Archives for July 2013

GIVEAWAY | Summer Giveaway Hop – Unremembered by Jessica Brody

July 31, 2013 Comments : 23

giveawayfestivo

Yes, everyone. A giveaway! Hosted by Bookhounds & I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

A lucky reader will get my hardcover copy of Unremembered by Jessica Brody. Your summer read should have a girl with amnesia, right?

Unremembered by Jessica Brody
March 5, 2013
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (BYR)
Website | Twitter | Goodreads

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author Jessica Brody comes a compelling and suspenseful new sci-fi series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten.

I’ve read it already and thought it was a good idea to give it to someone who wants to read it.

The rules:

This contest is only opened to the US. (Too broke to send it anywhere else.)
The giveaway will run from August 1 to August 7, 2013.
You must be 13 years (with your parent’s permission) or older.
You will be disqualified if you pick up entries you haven’t done.
If the winner does not respond to my e-mail within 48 hours, I will have to choose another winner.
I am not responsible for any items lost in the mail.

ENTER RIGHT HERE TO WIN!

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list!

Waiting on Wednesday

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY | Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

July 31, 2013 Comments : 8

wowfestivo

Waiting On is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
August 15, 2013
Dial
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery…who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

Why I’m waiting?

Holy moly, guys, this book makes me think of the old classic gothics. The cover and that typeface give me that eerie feeling. Usually, I dislike horror stories (because I’m a scaredy cat) and books that contain the word “mysterious” in the synopsis to describe a person or their past because it’s extremely cliche. However, this book…you know what pulled me in? The description of River West as “a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in the cemetery…who makes you want to kiss back.” That image does something for me. It resonates in my head. And I like it.

What books are you waiting on?

Discussion

THE THREE C’S: CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH CEE | In A Reading & Writing Funk

July 26, 2013 Comments : 2

three c's

Guys, I am in a reading and writing funk. Also known as writer’s/reader’s block.

It is THE WORST.

When I’m in a funk, I can’t do anything. The symptoms are: lack of motivation, prone to distraction, texting BFF “I am soooo bored”/feeling extreme boredom when there are actually things to do, favorite books (that have been read multiple times) aren’t appealing OR continually reading the same book over and over again, finding other means of distraction (all of which are not productive), the mere sight of a book distresses you. The list goes on.

I hate when this happens.

I can’t bring myself to read any books or write anything. Writing this goddamn post about my “funk” was extremely hard. (Well, kind of.) See, I said there was a possibility that I would have this written, but I didn’t think I would actually type it up AND make a graphic for this discussion post. Imagine my surprise (or delight?) when I actually did it. (Does this mean I’m slowly coming out of my funk?) BUT, reviews, letters to, cover change discussion is at a standstill. I have two books I’ve already read, but reviews are not happening. I really want to type up my thoughts, but there’s roadblock in my brain with a sign that says “do not trespass or we will hurt your brain.” (Who’s the we? No idea, but I’m respecting the sign.) What I want to say is not being expressed onto the page. That usually occurs every time I write a review, but it feels ten times worst when I’m in a funk. I’m sure whatever’s causing my funk is laughing in joy at my expense whilst twiddling its thumb, if it had any.

I have things I should be doing, but nope, those things are not happening.

Right now, I continue to maintain this attitude.

You know what I do want to read? Fanfiction. And you know what I blame? Pacific Rim. I have devoted all my energy in fangirling the hell out of that movie on Tumblr, that maybe that has physically and mentally exhausted me from actually writing and reading? That’s possible right? (Or it could be that I haven’t been outside in a week, how the hell did that happen?)

Anything truly productive, I don’t want to do it. I wander aimlessly through the internet, searching for something that’ll break me out of this spell.

I think I’m slowly coming out of it, but I’m probably jinxing myself.

What do you tend to do when you’re in a funk? How do you snap yourself out of it? Tell me. Share me your secrets!

Waiting on Wednesday

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY | Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

July 24, 2013 Comments : 6

wowfestivo

Waiting On is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

August 13, 2013
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I’m sorry I couldn’t be more than I was—that I couldn’t stick around—and that what’s going to happen today isn’t their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Why I’m waiting?

~~Two~~ THREE things pulled me to this book —

The title of this book. Leonard Peacock is such an odd name, but it works for me.
The cover! (I know I always say the cover attracts me, but it’s true!) I saw two covers of it and fell in love. I could not resist not showing everyone this. Look at the two covers. The typeface (font) is sooo pretty. The second cover is what made me fall in love with it because it’s extremely powerful. As kids, we would shoot finger pistols, but as teenagers/adults, damn. If you read the synopsis, you know.
The synopsis. Holy shit, guys. That is one hell of a synopsis. I’m always apprehensive when I read books that feature teenagers killing/shooting people, but this book is so much more than that. I am completely fascinated by his relationship with those four people who matters to him.

I want this book right now.

What books are you waiting on?

Holy Mother Cover

Cover Changes | Level 2/The Memory of After

July 18, 2013 Comments : 4

In this new corner of my blog, I introduce to you – Judg(ing) A Book By Its Cover! It’s inspired by Pure Imagination Blog and Stacked By Books. Let’s be honest, covers are the first thing that attracts any of us, the readers, to a book. Before knowing the synopsis of a book, the cover design makes or breaks a book. If I don’t like a cover design, I won’t pick it up. Cover designs can represent the characters/themes/plots of a book or it has nothing to do with the actual book. It can simple or complex or it can feature a popular trend (like a close-up of an eye, or a girl in a dress). Whatever the changes with cover design, I will discuss it.

The inaugural post is the case of Level 2 aka The Memory of After.

The paperback version of Lenore Appelhans’ Level 2 goes through two changes – its name and its cover.

I understand why the title of this book had to be changed. Level 2 is a confusing title. It might make sense once you read the book and understand the reference, but for people who haven’t read it and happened to glance at the book, it sounds like it’s the second book of a series when it is actually the first. (I know I made that mistake when I saw the book.) The Memory of After is a slightly better title for marketing, but I don’t know if I actually like it.

And its cover. I’m a little apprehensive about both covers in general because the main character is supposed to be bald (all the drones are said to be bald in the book) and that is clearly not depicted in the two covers. (I guess having a bald figure on the cover won’t sell the book.) I’m not a big fan of book covers featuring a person on it because it’s rarely done correctly (in a way that refers to the book) and it’s usually a girl all dressed up (when the description of the girl is the opposite). If I had to pick which cover I like better, I’d say the first one with elements from the new cover. Why? Well, the girl in the first cover looks like she’s ready to fight with her arms striking out. She seems active, whereas the new cover shows the girl being passive; she’s lying down, exhaling. I like to see the person actually doing something.

Also, I like the first cover because of the colors. Okay, yes, both covers are white, which really fits with the world in Level 2/The Memory of After (since I do imagine it as being white and bleak). Futuristic? Check. But with the first cover, I like how the orange color of the typeface pops out, making it not completely stark white. The new cover makes me think of the fashion ads in magazines, advertising a new perfume. Not sure if that’s a good thing or bad, but points for being clean and sleek.

For this book, I don’t dislike the changes. I think it makes sense and is fitting. (At least from what I remembered about this book.)

What did you think of the name and cover design changes? Do you like it? How would you change it if you could?