Tuesday 16 September 2014

Teaser Tuesday: The Boy in the Smoke 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 Boy in the Smoke by Maureen Johnson.

The Boy in the Smoke –
Hot Key Books


Was this actually happening? Was his father threatening him, physically, here on the Eton parking grounds?
— Chapter 2

Things change. Never act as if situations won’t change.
— Chapter 2






You don’t need to have read the Shades of London series (but seriously why haven’t you?) to enjoy this short story. And if you have read them (and currently suffer from the really mean cliffhanger) then you get some neat additional information about a certain character. And the best part? You can read this story online for free if you click here.

Tuesday 9 September 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Rain by Amanda Sun

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!

Rain by Amanda Sun.

Rain – Harlequin Teen

So the goal of the creepy goth cult was to save the world, feed the hungry, clothe the poor? That didn’t sound so bad.
“That’s it? You don’t want to take over the world or something?”
Jun grinned. “Do I look like some crazy dictator?”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
— Chapter 3

“Hey,” he panted.
“‘Hey’?” I repeated. “You collapse at my door and you say ‘hey’?”
— Chapter 14


How many countries have you travelled to (in books)? You can easily add Japan to that list with this series, learn a ton of vocabulary, and get a highly enjoyable story to boot. This is the second book in the series and contrary to quite a few series with second book syndrome this one really picks up the pace. Sure, there are some aspects of second book syndrome related to the love-interest situation, but I actually think that this is utilised in a way that makes sense. Such an interesting story universe; I’m already curious about the next book ... fingers crossed that the last chapter won’t throw me for a loop (too badly, a little might be okay ... maybe).

What’s your favourite read from a culture that is completely foreign to yours? Share recommendations and teasers in the comments.

Tuesday 2 September 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu

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!

Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu.

Life by Committee –
Katherine Tegen Books

But we don’t share that special history of hot chocolate stands, snowball fights, pig Latin conversations, chocolate chip cookie baking competitions.
That said, she has also never told me I am going in the wrong direction as a person, so she wins.
— Chapter 2

I love her for it. For the words she chooses and the secret way she whispers them into my ear. But she’s looking at me like she gets me, and there’s nothing lonelier than the fact that she doesn’t.
— Chapter 6


By now, everyone on the Internet has heard of someone who fell victim to it in some way. Or they have heard the warnings to consider what they share and so on. But (there’s always a but) then there are people who think those rules don’t apply to them, who think they’ll be careful, that the place they’re frequenting is safe ... only to find out that that’s definitely not the case. At least I suspect that the main character of this book will discover this in her not too distant future. I don’t know if I would have been similarly naïve when I was sixteen. I’d like to think not. At the moment the set-up feels very much like it’s rearing up to be a cautionary tale in terms of Internet safety ... to be perfectly honest I’m not too much invested in Tabitha’s fate as I think she’s got it coming for her. Yes, I pitied her at the beginning for losing friends over a non-issue, but then things went downhill rather quickly. Might have a happy-end, might not ... both would be fine and fit the purpose.

How do you feel about books that have a very vocal moral as their base? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Teaser Tuesday: The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove

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 Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove.

The Glass Sentence –
Viking Juvenile

He was imprisoned in a cage, and he was made a spectacle to everyone around him. And yet, for all that, he surveyed the crowd as if they and not he were the spectacle.
— Chapter 2

Immense love is almost always enough to sustain a child. But it does not always provide the logistical and practical necessities, including a steady supply of clean clothes and an understanding that toddlers can become bored with certain aspects of adult life, such as two-hour university lectures on the glaciation of the Eerie Sea.
— Chapter 3

I’m almost definitely not far enough into the story to have a grasp on what is going on ... and that is even before the main plot gets going. On a certain level I understand that different parts of the world have been thrown back in time. However, I don’t quite get why the parts that are more advanced (and by advanced I mean end of 19th century) don’t support the other parts and allow them to catch up faster. Granted, that way Shakespeare and friends might never be (have been?) born, but their texts already exist ... it's slightly confusing. I’m also not sure what this losing track of time means exactly, but I’m certain there will be an explanation. At the very least it is a very interesting concept in a historical setting and I hope that there is more to come.

Are you currently reading something that hasn’t quite opened up to you? Share your experience and teasers in the comments!

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

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!

Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid.

Let’s Get Lost – Harlequin Teen

With his eyes closed, Hudson could reduce the world to a single engine and nothing more; a world where he could not only name every little part but knew what it was for, how it worked, how to fix it.
— Chapter 1.1

It was not in the script—in any version of the script Elliot had envisioned for tonight— for her to give him one of those smiles that he’d fallen in love with in the first place, and then walk away. But that’s exactly what she did.
— Chapter 3.1

Have you ever had an incident of strange connections? That for example the friend of a friend’s cousin turned out to be one of your colleagues? This book is not quite like that, but the interconnectedness of the individual stories hinges on one character who maddeningly enough is not your focal character. So this is the person you should know the most about simple because you read about her more than about the others. However, more or less the opposite is the case and you get to piece together most of her story through the observation of others. A very interesting concept which is a little challenging if you’re an instant knowledge type of reader. Very worth it though in my opinion as I like to imagine how other characters perceive the actual person narrating the story.

Let me know about strange connections you discovered and share your teaser picks in the comments.

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

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!

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead.

Silver Shadows – Razorbill

“Evil and deception are not our ways,” the voice said. “We relish in light and honesty.”
Liars, liars, I thought.
— Chapter 1

“The people I know don’t casually eat shrimp off their best china in one hand while drinking champagne in the other.”
“Technically,” I said, “those are prawns, not shrimp, and I’m sure that’s actually her mother’s second-best china.”
— Chapter 6



Right now I have no idea how this is going to end well ... supposedly that’s the idea of a seemingly hopeless situation. The author does this pretty well, I must say. As much as I like Adrian, but I don’t particularly like his approach to dealing with the situation. It fits the character, but if he was my friend there would already have been an intervention. Maybe not the best idea with a vampire, but who knows. We’ll see how they get Sydney out of there. Hopefully soon. And then deal with the lying liars who lie. Also hopefully.

Which character from a book would you like to be friends with? Share (imaginary) friends and your teasers in the comments!

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Teaser Tuesday: What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

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!

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick.

What I Thought Was True
– Dial Books for Young Readers

What “all” does she want to know? The kind of “all” I tell Viv is different from the “all” I tell Mom, so God knows what the “all” is to someone who might want to employ me, and ...
— Chapter 5

“You were the one who told me to watch out!”
“I know.” She hunches her shoulders, shivering a little as another chilly breeze comes off the water. “It’s just maybe . . . maybe you’re watching out for the wrong things.”
— Chapter 11


It is almost too tempting to say that this is a typical Huntley Fitzpatrick, except for the fact that this is only her second book (as far as I’m aware – if not, I want to know the titles of her other books, please). The summery familiar feeling already greets you on the first page, like the place you’ve been going to for ages and which always promises you the best possible holiday. It’s a little different than with My Life Next Door in the sense that you don’t get the feeling that you know the main character because there is this event which everyone is aware of apart from the reader. It is hinted at very heavily though and I only wondered how it all fit together. If summer is taking a break where you are, you can at least have a little summer in your book. But be aware that where there is sun there is also the danger of sunburn. This book is decidedly not a fluffy summer romance. Like a well-prepared North Sea tourist, it has put on layers.

How is you summer coming along? We have the sometimes entertaining but often rather disrupting thunder storms at the moment among a mixture of sunny days and “blergh-weather”. Share teasers and spots of perfect summer in the comments.

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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!

Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Don’t Look Back –
Disney Hyperion

Even if I couldn’t remember who I was, everyone else would never forget. No matter how badly I wanted to ignore the person I used to be, I couldn’t escape a past I didn’t remember.
— Chapter 7

She had immediately protected me. No questions. No hesitation.
— Chapter 27




Would you like some suspense with your light romance, Miss? That’s exactly the kind you question that would precede the serving of this book. For a Jennifer L. Armentrout, the romance was almost tame even by YA standards, but the crime part is a new angle coming from her and I find that I enjoy that side of her. Granted, I had a very early suspicion of the motivation for the murder and also a very narrow list of suspects. However, the main character was believable enough in her amnesia to take a while to connect the dots. Though she could have done the same much earlier and I don’t think that being a sheltered bad princess is an excuse for being blind to something so glaringly obvious ... Still a nice read as an introduction to contemporary suspense reads and especially if you already enough the author’s writing.

Do you have recommendations for books that gently introduce new readers to a new-to-them genre without breaking out the big guns? I for example would never jump head first into a crime novel, but maybe if I eased into them. Let me know about your thoughts in the comments along with your teasers.

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Teaser Tuesday: The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

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 Book of Life by Deborah Harkness.

The Book of Life –
Headline

From that moment my aunt and the house were in an all-out battle for supremacy.
The house was winning, thanks to its chief weapon: Fleetwood Mac.
— Chapter 11

“Do we happen to know of any megalomaniacs with an interest in vampire genetics? Oh, wait, we know two of them”.
— Chapter 14



I am not finished reading and I need to get back to the last 150 pages asap so just quickly this: Deborah Harkness is a witch of word-magic. And I mean this in the most positive way possible. This book has me laughing tears as well as bawling them. I’m currently in the “everything is going to hell in a hand basket stage”, which is also the overall theme of the trilogy, but this never seems unnecessarily cruel or overstated. I fear for all my favourite characters, but not in the they’re all going to die sense. It’s the equally devastating emotional punch I dread. This book is amazing in being able to amaze you and in being absolutely fantastic. I already know that the trilogy will need a thorough re-read (after I’ve coped with this conclusion) to catch all the clever foreshadowing and connections. An exceptional book by a truly gifted writer.

Have you followed the All Souls trilogy? I mainly picked up the first book because it featured my university's city of Oxford ... and after the first page I couldn’t imagine putting the book down. How about you? Share your teasers and stories in the comments.

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

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!

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens.

Murder Most Unladylike –
Corgi Childrens


Murders, unfortunately, always come with murderers attached.
— Chapter 1-6

I still remember that first meeting – it would be hard to forget it. It was the first time I’d ever stepped onto a Games field, and incidentally also the first time I truly thought I might die. 
— Chapter 2-5



I snoozed on the release date of this one. Shame on me, really. This is such a fun read, if you’re only the tiniest bit partial to British humour and detective stories. Daisy is determined to be the next detective wonder and Hazel reluctantly accepts the role as Dr Watson to Daisy’s Sherlock. All this in the delightful setting of a 1930ies boarding school for girls of affluent parents. I enjoyed this story a lot, especially guessing along who the murderer might be and why they did it. This is a very clever book definitely aimed at a younger audience with an inclination towards mystery. I would like to accompany Hazel on her next adventure, which Daisy will inadvertently steer them into.

The end of the World Cup finally means more reading time for me. I desperately have to catch up on some books I neglected during the past weeks. And then there is this highly anticipated tome The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness, which comes out tomorrow and which will mean that I’ll drop everything to read this first.
Do you interrupt your reading of one book to read something else or do you finish your current book before you start something new?

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Teaser Tuesday: After the End by Amy Plum

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!

After the End by Amy Plum.

After the End – HarperTeen


“Juneau, you can’t be perfect. You’re going to be clan Sage, not our sole protector.”
“I’d rather be prepared to do both,” I respond.
— Chapter 1

Death by ponytail. It could happen.
— Chapter 4




Just a quick note about this as I’ve just started reading. These two scenes are from the two protagonists of the novel and with just a few words you already know the sort of person the are, or at least project to be on the surface. That’s very skillful writing and I admire Amy Plum a lot, especially when I see how much she has evolved during her first trilogy alone. I love watching writers grow with their books and this is definitely the case here. The whole idea of the story is an interesting concept and I’m looking forward to seeing Juneau stumble through not-at-all-post-apocalyptic modern day ... and meet and clash with Miles.

Do you have an author whose development you’ve followed from their debut? Let me know about them and share your teasers in the comments.

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

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!

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo.

Ruin and Rising –
Henry Holt and Co.

“Everyone okay?” Mal asked.
“Never better,” said Genya shakily.
David raised his hand. “I’ve been better.”
— Chapter 5

“Are you going to make a habit of winning arguments? It’s very unbecoming.”
“Was this an argument?”
“Obviously not. I don’t lose arguments.”
— Chapter 8



There are two things tearing on my nerves at the moment. One is the football world cup where I’m part of a heavily fought betting game and the other is this book. And not only my poor nerves, but also my poor heart! This book will happily dangle everything you ever wanted before your very nose and then either reveal it as deadly poisonous or burn it to ashes. I still have quite a bit to go so I also still have hope ... which I by now presume to be a dangerous thing. Because even if the teasers sound light-hearted and fun, which there is also a bit of, there is also the very opposite of it.
Some books demand a considerable amount of space in your life and you gladly give it, while other books simply install themselves there and you find yourself wondering when that happened but can’t find it in you to be unhappy about it. This series more or less stole into my reading pile at first and now I simultaneously can’t wait for the conclusion and don’t want to reach the end ... because of said suspicions about certain hopes. Damn you, Leigh Bardugo, you word magician.

Are you following the world cup or staying as far away from it as possible? If the latter, which books are with you? And if the former, what are you reading between the games? Teasers and opinions are welcome in the comments. Also tips about the championship.

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Teaser Tuesday: The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel

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 Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel.

The Break-Up Artist –
Harlequin Teen

I should throw the slippers out like I’ve done with the rest of my memories from that train wreck of a friendship, but I won’t. I never do. I keep them here, in plain sight, a perpetual reminder of why I do this.
— Chapter 1

“Are you serious?”
She glares at me with the fire of a thousand tanning booths. I’ll take that as a yes.
— Chapter 13



Summer is here and with it numerous summer comedies and light romances. This one has an interesting premise insofar as that the snarky narrator starts out as a romantic grump convinced that relationships are meant to be broken. I’ll venture a guess and say that this will have changed by the end of the story. Just how this will happen is not quite clear at this point. Sure, there is the potential guy to convince her otherwise but there is not that much going on there yet.

Do you read according to seasons? At work I’m reading slightly asynchronous and currently have Christmas stories on my table. So Summer reads are definitely necessary to prevent me from humming Jingle Bells in 30 degree weather.

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Teaser Tuesday: Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

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!

Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins.

Sweet Reckoning –
HarperTeen


Was that really how they saw me? A dangerous demon assassin? Actually, I kind of liked that image.
— Chapter 22

“Father.” Kai clutched the phone tighter and his eyes hit mine, filled with more torment than I’d ever seen. “I’ve got her.”
— Chapter 24




Back from vacation, didn’t think that I’d be too knackered last week for a post. Sorry about that. I also finished City of Heavenly Fire while I was away and absolutely loved it. Perfect end for the series and too many great lines to choose from ... also possible spoilers.
This is also the end of a trilogy. I must confess that I had to look at my reading log to remember what’s going on. But I found my way back into it and now I’m curious how it will play out. Of course I’m rooting for the protagonists’ love story. However, I’m also quite interested in how Anna is supposed to fulfil the task set before her. Let’s hope that the casualty count at the end won’t be too high.

How many books do you take with you when you go on vacation? I generally have to buy books while away. Not necessarily because I’ve run out but it’s like a compulsion. Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Teaser Tuesday: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

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 Forever Song by Julie Kagawa.

The Forever Song –
Harlequin Teen


“Would it kill you to have a little faith in your older brother?”
“It might.”
— Chapter 4

He smiled, and it turned my blood to ice. “Sing for me, Allie,” he crooned, in a voice that was all too familiar. “Sing for us, and make it a glorious song.”
— Chapter 7



Trilogy conclusion, and what a ride this series was ... or is, seeing that I’m not quite done and expect quite a firework for this one. I mean this is Julie Kagawa and she is a master heart-string-player, emotion juggler, and anticipation tamer. The last cliffhanger at the end of the second book was just brutal and so far this book has lived up to that potential. Sometimes knowing more than the protagonist is a kind of torture as well. And that trap was everything I hoped and feared it would be.
I’m still not quite on board with the impersonal covers. They are lovely but I loved the original cover of the first book with Allison on it. Nevertheless, the content matters more and that obviously stayed the same. Little warning though: If you’re squeamish regarding blood, you might want to stay away from this.

There probably won’t be a TT next week as I’ll be on vacation. There will be books, but no internet. Until then I want to know how you feel about blood and maybe a little gore in books. Does it affect you, do you try to avoid it? Let’s hear from you in the comments and please share your teasers.