of not leaving you on a major To Be Continued... I don't have to worry about forgetting to track down the sequels. I can just savor the moment and move onto the next book.

What do you all think about sequels and series?

Do you think standalone books are a thing of the past?

BkRv: My heart spins right round, baby

Book Review / 

Swept Off Her Feet
by Hester Browne - @hesterbrowne

Chick Lit

First Line / Everyone has a weakness. Some people have a weakness for champagne cocktails. Or older men with French accents.

My weakness is old French champagne glasses. Preferably ones that have seen a bit of apres-midnight action. Or English pub glasses with real Victorian air bubbles, or those 1950s Babycham glasses with the cute little faun.

Any kind of glass, actually, they don't have to match.

Old sunglasses too, come to think of it. Also, gloves (satin evening ones, especially), vintage wedding photos, fountain pens, trophies for long-forgotten tournaments, postcards...

Okay, fine.

My name is Evie Nicholson, and I am addicted to The Past.

 








The What About / from the publisher

Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value.

Alice Nicholson is in love . . . with Fraser Graham, a dashing Scotsman whom Evie secretly desires. As crisply neat and stylish as Evie is cheerfully cluttered, Alice is a professional organizer determined to pull her sister out of her comfort zone—and who presents her with an irresistible offer.

As a favor to friends of Fraser’s family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews’ family treasures—and dusty secrets?

But crossing paths with moody heir Robert McAndrew has Evie assessing what she wants the most . . . and at an upcoming candlelight gala, a traditional dance will set her heart reeling.

The Review / True to its title, Swept Off Her Feet will sweep readers off their feet and transport them back to a time where Scottish reels had been used as a form of flirtation and courtship! Hester Browne has outdone herself with this latest release - and she has definitely left me breathless as if I myself danced the entire night away (instead of staying up to finish this book!).

Evie is a girl after my own heart, wrapped up in the beauty of years past, ballgowns and porcelain cups and dancing cards, although she lives in the here and now. With nightmares of childhood dance classes ending with broken legs and bruises, she is hardly the person to jump at the chance of dancing in a Scottish reel where the men spin the women around as fast as they are able. She was a romantic who had been tossed into a historical castle crumbling with history, and in her eyes it was bubbling with hidden romance and mystery!

Hester Browne had me laughing at the very start of Swept Off Her Feet with the opening page (see above), and I was literally reeled into the life of Evie with no hope of escaping. Her writing is charming and delightful, and the romance that unfolds is simply too fun for words! I couldn't help but sympathize with Evie about being born in the wrong time period and fall hopelessly in love with both Robert and Fraser.

If you are looking for a modern-day fairy tale where a magical night of dancing may lead to unexpected romance, then pick up a copy of Swept Off Her Feet, admire the plaid peeptoe heels that the cover model is wearing, and prepare yourself for all-nighter with some rather lovable characters who may or may not be wearing kilts!

---Disclaimer / Publisher
---RELEASED MARCH 2011 BY SIMON & SCHUSTER

BkRv: I know who I want to take me home

Book Review / 

where she went
by Gayle Forman - @gayleforman

YA | Series Book 2

First Line (ARC) / Every morning I wake up and I tell myself this: It's just one day, one twenty-four-hour period to get yourself through. I don't know when exactly I started giving myself this daily pep talk - or why.

 








The What About / from the publisher

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined if i stay, where she went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

The Review / To be truthful, I was content with leaving Mia and Adam at the end of if i stay - and I still am. Yet knowing that they had parted paths between then and now, I have to admit to having a little curiosity on the why of where she went. Considering the magnitude of what Mia had gone through, I was shocked to learn that she had been the one to leave Adam in the dust. One can say that Gayle Forman did warn us so, but I didn't think Mia would do it!

where she went crams what went on those 3 years and how alone Adam has become in his rise to rockstar status. Seeing through Adam's eyes is a little disconcerting, especially seeing how superstitious and anxious he is. In Mia's world albeit 3 years ago, Adam seemed untouched by popularity, sure of himself, the coolest of the cool. Through his eyes, he seems every bit as unsure and lost as Mia had been - and, unlike Mia, no hope that will save him.

Ms. Forman crafted a very careful story - one that will keep you on the edge of your chair, your heart carefully guarded for what's to come with this reunion between Adam and Mia. Each has moved on with their lives, forgotten each other as much as they are able to forget someone who once meant the world to them, grown up in separate directions - will they simply reminisce for one night and then part ways, or will they rediscover a love that transcends time and life?

I didn't think this sequel was quite as stunning and breath-taking as if i stay - mostly because everything seems to pale in comparison to Mia's life-or-death experience. However, on its own merit, without regard to the characters' backgrounds (that is, if it had been anyone other than Adam and Mia), where she went captures another powerful life experience that I think people can still relate to. Of love that was crushed, lost, left behind - and the story of finding it again and deciding if it was meant to last forever or tucked gently back into the pockets of fond memories.

---Disclaimer / Publisher
---RELEASED APRIL 2011 BY PENGUIN GROUP
---OTHER BOOKS IN SERIES: IF I STAY

Monday Mini(BkRv) :: 25 - 27

:: 25 ::

Book Review / 

everything I was
by Corinne Demas - @corinnedemas


YA | Girls

First Line (eARC)/ They dismantled my brass canopy bed and carried it out, a man in front and a man in back.

When her father loses his job, Irene goes from a lifestyle for the rich and fabulous (a.k.a Upper West Side) to one with far less and so far away from civilization. Yet her grandfather's farmhouse proves to be the most peace Irene has had in a long time. The trouble is: Her mom refuses to settle into this quiet, rustic lifestyle and pushes for a move back into the city, even if it goes beyond what they can afford. 

The Review / everything I was is a charming read with a refreshing main character who has a solid head on her shoulders. It shouldn't surprise me, but when I think about anything NYC-related, I picture Gossip Girl and materialistic dreams and hopes. Stereotypes, I know, and Irene's mom fit into that mold! Irene took the lifestyle changes in stride, and it was great to watch her realize that she must speak up if she wants to be heard, especially when her future seems to be out-of-control.

---Disclaimer / Publisher / eARC
---RELEASED APRIL 2011 BY LERNER PUBLISHING COMPANY

:: 26 ::

Book Review / 

The Spirit Eater
by Rachel Aaron - @Rachel_Aaron


Fantasy | Series Book 3

First Line / The great hall of the Shapers had been flung open to let in the wounded.

Eli Monpress and company have hit a rough patch, both professionally and personally. Their priorities are conflicted - Eli wants to up his bounty, but swordsman Josef wants to help Nico fight her inner demon...literally. They don't really have to much to time to reconcile their differing opinions since everyone seems to be after them - Miranda, Izo the Bandit King, the League Of Storms, the Spirit Court, nameless bounty hunters, to name a few - and, unlike before, these folks know where to find the thieves and how to keep a hold of them!

The Review / Oh, what happened to the good old days when I watched Eli Monpress charm doors off their hinges? Gone, but in place of it is one hell of a plot waiting to be thickened! The Spirit Eater takes us deeper into the rabbit hole of this delightful world of magic where no one is who they seem to be and everything seems to be bent on colliding! I'm half-afraid to see where Rachel Aaron will take us in the 4th installment - but I am certain that it will rock this world!

---Disclaimer / Bought
---RELEASED DECEMBER 2010 BY ORBIT BOOKS
---OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES: THE SPIRIT THIEF, THE SPIRIT REBELLION

:: 27 ::

Book Review / 

Bloodhound
by Tamora Pierce

YA | Girls | Fantasy | Series Book 2

First Line / I should have known tonight's watch would kiss the mule's bum when Sergeant Ahuda stopped me after baton training. 

False coins seem to be trickling into Corus, and the Dogs track down the scent in Port Caynn's gambling circles. Along with her mentor, Beka goes undercover in hopes of sniffing out the culprits, but when romance fills the air in the form of a charming gambler, will he keep Beka distracted from sniffing out the counterfeiting ring? 

The Review / I am still wrapping my head around this Tortall series where magic and knights aren't running amok, and I am still waiting to see the family connection between George and Beka. Bloodhound continues its trek through the grittier side of Tortall as the police and criminals keep each other on their toes. The writing is superb, but I sometimes wish it was a little more light-hearted and included more Rosto and his Rogue Court. Perhaps next time?

---Disclaimer / Bought
---RELEASED APRIL 2009 BY RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN'S BOOKS
---OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES: TERRIER