Tuesday, 13 May 2014
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:
Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder.
The quotes seem like parts of a matched pair, which is funny, because I completely picked them at random. But who am I to argue with the trickster fate of book-choices ... it was, after all only by accident that I picked up the first book in the series (and was then reminded by a dear friend about reading the sequels). On to that!
This series has a slightly different (I’m hesitant to say more mature for several reasons) target audience, which is not so much apparent in the plot itself, but in the overall mood. It’s hard to grasp, apart from the clearly older protagonists. And by older I mean closer to 30 than to 15. Other than that, they struggle with similar problems. Like me wanting to shake some sense into them to talk a little more to each other. So this clearly doesn’t get (much) better with age. I’m curious to find out how the story of these characters continues.
One positive thing about almost forgetting this series is that I won’t have to wait for the final book to publish as it’s already available ... a small reprieve from so many other cliffhangers looming at the moment. Do you have sequels in your TBR where you won’t have to wait for the final book? Share thoughts and teasers in the comment section!
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!
Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder.
 |
| Scent of Magic – Harlequin Mira |
He kept his flat expression, and I knew I’d get more cooperation from the cave’s stone walls. Too bad for him that I didn’t need his approval.
— Chapter 1
Kerrick’s first instinct was to say no. However, he’d learned...or rather, Avry had taught him...that just because he said no didn’t mean the other person would listen. She certainly hadn’t.
— Chapter 4.5
The quotes seem like parts of a matched pair, which is funny, because I completely picked them at random. But who am I to argue with the trickster fate of book-choices ... it was, after all only by accident that I picked up the first book in the series (and was then reminded by a dear friend about reading the sequels). On to that!
This series has a slightly different (I’m hesitant to say more mature for several reasons) target audience, which is not so much apparent in the plot itself, but in the overall mood. It’s hard to grasp, apart from the clearly older protagonists. And by older I mean closer to 30 than to 15. Other than that, they struggle with similar problems. Like me wanting to shake some sense into them to talk a little more to each other. So this clearly doesn’t get (much) better with age. I’m curious to find out how the story of these characters continues.
One positive thing about almost forgetting this series is that I won’t have to wait for the final book to publish as it’s already available ... a small reprieve from so many other cliffhangers looming at the moment. Do you have sequels in your TBR where you won’t have to wait for the final book? Share thoughts and teasers in the comment section!
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor.
My copy of this book must have taken a detour through Eretz before it came to me ... books need adventures, too! But now that I have it I will never ever let it go. (She said and hoped that the end would not make her regret this claim. Which it won’t if the first 120 pages are any indication.)
The book immediately sucked me in and transported me into its reality of angel warriors and revenant fighters and I can’t wait to find out how it all comes together and resolves. Hopefully in a not-too-devastating way, but we have I think already established that I as a reader appreciate literary (not literal) torture to a certain degree. Just based on the list of favourite authors ...
Anyway, I adore the characters of this story, beginning with Zuzana to Issa to Liraz and of course Karou and Akiva (though at the moment I want to shake those two ... communication is key? Maybe?). I’m racing and savouring at the same time, if such a thing is possible, because I want to know as soon as I can, but I also want to enjoy and breathe in the wonderful and rich writing. And I don’t want it to end, even if it must.
Are you flying through your current read or meandering through it? Have you ever tried regulating your reading pace? Share teasers and opinions 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!
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor.
 |
| Dreams of Gods & Monsters – Little, Brown & Company |
“We have so many enemies, Lisseth,” said Karou, keeping her voice light. “Most of them are our birthright, inherited like a duty, but the ones we make for ourselves are special. We should choose them with care.”
— Chapter 6
She herself had never known cold. It gave every appearance of unpleasantness. Weak, she thought, still watching the human pair, but there was another word lurking, defying it. Fearless.
— Chapter 14
My copy of this book must have taken a detour through Eretz before it came to me ... books need adventures, too! But now that I have it I will never ever let it go. (She said and hoped that the end would not make her regret this claim. Which it won’t if the first 120 pages are any indication.)
The book immediately sucked me in and transported me into its reality of angel warriors and revenant fighters and I can’t wait to find out how it all comes together and resolves. Hopefully in a not-too-devastating way, but we have I think already established that I as a reader appreciate literary (not literal) torture to a certain degree. Just based on the list of favourite authors ...
Anyway, I adore the characters of this story, beginning with Zuzana to Issa to Liraz and of course Karou and Akiva (though at the moment I want to shake those two ... communication is key? Maybe?). I’m racing and savouring at the same time, if such a thing is possible, because I want to know as soon as I can, but I also want to enjoy and breathe in the wonderful and rich writing. And I don’t want it to end, even if it must.
Are you flying through your current read or meandering through it? Have you ever tried regulating your reading pace? Share teasers and opinions in the comments!
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi.
Let me get this out of the way first: I want these covers in high resolution poster size. I’d probably start to feel watched pretty soon, but I think they are amazing. I don’t necessarily think that they’re the perfect match for the story but they definitely animate you to pick up the book. Mission accomplished.
Now the book. I always need a few pages to get used to Juliette’s narrative voice, even if I only stop reading in between chapters ... which is one of the reasons that I finish these books in only a few sittings (the other is that it is a very compelling read that has you glued to the book). The narration is very stream of consciousness like or at least with very little filter. I haven’t yet come across crossed out parts, which were very prominent in the first book, but less so as the story progressed.
At the moment it’s all very angst-y and potentially involves a triangular shape thing, because I know more than the characters due to the novellas. (Side note: I’m not sure how I feel about this novellas to provide information pertinent to the main plot thing. On the one hand the more to read the better but on the other hand it seems to become a common/expected feature ... and it clearly favours the eReading community). These novellas also shed different light on characters and make you feel decidedly different about them. The reading experience is a completely different one if your sympathies are so severely influenced. I can say this quite confidently because I’m trying to reason the merits of a certain character with someone who hasn’t read the additional stories. It’s quite interesting, but at the moment also very frustrating for both of us.
What are your thoughts on eNovellas and the novella trend in general? Sound off in the comments and share your teasers along with your opinion.
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!
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi.
 |
| Ignite me – Harper |
I have to start over now; face the world alone again. I have to make one final choice: give up or go on.
So I get to my feet.
— Chapter 2
“If you’d seen the devastation the way that I did, you wouldn’t be saying such things. Hope will break your heart all over again.”
— Chapter 3
Let me get this out of the way first: I want these covers in high resolution poster size. I’d probably start to feel watched pretty soon, but I think they are amazing. I don’t necessarily think that they’re the perfect match for the story but they definitely animate you to pick up the book. Mission accomplished.
Now the book. I always need a few pages to get used to Juliette’s narrative voice, even if I only stop reading in between chapters ... which is one of the reasons that I finish these books in only a few sittings (the other is that it is a very compelling read that has you glued to the book). The narration is very stream of consciousness like or at least with very little filter. I haven’t yet come across crossed out parts, which were very prominent in the first book, but less so as the story progressed.
At the moment it’s all very angst-y and potentially involves a triangular shape thing, because I know more than the characters due to the novellas. (Side note: I’m not sure how I feel about this novellas to provide information pertinent to the main plot thing. On the one hand the more to read the better but on the other hand it seems to become a common/expected feature ... and it clearly favours the eReading community). These novellas also shed different light on characters and make you feel decidedly different about them. The reading experience is a completely different one if your sympathies are so severely influenced. I can say this quite confidently because I’m trying to reason the merits of a certain character with someone who hasn’t read the additional stories. It’s quite interesting, but at the moment also very frustrating for both of us.
What are your thoughts on eNovellas and the novella trend in general? Sound off in the comments and share your teasers along with your opinion.
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.
Usually, fairy tales are a Christmas thing, but why not Beauty and the Beast for Easter? The cover alone is all sorts of clever and interesting. Yes, it’s a rose, but what resonates inside the book are the stairs and the red dress ... well and the thorny and deceiving qualities of the flower.
Stopping short of letting this become an image analysis (really not my area of expertise) this story has some fun dialogue between a not-so-pure-at-heart Beauty and her not-quite-so-beastly Beast. Very clever to mark the Beast primarily by his character and not to much his appearance. And of course the influences of Greek and Roman mythology and several nods to T.S. Elliot had me smiling several times (and guessing in the slightly wrong direction in the beginning). The end was a bit too quick and clean for me compared to the more fleshed out beginning.
Nevertheless, this is a fun field day for hunters of intertextual connections as well as it is an entertaining read if you are looking for an innocent and pretty love story with some bumps along the way.
How did you spend the Easter Weekend? I consumed way too many chocolate eggs and quite a few pages. Let’s hear from you in 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!
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.
 |
| Cruel Beauty – Balzer + Bray |
“Well, I’m already hoping there could be a dinner where you don’t try to stab me with your fork,” he said.
“You might need to make your peace with disappointment.”
— Chapter 5
Then I let go and forced a smile. “I wasn’t born to be saved.”
— Chapter 10
Usually, fairy tales are a Christmas thing, but why not Beauty and the Beast for Easter? The cover alone is all sorts of clever and interesting. Yes, it’s a rose, but what resonates inside the book are the stairs and the red dress ... well and the thorny and deceiving qualities of the flower.
Stopping short of letting this become an image analysis (really not my area of expertise) this story has some fun dialogue between a not-so-pure-at-heart Beauty and her not-quite-so-beastly Beast. Very clever to mark the Beast primarily by his character and not to much his appearance. And of course the influences of Greek and Roman mythology and several nods to T.S. Elliot had me smiling several times (and guessing in the slightly wrong direction in the beginning). The end was a bit too quick and clean for me compared to the more fleshed out beginning.
Nevertheless, this is a fun field day for hunters of intertextual connections as well as it is an entertaining read if you are looking for an innocent and pretty love story with some bumps along the way.
How did you spend the Easter Weekend? I consumed way too many chocolate eggs and quite a few pages. Let’s hear from you in comments.
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:
The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas.
Teasers from the same chapter and the first at that. I could be ashamed ... but seeing that the current alternative is either something that won’t be published until 2015 or from a Children’s Primary School Lexicon (which is astonishingly comprehensive and detailed but doesn’t make for an entertaining read) it is the book I started between coming home and food.
And I must say, after those 20 or something pages I’m already quite hooked. I don’t understand everything yet, but that seems intentional. (Also: there are end notes ... this is becoming a habit) I only know already that I want one of those flying horse-dragon-things.
Now that I have alienated enough people with weird ramblings about this book please excuse me, I’ll have to get back to the possibly smitten cauldron. As I said, it is still a bit strange. But a good strange, I think.
Let me wish you a happy Easter in advance if you celebrate ... maybe the Bunny will bring some reading material other than the chocolate wrappings. Tell me what you’re reading 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 Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas.
 |
| The Burning Sky – Balzer + Bray |
She chewed on the inside of her cheek for a minute. Then she pulled on a pair of thick gloves and grabbed the cauldron.
What did she have to lose?
— Chapter 1
“Smite that cauldron, will you? I haven’t got all day!”
— Chapter 1
Teasers from the same chapter and the first at that. I could be ashamed ... but seeing that the current alternative is either something that won’t be published until 2015 or from a Children’s Primary School Lexicon (which is astonishingly comprehensive and detailed but doesn’t make for an entertaining read) it is the book I started between coming home and food.
And I must say, after those 20 or something pages I’m already quite hooked. I don’t understand everything yet, but that seems intentional. (Also: there are end notes ... this is becoming a habit) I only know already that I want one of those flying horse-dragon-things.
Now that I have alienated enough people with weird ramblings about this book please excuse me, I’ll have to get back to the possibly smitten cauldron. As I said, it is still a bit strange. But a good strange, I think.
Let me wish you a happy Easter in advance if you celebrate ... maybe the Bunny will bring some reading material other than the chocolate wrappings. Tell me what you’re reading in the comments.
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