Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Guest Post: Tamara of Tamara's Book Ramblings

Put down your bags, pull up a chair and tell me a story!


Please help me welcome Tamara of Tamara's Book Ramblings to the blog today! Tamara lives in Croatia and is a blast to talk books with on Twitter.


NaNoWriMo 2011





Hi there!

So, as most of you probably know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, which takes part in November of every year.
This year, I participated.
For weeks, I’ve been torn between signing up and not signing up for it, and on October 31st, a day before it started, I did it.
The main goal is to write 50 000 words of the novel you’re writing before the end of November, which, to get to, you need to write 1667 words per day.

So, on the first day, since it was a longer weekend for me and I didn’t have school, I wrote little more than four thousand words, which was very good. And the next day I wrote one more thousand, the day after that I edited all that a bit…

And then it stopped.

The word count then was little less than 6 000, and current word count is the same. The problem is, I just recently started high school and I’m still adapting, and I go to school in two shifts, one week in the morning, other afternoon, that said, I have to coordinate everything with it, and writing was just impossible. But after talking to a couple of twitter friends, I’m not stressing out about that anymore, because I found out that there is the same thing as this in June and August, when I’m on summer holidays, and I will definitely write then!

And this time, I shall finish it.

So, if there are any of you who also didn’t and won’t finish on time this year, don’t worry! There’ll be more chances. Important thing is, you tried. And with no trying, there’s no success.

So, good luck to all who’ll repeat this next year, and congratulations to all who finished their novels!



Thank you for stopping by today, Tamara! I hope everyone enjoyed reading your Nanowrimo experience as much as I did!

My Book Boyfriend (46)


My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie of The Unread Reader, in which we swoon over boys in books!
(I--as in me, Amy--don't like to use commercial photos, I like to use the authors' descriptions and my imagination.)



Vane Kattalakis
Book: Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Dark-Hunters

He is a Were-Hunter, a Katagaria wolf-shifter. At first glance, his hair seems dark drown, but in reality it's made up of all colors: ash, auburn, black, brown, mahogany, even some blond. It's long and wavy, mostly pulled back into a sexy ponytail. A body that most women only see in the best magazine ads. Handsome features that are sharp and chiseled, with hazel-green eyes that are intense and feral.









Quotes:

She took his arm, amazed at the tautness of his biceps as she pulled him to a stop. Breathless, she looked up at him and those beguiling hazel-green eyes. "I can't take this," she said again, giving the bag to him. "It's way too much."
He refused to take it. "I want you to have it."
There was so much unfathomable sincerity in those words that she couldn't do anything more than gape at him. "Why?"
"Because beautiful women deserve beautiful things."


"I have to say this is a first for me, too." He reached out and let his fingers rub against the lock of hair lying against her cheek. "What can I say? You're irresistible to me," he breathed.



Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Future Favorites (60)


Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature over at Electrifying Reviews. I post about a book that is yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!




Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Release Date: May 8, 2012 by HarperCollins Children's Books

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.



Monday, November 28, 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (79)


This is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.


Books I read last week:
Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby



The book I’m reading now:
Guardian of the Gate:
The ultimate battle between sisters is nearing, and its outcome could have catastrophic consequences. As sixteen year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants: There's also Lia's boyfriend James.

Lia and Alice always knew the Prophecy would turn those closest to them against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do. In the end, only one sister will be left standing.



Books that spark my interest this week:
Within the Flames by Marjorie M Liu
A Touch of Crimson by Sylvia Day
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto


Sunday, November 27, 2011

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby


Fairy Bad Day:
While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?





Amanda Ashby created an intriguing world and a great cast of characters in this book. Although it did take about a quarter of the book to pass before any real action began; once it did, this book was hard to put down. The book revolves around a school for gifted students that can see paranormal beings. While the rest of the world goes about their days unsuspecting, these students risk life and limb to keep the world safe. I really enjoyed the characters, Emma was a strong, if sometimes whiny, heroine. But in the end, she changed drastically and became a truly likeable person. Curtis is keeping some secrets, and that just made this cutie all the more appealing. Even the secondary characters felt full of life, and the "little" fairies were full of snark. While I would have liked to delve a little deeper into where the paranormals originally came from, this book was rich with humour and sweet romance.






In My Mailbox (84)


In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.



Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh



Saturday, November 26, 2011

On My Wishlist (79)


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - a linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.




Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey:
HOW CAN ONE GIRL SAVE AN ENTIRE WORLD?

To the nobles who live in Benden Weyr, Lessa is nothing but a ragged kitchen girl. For most of her life she has survived by serving those who betrayed her father and took over his lands. Now the time has come for Lessa to shed her disguise—and take back her stolen birthright.

But everything changes when she meets a queen dragon. The bond they share will be deep and last forever. It will protect them when, for the first time in centuries, Lessa’s world is threatened by Thread, an evil substance that falls like rain and destroys everything it touches. Dragons and their Riders once protected the planet from Thread, but there are very few of them left these days. Now brave Lessa must risk her life, and the life of her beloved dragon, to save her beautiful world. . . .



Unleashed by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie:
Katelyn McBride’s life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains. Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It’s a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths. And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.

Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkest night—welcome to Wolf Springs.





The Goblin King by Shona Husk:
Cursed by a Druid millennia ago, Roan lives a bleak existence in the Shadowlands, desperately trying to retain his soul and not succumb to the goblin horde. When a beautiful human summons him to grant a wish, he sees a glimmer of hope. But will she ever agree to be his queen?











Friday, November 25, 2011

Friday 56...Hades (66)


Go to page 56 of the book CLOSEST to you (not the coolest, the closest) and find the fifth sentence.




"How bad is it? Should we try getting him to a doctor?"







Thursday, November 24, 2011

Theme Thursday (40)

Theme Thursdays

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event hosted by Reading Between Pages that will be open from one Thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:
  • A theme will be posted each week (on Thursdays)
  • Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
  • Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
  • It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
    Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.


This week's theme is - PLACE/LOCATION DESCRIPTION


Seth's train was beautiful on so many levels. How could I be upset here? The outside was decorated in murals that ran the gamut from anime to abstract; beautiful and unexpected, they faded into one another like a collage that begged the viewer to make sense of the images, to find an order behind the colorful pastiche. In one of the few warmer months, she'd sat with Seth in his odd garden studying the art and realized that the beauty wasn't in the order, but in the unplanned harmony.


Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr



Wednesday, November 23, 2011

My Book Boyfriend (45)



My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie of The Unread Reader, in which we swoon over boys in books!
(I--as in me, Amy--don't like to use commercial photos, I like to use the authors' descriptions and my imagination.)




Deni
Book: Sea by Heidi R. Kling
Series: N/A


A survivor of the tsunami in Indonesia, he's seventeen and leader, like a big brother, of the children of the orphanage. Square-boned jaw, a little beard, half of a goatee. Tall with a lanky body and rippling arm muscles prominent while playing the drums. His eyes are intense and dark, bottom-of-the-ocean dark, thick, wavy hair and skin the color of driftwood; soft, smooth and hot to the touch.








Quotes:


"No." He smiled, touching my elbow quickly. "Just beautiful rambut kuning, yellow-haired girl."
"But how could they? I'm so sweaty and gross."
"Gross? Apa? What is gross? Another word for 'beautiful'?"
He was serious. Seriously adorable.




"They like you," Deni said in a low voice. "You bring light with you where you go."



"Then I'll fly to America. I'll help rebuild my home and I will save money. Sienna, I promise. I will find you."



Wednesday Random Recommendation (67)



I invite and welcome anyone interested in participating to post their own "Random Recommendation" (original post) on their blog and join in the fun! Some books might not be very recent reads, but I hope that just helps these (sometimes forgotten) books earn a spot on your own bookshelf!




I received the nicest postcard from Michelle the other day, and it got me thinking about how much I loved her book. Why oh why have I waited so long to read the other two? They are definitely next up on my reading pile!


Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
First Published: August 2009

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters-

One good...

One evil...

Who will prevail?

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.

They just know they can't trust each other.




Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Future Favorites (59)


Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature over at Electrifying Reviews. I post about a book that is yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!




Moonrise by Ivy Devlin:
Release Date: January 31, 2012 by Bloomsbury USA

Avery and Ben are just beginning to explore the depth of the bond that links them. Their ability to sense each others' feelings and Avery's mysterious connection to the forest mean that their love is unlike any other. But even such a perfect bond can be strained by jealousy, and when Hope, a gorgeous girl from Ben's old life, arrives in town, Avery can't help but feel threatened. And in more ways than one-because someone is trying to kill her, again.

Also new in town are a pair of Hunters-men who know about werewolves and who seek only to destroy what they can't understand. Hope is connected to the Hunters somehow, but by the time Avery figures out her secret, it's too late-and someone will pay with their life. With the glowing, emotional language that made Low Red Moon such an irresistible read, Moonrise ups the romantic stakes with a heart-tugging sacrifice that testifies to the power of love.



Monday, November 21, 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (78)


This is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.


Books I read last week:
The Patient Nurse by Diana Palmer
Mortal Sins by Eileen Wilks
The Kure by Jaye Frances


The book I’m reading now:
Fairy Bad Day:
While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?


Books that spark my interest this week:
Eye of the Tiger by Diana Palmer
Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler



Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Patient Nurse by Diana Palmer


The Patient Nurse:
Dr. Ramon Cortero's patient, Nurse Noreen Kensington, has a serious case of heartache. Maybe the only remedy is a dose of old-fashioned tenderloving care from the seductive doctor! But Ramon's stormy history with Noreen made him the one man she didn't want rescuing her now that she was ill.

When truths about the past are revealed, Ramon is determined to make things right with the woman who's haunted his dreams for so long. But will this patient doctor be able to mend Noreen's broken heart before it's too late?







This was a "classic" Diana Palmer-style romance. The tension ran rampant throughout the pages and by the end I was swooning at the romance. The characters were typical of Diana's writing, the girl is young and innocent, had hard pressed to pay her bills. While the man is rich and handsome, and after being hurt in some way in the past, takes his temper out on the heroine. But she just keeps coming back for more because she loves him. What I enjoyed about this one was that Noreen was intelligent, if unworldly, even though she had the tendency to let everyone walk all over her. Ramon is your typical alpha male with a little bit of chauvinistic characteristics thrown in, it bothered me that he felt he wanted to control Noreen's future friendships--allowing only female companionship. But all-in-all this was a great romantic read that made my heart flutter for the characters.






In My Mailbox (83)


In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.



If You Hear Her by Shiloh Walker


Saturday, November 19, 2011

On My Wishlist (78)


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - a linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.




Eve by Anna Carey:
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.





Mercy by Jodi Picoult:
Police chief of a small Massachusetts town, Cameron McDonald makes the toughest arrest of his life when his own cousin Jamie comes to him and confesses outright that he has killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy.

Now, a heated murder trial plunges the town into upheaval, and drives a wedge into a contented marriage: Cameron, aiding the prosecution in their case against Jamie, is suddenly at odds with his devoted wife, Allie -- seduced by the idea of a man so in love with his wife that he'd grant all her wishes, even her wish to end her life. And when an inexplicable attraction leads to a shocking betrayal, Allie faces the hardest questions of the heart: when does love cross the line of moral obligation? And what does it mean to truly love another?

Praised for her "personal, detail-rich style" (Glamour), Jodi Picoult infuses this page-turning novel with heart, warmth, and startling candor, taking readers on an unforgettable emotional journey.




Destined by Jessie Harrell:
When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.