Archives for August 2014

CLEAN YOUR SHELF GIVEAWAY! Catching Jordan & Signed Unremembered! (US Only!)

August 20, 2014 Comments : 24

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Well, it’s nearly the end of Summer in a couple of weeks, and you know what that means? It’s time to clean my shelf! It’s been a while since I’ve done one on the blog. I’ve been slowly getting rid of books I don’t want anymore so I can make room on my book shelf. (There’s no actual space.) I decided to take part in the Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop, which is hosted by Bookhounds and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

I have books that need a new home! They are all lonely from being neglected by me. (Only because I’ve finished the books.) What books am I talking about? Well, Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally and a signed copy of Unremembered by Jessica Brody! Those are the two books I’m giving away.

If you’re excited to read a contemporary YA about an awesome teenage girl who’s the star quarterback of her school’s football team, and sci-fi about an amnesiac who was the only survivor of a plane crash even though there’s no record of her, go forth and win!

THE RULES

This contest is only opened to the US. (Too broke to send it anywhere else.)
The giveaway will run from August 20 to August 27, 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.

Don’t you want to win? Click here!

Check out what books these people are giving away!

Discussion

THE THREE C’S: CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH CEE | Breaking Up With “DNF” (or Trying To)

August 14, 2014 Comments : 19

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[note note_color=”#81dbd5″]NOTE: Be prepared for Nick Miller gifs and a slightly misleading title. This isn’t about not DNF-ing. It’s about the term “DNF.”[/note]

DNF is a familiar term that many readers use to say, “nope, I did not finish this book.” We read so many books, and sometimes, there are a few that we just cannot get through for whatever reason—may it be from the atrocious plot or an unlikeable character or the extremely snail-slow pacing. It’s a quick, short, and to-the-point term that sums up what happens between you and a book, but it’s a term I don’t particularly like to use.

When I use (or attempt to use) DNF, my brain just goes:

Holy Mother Cover

HOLY, MOTHER COVER! | Changes in The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

August 10, 2014 Comments : 8

holymothercover

Inspired by What She Reads, Pure Imagination Blog, and Stacked.

I admit I’m a book cover snob. Who isn’t though?

Book covers are the first thing that attracts readers to a book. A good cover can draw someone is, just as a bad cover can easily draw someone away. It can essentially make or break a book. Holy, Mother Cover! is where I showcase the book covers that stand out (or make me cringe), and discuss cover changes.

(A big special thanks to Georgie at What She Reads for bestowing me this fabulous name and to Charlotte at Gypsy Reviews for creating the beautiful feature banner you see before you.)

**COVER CHANGE: The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr**

[row][column size=”1/2″]What do I think about the cover design? I don’t like it. Not at all.

Sure, the picture of the hand and the piano are perfect for the book since it is about a pianist, but the font, the font hurts me. The title font is so out of place. It doesn’t complement the font for the author, nor does it use the spacing at the top very well. I also don’t like the white glow around “Sara Zarr” because the glow draws my attention to it (not to the author’s name itself).

Plus, the font color of the title doesn’t match the font color of the author. In every cover image I’ve seen of this book, the coloring is completely off. It’s either too light purple or a pink color (like the one above), and none of those covers works with the purple.

Would I buy this book based on the cover? Noppppeeee.[/column] [column size=”1/2″]What do I think about the cover design? Again, FONT ISSUE. Ugh.

The font in this is worse than the hardcover one. (I sighed so loud when I saw it.) It’s very stiff, and looks extremely outdated because of the shadows. It just screams early 2000s to me. The shadows would kind of work if it wasn’t pink. The problem is that the color tone of the entire cover is already a bit magenta; the pink shadows blends into the picture, hiding itself in the pink dress, in the dark stone, and in the overly magenta skin tone. That’s a big no-no if you want the title to stand out on its own.

Also, the cover picture doesn’t tell me anything about the book. At least with the hardcover, it shows a piano. This cover is like any other book with a girl having fun.

Would I buy this book based on the cover? Never.[/column][/row]

But who’s the real winner?

And the winner is....

Surpriseeeeee! Not at all what you expected, right? This version of The Lucy Variations is the best. Reasons why:

Sheet music! I love that it’s torn. It’s a really perfect way of showing that this book is about music.
The font for the title! It fits perfectly. Plus, I love that it kind of looks like it was written in pastel.
The purple ribbons! All wrapped together nicely like a present.

My only issue with this cover is the font choice and color of “Sara Zarr.” It doesn’t fit with the overall cover, but it’s not a huge deal breaker.