Viva la Bookworm

March 19, 2011

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published August 10th 2010 by Razorbill

Rating:

5 stars

Summary:

Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother's house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

When ever I'm looking for a new book to read, I don't normally go for the reincarnation themed loved stories -not after my experience with Evermore- but the hype surrounding this book and it's plot sounded really interesting. What I didn't expect was what it actually was: an amazing, original piece of literature. It's a story of mystery, romance, and a hint of fantasy with unexpected surprises around every turn. It's just really, really, really, really awesome and before you know it, it becomes one of those books that you won't be able to put down.

What I Loved About It:

The first part of the book is set in Haven's tiny home town of Snope City, Tennessee where we're first introduced to the characters. Miller's writing is charming and really draws you in, getting to to care for -or in some cases- hate characters right away.
I now it might sound weird, but I really liked Haven's uber religious and extremely mean grandmother, Imogen. I hated her with a passion, and because of that, I got really involved with the book.
I loved Beau, Haven's gay best friend. He was so nice and became an awesome addition to the plot.
Now, Iain Morrow. What can I say? Is it weird that I'm completely in love with this fictional character? Dreamy, mysterious, rich, and a seemingly nice person.
The plot twists in the novel were unexpected and every chapter you had no idea what to expect.
The Ouroboros Society was an interesting component. Something that seems really plausible. :)
The ending.

What I Didn't Really Like About It:

(As I write this, I can't really find much I don't like about it. But I'm sure I can think of something...)

A lot of the people in her home town get on your nerves really easily.
Some of the characters seem really unbelievable and really shallow.
I would've liked to read more about Leah and her church. She helped Haven a lot and we don't really learn much about her.
Some of the dialogue kinda sucked, especially the southern expressions and such.
I didn't get to see as much Rebecca and Adam as I would have liked.
That priest guy, Dr. Tidmore, personality change was weird...

Is it Worth the Read?

If you want an interesting mystery with equally interesting characters and an awesome plot, it's definitely worth the read.

Cover: 3 stars

I didn't actually realise the cover was a snake until I read about what it symbolized. Plus, it's kinda plain...

March 17, 2011

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

Hardcover

184 pages

Published October 27th 2009

by Farrar Straus Giroux

Rating:

3.5 Stars

Summary:

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?
With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

It had been one of those weeks were I really couldn't get into a book. Everything I picked up lost my interest instantaneously. Maybe it was school, maybe it was the family, but it really doesn't matter. I came back right after I finished this book. I have to admit, I was kind of hesitant. As much as I loved the cover, I was worried it wouldn't be something I'd like because it's really short.

The story is told from first person POV. Jane, our main character is an "equal opportunity ditcher", spending her time away from her classes working at a coffee shop and studying the relationship that drinks have with people. Before she knows it she's setting people up and becoming the local matchmaker.

What I loved about it:

The entire concept of the story was too cute to resist. Coffee and Love? As cliche as it may seem you can't resist it.
Jane seems like someone you can really relate to. She's not perfect and can sometimes be sorta thick headed. But, in the end, she's just like everyone else.
Throughout the book you get to learn new coffee terms and what she thinks of each person that drinks it. My favorite:

Small Pumpkin Spice Latte

Lots of fun and a bit sassy. Up-to-date with a the latest trend and has a bit of an exotic flair. Wants to have a good time and not be tied down for long. Cute and playful. Likes a good thing but not too much of a good thing. Not the commitment type. She's the kind of friend who is a lot of fun to hang out with and doesn't make you feel like you owe her anything...

The various love stories that go about along with the many different characters she gets to meet.

What I Didn't Like

Jane and Em got on my nerves sometimes...
You'd expect that the matchmaker herself would hook up but you don't know whether the one guy she likes is a douche or even likes her at all. Then she gets with someone unexpected and your like: "WHAT?!"
You can't believe that some of the characters are that stupid.
Some what unbelievable -cute- but unbelievable.
A lot of characters are introduced and you'd expect to get to know them better, but they don't really amount to anything. I guess, this being a short book you'd expect that, but still...

Should You Read It?