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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)