Tuesday 10 October 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.
There is an annual real-time reading for the All Souls trilogy, which is a brilliant idea to revisit this wonderful, dense, and overall impressive series. Each time I start, I try to pace myself and only read the so to say assigned chapters for the days and weeks. That works for about six days and then I suddenly … magically? … find myself way ahead of the schedule. Because no matter how well I remember the plot, at some point I simply have to read on. Or in this case listen on, as I opted for the audio version this year, which is also really well done. I have finished by now and realised that I never had a teaser from the second book, so here you go.
In addition, there is now a television series in the works and from the posts by the author herself I have a very good feeling about this. It’s certainly a good idea to have the author involved in this as much as possible seeing that she put so much research into the series to make it this rich and engrossing. Seriously, I can almost certainly promise that you have never read a book so vivid in its descriptions that you actually smell what is described. Maybe aside from Perfume, but that’s really not the point. It will be so interesting to see how this experience is translated to the screen.
Do you have books that you re-read regularly or other examples of times read-alongs? I’d love to know if there are other events organised this way. Share recommendations 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!
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.
 |
| Shadow of Night – Viking Penguin |
The family never puts ‘surely’ and ‘Philippe’ in the same sentence. It always ends badly.
— Chapter 12
“But it’s so …”
“Messy? So is life. Stop trying to be perfect. Try being real for a change.”
— Chapter 37
There is an annual real-time reading for the All Souls trilogy, which is a brilliant idea to revisit this wonderful, dense, and overall impressive series. Each time I start, I try to pace myself and only read the so to say assigned chapters for the days and weeks. That works for about six days and then I suddenly … magically? … find myself way ahead of the schedule. Because no matter how well I remember the plot, at some point I simply have to read on. Or in this case listen on, as I opted for the audio version this year, which is also really well done. I have finished by now and realised that I never had a teaser from the second book, so here you go.
In addition, there is now a television series in the works and from the posts by the author herself I have a very good feeling about this. It’s certainly a good idea to have the author involved in this as much as possible seeing that she put so much research into the series to make it this rich and engrossing. Seriously, I can almost certainly promise that you have never read a book so vivid in its descriptions that you actually smell what is described. Maybe aside from Perfume, but that’s really not the point. It will be so interesting to see how this experience is translated to the screen.
Do you have books that you re-read regularly or other examples of times read-alongs? I’d love to know if there are other events organised this way. Share recommendations and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 3 October 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Gilded Cage by Vic James.
I was going to apologise for missing last week, but that would feel dishonest as the only thing I’d be sorry for would be that I didn’t have anything to share ... and that couldn’t be helped. Sometimes, a reading break is just as relaxing and let’s you return to your books with a new appreciation. Or at least I find that true for me.
This first book in a proposed trilogy is every historical reader’s dream, provided they also like a touch of fantasy, a good dose of political intrigue, and quite a bit of social commentary. The characters are all (and there are quite a few) very nuanced and I’m not sure of all of their motives yet. As is often the case, I find myself drawn to one of the more obscure and mysterious characters and have little patience for some of the others, who seem deliberately straightforward, but who I suspect will also turn out to have more up their sleeve than is apparent.
The setting is quite unique in an England reminiscent of the era past the industrial revolution, but within a class division and a master-slave-system still firmly in place. The worldbuilding is quite strong as it isn’t too unsettling to enter this in some cases familiar and in other aspects very alien environment. One of the most interesting aspects to me is that the ruling class is made up of those who would traditionally have been hunted down and executed for their powers, but here they are too strong and too feared. And how they treat those weaker than themselves is hauntingly familiar ... even if quite different in practice. I look forward to finding out how the plot will unfold further and I really hope for a more prominent role for a certain string pulling character.
Do you take reading-breaks? If so, do you plan on taking them or do you decide spontaneously? 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!
Gilded Cage by Vic James.
 |
| Gilded Cage – Pan Books |
Was that cowardly? Maybe. But it didn’t mean it wasn’t true.
— Chapter 11
Trust was what made everything possible. Trust lent you someone else’s eyes, someone else’s strong arms, or quick brain. Made you bigger than just yourself.
— Chapter 12
I was going to apologise for missing last week, but that would feel dishonest as the only thing I’d be sorry for would be that I didn’t have anything to share ... and that couldn’t be helped. Sometimes, a reading break is just as relaxing and let’s you return to your books with a new appreciation. Or at least I find that true for me.
This first book in a proposed trilogy is every historical reader’s dream, provided they also like a touch of fantasy, a good dose of political intrigue, and quite a bit of social commentary. The characters are all (and there are quite a few) very nuanced and I’m not sure of all of their motives yet. As is often the case, I find myself drawn to one of the more obscure and mysterious characters and have little patience for some of the others, who seem deliberately straightforward, but who I suspect will also turn out to have more up their sleeve than is apparent.
The setting is quite unique in an England reminiscent of the era past the industrial revolution, but within a class division and a master-slave-system still firmly in place. The worldbuilding is quite strong as it isn’t too unsettling to enter this in some cases familiar and in other aspects very alien environment. One of the most interesting aspects to me is that the ruling class is made up of those who would traditionally have been hunted down and executed for their powers, but here they are too strong and too feared. And how they treat those weaker than themselves is hauntingly familiar ... even if quite different in practice. I look forward to finding out how the plot will unfold further and I really hope for a more prominent role for a certain string pulling character.
Do you take reading-breaks? If so, do you plan on taking them or do you decide spontaneously? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 19 September 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab.
Ever since I can remember, London has been one of my favourite places in the world even before I could explain why ... I still can’t quite pinpoint it. So whenever London is a central place in a story that’s certain to get me to pick up the book at some point. And here there are actually several Londons. The more the better! And also with magic, intrigue, mystery, a really interesting couple of leading characters, and an overall fascinating plot construct.
For various and mostly external reasons it took me a while to dive into this book. It is very accessible through its interesting characters and universe, but apparently I needed some time to acclimatise to these new surroundings. It really helped when one of the characters was also thrown into a new to her world and had to learn about its different and various rules. Maybe Lila was a little too accepting of all of it for my taste, but I could understand where it came from, because it fit well with her overall character. It will be really interesting to see how she adapts to her new reality in the following books. I really hope that this will play a role.
Which book setting is a guaranteed pick up reason for you? And have you been to that place in person or just as a reader? Share 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!
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab.
 |
| A Darker Shade of Magic – Titan Books |
“I said Rhy forgave them.” Kell pushed to his feet. “I never said I did.”
— Part X – II
“I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.”
“I apologize for shooting you in the leg,” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.”
— Part XIV – III
Ever since I can remember, London has been one of my favourite places in the world even before I could explain why ... I still can’t quite pinpoint it. So whenever London is a central place in a story that’s certain to get me to pick up the book at some point. And here there are actually several Londons. The more the better! And also with magic, intrigue, mystery, a really interesting couple of leading characters, and an overall fascinating plot construct.
For various and mostly external reasons it took me a while to dive into this book. It is very accessible through its interesting characters and universe, but apparently I needed some time to acclimatise to these new surroundings. It really helped when one of the characters was also thrown into a new to her world and had to learn about its different and various rules. Maybe Lila was a little too accepting of all of it for my taste, but I could understand where it came from, because it fit well with her overall character. It will be really interesting to see how she adapts to her new reality in the following books. I really hope that this will play a role.
Which book setting is a guaranteed pick up reason for you? And have you been to that place in person or just as a reader? Share destinations and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 12 September 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan.
Do I need to say that Sarah Rees Brennan is one of my instant-buy-no-questions-asked and also drop-everything-else-and-read-immediately (if my idiot self hadn’t accidentally ordered the book right to the city I was leaving for two weeks when it arrived) authors? If you didn’t know before, now you do. And this book is SO!WORTH!IT! ... if you are like me and one of your teachers reprimanded you early on that irony and sarcasm are (apparently) part of a language not spoken by everyone and please stop tormenting other pupils with it. Which I did immediately ... right along with becoming a star athlete and after I got rid of my pesky language nerdishness. If you’ve read only one page of this book (the first chapter is available here), you’ll see why Elliot is the sort of main character I fell for instantly
There is so much to love about this ingenious, wonderful book: Elves! Harpies! Mermaids! Oh, and totally likeable but still to be kept away to some extent humans, I suppose. Surprisingly no witches or other magical magic. A big adventure of (not) fighting wars with (swords, bow and arrow) pen, paper, words and wit. And during that also managing growing up, falling in love, finding friends, and making other big discoveries (some of which are really spoiler-y and I’m almost bursting with glee just thinking about them). One of the best things is the clever and humorous not really subtle but still not in your face running commentary on society and gender expectations. I’m so obscenely in love with the narrative style, it’s almost absurd. I had so many snort-giggle-laugh moments even if it really shouldn’t be funny but it is just because of that. Don’t get me wrong there are also really heart-wrenching and anxious sad parts ... wouldn’t be Sarah Rees Brennan without them.
Maybe you’ve read this story when it was free on the internet, but don’t be fooled this version is everything you didn’t think this story also needed and then some. Plus: if you get a physical copy you can hug it while sighing contentedly. It’s so pretty! And I totally plan on getting it signed ... no idea how I’ll manage that, as Germany is sort of off track in terms of English language author tours. But I will ... there, I said it and so I shall. In the meantime, I hope for many more books where this one came from. And I’ll keep pushing this book into the hands of anyone who knows and tolerates me.
Do you have authors that make you pause whatever else you’re reading and get their new releases? Share your loves 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 Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan.
 |
| In Other Lands – Big Mouth House |
You will never find me in trouble. You will find me in the library. If you can remember where that is.
— Part 2
This immunity toward sarcasm must mean Dale had such a peaceful life. It also meant he and Elliot were basically speaking different languages.
— Part 4
Do I need to say that Sarah Rees Brennan is one of my instant-buy-no-questions-asked and also drop-everything-else-and-read-immediately (if my idiot self hadn’t accidentally ordered the book right to the city I was leaving for two weeks when it arrived) authors? If you didn’t know before, now you do. And this book is SO!WORTH!IT! ... if you are like me and one of your teachers reprimanded you early on that irony and sarcasm are (apparently) part of a language not spoken by everyone and please stop tormenting other pupils with it. Which I did immediately ... right along with becoming a star athlete and after I got rid of my pesky language nerdishness. If you’ve read only one page of this book (the first chapter is available here), you’ll see why Elliot is the sort of main character I fell for instantly
There is so much to love about this ingenious, wonderful book: Elves! Harpies! Mermaids! Oh, and totally likeable but still to be kept away to some extent humans, I suppose. Surprisingly no witches or other magical magic. A big adventure of (not) fighting wars with (swords, bow and arrow) pen, paper, words and wit. And during that also managing growing up, falling in love, finding friends, and making other big discoveries (some of which are really spoiler-y and I’m almost bursting with glee just thinking about them). One of the best things is the clever and humorous not really subtle but still not in your face running commentary on society and gender expectations. I’m so obscenely in love with the narrative style, it’s almost absurd. I had so many snort-giggle-laugh moments even if it really shouldn’t be funny but it is just because of that. Don’t get me wrong there are also really heart-wrenching and anxious sad parts ... wouldn’t be Sarah Rees Brennan without them.
Maybe you’ve read this story when it was free on the internet, but don’t be fooled this version is everything you didn’t think this story also needed and then some. Plus: if you get a physical copy you can hug it while sighing contentedly. It’s so pretty! And I totally plan on getting it signed ... no idea how I’ll manage that, as Germany is sort of off track in terms of English language author tours. But I will ... there, I said it and so I shall. In the meantime, I hope for many more books where this one came from. And I’ll keep pushing this book into the hands of anyone who knows and tolerates me.
Do you have authors that make you pause whatever else you’re reading and get their new releases? Share your loves and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 5 September 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn.
Holding a grudge can be an art form. Or a bad habit. Or a really big misunderstanding. And sometimes it’s a safety blanket and a shield. The protagonist Quinn certainly has the art form part of this down and the other options didn’t just spring to mind out of nowhere either. This was a quick and entertaining read which also touched upon some heavier topics like trust and loss and other family issues. I liked how there wasn’t just the one big thing dominating the whole book but rather a number of things adding up around this one central issue. I forget who said it (and am too lazy to look it up right now) but books have it way harder than real life because they have to be realistic and make sense ... and when does life ever revolve around just one really big plot point? But in contrast to real life I somehow expect these issues to be somewhat resolved by the end of the book in a satisfying and not glossed over manner. So books really have to pass a higher bar than real life.
Of course the danger of such a multitude of issues is that in order to fit them into a manageable length something else has to fall by the wayside. In this case I have the feeling that the secondary characters had to carry the brunt of the cut. There are quite a few of them and they all have some really interesting aspects and backgrounds, but they felt a little flat to me. This doesn’t distract from the overall enjoyability of the book, but this is the rare case where I think another 50 or so pages would have done the book a big service in terms of depth and character development. But I also realise that this might not be the ambition and in that case, this really fits the bill of an entertaining, romantic, summery read.
Are you someone who holds grudges? I’ll admit that I have been known to do so on occasion (I’m still not over the fact that someone “lost” me in the middle of Alice’s Labyrinth in Disney Land when I was five ... just saying.) Share your teasers (and grudges if you like) 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!
Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn.
 |
| Wesley James Ruined My Life – Swoon Reads |
“Yes, well, that was the plan.” The smile hasn’t slipped from his face, but he won’t meet my eyes.
— Chapter 13
“You’re blinded by his stupidly handsome face.”
“Ha! I knew you thought he was cute.”
— Chapter 17
Holding a grudge can be an art form. Or a bad habit. Or a really big misunderstanding. And sometimes it’s a safety blanket and a shield. The protagonist Quinn certainly has the art form part of this down and the other options didn’t just spring to mind out of nowhere either. This was a quick and entertaining read which also touched upon some heavier topics like trust and loss and other family issues. I liked how there wasn’t just the one big thing dominating the whole book but rather a number of things adding up around this one central issue. I forget who said it (and am too lazy to look it up right now) but books have it way harder than real life because they have to be realistic and make sense ... and when does life ever revolve around just one really big plot point? But in contrast to real life I somehow expect these issues to be somewhat resolved by the end of the book in a satisfying and not glossed over manner. So books really have to pass a higher bar than real life.
Of course the danger of such a multitude of issues is that in order to fit them into a manageable length something else has to fall by the wayside. In this case I have the feeling that the secondary characters had to carry the brunt of the cut. There are quite a few of them and they all have some really interesting aspects and backgrounds, but they felt a little flat to me. This doesn’t distract from the overall enjoyability of the book, but this is the rare case where I think another 50 or so pages would have done the book a big service in terms of depth and character development. But I also realise that this might not be the ambition and in that case, this really fits the bill of an entertaining, romantic, summery read.
Are you someone who holds grudges? I’ll admit that I have been known to do so on occasion (I’m still not over the fact that someone “lost” me in the middle of Alice’s Labyrinth in Disney Land when I was five ... just saying.) Share your teasers (and grudges if you like) in the comments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)