Tuesday, 18 December 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare.
I won’t bore you with the end of year and deadlines reasoning. There was a time crunch, now it’s hopefully over. On to more important things like how this book utterly slew me. And resurrected me. And then slew me again. Be very gentle, I’m an emotional book basket case in the very best sense.
With the conclusion of a beloved series, there is an exciting mixture of anticipation and dread. Will character X survive? Will my ship YZ sail? Will character Q get their just deserts? Will the brilliant, lovely, wicked, wonderful, clever, amazing author deliver on promises, exceed expectations, and smash and then piece back together this fragile reader heart of mine? I am very happy to report that Cassandra Clare answered and did all that – and more. So much more.
It’s hard to truly express how much I adore Cassie and what her books have done for me and, in turn, mean to me. In that regard, you could say that I’m very biased and more likely to forgive anything. And you would be right. At the same time, I still think that I’m impartial enough to recognise a brilliantly told story by a very talented and hard-working author when I see one and also call out sloppy writing where it occurs. There is, in my opinion, a lot going on in the former departments and none in the latter. This book is a more than worthy conclusion to an epic narration while at the same time opening up so many possibilities in various directions.
I’d be willing to enter two (connected) wagers: Most readers of this series will also have read at least one other Shadowhunter series, possibly more. And most readers of this series are going to read at least one or more of the series that are going to be published over the course of the next few years. Readers of this story universe are an incredibly loyal bunch as far as I can tell and this loyalty is in part of course inspired by the quality of the books themselves but also by the quality of the woman who created this universe.
So yes, I’m immensely biased but I’m so immeasurably in love with this universe and the enormous cast of characters (not in love in love with some of them, because of reasons, obviously, but in love with how utterly well-realised they are). There were tears of joy and sorrow, incredible and hysterical laughter, nail-biting, hair-tearing, hand-wringing, surprise-giggling, content-sighing, terrified-gasping, and a binge-read late night/early morning sleep deprivation finish. This book was all I could have ever asked for as a final part of this leg of the journey … and then it was so much more. I hugged the book after I closed it because Cassie wasn’t there to be hugged but hopefully I’ll get the chance to make up for that at some point. I’m easily getting a little (okay, a lot) emotional so I’ll finish up with saying that I cannot wait to read whatever comes next in this world. And from Cassie in general, of course.
Do you have a favourite author to whom you feel a special connection, be it “just” through their book or also through other circumstances? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare.
 |
| Queen of Air and Darkness – Margaret K. McElderry Books |
Sympathy is common. Knowing the exact shape of the hole someone’s loss leaves in your heart is rare.
— Chapter 3
Faith isn’t never having any doubts; it’s having what you need to overcome them.
— Chapter 33
I won’t bore you with the end of year and deadlines reasoning. There was a time crunch, now it’s hopefully over. On to more important things like how this book utterly slew me. And resurrected me. And then slew me again. Be very gentle, I’m an emotional book basket case in the very best sense.
With the conclusion of a beloved series, there is an exciting mixture of anticipation and dread. Will character X survive? Will my ship YZ sail? Will character Q get their just deserts? Will the brilliant, lovely, wicked, wonderful, clever, amazing author deliver on promises, exceed expectations, and smash and then piece back together this fragile reader heart of mine? I am very happy to report that Cassandra Clare answered and did all that – and more. So much more.
It’s hard to truly express how much I adore Cassie and what her books have done for me and, in turn, mean to me. In that regard, you could say that I’m very biased and more likely to forgive anything. And you would be right. At the same time, I still think that I’m impartial enough to recognise a brilliantly told story by a very talented and hard-working author when I see one and also call out sloppy writing where it occurs. There is, in my opinion, a lot going on in the former departments and none in the latter. This book is a more than worthy conclusion to an epic narration while at the same time opening up so many possibilities in various directions.
I’d be willing to enter two (connected) wagers: Most readers of this series will also have read at least one other Shadowhunter series, possibly more. And most readers of this series are going to read at least one or more of the series that are going to be published over the course of the next few years. Readers of this story universe are an incredibly loyal bunch as far as I can tell and this loyalty is in part of course inspired by the quality of the books themselves but also by the quality of the woman who created this universe.
So yes, I’m immensely biased but I’m so immeasurably in love with this universe and the enormous cast of characters (not in love in love with some of them, because of reasons, obviously, but in love with how utterly well-realised they are). There were tears of joy and sorrow, incredible and hysterical laughter, nail-biting, hair-tearing, hand-wringing, surprise-giggling, content-sighing, terrified-gasping, and a binge-read late night/early morning sleep deprivation finish. This book was all I could have ever asked for as a final part of this leg of the journey … and then it was so much more. I hugged the book after I closed it because Cassie wasn’t there to be hugged but hopefully I’ll get the chance to make up for that at some point. I’m easily getting a little (okay, a lot) emotional so I’ll finish up with saying that I cannot wait to read whatever comes next in this world. And from Cassie in general, of course.
Do you have a favourite author to whom you feel a special connection, be it “just” through their book or also through other circumstances? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday, 27 November 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Defy the Stars by Claudia Grays.
In honour of InSight safely landing on Mars … right, who am I kidding, my reading pile has absolutely nothing to do with the NASA Mars mission but it sounded nice. And the more we explore space the less improbable things like what happens in this book appear.
Usually, plots similar to this one would start with humanity being in need of help and Earth being depicted as the victim. Toss that notion right overboard because in this case, there is humanity and then there’s Earth, and humanity from Earth is the aggressor after the planet has been grazed. Civilisations on other planets have to pay tribute because of the whole cradle of humanity thing. And then there are those planets that try to fight this. And one of those skirmishes is exactly where the plot drops you. And also right in the situation that apparently there are androids that are almost perfectly human … but they are androids and therefore have no feelings. Right?
The premise here is twofold: What if anything makes someone/-thing human and can two entities that are at an unlikely impasse work together with different but ultimately similar goals? The mortal enemies to trust to more has been done before but this story is so nuanced in its exploration of what it means to feel and be conscious that to me it ventures beyond that worn out path. I’m not really a fan of sci-fi and space travel and the like generally make me more likely to close a book than continue reading it yet here the different planets even if only visited briefly had such a specific quality to them that it was more an added bonus than anything else to me. Well, and then there’s the end … or should I say that part where I’m extremely glad that the following book is already available?
I used to want to become an astronaut … mostly for the reason that I thought zero gravity would be incredibly cool. Maybe not the best motivator. Would you want to space travel if it were (relatively) easily possible? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Defy the Stars by Claudia Grays.
 |
| Defy the Stars – Little, Brown and Company |
He isn’t supposed to hope. Not like humans do.
— Chapter 2
Are we responsible for this? We can’t be. We’re the good guys.
Aren’t we?
— Chapter 13
In honour of InSight safely landing on Mars … right, who am I kidding, my reading pile has absolutely nothing to do with the NASA Mars mission but it sounded nice. And the more we explore space the less improbable things like what happens in this book appear.
Usually, plots similar to this one would start with humanity being in need of help and Earth being depicted as the victim. Toss that notion right overboard because in this case, there is humanity and then there’s Earth, and humanity from Earth is the aggressor after the planet has been grazed. Civilisations on other planets have to pay tribute because of the whole cradle of humanity thing. And then there are those planets that try to fight this. And one of those skirmishes is exactly where the plot drops you. And also right in the situation that apparently there are androids that are almost perfectly human … but they are androids and therefore have no feelings. Right?
The premise here is twofold: What if anything makes someone/-thing human and can two entities that are at an unlikely impasse work together with different but ultimately similar goals? The mortal enemies to trust to more has been done before but this story is so nuanced in its exploration of what it means to feel and be conscious that to me it ventures beyond that worn out path. I’m not really a fan of sci-fi and space travel and the like generally make me more likely to close a book than continue reading it yet here the different planets even if only visited briefly had such a specific quality to them that it was more an added bonus than anything else to me. Well, and then there’s the end … or should I say that part where I’m extremely glad that the following book is already available?
I used to want to become an astronaut … mostly for the reason that I thought zero gravity would be incredibly cool. Maybe not the best motivator. Would you want to space travel if it were (relatively) easily possible? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis.
This book is out today and I predict that it’ll increase the national sales of tissues by a sizable amount. If not today then at the very latest when the movie comes to theatres at the end of March next year. At least in the US (and Lebanon, apparently?), international dates are still pending. Anyway, because of reasons (don’t you love those), I’ve had the extreme privilege to have my heart broken by this book already. And yes, that’s an intentional almost quote of another successful book with a hugely successful movie.
Every once in a while, there comes a book across my table that has a storyline that sounds wildly familiar in a genre you think you’ve seen everything in. Especially, if there was a book that first blew everything out of the water and then spawned quite a few other also not unsuccessful follow-ups. I’m talking, of course, about The Fault in Our Stars and Everything, Everything. Among others. So this could have been just another book about sick kids falling in love in the face of adversity. And that is exactly what this is but I wager to say that it is not, in fact, just another book like those … and several years trailing the others at that, but more a worthy addition to the genre while also expanding it by another factor: an illness that is not so much in the public eye although it’s not at all uncommon, not quite as dramatic because it’s a creeping one, and as of right now devastatingly incurable and utterly terminal – Cystic Fibrosis.
This condition is best understood by those who suffer from it, but in a cruel twist, two people diagnosed with CF aren’t allowed within six feet of each other for fear of cross-infection. So why is this book called Five Feet Apart if the golden rule is six feet apart at all times? Well, when you are forced to keep your distance even though that person across the distance is obviously your other half, stealing back one foot to feel closer to each other, more connected, can be the most daring and also romantic thing you could possibly do.
I am by no means saying that this story is better than those that came before … but I say its intensity is definitely up there with them. If you think that a love story with no touching allowed sounds about as appealing as fish bellies up in an abandoned putrid tank I’ll dare you to read this and come to talk to me again after. In addition to that, there is such a well of other topics woven into the narration that it creates a really dense mesh of story that will carry the heavy plot. Because of course, it is tragic, gut-wrenching, tear-jerking, and heart-shattering. But it is also hopeful, thought-provoking, insightful, and romantic. And because it is fictional, it is allowed to break the rules and be unrealistic in some aspects while also being true to the general topic. The book is not calling on patients to do away with their safety regimen any more than The Fault in Our Stars advocated for smoking when you already have cancer. And if this book and movie help bring more awareness to CF and its medical research than that is more than many other books can lay claim to.
Read the book before you see the movie but feel free to watch the trailer here. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the cast seems to be hitting all the sweet spots … although I’m still trying to figure out who this Meredith person in the cast list is because there definitely isn’t a Meredith in the book and I can’t imagine that Claire Forlani is some throwaway bit-part. I’m mentioning this because the book is based on the script (as opposed to a movie adapted from a book where everything is more or less fair game) so it seems a little weird to have apparently other people in the movie than in the book. But then again, maybe the name was changed or the cast list is not yet correct. What’s in a name, right?
Which book with a seemingly worn out plot has recently captured your interest? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis.
 |
| Five Feet Apart – Simon & Schuster BFYR |
The only thing worse than not being able to be with her or be around her would be living in a world that she didn’t exist in at all. Especially if it’s my fault.
— Chapter 14
She’d make a wish and she’d never, ever tell me what it was. She used to joke that if she said it out loud, it would never come true.
— Chapter 19
This book is out today and I predict that it’ll increase the national sales of tissues by a sizable amount. If not today then at the very latest when the movie comes to theatres at the end of March next year. At least in the US (and Lebanon, apparently?), international dates are still pending. Anyway, because of reasons (don’t you love those), I’ve had the extreme privilege to have my heart broken by this book already. And yes, that’s an intentional almost quote of another successful book with a hugely successful movie.
Every once in a while, there comes a book across my table that has a storyline that sounds wildly familiar in a genre you think you’ve seen everything in. Especially, if there was a book that first blew everything out of the water and then spawned quite a few other also not unsuccessful follow-ups. I’m talking, of course, about The Fault in Our Stars and Everything, Everything. Among others. So this could have been just another book about sick kids falling in love in the face of adversity. And that is exactly what this is but I wager to say that it is not, in fact, just another book like those … and several years trailing the others at that, but more a worthy addition to the genre while also expanding it by another factor: an illness that is not so much in the public eye although it’s not at all uncommon, not quite as dramatic because it’s a creeping one, and as of right now devastatingly incurable and utterly terminal – Cystic Fibrosis.
This condition is best understood by those who suffer from it, but in a cruel twist, two people diagnosed with CF aren’t allowed within six feet of each other for fear of cross-infection. So why is this book called Five Feet Apart if the golden rule is six feet apart at all times? Well, when you are forced to keep your distance even though that person across the distance is obviously your other half, stealing back one foot to feel closer to each other, more connected, can be the most daring and also romantic thing you could possibly do.
I am by no means saying that this story is better than those that came before … but I say its intensity is definitely up there with them. If you think that a love story with no touching allowed sounds about as appealing as fish bellies up in an abandoned putrid tank I’ll dare you to read this and come to talk to me again after. In addition to that, there is such a well of other topics woven into the narration that it creates a really dense mesh of story that will carry the heavy plot. Because of course, it is tragic, gut-wrenching, tear-jerking, and heart-shattering. But it is also hopeful, thought-provoking, insightful, and romantic. And because it is fictional, it is allowed to break the rules and be unrealistic in some aspects while also being true to the general topic. The book is not calling on patients to do away with their safety regimen any more than The Fault in Our Stars advocated for smoking when you already have cancer. And if this book and movie help bring more awareness to CF and its medical research than that is more than many other books can lay claim to.
Read the book before you see the movie but feel free to watch the trailer here. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the cast seems to be hitting all the sweet spots … although I’m still trying to figure out who this Meredith person in the cast list is because there definitely isn’t a Meredith in the book and I can’t imagine that Claire Forlani is some throwaway bit-part. I’m mentioning this because the book is based on the script (as opposed to a movie adapted from a book where everything is more or less fair game) so it seems a little weird to have apparently other people in the movie than in the book. But then again, maybe the name was changed or the cast list is not yet correct. What’s in a name, right?
Which book with a seemingly worn out plot has recently captured your interest? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir.
There were way too many amazing, insightful, funny, heart-wrenching, wonderful quotes to choose from in this book. Sabaa Tahir writes with an immediacy and emotional impact that always stay with me even after I’ve finished the story. In preparation for this one, I listened to the previous two books because of all the details I was sure I’d forgotten. It had been two years after all. As a result, I now have very distinct voices in my head (apart from the usual other voices) depending on whoever’s point of view it is.
Third books can be the saving grace or downfall of a series, no matter if they’re the final book or not. The second book had set a fairly high mark to aim for and this one quite confidently reaches it. I felt there were a few minor lengths that keep me from giving out the highest of praises but it’s really more of a cosmetic blemish. Two of the three perspectives were just so damn strong and driven that I felt the third was a little flagging … but seriously that’s complaining about a wisp of cloud in an otherwise blue sky.
The end fairly thoroughly wrecked me. Not in a hit you with a hammer way but more with the momentum of a mudslide that builds up over time and when you realise what’s happening you’re about to be buried by tons of (emotional) rock. I know that the hero’s journey includes a moment where all hope is lost and a steep price has to be paid and so on. But do the prices have to be like this? At least please tell me that the next book will be out in a year. All this emotional trauma baggage is really hard to keep track of and drag around.
Bonus quote:
Do you have audiobooks that influence how you read certain books now? I also have this with Harry Potter, which will forever sound like Stephen Fry in my head. Share your thoughts and teasers in the Comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir.
 |
| A Reaper at the Gates – Razorbill |
Hope is stronger than fear. It is stronger than hate.
— Chapter 16
Everyone believes that nothing concerns them until the monsters are knocking on their doors!
— Chapter 29
There were way too many amazing, insightful, funny, heart-wrenching, wonderful quotes to choose from in this book. Sabaa Tahir writes with an immediacy and emotional impact that always stay with me even after I’ve finished the story. In preparation for this one, I listened to the previous two books because of all the details I was sure I’d forgotten. It had been two years after all. As a result, I now have very distinct voices in my head (apart from the usual other voices) depending on whoever’s point of view it is.
Third books can be the saving grace or downfall of a series, no matter if they’re the final book or not. The second book had set a fairly high mark to aim for and this one quite confidently reaches it. I felt there were a few minor lengths that keep me from giving out the highest of praises but it’s really more of a cosmetic blemish. Two of the three perspectives were just so damn strong and driven that I felt the third was a little flagging … but seriously that’s complaining about a wisp of cloud in an otherwise blue sky.
The end fairly thoroughly wrecked me. Not in a hit you with a hammer way but more with the momentum of a mudslide that builds up over time and when you realise what’s happening you’re about to be buried by tons of (emotional) rock. I know that the hero’s journey includes a moment where all hope is lost and a steep price has to be paid and so on. But do the prices have to be like this? At least please tell me that the next book will be out in a year. All this emotional trauma baggage is really hard to keep track of and drag around.
Bonus quote:
Curse this world for what it does to the mothers, for what it does to the daughters. Curse it for making us strong through loss and pain, our hearts torn from our chests again and again. Curse it for forcing us to endure.
— Chapter 57
Do you have audiobooks that influence how you read certain books now? I also have this with Harry Potter, which will forever sound like Stephen Fry in my head. Share your thoughts and teasers in the Comments!
Tuesday, 6 November 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver.
Children’s fantasy can be overboarding and children can be cruel. Even and especially in combination and to each other. When all evidence seems more than clear it is no wonder when the murder of young Summer is put on her two best friends Mia and Bryn. The only reason they’re not convicted is an error in procedure. But everyone is convinced they know how it happened. Bryn has even checked into a psych-ward and Mia has closed herself away from most of the world. Only – they really didn’t do it. And now, five years later, the truth finally wants out.
So far, I have known Lauren Oliver for her post-apocalyptic and yet deeply romantic writing. But wow can this woman write dark and twisty thrills (with also a side note of love, but it’s really just a trace). There is so much going on besides the murder investigation and possible danger to the main characters. There are questions of identity and family and not least of all of friendship. On first glance, you wonder how three girls that are so different could ever be best friends. Where is the line between a bossy friend and a manipulative aggressor? Toxic friendship is definitely something that can and should be addressed in more contexts.
I immediately fell for this book, its rich narration and well-developed characters. The twists and turn felt very thoughtfully planned and executed. I want to say more about the twist but that would definitely be spoilery so I’ll close this with a very blunt recommendation for everyone who likes reads with depth and a certain thrill factor.
Do you have an author switch genres with such an ease that you happily follow them across books? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver.
 |
| Broken Things – HarperCollins |
That’s the story the way everyone tells it, at least, a story repeated so many times, accepted by so many people, it has become fact.
— Page 5
It started snowing. Flurries at first. But soon fat flakes were coming down, as if the whole sky was chipping away slowly, and I was freezing, and I’d had enough.
— Page 242
Children’s fantasy can be overboarding and children can be cruel. Even and especially in combination and to each other. When all evidence seems more than clear it is no wonder when the murder of young Summer is put on her two best friends Mia and Bryn. The only reason they’re not convicted is an error in procedure. But everyone is convinced they know how it happened. Bryn has even checked into a psych-ward and Mia has closed herself away from most of the world. Only – they really didn’t do it. And now, five years later, the truth finally wants out.
So far, I have known Lauren Oliver for her post-apocalyptic and yet deeply romantic writing. But wow can this woman write dark and twisty thrills (with also a side note of love, but it’s really just a trace). There is so much going on besides the murder investigation and possible danger to the main characters. There are questions of identity and family and not least of all of friendship. On first glance, you wonder how three girls that are so different could ever be best friends. Where is the line between a bossy friend and a manipulative aggressor? Toxic friendship is definitely something that can and should be addressed in more contexts.
I immediately fell for this book, its rich narration and well-developed characters. The twists and turn felt very thoughtfully planned and executed. I want to say more about the twist but that would definitely be spoilery so I’ll close this with a very blunt recommendation for everyone who likes reads with depth and a certain thrill factor.
Do you have an author switch genres with such an ease that you happily follow them across books? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 30 October 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.
Here we are again at the end of another series. I marked this one as to be read in 2013 together with the whole series. Since then, I have become much more selective about marking down books in a series … if only for the simple reason that a whole series, especially of four books or more, is taking up quite a bit of real estate on Mt. TBR and I have to be realistic that even after cleaning out there are still titles on there that I’ll probably never get to. So whatever goes on there now has undergone some more vetting.
Keeping in mind that this series is aimed at a much younger audience than the books these two great storytellers usually write I was still somewhat saddened by the discovery that even though this is the big finale the page count was on the rather slim side. And yet the plot managed to be overall well-paced and tied up quite neatly at the end. Well, for most parts, I still have some questions about what is going to happen next and about that thing that happened near the end and how that will work out and … I might not actually be done with this series at all but it seems the plot that set out to achieve certain things over the course of five books is finished. For now. Maybe there will be a second cycle? That would actually fit in quite neatly. Time allowing and all, because I definitely wouldn’t want writing time taking away from the other series … just saying that there might be some potential for those unresolved issues. If you want to read it that way. Any other way this is a very satisfying final book in a very well-conceived middle-grade series.
How do you decide which books you add to your reading lists? Are you picky or does everything go on there? And how do you keep it organised? Share your methods and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.
 |
| The Golden Tower – Scholastic Press |
Back then he’d been worried about eyeless fish and getting lost in the tunnels. Now, those worries seemed to belong to a different. person.
— Chapter 4
“For every time I didn’t trust him. We have to trust the people we love.”
— Chapter 15
Here we are again at the end of another series. I marked this one as to be read in 2013 together with the whole series. Since then, I have become much more selective about marking down books in a series … if only for the simple reason that a whole series, especially of four books or more, is taking up quite a bit of real estate on Mt. TBR and I have to be realistic that even after cleaning out there are still titles on there that I’ll probably never get to. So whatever goes on there now has undergone some more vetting.
Keeping in mind that this series is aimed at a much younger audience than the books these two great storytellers usually write I was still somewhat saddened by the discovery that even though this is the big finale the page count was on the rather slim side. And yet the plot managed to be overall well-paced and tied up quite neatly at the end. Well, for most parts, I still have some questions about what is going to happen next and about that thing that happened near the end and how that will work out and … I might not actually be done with this series at all but it seems the plot that set out to achieve certain things over the course of five books is finished. For now. Maybe there will be a second cycle? That would actually fit in quite neatly. Time allowing and all, because I definitely wouldn’t want writing time taking away from the other series … just saying that there might be some potential for those unresolved issues. If you want to read it that way. Any other way this is a very satisfying final book in a very well-conceived middle-grade series.
How do you decide which books you add to your reading lists? Are you picky or does everything go on there? And how do you keep it organised? Share your methods and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 16 October 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire.
A very dear friend kept pestering me to finally get around to reading this book. And sometimes pestering works! She also warned me that this would be on the short side and that I’d wish there was more. Which also turned out to be true. That, however, doesn’t mean that pestering will work every time.
This story cleverly plays on children’s habit of inhabiting worlds other than their own and actually expands it into a method that those children indeed go missing into those worlds through doors only they can find. Or rather the doors find them and reach out across dimensions and space to have a child that fits there perfectly, better than in its native dimension. That is until that other world perhaps decides that the fit isn’t quite as perfect and delivers the child back. Maybe with only a little time passed, maybe with a lot of time passed but definitely forever altered. And because such an alteration is often difficult there is a system in place where these children can go to either cope or move on … or try to find a way back.
The premise alone is very intriguing. Add to that a crime aspect of suddenly occurring murders after a new arrival and no one eager to trust the other while forced to somehow work together to survive and you have a thoroughly entertaining read. I obviously wish that there was more – and luckily there are more stories set in this universe. But I doubt that the crew will come together like this again. I would definitely like seeing them maybe visit each others’ worlds or maybe see them together after some time apart … which would also totally destroy their idea of a happy end so maybe not.
Which book have you discovered because of a friend? Share your finds and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire.
 |
| Every Heart a Doorway – Tor |
“You had milk, I had science,” said Jack. “It’s amazing how much of culinary achievement can be summarized by that sentence. Cheese making, for example. The perfect intersection of milk, science, and foolish disregard for the laws of nature.”
— Chapter 7
“I am a genius of infinite potential and highly limited patience. People shouldn’t try me so.”
— Chapter 7
A very dear friend kept pestering me to finally get around to reading this book. And sometimes pestering works! She also warned me that this would be on the short side and that I’d wish there was more. Which also turned out to be true. That, however, doesn’t mean that pestering will work every time.
This story cleverly plays on children’s habit of inhabiting worlds other than their own and actually expands it into a method that those children indeed go missing into those worlds through doors only they can find. Or rather the doors find them and reach out across dimensions and space to have a child that fits there perfectly, better than in its native dimension. That is until that other world perhaps decides that the fit isn’t quite as perfect and delivers the child back. Maybe with only a little time passed, maybe with a lot of time passed but definitely forever altered. And because such an alteration is often difficult there is a system in place where these children can go to either cope or move on … or try to find a way back.
The premise alone is very intriguing. Add to that a crime aspect of suddenly occurring murders after a new arrival and no one eager to trust the other while forced to somehow work together to survive and you have a thoroughly entertaining read. I obviously wish that there was more – and luckily there are more stories set in this universe. But I doubt that the crew will come together like this again. I would definitely like seeing them maybe visit each others’ worlds or maybe see them together after some time apart … which would also totally destroy their idea of a happy end so maybe not.
Which book have you discovered because of a friend? Share your finds and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 9 October 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
The Lost Sisters by Holly Black.
Holly Black is one of those authors (to me at least) who you hear are not only great at their craft but also at talking about it. And I’m more than happy to report that I found that to be true when I got to listen to her during the Boston Teen Author Festival last month. (For such a short visit I certainly got the whole dosage of bookish stuff, I’m so very lucky). She’s also one of those authors to whom I’d more than happily entrust parts of that reader’s heart of mine in the certain knowledge that she will utterly torture it (in a wickedly wonderful way … some readers are strange in that respect).
This is a companion and also a bridge between the brilliant The Cruel Prince and the possibly equally fabulous The Wicked King. If you’ve read the first book, you’ll get at least a little insight into that shocking betrayal that happened … and if you haven’t read it … what the heck are you waiting for, there is a second book coming out in January, which I’m desperately waiting for and which is luckily teased at with an excerpt at the end of this.
Holly is a master-world-builder, which is more than true, but she’s also so very good at character development. After reading this short side trip into Taryn’s mind and way of thinking I’m still not at peace with her yet I find that I understand why she did it and what her thought process was. And that’s not something every writer is capable of doing if you’ve been in the actual protagonist’s head for a whole book before that. Now, there is another point of view that I’d very much like to see (several actually) but I doubt we’ll get a glimpse into that wicked head anytime soon.
Which author has confirmed your admiration of them when you got to meet them? Share your experiences and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
The Lost Sisters by Holly Black.
 |
| The Lost Sisters – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Let’s start with a love story. Or maybe it’s another horror story. It seems like the difference is mostly in where the ending comes.
— 6%
She turned to me, head tilted, her expression pure confusion. As though I had no reason to be afraid of a broken heart. She had no idea how dangerous a broken heart could be. You do, though. You know.
— 20%
Holly Black is one of those authors (to me at least) who you hear are not only great at their craft but also at talking about it. And I’m more than happy to report that I found that to be true when I got to listen to her during the Boston Teen Author Festival last month. (For such a short visit I certainly got the whole dosage of bookish stuff, I’m so very lucky). She’s also one of those authors to whom I’d more than happily entrust parts of that reader’s heart of mine in the certain knowledge that she will utterly torture it (in a wickedly wonderful way … some readers are strange in that respect).
This is a companion and also a bridge between the brilliant The Cruel Prince and the possibly equally fabulous The Wicked King. If you’ve read the first book, you’ll get at least a little insight into that shocking betrayal that happened … and if you haven’t read it … what the heck are you waiting for, there is a second book coming out in January, which I’m desperately waiting for and which is luckily teased at with an excerpt at the end of this.
Holly is a master-world-builder, which is more than true, but she’s also so very good at character development. After reading this short side trip into Taryn’s mind and way of thinking I’m still not at peace with her yet I find that I understand why she did it and what her thought process was. And that’s not something every writer is capable of doing if you’ve been in the actual protagonist’s head for a whole book before that. Now, there is another point of view that I’d very much like to see (several actually) but I doubt we’ll get a glimpse into that wicked head anytime soon.
Which author has confirmed your admiration of them when you got to meet them? Share your experiences and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 2 October 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig.
Have you ever stared at an old map long enough that you were convinced the creatures in the margins moved? I certainly have so it should come as no surprise that I was easily caught by the intriguing net this story spins.
If the person on the helm of the ship believes in the map and the cartographer did an accurate version of the place and believed in it as well at the time, you can sail anywhere and anywhen if you have the right map … and if you haven’t used that map before. This is such a great idea and the places described are just fantastic. So many possibilities. But for this particular crew it’s also a curse as the captain is fixated on returning to a time and place to change the past to what he thinks is the better outcome on a personal level.
I love how this is simultaneously a historical story set in Hawaii before the fall of the kingdom and also a fantastical story with the ability to hop around to other places with a very unique system of rules and conditions. I’m still not quite sure how that last manoeuvre works, but I’ll have a deeper look at it when I’m more awake and not trying to figure out everything all at once.
The other thing I deeply enjoyed was how the main character Nix is the very focus, her ambitions and future or possible lack thereof, how she relates to her surroundings of people and places alike, and how she finally manages to take the helm (sorry, there had to be a seafaring pun) for her destiny. Even though her methods and moral are definitely in the ambiguous grey area. Well, not considering where she’s from as she has her pick and choose there. But I like how she is her own person first and for example the potential love interest of someone else second. Or third. It’s a very subtle thing but quite well done in the whole scheme of things while still veering on the romantic side.
On to the next book, wherever the winds may lead us … did I mention that duologies are nice, especially when both books are already out?
If you could travel to any place, any map, real or fictional, which one would you go to? Share your choices and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig.
 |
| The Girl From Everywhere – Hot Key Books |
“I won that money fair and square. Or do you disapprove of gambling too?”
I weighed the purse in my hand. “Yes … but not enough to give it back.”
— Chapter 8
“Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. There’s only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not.”
— Chapter 33
Have you ever stared at an old map long enough that you were convinced the creatures in the margins moved? I certainly have so it should come as no surprise that I was easily caught by the intriguing net this story spins.
If the person on the helm of the ship believes in the map and the cartographer did an accurate version of the place and believed in it as well at the time, you can sail anywhere and anywhen if you have the right map … and if you haven’t used that map before. This is such a great idea and the places described are just fantastic. So many possibilities. But for this particular crew it’s also a curse as the captain is fixated on returning to a time and place to change the past to what he thinks is the better outcome on a personal level.
I love how this is simultaneously a historical story set in Hawaii before the fall of the kingdom and also a fantastical story with the ability to hop around to other places with a very unique system of rules and conditions. I’m still not quite sure how that last manoeuvre works, but I’ll have a deeper look at it when I’m more awake and not trying to figure out everything all at once.
The other thing I deeply enjoyed was how the main character Nix is the very focus, her ambitions and future or possible lack thereof, how she relates to her surroundings of people and places alike, and how she finally manages to take the helm (sorry, there had to be a seafaring pun) for her destiny. Even though her methods and moral are definitely in the ambiguous grey area. Well, not considering where she’s from as she has her pick and choose there. But I like how she is her own person first and for example the potential love interest of someone else second. Or third. It’s a very subtle thing but quite well done in the whole scheme of things while still veering on the romantic side.
On to the next book, wherever the winds may lead us … did I mention that duologies are nice, especially when both books are already out?
If you could travel to any place, any map, real or fictional, which one would you go to? Share your choices and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green.
This book has been for several reasons sort of haunting me for the past couple of months and I’m now absurdly happy that it’s finally out and people get to read it because for a lack of a better descriptor it is absolutely remarkable. And I promise that is the last time I’m going to use that descriptor because it is possibly more than a little cheesy.
This book is wonderful on so many levels because there are so many things to take away from it in as many readings as you like. On the surface level, it’s a purely enjoyable piece of speculative fiction that will keep you guessing what is going on and how all of the strings tie together. And then there are all the social and psychological aspects that open up if you want them to. If you’ve read the book you’ll know what I mean when I say that I was especially hooked by the idea that initial fame n the one hand transforms itself you but also transforms itself if you keep on feeding until it becomes its own entity that is most definitely able to destroy you.
Another aspect is maybe very obvious, but nevertheless not less important because of it. This idea of othering that which is different or rather making a deal of that which is other and instead of being open to learn and explore to react with suspicion and hate. This is very obviously not hidden in most cases. I love how clear this book is on this message while also not badgering you about it. I like to think of it as offering the tools and details to make an informed decision first in the fictional world and then maybe transfer the findings to the real world. Because while there are (not yet) giant sculptures standing in major cities around the globe there are enough groups and individuals that are scarily reminiscent of those Defenders. And what this fanaticism can lead to becomes glaringly, painfully obvious by the end of the book.
The end itself is a sort of cliffhanger, so there is going to be a second book (triple cheer for that), which I am quite happy about because while this is a debut it’s an incredibly well-crafted one and the author clearly displays a high talent for storytelling, which I’m looking forward to exploring in his further writings.
I get to see Hank for his book tour in Boston tomorrow (no, I’m not usually able to cross the pond for a book launch so this is especially exciting). Which author have you travelled to see live or seen live in general? Share your experiences and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green.
 |
| An Absolutely Remarkable Thing – Dutton |
It is amazing how disconcerting a single vile, manipulative person can be even if you have never and (hopefully) will never see them. The power that each of us has over complete strangers to make them feel terrible and frightened and weak is amazing.
— Chapter 3
This dumb little moment was the first time I heard a stranger hating me in public. I knew then, for real, that thousands of people were having that exact conversation all over the world every moment of every day. Those people were real, and their thoughts were formed by overblown or just straight made-up stories about me that I could never adequately defend myself against.
— Chapter 12
This book has been for several reasons sort of haunting me for the past couple of months and I’m now absurdly happy that it’s finally out and people get to read it because for a lack of a better descriptor it is absolutely remarkable. And I promise that is the last time I’m going to use that descriptor because it is possibly more than a little cheesy.
This book is wonderful on so many levels because there are so many things to take away from it in as many readings as you like. On the surface level, it’s a purely enjoyable piece of speculative fiction that will keep you guessing what is going on and how all of the strings tie together. And then there are all the social and psychological aspects that open up if you want them to. If you’ve read the book you’ll know what I mean when I say that I was especially hooked by the idea that initial fame n the one hand transforms itself you but also transforms itself if you keep on feeding until it becomes its own entity that is most definitely able to destroy you.
Another aspect is maybe very obvious, but nevertheless not less important because of it. This idea of othering that which is different or rather making a deal of that which is other and instead of being open to learn and explore to react with suspicion and hate. This is very obviously not hidden in most cases. I love how clear this book is on this message while also not badgering you about it. I like to think of it as offering the tools and details to make an informed decision first in the fictional world and then maybe transfer the findings to the real world. Because while there are (not yet) giant sculptures standing in major cities around the globe there are enough groups and individuals that are scarily reminiscent of those Defenders. And what this fanaticism can lead to becomes glaringly, painfully obvious by the end of the book.
The end itself is a sort of cliffhanger, so there is going to be a second book (triple cheer for that), which I am quite happy about because while this is a debut it’s an incredibly well-crafted one and the author clearly displays a high talent for storytelling, which I’m looking forward to exploring in his further writings.
I get to see Hank for his book tour in Boston tomorrow (no, I’m not usually able to cross the pond for a book launch so this is especially exciting). Which author have you travelled to see live or seen live in general? Share your experiences and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 18 September 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Impostors by Scott Westerfeld.
There isn’t a time in my life when I haven’t been reading in some sort of way. Or have been read to, if you want to get picky. That leads to slightly amusing, slightly startling situations like with this unexpected sequel in terms of “It has been how long since the publication of the previously last book?!” – Yes, that’s 12 years. On the upside to me feeling suddenly ancient there’s a whole new generation of readers who can either start into a series with substantial reading material or just pick up from here because you don’t necessarily need the background to appreciate this continuation.
If you’ve read the original books, it’s equal parts interesting and horrifying to realise how the world was saved and yet humans managed to completely screw it up again, only this time under opposite preconditions. It certainly drives the message home that the saving cannot be one single event or act but has to be maintained and checked in order to have a lasting, wholesome effect.
The sibling dynamic between the two sisters is so unique and interesting. The whole heir and the spare concept driven to its extreme but not considering that the heir and the spare might be each other’s best and most loyal ally. And the psychological aspects of this forced but still genuinely loving alliance at least on Frey’s side (because she literally has no other option of genuine contact) are so fascinating. Her journey to becoming more than just a double is so nuanced and clever that it almost seems painful in its snail’s pace at first. But once she’s cluing in the learning curve is breathtaking. Especially in terms of interaction and building trust.
And all that becoming her own person and a functioning social human on top of preventing a complete catastrophe of course. Here's why there are so many teenage heroines: Boys wouldn’t be able to handle so many plot aspects (only mostly kidding).
I didn’t particularly want a sequel to the Uglies-Series, but now that it’s there I realise that maybe I secretly needed it to return to this fantastic world. Do you have instances of surprise sequels that turned out to be exactly what you didn’t know you were waiting for? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Impostors by Scott Westerfeld.
 |
| Impostors – Scholastic Press |
And what matters is: I’ve saved my sister. I let the ecstasy of that flood into me.
Nothing will ever feel this good again.
— Chapter 2
I smile. “It’s decided, then. We’re allies.”
He holds out his hand. “Not pawns for our families.”
We shake on it. But it feels like a promise I can’t keep.
I was born to be a pawn.
— Chapter 11
There isn’t a time in my life when I haven’t been reading in some sort of way. Or have been read to, if you want to get picky. That leads to slightly amusing, slightly startling situations like with this unexpected sequel in terms of “It has been how long since the publication of the previously last book?!” – Yes, that’s 12 years. On the upside to me feeling suddenly ancient there’s a whole new generation of readers who can either start into a series with substantial reading material or just pick up from here because you don’t necessarily need the background to appreciate this continuation.
If you’ve read the original books, it’s equal parts interesting and horrifying to realise how the world was saved and yet humans managed to completely screw it up again, only this time under opposite preconditions. It certainly drives the message home that the saving cannot be one single event or act but has to be maintained and checked in order to have a lasting, wholesome effect.
The sibling dynamic between the two sisters is so unique and interesting. The whole heir and the spare concept driven to its extreme but not considering that the heir and the spare might be each other’s best and most loyal ally. And the psychological aspects of this forced but still genuinely loving alliance at least on Frey’s side (because she literally has no other option of genuine contact) are so fascinating. Her journey to becoming more than just a double is so nuanced and clever that it almost seems painful in its snail’s pace at first. But once she’s cluing in the learning curve is breathtaking. Especially in terms of interaction and building trust.
And all that becoming her own person and a functioning social human on top of preventing a complete catastrophe of course. Here's why there are so many teenage heroines: Boys wouldn’t be able to handle so many plot aspects (only mostly kidding).
I didn’t particularly want a sequel to the Uglies-Series, but now that it’s there I realise that maybe I secretly needed it to return to this fantastic world. Do you have instances of surprise sequels that turned out to be exactly what you didn’t know you were waiting for? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 11 September 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
At some point, there was rather a wave of mental issues books. I can’t say for certain when or how it ebbed, but I’m fairly certain there are fewer of them now. Or maybe just not as prominent any longer. Nevertheless, there are some that stick out amongst them.
I don’t know a lot about OCD and specific phobias. People easily say that they are deadly afraid of spiders, for example, but I don’t think most of them are. I don’t doubt, that they dislike them and would rather they not have a giant spider in their bedroom … I definitely relate to that. But to be so afraid that they qualify under the list of symptoms seems a bit over the top in most cases. It does sound nicer saying that it’s a phobia rather than to be afraid of or have a dislike for spiders. Same goes for OCD I suppose. I don’t want to diagnose anything or anyone though and I know there are levels to these kinds of issues. I’m just also saying that there are certain circles where dropping these terms is rather en vogue.
Back to the book, which is a very thoughtful and also quite intense love story, but also the story of a girl trapped on so many levels by herself and her very mind. It seems wrong to say that I enjoyed reading about her struggles when it’s really the empathy part that is very engaged with this story. I was rooting for Norah to be able to break her cage from the very beginning. And for Luke to remain as amazing and accepting as he first appeared. You’ll have to read for yourself to see if I got my wish and experience these two interacting and fighting and living. Oh and also revealing some innermost parts of themselves, don’t forget that.
This book will challenge its readers to look at certain aspects and evaluate them with a new set of understanding mechanisms. And that’s on top of a very satisfying reading experience. Maybe it helps to read this without so many other mental health books surrounding it. Trends and topic waves are all well and good, but sometimes reading against them will give you a better appreciation of individual titles.
Which book has recently changed your perspective on something or made you aware that there is a perspective to be had at all? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
 |
| Unter Rose-Tainted Skies – Clarion Books |
Because I’m sure the only thing on any home invaders mind, after being polite enough to knock first, is a sanitary victim. I roll my eyes so hard they almost fall out of my skull.
— Chapter 8
Worry is such a drama queen. It takes the smallest thing, makes it so big and bulky that you can't see the obvious anymore.
— Chapter 9
At some point, there was rather a wave of mental issues books. I can’t say for certain when or how it ebbed, but I’m fairly certain there are fewer of them now. Or maybe just not as prominent any longer. Nevertheless, there are some that stick out amongst them.
I don’t know a lot about OCD and specific phobias. People easily say that they are deadly afraid of spiders, for example, but I don’t think most of them are. I don’t doubt, that they dislike them and would rather they not have a giant spider in their bedroom … I definitely relate to that. But to be so afraid that they qualify under the list of symptoms seems a bit over the top in most cases. It does sound nicer saying that it’s a phobia rather than to be afraid of or have a dislike for spiders. Same goes for OCD I suppose. I don’t want to diagnose anything or anyone though and I know there are levels to these kinds of issues. I’m just also saying that there are certain circles where dropping these terms is rather en vogue.
Back to the book, which is a very thoughtful and also quite intense love story, but also the story of a girl trapped on so many levels by herself and her very mind. It seems wrong to say that I enjoyed reading about her struggles when it’s really the empathy part that is very engaged with this story. I was rooting for Norah to be able to break her cage from the very beginning. And for Luke to remain as amazing and accepting as he first appeared. You’ll have to read for yourself to see if I got my wish and experience these two interacting and fighting and living. Oh and also revealing some innermost parts of themselves, don’t forget that.
This book will challenge its readers to look at certain aspects and evaluate them with a new set of understanding mechanisms. And that’s on top of a very satisfying reading experience. Maybe it helps to read this without so many other mental health books surrounding it. Trends and topic waves are all well and good, but sometimes reading against them will give you a better appreciation of individual titles.
Which book has recently changed your perspective on something or made you aware that there is a perspective to be had at all? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday, 4 September 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger.
I’m honestly not quite ready to say goodbye to summer, even if we had a brilliant one and if there are quite a few books about to publish this autumn that I’m very much looking forward to reading. To fit the general back to school feeling I’m returning to a school I wouldn’t have minded to attend either.
In Victorian England, young girls of any standing were expected to behave ladylike and make an advantageous match. At least from what history wants us to remember. And then there are the Ladies of Quality who not only know how to dance, dress, and curtsy properly but also how to finish … everything. Deal out death, diversion, and espionage – in the politest possible ways.
This is the first book in a four-part series, first published in 2013 but certainly not at all dated. I’m listening to the audiobooks on my commute to work and had several other passengers look at me questioningly when I had spontaneous giggle fits … one was the same lady who has also already offered me a handkerchief when I cried about another book, she was very happy to see me smile about my reading/listening material for once. (Seriously, as if I only read books that make me cry).
This series is so full of not only witty humour and Britishness (the names are divine) but also female friendship and ingenuity and quite a few other qualities (a word I’ll never be able to say again straight-faced). All in all, there is much to be loved about this series and I can only recommend it if you’re at all inclined towards a little steampunk and a lot of girl power.
Some book covers age better than others (the one shown above being a better ager in my opinion). Which cover that you liked at the time of publication would still pass inspections nowadays? Share your favourites and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger.
 |
| Etiquette & Espionage – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
“How often have I warned you against fraternizing with technology?” Sophronia wondered if that was a rhetorical question and began counting up the number of times just in case it wasn’t.
— Chapter 1
We are an institution of high learning and higher manners. We simply cannot shoot first; it isn’t done. Now, remember that, Miss Temminnick, do – a lady never shoots first. She asks questions, then she shoots.
— Chapter 5
I’m honestly not quite ready to say goodbye to summer, even if we had a brilliant one and if there are quite a few books about to publish this autumn that I’m very much looking forward to reading. To fit the general back to school feeling I’m returning to a school I wouldn’t have minded to attend either.
In Victorian England, young girls of any standing were expected to behave ladylike and make an advantageous match. At least from what history wants us to remember. And then there are the Ladies of Quality who not only know how to dance, dress, and curtsy properly but also how to finish … everything. Deal out death, diversion, and espionage – in the politest possible ways.
This is the first book in a four-part series, first published in 2013 but certainly not at all dated. I’m listening to the audiobooks on my commute to work and had several other passengers look at me questioningly when I had spontaneous giggle fits … one was the same lady who has also already offered me a handkerchief when I cried about another book, she was very happy to see me smile about my reading/listening material for once. (Seriously, as if I only read books that make me cry).
This series is so full of not only witty humour and Britishness (the names are divine) but also female friendship and ingenuity and quite a few other qualities (a word I’ll never be able to say again straight-faced). All in all, there is much to be loved about this series and I can only recommend it if you’re at all inclined towards a little steampunk and a lot of girl power.
Some book covers age better than others (the one shown above being a better ager in my opinion). Which cover that you liked at the time of publication would still pass inspections nowadays? Share your favourites and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday, 28 August 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Inferno by Julie Kagawa.
With the number of ongoing series I’m reading I’m always a little caught off guard when I’m actually getting to the last book in a series. Especially, if it’s a longer series such as this one. This is, after all, the fifth book … and the third/fourth (depending on how you count the Iron Fey) series of this author I’m finishing. Has it really been another four years?
One would think that I’d gotten used to Julie Kagawa’s ways by now: Interesting outset and world/character development, high stakes, cliffhangers, even higher stakes, a touch of romance with possibly some triangle/complications, and an epic finale. And yet she gets me with that every time with that final battle where I’m racing towards those final battle chapters thinking that this cannot under any circumstances end well.
I am, for the most part, a romantic at heart and can almost always be persuaded by a happy end – although I also know to appreciate a bitter-sweet or sad end, and even the occasional catastrophe. With this final book I liked the battle scenes and preparation and build up, it all very neatly came together from the entire series. And yet … and yet I felt that a few things were tied off or fell into place too neatly especially after that truly horrifying mind torture part in the previous book. I’m not saying that I would have preferred a little more of that because no way. This really is complaining on a very high level and what I’m basically saying is that I still wasn’t ready to let go of these characters. Again. Basically, all is well that ends well with a few minor smudges on the trophy.
The one thing I truly cannot praise enough though is Julie Kagawa’s ability to write kick-ass, no-name-taking, developing heroines. Her male characters are quite tolerable as well, but her female cast is always a sight to behold. Granted, they can get on your nerves at times, too, but don’t all persons do that … especially when still determining who they are, no matter the age?
What do you do after you’ve finished a series? Do you revisit it after some time in full or do you so to speak put it to rest as is? Share your habits and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Inferno by Julie Kagawa.
 |
| Inferno – Harlequin Teen |
“That’s a little worrisome. Do you think this is the welcome party?”
— Chapter 4
You’ve been with us all this time and went through all this trouble, just to betray us in the end. You should have just shot us all in the back while we were on our way here and saved Talon the effort.
— Chapter 32
With the number of ongoing series I’m reading I’m always a little caught off guard when I’m actually getting to the last book in a series. Especially, if it’s a longer series such as this one. This is, after all, the fifth book … and the third/fourth (depending on how you count the Iron Fey) series of this author I’m finishing. Has it really been another four years?
One would think that I’d gotten used to Julie Kagawa’s ways by now: Interesting outset and world/character development, high stakes, cliffhangers, even higher stakes, a touch of romance with possibly some triangle/complications, and an epic finale. And yet she gets me with that every time with that final battle where I’m racing towards those final battle chapters thinking that this cannot under any circumstances end well.
I am, for the most part, a romantic at heart and can almost always be persuaded by a happy end – although I also know to appreciate a bitter-sweet or sad end, and even the occasional catastrophe. With this final book I liked the battle scenes and preparation and build up, it all very neatly came together from the entire series. And yet … and yet I felt that a few things were tied off or fell into place too neatly especially after that truly horrifying mind torture part in the previous book. I’m not saying that I would have preferred a little more of that because no way. This really is complaining on a very high level and what I’m basically saying is that I still wasn’t ready to let go of these characters. Again. Basically, all is well that ends well with a few minor smudges on the trophy.
The one thing I truly cannot praise enough though is Julie Kagawa’s ability to write kick-ass, no-name-taking, developing heroines. Her male characters are quite tolerable as well, but her female cast is always a sight to behold. Granted, they can get on your nerves at times, too, but don’t all persons do that … especially when still determining who they are, no matter the age?
What do you do after you’ve finished a series? Do you revisit it after some time in full or do you so to speak put it to rest as is? Share your habits and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 21 August 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Ally by Anna Banks.
So we’re at that part of the programme where what I’ve recently read isn’t fit to be shared … yet. And none of us wants to get in trouble, right? So I thought I’d share some thought on the second book of this duology. Thoughts on book one are here.
Remember that the first book ended on that cliffhanger? That one is sort of resolved at the very beginning of the book, but as you can guess this only leads into even more trouble because no one is actually speaking to each other … ah, communication, you hardest of all things.
I quite enjoyed the closed in feeling of the first novel in its setting up the political aspects, characters, and stakes. It only seems like a logical progression that now the second book opens up into the apparently bigger play of world order, some very steep character development, and even higher stakes.
The narrative perspective switches are kept up. I would have thought it interesting if for this book Sepora was the third-person and Tarik the first-person perspective, but maybe that would have been too confusing. There were also quite a few twists and I definitely didn’t see some of them coming. One even had me flipping back a page to reconfirm what I had just read.
I will say though that I felt this second book was a little too burdened in terms of what it had to achieve. There is a lot of character growth going on and also a hand full of new characters thrown in and the world definitely expands. It felt just a tad rushed at times where possibly a little more lingering and elaboration would have helped. Like maybe this was originally enough plot for two books but had to be condensed into one. Only speculating here, of course. I would have liked for there to be a third book, even if most of my questions have been more or less sufficiently answered by the end of this one.
If you look at the first book you’ll see that the cover design of this one is quite different. Is that something that would bother you or something that you could easily accept? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Ally by Anna Banks.
 |
| Ally – Feiwel & Friends |
He toyed with my heart while I toyed with his trust. Who is the worst offender?
— Chapter 15
He closes his eyes against her logic. Logic has no place where his heart is concerned and this girl who stands before him has become his heart.
— Chapter 38
So we’re at that part of the programme where what I’ve recently read isn’t fit to be shared … yet. And none of us wants to get in trouble, right? So I thought I’d share some thought on the second book of this duology. Thoughts on book one are here.
Remember that the first book ended on that cliffhanger? That one is sort of resolved at the very beginning of the book, but as you can guess this only leads into even more trouble because no one is actually speaking to each other … ah, communication, you hardest of all things.
I quite enjoyed the closed in feeling of the first novel in its setting up the political aspects, characters, and stakes. It only seems like a logical progression that now the second book opens up into the apparently bigger play of world order, some very steep character development, and even higher stakes.
The narrative perspective switches are kept up. I would have thought it interesting if for this book Sepora was the third-person and Tarik the first-person perspective, but maybe that would have been too confusing. There were also quite a few twists and I definitely didn’t see some of them coming. One even had me flipping back a page to reconfirm what I had just read.
I will say though that I felt this second book was a little too burdened in terms of what it had to achieve. There is a lot of character growth going on and also a hand full of new characters thrown in and the world definitely expands. It felt just a tad rushed at times where possibly a little more lingering and elaboration would have helped. Like maybe this was originally enough plot for two books but had to be condensed into one. Only speculating here, of course. I would have liked for there to be a third book, even if most of my questions have been more or less sufficiently answered by the end of this one.
If you look at the first book you’ll see that the cover design of this one is quite different. Is that something that would bother you or something that you could easily accept? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi.
Rick Riordan can’t possibly write about all pantheons because imagine all the research, the man is already writing about more gods and heroes than most people ever think about, and also he may be qualified for some cultural circles but there are quite a few other authors who are better predisposed to write about aspects they already know. And also: Give the man a break. What he can do and does really well is find those better predisposed authors and give them the chance to tell stories about other pantheons.
Aru starts much like most other demigod stories with the heroine not aware of her status, but in her case very aware of her being other in a peer group at school. Over the course of this first book we not only get to know her and her first godly sister, their strengths and flaws, but we’re also gently introduced to this new to most of us culture and traditions. There are also plenty of reminders that not everything is different and that some things are universally true and important. I especially loved the subtle and not so subtle digs at predominatly male hero stories.
I hope to be proven wrong, but I think these books will find a mostly female readership just due to the fact that we have a girl as the protagonist. Not because the boys don’t read it but because it isn’t on their minds in the first place. And yes I know that exceptions prove the rule, yet I also know that of the fewer boys who read most will not consider a book with a girl on the cover. Or it isn’t even offered to them … because girls are the all terrain vehicles when it comes to reading and boys are treated as the sensitive perfect weather condition sports car. Which will in turn make them to exactly those kinds of readers. A very viscious cycle.
Sorry, tangent. What I mean to say is that this is a fun and informativ and entertaining adventure story that also happens to have girls saving the day, which is really amazing and if you like Rick Riordan’s demigod universe I definitely recommend picking up this book as well.
Do you consider yourself a picky reader or someone who’s willing to try just about anything? Let’s hear from you in the comments and don’t forget to share your teasers!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi.
 |
| Aru Shah and the End of Time – Rick Riordan Presents |
But Aru knew that wouldn’t be the end of it. Between a demon that could end the world and a seventh-grade girl, Aru (and probably most people) would choose the demon any day.
— Chapter 2
Secrets are curious things. They are flimsy and easily broken. For this reason, they prefer to remain hidden.
A fact, on the other hand, is strong and powerful. It’s proven. Unlike a secret, it’s out there for everyone to see and know. And that can make it more terrifying than even the deepest, darkest secret.
— Chapter 34
Rick Riordan can’t possibly write about all pantheons because imagine all the research, the man is already writing about more gods and heroes than most people ever think about, and also he may be qualified for some cultural circles but there are quite a few other authors who are better predisposed to write about aspects they already know. And also: Give the man a break. What he can do and does really well is find those better predisposed authors and give them the chance to tell stories about other pantheons.
Aru starts much like most other demigod stories with the heroine not aware of her status, but in her case very aware of her being other in a peer group at school. Over the course of this first book we not only get to know her and her first godly sister, their strengths and flaws, but we’re also gently introduced to this new to most of us culture and traditions. There are also plenty of reminders that not everything is different and that some things are universally true and important. I especially loved the subtle and not so subtle digs at predominatly male hero stories.
I hope to be proven wrong, but I think these books will find a mostly female readership just due to the fact that we have a girl as the protagonist. Not because the boys don’t read it but because it isn’t on their minds in the first place. And yes I know that exceptions prove the rule, yet I also know that of the fewer boys who read most will not consider a book with a girl on the cover. Or it isn’t even offered to them … because girls are the all terrain vehicles when it comes to reading and boys are treated as the sensitive perfect weather condition sports car. Which will in turn make them to exactly those kinds of readers. A very viscious cycle.
Sorry, tangent. What I mean to say is that this is a fun and informativ and entertaining adventure story that also happens to have girls saving the day, which is really amazing and if you like Rick Riordan’s demigod universe I definitely recommend picking up this book as well.
Do you consider yourself a picky reader or someone who’s willing to try just about anything? Let’s hear from you in the comments and don’t forget to share your teasers!
Tuesday, 7 August 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Keep Her Safe by K.A. Tucker.
I don’t know about you but it’s entirely too hot to do anything more than sit around in the shade with your feet in a cold bath and a milkshake close by where I live. Fell down an exhaustion hole, too, last week, sorry about that. But now fresh to work … err, book!
If it is hot where you’re living, you might want to think twice before starting this book. On the one hand the crime aspect of it is sure to give you the chills but on the other hand there is quite a considerable turning up the heat aspect in there as well. Mind you it’s all very contained and has more of an unwilling attraction vibe than an outright heady desire.
It is very easy for me to say that I came for the romantic aspect this author is so well-known for but I definitely stayed for the story. That really was one hell of a trip of morals, loyalty, and family. I especially liked the slow reveal using flashbacks and present time developments, and I thought that was handled very cleverly. I definitely didn’t see that second to last twist coming, but that last thing I could smell from a mile away and I would like to believe that the protagonist did, too. Maybe he deliberately chose to ignore it. Who knows … that might be what ties this a little too neatly in the short term.
I’m not always one for epilogues that take place some time later but here it might have been nice to cast another short spotlight on how the characters are dealing with the aftermath. I had a few questions about how they were going to proceed, but this openness also works in the overall scheme of things.
Whenever I picked up this book I was certain that not a minute later this song would come on on the radio. And even if it didn’t I’d still catch myself humming it. Fairly easy considering the title and all. But I have other books that instantly have music running in the back of my head. Do you have close book-music connections? Tell us about them in the comments along with your teasers.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Keep Her Safe by K.A. Tucker.
 |
| Keep Her Safe – Atria Books |
Even though I had already figured out that the ninja story wasn’t real, I remember feeling completely disenchanted. I guess that tiny flame of childhood hope for the impossible had still been burning, buried somewhere deep.
— Chapter 2
“Who would say that?”
“I don’t know … crazy people?”
“Exactly. I’m not crazy. Are you crazy?”
— Chapter 41
I don’t know about you but it’s entirely too hot to do anything more than sit around in the shade with your feet in a cold bath and a milkshake close by where I live. Fell down an exhaustion hole, too, last week, sorry about that. But now fresh to work … err, book!
If it is hot where you’re living, you might want to think twice before starting this book. On the one hand the crime aspect of it is sure to give you the chills but on the other hand there is quite a considerable turning up the heat aspect in there as well. Mind you it’s all very contained and has more of an unwilling attraction vibe than an outright heady desire.
It is very easy for me to say that I came for the romantic aspect this author is so well-known for but I definitely stayed for the story. That really was one hell of a trip of morals, loyalty, and family. I especially liked the slow reveal using flashbacks and present time developments, and I thought that was handled very cleverly. I definitely didn’t see that second to last twist coming, but that last thing I could smell from a mile away and I would like to believe that the protagonist did, too. Maybe he deliberately chose to ignore it. Who knows … that might be what ties this a little too neatly in the short term.
I’m not always one for epilogues that take place some time later but here it might have been nice to cast another short spotlight on how the characters are dealing with the aftermath. I had a few questions about how they were going to proceed, but this openness also works in the overall scheme of things.
Whenever I picked up this book I was certain that not a minute later this song would come on on the radio. And even if it didn’t I’d still catch myself humming it. Fairly easy considering the title and all. But I have other books that instantly have music running in the back of my head. Do you have close book-music connections? Tell us about them in the comments along with your teasers.
Tuesday, 24 July 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean.
Wait, you’ll say, didn’t we recently have a YA book by this author? You’d be right, of course … all the points to you in that case, because I only realised this when I sorted my library. Same author, same time period, slightly different age category. Same capturing writing.
I knew in theory that the author of The Season had written adult books before and that her genre of choice was historical romance. It just didn’t quite connect in my head. But now I see the parallels of well-written main characters and relationship development.
This one is obviously more mature although I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s overtly racy. The author also opens up quite an intricate plot arc that will carry the reader over the next two books even if they’ll be leaving behind the main characters I grew to like in this one.
Fun, with a bit of substance, and very entertaining. If historical romance with a touch of crime detection is your thing, I’d definitely recommend picking up this series. If historical crime detection and a little romantic development are more to your taste, try out the YA. I’ll have a look at the other adult books and semi-patiently wait for the sequel, which was meanly teased in the back of this book and now I really want to read on. Mission accomplished I’d say.
Crossing from YA to adult or the other way around can be tricky. But which do you think is trickier? I’m always interested in authors who have made the passage from one side or the other and would be happy about suggestions. Let’s hear from you in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean.
 |
| Wicked and the Wallflower – Avon Books |
“How did you come in?”
“You’ve a balcony, Juliet.”
“I’ve also a bedchamber on the third floor, not-Romeo.”
— Chapter 5
“Why should others be the ones to decide which doors are for me?”
The question, so honest, so forthright, made him want to break down every door she came to from now until the end of time.
— Chapter 15
Wait, you’ll say, didn’t we recently have a YA book by this author? You’d be right, of course … all the points to you in that case, because I only realised this when I sorted my library. Same author, same time period, slightly different age category. Same capturing writing.
I knew in theory that the author of The Season had written adult books before and that her genre of choice was historical romance. It just didn’t quite connect in my head. But now I see the parallels of well-written main characters and relationship development.
This one is obviously more mature although I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s overtly racy. The author also opens up quite an intricate plot arc that will carry the reader over the next two books even if they’ll be leaving behind the main characters I grew to like in this one.
Fun, with a bit of substance, and very entertaining. If historical romance with a touch of crime detection is your thing, I’d definitely recommend picking up this series. If historical crime detection and a little romantic development are more to your taste, try out the YA. I’ll have a look at the other adult books and semi-patiently wait for the sequel, which was meanly teased in the back of this book and now I really want to read on. Mission accomplished I’d say.
Crossing from YA to adult or the other way around can be tricky. But which do you think is trickier? I’m always interested in authors who have made the passage from one side or the other and would be happy about suggestions. Let’s hear from you in the comments!
Tuesday, 17 July 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter.
This was such a quick and fun read. I really needed a pick-me-up-read after the week I had and trust Ally Carter to deliver just the right portion of girl-power, snark, thrill, and friendship-turned-romance without actually being a romantic drama (even though it has all the ingredients for one).
If my parents at any point in my life carted me off to the disconnected wilderness without so much as an explanation I don’t know if I’d taken it as well as Maddie has. But then again I’m not the daughter of a secret service professional and used to taking orders without scrutiny – though I think my parents wouldn’t have been disinclined. I can, however, imagine what it would be like if someone formerly important to you suddenly drops back into your life without much warning and seems to expect things just picking up where they left off. After six years. Maybe a kidnapping situation is not the best moment to hash things out, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.
I would have liked the emotional level to be a little more fleshed out and to go into a bit more detail. The situation is an extreme one and probably makes you reconsider past hurts and lies. The aftermath just felt a little too smooth and glossed over for my taste. I had a good chuckle at the Gallagher Girls connection though. So really a quick read which might have profited from maybe another 20 to 50 pages … also meaning I really didn’t want to let these adorable characters go.
Having just read a book very firmly set in the Alaskan winter I’m quite thankful that summer seems to shape up to be a good one this year. How are your plans, are you going on vacation? And how many books are you taking? Let’s hear from you in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter.
 |
| Not If I Save You First – Scholastic Press |
And right then, Maddie knew she had two options.
She could go for help, summon the cavalry and call the guards.
Or there was option two.
How many times had she questioned her father’s sanity, wondering what kind of person ran toward gunshots?
— Chapter 8
But Logan had learned a long time ago that there was nothing you could give a man with a gun to make him happy. Men with guns were only satisfied when they took.
— Chapter 10
This was such a quick and fun read. I really needed a pick-me-up-read after the week I had and trust Ally Carter to deliver just the right portion of girl-power, snark, thrill, and friendship-turned-romance without actually being a romantic drama (even though it has all the ingredients for one).
If my parents at any point in my life carted me off to the disconnected wilderness without so much as an explanation I don’t know if I’d taken it as well as Maddie has. But then again I’m not the daughter of a secret service professional and used to taking orders without scrutiny – though I think my parents wouldn’t have been disinclined. I can, however, imagine what it would be like if someone formerly important to you suddenly drops back into your life without much warning and seems to expect things just picking up where they left off. After six years. Maybe a kidnapping situation is not the best moment to hash things out, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.
I would have liked the emotional level to be a little more fleshed out and to go into a bit more detail. The situation is an extreme one and probably makes you reconsider past hurts and lies. The aftermath just felt a little too smooth and glossed over for my taste. I had a good chuckle at the Gallagher Girls connection though. So really a quick read which might have profited from maybe another 20 to 50 pages … also meaning I really didn’t want to let these adorable characters go.
Having just read a book very firmly set in the Alaskan winter I’m quite thankful that summer seems to shape up to be a good one this year. How are your plans, are you going on vacation? And how many books are you taking? Let’s hear from you in the comments!
Tuesday, 10 July 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
On Beauty by Zadie Smith.
Quite the contrast to last week, but who said that this blog had to be following an agenda? I first read this book as an assigned reading in university; the lecturer was quite a fan of the author and while I wasn’t quite convinced at the time I can now at least see where this appreciation came from. A possible case of predetermined mindset to not truly like assigned readings. I’m not sure if this would have extended to books like The Fault in Our Stars, but let’s be thankful that I don’t have to find out.
In any case, this book was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2005 and has won a slew of other awards and now that I don’t have to analyse the prose but can just read and enjoy it I can say I understand how Zadie Smith earnt so many accolades as an outstanding novelist. Her writing is clean, to the point, and at the same time so heart-breakingly beautiful, insightful, and spot-on comical when it needs to be.
Two things truly stand out to me: The characters in this book don’t feel like protagonists in a book to me. They could just as well be living across the street that’s how real and defined they are, which is definitely one of the author’s biggest strengths that she manages to write people so well. And the other thing is how organic this story feels, which almost dissolves the fictional distance. It could also be a real reality-documentation (see, I can relate two apparently unrelatable books). That way you slowly move from one event to the next and it doesn’t feel at all constructed but like a logical consequence of all that came before. And if a writer can make you understand this process and seamlessly move along with it I think that’s what distinguishes a really accomplished author.
Not your usual gripping page-turner but more of a steady river of actions that will nonetheless have you reading on and wondering how this will turn out. Truly beautiful.
Have you revisited an assigned reading book and maybe developed a new appreciation for it? Share your reads and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
On Beauty by Zadie Smith.
 |
| On Beauty – Penguin Books |
He did not consider if or how or why he loved them. They were just love: they were the first evidence he ever had of love, and they would be the last confirmation of love when everything else fell away.
— Part 2, Chapter 9
She had no idea what it was all about, but she was not in any way nervous. She was still flying on fury, capable of anything.
— Part 3, Chapter 12
Quite the contrast to last week, but who said that this blog had to be following an agenda? I first read this book as an assigned reading in university; the lecturer was quite a fan of the author and while I wasn’t quite convinced at the time I can now at least see where this appreciation came from. A possible case of predetermined mindset to not truly like assigned readings. I’m not sure if this would have extended to books like The Fault in Our Stars, but let’s be thankful that I don’t have to find out.
In any case, this book was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2005 and has won a slew of other awards and now that I don’t have to analyse the prose but can just read and enjoy it I can say I understand how Zadie Smith earnt so many accolades as an outstanding novelist. Her writing is clean, to the point, and at the same time so heart-breakingly beautiful, insightful, and spot-on comical when it needs to be.
Two things truly stand out to me: The characters in this book don’t feel like protagonists in a book to me. They could just as well be living across the street that’s how real and defined they are, which is definitely one of the author’s biggest strengths that she manages to write people so well. And the other thing is how organic this story feels, which almost dissolves the fictional distance. It could also be a real reality-documentation (see, I can relate two apparently unrelatable books). That way you slowly move from one event to the next and it doesn’t feel at all constructed but like a logical consequence of all that came before. And if a writer can make you understand this process and seamlessly move along with it I think that’s what distinguishes a really accomplished author.
Not your usual gripping page-turner but more of a steady river of actions that will nonetheless have you reading on and wondering how this will turn out. Truly beautiful.
Have you revisited an assigned reading book and maybe developed a new appreciation for it? Share your reads and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 3 July 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl.
Here goes nothing: Show of hands for everyone who doesn’t (officially) watch so-called reality shows and yet can still name every Kardashian, Jenner, and what’s their face by name and possibly their dogs as well. You can’t evade them on a basic level and like a bizarre crash performance you can’t really look away.
This book carries the idea to an extreme by making the middle “problem” child the centre of its plot, only that Bentley on TV is most decidedly not Bent when the cameras aren’t rolling. At heart, she really wants to be like any other girl and has the shocking dream to go to university … unthinkable considering that Bentley, as the whole country knows, couldn’t give a flying fox about anything school related. But which is the real girl Bentley or Bent? And which version of her family will actually survive if the worst/best happens and the show is cancelled? How far is Bent willing to go to save the show in order to save her family?
Sarcasm is second nature to me so I don’t quite know, why parodies aren’t too far up on my favourite list. Nevertheless, this book had me giggle-snorting on several occasions and also kept me on my toes plot-wise. Because this is not just some poking fun at reality TV and all the absurd stuff flickering across screens on a daily basis. This is at its core a coming of age story interwoven with a cleverly crafted crime plot. I wouldn’t go so far to call it suspense, but there are definitely elements of it present.
Bentley is a very relatable character who has dreams and aspirations beyond what everyone else thinks she should want. She only has the (mis)fortune to have quite the celebrity status and in that to be cast as the uncontrollable b*tch of the family. Actually not too different from the girl born into a family of footballers who wants to take ballet lessons … just as an example.
I get how this book can put you off just by looking at it, its topic, or the horrible trailer (which I won’t link to, that’s how horrible it is). But if you can either see beyond that or pick it up anyway, you’ll find quite the interesting story between these covers.
Which book has surprised you by being much better or deeper than you initially thought based on its appearance? Share your stories and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl.
 |
| Royce Rolls – Freeform |
“I’m an LG…B…TZ…B”
“You already hit B,” Bach said, amused. “But I appreciate you throwing the bonus Z in there. For all the Zesbians.”
— Chapter 8
They’re your family. You have to do whatever you can to help them, or you have to live with knowing that you walked away.
— Chapter 22
Here goes nothing: Show of hands for everyone who doesn’t (officially) watch so-called reality shows and yet can still name every Kardashian, Jenner, and what’s their face by name and possibly their dogs as well. You can’t evade them on a basic level and like a bizarre crash performance you can’t really look away.
This book carries the idea to an extreme by making the middle “problem” child the centre of its plot, only that Bentley on TV is most decidedly not Bent when the cameras aren’t rolling. At heart, she really wants to be like any other girl and has the shocking dream to go to university … unthinkable considering that Bentley, as the whole country knows, couldn’t give a flying fox about anything school related. But which is the real girl Bentley or Bent? And which version of her family will actually survive if the worst/best happens and the show is cancelled? How far is Bent willing to go to save the show in order to save her family?
Sarcasm is second nature to me so I don’t quite know, why parodies aren’t too far up on my favourite list. Nevertheless, this book had me giggle-snorting on several occasions and also kept me on my toes plot-wise. Because this is not just some poking fun at reality TV and all the absurd stuff flickering across screens on a daily basis. This is at its core a coming of age story interwoven with a cleverly crafted crime plot. I wouldn’t go so far to call it suspense, but there are definitely elements of it present.
Bentley is a very relatable character who has dreams and aspirations beyond what everyone else thinks she should want. She only has the (mis)fortune to have quite the celebrity status and in that to be cast as the uncontrollable b*tch of the family. Actually not too different from the girl born into a family of footballers who wants to take ballet lessons … just as an example.
I get how this book can put you off just by looking at it, its topic, or the horrible trailer (which I won’t link to, that’s how horrible it is). But if you can either see beyond that or pick it up anyway, you’ll find quite the interesting story between these covers.
Which book has surprised you by being much better or deeper than you initially thought based on its appearance? Share your stories and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 26 June 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken.
I wrote about my excitement for the upcoming movie of this last summer. By now the release date (3rd August in the US) and the trailer have dropped. And wonder of wonders, Germany is only about two weeks behind the US release … as opposed to other movies, looking at you Love, Simon.
Without spoiling too much, I think I can only say that this book broke my heart and then mended it with duct tape (still in place a couple of years later). But that’s okay because that is exactly how reading this series should feel – at least in my opinion. In a post-apocalyptic scenario, things cannot be returned to their original state and thus an altered but functionally mended result is very appropriate.
There is a new book set in this universe coming out at the end of next month featuring an all-grown-up Zu and also an interesting aspect you rarely get with scenarios like that: What the world looks like a couple of years after it was saved from the brink.
So what can I say; excitement levels for this series are high this summer. I might go for a quick re-read in preparation for the fourth book and the movie.
Lots of trailers dropping at the moment. Which book to screen adaption are you excited about right now? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken.
 |
| In the Afterlight – Hyperion |
Objectively, I knew that what he was saying was true—but the words sparked such a fierce denial and fury in me, I almost pushed him away. I didn’t need reality right now.
— Chapter 2
“That’s not very Team Reality of you.”
His smile matched mine. “Screw Team Reality—I’m leaving to join Team Sanity.”
— Chapter 8
I wrote about my excitement for the upcoming movie of this last summer. By now the release date (3rd August in the US) and the trailer have dropped. And wonder of wonders, Germany is only about two weeks behind the US release … as opposed to other movies, looking at you Love, Simon.
Without spoiling too much, I think I can only say that this book broke my heart and then mended it with duct tape (still in place a couple of years later). But that’s okay because that is exactly how reading this series should feel – at least in my opinion. In a post-apocalyptic scenario, things cannot be returned to their original state and thus an altered but functionally mended result is very appropriate.
There is a new book set in this universe coming out at the end of next month featuring an all-grown-up Zu and also an interesting aspect you rarely get with scenarios like that: What the world looks like a couple of years after it was saved from the brink.
So what can I say; excitement levels for this series are high this summer. I might go for a quick re-read in preparation for the fourth book and the movie.
Lots of trailers dropping at the moment. Which book to screen adaption are you excited about right now? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Smoke in the Sun by Renée Ahdieh.
Since I’m a reader, I’m more than allowed to change my mind about things. Like, for example, first complaining about too many books being part of a trilogy, then not enough stand-alones … and now about duologies, because I can’t bear to part with these characters. Special added bonus because this is the authors second duology and she manages to do this to me again.
The first book was one of my absolute favourites last year and I fell head over heels in love with the world and its characters. So far so good. But as with the second book of her first set, Renée Ahdieh totally managed to surprise me with leading the narration in a completely different and yet totally fitting direction. I don’t actually know what I expected and now that I know how this plays out I can’t imagine any other way for this to go, but I remember that I was caught a little off guard at first.
Seriously, what wonderful, magical, and empowering story. It’s definitely one I’m going to keep recommending for its drive and overall greatness.
Is there a follow-up book to a story you loved that initially didn’t go in the direction you thought it would but you ended up loving it anyway? Share your experiences and teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Smoke in the Sun by Renée Ahdieh.
 |
| Smoke in the Sun – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers |
The Emperor of Wa enjoyed toying with people to see how they would react. And Mariko refused to be any man’s toy.
— Chapter 10
It was time for him to forgive his past. Not forget it. Only a fool would do such things.
— Chapter 31
Since I’m a reader, I’m more than allowed to change my mind about things. Like, for example, first complaining about too many books being part of a trilogy, then not enough stand-alones … and now about duologies, because I can’t bear to part with these characters. Special added bonus because this is the authors second duology and she manages to do this to me again.
The first book was one of my absolute favourites last year and I fell head over heels in love with the world and its characters. So far so good. But as with the second book of her first set, Renée Ahdieh totally managed to surprise me with leading the narration in a completely different and yet totally fitting direction. I don’t actually know what I expected and now that I know how this plays out I can’t imagine any other way for this to go, but I remember that I was caught a little off guard at first.
Seriously, what wonderful, magical, and empowering story. It’s definitely one I’m going to keep recommending for its drive and overall greatness.
Is there a follow-up book to a story you loved that initially didn’t go in the direction you thought it would but you ended up loving it anyway? Share your experiences and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 12 June 2018
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas.
You know those books that are 90% doom, peril, danger, and fearing for your favourite characters and the general fate of the world? And then the big fight is over and you get perhaps a chapter of cleaning up and maybe a sort of strange feeling epilogue … and they lived happily ever after (or not so happily, but book’s over). I’m no exception in wondering about and wishing for moments of normalcy and happiness depicted for those characters. Not all over the book all the time, because there are books for that as well and I’m more the “no conflict, no story” reader apparently.
Sarah J. Maas gives her readers more or less exactly those moments of normalcy, fluff, and happiness after almost destroying everything. I say more or less because there obviously is another series looming with new conflicts and new struggles and with new main characters who are gently showed onto the main stage here as well.
This is a bridging-novella in its true sense in being short, not too plot-driven or revealing, and definitely not essential to either series. As opposed to what was supposed to be a novella in Maas’ other series, which instead became a fully-fledged book. So knowing this I didn’t have very high demands, but I fully expected to be entertained and to enjoy some spending time with these characters without fearing for their lives. Which is what held true for most of the book with the occasional grin and chuckle and maybe eye-roll about one too many mate-mentions. I also enjoyed the beginning set up of the new series – even if I still don’t think that those particular characters belong together.
You’re waiting for the but? Here it is: But that conclusion?! That was really in the face in terms of my house, my car, my boat only in fantasy terms. It just didn’t seem to fit with the main character I got to know and love for the main trilogy. Yes, the war will definitely have had an impact and changed her but … that “gift”. Wow, that messed with me quite a bit. I understand that it might be the most desirable goal for some, I just never understood Feyre to feel that way. Or at least not right away. Authors and their lives should be viewed separately from their works, yet here I feel the particular circumstances heavily influenced this plot.
So maybe I don’t want normalcy and happiness after all. Or maybe just not this brand of it. Or more likely normalcy and happiness that feel more organic and true to characters and their motivations. I will pick up the follow-up books at some point – maybe not with the highest priority and maybe I’ll have to block out certain aspects. I’m all for the author’s joy and happiness and wish her all the health and love in the world, but this felt a little too projected onto her characters.
Have you had a book that totally threw you in terms of either plot or character developments? Share those along with your teasers in the comments!
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas.
 |
| A Court of Frost and Starlight – Bloomsbury |
Her mouth—painted a berry pink—tightened. “Not so happy an ending, I’m afraid.”
— Chapter 4
“But nothing,” Amren said, returning to the puzzle. “Because I like her, I am not inclined to gossip about her current state.”
— Chapter 15
You know those books that are 90% doom, peril, danger, and fearing for your favourite characters and the general fate of the world? And then the big fight is over and you get perhaps a chapter of cleaning up and maybe a sort of strange feeling epilogue … and they lived happily ever after (or not so happily, but book’s over). I’m no exception in wondering about and wishing for moments of normalcy and happiness depicted for those characters. Not all over the book all the time, because there are books for that as well and I’m more the “no conflict, no story” reader apparently.
Sarah J. Maas gives her readers more or less exactly those moments of normalcy, fluff, and happiness after almost destroying everything. I say more or less because there obviously is another series looming with new conflicts and new struggles and with new main characters who are gently showed onto the main stage here as well.
This is a bridging-novella in its true sense in being short, not too plot-driven or revealing, and definitely not essential to either series. As opposed to what was supposed to be a novella in Maas’ other series, which instead became a fully-fledged book. So knowing this I didn’t have very high demands, but I fully expected to be entertained and to enjoy some spending time with these characters without fearing for their lives. Which is what held true for most of the book with the occasional grin and chuckle and maybe eye-roll about one too many mate-mentions. I also enjoyed the beginning set up of the new series – even if I still don’t think that those particular characters belong together.
You’re waiting for the but? Here it is: But that conclusion?! That was really in the face in terms of my house, my car, my boat only in fantasy terms. It just didn’t seem to fit with the main character I got to know and love for the main trilogy. Yes, the war will definitely have had an impact and changed her but … that “gift”. Wow, that messed with me quite a bit. I understand that it might be the most desirable goal for some, I just never understood Feyre to feel that way. Or at least not right away. Authors and their lives should be viewed separately from their works, yet here I feel the particular circumstances heavily influenced this plot.
So maybe I don’t want normalcy and happiness after all. Or maybe just not this brand of it. Or more likely normalcy and happiness that feel more organic and true to characters and their motivations. I will pick up the follow-up books at some point – maybe not with the highest priority and maybe I’ll have to block out certain aspects. I’m all for the author’s joy and happiness and wish her all the health and love in the world, but this felt a little too projected onto her characters.
Have you had a book that totally threw you in terms of either plot or character developments? Share those along with your teasers in the comments!
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