My Moods of Reading

Do you ever feel like reading is an emotional endeavor? Not just because books (hopefully) make you feel something but because the act of reading itself is tied to ones current emotions.

I think this is one of the reasons that although I consider myself an avid reader, I have a hard time readings as much as other people (that and I am generally a slower reader, as I like to muse over the sound of the words on the page and how they fit together...I know, I'm weird).

But still, there are times where I want to do nothing else but read. Put a book in my hands I will read it! And most likely have something to say about it. My house may be in shambles, I may be running on very little sleep, my daughter may have watched Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Tinkerbell (1 and 2), Dumbo, and any other number of Disney DVDs in one day, but I will still keep reading!

So I was feeling really good about my reading as I was a week ahead last week in my reviews and had some leg room to finally get caught up on some books I have started, help edit a girl in my writer's groups full manuscript etc.

Then I hit one of those funks.

When in these funks, no matter how hard I try, no matter what book I pick up, I just cannot seem to concentrate for more than a chapter (or if the chapters are long, half a chapter) of a book at a time. And even then, I know I am not enjoying the book as much as I otherwise would, so I find it pointless to keep trying.

But then I start to stress. I think of you, my readers, and how you expect me to write at least one book review a week. I think of my co-bloggers that I ask to review one book a week. How would it look if I slacked on a week? I think of My Pile of Books, that literally looms a mile high with books I own that I want to read, books I've received that I have to read, and books that are on my TBR list that everyone tells me I would love and I should read.

It can get overwhelming.

As fellow blogger and book lovers, do you ever feel like reading for you comes in moods? What do you do about it? Do you worry about your blogs and what other people think if you miss a week of reviews? What would you think if I missed a week?

Review for LAMENT by Maggie Stiefvater

LAMENT

by, Maggie Stiefvater

Details:

published: October 1st 2008 by Flux
Paperback, 326 pages

Placement in Pile:

Reaching New Heights

Summary:

From the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Shiver... Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries. Unexpectedly, Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy named Luke, who enters her ordinary life, seemingly out of thin air. But his interest in her might be something darker than summer romance. When a sinister faerie named Aodhan shows up with deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her summer weren't so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn't exactly what she had in mind.

Review:

I have been interested in reading this series for a while, ever since I read (and loved) SHIVER so much last year. I finally checked it out from the library, and I'm glad I did! While I think her writing has matured, and even improved with SHIVER, LAMENT was still very well-written and intriguing. I wasn't totally sucked in right off the bat--I was actually really confused about why she wouldn't question some guy just "showing up" in the bathroom, and everything that happened in the first 50 pages. But by the end, I was competely engrossed. This was a fast, easy read. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending; I'll have to wait and see what happens in the sequel...

Between this and FAIRY TALE ( the other "fairy" based book I read recently) this one was the better one, in my opinion, by far.

In My Mailbox (6)

From Publishers:

BEFORE I FALL
by Lauren Oliver
Published March 2, 2010 by HarperTeen
*Counts for Debut Author Challenge

Summary:
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.



BEING SIXTEEN
by Allyson Condie
Published February 3rd 2010 by Deseret Book Company

Summary:
Juliet Kendall has been looking forward to her sixteenth birthday for what feels like forever. At first, it seems like being sixteen will be as perfect as she dreamed---she has great friends, a cute almost-boyfriend, a spot on the varsity girls' basketball team, and even a car of her own. But, as the year goes on, she discovers that her sister Carly, is hiding a secret and realizes that, in fact, being sixteen may be her hardest year yet.

Being Sixteen is a coming-of-age story about two sister and their different struggles. It addresses what it means to have a testimony, what it meant to be a friend and a sister, and what's involved in the dealing with and overcoming an eating disorder.

A GOLDEN WEB
by Barbara Quick
Published April 6th 2010 by HarperTeen
*Counts for Debut Author Challenge

Summary:
Alessandra is desperate to escape—from her stepmother, who’s locked her away for a year; from the cloister that awaits her if she refuses the marriage plans that have been made for her; from the expectations that limit her and every other girl in fourteenth-century Italy. There’s no tolerance in her village for her keen intelligence and her unconventional ideas.

In defiant pursuit of her dreams, Alessandra undertakes an audacious quest, her bravery equaled only by the dangers she faces. Disguised and alone in a city of spies and scholars, Alessandra will find a love she could not foresee—and an enduring fame.

In this exquisite imagining of the centuries-old story of Alessandra Giliani, the world’s first female anatomist, distinguished novelist Barbara Quick gives readers the drama, romance, and rich historical detail for which she is known as she shines a light on an unforgotten—and unforgettable—heroine.

Review I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter

I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU,

BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU

by Ally Carter

Published:
May 1st 2006 by Hyperion
Hardcover, 284 pages

Placement In Pile: Maybe Middle of the Stack (if I'm being generous)

Summary:

The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of the latest in chemical warfare, and everyone breaks CIA codes for extra credit in computer class. So in truth, while the Gallagher Academy might say it's a school for geniuses what they really mean is spies.

But what happens when a Gallagher Girl falls for a boy who doesn't have a code name? Cammie Morgan may be fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti), but the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without him ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, she's doing something riskier than ever—she's falling in love.

Review:

I've been interested in reading this one for a while, seeing how it got a big deal, it's a NYT bestseller, it's being made into a movie, etc. etc. The premise sounded so fun and interesting and exciting. The reality? In my opinion, it fell short. Like really short.

First of all, the voice felt like middle-grade to me, not YA at all. Was I wrong in thinking this was a YA book? Cammie feels like a twelve-year-old, or maybe thirteen to me, with how she narrates this. Not a sophomore in high school. And there was at least one "aside" in ( ) on every page. It drove me nuts! Not to mention all the other things I've been taught are "mistakes" in writing that supposedly won't even get you an agent, let alone a publishing deal. So that all distracted from the story for me.

The actual plotline was cute, but nothing stellar to me. I actually had to make myself keep reading it, because I hate not finishing a book. It wasn't awful by any means, it was very cute at times. It just wasn't great. It didn't grip my attention, all of the spy "jokes" about everything the Gallagher girls have supposedly done throughout the last two hundred years got old after a while (for me), and despite the interesting and unique premise, it felt formulaic. It just wasn't what I'd been hoping for. So, if you're in the mood for something VERY light and silly with not much substance, this is the one for you. Or maybe your 6th grader. (But maybe I'm not the best to judge, I was reading Jurassic Park and Pride & Prejudice and Gone with the Wind and etc. in 5th & 6th grade... )

I've seen mixed reviews on this one though, some people loved it, and lots felt the same as me. What did you think? And are the sequels even worth bothering with? (AKA do they get better? or stay about the same?)

Review WONDROUS STRANGE by Lesley Livingston

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Details:

December 23rd 2008 by HarperTeen (first published 2008)

Hardcover, 328 pages 

Placement in the Pile:
Reaching New Heights

Summary:
17 year-old Kelly Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what shethinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelly's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

Review:
I wasn't going to read this book. At all. First off, could there be a lamer title? The first thing that comes to mind is another book about faeries (a.k.a. fairies — for those not so cool) called Wicked Lovely. Does that strike anyone else as total knock-off weirdness? Two books about faeries . . . two books with adjective-adjective titles?

It was almost enough to turn me off. Almost.

But after I gave in and bought the book down at my local Barnes and Noble, I rushed home, locked myself in my room, and read the entire thing. It was surprisingly good and I would even go as far as to call it a page-turner. The prose is beautiful and even eloquent at some points, supporting the mature voice of the protagonist. Kelly, a girl trying to make it on off-off-off Broadway, finally gets her break. And when she does her world changes dramatically.

I found the main voices of the book, Kelly and Sonny, to be brilliant. Great story telling and character voice and excellent chemistry.

To be honest, I thought the author could have done without the 'strange' (ha, ha, snort) prologue of a first chapter, oh, and the lame-arse title—thus my reason for the Reaching New Heights Placement. But other than that, the book definitely hooked me. I'll be running out today to purchase Darklight, the sequel that just came out!!!

Review THE MARK by Jen Nadol

The Mark by Jen Nadol

Details:
January 19th 2010 by Bloomsbury

Hardcover, 228 pages

http://www.jennadolbooks.com/

Placement in Pile:
Bottom of the Barrel (seriously)

Summary:
Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.


Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?


Review:
Maybe I indicated this book's placement as a little low in the pile. But since I eagerly awaited its debut, and practically strong-armed my local library to order it as soon as it came out, well, it's no wonder I was disappointed enough to give it the lowest ranking My Pile of Books hands out.


To put it frankly, The Mark isn't worth the reading time.
Harsh much? Yeah, I know. But there is a certain expectation I hold for the publishing industry. First, it's my hope that there is an actual point to the story, or that the characters will be sympathetic enough to warrant my continued reading, or that the plot line will actually be engaging. One can hope, right?

In The Mark, Jen Nadol's protagonist, Cassie, lets the reader know first page that she can see an uncanny, glowing mark around a person who will die that very day.
Alright, the first chapter gripped me. So I plunged into the rest of the book.
Over the next five or so chapters the story-telling bounced all over the place in different flashback scenes. Confusing much? For sure.
Then when the book picked up in real story-line time, I found the main character jumping into lies and a thoughtless, emotionless relationship. So when the author tried to push an 'emotional' scene, well, for me it was flat and as lifeless as the writing of the book.
Am I the biggest jerk in the world for disliking this book? Maybe. My advice to you: go out and read it for yourself, and prove me wrong.

OH, and since I didn't like this book, I'll be posting another book review tomorrow, so check back.

Book Signing with Bree Despain!

I was lucky enough to go to a book signing for Bree Despain at my local Barnes and Noble on January 16th! It was so so much fun!

Beforehand I went over to my friend SpeedReader (of My Favorite Author)'s house and we painted our nails with the official Dark Divine nail polish which she got with her ARC!

Barnes and Noble was packed! They had 75 books in stock at the beginning of the signing, and only 5-6 were left at the end! THE DARK DIVINE is just flying off of shelves! (I'm in the second row there, furiously taking notes!)

This is me and my friend waiting for Bree to show up! I was beyond excited, can you tell? We were joined in our excitement with lots of other bloggers (hooray for getting buisness cards and sharing blog urls!) and fans.




Before the signing Bree talked a little about herself, the book, her path to publication, etc. Here are the highlights:

• Bree didn't play when she was little, she directed play.
  
• After a really bad car accident she said there are two things she would have regretted most if she had died; never finishing a novel, and not being with her family - this is when she got serious about writing full time.
• Her inspirations for TDD were having read SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson (she called it "heartwrenching and beautiful"), an experience she had with a sudden encounter with a friend she had as a child who came back and she didn't recognize him anymore, and an experience when a conversation between Grace and her brother came into her head while driving one night.

• When she first wrote TDD it was contemporary
• She got sucked into the Buffy-verse (Yay for Buffy the Vampire Slayer!) and finally embraced the paranormal aspect of the book.
• The paranormal element allowed the book to be about redemption without being too didactic.
  

Then Bree read to us a conversation between Grace and Daniel on page 103. This made me even more excited to make room for this book at the top of my pile!

Having teased all of us with the magnificent Daniel Bree took questions. Here are some of the cooler Q's and A's. (these are not direct quotes most of the time...these are just from my notes.)

Q: Were there any other working titles?
A: Tons. But one that it had for a long time was Daniel Divine. However, that connotated Grace and Daniel were actually brother and sister, and that was just creepy. Her writer's group voted on a list and chose The Dark Divine...which was Bree's fave anyway.

Q: How was the cover created? (It's so pretty!)
A: My publisher asked me if I had any thoughts on the cover. This is very kind of them to ask because the author usually has little to NO say on the cover. Bree wrote back a 2 page letter with ideas of what covers she likes, what concepts she doesn't like etc.

ARCs were going to print in a few days and they finally sent her a cover that she HATED. It was everything she said she didn't like. It ends up that they had gone through so many covers they had just settled. She called her editor in tears and said she would not have picked up that book, he agreed he didn't like it and he went through thousands of images online until he found this one. They added the purple color scheme and voila!

She loved it! However, at the time there was no purple in the book! So She added purple in -- because it would have drove Bree nuts if the cover didn't make sense! And there it is! (The ARCs did not have the purple in them!)

So then Bree signed our books! (And handed out official TDD nail polish! How cool is that???)

She was so much fun to talk to and I'm so glad I got to go and support this wonderful book! So many more fun things happened, like cardboard cut outs, talk of the Trophy Husband etc. There was just so much that I just gave you the highlights!

I hope you all take the time to check author blogs and bookstore websites to see when signings are coming near you! They are SO worth it!

I am looking forward to much more from Bree in the future! And hey, maybe we can get her over here when she's not too busy for an interview and/or guest blog! ;)

Happy Reading everyone!

Review THE DARK DIVINE by Bree Despain

THE DARK DIVINE
by Bree Despain
Published December 22nd 2009 by EgmontUSA
Hardcover, 372 pages
http://www.breedespain.com/

Placement in the Pile: Top of the Stack

Summary:
A prodigal son
A dangerous love
A deadly secret...

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul. (GoodReads)

Review:
The Dark Divine is a very gripping read that combines the paranormal, religion, romance and redemption.

I really connected with Grace as a character. She lives life in a religious family as I did and it is what guides many of her actions. However when Daniel arrives, secrets also come flooding back into her life and she is forced to question her beliefs - in a very positive way.

Daniel is the perfect cad. Or so it would seem. Truly the prodigal son (except for the part about being a flesh and blood son of the Divine family) of the story, yet with a twist. Even he can't seem to hope to find redemption and forgiveness for his actions.

Thoroughly enjoyable, a tad predictable at times (but I think that just stems from me reading so much paranormal romance) and with the last 75 pages being completely enthralling, I had to give this book top marks. With the predictability there were moments that truly and utterly shocked me, pulled me into this dark story, and made me long for more. I cannot wait for the next installment.

If you at all like paranormal novels this one is for you. It is highly romantic, but not so openly nauseating as some, so if romance is not your thing, you will still love the story. Truly there is universal messages here that Despain intertwines beautifully.

I am VERY glad I own this one for my shelf!