Tuesday 12 September 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan.
Do I need to say that Sarah Rees Brennan is one of my instant-buy-no-questions-asked and also drop-everything-else-and-read-immediately (if my idiot self hadn’t accidentally ordered the book right to the city I was leaving for two weeks when it arrived) authors? If you didn’t know before, now you do. And this book is SO!WORTH!IT! ... if you are like me and one of your teachers reprimanded you early on that irony and sarcasm are (apparently) part of a language not spoken by everyone and please stop tormenting other pupils with it. Which I did immediately ... right along with becoming a star athlete and after I got rid of my pesky language nerdishness. If you’ve read only one page of this book (the first chapter is available here), you’ll see why Elliot is the sort of main character I fell for instantly
There is so much to love about this ingenious, wonderful book: Elves! Harpies! Mermaids! Oh, and totally likeable but still to be kept away to some extent humans, I suppose. Surprisingly no witches or other magical magic. A big adventure of (not) fighting wars with (swords, bow and arrow) pen, paper, words and wit. And during that also managing growing up, falling in love, finding friends, and making other big discoveries (some of which are really spoiler-y and I’m almost bursting with glee just thinking about them). One of the best things is the clever and humorous not really subtle but still not in your face running commentary on society and gender expectations. I’m so obscenely in love with the narrative style, it’s almost absurd. I had so many snort-giggle-laugh moments even if it really shouldn’t be funny but it is just because of that. Don’t get me wrong there are also really heart-wrenching and anxious sad parts ... wouldn’t be Sarah Rees Brennan without them.
Maybe you’ve read this story when it was free on the internet, but don’t be fooled this version is everything you didn’t think this story also needed and then some. Plus: if you get a physical copy you can hug it while sighing contentedly. It’s so pretty! And I totally plan on getting it signed ... no idea how I’ll manage that, as Germany is sort of off track in terms of English language author tours. But I will ... there, I said it and so I shall. In the meantime, I hope for many more books where this one came from. And I’ll keep pushing this book into the hands of anyone who knows and tolerates me.
Do you have authors that make you pause whatever else you’re reading and get their new releases? Share your loves and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan.
 |
| In Other Lands – Big Mouth House |
You will never find me in trouble. You will find me in the library. If you can remember where that is.
— Part 2
This immunity toward sarcasm must mean Dale had such a peaceful life. It also meant he and Elliot were basically speaking different languages.
— Part 4
Do I need to say that Sarah Rees Brennan is one of my instant-buy-no-questions-asked and also drop-everything-else-and-read-immediately (if my idiot self hadn’t accidentally ordered the book right to the city I was leaving for two weeks when it arrived) authors? If you didn’t know before, now you do. And this book is SO!WORTH!IT! ... if you are like me and one of your teachers reprimanded you early on that irony and sarcasm are (apparently) part of a language not spoken by everyone and please stop tormenting other pupils with it. Which I did immediately ... right along with becoming a star athlete and after I got rid of my pesky language nerdishness. If you’ve read only one page of this book (the first chapter is available here), you’ll see why Elliot is the sort of main character I fell for instantly
There is so much to love about this ingenious, wonderful book: Elves! Harpies! Mermaids! Oh, and totally likeable but still to be kept away to some extent humans, I suppose. Surprisingly no witches or other magical magic. A big adventure of (not) fighting wars with (swords, bow and arrow) pen, paper, words and wit. And during that also managing growing up, falling in love, finding friends, and making other big discoveries (some of which are really spoiler-y and I’m almost bursting with glee just thinking about them). One of the best things is the clever and humorous not really subtle but still not in your face running commentary on society and gender expectations. I’m so obscenely in love with the narrative style, it’s almost absurd. I had so many snort-giggle-laugh moments even if it really shouldn’t be funny but it is just because of that. Don’t get me wrong there are also really heart-wrenching and anxious sad parts ... wouldn’t be Sarah Rees Brennan without them.
Maybe you’ve read this story when it was free on the internet, but don’t be fooled this version is everything you didn’t think this story also needed and then some. Plus: if you get a physical copy you can hug it while sighing contentedly. It’s so pretty! And I totally plan on getting it signed ... no idea how I’ll manage that, as Germany is sort of off track in terms of English language author tours. But I will ... there, I said it and so I shall. In the meantime, I hope for many more books where this one came from. And I’ll keep pushing this book into the hands of anyone who knows and tolerates me.
Do you have authors that make you pause whatever else you’re reading and get their new releases? Share your loves and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 5 September 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn.
Holding a grudge can be an art form. Or a bad habit. Or a really big misunderstanding. And sometimes it’s a safety blanket and a shield. The protagonist Quinn certainly has the art form part of this down and the other options didn’t just spring to mind out of nowhere either. This was a quick and entertaining read which also touched upon some heavier topics like trust and loss and other family issues. I liked how there wasn’t just the one big thing dominating the whole book but rather a number of things adding up around this one central issue. I forget who said it (and am too lazy to look it up right now) but books have it way harder than real life because they have to be realistic and make sense ... and when does life ever revolve around just one really big plot point? But in contrast to real life I somehow expect these issues to be somewhat resolved by the end of the book in a satisfying and not glossed over manner. So books really have to pass a higher bar than real life.
Of course the danger of such a multitude of issues is that in order to fit them into a manageable length something else has to fall by the wayside. In this case I have the feeling that the secondary characters had to carry the brunt of the cut. There are quite a few of them and they all have some really interesting aspects and backgrounds, but they felt a little flat to me. This doesn’t distract from the overall enjoyability of the book, but this is the rare case where I think another 50 or so pages would have done the book a big service in terms of depth and character development. But I also realise that this might not be the ambition and in that case, this really fits the bill of an entertaining, romantic, summery read.
Are you someone who holds grudges? I’ll admit that I have been known to do so on occasion (I’m still not over the fact that someone “lost” me in the middle of Alice’s Labyrinth in Disney Land when I was five ... just saying.) Share your teasers (and grudges if you like) in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn.
 |
| Wesley James Ruined My Life – Swoon Reads |
“Yes, well, that was the plan.” The smile hasn’t slipped from his face, but he won’t meet my eyes.
— Chapter 13
“You’re blinded by his stupidly handsome face.”
“Ha! I knew you thought he was cute.”
— Chapter 17
Holding a grudge can be an art form. Or a bad habit. Or a really big misunderstanding. And sometimes it’s a safety blanket and a shield. The protagonist Quinn certainly has the art form part of this down and the other options didn’t just spring to mind out of nowhere either. This was a quick and entertaining read which also touched upon some heavier topics like trust and loss and other family issues. I liked how there wasn’t just the one big thing dominating the whole book but rather a number of things adding up around this one central issue. I forget who said it (and am too lazy to look it up right now) but books have it way harder than real life because they have to be realistic and make sense ... and when does life ever revolve around just one really big plot point? But in contrast to real life I somehow expect these issues to be somewhat resolved by the end of the book in a satisfying and not glossed over manner. So books really have to pass a higher bar than real life.
Of course the danger of such a multitude of issues is that in order to fit them into a manageable length something else has to fall by the wayside. In this case I have the feeling that the secondary characters had to carry the brunt of the cut. There are quite a few of them and they all have some really interesting aspects and backgrounds, but they felt a little flat to me. This doesn’t distract from the overall enjoyability of the book, but this is the rare case where I think another 50 or so pages would have done the book a big service in terms of depth and character development. But I also realise that this might not be the ambition and in that case, this really fits the bill of an entertaining, romantic, summery read.
Are you someone who holds grudges? I’ll admit that I have been known to do so on occasion (I’m still not over the fact that someone “lost” me in the middle of Alice’s Labyrinth in Disney Land when I was five ... just saying.) Share your teasers (and grudges if you like) in the comments.
Tuesday 29 August 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson.
How little and how much can you say about the second book in an extremely close-knit trilogy with a staggering number of layers and secrets that on the one hand conveys the art of this kind of story telling while also preserving the secrets and twists? Because it makes a very big difference if you read the first book with too much knowledge. (I know this because I had to skim through Kiss of Deception before starting this one to jog my memory a bit and just knowing who is who in terms of two central characters changed my perspective quite a bit. It’s so much fun just to speculate about their identities.)
This second book opens up the world quite a bit to a whole new part of the continent and also further introduces political intrigues on top of personal ones. Add to that the history of this fictional world and the layers and possible ramifications go through the roof. If you’ve read the novella as well and realise the misunderstandings due to time, distance, and perspective, you gain another layer ... add the personal deceptions and lies and the times you want to throw these characters into a cell and only let them out when they’ve talked it out become immeasurable.
A wonderful second book that not only lives up to the first but also lays a great foundation for a high-heart-rate finale.
Sometimes the narrator of a book is unreliable, but sometimes it’s just the narration itself that adds to the mystery through its information management. Which book has stayed on your mind because of its narrative style recently? 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!
The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson.
 |
| The Heart of Betrayal – Henry Holt and Company |
“As you command, Komizar. I will sleep well tonight if I must slit my own throat to do it.”
He smiled. “I think we’re beginning to understand each other at last.”
— Chapter 36
“The rules of reason build towers that reach past the treetops. The rules of trust build towers that reach past the stars.”
— Chapter 47
How little and how much can you say about the second book in an extremely close-knit trilogy with a staggering number of layers and secrets that on the one hand conveys the art of this kind of story telling while also preserving the secrets and twists? Because it makes a very big difference if you read the first book with too much knowledge. (I know this because I had to skim through Kiss of Deception before starting this one to jog my memory a bit and just knowing who is who in terms of two central characters changed my perspective quite a bit. It’s so much fun just to speculate about their identities.)
This second book opens up the world quite a bit to a whole new part of the continent and also further introduces political intrigues on top of personal ones. Add to that the history of this fictional world and the layers and possible ramifications go through the roof. If you’ve read the novella as well and realise the misunderstandings due to time, distance, and perspective, you gain another layer ... add the personal deceptions and lies and the times you want to throw these characters into a cell and only let them out when they’ve talked it out become immeasurable.
A wonderful second book that not only lives up to the first but also lays a great foundation for a high-heart-rate finale.
Sometimes the narrator of a book is unreliable, but sometimes it’s just the narration itself that adds to the mystery through its information management. Which book has stayed on your mind because of its narrative style recently? Share your thoughts and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 22 August 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.
There has been so much positive buzz about this book. Or it seems to me like that at least. Let me add to that a little. This is a cute girl meets boy, they connect, have some obstacles, but ultimately fall in love story. You can leave it at that and have a very pleasant read, just like hundreds of other books and movies. So why is this one of the books that gets talked about? Because, a little sad as it is, there is the added cultural background that is still enough of a novelty that it gets to be specifically addressed. At the same time for this books it is so intricately woven into the whole plot that there is at no point a moment to question it or to feel alienated. Because at the surface and all the way down these teenage characters have the same problems of finding themselves and their place in life and society as everyone else. And their path is riddled with hilarious and sometimes baffling detours.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and wll recommend it to anyone in search of a well-crafted romantic read with a little backbone.
Summer holidays are slowly winding down here although I feel that the weather at least has cheated me out of at least three weeks. At least my summer reads have mostly held up their end of the deal. How do you feel about seasonal reads that deliver on anything but their season relevance? 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!
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.
 |
| When Dimple Met Rishi – Simon Pulse |
“So what if your art’s not practical? If you love it, you should do it. What’s the point of anything otherwise?”
— Chapter 10
“I feel like I need to speak out, because if no one speaks out, if no one says, This is me, this is what I believe in, and this is why I’m different, and this is why that’s okay, then what’s the point? What’s the point of living in this beautiful, great melting pot where everyone can dare to be anything they want to be?”
— Chapter 21
There has been so much positive buzz about this book. Or it seems to me like that at least. Let me add to that a little. This is a cute girl meets boy, they connect, have some obstacles, but ultimately fall in love story. You can leave it at that and have a very pleasant read, just like hundreds of other books and movies. So why is this one of the books that gets talked about? Because, a little sad as it is, there is the added cultural background that is still enough of a novelty that it gets to be specifically addressed. At the same time for this books it is so intricately woven into the whole plot that there is at no point a moment to question it or to feel alienated. Because at the surface and all the way down these teenage characters have the same problems of finding themselves and their place in life and society as everyone else. And their path is riddled with hilarious and sometimes baffling detours.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and wll recommend it to anyone in search of a well-crafted romantic read with a little backbone.
Summer holidays are slowly winding down here although I feel that the weather at least has cheated me out of at least three weeks. At least my summer reads have mostly held up their end of the deal. How do you feel about seasonal reads that deliver on anything but their season relevance? Share thoughts and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 15 August 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
The Savage Dawn by Melissa Grey.
This is the final book in the Girl at Midnight trilogy – and I don’t want it to be over. Yes, it is totally in accordance with the previous books and I understand why it has to be this way, but that doesn’t mean that in my heart of hearts I wasn’t hoping for something else. Everyone always says that they appreciate a bitter sweet ending, myself included, yet if I’m completely honest I mostly like my chocolate to be that way and hope for my books for a sweeter solution. There is room for interpretation and maybe I’m just a little raw at the moment. Which actually says a lot about how much this series and its characters have come to mean to me. They sort of snuck up on me and now I’m sad to let them go when I was so unprepared for this amount of parting pain.
There were way too many quotes to choose from, which was also true for the previous books. Echo is the sort of main character that especially speaks to me with her love for language and literature, which is reflected in the wonderful writing. And then there are the twists and high stakes that will suck you right in and will make you want to hold on for dear life.
If Urban Fantasy is your thing and you haven’t read this series maybe now that it is complete give it a chance. I know that I will have to come back for a re-read in the not too distant future. And maybe, just maybe there is a chance that it isn’t completely over? I mean there are so many possibilities of stories yet to tell. One can hope, right?
Which bitter sweet ending has last left you satisfied and yet laid waste to you? 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 Savage Dawn by Melissa Grey.
 |
| The Savage Dawn – Delacorte Press |
But the words engraved in the marble columns betrayed the lie. Language knew. Language remembered.
— Chapter 14
Hate is a choice. And it’s not one I’m interested in making.
— Chapter 39
This is the final book in the Girl at Midnight trilogy – and I don’t want it to be over. Yes, it is totally in accordance with the previous books and I understand why it has to be this way, but that doesn’t mean that in my heart of hearts I wasn’t hoping for something else. Everyone always says that they appreciate a bitter sweet ending, myself included, yet if I’m completely honest I mostly like my chocolate to be that way and hope for my books for a sweeter solution. There is room for interpretation and maybe I’m just a little raw at the moment. Which actually says a lot about how much this series and its characters have come to mean to me. They sort of snuck up on me and now I’m sad to let them go when I was so unprepared for this amount of parting pain.
There were way too many quotes to choose from, which was also true for the previous books. Echo is the sort of main character that especially speaks to me with her love for language and literature, which is reflected in the wonderful writing. And then there are the twists and high stakes that will suck you right in and will make you want to hold on for dear life.
If Urban Fantasy is your thing and you haven’t read this series maybe now that it is complete give it a chance. I know that I will have to come back for a re-read in the not too distant future. And maybe, just maybe there is a chance that it isn’t completely over? I mean there are so many possibilities of stories yet to tell. One can hope, right?
Which bitter sweet ending has last left you satisfied and yet laid waste to you? Share them along with your teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 8 August 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock.
“No, it’s not like that, we’re just friends.” Countless hearts have probably been battered and bruised by such an utterance. On the other hand, why is it “just” friends? Sure, you can be in love with multiple people, but acting on all those feelings at once is generally frowned upon whereas you can be friends with however many people you like. It helps if your partner is also a good friend, but they don’t have to be the best friend ... if the partnership and friendship can handle each other.
Which brings us to the premise of this book. It’s not a play on the trope that boys and girls can’t ever be friends without developing feelings for each other. It’s also not about one of them being n love with the other for a long time before the other suddenly realises their feelings as well. And not unrequited love either. Although that aspect is not completely absent in theory. And now that you know what it’s not, I’ll let you figure out what it’s actually about.
A very cute and quick read with a lot of miscommunication-face-palm-potential and a good portion of great humour. As I am a sucker for character development I would have loved to see a little more of that concerning the minor cast. The protagonists have a very steep arc in relation to the length or brevity of the plot, but it mostly fits with the overall pace. It’s not all fluff and butterflies, too. There is actually quite a lot of heavy stuff woven into this, almost in a when it rains it pours way. For this alone, I really would have liked the book to be a little longer to address the issues with more depth. It’s a very nice read, but I think there is a lot more potential that could have been explored ... overall quite an accomplishment for a contemporary debut and certainly an aspiring author to watch.
Are you a friends first and then fall in love or a love at first sight advocate ... speaking about reading habits for the most part here. Share preferences 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!
Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock.
 |
| Just Friends – Swoon Reads |
“I’ll dust!” he cried, running to the supply closet. “You win, I’ll dust!”
— Chapter 5
Just like that Jenny Wessler lost it.
She closed her eyes and started chucking dictionaries.
— Chapter 31
“No, it’s not like that, we’re just friends.” Countless hearts have probably been battered and bruised by such an utterance. On the other hand, why is it “just” friends? Sure, you can be in love with multiple people, but acting on all those feelings at once is generally frowned upon whereas you can be friends with however many people you like. It helps if your partner is also a good friend, but they don’t have to be the best friend ... if the partnership and friendship can handle each other.
Which brings us to the premise of this book. It’s not a play on the trope that boys and girls can’t ever be friends without developing feelings for each other. It’s also not about one of them being n love with the other for a long time before the other suddenly realises their feelings as well. And not unrequited love either. Although that aspect is not completely absent in theory. And now that you know what it’s not, I’ll let you figure out what it’s actually about.
A very cute and quick read with a lot of miscommunication-face-palm-potential and a good portion of great humour. As I am a sucker for character development I would have loved to see a little more of that concerning the minor cast. The protagonists have a very steep arc in relation to the length or brevity of the plot, but it mostly fits with the overall pace. It’s not all fluff and butterflies, too. There is actually quite a lot of heavy stuff woven into this, almost in a when it rains it pours way. For this alone, I really would have liked the book to be a little longer to address the issues with more depth. It’s a very nice read, but I think there is a lot more potential that could have been explored ... overall quite an accomplishment for a contemporary debut and certainly an aspiring author to watch.
Are you a friends first and then fall in love or a love at first sight advocate ... speaking about reading habits for the most part here. Share preferences and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 1 August 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh.
First of all: Apologies for the layout disaster last week. Big fun all around, but I hope things are back to working order now. Give me a shout if you encounter any image irregularities. And now on to the gushing and raving, which is not only more fun but for this book also absolutely necessary.
It’s probably no secret that I easily fall for books with densely crafted cultural backgrounds and while the author already did exceedingly well in her initial YA books with Arab culture, this is a completely different level. I felt transported into the story and the rich and vibrant world of this book. If it had been at all possible, I would have stayed in there a lot longer. But that wasn’t even an option because the plot commands a breakneck reading speed to get behind all the mystery and secrets as soon as possible.
Mariko was a little difficult to empathise with for me at first, but that, in my opinion, is quite intentional as it emphasises how she has been living a life that is so very removed from the average life of her culture. Granted, we’re probably not any closer to that as well, but this alienation and ignorance of her (and at the beginning almost nerve-wracking naiveté) makes her character’s growth even more admirable.
I won’t go into any more detail about the other characters for fear of spoiling any surprises because there are a lot. But should you happen to struggle with Mariko at the beginning, I urge you to take this as a vital part of her development and give her a chance to prove herself. Others in the book have to do the same so maybe you will feel closer to them and understand them better. And if you’re struggling with the end, I invite you to join me at Club Cliffhanger for a nice bottle of anticipation-sake or impatience-tea.
If you had the opportunity to drop into a foreign culture of a book, which book and which culture would you choose? Let me know about your choices 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!
Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh.
 |
| Flame in the Mist – G. P. Putnam’s Sons |
Perhaps too clever, as her father always said. It had never been meant as a compliment, though she had always taken it as one.
— Chapter 7
“I am not a hero. Don’t forget it for a moment. I will not save you again.”
Mariko sat up abruptly, her features defiant. “I don’t want you to be a hero. And I don’t need anyone to save me.”
— Chapter 23
First of all: Apologies for the layout disaster last week. Big fun all around, but I hope things are back to working order now. Give me a shout if you encounter any image irregularities. And now on to the gushing and raving, which is not only more fun but for this book also absolutely necessary.
It’s probably no secret that I easily fall for books with densely crafted cultural backgrounds and while the author already did exceedingly well in her initial YA books with Arab culture, this is a completely different level. I felt transported into the story and the rich and vibrant world of this book. If it had been at all possible, I would have stayed in there a lot longer. But that wasn’t even an option because the plot commands a breakneck reading speed to get behind all the mystery and secrets as soon as possible.
Mariko was a little difficult to empathise with for me at first, but that, in my opinion, is quite intentional as it emphasises how she has been living a life that is so very removed from the average life of her culture. Granted, we’re probably not any closer to that as well, but this alienation and ignorance of her (and at the beginning almost nerve-wracking naiveté) makes her character’s growth even more admirable.
I won’t go into any more detail about the other characters for fear of spoiling any surprises because there are a lot. But should you happen to struggle with Mariko at the beginning, I urge you to take this as a vital part of her development and give her a chance to prove herself. Others in the book have to do the same so maybe you will feel closer to them and understand them better. And if you’re struggling with the end, I invite you to join me at Club Cliffhanger for a nice bottle of anticipation-sake or impatience-tea.
If you had the opportunity to drop into a foreign culture of a book, which book and which culture would you choose? Let me know about your choices and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 25 July 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken.
Dear English language, you seriously lack an accurate word to convey the whole scope of “Vorfreude”, pleasant anticipation is nice and all, but really doesn’t cut it when it comes to what I feel towards the movie version of this series. (Yes, I know that this is dangerous business as there is always potential for disappointment, yet the cast and overall advance information feel very right.) Sometimes the movie rights have been optioned or sold for a while and you don’t actually think that it will amount to anything, because it’s been a while and let’s not talk about all those dormant rights ... looking at you, Looking for Alaska. But sometimes it actually just takes time and in a few cases good things come to those who wait and all that jazz.
There have been a number of dystopian series published in the years since, but I still think that this is one of the better crafted and sophisticated ones will always remain one of my benchmarks in terms of character building and development. Ruby is one of the most realistic protagonists when it comes to self-consciousness and self awareness. And I won’t even start on the swoony-ness of Liam or the adorableness of Chubs or cuteness of Suzume and so on. Seriously, if you are at all interested in dystopias and haven’t read this series, do so before the movie hits theatres next year. Or wait a little until the special editions with the bonus content are published ... in January 2018 ... how big is you TBR?
Are you waiting for the announcement of a movie for one of your favourite books? Do you have any frustrating optioned but not pursued cases? Share thoughts 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!
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken.
 |
| The Darkest Minds – Hyperion |
She had every right to be terrified of the half-crazed girl chasing after her. I could waste time feeling bad about it later; but, for now, my mind had gotten a whiff of hope, and it wasn’t about to let it escape through a parking lot.
— Chapter 8
When a girl cries, few things are more worthless than a boy. Having two of them just meant that they stared at each other helplessly instead of at me.
— Chapter 19
Dear English language, you seriously lack an accurate word to convey the whole scope of “Vorfreude”, pleasant anticipation is nice and all, but really doesn’t cut it when it comes to what I feel towards the movie version of this series. (Yes, I know that this is dangerous business as there is always potential for disappointment, yet the cast and overall advance information feel very right.) Sometimes the movie rights have been optioned or sold for a while and you don’t actually think that it will amount to anything, because it’s been a while and let’s not talk about all those dormant rights ... looking at you, Looking for Alaska. But sometimes it actually just takes time and in a few cases good things come to those who wait and all that jazz.
There have been a number of dystopian series published in the years since, but I still think that this is one of the better crafted and sophisticated ones will always remain one of my benchmarks in terms of character building and development. Ruby is one of the most realistic protagonists when it comes to self-consciousness and self awareness. And I won’t even start on the swoony-ness of Liam or the adorableness of Chubs or cuteness of Suzume and so on. Seriously, if you are at all interested in dystopias and haven’t read this series, do so before the movie hits theatres next year. Or wait a little until the special editions with the bonus content are published ... in January 2018 ... how big is you TBR?
Are you waiting for the announcement of a movie for one of your favourite books? Do you have any frustrating optioned but not pursued cases? Share thoughts and your teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 18 July 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Legion by Julie Kagawa.
Looking at my reading log I came to realise that this is the 15th book I’ve read by Julie Kagawa. When did this happen? I don’t want to compare her series with each other because they each have different strengths and weaknesses, but overall you can clearly see her development as a writer as her stories are now much more plot driven (at least in my opinion, even though I really still miss Ash and Puck from her very first series).
I don’t often make remarks on my reading during the process of it. Usually because I am too busy reading and dont’t want to interrupt the flow ... along with several other overly involved reasons. I made an exception for this one as you may have seen on Twitter last week. At one point I really had to put down the book and take a breather. I’m not a squeamish reader (as opposed to viewer that’s totally different, go figure), or at least I wouldn’t think that I am, and graphic scenes of whatever calibre wouldn’t deter me from reading on. However, there I have so far discovered two things that are really difficult for me to get through: One of them relates to things that involve eyes and the other is anything that messes with a person’s brain/mind. Maybe some deep rooted fear because I’m such a head person, who knows. So yeah, that happened ... Nevertheless, this of course couldn’t keep me from the book for long as I simply had to read on.
The previous book ended on a Major Cliffhanger (note capitalisation, not a joke. I need to stop doing this to myself, otherwise medicine might soon have its first proven case of bookish cardiac arrhythmia, possibly flutter or rupture ...). and thankfully it’s resolved fairly quickly in this one. Not that this means the reader gets a break or that there is any slack in the tension. And then that twist where I had to take a short break because my brain rebelled at the thought of what was happening. I honestly don’t know if I could have read on if that had gone any longer than it did. Still gives me the shivers. And it might not even be that bad for other readers, but in my personal book this comes very close to my ultimate nightmare hell, don’t judge and I won’t hold your fear of moths against you (points if you know the book I’m referencing).
The end is not a cliffhanger of the capital letter variety, but it ramps up enough tension for the final book ...which of course is another year away. Story of my (reading) life. There better not be a funeral at the beginning of that one!
Now that we’ve talked about personal nightmare hells ... or at least I have, why not share some of your most beloved paradise dreams (or hells, if you really wish to do so) 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!
Legion by Julie Kagawa.
 |
| Legion – Harlequin TEEN |
“If my plan was to lead you into a trap, it would be rather silly for me to open the prison cell, where you were already trapped, and let you out, wouldn’t it?”
— Chapter 25
“Even though they’re supposed to be mortal enemies who hate each other. Like the Montagues and Capulets.”
“If Romeo didn’t die from poison,” I finished. “And Juliet was a fire-breathing dragon.”
— Chapter 36
Looking at my reading log I came to realise that this is the 15th book I’ve read by Julie Kagawa. When did this happen? I don’t want to compare her series with each other because they each have different strengths and weaknesses, but overall you can clearly see her development as a writer as her stories are now much more plot driven (at least in my opinion, even though I really still miss Ash and Puck from her very first series).
I don’t often make remarks on my reading during the process of it. Usually because I am too busy reading and dont’t want to interrupt the flow ... along with several other overly involved reasons. I made an exception for this one as you may have seen on Twitter last week. At one point I really had to put down the book and take a breather. I’m not a squeamish reader (as opposed to viewer that’s totally different, go figure), or at least I wouldn’t think that I am, and graphic scenes of whatever calibre wouldn’t deter me from reading on. However, there I have so far discovered two things that are really difficult for me to get through: One of them relates to things that involve eyes and the other is anything that messes with a person’s brain/mind. Maybe some deep rooted fear because I’m such a head person, who knows. So yeah, that happened ... Nevertheless, this of course couldn’t keep me from the book for long as I simply had to read on.
The previous book ended on a Major Cliffhanger (note capitalisation, not a joke. I need to stop doing this to myself, otherwise medicine might soon have its first proven case of bookish cardiac arrhythmia, possibly flutter or rupture ...). and thankfully it’s resolved fairly quickly in this one. Not that this means the reader gets a break or that there is any slack in the tension. And then that twist where I had to take a short break because my brain rebelled at the thought of what was happening. I honestly don’t know if I could have read on if that had gone any longer than it did. Still gives me the shivers. And it might not even be that bad for other readers, but in my personal book this comes very close to my ultimate nightmare hell, don’t judge and I won’t hold your fear of moths against you (points if you know the book I’m referencing).
The end is not a cliffhanger of the capital letter variety, but it ramps up enough tension for the final book ...which of course is another year away. Story of my (reading) life. There better not be a funeral at the beginning of that one!
Now that we’ve talked about personal nightmare hells ... or at least I have, why not share some of your most beloved paradise dreams (or hells, if you really wish to do so) along with your teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 11 July 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West.
Show of hands: Who has ever doodled on their table during a boring lecture? I’m not going to rat you out, no worries. But now imagine that when you came back to that table someone else had replied to your thoughts to the void. As a minor queen of tragic passed notes romance (thanks for that random remembrance embarrassment) this idea of anonymous communication immediately appealed to me.
The endgame is maybe a little too obvious, but in my opinion for this kind of book it’s more of a journey rather than destiny kind of thing. And in this case the journey is quietly remarkable. Lily is at the same time the relatable heroine for the quiet, stuck in their own head book nerd, yet she can also be so frustratingly dense. I don’t know how often I wanted to shake her to get her act together and consider the wider picture ... but that’s also to beauty of it, because in reality who does that? Stepping back from our frog’s perspective on the situation that is our personal life. It’s possibly the hardest thing to do, if not quite impossible to accomplish completely. That’s what books are for and I enjoyed how this one explored and toyed with the experience.
This one firmly belongs on a Summer Reads list. Do you have any recent books to add? 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!
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West.
 |
| P.S. Like You – Point |
“When I was dating, my girlfriends and I used to say, ‘Don’t cry in front of him before date three.’”
“Cry?” I echoed, frowning.
“Yeah. Guys gets skittish when you cry.”
“I don’t think I have to worry about that one.”
“You don’t cry?”
“I don’t make it to date three.”
— Chapter 15
So had we called a truce or not? Sealing a truce with insults didn’t seem like a very promising start.
— Chapter 30
Show of hands: Who has ever doodled on their table during a boring lecture? I’m not going to rat you out, no worries. But now imagine that when you came back to that table someone else had replied to your thoughts to the void. As a minor queen of tragic passed notes romance (thanks for that random remembrance embarrassment) this idea of anonymous communication immediately appealed to me.
The endgame is maybe a little too obvious, but in my opinion for this kind of book it’s more of a journey rather than destiny kind of thing. And in this case the journey is quietly remarkable. Lily is at the same time the relatable heroine for the quiet, stuck in their own head book nerd, yet she can also be so frustratingly dense. I don’t know how often I wanted to shake her to get her act together and consider the wider picture ... but that’s also to beauty of it, because in reality who does that? Stepping back from our frog’s perspective on the situation that is our personal life. It’s possibly the hardest thing to do, if not quite impossible to accomplish completely. That’s what books are for and I enjoyed how this one explored and toyed with the experience.
This one firmly belongs on a Summer Reads list. Do you have any recent books to add? Share ideas and teasers in the comments!
Tuesday 4 July 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Once and for All by Sarah Dessen.
Who doesn’t love a June wedding ... right? The wedding planner if you ask them to pull this off in less than a year. At least if you want a high production thing like apparently all the people in this book. But the nice thing about this is that we get to read all about the hassle and fun of planning said weddings in addition to witnessing two cute teenagers dance around and fall all over each other in the course of it.
If this is your first Sarah Dessen novel (what have you been reading these past years?!), don’t expect this to be a fluffy, glitzy beach read. Sarah Dessen has yet to let me down in delivering a lovable cast of characters and a sweet romance with a profound back story. The same goes for witty banter and amusing misconceptions. The narration is split into a present and a past timeline, which expertly feed into each other. Of course, Sarah Dessen never just has a simple background for her characters but this one? Let’s just say the flash backs alone had me swooning and then very nearly destroyed me. But there’s also the healing part, which I also appreciated for its thoughtful and realistically slow approach in combination with the growing relationship between the two main characters.
I know that the author was worried about this book after being in the business for so long, but this is definitely not her swan song. If anything it’s yet another step up that ladder. To end with another common collocation here: Sky’s the limit.
Contemporary YA isn’t always my brand, apart from a few trusted authors. Have you discovered new contemp authors you’d recommend? Share your findings 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!
Once and for All by Sarah Dessen.
 |
| Once and for All – Viking |
He was like that upside-down exclamation point at the beginning of a sentence in Spanish, the mere appearance of which warned of something complicated ahead.
— Chapter 2
So many things we ask for, hope for, prayers put out into a world so wide: there was no way they could all be answered. But you had to keep asking. If you didn’t, nothing even had a chance of coming true.
— Chapter 23
Who doesn’t love a June wedding ... right? The wedding planner if you ask them to pull this off in less than a year. At least if you want a high production thing like apparently all the people in this book. But the nice thing about this is that we get to read all about the hassle and fun of planning said weddings in addition to witnessing two cute teenagers dance around and fall all over each other in the course of it.
If this is your first Sarah Dessen novel (what have you been reading these past years?!), don’t expect this to be a fluffy, glitzy beach read. Sarah Dessen has yet to let me down in delivering a lovable cast of characters and a sweet romance with a profound back story. The same goes for witty banter and amusing misconceptions. The narration is split into a present and a past timeline, which expertly feed into each other. Of course, Sarah Dessen never just has a simple background for her characters but this one? Let’s just say the flash backs alone had me swooning and then very nearly destroyed me. But there’s also the healing part, which I also appreciated for its thoughtful and realistically slow approach in combination with the growing relationship between the two main characters.
I know that the author was worried about this book after being in the business for so long, but this is definitely not her swan song. If anything it’s yet another step up that ladder. To end with another common collocation here: Sky’s the limit.
Contemporary YA isn’t always my brand, apart from a few trusted authors. Have you discovered new contemp authors you’d recommend? Share your findings and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 27 June 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas.
Is there a limit on potentially soul-crushing books you can read in a row? Seeing that this is the third book in the series and somewhat of a break (although there are three more books to come) I was slightly optimistic that the end wouldn’t completely destroy me. However, before you get to that end there are 700 pages where you can convince yourself that everything is about to go to hell. Repeatedly. I loved the second book in this series so much and have re-read passages of it over and over, so the bar for this was incredibly high and I don’t blame the book that it doesn’t quite (in my opinion) live up to its precursor. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a great, amazing, breathtaking read, but that one final ingredient that would make it magical is somehow missing. And I couldn’t even tell you what would be needed to make it so. Maybe A Court of Mist and Fury just broke the mold.
Anyway, back to the everything is going to hell part: I’m in awe of the author who can set up a scenario where you care so much about the fate of a fictional world that you constantly worry about it when you can’t read about it (pesky real life again getting in the way of reading time). And the real art is giving glimpses of hope in this horror scenario that then turn out to be spinning everything even closer to total destruction.
It would always have been too early for me to let go of this cast of characters, but I hope that in the books to come they won’t be completely absent. I am wondering though about the significance of certain fighting characters because what happens when such ancient beings with arguably important roles suddenly cease to be able to participate in the running of the world? (Vague enough?)
We’re almost at the exact halfway point of the year, how is your reading pile shaping up? Do you tend to read more or less in the second half of the year? Share your observations and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas.
 |
| A Court of Wings and Ruin – Bloomsbury Children’s Books |
She complained that I was flying deliberately slow. So I went fast.
— Chapter 24
My knife clattered to the stones and snow. And I looked into the mirror.
— Chapter 68
Is there a limit on potentially soul-crushing books you can read in a row? Seeing that this is the third book in the series and somewhat of a break (although there are three more books to come) I was slightly optimistic that the end wouldn’t completely destroy me. However, before you get to that end there are 700 pages where you can convince yourself that everything is about to go to hell. Repeatedly. I loved the second book in this series so much and have re-read passages of it over and over, so the bar for this was incredibly high and I don’t blame the book that it doesn’t quite (in my opinion) live up to its precursor. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a great, amazing, breathtaking read, but that one final ingredient that would make it magical is somehow missing. And I couldn’t even tell you what would be needed to make it so. Maybe A Court of Mist and Fury just broke the mold.
Anyway, back to the everything is going to hell part: I’m in awe of the author who can set up a scenario where you care so much about the fate of a fictional world that you constantly worry about it when you can’t read about it (pesky real life again getting in the way of reading time). And the real art is giving glimpses of hope in this horror scenario that then turn out to be spinning everything even closer to total destruction.
It would always have been too early for me to let go of this cast of characters, but I hope that in the books to come they won’t be completely absent. I am wondering though about the significance of certain fighting characters because what happens when such ancient beings with arguably important roles suddenly cease to be able to participate in the running of the world? (Vague enough?)
We’re almost at the exact halfway point of the year, how is your reading pile shaping up? Do you tend to read more or less in the second half of the year? Share your observations and teasers in the comments.
Tuesday 20 June 2017
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare.
Since this is a second book in a series I won’t say anything about the plot, because everything – and I mean everything – is a potential spoiler that’s how complex and intricately connected all of it is. Sort of blink and you miss a reference. But I will say this: If there was a possibility to safeguard my heart by keeping it outside my body while reading, I would do it. If Cassie Clare gets any better at what she does, she will obliterate me in one of her next books. And while we’re on the topic of obliteration: The word cliffhanger called and says it no longer wants to be associated with Shadowhunter books and will send its older brother suicidal free falling to take on the job. I know that things have to get worse before they get better in these books, but there is worse and there is traumatised-rocking-in-the-corner worse.
It’s been said before that you don’t need to have read all series to understand the others, but I’m completely in love with the glimpses and allusions to the other beloved characters and the glimpses into their lives. Yet at the same time that also means they are not safe. And that is one aspect that really has me worried. Yes, I want to know how they are faring, but at the same time I realise that also means in this world they will remain in danger. The same would be true if their book simply ended and I never heard of them again from a logical aspect yet this feels more immediate. Please, please, please let that one vision not be a literal one ...
And now it’s going to be an almost impossibly long wait for the final book, because Cassie is writing others before it. Perfect for coming up with ever more intricate doomsday scenarios fed by information added through the Queen of Suspense and Foreshadowing. So don’t mind me while I’m hurtling through empty space and try to come to terms with what happened. If there is one thing you need to be aware of with these books, it’s that you shouldn’t let your guard down (or let that treacherous hope off the leash) until the book is over. Seriously, this is at least the second time Cassie has done this to me on the last few pages.
What is the last book that has emotionally devastated you? Were you prepared for it or has it blindsided you? Share experiences 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!
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare.
 |
| Lord of Shadows – Margaret K. McElderry Books |
We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don’t wish you didn’t fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn’t feel anything.
— Chapter 7
I think you cannot root out love entirely. I think where there has been love, there will always be embers, as the remains of a bonfire outlast the flame.
— Chapter 20
Since this is a second book in a series I won’t say anything about the plot, because everything – and I mean everything – is a potential spoiler that’s how complex and intricately connected all of it is. Sort of blink and you miss a reference. But I will say this: If there was a possibility to safeguard my heart by keeping it outside my body while reading, I would do it. If Cassie Clare gets any better at what she does, she will obliterate me in one of her next books. And while we’re on the topic of obliteration: The word cliffhanger called and says it no longer wants to be associated with Shadowhunter books and will send its older brother suicidal free falling to take on the job. I know that things have to get worse before they get better in these books, but there is worse and there is traumatised-rocking-in-the-corner worse.
It’s been said before that you don’t need to have read all series to understand the others, but I’m completely in love with the glimpses and allusions to the other beloved characters and the glimpses into their lives. Yet at the same time that also means they are not safe. And that is one aspect that really has me worried. Yes, I want to know how they are faring, but at the same time I realise that also means in this world they will remain in danger. The same would be true if their book simply ended and I never heard of them again from a logical aspect yet this feels more immediate. Please, please, please let that one vision not be a literal one ...
And now it’s going to be an almost impossibly long wait for the final book, because Cassie is writing others before it. Perfect for coming up with ever more intricate doomsday scenarios fed by information added through the Queen of Suspense and Foreshadowing. So don’t mind me while I’m hurtling through empty space and try to come to terms with what happened. If there is one thing you need to be aware of with these books, it’s that you shouldn’t let your guard down (or let that treacherous hope off the leash) until the book is over. Seriously, this is at least the second time Cassie has done this to me on the last few pages.
What is the last book that has emotionally devastated you? Were you prepared for it or has it blindsided you? Share experiences and teasers in the comments!
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