Review: The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter

Overall Impression: 

Source: Library

Publication Date: Sept. 14th 2010

Short synopsis (Goodreads): Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt who’s away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where legend has it a monstrous creature lives who is half boy and half animal. . . .

In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Ellen Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.

My Review: Have you ever found a book that you just have to read out loud with a British accent? This is that book. Maybe it’s just me, but I love to read things that have a very British feel to them with an accent.

With that being said, I didn’t really like this book. I love the cover, I love the Hardscrabble children, I despised the story. It had a lot of potential, there were good moments, but for the most part it was trying too hard. The narrator was cute, I like it when the narrator speaks to you like you are always there (and it’s pretty obvious who the narrator is) but the ending scenes felt like the author just wanted to be as random as possible….like…REALLY random. I hated it! Finishing that I thought I would give this book 2 stars, which hasn’t happened in quite a while with a book that I’ve actually finished. Upon further reflection there were the redeeming qualities that I mentioned before, which brings it up to 3 stars, but that’s as far as it can go in my book…no pun intended. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Die for Me

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine where bloggers highlight books they are eagerly anticipating.

This week my choice is:

Title: Die For Me by Amy Plum

Release Date: May 10th 2011

Reason: Look at that Cover!!! And the synopsis is well... to die for! I actually have this as an arc from Netgalley but haven't gotten to it yet. I've heard SOOO many good things though I'm uber excited to start it!

Synopsis(Goodreads): My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

What are you waiting for?

Awesome giveaway hosted by Girls without a bookshelf

I love a good giveaway...and this one basically tops quite a few! I first heard about it from The Irish Banana Review (thanks for sharing!) The two adorable sisters from Girls Without A Bookshelf are hosting an AMAZING giveaway in honor of the upcoming nuptials of Will & Kate. And boy, is the the daddy of them all! These two are uber generous, so CHECK IT OUT!

How adorable is this intro?

Review: The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) by Caitlin Kittredge

Overall Impression: 

Source: Library

Publication Date: Feb. 2011

Short synopsis (Goodreads): In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.

     Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

My Review: This review is a little hard for me to write. I really liked the book, don't get me wrong, I was just expecting it to be more haunting than it turned out to be. 

Let me start with the things that I did like (which are easier to voice): first off, the cover is amazing. I mean, TRULY, amazing. It really sets a nice tone for the book and the world that it is set in. A lot of time I take great umbrage when a character impression is foisted on me, I prefer to let my imagination put the face on the people (even though sometimes it insists on a different image, I go with what suits me...). The cover idea of Aoife, though, is spot on. Plus, with a name like Aoife, what's not to like?

Aoife was an easy protagonist to follow. Cal was a little annoying at times, but there is a twist that I didn't see coming...and you can decide from there. Dean's hawt, enough said. 

Something else really great about this book was the fact that is was 8 pages shy of 500. I LOVE thick books. Sometimes a thick book feels like a thick book, you know what I mean, but The Iron Thorn does not! There is plenty of story to fill the pages and the plot keeps you moving so quickly that you don't even notice how much you've really read until you pick up your bookmark and see a butt load of pages in front of it!

That being said, one of the things that I felt could have been added to this book was descriptions. Yes, I want it to be longer. There were some very beautiful one liner descriptions that I really enjoyed, but towards the latter half of the book I really felt that whole sentences and paragraphs were missing from the story. Not to any point where it was difficult to follow, but it did take me a second or two more than it should have to catch up. For this reason I gave the book 4 mustaches as opposed to 5.

I am, however, very eagerly looking forward to the release of the second book in the series. Sometimes you can tell that people are just prolonging the storyline much more than they should. THIS book, is not the case. While the ending is not a complete cliff hanger there are LOADS more story threads that need to be explored and I am very excited to see how it all pans out. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Divergent

Waiting on Wendesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine. Here, book bloggers talk about the release of books we are eagerly anticipating.

For this week I'm really looking forward to the release of:

Title: Divergent by Veronica Roth (she's only 22!)

Release Date: May 3rd, 2011 (only a few more days!)

Short synopsis (Goodreads): In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Reason: I have heard TONS of good things about this book. Sad I wasn't able to get an ARC for it, but excited to support to the publishing industry with my purchase in a few weeks.. ; ) Plus, that's a pretty rocking cover!

What are you waiting for?

Review: The Girl's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp

Overall Impression:

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Publication Date: April 26th, 2011

Short synopsis (Goodreads): "I am an educated woman with stable employment and residence history. I have never done drugs. I am not mentally ill. I am a career executive assistant—coherent, opinionated, poised, and capable. If you saw me walking down the street, you wouldn't have assumed that I lived in a parking lot. In short, I was just like you—except without the convenience of a permanent address." Brianna Karp's account of her journey through homelessness immerses us in a timely, relevant topic that all too many Americans know about first hand.

My Review: What first intrigued me about this book was the title. You hear things like "The Girls Guide to Perfect Hair" or "The Girls Guide to the SAT's" but never something like "The Girls Guide to Homelessness." I've always been scared of being homeless. I don't think I could handle it. Needless to say, I was intrigued to take a look 'behind the scenes' and not have to experience it myself but understand more of what it is like. My ideas have changed.

As a warning to other readers, Brianna does not beat around the bush. This memoir was a lot more personal than I thought it was going to be, that is part of why it got to be so compelling, but the author's life was not easy and she tells us what happened. She doesn't go into graphic details, but reading those things made me realize how cushy a life I have always had and made me deeply deeply impressed with how Brianna has been able to come out on top and never stop fighting for herself and for what she believes in. 

I'll admit that, a little part of me, thought exactly some of the stereotypical things that Brianna has fought so hard to dispel about the state of homeless people. I don't begrudge homeless people simple pleasures, I just sometimes thought they could try a little harder. I'm ashamed that I thought that way and realize now how  easy it is to lose the stability in our lives that we so often rely on. It's important for us to never judge and to try to get to know people and how we can help them. Brianna is a great example of not having a lot herself but using all she had to help those around her. Even though she was in bad situations she always remained trustworthy and hardworking. 

I really liked how at the end of the book there are lots of links to find out more information about homelessness and how we can help. To find out more about Brianna you can go to her website: The Girls Guide to Homelessness.

Not your typical feel good book, but certainly one that makes you think and step out of your comfort zone. Brianna is a great writer and it was easy to get sucked into her experiences and to want to become a better person after seeing her example. 

Support Your Local Library Challenge

The Book Junkie's Bookshelf is hosting this challenge. I'm a little late signing up, but it really is the perfect thing for me. I've started buying quite a few more books recently (mostly eBooks that I am too impatient to wait for) but the majority of the books that I read are from the library.

There are four levels to the challenge. I'm going with the highest, the MEGA size. This is where I pledge to check out and read 51+ books by the end of the year. At the moment I have 15 out on my account and in queue for quite a few more. The list, literally, grows daily, plus I need to read around 72 more books by the end of the year....and I will for sure not be buying that many (....honest, I simply can't....though I would LOVE to!).

I've already created a Goodreads shelf listing these, so it'll be nice to finally be official. Yay for reading and YAY YAY YAY for LIBRARIES!!!

Here's the feeder of my addictions:

Review: Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund

Overall Impression: 

Source: Library

Short synopsis (Goodreads): Aerin Renning is a scarred fugitive, Dane Madousin a rebellious son of privilege. On the surface, they have nothing in common. But the two most competitive freshmen at Academy 7 share an undiscovered bond. Both harbor a dangerous secret that threatens their own destruction. And while their safety depends on their staying apart, the two are inexplicably drawn to each other. Even as unknown forces conspire to separate them, their competition turns to friendship, and their friendship to romance. Now not only their lives—but their hearts—are at stake. To survive, the two must unite all their knowledge, skills, and gifts to uncover a secret bigger than either could have imagined. A secret as big as the entire universe...

My Review: This was a good enough book to read at least once. There isn’t a lot of depth to it, though some things don’t make a lot of sense until the end. The relationship aspect was there, but not that deep either. Truthfully, this doesn’t feel like it should be a stand-alone book. Even as the beginning of a series it should have been more complicated. Things tie up alright at the end but…it’s lacking that pizzazz that would have given it a 4 or even a 5 mustache rating.

 I didn’t dislike Aerin at the beginning, she was just a little harder to get to know, but plenty of personality. She also reminded me of Katniss, just with how slow she was to trust and how obsessed with survival. (Katniss will always be the standard of survival for me, crazy, but true). Dane was easier to like. All throughout he seems more real of a character for me, easier to understand and sympathize with. They both have their faults, but Aerin is more distant of a character even though quite a bit about her is revealed.

The world is easy enough to get used to. I was a little confused for the first few chapters but was able to catch on fairly quickly after that. Supporting characters aren’t that fleshed out but decent enough.

I’ve looked up on Goodreads and it doesn’t seem like there is more expected for this book. It’s a decent enough filler book but not something you should go out and read right away. 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Here bloggers list books that they are eagerly can't wait to get their hands on!

This week my choice is:

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson
Release Date: September 2011
Synopsis: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. 

Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. 

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. 

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. 

Most of the chosen do. 

Reason: Elisa sounds very relate-able. We're talking uberly relate-able! This books has so much potential! I like the cover quite a bit and am really excited to see how this turns out. 

What are you waiting for?

Top 10 Tuesdays (1): Books that I want to be made into Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is a really fun weekly meme hosted over at The Broke and The Bookish. This is my first time participating and this weeks is a really fun topic:

What are the top 10 books you would want to be made into movies?

Oh the possibilities! Jamie makes sure to specify that this would be in a perfect world where the books weren't butchered, and that's the only way I could put these on that list. Quite a few good books/series have already been made into movies such as LOTR, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, the works of Jane Austen, etc. I'm quite surprised, however, that Hollywood has overlooked these gems right here: 

• ·         Enders Game- WOW, this book was too amazing. I have been wanting this to be made into a movie forever. When I read this, Ender was totally the little kid from the Sixth Sense. He’s too old to play the part now, but he was PERFECT back then.
• ·         Amelia Peabody- just started this and LOVED it! There’s a kind of steampunk-ish, fantasy Victorian French movie trailer that I saw quite a while ago, but it makes me think of this series (sorry, can’t for the life of me remember what it’s called. I’ll remember a week from now though..)
• ·         Mercy Thompson- I have read this series multiple times. Too much goodness to contain in my head!
• ·         Tiffany Aching- so practical, so cute, so clever! Plus, the Wee Free Men really need to be let loose!
• ·         Fablehaven- THE best MG series that I have come across!
• ·         Gregor the Overlander- the 2^nd best MG series ever. Hunger Games would have totally been on my list if they already weren’t making a movie, SO glad they are. Pretty happy with the cast picks
• ·         The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- the adorableness of this book knows no bounds. I avoided this book for AGES because it wasn’t what I thought I would like…so wrong! One of my most favorite books! So much movie potential! The characters in this book are too funny!
• ·         Uglies- The dystopian series has TONS of movie potential. Lots of fun gadgets too! I want to see these things come into real life, especially the hover boards!
• ·         Mistborn series- this one has A LOT of potential for AWESOME special effects. We’re talking epic! Such an interesting concept and SUCH a good series!
• ·         Sabriel- another of my most favorite series! I love how simple, deep and believable Garth Nix was able to create this world.  Simply amazing! 

Review: The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) by Aimee Carter

Overall Impression: 

Source: Publisher, NetGalley

Short synopsis (Goodreads): It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworl and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

My Review: I ended up liking this book fairly well. It was a nice new take on an old myth…or history, depending on your perspective. However, this book took me a lot longer to finish than it should have. I started reading it and it wasn’t that exciting. For the first 6 chapters or so I was felt detached.  I had hope though, the summary was intriguing so I kept going.

I ended up liking it well enough. Well enough, in fact, to be somewhat excited for the second installment to come out (that is one of the only downsides to reading ARCs, you have that much longer to wait for the next one to come…).

I liked Kate’s relationship with Henry. It was slow, it made sense, they worked on it and you could see it grow. Adorable.

The prologue was a little hard for me because my image of the Greek and Roman diety’s kind of has to do with a certain Disney movie by the name of Hercules. Hades isn’t so hot in that one (hot as in good looking or as in nice..), so trying to make him into a compassionate character took me a little bit.

 If things hadn’t picked up in the middle, this book would have gotten a 2 star rating for me. Kate was kind of a brat, I couldn’t connect with her, and I really wasn’t understanding her immediate friendship and dependence on James (or Ava, but that gets more resolution). Having other characters introduced was a relief. She does grow, but kind of regresses the last few pages in my opinion. The ending 30 pages or so were not as good at the middle either. Again, the James thing. I can’t complain too much without giving things away….but you’ll probably understanding where I’m coming from when you read the book.

Glad I read it (it counts towards 2 challenges, the Debut Author Challenge and the Once Upon a Time Challenge)and overall it was good. Something worth reading but whether you want to add it permanently to your library is up to you. 

In My Mailbox (4)

Hello again everyone!! Before I get started with what I got this week, I'd like to gush a little bit. Last night I went and saw JANE EYRE with my sister. It was a very satisfying gothic romance. I can't vouch for how accurate it is to the book (been a few years since I've read it) but it was close enough in general terms that I could enjoy it immensely! If you're a fan, you most certainly need to see it, sooner rather than later!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren so we can showcase the books we got for review, borrowed or bought. My picture is borrowed from Anna, at Anna Reads (thanks Anna)! All pictures link to their GoodReads page.


eBooks for Review (first time some one has requested I review something, not the other way around!!)

 Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe. This one just got released and sounds quite interesting! (thanks Brian!)

The Advice Girl by LA Shaw. This one, too, just got released. I read the first few chapters of this and am already wondering how things all fit together! (thanks Lauren!)










eBooks purchased


Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren. I've been really looking forward to reading this book. That's why, even though I have a huge TBR pile already, I bought it...making ebooks so easy to buy does NOT help my bank account (but it does make me happy!). This is actually a Debut Author Challenge read if you didn't recognize it!

 Wings by Aprilynne Pike. I hadn't really felt drawn to this book before, but after reading a review by BookSake I decided to give it a try. THEN, Jessica from BookSake told me that this was available for free from Amazon for the Kindle. I don't have a kindle, but now I can read it on my computer (I do this for the Nook as well, kind of sad, but I'm addicted, what can I say?)!






From the Library

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. This is the first in the Amelia Peabody series. Already finished it and LOVED it! My review can be found here.

 Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund. I had started Aurelia, which is by this same author, but couldn't really get into it. THIS book, however, I am finding much more engaging and am almost done with it. Liking it so far!

 The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittridge. I've been looking forward to this book for SOOO long! It's a Debut Author Challenge book and I am LOVING the cover. I was so shocked when I got it so quickly from the library. Usually the waiting list for these types of books is hundreds long! Lucky me!

Firespell by Chloe Neill. I've been enjoying the ChicagoLand Vampire series by this same author so thought I would give this one a try as well.

 The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter. I've been looking forward to this book for quite a while as well. Glad my library finally got it!

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks. I normally wouldn't go for books like this. I like vampires and werewolves as much as the next person, but it gets a little grating sometimes (except for werewolves....love my furry guys!). I was reading a book blog, however, that said this was actually a really good read so decided to give it a try!






Phew! I am such a lucky duck this week! It will take me some time to get through it all, but that is always a good thing! What did you get this week?

Review: Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) by Elizabeth Peters

Overall Impression:

Source: Library

Short synopsis (Goodreads): Amelia Peabody, that indomitable product of the Victorian age, embarks on her debut Egyptian adventure armed with unshakable self-confidence, a journal to record her thoughts, and, of course, a sturdy umbrella. On her way to Cairo, Amelia rescues young Evelyn Barton-Forbes, who has been abandoned by her scoundrel lover. Together the two women sail up the Nile to an archeological site run by the Emerson brothers -- the irascible but dashing Radcliffe and the amiable Walter. Soon their little party is increased by one -- one mummy, that is, and a singularly lively example of the species. Strange visitations, suspicious accidents, and a botched kidnapping convince Amelia that there is a plot afoot to harm Evelyn. Now Amelia finds herself up against an unknown enemy -- and perilous forces that threaten to make her first Egyptian trip also her last...

My Review: This is, most assuredly, my newest favorite classic! I can’t believe I haven’t read this series before (thank you Alison at the Allure of Books!)! Miss Amelia is too much to handle! And I can’t talk about this book without using exclamation marks!! I’m not really the ‘mystery’ reading type, but this novel has everything: hilarioius dialogue, hot archeologists, good friends, fiends that you don’t know until it’s too late, animated mummies and parasols! If that list doesn’t convince you to purchase it right now, or at the very least rent it from your library…you have other issues. This book is FANTASTIC. For now I am borrowing from my library (the next in the series is already in transit) but rest assured, this will make it into my permanent collection…and there’s around 17 volumes to look forward to *fan girl squeal!*

This book isn’t horribly fast paced, nor is the writing style what is commonly found in more present times. I LOVED it though. Miss Peters does a superb job building the characters and romanticizing the location. I really want to buy a pith hat and get on a time machine. So exciting (and I hate the heat!).

 I must admit though, having read this series (FINALLY!) I realized a bit of a similarity to a steampunk newcomer, Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series. There isn’t a lot, except for a very amazing female lead who can take care of herself with a parasol just well, thank you very much (and will you kindly remove your elbows from the table). If you haven’t read one or the other of these, you will like the other!

April is NetGalley month!

Hello all, I have decided to join in on the fun that is known as NetGalley Month! Red House Books had the genius idea to wittle down her NetGalley pile and dubed April as the month to do it!

If you don't know about NetGalley yet, it's an amazing place where we, the bloggers, can get e-book ARCs from the publishers, and there are TONS of amazing titles!

I too have, quite graciously, have a number of books that I need to read (did I say need? It's more of a want, if you must know!) but the time deadline remains when some of them will expire so this just helps me get more done!

Here's what I propose to finish this month (though reviews might be later, depending on the release of the books):

• The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
• The Girl's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp
• The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
• 68 Knots by Michael Robert Evans
• Die for Me by Amy Plum
• Infernal Devices by K.W. Jeter
• Bite Me, Try Me, Fang Me by Parker Blue

 As you can see, I have my work cut out for me! PLUS, I'm waiting for some other requests to be approved so this just may keep growing! Here's to lots of beautiful, glorious reading!

Follow Friday

This is my first participating in this great networking event hosted at Parajunkee! This weeks question is:

 Do you judge a book by its cover?

How apropos! My Waiting on Wednesday meme this week focused on this precise thing! To answer the question, I do! All the time, unfortunately. Here's the example I wrote about. Below you will find two book covers. Same book but the first is the paperback UK cover and the second is the US hardcover edition. Which would you rather have on your shelf? (REALLY looking forward to reading this book, so much so in fact, that I ordered it internationally....just so I could get the good cover!)

Waiting on Wednesday:

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted weekly on Breaking the Spine. This is where, we the avid reader and blogger, share with others what it is that we are most looking forward to/ can't live without.

This week I have chosen:

Title: Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling

Release: available in UK; US release is Sept. 20, 2011

Brief Summary (Goodreads): 'You're the last of the werewolves son. Don't fight it...Conquer it'. When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator. When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him. And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms ...Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy. Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?


Thoughts: I have heard some very, very good things about this book. SO good, in fact, that I just had to have it. What has captured my attention so? First off, the author of this book is the same creator of BOB THE BUILDER. Yes, you heard me, BOB the Builder. Crazy, right? Oh, and before I get too carried away, let me point out another important thing, just because I want to. The lovely cover you first saw when going to this post is the British paperback cover. Apparently, the American and hardback cover looks a little something like this: >>>>>>>>>

Am I the only one who sees sees something wrong with this? Why do they always have to go and ruin a perfectly good cover? The first one has TONS of crossover appeal (to anyone) but the second looks like only the geekiest of 12 year olds would read it (possibly my brother) and only after their near-sighted grandmother purchased it for them from a garage sale and their mother thusly made them read it. Come on! publishing companies. It's not that difficult to decide which one is better. Now, maybe there are some copyright issues, etc. etc. and I'm sure their jobs are difficult. I'm just a picky consumer, I know, but if I'm paying for something that is going on my shelf, I want it to be as cool looking as possible!

This is the end of the 'short version,' the 'long version' goes into greater depth on my little adventure with this book (I have highlighted in bold key areas for those of you who like to skim).

I would just like to start off by saying that since I started a book blog (and I am SO glad I did) I have become much more forward in how I go about bookish related things. I know that I am not the only one with a reading addiction, there are even people with GREATER addictions than mine, and this gives me courage to give in...just a little. Let me explain: Sunday I was doing a little blog browsing, looking at people's IMM and sharing my own, when randomly I came across this gem of a book called Wereworld that The Slowest Bookworm had review. I was deeply excited about this book and promptly went to Goodreads to put it on my TBR pile and see when it was coming out (and the cover debacle ensued).

The US release wasn't scheduled for quite a few more months. That's fine, this is why we have a WOW meme. But, I asked myself, why would I want to wait so long to buy something that I wanted to read when I wouldn't want to buy it because it has such an ugly cover! This is where I decided to take my growing foward-Book-Blogger-courage and follow in the footsteps of other great addicts (you really should, if you haven't already, read how the Book Smugglers came about; glorious!) and Order Internationally! This was going to be EPIC!

 I figured my best bet for getting good rates and reliable service would be to use an international carrier, such as Amazon, and just attach a '.co.uk' to the end of it. Genius! The book with the beautiful cover was found, placed in my cart and is now on its way! As of right now my package has been 'dispatched' (as opposed to sent) and is coming by means of the Royal Mail (does this mean that they use stamps with Her Majesty the Queens visage on them?)! I'm terribly excited to get this book, especially considering it is coming half way across the world to me. It's not due to arrive until the end of the month, but believe me, you'll know when it gets here!

Book Blogger Directory

How cool is this! I swear, some people are just geniuses! The Book Blogger Directory is officially OPEN! This is a way for Bloggers to get higher visitation counts, but to also make it easier on everyone in finding the type of books they are either writting, reading, promoting, craving....you get the idea.

If you have a blog and haven't registered yet...you should! There is a link in the side bar (it is requested, on our honor that we will link back to the Directory as this helps them help us help them...it's a nice little helping circle.)

Here's a link to you help you along: Book Blogger Directory.

Happy Reading and Networking!

Review: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Overall Impression:

Source: Library!

Short synopsis (Goodreads): Shades of Milk and Honey is exactly what we could expect from Jane Austen if she had been a fantasy writer: Pride and Prejudice meets Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. It is an intimate portrait of a woman, Jane, and her quest for love in a world where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality.

My Review: First off, I love this title. The tastes in the title together evoke a feeling of subtlety and remind me of pears, and that is what this book is (except for the pears part...). From the very first sentence I was drawn into a world where the attitudes and emotions reminded me of Jane Austen at every turn and where the presence of magic just made it all the more enjoyable. This wasn’t a flashy type of magic, but just a hint that added depth to everything, made the story its own.

I’ll admit that there were certain elements that reminded me a little too much of several different famous Jane Austen stories, but it was so well done, the writing too quant and superb, that really, it would fit right in and I won’t complain about it not being entirely original (besides the magic element of course).

I sympathized with Jane right off the bat. There were times were I was amazed at her patience with her sister and others where I felt she was totally justified in her actions. The ending was only slightly suprising (I’ll admit I thought that all of the main characters were introduced in the first chapter, and was disappointed with that. How silly of me, what author does that? But I’ll admit the feeling was there) but if memory serves me correctly, Jane Austens' endings weren’t terribly drawn out affairs either.

Overall, a nice, quick read with beautiful imagery, delightful characters and a charming plot. I recommend this for when you want a taste of Jane Austen without having to read through the original and are in the mood for something a little more modern in terms of thinking as well. Lovely!

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the indomitable Story Siren. In this post bloggers showcase the books that they have either received for review, bought, or borrowed. Here's what I got this week:

For Review: (click on the image to go to the goodreads page)


This week all of my books have come from publishers through NetGalley. If you are a book blogger and do not know about NetGalley, go there....now!

 SOOO excited about this one! Love the cover, the premise, everything! Will be starting this post haste, I assure you!

 Also, very, very, very excited for this one. Such a beautiful cover! I like this one a lot better than the old one. I have heard many, many good things about this book from other bloggers and am excited to start it as well!

 Apparently, this is a steampunk reprint. Cool! REALLY like the cover on this one too. Good job publishers, you have officially caught me!

I love sailing (even though I'm not that good at it) and this sounds like a really fun summer read. I thought it would just be about sailing and piracy, etc. but is that I sword in the upper left corner that I see? Deeply intrigued if I must say!








What did you get this week? I'd love to heard from you!