132 Minutes | Melina Marchetta Fans: Melina Marchetta on the Secondary Women: You can find the entire schedule for the Quintana of Charyn blog tour here . For this guest post, we asked Melina Marchetta about the se...
GUYS. GIRLS. ALL PEOPLE.
I just read this this post by Melina Marchetta and it is just so beautiful that I just had to share it with you guys! I hope you'll stop buy and read because this woman can literally right anything and give me all the feels.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Feature and Follow #21
Do you mind books with similar ideas similar to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, retellings, or pulled-to-publish fanfiction?
To be honest, reading a similar plot/idea over and over does kind of annoying, but most writers get their influences from somewhere, and if that place is another book, then that's totally fine. What I hate is reading a story that has been crafted with a cookie-cutter mold that, if some names and places were changed, could be almost exactly like another book.
Having similar ideas or backgrounds or retellings isn't necessarily a bad thing unless the author can successfully make it their own in some way.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Waiting on Wednesday #38
WoW is an awesome weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine
Title: No Hope for Gomez
Author: Graham Parke
Publication date: January 12th, 2012 by Outskirts Press
Synopsis:
It's the age-old tale:
Boy meets girl.
Boy stalks girl.
Girl already has a stalker.
Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.
We've seen it all before, many times, but this time it's different. If only slightly. When Gomez Porter becomes a test subject in an experimental drug trial, he is asked to keep track of any strange experiences through a blog. What Gomez isn't ready for, is so many of his experiences suddenly seeming strange; the antiques dealer trying to buy his old tax papers, his neighbor boiling salamanders on his balcony at midnight, the super sexy lab assistant who falls for him but is unable to express herself in terms outside the realm of science. But when one of the trial participants turns up dead and another goes missing, Gomez begins to fear for his life. No longer sure who he can trust and which of his experiences are real and which merely drug induced illusions, he decides it's time to go underground and work out a devious plan.
Now, years later, his blogs have been recovered from a defunct server. For the first time we can find out firsthand what happened to Gomez as he takes us on a wild ride of discovery.
Why am I excited?
The first five lines of the synopsis. O__O
This came out two years ago so has anyone else read it? If so, did you like it?
Also: please feel free to leave me a link to your WoW post, and if you're new to Joie de Lire, don't forget to check out my blogoversary giveaway! :)
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Top Ten Books Everyone Has Read But Me
Hosted over at the The Broke and Bookish
Top 10 books I feel as though everyone has read but me...
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
which I really do want to read--actually I want to watch a couple of the TV adaption before I read...
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I have this book sitting on my shelf, I swear!!!
I just have this itty bitty problem where if I actually own the physical book, I tend to not rush to read it. But I swear I will as soon as I can!
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
I have heard such amazing things about this series; apparently, it gives you ALL THE FEELS.
And, well, the masochistic reader in me just can't resist that kind of endorsement.
Eragon by Christoper Paolini
Ehhh. I'm not an avid fantasy reader so I never got into this series as a middle- schooler (which was around the time I really started liking reading).
I feel like this is on some Top Ten list of YA books that you just HAVE to read if you're into YA, but I just never really got into it.
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
My first book by this author was Touch of Power, but most of the praise I hear about her are of her Poison Study series.
Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress series) bu Jeaniene Frost
This series IS on my TBR list, because Cat and Bones both sound awesome, but yeah.... just still haven't gotten around to doing it.
Grimm's Fairy Tales
It is a little weird that I have not read this, despite my immense love for fairy tales.... all I can say is that I do plan on reading this in the near future!
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
......err. Well. I have watched the movie.....
A Series of Unfortunate Events (or just any book) by Lemony Snicket
This, I feel, is a quintessential childhood book that every elementary/middle schooler has read.... but me.
My friend Anna has highly recommended it to me, though.
So those are my top 10. Leave me yours in the comments below, and if you've read any of the ones on my list, what did you think of the books? Should I read them soon?
Friday, November 2, 2012
Review: Breaking the Devil's Heart
Author: H.A. Goodman
Publication date: April 5th, 2012
Publisher: Outskirts Press
When Stewart and Layla recruit a demon to spy on the Devil, their decision takes them on whirlwind ride through the afterlife. Journey alongside this young couple in H. A. Goodman’s new novel, Breaking the Devil’s Heart, and join forces with a teenage Angel outcast to bankrupt Satan's underground Company and save Heaven from civil war. H. A. Goodman's Breaking the Devil’s Heart is a roller coaster afterlife experience that tests a young couple's love, their grasp on reality, and the essence of human nature. What happens when Stewart and Layla tour Hell’s Marketing Department and Stock Exchange? What happens when their relationship is tested by Satan? This book is unlike anything you’ve ever read, or ever thought the afterlife might be like. Breaking the Devil’s Heart is an enlightening look into an alternate world, a new afterlife, and a profound journey inside the human conscience.Breaking the Devil's Heart isn't part of my usual YA shtick, but the originality and concept of this book drew me in.
Stewart and Layla, the protagonists of the novel, are "Observers"--basically angels who work in the gray--and they take on the corporation that is Hell in order to stop the sale of the mysterious "Formula," which demons have been selling to mankind to further the spread of evil on Earth.
I loved Goodman's creative take on angels and Hell. Especially the addition of Observers, because they had very cool abilities and I just have a weakness for morally ambiguous characters...For me, those are the best kind of characters! The idea that Hell is actually this huge, bureaucratic corporation was creatively constructed and thought-provoking. This idea was really brought to life by the world-building of this book, which was fantastic. From the actual offices of Hell to the dimensions created by Stewart and Layla's mind, I could really picture this twisted take on the afterlife.
Where this book fell flat for me was the characters. Stewart and Layla had an interesting back story, neat abilities, and an epic mission, but I found it hard to connect with them. Stewart's narration was very matter-of-fact, objective almost, and I had a hard time relating to him as a character. The characters came off as one-dimensional which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 3 stars*
All in all: This concept of this book was original and very thought-provoking, and I would recommend it for people who are usually into more fantasy/science fiction and favor plot-driven novels of character-driven ones. Overall, I think the story was well-executed; the religious aspect of this book is handled very well and it doesn't take over the actual plot of the story.
*I received a copy of this book for review purposes from the author. All opinions are my own.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Feature and Follow #20
This week's question:
What is a deal breaker for you in a book?
Well, bad-editing is definitely one. I HATE it when I'm trying to enjoy a book and my brain keeps getting distracted by all these typo and grammar mistakes. I promise I'm not a grammar nazi, but seeing this problem repeatedly in books drives me nuts!
I also need characters that I can like or identify with. I know that not every character in a book is necessarily relatable, but at the very least, I need to be able to put up with them. Otherwise, there's no way I'm going to trudge through 300 pages reading about people I don't even like.
Well, that's my answer. I'd love it if you could leave me a link to yours in the comments--for some reason, I just love getting to know people's pet peeves!
Also, don't forget to check out my blogoversary giveaway!!
Quintana of Charyn Blog Tour-- Book Excerpt + Giveaway
Okay, if you've been following my posts for a while, then you know that I am OBSESSED with all things Melina Marchetta. Not only is she the queen of contemporary, her new fantasy series is absolutely fantastic! And I normally don't even like fantasy all that much!! I've done a review of Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles and now I am SO excited to bring to you an excerpt from the last book in the trilogy, Quintana of Charyn.
My response to this excerpt:
"And on that night, Finnikin travelled with a heavy heart, his thoughts on his childhood friend, Balthazar. Because the loyal friendship he had shared with Froi had become just as fierce over the years. Lucian would have agreed. Froi reminded them both of how they had been before Balthazar’s death. They were more carefree in his presence. Content. But all that was gone now.‘They’re not safe here,’ Trevanion muttered when they reached the border. ‘There’s an army camped somewhere close back there. Probably for one of them.’‘Not our problem,’ Finnikin said, steering his horse towards the river that would take them across to Osteria and then home.‘Froi made his choice. He’s dead to Lumatere.’"
About the book:
Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi must travel through Charyn to search for Quintana, the mother of Charyn's unborn king, and protect her against those who will do anything to gain power. But what happens when loyalty to family and country conflict? When the forces marshalled in Charyn's war gather and threaten to involve the whole of the land, including Lumatere, only Froi can set things right, with the help of those he loves
Add it on Goodreads!
Quintana is already out in Australia, but you can preorder on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. You can also just buy it from Fishpond with free shipping! :)
And now for the giveaway!!
*International
*Entrants must be 13 years or older
*Hosts will not be responsible for loss/damage of goods while in shipment
*Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to reply or another will be drawn
a Rafflecopter giveaway*Entrants must be 13 years or older
*Hosts will not be responsible for loss/damage of goods while in shipment
*Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to reply or another will be drawn
Be sure to check out these awesome blogs for more posts about Quintana of Charyn!
November 1
132 Minutes -
Book Chat
Joie de Lire -
Excerpt
November 2
Bookittyblog - Review
A Girl Books and
Other Things - Top Five
November 3
Carina's Books -
Review
November 4
WinterHaven
Books - Review + Giveaway
We Fancy Books -
Excerpt
November 5
Joyous Reads -
Shelf Envy + Giveaway
Love is not a triangle - Review
Love is not a triangle - Review
November 6
Collections -
Fanart
The Ink Spills -
Review
November 7
A Book and a Short Latte - Series Cast
A Book and a Short Latte - Series Cast
The Readers Den -
Excerpt + Giveaway
November 8
November 9
GrowingUp YA -
132 Minutes - Wrap-up Post
132 Minutes - Wrap-up Post
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