Tuesday, 17 February 2015

Teaser Tuesday: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
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!

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch.

If You Find Me –
St. Martin’s Griffin


I take my hand back, like a leaf letting go. It hurts too much to hang on. So why does it hurt so much to let go?
— Chapter 11

My life’s a tangle of past and present, like two separate puzzles with their pieces tumbled together. Nothing fits.
— Chapter 12





Usually, I’m the person recommending books (and then occasionally pestering, if the book has been read yet). This book was recommended to me by no one other than my mother. In the very subtle way of mothers that I don’t have to read this, but I’d probably miss something if I didn’t. And I don’t know about your mothers, but mine is quite often right about things. Books especially. This story will probably haunt me for a while, in an absolutely positive way, because while the topic is certainly quite dark, the writing is the very opposite. Beautifully told and with such a force that once you get used to the language you will have a heard time to put this down before you know how it all fits together and if it turns out okay. I know that I’ll be spreading the recommendation of this book for quite a while. But be warned that the content is not light at all. I’m not a fan of warning labels on books and I think that the cover in this case will serve to deter the reader looking for a light and fun read, because they won’t find it in this hauntingly dark beauty of a story.

What is your latest book that was recommended to you and that you will now in turn keep recommending to others? Share them and your teasers in the comments.

Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Teaser Tuesday: The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
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 Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson.

The Shadow Cabinet –
Hot Key Books

“I agree completely, dear sister. It’s decided, then. You’re coming with us. We have far better books.”
— Prologue

I saw it coming, like a big, flat wave off the shoreline, a wall of water about to crash down and take me away forever. I was not going to let that happen.
— Chapter 1





“But those are two teasers from the very beginning of the book (don’t you dare spoil the cliffhanger)”, you’ll say. “I know!”, I’ll say. “Why?”, you’ll ask. “Because that’s about as far as the preview will let me and my book hasn’t arrived yet”, I’ll reply. And because you don’t want to hear me whining about the unfairness of not living somewhere where books like this are just sitting on a shelf waiting to be picked up as soon as they are published, we’ll have to make do with what we have. But rest assured that this book will be in my possession soon and then I’ll maybe come up for air after I’ve solved the ending of the previous book. I must say that I really appreciate that the publisher maintained the original design even though the series changed publishing homes. I’ll also say that I quite like the US design, but I started this in the UK and I’m stubborn enough to have this series matching. The other idea was that the UK version would be out five days before the US but this meant absolutely nothing because forces are conspiring against me. I just hope that the cliffhanger won’t be that bad and that the next book won’t take quite as long to publish. Health and such permitting.

Plans are made to be thrown out the window ... which bookish plan did you recently (have to) abandon? Let’s hear from you in the comments.

Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Teaser Tuesday: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
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 Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.

The Darkest Part of the Forest –
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Once, there was a girl who vowed she would save everyone in the world, but forgot herself.
— Chapter 21

Well fine, then. I could send you out to win my favor. Possibly on a quest involving bringing a large mug of coffee and a doughnut. Or the wholesale slaughter of all my enemies. I haven't decided which.
— Chapter 22




How is it already February? Anyone see where the first month of the year went? The good news is that finally a new Holly Black has arrived. Reader, I love it! (And I’m possibly going a little insane/Jane Eyre ... which is basically the same thing.) Holly Black has a way with words that repeatedly impresses me and never fails to throw in some slightly dark humour. Other authors might have put the first teaser earlier in the story to create suspense, but there is already enough foreshadowing there without spelling it out that it becomes really powerful where it is now.
I know quite a few people who needed time to appreciate this writing style and these kind of stories the author tells ... some are still in the process, I’m not giving up to convince them. If you haven’t read a book by Holly Black yet, this is a really good one to start.

Do you have an author you like that other people sometimes don’t immediately find access to, but you keep trying? Share experiences and teasers in the comments!

Tuesday, 27 January 2015

Teaser Tuesday: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
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!

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.

Pushing the Limits –
Harlequin Teen

Sometimes when you see the line, you think it’s a good idea to cross it – until you do.
— Noah

You can live life to please everyone else or please yourself. Come next fall, I’ll be living large at the University of Florida and forgetting that I ever made friends with people like Grace. I’ve made my decision. What’s yours?
— Echo




In an attempt to reduce the towering Mt. TBR (don’t judge, I’m proudly below 300 books right now) I picked up this recommendation from Summer 2012. Not at all a light summer read, but still swoon-worthy and actually quite gripping. I’ll admit to surprised glances at the clock and to almost missing my bus stop. Sorry boss, I needed to finish one more chapter and public transport didn’t want to wait ... that would have worked out perfectly I’m sure.
There are a few factors in this book that are in serious danger of inducing heavy eye-rolls, but maybe I’m too mellow right now or it’s handled really well. But we’ll see what those two sort-of crazy birds will get into in the last quarter of the book.

How is you TBR faring? Mine is a presence in my life who should contribute to paying the bills. Or at least take out the trash. Let’s hear from you in the comments.

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Teaser Tuesday: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
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!

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole.

Poison Princess –
Simon & Schuster

I didn’t remember all I needed to know. If I believed in Gran, then that meant I wouldn’t do just fine.
Nothing would be just fine. Unless I remembered.
— Chapter 6

This morning Jackson had told Matthew, “You mention death one more time, and I’ll knock you into next week. Comprends?”
“Already been there,” Matthew had answered.
— Chapter 33



Would you like some game to the death and Tarot magic to go with your apocalypse? Maybe also a dash of not completely plausible, but hey end of the world, opposites attract romance? If the answer is yes, then have a look at this series ... I’m fashionably late to the party but that means that I get to read three books without the wait. And there are supposed to be four with a cliff-hanger ending after book three. Of course, why not add a little reader torture? But until then I’m enjoying the scenario and the banter. And the protagonist growing into her power. The sympathy level was quite low at the beginning with the rich, slightly racist, goody two shoes, clueless, and a bit whiny cheerleader, but she’s grown on me. I look forward to meeting the other character whom I suppose will be the potentially awkward second angle in that love-interest structure.

I’m considering picking up a few notes on Tarot as it seems that there are quite a few books featuring the cards ... which book has last challenged you to acquire some extra knowledge to gain a better understanding? Let’s hear from you in the comments!