Tuesday 14 June 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
Circle of Jinn by Lori Goldstein.
I don’t know how summer is coming along for you but at my end it’s leaving a lot to be desired. I can fully empathise with the Jinn of this book who light a fire in September in New England, because it’s too darn cold. Apart from that sympathy, this book feels like a slightly typical second book in a trilogy but then again not completely as it is the final book in a dulogy and thus clearly pushes the overall plot along without being too messy in its internal plot. I can’t really say much more without giving anything away. But if you’ve read the first book and where left with a lot of questions, quite a few of them get answered ... and then you get a set of brand new ones.
One aspect I really enjoy about this Jinn universe is that the wisher is kept unaware and that the Jinn has to fulfil the honest to goodness deepest wish a person has instead of three wishes that might be made for personal gain, but don’t actually help.
The prognosis for summer here is mixed at best, which would have a nice reading touch to it, but I actually enjoy sitting in the sun to read so maybe someone can wish for that. Do you have an outside reading spot? 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!
Circle of Jinn by Lori Goldstein.
 |
| Circle of Jinn – Feiwel and Friends |
I guess logic and reason are no match for desire. Wanting something to be true can make it so. At least in one’s own mind.
— Chapter 16
“You tried harder than anyone else would have.”
“But I’m not anyone else. I’m your best friend. And best friends don’t give up.”
— Chapter 22
I don’t know how summer is coming along for you but at my end it’s leaving a lot to be desired. I can fully empathise with the Jinn of this book who light a fire in September in New England, because it’s too darn cold. Apart from that sympathy, this book feels like a slightly typical second book in a trilogy but then again not completely as it is the final book in a dulogy and thus clearly pushes the overall plot along without being too messy in its internal plot. I can’t really say much more without giving anything away. But if you’ve read the first book and where left with a lot of questions, quite a few of them get answered ... and then you get a set of brand new ones.
One aspect I really enjoy about this Jinn universe is that the wisher is kept unaware and that the Jinn has to fulfil the honest to goodness deepest wish a person has instead of three wishes that might be made for personal gain, but don’t actually help.
The prognosis for summer here is mixed at best, which would have a nice reading touch to it, but I actually enjoy sitting in the sun to read so maybe someone can wish for that. Do you have an outside reading spot? Let’s hear from you in the comments.
Tuesday 7 June 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Last Star by Rick Yancey.
It is quite possible that literature has taught me to be a cautious pessimist. Or maybe a high-functioning pessimist. I no longer just open a book and start a new story (or continue it), but rather I’m approaching it with an underlying question along the lines of “okay, how are you going to blow everything up in my face?”. This is not a bad thing, because if I wanted to, I’m certain I could find books that go straight from A to B without so much as trying to mess with me. Big if I wanted to.
So I got this book final book in the trilogy and if you’ve read the previous two, you remember that everything is already pretty glum and how will this ever be nearing something that can be described as sort of okay. And I think I’m still in the part where everything it is pretty much going downhill fast, possibly backwards. At the moment I’m not sure how this is supposed to be turned around. Maybe it isn’t and this is headed towards a big finale of apocalyptic destruction. Which in itself is from a certain point of view the only happy end possible.
And this is also where I realised that I’m not as pessimistic as I thought, because I’m still trying to figure out how this could be turned around to a somewhat positive outcome. At what point is post-apocalyptic so far gone that the previous state cannot be restored and the only feasible way is forward to begin from scratch rather than backward to rebuild?
Are you a literary optimist or pessimist. Or something else altogether? Let’s hear from you 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!
The Last Star by Rick Yancey.
 |
| The Last Star – G.P. Putnam’s Sons |
And she would leap, a fearless launch into empty space, because he wasn’t just her father—he was Daddy. He would catch her; he would not let her fall.
— Prologue
I should have known he was going to save me by betraying me: He’d been doing it from the beginning.
— Chapter 4
It is quite possible that literature has taught me to be a cautious pessimist. Or maybe a high-functioning pessimist. I no longer just open a book and start a new story (or continue it), but rather I’m approaching it with an underlying question along the lines of “okay, how are you going to blow everything up in my face?”. This is not a bad thing, because if I wanted to, I’m certain I could find books that go straight from A to B without so much as trying to mess with me. Big if I wanted to.
So I got this book final book in the trilogy and if you’ve read the previous two, you remember that everything is already pretty glum and how will this ever be nearing something that can be described as sort of okay. And I think I’m still in the part where everything it is pretty much going downhill fast, possibly backwards. At the moment I’m not sure how this is supposed to be turned around. Maybe it isn’t and this is headed towards a big finale of apocalyptic destruction. Which in itself is from a certain point of view the only happy end possible.
And this is also where I realised that I’m not as pessimistic as I thought, because I’m still trying to figure out how this could be turned around to a somewhat positive outcome. At what point is post-apocalyptic so far gone that the previous state cannot be restored and the only feasible way is forward to begin from scratch rather than backward to rebuild?
Are you a literary optimist or pessimist. Or something else altogether? Let’s hear from you in the comments along with your teasers.
Tuesday 31 May 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
Soldier by Julie Kagawa.
I started this book under the impression that this would be the final book in a trilogy, but when I was about halfway through I began to realise that there were way to many loose ends to be even remotely done in the number of pages I had ahead of me. With a new to me author that might have been the case, but as this is my third (fourth, if you count the Iron Fey parts separately) series from Julia Kagawa, I felt confident in my assessment that there was more to come. I just hadn’t gotten the memo. And luckily I was right and there are two more books planned as of now.
I’ll be honest and say there there are parts in this book that I didn’t care about as much as others. But I think that is to be expected from a book with multiple narrators, especially if all of them are a first person narration, which is quite challenging to write I imagine. However, Julie Kagawa manages to give all her narrators a distinct feel so that the reader never forgets who is talking at the moment. And even the non narrating characters. Can I just say that I love Jade and can I please get more of that?
When I looked up if there are going to be more books in the series I was also made aware that there would be a major cliffhanger at the end of this book (then I quickly clicked away because the only thing worse than spoilers are spoilers you caused for yourself). And ... I feel that the term cliffhanger needs to be adjusted for certain authors or that there needs to be a word that more accurately describes the situation. Like when a good author lets you dangle from a moderate cliff then these authors leave you clinging to the cliffs of Kalaupapa ... or something like that.
So while I’m cliff clinging for dear life let me ask you if you had instances of surprise not-final-books in the past. If so, were they pleasant or not so pleasant surprises? Share 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!
Soldier by Julie Kagawa.
 |
| Soldier – HarlequinTeen |
I was sore, confused, overwhelmed and felt I could bite something with very little provocation. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to lie down and growl at anything that asks me questions.”
— Chapter 21
“You’re injured.” She shook her head. “Why are you standing here talking to me? Go tell the monks to take care of that. I did not come all this way, across two oceans, to watch you die of blood loss.”
— Chapter 23
I started this book under the impression that this would be the final book in a trilogy, but when I was about halfway through I began to realise that there were way to many loose ends to be even remotely done in the number of pages I had ahead of me. With a new to me author that might have been the case, but as this is my third (fourth, if you count the Iron Fey parts separately) series from Julia Kagawa, I felt confident in my assessment that there was more to come. I just hadn’t gotten the memo. And luckily I was right and there are two more books planned as of now.
I’ll be honest and say there there are parts in this book that I didn’t care about as much as others. But I think that is to be expected from a book with multiple narrators, especially if all of them are a first person narration, which is quite challenging to write I imagine. However, Julie Kagawa manages to give all her narrators a distinct feel so that the reader never forgets who is talking at the moment. And even the non narrating characters. Can I just say that I love Jade and can I please get more of that?
When I looked up if there are going to be more books in the series I was also made aware that there would be a major cliffhanger at the end of this book (then I quickly clicked away because the only thing worse than spoilers are spoilers you caused for yourself). And ... I feel that the term cliffhanger needs to be adjusted for certain authors or that there needs to be a word that more accurately describes the situation. Like when a good author lets you dangle from a moderate cliff then these authors leave you clinging to the cliffs of Kalaupapa ... or something like that.
So while I’m cliff clinging for dear life let me ask you if you had instances of surprise not-final-books in the past. If so, were they pleasant or not so pleasant surprises? Share thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 24 May 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater.
Why do readers not believe authors when they tell you at the very beginning of a series that they are going to kill a character? Or when they do it again throughout the series? Right up to the beginning of the last book? Because of the thing with feathers (and not ravens, contrary to what the title might suggest). We readers love to fall for the lost cause; and what clever move to define the most lost cause among lost causes very early on. But really who of them is the most lost? You could also argue for the undead dead boy. Or the nightmare dreamer. Or the untaught magician. Or the cursed psychic who wants to fall in love. It's all equally horrible and very much on a slippery precipice. Add to that Maggie Stiefvater’s truly addictive writing and you'll understand why this book is worth reading in one sitting.
The previous three books added so many layers that I possibly lost sight of a few of them. In an ideal world I’d re-read the series once I’ve finished it to catch all of them. But so many books so little time! I have a few series I want to re-read in their entirety once they are out, maybe I'll carefully place this one among them.
Are you prone to route for the lost cause? Which broken hero are you holding out hope for? Share them along with your 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 Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater.
 |
| The Raven King – Scholastic Children’s Books |
It was easier to tell hero from villain when the stakes were only life and death. Everything in between gets harder.
— Chapter 11
He was a book, and he was holding his final pages, and he wanted to get to the end to find out how it went, and he didn't want it to be over.
— Chapter 55
Why do readers not believe authors when they tell you at the very beginning of a series that they are going to kill a character? Or when they do it again throughout the series? Right up to the beginning of the last book? Because of the thing with feathers (and not ravens, contrary to what the title might suggest). We readers love to fall for the lost cause; and what clever move to define the most lost cause among lost causes very early on. But really who of them is the most lost? You could also argue for the undead dead boy. Or the nightmare dreamer. Or the untaught magician. Or the cursed psychic who wants to fall in love. It's all equally horrible and very much on a slippery precipice. Add to that Maggie Stiefvater’s truly addictive writing and you'll understand why this book is worth reading in one sitting.
The previous three books added so many layers that I possibly lost sight of a few of them. In an ideal world I’d re-read the series once I’ve finished it to catch all of them. But so many books so little time! I have a few series I want to re-read in their entirety once they are out, maybe I'll carefully place this one among them.
Are you prone to route for the lost cause? Which broken hero are you holding out hope for? Share them along with your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 17 May 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi.
Before I say anything about this book, let me vent one general grievance I have: Why is it that every time a specific type of tree is mentioned in a book chances are at about 80% that this tree species is a pine? Maybe I’m being ridiculous, but I feel haunted by pines. There are so many other lovely trees and if you absolutely need a coniferous type why not choose larch or fir or cedar for a change? Sorry, rant over.
Other than being the last book in a row with haunting pine trees, this was a really lovely story that provided a nice one-session-read for a gloomy afternoon. I really appreciated the interweaving of Greek mythology (which is played at but if you’re not a mythology geek you can still enjoy the story) with Indian folktales and culture. Though I would have liked a sort of glossary at the end about all the different types of Otherworld creatures. This is also blessedly a standalone with a planned companion, but if you want you can put the book aside and not miss anything because the plot is perfectly wrapped up in this one book.
I will admit that I enjoyed the second part of the book a little more where Kamala, the demon horse, enters the scene. She’s my secret hero of the book and if I ever own a horse again, I want her to be as spirited and witty as Kamala. Maybe without the flesh-eating tendencies, but I could work around that. The first half is nice and all, and I possibly wouldn’t sent Amar away if he came to rescue me from a forced fake marriage ceremony, but between his beautiful notions on justice and fate and Kamala’s crazy sharp wit and repartee there would be no contest.
If you had to choose between a sensuous, secretive love-interest and a quick-witted, loyal but possibly demonic best friend, what would you do? Share your choices and teasers in the comment.
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 Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi.
 |
| The Star-Touched Queen – St. Martin’s Griffin |
Memory is a riddled thing. I would caution you from making promises you cannot keep.
— Chapter 11
“How do I curse them?” Wouldn’t be a useless skill to have, all things considered.
“Oh, I don’t know. You could set me on them?” Kamala smiled and her eyes flashed red.
I cringed. Horses should not smile.
— Chapter 21
Before I say anything about this book, let me vent one general grievance I have: Why is it that every time a specific type of tree is mentioned in a book chances are at about 80% that this tree species is a pine? Maybe I’m being ridiculous, but I feel haunted by pines. There are so many other lovely trees and if you absolutely need a coniferous type why not choose larch or fir or cedar for a change? Sorry, rant over.
Other than being the last book in a row with haunting pine trees, this was a really lovely story that provided a nice one-session-read for a gloomy afternoon. I really appreciated the interweaving of Greek mythology (which is played at but if you’re not a mythology geek you can still enjoy the story) with Indian folktales and culture. Though I would have liked a sort of glossary at the end about all the different types of Otherworld creatures. This is also blessedly a standalone with a planned companion, but if you want you can put the book aside and not miss anything because the plot is perfectly wrapped up in this one book.
I will admit that I enjoyed the second part of the book a little more where Kamala, the demon horse, enters the scene. She’s my secret hero of the book and if I ever own a horse again, I want her to be as spirited and witty as Kamala. Maybe without the flesh-eating tendencies, but I could work around that. The first half is nice and all, and I possibly wouldn’t sent Amar away if he came to rescue me from a forced fake marriage ceremony, but between his beautiful notions on justice and fate and Kamala’s crazy sharp wit and repartee there would be no contest.
If you had to choose between a sensuous, secretive love-interest and a quick-witted, loyal but possibly demonic best friend, what would you do? Share your choices and teasers in the comment.
Tuesday 10 May 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.
It is usually due to one of two reasons why I can’t or won’t talk too much about a book’s content: Either it didn’t click for me or I loved it entirely too much and I don’t want anyone to be spoilt the chance to read and love it for the first time. The latter is completely true for this book, multiplied by the fact that I also don’t want to spoil anything about the first equally amazing book in the trilogy.
Maybe some reading observations: I was suspecting (hoping or praying really) at the end of book one that something might be afoot and even though that became obvious pretty quickly I was still invested in how and when it would happen. And the way there was such a delight to read with wonderful storytelling and perfectly executed plot manoeuvres. I haven’t giggle-snorted at a book for quite a while. And it has been even longer that I threw my book down at some point and started weeping like there was no tomorrow because it really hurt so bad. I know that at the end of book two in a trilogy not all can be well, but that twist completely wrecked me and if that had been a cliffhanger I don’t know what would have happened. I don’t think that I’d have survived the wait with my heart intact.
So if you’re into anything fae or retellings or amazing love tales... or just into honest to goodness epically well-crafted stories and haven’t heard of or read A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book one) or Sarah’s equally magnificent Throne of Glass series, I urge you to drop everything and “get thee to a bookish place of your choice”.
A little Shakespeare allusion hasn’t ever hurt anyone, right? Not like being so enchanted by a book that you more than suffered with the characters. What is the last book that has made you feel like the floor had been ripped out right under your feet? Share them along with your 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 Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.
 |
| A Court of Mist and Fury – Bloomsbury Children’s Books |
I love my people, and my family. Do not think I wouldn’t become a monster to keep them protected.
— Chapter 17
He thinks he’ll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key.
— Chapter 43
It is usually due to one of two reasons why I can’t or won’t talk too much about a book’s content: Either it didn’t click for me or I loved it entirely too much and I don’t want anyone to be spoilt the chance to read and love it for the first time. The latter is completely true for this book, multiplied by the fact that I also don’t want to spoil anything about the first equally amazing book in the trilogy.
Maybe some reading observations: I was suspecting (hoping or praying really) at the end of book one that something might be afoot and even though that became obvious pretty quickly I was still invested in how and when it would happen. And the way there was such a delight to read with wonderful storytelling and perfectly executed plot manoeuvres. I haven’t giggle-snorted at a book for quite a while. And it has been even longer that I threw my book down at some point and started weeping like there was no tomorrow because it really hurt so bad. I know that at the end of book two in a trilogy not all can be well, but that twist completely wrecked me and if that had been a cliffhanger I don’t know what would have happened. I don’t think that I’d have survived the wait with my heart intact.
So if you’re into anything fae or retellings or amazing love tales... or just into honest to goodness epically well-crafted stories and haven’t heard of or read A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book one) or Sarah’s equally magnificent Throne of Glass series, I urge you to drop everything and “get thee to a bookish place of your choice”.
A little Shakespeare allusion hasn’t ever hurt anyone, right? Not like being so enchanted by a book that you more than suffered with the characters. What is the last book that has made you feel like the floor had been ripped out right under your feet? Share them along with your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 3 May 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh.
As a person who works with words and stories on a daily basis the art of storytelling reflected in a story itself has a very special appeal to me. Therefore, anything involving the legends of One Thousand and One Nights is an almost certain sale. And after I could hardly get enough of the first one I was very interested if this high level could be maintained. Let’s just say that I wasn’t disappointed. I didn’t go there for roses and soap bubbles and there certainly aren’t any at the moment. The title itself attests to that. But roses and daggers can both be quite beautiful and disguise their sharp thorns and tips. And you probably wouldn’t admire a blunt blade quite as much as a wickedly sharp one. I admire the story for its equally wicked sharp twists and high stakes. The setting is wonderful and feels incredibly real. And while I don’t mind my favourite characters suffering for a bit (for the good cause of a great plot, not unnecessary suffering) there better be a solution in store for the handmaiden and the caliph’s cousin.
This book series has some seriously pretty declarations of love, too. Do you have a favourite quote from that department? Share quote sources 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 Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh.
 |
| The Rose and the Dagger – G.P. Putnam’s Sons |
Here, she was truly boundless.
Fear would never overtake her again.
— Chapter 11
“Do not make me beg you. Because I won’t. I’ll merely lose my temper or cry. And I have always secretly despised those who cry to wheedle their objectives. But if you force me to do it, Khalid Ibn al-Rashid, I will. And I cry beautifully.”
— Chapter 15
As a person who works with words and stories on a daily basis the art of storytelling reflected in a story itself has a very special appeal to me. Therefore, anything involving the legends of One Thousand and One Nights is an almost certain sale. And after I could hardly get enough of the first one I was very interested if this high level could be maintained. Let’s just say that I wasn’t disappointed. I didn’t go there for roses and soap bubbles and there certainly aren’t any at the moment. The title itself attests to that. But roses and daggers can both be quite beautiful and disguise their sharp thorns and tips. And you probably wouldn’t admire a blunt blade quite as much as a wickedly sharp one. I admire the story for its equally wicked sharp twists and high stakes. The setting is wonderful and feels incredibly real. And while I don’t mind my favourite characters suffering for a bit (for the good cause of a great plot, not unnecessary suffering) there better be a solution in store for the handmaiden and the caliph’s cousin.
This book series has some seriously pretty declarations of love, too. Do you have a favourite quote from that department? Share quote sources and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 26 April 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Córdova.
Merpeople and stories about them used to be my go-to fantasy folklore. The little mermaid (the original, not the Disney version) is one of the first stories I remember to ever make me cry when I was a child ... and I realise that in my still going back and wanting more there might be the foundation to why I love so many authors who live on their readers tears. So if you offer me a merpeople story with a halfway decent sounding plot, I’ll bite (sorry, not sorry about the pun, there will be more). I enjoyed the first two books in this series well enough as a quick and entertaining read and then I somehow lost sight of it when it came to the third book. It recently resurfaced on my reader (that thing is a black hole and I’m so very guilty of feeding it) and I was between books and could use a fun and quick comfort story. Squid was I wrong about the comforting part, there is quite a bit of rough seas and whirlpool turmoil in this final instalment, which brings the series to a satisfying and fitting close. I would have loved a little more introspective and maybe a little less action and fighting, but all in all it remains in my mind an enjoyable and fun series that I’ll recommend if you are asking for something with fantastical creatures and are not at all afraid of the deep sea. Water can be lovely and refreshing, but it can and will drown you if given the chance.
As I just confessed to forgetting about a book in a series ... has this happened to you? And did you pick it up at some point and dive right back in? Let’s hear from you 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!
The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Córdova.
 |
| The Vast and Brutal Sea – Sourcebooks Fire |
Except that he doesn’t worry enough, so I have to worry for both of us. Smooth seas means the storm has past, or is only just arriving.
— Chapter 15
By now I should be used to people trying to kill me.
But somehow, it always comes as a bit of a shock.
— Chapter 25
Merpeople and stories about them used to be my go-to fantasy folklore. The little mermaid (the original, not the Disney version) is one of the first stories I remember to ever make me cry when I was a child ... and I realise that in my still going back and wanting more there might be the foundation to why I love so many authors who live on their readers tears. So if you offer me a merpeople story with a halfway decent sounding plot, I’ll bite (sorry, not sorry about the pun, there will be more). I enjoyed the first two books in this series well enough as a quick and entertaining read and then I somehow lost sight of it when it came to the third book. It recently resurfaced on my reader (that thing is a black hole and I’m so very guilty of feeding it) and I was between books and could use a fun and quick comfort story. Squid was I wrong about the comforting part, there is quite a bit of rough seas and whirlpool turmoil in this final instalment, which brings the series to a satisfying and fitting close. I would have loved a little more introspective and maybe a little less action and fighting, but all in all it remains in my mind an enjoyable and fun series that I’ll recommend if you are asking for something with fantastical creatures and are not at all afraid of the deep sea. Water can be lovely and refreshing, but it can and will drown you if given the chance.
As I just confessed to forgetting about a book in a series ... has this happened to you? And did you pick it up at some point and dive right back in? Let’s hear from you in the comments along with your teasers!
Tuesday 19 April 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski.
The third and final book in a trilogy where I asked myself at the end of the second book how in the world this was ever supposed to end in something else than utter destruction. I’m not asking myself that anymore and I fear that this feeling of hope is also dangerous (I’m completely ruined by books in regards to the concept of hope, congratulations literature). There is a new character, who was introduced in the second book, whom I didn’t think I would like as more than an interesting secondary character, but now I find that I’m quite curious about this person and if there is ever to be a spin-off or extension of the story (given that the world isn’t blown to smithereens during the last 150 pages) the eastern prince would be a great choice ... hint hint.
If the author didn’t completely blow it in the final parts of the story, and I really doubt she did, this will be a worthy conclusion to a great trilogy that had all the political and personal intrigue and power games a reader could ask for, all set in an opulent alternative slightly historical seeming universe with quite a vibrant set of characters and story lines. I feel that this is one of the series I want to read more than once and figure out all the twists and turns and foreshadowing.
As I was reading I found that I maybe should have reread the previous book at least to some extent in order to remember the details, but then I thought that I’d probably reread the series after I finished and I had so many other books calling to me. Which option do you prefer? Rereading before a new book in a series publishes or rereading once all books are out? 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!
The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski.
 |
| The Winner’s Kiss – Bloomsbury |
“Do you want me to stay?”
Kestrel wondered if every question is a way of putting yourself at the mercy of someone else. “It would cost you too much.”
— Chapter 17
“Now, it would be nice if information fell out of the sky. Given that it doesn’t, it is still nevertheless comforting that certain people do horrible things so that other people don’t have to. We should be grateful to such people. Or we should at least not ask questions when we don’t want answers.”.
— Chapter 22
The third and final book in a trilogy where I asked myself at the end of the second book how in the world this was ever supposed to end in something else than utter destruction. I’m not asking myself that anymore and I fear that this feeling of hope is also dangerous (I’m completely ruined by books in regards to the concept of hope, congratulations literature). There is a new character, who was introduced in the second book, whom I didn’t think I would like as more than an interesting secondary character, but now I find that I’m quite curious about this person and if there is ever to be a spin-off or extension of the story (given that the world isn’t blown to smithereens during the last 150 pages) the eastern prince would be a great choice ... hint hint.
If the author didn’t completely blow it in the final parts of the story, and I really doubt she did, this will be a worthy conclusion to a great trilogy that had all the political and personal intrigue and power games a reader could ask for, all set in an opulent alternative slightly historical seeming universe with quite a vibrant set of characters and story lines. I feel that this is one of the series I want to read more than once and figure out all the twists and turns and foreshadowing.
As I was reading I found that I maybe should have reread the previous book at least to some extent in order to remember the details, but then I thought that I’d probably reread the series after I finished and I had so many other books calling to me. Which option do you prefer? Rereading before a new book in a series publishes or rereading once all books are out? Share your opinions and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 12 April 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
When We Collided by Emery Lord.
This book gave me a very special appreciation that not all happy endings need to be a happily ever after. Or actually happy. The story celebrates the joy of the moment and that some moments, even if they are finite, are wonderful. And this is not taken away from them once they are over. In danger of sounding like a Hallmark card, or rather like Faulkner, really: Don’t cry because it’s over, but smile because it happened.
I realise that I’m not saying anything about the plot itself, and I don’t think I have to. Not much apart from: It’s a summer love story about two people meeting, falling in love, and finding themselves in the process of healing (on their own and each other). Simple as that and yet so very precious and complex in it’s language and storytelling.
If the criticism is that there are aspects of this book that aren’t perfect or pretty ... well reality isn’t that way either and no two people handle things the same. And while there are actions portrayed in this book that shoudln’t be emulated there is, in my opinion, nothing in the story that condones those actions, but rather on the contrary shows the consequences. And I’m very confident that readers are mature and intelligent enough that if they appreciate the book they can form their own opinion on those actions and make informed choices accordingly.
Do you have a book with an unhappy happy ending that made you feel sad but still appreciate it for its very existence? Share experiences and your 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!
When We Collided by Emery Lord.
 |
| When We Collided – Bloomsbury |
But life surprises you. Life tells you to close your eyes and blow out the candles, and sometimes life smashes your face into the cake before you can even make a wish.The main character of this book will drive you mad, you will find her annoying and dislike her at times. And you will fall utterly in love with the other main character and want one like him for yourself. And you would be correct with all those feelings and so very wrong about some of them at the same time. It is all there, the hints are clear in the text, but it will take until almost the end of the book for the science to make sense of some of what’s happening. And other things can’t be explained anyway.
— Chapter 7
Our bodies block the beam from the lighthouse as we wave our arms and, even though we can’t see it, we’re casting shadows onto the sky so that even the constellations will know: we are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know.
— Chapter 13
This book gave me a very special appreciation that not all happy endings need to be a happily ever after. Or actually happy. The story celebrates the joy of the moment and that some moments, even if they are finite, are wonderful. And this is not taken away from them once they are over. In danger of sounding like a Hallmark card, or rather like Faulkner, really: Don’t cry because it’s over, but smile because it happened.
I realise that I’m not saying anything about the plot itself, and I don’t think I have to. Not much apart from: It’s a summer love story about two people meeting, falling in love, and finding themselves in the process of healing (on their own and each other). Simple as that and yet so very precious and complex in it’s language and storytelling.
If the criticism is that there are aspects of this book that aren’t perfect or pretty ... well reality isn’t that way either and no two people handle things the same. And while there are actions portrayed in this book that shoudln’t be emulated there is, in my opinion, nothing in the story that condones those actions, but rather on the contrary shows the consequences. And I’m very confident that readers are mature and intelligent enough that if they appreciate the book they can form their own opinion on those actions and make informed choices accordingly.
Do you have a book with an unhappy happy ending that made you feel sad but still appreciate it for its very existence? Share experiences and your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 5 April 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan.
I was recently asked what made a great book for me and I said that I need the characters to be real (not relatable, but authentic) and the plot to make sense and not babble along. The writing can be the most beautiful and the idea the most imaginary, but if these two aspects aren’t met, the book could never convince me of its greatness. This could have gone either way with this retelling of A Tale of Two Cities, but I needn’t have worried ... at least not in the sense of will I love it and will it utterly destroy me, because it is Sarah Rees Brennan after all, one of my favourite tormentors. Or: One of the authors I’d cheerfully hand an imaginary stiletto and beg them to stab and twist at their leisure. And please wring the very last tear from me while you’re at it. No, really, I adored this story even if I knew how it would have to end (hoped differently certainly, but see above).
What I possibly love most would be the very clear yet delicate writing, which managed to pierce the exact meaning and evoke a multitude of emotions without forcing these experiences onto you. I didn’t mind that I was plunged into this new world with magic and strange rules and habits, because I knew for certain that it would all make sense or be explained when necessary.
There is a lot of praise due for this book: the characters, which aren’t perfect, but more real for being flawed; the retelling itself true to the original, but with its own twists and surprises and hardships; the world with its gritty reality and magic, which I would have liked to see more of; and of course (because this is where I think Sarah Rees Brennan excels) the relationships between the characters, it can’t feel more real than this. I would have loved more of this book, to have a little more insight into the world and spend more time withCarwyn all of the cast. But I also admire the brevity of the story and the impact it managed to have on me despite or because of it.
What is your absolute have to have for a story to make you describe it as great? Share ideas 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!
Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan.
 |
| Tell the Wind and Fire – Clarion Books |
Maybe that is the only thing I have ever learned about love: love is when you save someone no matter what the cost.
— Chapter 3
All the more beautiful because it was fragile. Never more beautiful than at the instant before it was destroyed.
— Chapter 12
I was recently asked what made a great book for me and I said that I need the characters to be real (not relatable, but authentic) and the plot to make sense and not babble along. The writing can be the most beautiful and the idea the most imaginary, but if these two aspects aren’t met, the book could never convince me of its greatness. This could have gone either way with this retelling of A Tale of Two Cities, but I needn’t have worried ... at least not in the sense of will I love it and will it utterly destroy me, because it is Sarah Rees Brennan after all, one of my favourite tormentors. Or: One of the authors I’d cheerfully hand an imaginary stiletto and beg them to stab and twist at their leisure. And please wring the very last tear from me while you’re at it. No, really, I adored this story even if I knew how it would have to end (hoped differently certainly, but see above).
What I possibly love most would be the very clear yet delicate writing, which managed to pierce the exact meaning and evoke a multitude of emotions without forcing these experiences onto you. I didn’t mind that I was plunged into this new world with magic and strange rules and habits, because I knew for certain that it would all make sense or be explained when necessary.
There is a lot of praise due for this book: the characters, which aren’t perfect, but more real for being flawed; the retelling itself true to the original, but with its own twists and surprises and hardships; the world with its gritty reality and magic, which I would have liked to see more of; and of course (because this is where I think Sarah Rees Brennan excels) the relationships between the characters, it can’t feel more real than this. I would have loved more of this book, to have a little more insight into the world and spend more time with
What is your absolute have to have for a story to make you describe it as great? Share ideas and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 29 March 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Moth and the Flame by Renée Ahdieh.
Authors who write extended short stories about my favourite supporting characters have a sure-fire way to make me love them forever. And Despina and Jalal have been two of my absolute favourite not-main-characters of 2015 in The Wrath and the Dawn. And now I get to read their story and also get to know them better before the new full book is published in April. It is not essential information to understand the main story, but I like this extension of the story universe. In every story with well-developed characters these need to have a back story. And if the author is willing to share them, I won’t discourage it.
What is your favourite character extension story if you have one? Share them along with your 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 Moth and the Flame by Renée Ahdieh.
 |
| The Moth and the Flame – G. P. Putnam’s Sons |
He could supposedly charm the skirts off a girl with nothing but sly words and flippant promises.
At the memory of such tales, Despina stifled a laugh.
Impossibly ridiculous. Removing clothing involved a great deal more than words.
— Chapter 1
It was an easy room to find. The only one with a guard posted outside the door.
— Chapter 5
Authors who write extended short stories about my favourite supporting characters have a sure-fire way to make me love them forever. And Despina and Jalal have been two of my absolute favourite not-main-characters of 2015 in The Wrath and the Dawn. And now I get to read their story and also get to know them better before the new full book is published in April. It is not essential information to understand the main story, but I like this extension of the story universe. In every story with well-developed characters these need to have a back story. And if the author is willing to share them, I won’t discourage it.
What is your favourite character extension story if you have one? Share them along with your teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 22 March 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury.
There are most certainly more memorable quotes on the way for this story, but I didn’t want to risk spoiling myself by looking ahead. Of course I immediately had the Aladdin theme song stuck in my head when I opened the book, but I think we’ll depart from that quite soon ... unless anyone had the head canon of Aladdin and Genie as OTP from the beginning. Maybe if Genie had looked a little more like Jasmine.
I like the idea of being able to get your heart’s desire handed to you but with the stinger that it might cost you everything. It will be interesting to see how all of this is going to work out.
Is it just me or are there more jinni stories than usual at the moment? Or maybe I just stumble upon them more now that I’ve read a few. Asking for your wishes would be cheesy, but maybe asking for the price you’d be willing to pay in exchange is an option? Share them with your 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 Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury.
 |
| The Forbidden Wish – Razorbill |
Would I throw away a bag of gold just because I found it in a pile of dung?
— Chapter 2
Wishes have a way of twisting themselves, and there is nothing more dangerous than getting your heart’s desire. The question is, are you willing to gamble? How much are you willing to lose? What are you willing to risk everything for?
— Chapter 2
There are most certainly more memorable quotes on the way for this story, but I didn’t want to risk spoiling myself by looking ahead. Of course I immediately had the Aladdin theme song stuck in my head when I opened the book, but I think we’ll depart from that quite soon ... unless anyone had the head canon of Aladdin and Genie as OTP from the beginning. Maybe if Genie had looked a little more like Jasmine.
I like the idea of being able to get your heart’s desire handed to you but with the stinger that it might cost you everything. It will be interesting to see how all of this is going to work out.
Is it just me or are there more jinni stories than usual at the moment? Or maybe I just stumble upon them more now that I’ve read a few. Asking for your wishes would be cheesy, but maybe asking for the price you’d be willing to pay in exchange is an option? Share them with your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 15 March 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare.
I honestly don’t know how to start this ... maybe with the fact that I was making distressed high-pitched keening noises throughout the book and decided early on that this could only be read in a non-public environment lest people think I’m in pain and separate me from the book. A good book let’s you close it with a wistful smile ... and for me a brilliant book has you in the foetal position wailing about the unfairness of it all and how will any of this ever be alright again? (Cassie, I trust you completely, but you better find a way.)
The Blackthorns (and Emma) are so very precious and if anyone is ever trying to hurt them in any capacity, I won’t guarantee for anything. Same goes for Cristina. And to some extent Kieran. And Kit. And ... I think you get the idea. I’m so very afraid of what will happen in the next book, especially as some of the hurt seems inevitable and coming from within. It’s perfectly horrible in a beautiful, agonising way. (I also notice that my vocabulary regarding descriptions of pain has been considerably broadened by knowing Cassandra Clare ...)
In short: This book is 720 pages of masterfully executed emotional heart-shattering. I need my group therapy members to catch up reading as soon as possible because shared anguish is always preferable. And I also need someone to laugh when I quote all the wonderful wit and sarcasm.
You definitely can read this series without having read any of the other books, but it is so much more fun if you know all the cameos ... and seriously why wouldn’t you want to read the other books, you will need all the practice you can get to steel yourself against the heartache and soul-twisting the next books will cause. And this book clearly spoils the previous two series.
As for a lot of the criticism that this is (depending on how you count) the tenth or twelfth book in the Shadowhunter universe: No one is forcing this book upon anyone and there are obviously enough readers out there who are absolutely thrilled to return to this story world. No one is wondering why Rick Riordan keeps writing in the Demigod universe or J.R. Ward and the Black Dagger Brotherhood or John Grisham writing yet another legal thriller set in – gasp – the real world. If the writer has stories left to tell in their world then by all means let them and if you don’t like it there are literally tons of other books published each week that you could read instead without being a troll about it.
Is there a story universe you could read in forever? I love it when authors create a world so thoroughly that they can dive back into it and take me as a reader right along. In addition to all the new worlds I like to explore in other books. Share 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!
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare.
 |
| Lady Midnight – Margaret K. McElderry Books |
“You look worried,” said Livvy. “Is Emma taking you somewhere to kill you?”
“Worse,” Emma said, heading over to join Cristina at the door. “Shopping.”
— Chapter 13
For the weight of a thousand lies, told in good faith, because lies told in good faith were still lies.
— Chapter 20
I honestly don’t know how to start this ... maybe with the fact that I was making distressed high-pitched keening noises throughout the book and decided early on that this could only be read in a non-public environment lest people think I’m in pain and separate me from the book. A good book let’s you close it with a wistful smile ... and for me a brilliant book has you in the foetal position wailing about the unfairness of it all and how will any of this ever be alright again? (Cassie, I trust you completely, but you better find a way.)
The Blackthorns (and Emma) are so very precious and if anyone is ever trying to hurt them in any capacity, I won’t guarantee for anything. Same goes for Cristina. And to some extent Kieran. And Kit. And ... I think you get the idea. I’m so very afraid of what will happen in the next book, especially as some of the hurt seems inevitable and coming from within. It’s perfectly horrible in a beautiful, agonising way. (I also notice that my vocabulary regarding descriptions of pain has been considerably broadened by knowing Cassandra Clare ...)
In short: This book is 720 pages of masterfully executed emotional heart-shattering. I need my group therapy members to catch up reading as soon as possible because shared anguish is always preferable. And I also need someone to laugh when I quote all the wonderful wit and sarcasm.
You definitely can read this series without having read any of the other books, but it is so much more fun if you know all the cameos ... and seriously why wouldn’t you want to read the other books, you will need all the practice you can get to steel yourself against the heartache and soul-twisting the next books will cause. And this book clearly spoils the previous two series.
As for a lot of the criticism that this is (depending on how you count) the tenth or twelfth book in the Shadowhunter universe: No one is forcing this book upon anyone and there are obviously enough readers out there who are absolutely thrilled to return to this story world. No one is wondering why Rick Riordan keeps writing in the Demigod universe or J.R. Ward and the Black Dagger Brotherhood or John Grisham writing yet another legal thriller set in – gasp – the real world. If the writer has stories left to tell in their world then by all means let them and if you don’t like it there are literally tons of other books published each week that you could read instead without being a troll about it.
Is there a story universe you could read in forever? I love it when authors create a world so thoroughly that they can dive back into it and take me as a reader right along. In addition to all the new worlds I like to explore in other books. Share thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 8 March 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard.
Whenever someone tells me that witches are making a comeback I am tempted to ask them why they think witches were ever gone ... but that would seem flippant and possibly impolite, so I won’t list all the books with witches the person has probably missed. I don’t like thinking in trends, but the trade often insists on it so I’ll say that if witches were gone, this start of the series will do its part to bring them back.
It’s possibly not the book for the unexperienced fantasy reader as there is no big exposition into the world and how it works, but rather a requirement to figure it out as you go. I understand that someone else might feel a bit lost between the foreign words, strange concepts of witchery, and seemingly confusing world politics while this works quite well for me. I liked that the story focuses on the two female leads and their very impressive friendship ... if you understand that this is a very common name for something much bigger, a bond thicker than blood. There are so many thing I can’t wait to find out how they develop in the coming books not only with the two female leads but also with the other characters. I’m especially interested in the maybe-but-also-maybe-not-so-villainous villain.
And having just realised that there will be four books in this series this has filled my reading schedule with yet another book each year up until 2019 ... which seems crazy, but seeing that I have a list that runs up to possibly 2024 ... don’t look at me like that!
If you were to choose to specialise in one talent that you had absolute power over, like telling truth from lie, controlling the wind/any other element or fabric, or some other maybe more intangible power, what would that be? I’d have a hard time deciding between controlling the air (yay flying) and this idea of wordwitchery of being able to write truly binding contracts and strongly suggesting actions and ideas to others. How about you? Share talent wishes 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!
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard.
 |
| Truthwitch – Tor Teen |
“How is that for service? Do you know how many men onboard would kill for the use of a spoon?”
“And do you know,” she retorted, “how many men I can kill with a spoon?”
— Chapter 23
She was stuck in this body, with this mind, but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t reach outside. It didn’t mean she couldn’t change.
— Chapter 26
Whenever someone tells me that witches are making a comeback I am tempted to ask them why they think witches were ever gone ... but that would seem flippant and possibly impolite, so I won’t list all the books with witches the person has probably missed. I don’t like thinking in trends, but the trade often insists on it so I’ll say that if witches were gone, this start of the series will do its part to bring them back.
It’s possibly not the book for the unexperienced fantasy reader as there is no big exposition into the world and how it works, but rather a requirement to figure it out as you go. I understand that someone else might feel a bit lost between the foreign words, strange concepts of witchery, and seemingly confusing world politics while this works quite well for me. I liked that the story focuses on the two female leads and their very impressive friendship ... if you understand that this is a very common name for something much bigger, a bond thicker than blood. There are so many thing I can’t wait to find out how they develop in the coming books not only with the two female leads but also with the other characters. I’m especially interested in the maybe-but-also-maybe-not-so-villainous villain.
And having just realised that there will be four books in this series this has filled my reading schedule with yet another book each year up until 2019 ... which seems crazy, but seeing that I have a list that runs up to possibly 2024 ... don’t look at me like that!
If you were to choose to specialise in one talent that you had absolute power over, like telling truth from lie, controlling the wind/any other element or fabric, or some other maybe more intangible power, what would that be? I’d have a hard time deciding between controlling the air (yay flying) and this idea of wordwitchery of being able to write truly binding contracts and strongly suggesting actions and ideas to others. How about you? Share talent wishes and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
To play along just do the following:
Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis.
My reading comfort zone and I don’t always share a ZIP code and I think for this one it might have thought I moved to the moon (pun intended). I don’t think that I know much about oppression and discrimination. At least not first hand or in the sense that my life would have been severely different without them ... I think, but who can say for certain? We can’t change our past, but we can certainly try to change the future.
There are no words for all the feelings I had while reading this book. Disbelieve, anger, hope, and devastation would be among them. I know that I had a similar reaction to a book only a few weeks ago (see The Truth about Peacock Blue) and they have primarily one thing in common: They describe a mentality that I can’t confidently say I know enough about, but at the same moment also a mentality that I can’t and don’t ever want to understand or support. While the first book dealt with freedom of religion and acceptance of other’s beliefs as well as the worth of women, this book desperately shows how lucky we are if we live in a country where we are free to choose whom we love. Yes, there are still prejudices and hostilities, but hopefully you don’t have to fear the death penalty for loving someone who happens to be the same sex as you are. Deborah Ellis has a powerful way of writing these feelings into her story. The love the two main characters develop for each other grows from a beautiful friendship into a hopeful confusion to a short wonderful love to this heart-shattering devastation. All within an arguably short book, but some stories to me feel more impressive for their brevity.
I won’t pretend to understand the challenges of being LGBTQ* but I also hope to not be totally ignorant about them. And while this is based on a true story that happened almost 30 years ago, which is bad enough, this could and does still happen. Your place of birth should never determine what you can think or say, who is able to decide about your future, and whom you are allowed to love.
No discussion question this week as I am aware that the topic of this book can be very controversial. Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments if you like.
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!
Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis.
 |
| Moon at Nine – Pajama Press |
But first and most important, we are human beings with a right to choose for ourselves how we want to live. All we have is our lives. Each person gets just one. We owe our parents and the revolution our respect, but we don’t owe them everything.
I choose you, not just because you are wonderful and not just because you love me.
I choose you because the act of choosing you belongs to me. It is mine, my free will.
I choose you over my father. I choose you over my country.
And even if you decide you don’t want me, I still choose you.
Because in choosing you, I am choosing myself.
— Chapter 14
My reading comfort zone and I don’t always share a ZIP code and I think for this one it might have thought I moved to the moon (pun intended). I don’t think that I know much about oppression and discrimination. At least not first hand or in the sense that my life would have been severely different without them ... I think, but who can say for certain? We can’t change our past, but we can certainly try to change the future.
There are no words for all the feelings I had while reading this book. Disbelieve, anger, hope, and devastation would be among them. I know that I had a similar reaction to a book only a few weeks ago (see The Truth about Peacock Blue) and they have primarily one thing in common: They describe a mentality that I can’t confidently say I know enough about, but at the same moment also a mentality that I can’t and don’t ever want to understand or support. While the first book dealt with freedom of religion and acceptance of other’s beliefs as well as the worth of women, this book desperately shows how lucky we are if we live in a country where we are free to choose whom we love. Yes, there are still prejudices and hostilities, but hopefully you don’t have to fear the death penalty for loving someone who happens to be the same sex as you are. Deborah Ellis has a powerful way of writing these feelings into her story. The love the two main characters develop for each other grows from a beautiful friendship into a hopeful confusion to a short wonderful love to this heart-shattering devastation. All within an arguably short book, but some stories to me feel more impressive for their brevity.
I won’t pretend to understand the challenges of being LGBTQ* but I also hope to not be totally ignorant about them. And while this is based on a true story that happened almost 30 years ago, which is bad enough, this could and does still happen. Your place of birth should never determine what you can think or say, who is able to decide about your future, and whom you are allowed to love.
No discussion question this week as I am aware that the topic of this book can be very controversial. Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments if you like.
Tuesday 23 February 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard.
My reading mantra should be something along the lines of “Do not turn into a blubbering mess in public”... maybe I should choose different books for that. But then again, why would I want to read books that don’t make me feel? Therefore, blubbering mess it is!
This is the second book in this series and basically picks up where the cliffhanger from the first book left us. And from there on it becomes a big chase against just about everything and everyone. I can’t say much about what is going on without giving anything away and I think this book needs to be experienced with as little previous knowledge as possible. Otherwise you won’t be clutching at your armrest on the train only to realise that your stuffy seat neighbour actually had his arm resting there ... oops. (Served him right though, he was hogging the thing!) I’m not quite sure where my loyalties lie, I don’t even know if I’d support our main character. I certainly understand where she is coming from and I think there are worse options, but I’m not going to call her a heroine anytime soon. Neither am I going to do that for any of the other characters though. In this world it seems like you can only choose the path of least traumatic assaults on your conscience. No one is actually born a monster, but anyone can become monstrous in their choices and actions ... or their inaction. And I think this story is also great in making you think about the kind of monster someone is willing to become when faced with seemingly impossible choices.
The English language has this saying of being caught between a rock and a hard place. Have you been in such a situation and how did you decide between the two options? 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!
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard.
 |
| Glass Sword – HarperTeen |
I fear being alone more than anything else. So why do I do this? Why do I push away the people I love? What is so very wrong with me?
— Chapter 18
I must believe enough for all of us. I must put up my mask again, and be the lightning girl they need. Mare can wait.
Dimly, I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to be Mare again.
— Chapter 23
My reading mantra should be something along the lines of “Do not turn into a blubbering mess in public”... maybe I should choose different books for that. But then again, why would I want to read books that don’t make me feel? Therefore, blubbering mess it is!
This is the second book in this series and basically picks up where the cliffhanger from the first book left us. And from there on it becomes a big chase against just about everything and everyone. I can’t say much about what is going on without giving anything away and I think this book needs to be experienced with as little previous knowledge as possible. Otherwise you won’t be clutching at your armrest on the train only to realise that your stuffy seat neighbour actually had his arm resting there ... oops. (Served him right though, he was hogging the thing!) I’m not quite sure where my loyalties lie, I don’t even know if I’d support our main character. I certainly understand where she is coming from and I think there are worse options, but I’m not going to call her a heroine anytime soon. Neither am I going to do that for any of the other characters though. In this world it seems like you can only choose the path of least traumatic assaults on your conscience. No one is actually born a monster, but anyone can become monstrous in their choices and actions ... or their inaction. And I think this story is also great in making you think about the kind of monster someone is willing to become when faced with seemingly impossible choices.
The English language has this saying of being caught between a rock and a hard place. Have you been in such a situation and how did you decide between the two options? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 16 February 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
Cinder by Marissa Meyer.
For various reasons I feel like I’m haunted by fairy tales this past week ...time to dig out the trusted version with cyborgs and androids to make sense of the situation and save the world. This amazing series has recently been completed with the publication of the short story collection and if you haven’t been living beyond the moon (trust me on this, you wouldn’t want to live on the moon in this case), you have probably heard about the serie’s overall perfection. But in case you were looking for another nudge to pick it up or maybe re-read, let me assure you that you’re not making a mistake in opening the first page of this series. You don’t have to be a fairy tale buff to appreciate the series, but you can find some hidden gems in names and story arcs if you’re looking for them. And actually a lot of cultural observation when it comes to accepting and living together with people who seem other to us.
Do you have a favourite retelling of a fairy tale? Let me know 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!
Cinder by Marissa Meyer.
 |
| Cinder – Feiwel & Friends |
“Vanity is a factor, but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”
— Chapter 19
“It will, I promise. Listen carefully, as this may be something of a shock to you.”
“A shock? You mean all that was just the precursor?”
— Chapter 25
For various reasons I feel like I’m haunted by fairy tales this past week ...time to dig out the trusted version with cyborgs and androids to make sense of the situation and save the world. This amazing series has recently been completed with the publication of the short story collection and if you haven’t been living beyond the moon (trust me on this, you wouldn’t want to live on the moon in this case), you have probably heard about the serie’s overall perfection. But in case you were looking for another nudge to pick it up or maybe re-read, let me assure you that you’re not making a mistake in opening the first page of this series. You don’t have to be a fairy tale buff to appreciate the series, but you can find some hidden gems in names and story arcs if you’re looking for them. And actually a lot of cultural observation when it comes to accepting and living together with people who seem other to us.
Do you have a favourite retelling of a fairy tale? Let me know in the comments along with your teaser!
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin.
Isn’t that cover beautiful? I could totally see these cut outs as little pretty postcards decoratively standing around. Or maybe in frames on the wall ... Enough with the cover love, but I needed to get that off my chest first before continuing on to the content: It’s an entertaining and well-written contemporary YA romance with teen angst, family issues, friend and image problems, and second chances. Depending on my mood there is maybe a little bit too much of miscommunication and a little too slow development for the main character. Or something like that, because overall the writing itself is very on point and I enjoyed reading about Harper and especially Declan.
I would have wished for the story arc of the family thrown into a tailspin by the mother’s diagnosis. And maybe not so much dwelling on the past and mistakes made without moving on or trying to learn from or rectify them. If you’re old enough to drive and think you’re old enough to drink, then you’re certainly old enough to have an adult conversation without taking away the other person’s right to make an informed decision. And possibly that’s also one of the big take aways from this story ... apart from the obvious that sometimes second chances are well worth taking.
Now excuse me, I need to hop to the next art supply store and get some coloured construction paper ... and maybe acquire some drawing skills. Share cover beauties 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 Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin.
 |
| The Year We Fell Apart – Simon Pulse |
Every time a solution was offered, his dad came up with another justification. He was just trying to find a shortcut to the end of the grief. I guess we’ve all been guilty of that at some point.
— Chapter 6
As perfect as that night turned out, that second kiss was still the worst, most desperate one we ever had. Up until the kiss I stole at the bonfire last week.
— Chapter 10
Isn’t that cover beautiful? I could totally see these cut outs as little pretty postcards decoratively standing around. Or maybe in frames on the wall ... Enough with the cover love, but I needed to get that off my chest first before continuing on to the content: It’s an entertaining and well-written contemporary YA romance with teen angst, family issues, friend and image problems, and second chances. Depending on my mood there is maybe a little bit too much of miscommunication and a little too slow development for the main character. Or something like that, because overall the writing itself is very on point and I enjoyed reading about Harper and especially Declan.
I would have wished for the story arc of the family thrown into a tailspin by the mother’s diagnosis. And maybe not so much dwelling on the past and mistakes made without moving on or trying to learn from or rectify them. If you’re old enough to drive and think you’re old enough to drink, then you’re certainly old enough to have an adult conversation without taking away the other person’s right to make an informed decision. And possibly that’s also one of the big take aways from this story ... apart from the obvious that sometimes second chances are well worth taking.
Now excuse me, I need to hop to the next art supply store and get some coloured construction paper ... and maybe acquire some drawing skills. Share cover beauties and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 2 February 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
The Truth About Peacock Blue by Rosanne Hawke.
I didn’t go easy on myself this week regarding my book choice and in the end out of two possibly controversial books I chose the political cultural one rather than the social cultural one. Because I think it’s easier to talk about? Which in itself is quite a double meaning as that is exactly the core problem the main character faces in this book in a way: the freedom of speech, but more so the freedom of religion. This book deeply moved me and made me think and made me angry and made feel powerless. All those who should read this book and feel the same way are never going to read it and those who read it and feel like I did will most likely not have any possibility to initiate any real change.
The place of our birth and our upbringing is such a random lottery and if you’re reading this, chances are that you are lucky to live in a place where you don’t have to fear that speaking your mind will land you in prison or that not being a member of the dominant religion could secure you a place on death row. Double that if you’re female.
The case presented in this book is fictional, but it is written so well that at times I forgot. And when I remembered I had no difficulty imagining that this does happen in real life. Maybe not exactly like this but also not completely different. And in those moments I am so grateful for my fate, which was handed to me through no doing of my own, just by being born in a certain place at a certain time with a certain set of chromosomes. Yes, it is not all peachy rosy happy here either, but it can be so terribly and unfairly worse due to no other cause than a combination of geographical and genetic factors.
It’s not often that I read issue books of any kind mostly because I want my reading to be firmly settled in a comfortable fictional space and I don’t want the real world to invade that. Perhaps that’s escapist and a little cowardly of me, but when I read such a title I keep them with me quite a while and maybe that makes up for it a little. Let me know your thoughts and preferences if you like along with your 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 Truth About Peacock Blue by Rosanne Hawke.
 |
| The Truth About Peacock Blue – Allen and Unwin |
It had taken only that morning almost a year before to shift the way I viewed the world, to see the danger we lived with daily. I was not yet thirteen and still thought life consisted of cricket and songs.
— Chapter 2
It lifted my spirits above the crowd of angry men shouting for my death to learn of a girl fighting for girls everywhere to have an education and to be treated justly. I imagined she was also meaning me.
— Chapter 25
I didn’t go easy on myself this week regarding my book choice and in the end out of two possibly controversial books I chose the political cultural one rather than the social cultural one. Because I think it’s easier to talk about? Which in itself is quite a double meaning as that is exactly the core problem the main character faces in this book in a way: the freedom of speech, but more so the freedom of religion. This book deeply moved me and made me think and made me angry and made feel powerless. All those who should read this book and feel the same way are never going to read it and those who read it and feel like I did will most likely not have any possibility to initiate any real change.
The place of our birth and our upbringing is such a random lottery and if you’re reading this, chances are that you are lucky to live in a place where you don’t have to fear that speaking your mind will land you in prison or that not being a member of the dominant religion could secure you a place on death row. Double that if you’re female.
The case presented in this book is fictional, but it is written so well that at times I forgot. And when I remembered I had no difficulty imagining that this does happen in real life. Maybe not exactly like this but also not completely different. And in those moments I am so grateful for my fate, which was handed to me through no doing of my own, just by being born in a certain place at a certain time with a certain set of chromosomes. Yes, it is not all peachy rosy happy here either, but it can be so terribly and unfairly worse due to no other cause than a combination of geographical and genetic factors.
It’s not often that I read issue books of any kind mostly because I want my reading to be firmly settled in a comfortable fictional space and I don’t want the real world to invade that. Perhaps that’s escapist and a little cowardly of me, but when I read such a title I keep them with me quite a while and maybe that makes up for it a little. Let me know your thoughts and preferences if you like along with your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 26 January 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
See How They Run by Ally Carter.
None of us are entirely free of our past and in some way or another it will always catch up to us. Your past might even come back to haunt you and that is fine ... to some extent. But when it comes back to hunt you there is definitely something very very wrong.
Second book in this series and I couldn’t be more invested if I put all of my (imaginary) trust fund in it. I admire Ally Carter for her ability to write these completely inscrutable characters whom you don’t quite trust. Even or especially when they are your narrator. Add to that political intrigue and some crime investigation or other and you can be sure that I won’t come up for air unless absolutely necessary. Well, that and other pesky things called grown-up responsibilities (really, whoever invented those).
Have you ever considered playing hooky with a book (or have you?)? And if so, which one? 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!
See How They Run by Ally Carter.
 |
| See How They Run – Scholastic Press |
And, most of all, these women remembered what their mothers and grandmothers had learned from the Romans, the Byzantines, the Turks, and the Mongols: that history almost always repeats itself. And it is almost always written by men.
— Chapter 1
“You should not be concerned about me,” he says.
“But you get to worry about me? That doesn’t quite sound fair.”
— Chapter 28
None of us are entirely free of our past and in some way or another it will always catch up to us. Your past might even come back to haunt you and that is fine ... to some extent. But when it comes back to hunt you there is definitely something very very wrong.
Second book in this series and I couldn’t be more invested if I put all of my (imaginary) trust fund in it. I admire Ally Carter for her ability to write these completely inscrutable characters whom you don’t quite trust. Even or especially when they are your narrator. Add to that political intrigue and some crime investigation or other and you can be sure that I won’t come up for air unless absolutely necessary. Well, that and other pesky things called grown-up responsibilities (really, whoever invented those).
Have you ever considered playing hooky with a book (or have you?)? And if so, which one? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 19 January 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
The Golden Specific by S.E. Grove.
My memory is far from perfect (admittedly, it is quite good, but ... never mind) so for some series it takes a while before I manage to get back into the mindset the story requires. This might be for various reasons like a complex setting or a peculiar set of realities or a varying cast of characters. For this it was a mixture of the setting and the added rules during the last book that I needed a while to recover before the story gripped me again. But I remembered that I had needed a few chapters for the first book as well and was later so very glad that I stuck with it and the same is true for this one! What a great adventure and such an elaborate world. I still wonder how it works precisely, but that can be put aside to take part in this expedition.
I’m almost at the end an I’m dreading it ... but since it took me so long to get to this, the third and final book will be out in just a few months. I’m just counting my blessings that not all my anticipated books release at the same time. That would inevitably lead to an absolute melt down.
And that begs the question: If you could have all your most anticipated books at the same time how would you choose which to read first? Share your way of prioritising along with your 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 Golden Specific by S.E. Grove.
 |
| The Golden Specific – Viking |
“Missing but not lost, absent but not gone, unseen but not unheard. Find us while we still draw breath.”
— Chapter 1
Perhaps it was: realizing the world was not obliged to give you what you wanted, and, more importantly, deciding what you would do and how you would feel once the realization arrived. Would you sit back and resent the world? Would you make peace with it, and accept the unfairness without rancor? Or would you try to find and take what the world had not provided? Maybe all three, she reflected, at different moments.
— Chapter 39
My memory is far from perfect (admittedly, it is quite good, but ... never mind) so for some series it takes a while before I manage to get back into the mindset the story requires. This might be for various reasons like a complex setting or a peculiar set of realities or a varying cast of characters. For this it was a mixture of the setting and the added rules during the last book that I needed a while to recover before the story gripped me again. But I remembered that I had needed a few chapters for the first book as well and was later so very glad that I stuck with it and the same is true for this one! What a great adventure and such an elaborate world. I still wonder how it works precisely, but that can be put aside to take part in this expedition.
I’m almost at the end an I’m dreading it ... but since it took me so long to get to this, the third and final book will be out in just a few months. I’m just counting my blessings that not all my anticipated books release at the same time. That would inevitably lead to an absolute melt down.
And that begs the question: If you could have all your most anticipated books at the same time how would you choose which to read first? Share your way of prioritising along with your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 12 January 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
Never, Always, Sometimes by Adi Alsaid.
Almost everyone has a To-Do list ... not necessarily a written one, but maybe a mental one (and then you forget the baking soda and are totally screwed). Then there are rules, and those can also be written down or agreed upon (and can be equally bad if you break them). Wishes, also written or just in your head. Humans love lists, but the question is if they have more power if they are solidified in ink on paper? For this book this seems true as the two protagonists follow their rules to high school quite religiously and while they make for an interesting experience they also function as a kind of cage. And maybe some rules are meant to be broken
I enjoyed quite a few aspects of this story as they are realistic and comprehensible. No one would set out to have a mediocre or unmemorable high school experience I think and by giving it this twist of actually having followed an agreed upon set of ideals for most of the time and then deliberately breaking them makes for a unique perspective. This wouldn’t have worked if the two weren’t so extremely co-dependent and sort of exploiting each other or I’d rather say existed in a symbiosis as they don’t wilfully harm each other.
What sort of lists do you have either physical or mental ones ... apart from you TBR? Share them 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!
Never, Always, Sometimes by Adi Alsaid.
 |
| Never, Always, Sometimes – Harlequin Teen |
You can’t have smart people lingering around for too long in horror movies. Otherwise they come up with solutions and not enough people die.
— Chapter 12
Julia knew that there were moments in your life that meant something but passed by unnoticed, and she knew that this was not one of them.
— Chapter 21
Almost everyone has a To-Do list ... not necessarily a written one, but maybe a mental one (and then you forget the baking soda and are totally screwed). Then there are rules, and those can also be written down or agreed upon (and can be equally bad if you break them). Wishes, also written or just in your head. Humans love lists, but the question is if they have more power if they are solidified in ink on paper? For this book this seems true as the two protagonists follow their rules to high school quite religiously and while they make for an interesting experience they also function as a kind of cage. And maybe some rules are meant to be broken
I enjoyed quite a few aspects of this story as they are realistic and comprehensible. No one would set out to have a mediocre or unmemorable high school experience I think and by giving it this twist of actually having followed an agreed upon set of ideals for most of the time and then deliberately breaking them makes for a unique perspective. This wouldn’t have worked if the two weren’t so extremely co-dependent and sort of exploiting each other or I’d rather say existed in a symbiosis as they don’t wilfully harm each other.
What sort of lists do you have either physical or mental ones ... apart from you TBR? Share them and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 5 January 2016
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken.
Happy 2016, everyone! I hope you had a good start of the year and I wish upon all of you some brilliant books this year. Please excuse my unplanned disappearance last week I was a little blindsided by non-book life (I know, the impertinence!). But now back to the pleasant things and I already don’t know how to put it into different words for this book apart from that I am absolutely and completely in LOVE with it! It is a hyped book and in this case it is so very much deserved. I want this book to succeed and to get all the attention it can because it is so utterly wonderful inside and out. I could constantly look at the cover to admire the not-mirrored mirror image ... and yes the writing is detailed and extensive, but that is also what invokes this lush, deep, and textured feeling.
There are some parts of the time travel technicalities that I didn’t completely understand, but that is the very nature of this premise I’d think ... at least it makes a lot more sense than many other time travel books I read before. Especially the rule that you can’t exist in the same moment twice and would therefore not be able to go back to re-write last week’s history.
In short: This book has all the things I wanted from history to adventure to scientific logic (to a certain degree), and yes, also a very compelling love story. And now I must find out how I can travel to 2017 to get my hands on the sequel. Damn you, cliffhanger authors, why must I love you so much?
Do you have any resolutions for this year? Mine is to avoid a certain online retailer as much as possible and order my books through other channels. Even if that means waiting longer for them to arrive. I was more or less unconsciously doing so already but now I want to find out how long I can actually manage without ordering there at all. Let me know your resolution and challenges along with your 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!
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken.
 |
| Passenger – Disney Hyperion |
Don’t mind him. He’s allowed one day of good nature a year and he’s already spent it.
— Chapter 3
“A bad idea is better than no idea,” Etta said.
“I’m glad you feel that way, because this is an exquisitely bad one.”
— Chapter 11
Happy 2016, everyone! I hope you had a good start of the year and I wish upon all of you some brilliant books this year. Please excuse my unplanned disappearance last week I was a little blindsided by non-book life (I know, the impertinence!). But now back to the pleasant things and I already don’t know how to put it into different words for this book apart from that I am absolutely and completely in LOVE with it! It is a hyped book and in this case it is so very much deserved. I want this book to succeed and to get all the attention it can because it is so utterly wonderful inside and out. I could constantly look at the cover to admire the not-mirrored mirror image ... and yes the writing is detailed and extensive, but that is also what invokes this lush, deep, and textured feeling.
There are some parts of the time travel technicalities that I didn’t completely understand, but that is the very nature of this premise I’d think ... at least it makes a lot more sense than many other time travel books I read before. Especially the rule that you can’t exist in the same moment twice and would therefore not be able to go back to re-write last week’s history.
In short: This book has all the things I wanted from history to adventure to scientific logic (to a certain degree), and yes, also a very compelling love story. And now I must find out how I can travel to 2017 to get my hands on the sequel. Damn you, cliffhanger authors, why must I love you so much?
Do you have any resolutions for this year? Mine is to avoid a certain online retailer as much as possible and order my books through other channels. Even if that means waiting longer for them to arrive. I was more or less unconsciously doing so already but now I want to find out how long I can actually manage without ordering there at all. Let me know your resolution and challenges along with your teasers in the comments!
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