Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh.
Potentially leading question: Have you ever been to an Arabian style palace or its remains? My family took me on a trip to southern Spain when I was younger where we visited the Alhambra palace. I vividly remember that my imagination was running wild in that amazing place and I was thinking how life must have been there. I also remember that I was fascinated by the idea that women were this prized possession that had to be kept away from prying eyes ... and I remember wondering if all those women actually liked being such a possession. All these and many more memories came to mind during this book which is so refreshingly located in a culture so very different from my own but still has this incredible mix of inspiring characters.
There are a few aspects that make this story great but not awesome. I would have liked a little more emotional insight in certain moments instead of a tactful fade to black or character cut. And if the retelling of some of the Arabian Nights myths is such an important part of the story, I wish it would have had more prominence regarding Shahrzad spinning those tales. But apart from that I have to say that I absolutely adored how she slowly but surely dug through the caliph’s defences ... and her own reservations as well.
I also really liked the side characters. I want a Despina and a Jalal ... and possibly a Tariq, but I’m not quite convinced that he isn’t a stubborn and possibly blinded fanatic. I’ll have to see what happens in the continuation of the story ... which won’t be out until next year. Oh cruel world!
Are you going on any summer travels? This might be via books or in person. Share your destinations 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 Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh.
 |
| The Wrath and the Dawn – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers |
“Are you a good spy?”
“The best.”
“A good spy would hide her identity.”
“The best spies don’t have to.”
— Chapter 5
“You can’t foresee the future. And there’s nothing you can do about the past.”
“You’re wrong. I can learn from it . . .”
— Chapter 9
Potentially leading question: Have you ever been to an Arabian style palace or its remains? My family took me on a trip to southern Spain when I was younger where we visited the Alhambra palace. I vividly remember that my imagination was running wild in that amazing place and I was thinking how life must have been there. I also remember that I was fascinated by the idea that women were this prized possession that had to be kept away from prying eyes ... and I remember wondering if all those women actually liked being such a possession. All these and many more memories came to mind during this book which is so refreshingly located in a culture so very different from my own but still has this incredible mix of inspiring characters.
There are a few aspects that make this story great but not awesome. I would have liked a little more emotional insight in certain moments instead of a tactful fade to black or character cut. And if the retelling of some of the Arabian Nights myths is such an important part of the story, I wish it would have had more prominence regarding Shahrzad spinning those tales. But apart from that I have to say that I absolutely adored how she slowly but surely dug through the caliph’s defences ... and her own reservations as well.
I also really liked the side characters. I want a Despina and a Jalal ... and possibly a Tariq, but I’m not quite convinced that he isn’t a stubborn and possibly blinded fanatic. I’ll have to see what happens in the continuation of the story ... which won’t be out until next year. Oh cruel world!
Are you going on any summer travels? This might be via books or in person. Share your destinations and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
Talon by Julie Kagawa.
Do you hear that whooshing noise? That’s my good intentions going out the window, don’t mind them if they rush past you. I wanted to wait until the trilogy was complete before I started this book even if I already had it on my shelf, because I know what the author will most likely do to me again ... two series have taught me that. But then I found out that there are going to be five books and there is no way that I was going to wait that long. So emotional roller coaster torture it is.
I really like Julie Kagawa’s kind of humour. It’s not always laughing out loud funny (though it can be that, too), but also surprised snort laughing. Kind of like what Ember does to Garret the first time they meet. I predict disastrous heartbreak with wrongful accusations and terrible misunderstandings. Maybe even a severe dose of triangularity. And don’t correct me, if I’m wrong. In that case, I’d like to be surprised.
Whom could you have eaten for breakfast lately? Alternatively tell me if you’re giving a series a head start before you catch up to it at the moment.
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!
Talon by Julie Kagawa.
 |
| Talon – Harlequin Teen |
“I’ll be back at 0500. If you don’t hear from me in a couple hours, I’ve probably been eaten by a dragon.”
“Fine. If you don’t hear from me by then, it’s because I hope you were.”
— Part I/10
“Kristin, I swear, if I have to watch you try on shoes for an hour, I’m going to eat your boyfriend. With a fork.”
— Part I/19
Do you hear that whooshing noise? That’s my good intentions going out the window, don’t mind them if they rush past you. I wanted to wait until the trilogy was complete before I started this book even if I already had it on my shelf, because I know what the author will most likely do to me again ... two series have taught me that. But then I found out that there are going to be five books and there is no way that I was going to wait that long. So emotional roller coaster torture it is.
I really like Julie Kagawa’s kind of humour. It’s not always laughing out loud funny (though it can be that, too), but also surprised snort laughing. Kind of like what Ember does to Garret the first time they meet. I predict disastrous heartbreak with wrongful accusations and terrible misunderstandings. Maybe even a severe dose of triangularity. And don’t correct me, if I’m wrong. In that case, I’d like to be surprised.
Whom could you have eaten for breakfast lately? Alternatively tell me if you’re giving a series a head start before you catch up to it at the moment.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
Happy Again by Jennifer E. Smith.
Confession: I have a dichotomous feeling about e-shorts. Sometimes I love them for expanding the world of a story I already love or want to dip into before committing to the whole series or to build a bridge between two main books. And then there are those that I’m torn about because they add to what I perceived to be the end. This is one from the second category. I loved the end of This Is What Happy Looks Like in the sense that it closed the story but was still open to interpretation. This addition tells me that after the end one thing happened which necessitated this addition. Don’t get me wrong, more Graham and Ellie is definitely not a bad thing, but I would have thought that things had played out differently than described in this short story. I can arrange with how it ends now, but I really hope that now they aren’t just happy again but also stay that way.
What are your feelings on e-shorts? One disadvantage it their restriction to a digital medium, but on the other hand they’re really suited for it and wouldn’t really work in print. Share your opinions 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!
Happy Again by Jennifer E. Smith.
 |
| Happy Again – Poppy |
“There was so much I was trying not to say. I guess it was easier to talk about nothing than about how much I missed you.”
— Chapter 13
“I want to be able to stand in front of a room full of people and actually be able to say the thing I want to say,” she told him.
“And I want to be able to stand in front of just one person and say the thing I want to say.”
— Chapter 13
Confession: I have a dichotomous feeling about e-shorts. Sometimes I love them for expanding the world of a story I already love or want to dip into before committing to the whole series or to build a bridge between two main books. And then there are those that I’m torn about because they add to what I perceived to be the end. This is one from the second category. I loved the end of This Is What Happy Looks Like in the sense that it closed the story but was still open to interpretation. This addition tells me that after the end one thing happened which necessitated this addition. Don’t get me wrong, more Graham and Ellie is definitely not a bad thing, but I would have thought that things had played out differently than described in this short story. I can arrange with how it ends now, but I really hope that now they aren’t just happy again but also stay that way.
What are your feelings on e-shorts? One disadvantage it their restriction to a digital medium, but on the other hand they’re really suited for it and wouldn’t really work in print. Share your opinions and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
End of Days by Susan Ee.
I was wrong ... but I was also right. As this is mildly confusing, let me elaborate a little: Back in 2012 I told myself that I would read no more angel books because I was so over them but that I’d make an exception if the book didn’t have a love story front and centre. Luckily, I excluded series I had already started ... yes, I like to hoodwink myself when it seems opportune. This series is very much a love story and a lot of things are very much driven by this love, but it is never sappy or the single driving force. More like a creeping vine and before you know it you’re completely entangled.
Most series make you wait about a year between books but this series started out as a wee indie and it has been a great pleasure to watch it build momentum and be picked up by a bigger publisher over the years even if the two year waits between the instalments were agonisingly long.
As implied in the name, this is the angel-apocalypse to end all angel-apocalypses, no further candidates need to apply. This series calls for a re-read now that all books are available and can be read back to back. As much fun as theorising between two books can be, there are details that are bound to get lost between book one and three if they are separated by almost four years. And to anyone who might not be satisfied by the end: The world in this series as we know it ended, there was an actual apocalypse. Don’t expect everything will magically go back to normal because the beauty of this is also in showing how the main character endures and tries to make the best of her situation no matter what. Now excuse me, I need to have a good wail over the fact that some things that were logical to happen were also heart-wrenching and beautiful in their perfect imperfection ... which is again mildly confusing but in this case you’ll need to read the series and the end to understand how this impression is achieved.
I’m usually a little sceptical when it comes to indie-published stories, but as the exception proves the rule I’m always open to suggestions. If you have recommendations for a book that has been overlooked by the major publishing houses please share them in the comments along with your teaser.
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!
End of Days by Susan Ee.
 |
| End of Days – Hodder & Stoughton |
I don’t like it when angels murmur in agreement. Nothing good ever comes of that.
— Chapter 33
Knowing about the horrors that have happened and will happen but choosing to live anyway. Maybe there’s an art to being human.
— Chapter 57
I was wrong ... but I was also right. As this is mildly confusing, let me elaborate a little: Back in 2012 I told myself that I would read no more angel books because I was so over them but that I’d make an exception if the book didn’t have a love story front and centre. Luckily, I excluded series I had already started ... yes, I like to hoodwink myself when it seems opportune. This series is very much a love story and a lot of things are very much driven by this love, but it is never sappy or the single driving force. More like a creeping vine and before you know it you’re completely entangled.
Most series make you wait about a year between books but this series started out as a wee indie and it has been a great pleasure to watch it build momentum and be picked up by a bigger publisher over the years even if the two year waits between the instalments were agonisingly long.
As implied in the name, this is the angel-apocalypse to end all angel-apocalypses, no further candidates need to apply. This series calls for a re-read now that all books are available and can be read back to back. As much fun as theorising between two books can be, there are details that are bound to get lost between book one and three if they are separated by almost four years. And to anyone who might not be satisfied by the end: The world in this series as we know it ended, there was an actual apocalypse. Don’t expect everything will magically go back to normal because the beauty of this is also in showing how the main character endures and tries to make the best of her situation no matter what. Now excuse me, I need to have a good wail over the fact that some things that were logical to happen were also heart-wrenching and beautiful in their perfect imperfection ... which is again mildly confusing but in this case you’ll need to read the series and the end to understand how this impression is achieved.
I’m usually a little sceptical when it comes to indie-published stories, but as the exception proves the rule I’m always open to suggestions. If you have recommendations for a book that has been overlooked by the major publishing houses please share them in the comments along with your teaser.
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West.
Low blood sugar levels coinciding with a serious lack of sweet fluff? Well, I can’t provide you with chocolate, but I can certainly offer a cute recommendation for your literary craving. Value-added insights on life and relationships with possible allergens of seemingly ignorant brat-girl and possibly supersaturated teenage angst.
I’m opening the supposedly lighter summer read season with this at times not quite so light story. I admire how the author manages to integrate several current topics into this plot that at the surface appears to simply deal with a girl’s road to self-discovery. This is an elegant all-in-one pleasant read that might surprise the casual reader with as few unexpected insights. I personally wouldn’t have minded as last minute fill-in myself if the substitution eventually proved himself to be such an improvement to the initial situation.
Are you a “disagree in my head” person or a “loudly disagree” person? And how often do we question if the “I’m fine” reply is actually the truth or simply what we want to be true to get on with things? I’m curious about your thoughts and teasers; let’s have them 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 Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West.
 |
| The Fill-In Boyfriend Sway – HarperTeen |
The more I thought of it, the more I realized that I rarely fought with anyone. I didn’t like fighting. I disagreed with people in my head a lot but rarely out loud.
— Chapter 20
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Did you know those two words make up the most-told lie in the English language?”
— Chapter 32
Low blood sugar levels coinciding with a serious lack of sweet fluff? Well, I can’t provide you with chocolate, but I can certainly offer a cute recommendation for your literary craving. Value-added insights on life and relationships with possible allergens of seemingly ignorant brat-girl and possibly supersaturated teenage angst.
I’m opening the supposedly lighter summer read season with this at times not quite so light story. I admire how the author manages to integrate several current topics into this plot that at the surface appears to simply deal with a girl’s road to self-discovery. This is an elegant all-in-one pleasant read that might surprise the casual reader with as few unexpected insights. I personally wouldn’t have minded as last minute fill-in myself if the substitution eventually proved himself to be such an improvement to the initial situation.
Are you a “disagree in my head” person or a “loudly disagree” person? And how often do we question if the “I’m fine” reply is actually the truth or simply what we want to be true to get on with things? I’m curious about your thoughts and teasers; let’s have them in the comments.
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