I got some new books!

December 31, 2011

I stopped by The Grove today and suddenly found myself in the bookstore. As you can imagine, I had to buy something.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Paperback321 pages
Published April 5th 2011 by Speak 
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . . Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage. Told in alternating voices from two YA superstars, this collaborative novel features a double helping of the heart and humor that have won them both legions of fans.


Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Paperback372 pages
Published December 2nd 2010 by Penguin Group (USA)
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson, Rachel Wetzston (Introduction)

Paperback361 pages
Published October 12th 2003 by Barnes & Noble Classics (first published 1924

Includes an index of first lines.


 








Volia! I've already read the first two, but as you can imagine it was buy 2 get 1 free and I just had to have them! Plus, who can resist a John Green novel?

Viva la Bookworm Video Reviews

December 26, 2011

Review: Paranormalacy by Kristen Wigg

Paranormalcy by 

(Paranormalcy #1)

Hardcover, US, 335 pages
Published August 2010 by HarperTeen

Rating:





Summary: 


Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal. 
Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. 
So much for normal
My Thoughts:

I honestly had really high hopes for this book. Really high. And I suppose that was the problem, because Paranormalcy was just okay. Evie seems to have it great at first. An action packed life filled with adventure and danger. But as you learn more about her and the career she's fulfilling, things get darker and we learn that all isn't as it appears. Then there's Reth who I thought was fine until you realise very early on that he's out of the question. Finally, there's Lend, her love interest who never looks the same and is constantly changing - literally.


I wouldn't say that there was anything completely wrong with it. I just didn't think the writing was superb, the character's weren't all that they could have, and the flow was out of sync for me.


What I Liked:

  • The Story. It  was really interesting and unique, and quite frankly I would kill for her job. 
  • Lend. Her love interest in the story who seems to changes into one hot guy after another.
  • The Conflict. The antagonist can either be seen as a multitude of people and Evie and Lend's fight to overcome and survive makes the story really exciting.
  • The Creatures. What would I give for my best friend to be a mermaid.
What I Didn't Like:
  • The Shows. I didn't understand why she had to be completely obsessed with her teen high school drama.
  • Tasey. That's right, she names her pink taser 'Tasey'. 
  • Relationships. It seemed almost too easy for Lend and Evie to get together. 
  • Evie. I didn't hate her, but if she went to my school I would know for a fact that we wouldn't get along. Plus she seemed like a total Mary Sue.
Should You Read It?
If you like reading about interesting creatures, cute romances, vampires, mermaids, teenage angst, and a bucket load of pink (was it me or was there a lot of it?) then by all means. Everyone else seems to enjoy it. 

Cover:   5 Stars
It's so pretty!




Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

(All Souls Trilogy #1)

Hardcover, 579 pages
Published February 8th 2011 by Viking Adult

Rating:   4 Stars


Summary: 

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. 
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell. 
Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.
My Thoughts:

I have to say that when I first got this book I had never heard of it before. I was at my library looking through my new book section, thought it looked interesting, and took it home. It really was a pleasant surprise to realise that I had found a little treasure trove of awesomeness in the novel I had picked up. Granted, it did take me a while to finish (it's pretty big), but I finished it none less. Diana, a powerful witch who refuses to use her powers, teams up with Matthew Clairmont to protect an old book that may hide the key to not only vampire's existence, but for witches and dameons alike. 

It really was a great book with a really interesting plot. There's just enough of romance and really juicy historical facts to keep you going and the many characters are always nice. It does have some downers, like the fact that the ending leaves you hanging and the fact that there are moments in the book that make you want to throw in down or fall asleep. But I think because it's so large it makes up for its disappointments. 

What I liked about it:
  • The Story. It was really different from anything that I had read recently and definitely refreshing. I like to think that there really are witches and vampires out there.
  • The Romance. Diana and Matthew have that romance that we all want to have. If they ever make this into a movie I nominate Richard Armitage for Matthew!
  • The History. Considering that the author's a history professor at USC, the stuff in the novel was really interesting and I could relate a lot of what was mentioned with the knowledge of the time period they spoke of.
  • The Characters. There were so many and each was a interesting as the next with rich history (the main characters anyways).
HIGHLIGHTED CONTAINS SPOILERS 

What I didn't like about it:
  • The "In-between" Scenes. Between the main events of the little multiple climaxes of the story there seemed to be resting periods for the characters. Not that I mind, but simply nothing happened and there didn't seem to be much plot development. There's only so much I can take of horse back riding.
  • The Minor Characters. There were some really interesting people that never got to be explored. 
  • The Yoga. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against it. But there's so much of it and it does nothing for the story. It's like the author just put it there so she could introduce new settings.
  • The French. Because some of the characters are french the author felt like it would be cool to write some of the passages in french. Now, I take french in school, but I still had to visit Google Translate for some of the lengthier passages.
  • The Kidnapping. You'd think in a house full of vampires and witches she wouldn't get kidnapped. 
Should You Read it?
If you're in for a long read that's filled with romance, historical tidbits, and an interesting story line, that go for it. 

Cover Rating:  3.5 Stars
Not the prettiest thing out there, but it does grab you attention.



Happy Holidays!

December 25, 2011

I know you probably won't read this, but seeing as Christmas is very nearly over and the New Years celebrations are about to begin, I thought, why not start up the old book blog again, eh? That should be my thing


So yeah... here there it is. My New Years resolution for 2012. Read and blog more! 


I've also just watched Doctor Who and I'm emotional right now. That show really gets my tear ducts going. 


Anywho, watch out for me in the coming year and even a little bit before then too. I have a lot to catch up on. 


Have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
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