Archives for September 2013

STACKING THE SHELVES {17}

September 21, 2013 Comments : 6

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews where you share books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. You can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

It’s been a month since my last STS, but here I am. These books had me bouncing all over my room! So much awesomeness!

Throne of Glass (signed) by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight (signed) by Sarah J. Maas
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (signed by Sarah J. Maas)
[I actually have showcased these books earlier, but that was in my August roundup. I had yet to show them off in Stacking the Shelves, so voila!]

Vicious (signed ARC) by VE Schwab (from Jenna Does Books)
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
More Than This (ARC) by Patrick Ness
A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard (from Tar Heel Bibliobabe)

Extremely excited to start all of them! I’ve already read the first chapters of Vicious, Attachments, and More Than This, and I am already in love. (I should really stop reading multiple books at once. ;D)

ALSO.
If you have missed my previous posts, check them out:

Monday | I reviewed Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts, and it is sooo goddamn boring. I wished for the end to come, so I didn’t have to read anymore.
Tuesday | I finally did Top Ten Tuesday, which was on my Fall TBR list. To be honest, my TBR has changed when I realized there are tons of events I’m planning to go to in October, so I am unable to read them.
Wednesday | I “wait on” The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead because I need Adrian Ivashkov in my life again! GIVE HIM TO ME.
Thursday | In the discussion post, I asked people if they prepped their blog posts in advance, which I do not do because I am a procrastinator.
Friday | I reviewed Glitches (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5) by Marissa Meyer. Totally hooked now. I need to read Cinder.

* Note to everyone: I may be using Goodreads’ links in my posts (or refer back to them), but that does not mean I support or condone the censorship that has taken place on that site.

How was your week? What books did you pick up? Have you read any of the books I bought/received?

Reviews

REVIEW | Glitches (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5) by Marissa Meyer

September 20, 2013 Leave a Comment

Glitches (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5) by Marissa Meyer
December 5, 2011
Tor.com
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness.

In Glitches, a short prequel story to Cinder, we see the results of that illness play out, and the emotional toll that takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch…

myreview

First sentence: “Are you ready to meet your new family?”

Man, I am completely hooked.

In Glitches, Cinder, an eleven-year-old girl with mechanic limbs, is taken to New Beijing by her new stepfather, Garan, a man who she isn’t related to, for a new life. There, Cinder meets her new stepmother, Adri, and her two stepsisters, Pearl (who is the oldest and isn’t featured heavily in the novella) and Peony (who is the youngest and welcomes Cinder with open arms). We get to see how the household ~~adjust~~ don’t adjust to Cinder and then, something tragic happens.

The Lunar Chronicles world is extremely fascinating, especially seeing the dynamics between the humans and androids. I think it’s interesting how an android is treated like they’re a second-class citizen (or someone who is disposable) even though they are apart of the family. To be treated like that, is that just? It certainly brings up the issue of a specific glitch that both Cinder and Iko, an android that Cinder put back together, share — whether androids/cyborgs/machines feel emotions. I like that Cinder is exceptionally skilled at fixing things, not housework. I’m just imagining what she could do for the family. Eek. So many things.

After I read this novella, I had so many questions. I wonder why Garan, Cinder’s stepfather, decided to take Cinder in. I feel like it’s more than wanting another child or even wanting a child to have a place they call home. I don’t know if the first book will address it, but I certainly hope so. Is Adri’s dislike for Cinder because the family has to spend more money that they don’t have to provide for another person/being or because she views androids/cyborgs as not human (so they shouldn’t be treated that way)? What was Garan doing to contract letumosis? What was he planning to unveil at the Tokyo Fair? Lots of questions, people! (Tell me some will be answered in Cinder).

I can’t wait to start Cinder. I know my BFF (and everyone here) will be excited that I have started the series. Go read this novella if you haven’t. It’s extremely short and worth every bit of your time. If you don’t, my android friend will arrive on your doorstep and force you to read it in its presence. You will sweat bullets.

gradeB+

Discussion

THE THREE C’S: CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH CEE | Prepping Blog Posts

September 19, 2013 Comments : 19

three c's

Kelley of Another Novel Read posed an interesting question over at her blog.

Do you prep blog posts in advance? Why do you or why don’t you?

You know this post you’re reading? I typed it up a few hours and finished it a dew minutes before I published it.

I rarely prep blog posts in advance. It’s not because I don’t want to. I do, but most of the time, I get distracted and procrastinate after being persuaded by that little procrastination monster to do something else because it seemed necessary at the time. When I finally do sit down and try to type my thoughts down, I don’t know what I want to say exactly until the last minute.

Inspiration always hit me the night before I plan to publish something. It must be that I do my best work under pressure, right?

Maybe.

If I try to write a post a few days beforehand, I find myself revising sentences over and over again because I’m never satisfied. Writing up posts last minute forces me to just write and revise quickly – get to the main point without fussing over it. However, it’s generally a bad idea, especially if you have to write an essay for class (which I was guilty of doing last minute when I was in college). It’s a really bad habit. You should always be prepared. For me, I always prepare myself when I go out of my house, but rarely blog posts. I should do better.

This is what happens when you prep and don’t prep in advance:

Do you prep blog posts in advance or are you like me? What happens to you when you prep or don’t prep in advance? Does any of the ones on my list happen to you?

(Join in on other discussion posts over on Let’s Discuss!)

Waiting on Wednesday

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY | The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

September 18, 2013 Comments : 5

wowfestivo

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

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead
November 19, 2013
Razorbill
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn’t over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there’s still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Why I’m waiting?

ADRIAN IVASHKOVVVVV. My heart belongs to that asshole.

I love the Bloodlines series. I feel like I’ve been waiting for years for the next book (which I know the previous book wasn’t published that long ago). I get incredibly giddy when I read it because fuck, that Adrian Ivashkov is such a romantic. I’m extremely excited to read from his POV and to see his relationship with Sydney have progressed. JUST GIVE ME THE FIERY HEART. GIVE IT TO ME NOW.

What books are you waiting on?

Reviews

(ARC) REVIEW | Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts

September 16, 2013 Comment : 1

Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts
September 17, 2013
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A novel about the end of days full of surprising beginnings

The world is living in the shadow of oncoming disaster. An asteroid is set to strike the earth in just one week’s time; catastrophe is unavoidable. The question isn’t how to save the world—the question is, what to do with the time that’s left? Against this stark backdrop, three island teens wrestle with intertwining stories of love, friendship and family—all with the ultimate stakes at hand.

Alexandra Coutts’s Tumble & Fall is a powerful story of courage, love, and hope at the end of the world.

First sentence: “The day she gets out, it feels like the end.”

Oh, cover of Tumble & Fall, how you have misled me. You would think I wouldn’t judge a book by its cover, right? WRONG.

You might think this book is strictly about the apocalypse, but it’s not; it’s more contemporary with an apocalyptic backdrop, dealing with relatable issues like family, death, and absent parents. Tumble & Fall follows three characters – Sienna, Zan, and Caden – as they continue with their daily lives while they wait for the asteroid, Persephone, to hit Earth. Sienna has just been released from rehab due to her depression and has to adjust to life on the outside. Zan mourns the death of her boyfriend, Leo, and goes on a scavenger hunt to find out what he was doing in his last moments. Caden deals with his alcoholic mother and an absent father who kidnaps him, which I can only describe as a bizarre mess.

I wanted to like Tumble & Fall. I really did, but this book was sooo goddamn boring. Reading it was like waiting for the impending doom to arrive. I wanted the end to come, so I didn’t have to force myself to trudge through the nonsense (maybe that was the point of the book?). The story was very slow and dull because of the lack of plot. It was very much “a day in the life of these characters” with an added bonus of the world ending. Yes, “a day in the life” stories can be done well, but I struggled hard to connect with this book, especially why the author decided to use an apocalypse as a backdrop since it didn’t really change the way any of the characters dealt with their issues.

Besides the plot, I didn’t connect with the story because I found the characters and their situations to be unlikeable and unrealistic. They felt one-dimensional. I didn’t feel like I knew them enough to understand their actions. Their stories lacked a connection to each other, which was fine, but I felt that it was too disjointed, especially when it came to Caden’s POV. I was extremely turned off by the instalove that occurred in Sienna’s POV. (I kept thinking, “Ummm, honey, I know the world is ending, but you have known this guy for FOUR DAYS. FOUR. FUCKING. DAYS. Just think about it for sec.” You can just imagine the look of disgust on my face when I read that part. Eww.) The only problem with Zan’s POV was that I didn’t care for her “epic love” with Leo. I didn’t understand why I should care. Caden’s POV was extremely different to Sienna’s and Zan’s POVs. Everything in his part was…how should I say…comical? (I’m sure it was unintended.) It was like a messed up circus. So many absurd things occurred during his POV that I was left with a big fat WTF??? over my head. His situation felt extremely exaggerated, so I was so close to dismissing the entirety of his POV.

I like that Tumble & Fall is very much an examination of what people do when they know the end is near. Do they run around the cities, stealing anything they can get their hands on? Or do they spend the rest of their time relaxing with their family? Or do they try to cross out things on their bucket list before the end finally arrives? It made me think of what I would do if an asteroid was to Earth in a few days.

I would advise against reading this book. I had to force myself to read it, which is one of the worst feelings on the world. If you want something apocalyptic, go watch “This Is The End” featuring Seth Rogen and James Franco or “The World’s End” featuring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Those were way more entertaining than Tumble & Fall.

gradeD-

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