Book Review: Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent; by Bill Peet

   I was attracted by the cute.. I mean handsome illustration of the green serpent, who turned out to be Cyrus, the main character of this picture book. Yup, I have weird cute level taste. Anyhoo, honestly, it horrifies me Cyrus was pressured into being violent by the other creatures. And of course, *click* excellent teaching tool for the kids while having fun reading this one.
   I am in love with the beautiful illustrations, and I actually feel for Cyrus in the book. It is beautifully written and the kids would love to read this with their parents or by themselves. 

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
By Bill Peet

A shark accuses Cyrus of cowardice because he won't sink any ships. The kindly sea serpent almost succumbs to peer pressure, but learns at last to be himself.

Finished Reading: 13th December 2014
Acquire: 16th August 2014
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Release Day }  26thth April 1982
Publisher } HMH Books for Young Readers 
Format } Paperback
ISBN } 9780395313893
Pages } 48 pages
Source } Borrowed
Age Group } Children
Get your own copy } Paperback

Read More

Book Review: The Haunted Library; by Dori Hillestad Butler

   I was looking for a new series to indulge for the kids at work, and I’ve bumped up onto this. Cute, it’s about a library and it happens to be haunted. Sorry, can’t get the job pun off my system in this one. It’s like reading Casper meets Ghost Whisperer, except Kaz (the ghost) is wee afraid to learn most of the ghostly abilities, like going through a wall, which is kind of ridiculous. See? If I am emotional about that part, the kids might actually enjoy this book.
   Plot is easy to follow and pretty much attached to any reader who picked it up. Characters are real enough that it pulled you into the story. The illustrations. What can I say about them. I love it! It’s a wonderful start for this series, and I would love to follow through this series. Can’t wait for the next one!
The Haunted Library
(Haunted Library #1)
By Dori Hillestad Butler

When ghost boy Kaz’s haunt is torn down and he is separated from his ghost family, he meets a real girl named Claire, who lives above the town library with her parents and her grandmother. Claire has a special ability to see ghosts when other humans cannot and she and Kaz quickly form a friendship. The two join forces to solve the mystery of the ghost that’s haunting the library. Could it be one of Kaz’s lost family members?

Finished Reading: 23rd December 2014
Acquire: 16th August 2014
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Children | Mystery | Supernatural
Release Day }  14th August 2014
Publisher } Grosset & Dunlap
Format } Paperback
ISBN } 9780448462424
Pages } 128 pages
Source } Bought for BND $8.00
Age Group } Middle Schooler
Get your own copy } Paperback | Kindle

Read More

Book Review: The School Is Alive; by Jack Chabert

I was intrigue. Come on, it sounded like RL Stine all over. If you grow up reading these you would understand why. I just got to pick this one up! It’s a worth fit read. Hey, I just spent 3 months reading the same book, I needed a quick read, to rush the last one down.

Plot is fast and the characters are.. how do I say.. cute? Even the location is a character on it’s own. the storyline ran fast and kept the short attention span kids to actually read it to the end. I can only say, it’s like Hogwarts.. a homicidal Hogwarts, minus the magic ingredient. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I refer you back to Harry Potter.

To top this one off, I am so.. looking forward to the next book; (and trying to get a copy for my school library).

The School Is Alive!
By Jack Chabert

Eerie Elementary is one scary school!
This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!
In this first book in the series, Sam Graves discovers that his elementary school is ALIVE! Sam finds this out on his first day as the school hall monitor. Sam must defend himself and his fellow students against the evil school! Is Sam up to the challenge? He'll find out soon enough: the class play is just around the corner. Sam teams up with friends Lucy and Antonio to stop this scary school before it's too late!

Finished Reading: 22nd December 2014
Acquire: 21st December 2014
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Children | Mystery | Supernatural
Release Day }  24th June 2014
Publisher } Scholastic
Format } Paperback
ISBN } 9780545623926
Pages } 96 pages
Source } Bought for BND $8.00
Age Group } Middle Schooler
Get your own copy } Paperback Kindle

Read More

Book Review: The Pact; by Jodi Picoult

   This has been on my shelves for a bit, until Lifetime Channel showed the movie version of this book. I was incredibly hook and armed with the knowledge, the book version must be better and of course, it is Jodi Picoult, so that means it ran differently. I was right.

   The book is frustratingly good. (Yes, using the word “frustrating”). Regardless, reading this book throughout 3 months (I was busy with work and life), I found it kind of riveting. (Yep) I found myself wanting to slap Emily. Is it bad, I actually want to know more about Emily, her life, her view. Chris is, however, a typical athletic partner her Emily, pushed to the wall, I’m pretty much frustrated about that. Then the parents. Gosh, the connections, the obvious jealousy, the obvious expectancy, typical parents.

   Suicide is a serious subject and this book made sure how it affects the people around the victim, and what the victim is going through up to the event. What it lack of it depth on Emily’s character. Jodi left the mystery in the air for me. Otherwise, it is frustratingly good.

Quote:
“I love you," he whispered, and that was the moment he knew what he was going to do. When you loved someone, you put their needs before your own. No matter how inconceivable those needs were; no matter how fucked up; no matter how much it made you feel like you were ripping yourself into pieces.”

The Pact
By Jodi Picoult

For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.
So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet-- a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.

Finished Reading: 22nd December 2014
Acquire: 26th April 2014
Rate } ♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Young Adult | Romance | Mystery | Young Adult
List } 100 Books in a Year 2014 | TBR Challenge | TBR Pile Challenge (i) | Tbr Pile Challenge (ii)
Release Day }  29th August 2006
Publisher } Avon
Format } Paperback
ISBN } 9780061150142
Pages } 512 pages
Source } Bought for BND $13.25
Age Group } PG 18 yo +
Get your own copy } Paperback | Kindle

Read More

2014 100 Books in a Year RC

Hosted by Book Chick City.
January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014

Challenge Info

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2014 – 31 Dec 2014
• Rules: Read 100 books in 2014 (any genre)
• You don’t have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
• You can join at anytime. All books read in 2014 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.
• Audiobooks are accepted.
• Only fiction, no non-fiction.
• This challenge can crossover with other challenges.
• You don’t have to have a blog to join in – for those without a blog but who use Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing etc., you can add the URL to where you track your books. If you don’t have a URL at all then choose a name you would like to use and then copy and paste the following link: http://wp.me/p2wdqf-6ZI
• At the beginning of each month I will be posting an open thread so you can discuss the books you’ve read and/or link up your reviews.
1. April Henry; The Night She Disappeared (28th February 2014)

Read More

Book Review: No Way Back; By Chloe Adams

Wow. Just WOW. I am quite overwhelmed now. I am not sure how to go around this one, plus I don’t really know where to start. 

Oh! before I start, I guess I should warn you, this book is highly descriptive and might trigger anybody who are on the survivor list.

Now on to my thoughts.

The cover caught me from first sight. The model did right job in posing for it. It’s just pure perfect. Then, the blurb is just heart tugging. I honestly feel sorry for the main character. The author did an awesome job in humanizing Mia Abbott-Renou throughout this book.

Everybody said, don’t drink from the glass a stranger bought you. Nor drink from your own glass which you has left for a while. Why? Your drink might get spike with drugs by strangers. This book is all about that.

I must say, for some, it’s pretty much graphic, the event, and her post-trauma. It’s a hard book to read. It’s really heart wrenching on what Mia have gone through. I’m afraid to put the book down because I didn’t want to leave Mia alone in her troubles.

How people who are supposed to protect her, support her ended up making her feel alone. It sad how she blamed herself for what happened, especially when another victim died. I do wish her father showed her much support instead of just running around doing "”damage control” and running his election campaign. Her uncle Chris however, regardless how “profession front he has been showing, I’m glad he actually showed a bit of compassion to Mia of what she went through.

Ari has been an awesome, wonderful good friend for Mia. That was an upside of things. And then there's Dom. He was her personal rock who reminded her of her grandfather. He just made you go.. aww…. (I’m not kidding)

Personally, Jenna deserved it. *hehe*

What pissed me off, the way it left me hanging at the end. Grr cliffhangers! I seriously need to stop reading cliffhangers books!  Otherwise It has been a good emotional read. God, this book is amazing!

No Way Back (Mia’s Way #1)
By Chloe Adams

Sometimes bad things happen to beautiful people.
The wealthy daughter of a high-ranking politician, seventeen year old Mia Abbott-Renou has everything: designer clothes, wealth, spring breaks in Monte Carlo. She lives blissfully unaware of her family’s secrets, until the night she is raped by the son of her father’s greatest political ally.
Her father forbids her from going to the police and threatens to throw her out if she does. It’s a critical election year, one that his party might lose, if the public sours on his doting father image when they realize his daughter is an underage lush and party girl. He can’t risk splintering the party in a nasty court battle that’s certain to draw way too much press, even if that means sacrificing his daughter.
Mia’s world is shattered twice, once by the men who hurt her, and once by the betrayal of her family. She does what her father says. But the rapists strike again and beat their next victim near death.
With the help of her best friend and a couple of unlikely allies, Mia must decide: does she risk losing everything to do what’s right? Or does she turn her back on the truth and preserve the family name?
What’s privileged girl to do, when her perfect little world isn't so perfect anymore?

Finished Reading: 14th April 2013
Acquire: 23th March 2013
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Abuse | Young Adult | Teens
Release Day }  27th October 2012
Publisher }
Format } e-book
ISBN } B009Y8D9R0
Pages } 179 pages
Source } Bought
Age Group } pg 15 yo +
Support my reading by getting your copy }

Read More

Book Review: Poseidon and the Sea of Fury (Heroes in Training 2); By Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Yeah, as you can see, I’m on a Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams reading roll! Being sick, these series seems to be my comfort read. It’s a delightful wonderfulness for me.

This is a fast pace, page turning next in line of the adventures of our teens Olympians to defeat the Titans and trying to find the Goose! (Pst it’s actually Zeus, but he doesn’t know yet.) But of course, it’s Poseidon turn to get his Trident. It is quite umm.. there was a huge "angry” moment when Hera left the troupe. I do wish she didn’t leave the boys on their own!

Oh well.

Snapping crab claws *chuckles*

Ok one thing I don’t like about this book is, much different to the Goddess Girls series, much to old tradition when it comes to Zeus, everything orbits around him… *again*. Well. most of it. I was expecting more of like the other mainstream series, ie the book is suppose to be about the feature character. This don’t really happen here. I was expecting to read Poseidon thoughts and character development, and less ion Zeus, but that um.. oh you see when you read it. 

But plot is good, setting is awesome, but yeah. I still miss Hera! Waiting for Hades turn!     

Poseidon and the Sea of Fury (Heroes in Training #2)
By Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

A young Poseidon must triumph over aquatic terrors in this Heroes in Training adventure. The merciless Cronus and his Titan buddies are in hot pursuit of Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon, who plan to travel across the treacherous boiling sea in order to save a fellow Olympian. They have a boat, but they also have a problem: Poseidon can’t swim and is terrified of the water (well, really of the creatures that lurk in its depths). The group faces danger after danger as they battle singing sirens, a fishy and ferocious Titan named Oceanus, and people-eating monsters sent by Cronus himself. Can Poseidon overcome his fears and help his fellow heroes escape Cronus and his cronies?

Finished Reading: 21th March 2013
Acquire: 19th March 2012
Rate } ♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Mythology | Young Adult | Teens | Middle Grade
Release Day }  04th December 2012
Publisher } Aladdin
Format } Paperbook
ISBN } 9781442452657
Pages } 128 pages
Source } Bought
Age Group } PG 12 yo +
Interests } Mythological junkies like me. 
Support my reading by getting your copy }

  

Read More

Book Review: Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom (Heroes in Training 1); By Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Zeus. The King of the Olympians.. Well... not yet. But he’s the start of this series. Meet the Olympian in their teens! It’s not enough to read about the second generation Olympians in their teens, I have to get my paws on the original Olympians teens.

Let me state forth that Zeus isn’t in my “like” list of characters, but he *again in a Holub & Williams state of mind* has turned him.. oh.. adorable. Especially when he is in a quest of looking for a guy name Goose to return the Thunderbolt. Hera is always classy bossy, Hades as always moody, and of course, Poseidon is so cute when he’s afraid of water! Oh I would melt!

I wish I have a thunderbolt of a pet now.

I must say, if you love the Goddess Girls, you would love this series. I’m so sorry I had this book as one of my “Filler Reads”, I ended up hooked on this series. That is such good news for me, to find a new series to enjoy and to look forward to, *sighs* The agony of waiting for the next book. Oh boy!

Look, here’s the deal. Why aren’t you picking this up?! Read it! =3

The secret is, I actually got both versions of e-book and paperback for this one.

Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom (Heroes in Training #1)
By Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

After pulling a magical thunderbolt from a stone, ten-year-old Zeus goes on the adventure of a lifetime in this thrilling start to a brand-new series! The terrible Titans—merciless giants who enjoy snacking on humans—have dominated the earth and put the world into chaos. But their rule is about to be put to the test as a group of young Olympians discover their powers and prepare to righteously rule the universe....      Ten-year-old Zeus is mystified (and super-annoyed) by the fact that he keeps getting hit by lightening. Every. Single. Year. He also longs for adventure, as he has never been far from the cave where he grew up.      Zeus gets his wish—and a lot more than he bargained for—when he is kidnapped by dangerous, giant Titans! In self-defense, Zeus grabs the first thing he sees—an actual thunderbolt he pulls from a stone that is covered in mysterious markings. Zeus is the only one who can decipher the markings, and sets off on a quest to rescue his fellow Olympians from the evil Cronus. Armed with his trusty thunderbolt (named Bolt, of course), Zeus is on an adventure of a lifetime—and a journey to fulfill his destiny as King of the Gods.

Finished Reading: 12th March 2013
Acquire: 25th February 2012
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Mythology | Young Adult | Teens | Middle Grade
Release Day }  04th December 2012
Publisher } Aladdin
Format } Paperbook
ISBN } 9781442452633
Pages } 112 pages
Source } Bought
Age Group } PG 12 yo +
Interests } Mythological junkies like me. 
Support my reading by getting your copy }

  

Read More

Book Review; Pandora the Curious, by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Yes! Another excellent Greek Mythology retelling read. I will NEVER, EVER get enough of these… hopefully this will be a lengthy series! I must confess, the first book I’d picked out from this series was a “filler read”, but I ended up gobbling these like hot cakes. This was also my “comfort read” when I was sick and bedbound that whole week, hence the reason for the late review. 

Here’s the thing, I used to hate Pandora. She annoyed me the most amongst the all of the mythological characters, and I mean all!

I said, used to. This book made her lovable. Pandora is so adorable that I’m willing to get past her busybodyness and absolute total unnecessary curiosity. I love the way they represent the “evils” from the box as “Bubbles”, popping and whispered what evil it unleashed… of course, only Pandora could hear it. After a bit while of popping, I feel for her when alot of her friends had been bubble-bumped, and she’s left alone to save everybody. Oh dear.

My verdict? So, so, so, so, so, so, so reading another one! Brilliant! Just Brilliant! Oh yeah, I actually bought the e-book and paperback for this one, because I couldn’t stand to wait for the paperback to arrive. Yes, I’m geeky that way.

Pandora the Curious (Goddess Girls #9)
By Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Is Pandora about to open up a box of trouble?
One of the few mortals at Mount Olympus Academy, Pandora is famous for her mega quizzical nature—not that she thinks there’s anything wrong with being curious, of course!
Her curiosity kicks into high gear when a godboy named Epimetheus brings a mysterious box to school. Epimetheus is the nephew of an MOA teacher in whose class Pandora once opened another box that sent a few weather disasters to earth. Still, Pandora can’t help but take a peek inside this new box when it unexpectedly lands in her lap. What could be the harm in that, right? Little does she know that opening the box will open up far more trouble than she ever expected!
Authors Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams put a modern spin on classic myths with the Goddess Girls series. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.

Finished Reading: 10th March 2013
Acquire: 06th February 2013
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Mythology | Young Adult | Teens | Middle Grade
Release Day }  04th December 2012
Publisher } Aladdin
Format } Paperbook
ISBN } 9781442449350
Pages } 256 pages
Source } Bought
Age Group } PG 12 yo +
Interests } Mythological junkies like me. 
Support my reading by getting your copy }

  

Read More

Book Review: Mick Harte Was Here; by Barbara Park

I never thought I be sad for a book character.

And yes.. the narrator lied when she said, “this isn’t the kind of book where you meet the main character and you get to like him real well.” She made sure she fall in love with this character… only to tell us he died. No spoilers there.

This is a story about remembering Mick Harte. And this is the story how the people who left cope post-event.

It’s an emotional read, it shows how different people deals and cope with the death of a person they know. 

P/S Get tissues ready before you start reading this one.

Quote. “The upside to grief is it takes away your appetite. When people say you look good they really mean it. Nature's thoughtful that way.”

Mick Harte Was Here
By Barbara Park

How could someone like Mick die? He was the kid who freaked out his mom by putting a ceramic eye in a defrosted chicken, the kid who did a wild dance in front of the whole school--and the kid who, if only he had worn his bicycle helmet, would still be alive today. But now Phoebe Harte's twelve-year-old brother is gone, and Phoebe's world has turned upside down. With her trademark candor and compassion, beloved middle-grade writer Barbara Park tells how Phoebe copes with her painful loss in this story filled with sadness, humor--and hope. Chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of their Best Books of 1996. "A full-fledged and fully convincing drama

Finished Reading: 01st March 2013
Acquire: 06th February 2013
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Realistic Fiction | Young Adult | Teens | Middle Grade
Release Day }  26th January 2011
Publisher } Yearling
Format } eBook
ISBN } 9780307786821
Pages } 96 pages
Source } Bought
Age Group } PG 15 yo +
Interests } Realistic Fiction Readers 
Awards }
Support my reading by getting your copy }

 

Read More

Book Review: The Wide-Awake Princess; By E. D. Baker

So it turned out, Sleeping Beauty has a little sister and she has been bestowed the gift of “Anti-Magic”. Now that a killer plot. We know they love baby sister Annie that’s why they let the fairy bestow her that magical gift, but in the same time, everybody is treating her like she’s unwanted, because when she’s near them, their magical gifts weakened and show them their real self.

Pst.. in this version Sleeping Beauty not really that beautiful at all when Annie comes close.

I am so happy Liam is there for her. (ohh spoilers tsk tsk)

And to my friends and fellow bloggers who has read this, don’t you just wish there’s a Disney tv series/movie about this? Cause man this would be so darn cute to past!

I must admit, it took me  a while to finish reading this book. It’s not that it’s boring or anything, that I could only blame my hectic work schedule. (Yes, you heard that right, a librarian has a hectic schedule.) 

Forewarn, the characters in this book includes characters we all know and not that quite familiar with, so I suggest, you have a back up knowledge on your fairy tales before you pick this book up. or maybe this is the reason why you want to know the background stories of the characters involved.

By the way… “Princess and the Pea” reference is such a cute fit in that particular scene!

Quote. More than anything, Annie wanted to feel as if she belonged. But instead she felt as if she were a remote and not-too-fondly regarded cousin who was allowed to live in the castle.

The Wide-Awake Princess (Wide-Awake Princess #1)
by E. D. Baker

In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie, blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic, can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake.
But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn't possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father's guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family . . . and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

Finished Reading: 28th February 2013
Acquire: 07th February 2013
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Fairy Tales | Children | Teens | Fantasy
Release Day }  15th March 2011
Publisher } Bloomsbury USA Children
Format } eBook
ISBN } B004PGMHUQ
Pages } 270 pages
Source } Bought
Age Group } PG 12 yo +
Interests } Fairy Tale Retellings 
Awards }
Support my reading by getting your copy }

 

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #9: Seriously Series Reading Challenge

Hosted by Paranormal Book Reviews.
January 1 – December 31, 2013

	series started before 2013	series started in 2013	series rereads
Semi-Serious	1-6 series	1-6	1-6
Seriously Serious	7-12	7-12	7-12
Super Seriously Serious	13-18	13-18	13-18
Seriously Spectacular Series Star	18+	18+	18+

Here’s a few series I might be reading for this challenge. I be listing must more as I go on (or edit)

Alexandra Adornetto;
   The Strangest Adventures
      The Shadow Thief #1
      The Lampo Circus #2
      Von Gobstopper’s Arcade #3
   Halo
      Halo #1
      Hades #2
      Heaven #3
Kami Garcia;
   Caster Chronicles (With Margaret Stohl)
      Beautiful Creatures #1
      Beautiful Darkness #2
      Dream Dark #2.5
      Beautiful Chaos #3
      Beautiful Redemption #4
Morris Gleitzman
   Toad
      Toad Rage #1
      Toad Heaven #2
      Toad Away #3
      Toad Surprise #4

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #8: E-Book Challenge

Hosted by Work A day Reads.
January 1 – December 31, 2013

Levels:
1. Floppy Disk – 5 e-books
2. CD – 10 e-books
3. DVD – 25 E-books
4. Memory Stick – 50 e-books
5. Hard drive – 75 e-books
6. Server – 100 e-books
7. Human Brain – 150 e-books

 

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #7: Book Bingo Reading Challenge

 

Hosted by Reading In Winter.
January 1 – December 31,  2013

Of course, a challenge isn’t really a challenge unless there are some rules and guidelines:

1. Be awesome. If you’re not, this isn’t going to work.
2. The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2013.
3. If you want to participate, you can join in any time of the year! Feel free to write up a blog post with the rules linking back to my and Anne’s blog in your sign-up post.
4. If you read one book for the “1 book” in any category, you can’t change it later on when you read another book to “2 books.” Once a square is crossed off, it’s crossed off for good! (Feel free to print off the scoreboard to keep track!)
5. Books read for one square are for that square ONLY and cannot be counted towards another category. This is all about reading ALL THE BOOKS.
6. The FREE SQUARE isn’t really a free square. In order to cross it off, you must read a book by either:
   1. Reading a book picked by another participant, or
   2. Reading a book in a genre picked by another participant.
7. You can start your board over again, but ONLY if you receive the stamp of awesome by completing a blackout. The “winners” of the challenge will be the ones who achieve the most winning combinations by the end of 2013.
8. You can feel free to post your reading list for each category, though it’s not a requirement.
9. Having a blog or writing reviews for books read is not required. So long as you want to have fun, you can participate!
10. This isn’t a race, but don’t be afraid to rub your reads in the other player’s face. This will be seen as encouragement. Feel free to use the hashtag #2013BookBingo on Twitter!

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #5 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 2013

Hosted by Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf.
January 1 – December 31, 2013

The Levels:
Initiate: Read 1 - 5 Witchy books
Maiden: Read 6 -10 Witchy books
Mother: Read 11 – 15 Witchy books
Crone: Read 16 – 20 Witchy books

 

1. Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #4: Books-in-a-Series Reading Challenge 2013

Hosted by Bookstacks On Deck.
January 1- December 31, 2013

Challenge Levels:
The Sampler: Choose 1-5 books
The Collector: Choose 6-10 books
The Completionist: Choose 11-15 books
The Obsessive: Choose 16-20 books

Will list out books as I go along the year.

1. Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #3: Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013

Hosted by My Reader’s Block.
January 1 – December 31, 2013

Pike’s Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s.
Mt. Vancouver: Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s.
Mt. Ararat: Read 48 books from your TBR pile/s.
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 60 books from your TBR pile/s.
El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s.
Mt. Everest: Read 100 books from your TBR pile/s.
Mount Olympus (Mars): Read 150+ books from your TBR pile/s.

Books I'm planning to read or try to read for the challenge.
1. Albert Borris; Crash into Me
2. Ally Carter; I’d Tell You I love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls #1)
3. Amanda Ashby; Zombie Queen of Newbury High
4. Amanda Marrone; Slayed
5. Amy Lignor; Until Next Time
6. Andrea Heltsley; Dreamwalker (Persephone’s League of Immortals #1)
7. Andrew Lane; Death Cloud (Young Sherlock Holmes #1)
8. Andrew Noriss; I Don’t Believe it, Archie!
9. Angela Slatter; The Girl with no Hands (and Other Tales)
10. Anna Banks; Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon #1)
11. Anna Jarzab; All Unquiet Things
12. Annabel Monaghan; A Girl Named Digit (Digit #1)
13. Anthony Horowitz; Stormbreaker (Alex Rider #1)
14. Benjamin Alire Saenz; Last Night I sang to the Monster
15. C. J. Omololu; Dirty Little Secrets
16. Carla Jablonski; The Invitation (The Book of Magic #1)
17. Carrie Jones; After Obsession
18. Catherine Gilbert Murdock;  Princess Ben
19. Catherine Jinks; Evil Genius (Genius #1)
20. Chevy Stevens; Still Missing
21. Christopher Paolini; Eragon (Inheritance #1)
22. Cidney Swanson; Rippler (Ripple #1)
23. Colleen Hoover; Slammed (Slammed #1)
24. Courtney Summers; Fall for Anything
25. Courtney Summers; Some Girls Are
26. Dale E Basye; Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck (The Nine Circles of Heck #2)
27. Dan Chaon; Stay Awake
28. Darlene Ryan; Five Minutes More
29. Eileen Cook; Unraveling Isobel
30. Elizabeth Scott; Love you hate you
31. Gabriella Pierce;  666 Park Avenue (666 Park Avenue #1)
32. Galaxy Craze; The Last Princess (Last Princess #1)
33. Gareth P. Jones; The Thornthwaite Inheritance
34. Garth Nix; Mister Monday (The Key to the Kingdom #1)
35. Genifer Choldenko; Al Capone Does My Shirt (Al Capone at Alcatraz #1)
36. Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl; Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)    
37. Marianne Hering; Voyage with the Vikings (Imagination Station #1)
    

Read More

2013 Reading Challenge #2: What’s in a Name 6

hosted by Beth Fish Reads.
1 January 2013 – 31 December 2013

1. A book with up or down (or Equivalent) in the title.

2. A book with something you’d find in your kitchen in the title.

3. A book with a party or celebration in the title.

4. A book with fire (or equivalent) in the title.

5. A book with an emotion in the title.

6. A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in the title.

Read More

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades 01) By E. L. James

What can I say, except that, this is one of those, every book blogger… well almost all book blogger… must have in their reading list. Why? It’s the “in” thing, non-reader wouldn’t understand that. It’s like you must have an iPhone 5 because it’s an in thing. Ok.. not a really good example, but you know what I mean. right?

I must admit, as you can see I’ve bought it months before I’ve read it. It took me a while to pick it up. I didn’t really know what the hype was all about. It just sat there on my ‘TBR Pile’ for ages. What tip the scale was, a friend of mine, who have NEVER read this sort of genre, told me she has the interest to read it (because everybody else was reading it). So, I finally pick it up…

Ok, I agree, Christian Grey is hot. Extremely hot. Except the fact that he stalk… alot! But I would consider hat as “caring”. Anastasia however, is umm..  well she is quite the submissive, if I dare to say.

So, let’s keep in mind before hand that I read ebooks from Ellora’s Cave.

Considering the hype of book burning, let me say this book is quite tame. It’s like a thickened plot of a Harlequin book. Hotter than Harlequin, but still, BDSM erotica but yeah tame. That particular part is kind of frustrating to read. But in the same time, I just can’t stop reading it. What in heavens?! So yeah, if you like tame stuff (no quite vanilla), pick it up.

Cover. It doesn’t really show what genre it is offering. It actually shocked me to see it placed in the midst of teens section of bookstores (because Stephanie Meyer “likes"' it).

First Words. I scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror.

Quote. “Why don’t you like to be touched?” “Because I’m fifty shades of fucked-up, Anastasia”

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)
By E. L. James
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
This book is intended for mature audiences.

Finished Reading: 05th October 2012
Acquire: 30th June 2011
Rate } ♠♠♠♠
Genre } Fiction | Adult | Erotica| Book Club | Chick Lit
Release Day }  May 2011
Publisher } Vintage
Format } ebook 
ISBN } 9781612130293
Pages } 385 pages
Source } bought
Age Group } 18+ SX
Interests } adult   
Awards } -
Support my reading by getting your copy } Amazon.com | Kindle

Read More

Book Review: Princess of the Midnight Ball (Princess 01); By Jessica Day George

Wow… I took a year or so after buying this book, to actually reading it. What was I thinking? I usually jump, dive and read books like this as soon as I get it. I was wrong. I should have read it one as soon as I get my hands on it. I’m glad I’m trying to finish my fairy-tales retellings challenge, or I wouldn’t have pick it up.

Cover-wise. So pretty! I suspect that’s Rose on the cover, so beautiful as it has been stated between the pages. I don’t know why I didn’t stack it on top of my TBR pile.

Reading this book is like love in first sight. It got me at the first sentence. The 12 Dancing Princesses has always been one of my favorite tales growing up, and reading this retelling is really wonderful. Honestly said, what I remembered much about the tale was the princesses beautiful dresses and their worn out shoes. Galen is a wonderful “Prince Charming”. He’s different. An ex military turn gardener, fancying one of the princesses, who are trapped in a curse set by the King Under the Stone. The curse is a great spin to an age old tale.

Frankly of what’s lacking, I did expect the princesses to be more active in the novel itself, since it is about them, but we are left mostly of Galen’s experiences. While I was reading, all I could thought of was where’s the princesses? They pop here and there, but I was expecting their “experiences” their thoughts, their tales… I can’t say about emotions, since their emotions are there. Totally present with their anger, and crying here and there. I do wish they pop around saying if one of them fancy this suitor or that, or present their wishes, thoughts.

But other wise, it’s all good.

Would I recommend this? EXTREMELY! If you love reading retellings, this book is for you.

First Words. Because he had once been human, King Under Stone sometimes found himself plagued by human emotions.

Quote. “No need, no, need. Life is already too short to find it.”

Princess of the Midnight Ball (Princess #1)
By Jessica Day George
As the crown princess, Rose is never without a dance partner. She and her eleven sisters are treated to beautiful gowns, slippers, and dances at party after party in their father's palace. But their evenings do not end when the guests return home. Instead, Rose and her sisters must travel deep into the earth to the wicked King Under Stone's palace. There, the girls are cursed to dance each night, even when they grow exhausted or ill.
Many princes have tried-and failed-to break the spell. But then Rose meets Galen, a young soldier-turned-gardener with an eye for adventure. Together they begin to unravel the mystery. To banish the curse, they'll need an invisibility cloak, enchanted silver knitting needles, and, of course, true love.

Finished Reading: 29th September 2012
Acquire: 16th September 2011
Rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
Genre } fiction | young adult | teens | fairy tales retellings | fantasy | romance |
Release Day }  April 2010
Publisher } Bloomsbury USA Children
Format } Paperback 
ISBN } 9781599904559
Pages } 304 pages
Source } bought
Age Group } 12+
Interests } reluctant readers | middle graders | fairy tales retelling  
Awards } ALA Best Books For Young Adults (2010)
Support my reading by getting your copy } Amazon.com | Kindle

Read More