tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47453260063998485992024-02-21T07:05:32.398+02:00Every Flavour BooksEvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-7713160574985147982013-08-25T09:00:00.000+03:002013-08-25T09:00:06.265+03:00Review: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1345685973l/15795357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eleanor and Park" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1345685973l/15795357.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15795357-eleanor-and-park" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Title: Eleanor
& Park<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Author: Rainbow
Rowell<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Series: no<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Published: 2012 by
Orion Books<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Source of book: the
library<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Synopsis from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15795357-eleanor-and-park" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<em><span id="freeTextContainer2352225952722495841"></span></em><br />
<em><span>Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.</span> </em><br />
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<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">MY REVIEW<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes I fail to
recall how strongly a really good novel can affect a person. How it can dazzle,
make you sizzle, break your heart, melt your brains, gently make you forget
where you are and what the time is. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eleanor
and Park</i> reminded me. This is the love story of the decade, maybe even the
century, a new Romeo and Juliet. I would like to thrust this book into any
romance-lover’s hands immediately… or anyone’s hands, really… For me this novel
was as close to flawless as any novel can be.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">Eleanor</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She is quirky, with
her mismatched outfits, ribbons tied around her wrists and a shocking tangle of
crimson hair. She is strong, facing her everyday life of poverty and a fear of
abuse. And yet she is lonely, a new girl at school, friendless and hiding her
life that is full of misery and anxiety.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All of these and more are the
reasons I love Eleanor and truly felt for her situation. Her worries concerning
her weight, her stepfather and her home balanced by her love of books and
music, and her growing feelings for the boy next to her on the school bus make
her appealing to the reader and a very much realistic, fully three-dimensional
character. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">Park<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Park starts off as
an average guy – never messing with the school bully, reading comics and
listening to his Walkman. Maybe the reason I found Park such an amazing
character was that he definitely isn’t perfect. He cares about his reputation
in the eyes of his classmates and doesn’t think positively or kindly about
everyone at all times. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All in all, Park feels like a
real, normal guy, not some Edward Cullenish supernatural freak, and that honest
portrayal of him makes him exceedingly likeable – maybe because I relate to
having faults like his. However, he develops as a person, and that makes him
admirable as well, and the progress happens at a realistic pace. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #ffc1ff; font-family: "Adobe Heiti Std R","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">The story<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rainbow Rowell’s
talent in telling the story of Eleanor and Park has without a doubt woken my
interests in becoming acquainted with the rest of her works. The pacing of the
story is wonderful and unrushed and the profound thoughts throughout the novel
resonated with me strongly. Due to the characters’ convincing backgrounds,
personalities and conversations I truly felt like I was reading a true story
about true people. Nothing felt exaggerated, overly polished or improbable and
I delighted in that.</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps the very best aspect of this incredibly
well-written story was the web of relationships between characters – and the
best of all was the slowly growing romance between Eleanor and Park. I can
safely say that this pair is one of my top five favourites in literature and that
their tale will stay in my heart for years. I beg those readers who have not
yet had the chance to fall in love with this couple to give them a chance – I
am certain many of you will be enchanted, like I was, by the very first page.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><br />
<o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: #ffc1ff; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">5/5
The best book I have read all summer – sweet, almost bittersweet contemporary
romance that touched my heart and made me cry!</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #ffc1ff; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span></strong></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<strong><span style="color: #ffc1ff; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-24533818123106388022013-08-11T09:00:00.000+03:002013-08-11T09:00:01.555+03:00Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320508797l/9361589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Night Circus" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320508797l/9361589.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Title: The Night
Circus<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Author: Erin
Morgenstern<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Series: no<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Published: 2011 by
Vintage Books (Random House)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Source of book: I
bought it<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: "Blackadder ITC"; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Synopsis
from </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Goodreads</span></a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span></i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span id="freeText9675121405368459212"><em>The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. <br /><br /> But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. <br /><br />True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. <br /><br />Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.</em><a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus#"></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span></i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span></i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: "Blackadder ITC"; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">My
review</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span></i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">The Night Circus</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"> dumbfounded me. I imagined it would be
something quite different – more normal, or predictable, or such – but it
snatched my expectations away and shook them until they fell into pieces at my
feet. And then it enchanted them into a flock of pure white doves…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Blackadder ITC"; font-size: 26pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="color: black;">The plot<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The beginning piqued my curiosity immediately by its uniqueness and
somehow, vagueness (as though it places key hints but reveals, in fact,
nothing) – a magician and a curious grey-suited man meet and make a magically
binding deal involving the magician’s daughter and another, not yet chosen
child. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">From that moment on
Morgenstern starts to spin a fantastical tale which feels slow at first,
introducing the reader to people and their stories at a gradual pace. After a
while I grew used to this style of writing and it felt natural concerning the
storyline and the era. I became invested in practically all the characters’
little intertwining stories, and was hungrily curious to what it would all add
up to in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It has to be said
that this novel has a complex, convoluted, sometimes nearly confusingly immense
and multifaceted plot, involving thousands of little twists, hints and details.
Sometimes this felt unnecessary, like there was too much information and detail
to digest, but sometimes, as the storylines gradually twisted themselves
together, it felt just right. In many ways it suits the circus because it is,
as well, convoluted and complicated, and yet an entity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Blackadder ITC"; font-size: 26pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="color: black;">The world-building<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And oh, how I love the circus… I dream to experience such magic. The
main setting to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Night Circus</i> is
of course Le Cirque de Rêves, and I applaud Morgenstern for this astounding,
simply spellbinding venue. The circus is quite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other</i>, and I love its strangeness, the tangible magic that can be
sensed inside its perimeter, all the different performers and tents. The
imagination behind it all strikes me silent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The late nineteenth
century was described well, in my opinion. Though I am no professional in this
time period it felt to me like the historical setting burst from the pages. I
liked to watch the circus move around, as well, through many different countries,
though the different cultures of its destinations could have been brought to
light more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Blackadder ITC"; font-size: 26pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="color: black;">The characters<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">With a unique circus there have to be unique people. In that aspect, I wasn’t
disappointed and found the personalities of the characters to be diverse and
intriguing. Perhaps they weren’t all exactly likeable, but I was interested by
their roles in the story and their relation to the circus. The main characters
Celia and Marco were appealing to me, and I became fond of the twins,
Bailey and the clockmaker Thiessen.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">Though I had the impression that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Night Circus</i> was a love story, I
personally think after reading it that it isn’t, really. It’s true that there
is a romance aspect but in my opinion the circus itself is the core of the
story. This wasn’t a bad thing; I enjoyed reading about a non-living thing
being so crucial to a novel.</span><span style="font-family: "Blackadder ITC"; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">4-/5 Though sometimes a bit long-winded, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Night Circus</i> is a feat of awe-inspiring imagination and a novel
that enchants!</span></strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-7827206790400853712013-06-27T08:00:00.000+03:002013-08-10T21:18:52.729+03:00Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1323448113l/10429092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1323448113l/10429092.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10429092-the-girl-of-fire-and-thorns" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Author: Rae Carson<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Series: Fire and Thorns trilogy #1<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Published: 2011 by Gollancz (Orion Publishing Group)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Where I got the book from: the library</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rating: 5/5<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Matura MT Script Capitals"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Synopsis from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10429092-the-girl-of-fire-and-thorns" target="_blank">Goodreads<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><o:p><span id="freeText13660051231159824572"><em><strong>Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.</strong><br />Elisa is the chosen one. <br /><br />But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will. <br /><br />Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.<br /><br />And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.<br /><br />Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.<br /><br />Most of the chosen do.</em></span></o:p></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Matura MT Script Capitals"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: accent5;">My thoughts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There has been a lot of hype in the blogosphere about Rae
Carson’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girl of Fire and Thorns</i> and
I had my hopes very high for this first novel in a fantasy trilogy. I am so
glad to say that Elisa’s story mesmerized me from the very first chapter and
without doubt lived up to my expectations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being an overweight princess, outshined by a beautiful
and wise sister and practically ignored by her father is not the easiest fate
for Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza, and it is no less challenging for her to also be
God’s chosen one, the Godstone bearer which is selected every one hundred
years. When Elisa is abruptly married off to the king of a neighbouring land on
her birthday, everything changes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girl of
Fire and Thorns</i> is as much of a story of a young girl’s evolution from
overshadowed into admired as a unique fantasy adventure with riveting
characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have a weak spot for fictional approaches to religion –
not quite sure why I find it such an appealing aspect as I am not a
particularly religious person myself – and this novel definitely aced that part.
The Godstones, the rituals, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scriptura
Sancta </i>and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Belleza Guerra</i> are
all so well thought out, original and convincing that I can only give praise to
Carson’s imagination. The different sides to and interpretations of faith are
also thought-provokingly written.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moreover, Carson’s writing is fresh and appealing; I
couldn’t get enough of it. While traditional high fantasy novels tend to have
long and detailed descriptions, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girl of
Fire and Thorns </i>uses a more modern style with crisp, to-the-point prose
with vibrant vocabulary that creates an engaging tale and a vivid series of
images in the reader’s mind. The settings, tangible and constructed with skill,
were amazing and definitely an aspect that is core to the novel. Orovalle,
Brisadulce, the desert… It was all intoxicating, fascinating because the
world-building is amazingly believable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The cast of characters is diverse and their actions
pleasantly unforeseeable. Though I never actually felt a bond with Lady Aneaxi,
the rest of the characters have depth, interesting agendas and distinct
personalities. I especially appreciate the way Ximena and Cosmé are gradually
introduced and given well-fleshed personalities. Most of all I love Elisa
herself – somehow I find her immensely relatable, likeable and admirable, and
it was encouraging to witness how she changes as a person. The challenges she encounters, both within herself and physically, made her someone to sympathize with, especially as she succeeds in defeating fears, insecurities and difficult problems. The romantic interest – whose name I won’t
mention in fear of spoiling – didn’t dazzle me, but I like the person and
think that what eventually happens is a surprising and actually good turn of
events - this hardly ever occurs in books. In the following instalments I want
to find out more about Lord Hector because he seems so steadfast and
intelligent. I'd love it if Ximena also got more action! </span></div>
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</span><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If I have to find some flaw, then it is that though I
love the title, I can’t quite comprehend what it’s relation to the story is,
meaning that it’s not obvious or anything. I suppose I have my own theory about
what it could mean but usually I prefer titles that make clear sense after reading
the book. Of course this is only my own opinion and somebody else could argue
that the title is perfect for this novel. Another concern I do have is that
what happened to a certain character in the very end was rather convenient in a
way, perhaps a little too neat – I might have preferred that this would not
have taken place at least not just yet. On the other hand, this could be
another situation that matures Elisa and gives her new opportunities to prove
herself. However, these two things that I wasn’t entirely satisfied with in no
way changed my experience or overall opinion of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Girl of Fire and Thorns</i> and I can say with confidence that it
is one of my favourite fantasy reads this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>
</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>5/5 Exotic fantasy and an unconventional main
character, along with vibrantly described scenery and a brilliant story
itself!</strong></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">-Eve</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-28762344990769681192013-06-20T08:00:00.000+03:002013-06-20T08:00:01.727+03:00Mini Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322969710l/10668038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Virtuosity" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322969710l/10668038.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source:<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10668038-virtuosity" target="_blank"> Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: Virtuosity</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Jessica Martinez</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Series: no</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published: 2011 by Simon Pulse (Simon and Schuster) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where I got the book from: the library<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Synopsis: </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10668038-virtuosity" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span>Rating: 3/5 </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carmen is estranged from the world of ordinary teenagers,
stuck in a life full of music with her strict mother, kind stepfather and grumpy violin teacher being her only company. Not the most original premise for a book,
perhaps, but honestly I haven’t read that many music-centred books (namely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If I Stay</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where She Went</i>) so I thought I’d give this one a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carmen is working hard to achieve her greatest dream,
winning the prestigious Guarneri music competition that would certainly
guarantee her career as a violinist. Her mother, an ex-musician, has always pressed her to do more than her best. However, vying for victory is also another
virtuoso, Jeremy King, an obnoxious guy of her age. Carmen’s emotional
struggles were described well enough, and I absolutely loved the passion evoked
into the passages about music, but the plot didn’t whirl me away in ecstasy. I
also was a little sceptical towards the romance – it was definitely insta-love,
basically changing in the space of a few hours from near hate into a complete crush. Despite the fact that Carmen has no previous
experience of boys I find it unrealistic for her to fall head over heels a few hours after she meets a specimen of the opposite gender, especially if thirty pages before she's thinking of him as a "complete jackass". <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Regardless of my issues with the romance plot, I found <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Virtuosity </i>entertaining and worth
reading. An interesting twist was Carmen’s stage fright and Inderal addiction,
especially because it caused a contrast in what music was supposed to give her
– passion and joy – and what kind of affect taking the Inderal actually had on
her playing – an hollow, empty feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In short, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Virtuosity</i>
didn’t actually bore me, although for me it doesn’t stand out among contemporary YA novels.
The importance of music was portrayed beautifully but the romance felt lacking
and unrealistic with its insta-love qualities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-size: large;"><strong>3/5 Though I don't love this novel, the music aspect is very well-written!</strong></span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-44015823557184477992013-06-14T08:00:00.000+03:002013-06-14T08:00:02.903+03:00Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873479l/7824322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Between Shades of Gray" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873479l/7824322.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Title: Between Shades of Gray<br />
Author: Ruta Sepetys<br />
Series: no<br />
Published: 2011 by Philomel Books and Puffin Books<br />
Source of book: the library<br />
Rating: 3.5/5<br />
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<span style="color: #93cddd; font-family: "High Tower Text","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #93CDDD; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=60000 lumo=40000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent5; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themetint: 153;">SYNOPSIS FROM <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.<span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: #92cddc; font-family: "High Tower Text","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themetint: 153;">A LITTLE BACKGROUND </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;">In my most recent history
course at school we studied major turning points in Finnish history, and
obviously the time of the World Wars was an important part of the course.
Finland fought two separate wars against the Soviet Union during the Second
World War, the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944), and
though the country lost areas of land and obviously there were many casualties,
the Soviet soldiers never occupied Finland. In fact, the capital Helsinki was
one of the few European capitals that weren’t occupied in World War II. Due to
political reasons such as the President Paasikivi’s diplomatic and friendly
approach to the Soviet Union (a prime example is the YYA treaty which was not
as constricting as the similar treaties the Soviet Union made with other
Eastern European countries) and the defeat of the communist party (Finnish
People’s Democratic League – SKDL, Suomen Kansan Demokraattinen Liitto) in
elections in 1948 Finland did not become a communist people’s republic like
many Eastern European countries. Therefore most Finns did not encounter such
horrible fates as Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians did at Soviet prisons and
forced labour camps. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Between Shades of
Gray </i>tells the story of a group of Lituanians, deported from their homeland
and made to suffer in squalid conditions at work camps in the Soviet Union.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #92cddc; font-family: "High Tower Text","serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themetint: 153;">MY THOUGHTS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;">Ruta Sepetys’ novel awoke
emotions of horror, pity, sorrow and disgust in me. I was not surprised by the
atrocities described – which are based on true accounts - that were committed
in the 1940s. However, knowing that unbelievably cruel acts have been performed
sometime in history is not the same as reading about them, especially when the
victims are given voices and the foul treatment against all the innocent
individuals builds up into a tidal wave of suffering, pain and trauma.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;">Awareness of these things
sometimes fills me with anguish and despair – how can humanity be so easily
tossed away in favour of barbarism? – and yet, awareness is also empowering because
it gives us knowledge that we can use to spread goodness, acceptance and
tolerance. Sepetys writes: “These writings may shock or horrify you, but that
is not my intention. It is my greatest hope that the pages in this jar stir
your deepest well of human compassion. I hope they prompt you to do something,
to tell someone. Only then can we ensure that this kind of evil is never
allowed to repeat itself.” I couldn’t agree more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;">I liked many of the traits of
this novel, in particular the historical basis, some beautiful phrases and the
realistic feel of the characters’ personalities and reactions to their fates.
Unfortunately I can’t say I loved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Between
Shades of Gray</i> because one of the most important characteristics for me in
a book, the way it was written, felt a little disjointed and awkward. I didn’t become
attached to Lina’s narrative properly and in my opinion the flashbacks weren’t
necessary. To be honest, they really bothered me in the beginning, but some of
the ideas behind them were lovely, especially toward the end. I do want to see
what else Sepetys has written and will write in the future because I see
potential for her style to evolve into something I can connect with better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As I mentioned, Sepetys created a few pearls
in her prose, and I'd like to share some of those favourite quotes with you:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">"Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my
brother’s was worth a pocket watch."</span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: black;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">“'Sometimes there is such beauty in awkwardness. There's love and
emotion trying to express itself, but at the same time, it just ends up being
awkward.'”</span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: black;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We'd been trying to touch the sky from the bottom of the ocean.</span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><span style="color: #93cddd; font-family: "High Tower Text","serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #93CDDD; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=60000 lumo=40000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent5; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themetint: 153;"><span id="freeText8181642915168999781"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3½/5 <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">A harrowing yet hope-filled historical novel about the horrors of forced labour camp!</span></span></strong></span><br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span><span id="freeText8181642915168999781" style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>-Eve</strong></span><h3 class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</h3>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-58872119679571350042013-06-11T20:10:00.000+03:002013-06-11T20:10:53.411+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#7): Beach ReadsThis awesome book blog meme - hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6e4973;">The Broke and the Bookish</span></a> - is where book lovers list their favourites inspired by a new topic each week. This week everybody is sharing their list of <strong>Top Ten Beach Reads! </strong>For me, the perfect book to read at the beach is a blend of a few of the following ingredients: an entertaining plot, adventure, a dash of humour, a sprinkle of romance, a dose of friendship and a summer setting. And it definitely should be a paperback! My favourite reads that fit in with my definition of a beach read are, in no particular order...<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Graffiti Moon" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320129868l/7863274.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="129" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source:<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7863274-graffiti-moon" target="_blank"> Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7863274-graffiti-moon" target="_blank">Graffiti Moon</a> by Cath Crowley</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>Graffiti Moon</em> is one of the best contemporary books I've read this year! It's sweet, arty, summery and enchanting, a great choice for the beach!</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327908992l/693208.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="131" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian" target="_blank">The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian</a> by Sherman Alexie</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span><br />
Arnold is different from other kids because of brain damage at an early age. His story is touching and yet humorously told, a sort of black comedy of the harsh circumstances and awful incidents he faces. Though it isn't entirely light, I think <em>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian </em>would be fun to read at the beach - especially since it has cartoonish pictures to balance out the dark side.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328689752l/10846326.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10846326-ten-things-we-shouldn-t-have-done" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10846326-ten-things-we-shouldn-t-have-done" target="_blank">Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done</a> by Sarah Mlynowski</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
Looking for a FUN beach read? Humour, romance, friendship, crazy times? Yes? Then this is what you should take with you to the seaside.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paper Towns" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349013610l/6442769.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6442769-paper-towns" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6442769-paper-towns" target="_blank">Paper Towns</a> by John Green</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
Mix together an epic revenge plot, a secretive girl, a guy who's in love with her, a mystery and a road trip, and you finish up with <em>Paper Towns</em>. For me it fits the bill of beach read - and seriously, I can and will add a John Green book to every TTT possible. And come on, road trips are the epitome of summer.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="After Summer" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348748480l/648166.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="141" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/648166.After_Summer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">5) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/648166.After_Summer" target="_blank">After Summer</a> by Nick Earls</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
This was a great read with a guy's perspective - a little quirky, amusing and with a summer and a beach setting! The aspect of body-surfing was fascinating, I'd never heard of it before.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337187623l/10798416.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="131" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10798416-the-statistical-probability-of-love-at-first-sight" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10798416-the-statistical-probability-of-love-at-first-sight" target="_blank">The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight</a> by Jennifer E. Smith</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Yup, this has been on several of my TTT lists already, but how can this cute novel not be a marvellous choice for the beach? Traveling by plane to London, going to a summer wedding, meeting a nice boy... Light, but not too much so, and honestly so adorable.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Where Rainbows End" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356455784l/714985.jpg" style="cursor: move; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" unselectable="on" width="124" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/714985.Where_Rainbows_End" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">7) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/714985.Where_Rainbows_End" target="_blank">Where Rainbows End</a> by Cecelia Ahern</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">I had a Cecelia Ahern phase once when I read several of her adult chick lit novels and this one just might be my favourite. It's really quite original - the story of Rosie and Alex, BFFs, that spans basically their whole lives (literally decades) and consists of e-mails, letters and cards they have sent and received from people. And it all works so well, despite there never being a "proper" narrative! Anyway, any Ahern book would work for the beach since they're all kind of magical, enjoyable and unique.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Siren (Siren, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320562534l/6970490.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6970490-siren" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">8) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6970490-siren" target="_blank">Siren</a> by Tricia Rayburn</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
In case you want something mysterious and paranormal to read at the beach, pick up <em>Siren</em>. In short, the main character Vanessa tries to figure out the truth behind her sister's death and the disappearance of their mutual friend - creepy, yet not especially "heavy" or too dark.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361038385l/28187.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">9) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">The Lightning Thief</a> by Rick Riordan</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
Two words: summer camp. Add in Ancient Greek gods, sword-fighting and going on a quest with a satyr and a daughter of Athena... Can't get much better than that.<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Only thought of nine this week - what do you think are great books for the beach? Feel free to leave a comment or a link to your TTT and I'll stop by! =) All of the books have been linked to Goodreads.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve</span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<br />
<img height="96" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356455784l/714985.jpg" style="left: 67px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 955px;" width="59" />Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-48254953675572251782013-06-06T23:30:00.000+03:002013-06-06T23:30:00.915+03:00Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364084849l/8591107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364084849l/8591107.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8591107-the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Author: Michelle Hodkin<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Series: Mara Dyer #1<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Published: 2011 by Simon and Schuster<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where I got the book from: the library<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large;">Synopsis from </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8591107-the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large;">Goodreads</span></a></h3>
<span id="freeTextContainer16505569176544416479"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.<br /><em>It can.</em><br /><br />She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.<br /><em>There is.</em><br /><br />She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.<br /><em>She’s wrong.</em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large;">My thoughts</span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are some books that just
grab you, glue you to your seat and make you simply turn the pages like a
whirlwind. Those are the books that I love the best – the ones that make you
tremble and laugh, the ones that send thrills through you and have you hold
your breath (metaphorically) in fearful anticipation. I am so glad that I
re-read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer</i>
because I felt all that already for the second time.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
I’m not even sure if I can describe
this novel adequately enough. There were so many aspects that I LOVED and for
me everything – yes, I’m fairly confident that everything – fit together into a
perfect, intricate plot. Mara’s story unfolds steadily and with a fast pace, revealing
shocking things one after another and making my eyes bulge out and my mouth
drop open. This book literally sent shivers down my spine. Perhaps what makes
it so deliciously creepy and captivating is Mara’s uncertainty about her sanity
– I asked myself, as she asked herself, what EXACTLY was real and what was going
on.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer</i> was not only eerie – it was also funny.
I loved the snarky dialogue between the main characters and the believable
relationships. Especially Mara’s family was wonderful – Daniel and Joseph!
Whee! - and I look forward to the relationships being developed even further in
the next book. Of course Jamie was awesome and I need more of him – and I do
have a feeling that his story isn’t over yet – and obviously I can’t leave out
a mention of how much I am in love with Noah. He balances out Mara so well and
they seem so equal in their banter – they can both stand up for each other and
they have a connection that feels real. None of the characters in this novel
felt at all shallow and I can’t wait to read more about them. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
What more can I say? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer</i> is a
beautifully, dangerously, powerfully captivating novel that I definitely
recommend to people who want their head messed with by a book. Mystery,
friendship, madness, grief, romance, fear, murder, uniqueness – this book has
it all. So just, you know, get hold of it. Quick.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><strong>5/5 One of my favourites – an
intense, unputdownable YA psychological thriller!<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve</span></strong>Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-8586069247593570652013-06-04T23:16:00.000+03:002013-06-04T23:16:27.692+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#6): Books Featuring Travel In Some Way<div style="text-align: justify;">
This awesome book blog meme - hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a> - is where book lovers list their favourites inspired by a new topic each week. This week everybody is sharing their <strong>Top Ten Books Featuring Travel In Some Way</strong> and without further ado, here are mine - in no particular order... (Confession: I cheated a little and listed twelve. Oops.) The links go to Goodreads.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt;">Contemporary Trips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>1) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2914097-paper-towns" target="_blank">Paper Towns</a> by John Green - road trip</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>2) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49750.An_Abundance_of_Katherines" target="_blank">An Abundance of Katherines</a> by John Green - road trip</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>3) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10798416-the-statistical-probability-of-love-at-first-sight" target="_blank">The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight</a> by Jennifer E. Smith - aeroplane</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt;">Fantasy Quests<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">4) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28248.Priestess_of_the_White" target="_blank">Age of the Five</a> trilogy by Trudi Canavan</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps the <em>very best</em> part of this trilogy is the unique world and the different species that inhabit it (oh, how I love the Siyee!). The reader gets to see all that as the characters travel all over the continent - methods of transport varying from ships to flying.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">5) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/119322.The_Golden_Compass" target="_blank">His Dark Materials</a> trilogy by Philip Pullman</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lyra and her companions travel so much and in so many ways throughout the series and I loved all of the vividly described places and the entire journey itself.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">6) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248309.The_Cry_of_the_Icemark" target="_blank">Cry of the Icemark</a> by Stuart Hill</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The aspect of Thirrin traveling through all kinds of lands seeking allies appealed to me greatly. I have been thinking about re-reading this book and its sequels for a long time - I ought to, as they were childhood favourites.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">7) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/113436.Eragon" target="_blank">Inheritance Cycle</a> by Christopher Paolini</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Discovering the deserts, towns, forests, rivers, cities and mountains of Alagaesia alongside Eragon and Saphira was exhilarating and such an adventure for me. Their travels are among my favourites in the fantasy genre.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">8) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3236307-graceling" target="_blank">Graceling</a> by Kristin Cashore</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Riding by horseback and sometimes progressing by boat or foot, Katsa journeys a great length through the kingdoms. <em>Graceling</em> is a wonderful fantasy quest and the ups and downs of traveling are presented well and entertainingly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt;">Science Fiction and Dystopian Journeys </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt;"></span> </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">9) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2118745.The_Knife_of_Never_Letting_Go" target="_blank">The Knife of Never Letting Go</a> by Patrick Ness</span></strong><br />
<br />
In many ways, <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go </em>is different from other YA novels - and one of these differences has to do with traveling. While others take a car, aeroplane, horse or dragon, Todd does the unusual thing. It's so amazing that he basically just runs and runs and keeps on running, and the style all of it was written in felt, in my opinion, so fresh and taut with suspense.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">10) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9917938-blood-red-road" target="_blank">Blood Red Road</a> by Moira Young</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
Saba is one of my personal favourites among YA heroines and her journey is so much more than just moving from place A to place B. Saba also grows while traveling, building relationships and her sense of who she is. The vehicle she uses to travel across the plain is so cool.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt;">Historical Travels<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<br />
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">11) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/364826.The_Egyptian" target="_blank">The Egyptian</a> by Mika Waltari</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
I'm expressing a little Finnish pride here! <em>The Egyptian </em>affected me profoundly with its ideas and themes. This captivating, unfortunate story is told in an intriguing first-person narrative and Sinuhe's route through lands bordering the Mediterranean gripped me tightly.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">12) <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray" target="_blank">Between Shades of Gray</a> by Ruta Sepetys</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lina and her family's journey from Lithuania to Siberia is heart-wrenchingly painful because it is based on true facts from history. Traveling by train in unhygienic cars stuffed with too many people is definitely horrifying, but the storyline is captivating and laced with hope and goodness among hunger and filthy conditions.</span></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Those were my Top Ten (Twelve) for this week - what books featuring travel have you loved? Feel free to comment or leave a link! =)</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><strong>-Eve</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cc0066; font-family: "Bodoni MT Black","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-88245318056950658792013-06-02T21:00:00.000+03:002013-06-02T21:00:01.048+03:00Series Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h3>
<span id="freeText6066131494115531500"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Synopsis from Goodreads</span></span></h3>
<br />
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.<br /><br />Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.<br />
<br />
<img alt="The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361038385l/28187.jpg" width="133" /><img alt="The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361038367l/28186.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /><img alt="The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361038385l/561456.jpg" width="133" /><br />
<img alt="The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361039398l/2120932.jpg" width="133" /><img alt="The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327924597l/4502507.jpg" width="130" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#1 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">The Lightning Thief</a><br />
#2 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28186.The_Sea_of_Monsters" target="_blank">The Sea of Monsters</a><br />
#3 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/561456.The_Titan_s_Curse" target="_blank">The Titan's Curse</a><br />
# 4 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2120932.The_Battle_of_the_Labyrinth" target="_blank">The Battle of the Labyrinth</a><br />
# 5 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4502507-the-last-olympian" target="_blank">The Last Olympian</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">My thoughts</span></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>P</em></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>ercy Jackson and the Olympians</em> is one of the many favourite series
of my childhood – and with reason. I wanted to re-read these five fantasy books
inspired by Ancient Greek mythology so that I could experience Percy and his
friends’ fantastic adventures again, and I wasn’t at all let down or left
feeling like I’d outgrown the series. The very opposite – Percy Jackson has now
definitely got an eternal place in my heart and I will eagerly recommend his
stories to young and young adult readers alike when they are searching for an
exciting and hilarious take on ancient tales.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Riordan is a talented
story-teller – each of the Percy Jackson books has a plot of its own, but they
link together into a greater story arc. The writing zigzags expertly between
heart-racing, action-packed fighting sequences and bursts of witty humour –
such as chapter titles that I guarantee will make even the most serious reader’s
facial muscles twitch and brain whir in anticipation. Examples of these are <em>Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants</em>, <em>We Meet the Dragon of Eternal Bad Breath</em> and
<em>I Put on a Few Million Extra Pounds</em>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, a series can hardly
become one of my fond favourites if it doesn’t have a lovable and memorable
cast of characters. Percy, Grover, Annabeth, Chiron, Tyson, the gods and
everyone else are all amazing. I mean, of course I don’t like everyone’s
personality (I’d have to be pretty insane to agree with some of the bad guys’
ideas) but as characters, I think they work well in the story and are all
fascinating individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>Percy Jackson and the Olympians</em> is also fantastic because it has
one of the most epic final battles I have read – simultaneously tense,
thrilling, sad and funny. Not many authors can handle a combination like that,
but Riordan succeeds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To round this off, I’d like to
share some of my favourite funny quotes from the series!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 162.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How did you die?"<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"We er....drowned in
a bathtub."<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"All three of
you?"<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It was a big
bathtub.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>-The
Lightning Thief<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>***<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“There will be deaths,”
Chiron decided. “That much we know.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh,
goody!” Dionysus said.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everyone
looked at him. He glanced up innocently from the pages of <em>Wine Connoisseur </em></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">magazine.
“Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don’t mind me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>-The
Curse of the Titans<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>***<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He
looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
stared at him. “You’re scared of bunnies?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Blah-hah-hah!
They’re big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenceless satyrs!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>-The
Last Olympian</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><o:p><strong></strong></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><o:p><strong>5/5 A hilarious fantasy series full of action-packed adventures!</strong></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><o:p><strong></strong></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><o:p><strong>-Eve</strong></o:p></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></h3>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-9264639732612876232013-05-31T21:00:00.000+03:002013-05-31T21:00:01.272+03:00In a Nutshell - April-May 2013Wow! Every Flavour Books is already over a month old! Each month I'm going to summarize what I've posted and what books I've read (inspired by Jamie's <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/tag/monthly-rewind" target="_blank">Monthly Rewind</a> posts at <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/" target="_blank">The Perpetual Page-Turner</a>). Here's my first In a Nutshell post, recapping what happened on this blog in April-May.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>POSTS:</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/04/joining-blogosphere.html" target="_blank">Joining the Blogosphere</a><br />
Time to Quote (#1): <a href="http://www.everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/04/time-to-quote-1.html" target="_blank">Blood Red Road</a><br />
Time to Quote (#2): <a href="http://www.everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/time-to-quote-2.html" target="_blank">The Perks of Being a Wallflower</a><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>REVIEWS:</strong></span><br />
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Cashore, Kristin: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/04/mini-review-graceling-by-kristin-cashore.html" target="_blank">Graceling</a> 5- stars<br />
Clare, Cassandra: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/04/review-clockwork-princess-by-cassandra.html" target="_blank">Clockwork Princess</a> 5 stars<br />
Chima, Cinda Williams: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-demon-king-by-cinda-williams.html" target="_blank">The Demon King</a> 4½ stars<br />
Crowley, Cath: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-graffiti-moon-by-cath-crowley.html" target="_blank">Graffiti Moon</a> 5 stars<br />
Chima, Cinda Williams: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-exiled-queen-by-cinda-williams.html" target="_blank">The Exiled Queen</a> 4 stars<br />
Dessen, Sarah: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-lock-and-key-by-sarah-dessen.html" target="_blank">Lock and Key</a> 5 stars<br />
Chima, Cinda Williams: <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-gray-wolf-throne-by-cinda.html" target="_blank">The Gray Wolf Throne</a> 4- stars<br />
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I read really good books in April-May, as you can see! A short while before I started this blog, though, I read a book I didn't like that much (but didn't hate either!), <em>Anna Dressed in Blood</em>, just in case you're thinking that I love everything I read... ;) However, I have to admit that sometimes I feel like I should give positive reviews to all books - but I'm working on combining honesty, critique and a sense of appreciation of the author's hard work in my reviews because I think that's fair. I suppose I'll figure it out gradually!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><strong>TOP 5 BOOKS I READ:</strong></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364084849l/8591107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364084849l/8591107.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320129868l/7863274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Graffiti Moon" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320129868l/7863274.jpg" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sources: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8591107-the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> & <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7863274-graffiti-moon" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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1) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (review to come!)<br />
2) Graffiti Moon<br />
3) Clockwork Princess<br />
4) Lock and Key<br />
5) Percy Jackson series (review to come!)<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">MEMES:</span></strong><br />
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Top Ten Tuesday (#1): <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/04/top-ten-tuesday-1-books-i-thought-id_23.html" target="_blank">Books I Thought I'd Like More/Less</a><br />
Top Ten Tuesday (#2): <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/top-ten-tuesday-2-books-when-you-need.html" target="_blank">Books When You Need Something Light and Fun</a><br />
Top Ten Tuesday (#3): <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/top-ten-tuesday-3-books-dealing-with.html" target="_blank">Books Dealing With Tough Subjects</a><br />
Top Ten Tuesday (#4): <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/top-ten-tuesday-4-top-ten-favourite.html" target="_blank">Favourite Book Covers</a><br />
Top Ten Tuesday (#5): <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/top-ten-tuesday-5-fun-characters-freebie.html" target="_blank">Fun Characters</a> (Freebie!)<br />
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It's Monday, What are you reading? (#1) <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/04/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-1.html" target="_blank">29.04.2013</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>-Eve</strong></span>Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-74105758108144137152013-05-30T19:00:00.000+03:002013-05-30T19:00:03.746+03:00Review: The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339793168l/15707327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms, #3)" border="0" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339793168l/15707327.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15707327-the-gray-wolf-throne" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: The Gray Wolf Throne</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Cinda Williams Chima</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Series: The Seven Realms #3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published: 2011 by Hyperion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where I got the book from: the library<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A synopsis can be found </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15707327-the-gray-wolf-throne" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> on Goodreads (it has spoilers for the other books so I won't paste it on the blog).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN MINOR
SPOILERS FOR BOOKS ONE AND TWO!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro Bold","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #990000;">WHAT I LIKED:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinda Williams Chima’s third novel in the Seven Realms
series did not, just like the first two books, lack in tension, secrets or
romance. Emotions are described well – hurt and betrayal for example, which
were inevitable when a certain revelation was made. Moreover, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Gray Wolf Throne </i>focuses on court
and politics, which I love reading about especially in the high fantasy genre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another aspect I was pleased with was the fact that I really
don’t know the answers to the main mysteries! This one kept me on my toes,
waiting to find out who was the bad guy and dying to know how things would
finish up with Raisa and Han because truly, things could end in any way and the
suspense of that makes me happy. The ending left me intrigued about what could
happen next but I have a feeling the final book will leave me surprised.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro Bold","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #990000;">..AND WHAT I DIDN’T:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Gray Wolf Throne</i> disappointed me in a few ways. First of all, I wanted the
Seven Realms to be a trilogy, but apparently it’s a four book series. The
library doesn’t have the fourth book and I don’t want to buy it because I hate
buying sequels if I don’t have the whole series, and additionally because I don’t
PASSIONATELY love this series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another reason why I wasn’t
stunned by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Gray Wolf Throne</i> is
Raisa’s complex and frustrating collection of relationships. I am sick of Micah
and Nightwalker buzzing around her like flies attracted to a pot of honey, and
her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">letting</i> them. And Mellony – well,
I think Mellony should have had a slightly bigger role in book one (I’m not
sure if Raisa ever even had a conversation with her?) so that we could witness
the apparent change in her. Mellony is just annoyingly easily swayed and so
very naïve-seeming.<span style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Furthermore, I was kind of tired of the danger element
remaining only a threat. What I mean is there have been enough assassins and I
want a real battle next.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally – and this is a really small issue, it hardly
bothered me - the beginning had a predictable element, Crow’s identity. It was
one of my guesses so I wasn’t surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro Bold","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #990000;">IN
CONCLUSION:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Gray Wolf Throne </i>wasn’t a jaw-dropping, amazing novel but nonetheless
a strong enough sequel to the Seven Realms series. I liked not knowing how
things would end but would have wanted the series to wrap up already. Raisa’s “suitors”
annoyed me but otherwise I enjoyed the plot, especially the political intrigue
and the suspense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #990000;">4-/5 A solid,
intriguing sequel with a couple of disappointing details!</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">My review for <em>The Demon King </em>can be found <a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-demon-king-by-cinda-williams.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and for the <em>The Exiled Queen </em><a href="http://everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-exiled-queen-by-cinda-williams.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span> </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></b></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-44870097708344016962013-05-28T09:43:00.000+03:002013-05-28T09:43:45.907+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#5): Fun Characters (Freebie!)This awesome book blog meme - hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a> - is where book lovers list their favourites inspired by a new topic each week. This week it's a FREEBIE, which means everyone gets to choose their topic! I had some trouble with settling on a topic but I finally decided on Top Ten Fun Characters (not sure if this has been done before). Here they are, in no particular order as usual... <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361038385l/28187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361038385l/28187.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><strong>1) Grover (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">Percy Jackson and the Olympians</a>)</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">A satyr who eats aluminum cans when he's nervous? This guy is one of my favourite characters from the whole series because he's just so sweet and funny (maybe often in an unintended way but who cares). Grover is awesome!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">2) Percy (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" target="_blank">Percy Jackson and the Olympians</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Okay, another one from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! The reason: Rick Riordan's action-packed, Greek mythology based series is one of the most fun adventures ever - and that's thanks to the witty characters and especially Percy's humorous narrative even in deadly and dangerous situations.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327190600l/72193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327190600l/72193.jpg" width="127" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72193.Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher_s_Stone" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">3) Fred and George (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72193.Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher_s_Stone" target="_blank">Harry Potter series</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Yes, I realize Fred and George are two separate people but they BELONG together and they basically host a two man show. And neither will hardly play a prank without the other in on it. Anyway, I don't think this choice needs explaining... The Weasley twins are cool and funny mischief makers, perhaps the best there are.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369452257l/7171637.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7171637-clockwork-angel" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">4) Will (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7171637-clockwork-angel" target="_blank">The Infernal Devices trilogy</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Will's antics and witticisms definitely made me grin. Who could forget dragon pox, or any of his stupid poems? Perhaps his remarks annoyed some of the other characters at times, but for me as a reader they were purely entertainment.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1277071696l/2118745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1)" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1277071696l/2118745.jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2118745.The_Knife_of_Never_Letting_Go" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">5) Manchee (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2118745.The_Knife_of_Never_Letting_Go" target="_blank">Chaos Walking trilogy</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">A sidekick animal? Check. Loyal and sweet? Check. Knows how to "talk"? Check. Funny? ABSOLUTELY. Manchee is surely one of my favourite dogs from literature - he's that fantastic. His inner speech made me laugh with its simplicity and doggyness.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369078035l/17937334.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="209" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17937334-artemis-fowl" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">6) Foaly (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17937334-artemis-fowl" target="_blank">Artemis Fowl series</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">He's a paranoid centaur inventor with a big sense of his own importance. How could that not be a funny combination? I ought to re-read this series (I've read all but the last book) now that I've reminded myself how funny and smart the characters are...</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">7) Mulch (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17937334-artemis-fowl" target="_blank">Artemis Fowl series</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Another of Eoin Colfer's hilarious characters - Mulch, the dwarf who tunnels by eating mud and ejecting it out of his behind. You better believe that leads to a lot of wacky incidents.</span><br />
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206426l/49750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="An Abundance of Katherines" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206426l/49750.jpg" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49750.An_Abundance_of_Katherines" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">8) Hassan (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49750.An_Abundance_of_Katherines" target="_blank">An Abundance of Katherines</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Hassan is the main character Colin's overweight Muslim best friend who really knows how to lighten up a situation with his humour. He balances out Colin's seriousness well.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341040322l/7719245.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="131" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7719245-paranormalcy" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">9) Evie (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7719245-paranormalcy" target="_blank">Paranormalcy trilogy</a>)</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">I was starting to notice that all my favourite fun characters seemed to be male when I thought of Evie. I remember she has an amusing perspective and a love for cute dresses and heels - that definitely counts as fun!</span><br />
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<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333400218l/7402393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Nightshade (Nightshade, #1)" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333400218l/7402393.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7402393-nightshade" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">10) The wolf packs (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7402393-nightshade" target="_blank">Nightshade trilogy</a>)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Again, these are quite a few people, but its actually the whole dynamic interaction, all the banter, that made Calla's and Ren's packs so fun for me. I really liked them all as an entity and loved the dialogue. </span><br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Those are my Top Ten for this week! Leave a comment or a link to your blog - I'd love to see your list! If you'd like to, you can also share your favourite fun(ny) characters in the comments. =)<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve</span></strong><br />
<br />Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-55048632992220481222013-05-22T07:00:00.000+03:002013-05-22T07:00:05.770+03:00Review: Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Lock & Key" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1340018209l/6350193.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="130" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6350193-lock-key" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Title: Lock and Key<br />
Author: Sarah Dessen<br />
Series: no, but Dessen's characters appear sneakily in her other books! ;)<br />
Published: 2008 by Viking (Penguin Group)<br />
Where I got the book from: the library<br />
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<span style="color: #ff0066;"><span style="color: black;">Synopsis from </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6350193-lock-key" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Goodreads</span></a></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #ff0066;"><span id="freeText2686955863154079664"><span style="color: black;"><em>"Ruby, where is your mother?"</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff0066;"><span><span style="color: black;"><em> Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future—it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?</em></span><a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6350193-lock-key#"></a></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #ff0066;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE PLOT<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can say with complete confidence – Sarah Dessen is one of
the most gifted writers in YA contemporary literature. Honestly, anyone could
write a book, but very few succeed in capturing thousands of readers’ hearts
with each novel they create. Dessen is surely one of these.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>Lock and Key</em> is like any of Sarah Dessen’s other books – a story
of growth, relationships and struggling to overcome personal challenges. The main
character, Ruby, has had a difficult childhood filled with abandonment, uncertainty
and premature independence. Her father left when she was a small child and so
did her sister some years later. Ruby’s mother is an alcoholic and the two don’t
have a close relationship. One day, her mother disappears and Ruby is forced to
deal with her past when her sister Cora and his husband Jamie adopt her to live
in their house and start a life which is as different to her old one as it could possibly be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ruby’s life and her problems touched me deeply. The entire
story could have been true, it was so believable, and it saddens me that some
people really have to go through all those things. Ruby is afraid of allowing
people come close to her and letting go of the secrets she has covered up all those
years, and it was a heart-warming journey to see her barriers coming gradually
down. I loved the contrast between her past and present, which are polar opposites –
going from trying to handle everything herself with no consistent show of love
from her mother to being surrounded by safe and caring people who want the best
for her.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #ff0066;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE CHARACTERS<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The characters – like always in Dessen’s books – were as real
as they come, well-developed and so very lovable. If only I could meet them!
Jamie is perhaps my favourite, with his genuine encouragement, loving nature and boundless enthusiasm for all kinds of
things. Flustered, anxious Harriet is
one of the sweetest characters ever, and Gervais is such an annoying nerd but
quite nice anyway.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dessen’s talent lies within the creation of relationships (friendship, family, romance) between
characters. They are never hasty nor unplanned, but they build up slowly, with
bumps and hitches on the way, to an honest connection, all the while described
with amazing skill. Ruby and Cora, Ruby and Roscoe, Ruby and Nate, Ruby and
Olivia… All the interactions are from every-day life told in a way that kept me
hooked. The disintegration of relationships is also masterfully depicted,
showing clearly why they didn’t work out. Dessen is an expert on communication
and contact between individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #ff0066;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">IN CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In brief, there is simply nothing I can nit-pick in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lock and Key</i> because in my opinion it is
a compelling read with beautiful character development and interaction. Dessen’s
writing is thought-provoking, steady and focused with nothing unnecessary at
all. I would thrust this in the hands of anyone looking for a contemporary
novel that really has meaning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #ff0066;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">5/5 A compelling read by the amazing Sarah Dessen!</span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Similar books: anything else of Sarah Dessen’s, How to Save
a Life by Sara Zarr</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><o:p><strong>-Eve</strong></o:p></span></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-79102538049899489182013-05-21T07:32:00.000+03:002013-05-21T07:32:43.603+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#4): Top Ten Favourite Book Covers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
This awesome meme hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a> book blog is where all book lovers list their favourites inspired by a new topic each week. This week's topic is <strong>Top Ten Favourite Book Covers of Books I've Read</strong>, so get ready for some cover love!</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #31859c; font-family: "French Script MT"; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #31859C; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent5; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;">The beautiful girls…</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364084849l/8591107.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="211" /><img alt="Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329828524l/9802295.jpg" width="210" /><img alt="Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364052399l/6131164.jpg" width="212" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #31859c; font-family: "French Script MT"; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #31859C; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent5; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;">The striking faces…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328302348l/10763598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1)" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328302348l/10763598.jpg" width="211" /><img alt="Wintergirls" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346343878l/5152478.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #31859c; font-family: "French Script MT"; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #31859C; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent5; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;">The gorgeous
backgrounds…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<img alt="Divergent (Divergent, #1)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327914205l/13335038.jpg" width="211" /> <img alt="Insurgent (Divergent, #2)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328977161l/13480671.jpg" width="211" /> <img alt="Spirit Walker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #2)" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347604289l/295326.jpg" width="206" /><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #31859c; font-family: "French Script MT"; font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #31859C; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent5; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;">The elegant ones…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<img alt="Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)" border="0" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328839272l/6068551.jpg" width="211" /><img alt="What I Was" height="320" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356453992l/1212763.jpg" width="204" /></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8591107-the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer" target="_blank">The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer</a> by Michelle Hodkin</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8525590-wither" target="_blank">Wither</a> by Lauren DeStefano</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6131164-clockwork-princess" target="_blank">Clockwork Princess</a> by Cassandra Clare</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10763598-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone" target="_blank">Daughter of Smoke and Bone</a> by Laini Taylor</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5152478-wintergirls" target="_blank">Wintergirls</a> by Laurie Halse Anderson</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335038-divergent" target="_blank">Divergent</a> by Veronica Roth</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13480671-insurgent" target="_blank">Insurgent</a> by Veronica Roth</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/295326.Spirit_Walker" target="_blank">Spirit Walker</a> by Michelle Paver</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6068551-shiver" target="_blank">Shiver</a> by Maggie Stiefvater</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1220721.What_I_Was" target="_blank">What I Was</a> by Meg Rosoff</div>
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What are your favourites? Leave a comment (and a link if you have a blog) - I'd love to drool over some pretty covers. =)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>-Eve</strong></span></div>
<br />Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-14181968792901737212013-05-15T07:00:00.000+03:002013-05-15T07:00:04.959+03:00Review: The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328997337l/11371727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Exiled Queen" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328997337l/11371727.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11371727-the-exiled-queen" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: The Exiled Queen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Cinda Williams Chima</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Series: The Seven Realms Series #2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published: 2010 by HarperCollins</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where I got the book from: the library<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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To read the synopsis - it has spoilers for book one - visit <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11371727-the-exiled-queen" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. </div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE IN THE SERIES.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #8064a2; mso-themecolor: accent4;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></b> </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #8064a2; mso-themecolor: accent4;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE PLOT<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exiled Queen</i>
follows the characters and the story from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Demon King</i> smoothly. Naturally I was eager to see how Raisa, Han and Dancer
managed on their way to and at Oden’s Ford, and hoped for more magic and mayhem
to ensue. In that aspect I was not disappointed – the subplots of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exiled Queen </i>were various and yet
linked together well, and both Raisa’s and Han’s stories kept me turning the
pages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, I didn’t find the big picture of the plot, so to
speak, very clear. Once at Oden’s Ford, Raisa and Han basically lived a
boarding school-ish life (which is always fun, I don’t deny that), and more
than once I thought that Micah Bayar and his friends were very much like Draco
Malfoy with his cronies. Han gets tangled in a curious world and finds himself
pledged to perhaps too many masters with dubious aims. Raisa, on the other
hand, develops into a convincing speaker, though she even more uncertain where
things stand between her and Amon Byrne, her commander. Despite all the
happenings, I finished the book feeling like there wasn’t a proper story in it,
as in there wasn’t one large plotline the subplots attached to and
complemented. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book – I did, very much.
Dancer was more fleshed out, like I had hoped, and there was a lot of
excitement and plot twists. I did guess one of these twists very early on,
though it still came unexpectedly along. The romance was great and left things
hanging for the final book which I wait to read in anticipation. I only hope things
work out in a satisfying way for Raisa, Han, Amon and Dancer. The fact that
there is a love triangle of sorts didn’t bother me in the least, because it was
executed very believably and there’s a chance it won’t work either way, which
is intriguing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #8064a2; mso-themecolor: accent4;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE CHARACTERS<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have to say that one of my favourite supporting
characters is Cat. Her name is annoying because Cat is really not that
original, but then again, it suits her fierce and independent nature perfectly.
I love her unyielding street accent and tough shell and the changes she goes
through, slowly letting go of her guilt. Though she has her flaws, she is
unbelievably loyal and her passion for music shows that she has her softer
parts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is one character that I genuinely hate, and that’s
Crow. I won’t say much because that might spoil the book for those who haven’t
read it, but he is frustratingly enigmatic, power-hungry and the one person I
trust the least. I really want to figure out his motive because he has so many
secrets and he might play a key part in the third book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #8064a2; mso-themecolor: accent4;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE WRITING<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Again, I loved Chima’s way to tell the story – simple,
concise but accurately descriptive. Within the genre of high fantasy, there
seems to be a tendency to write from third-person narrative, and while I
generally prefer first-person, the narration in the Seven Realms Series is very
likeable. Though I wasn’t as close to the characters’ immediate thoughts and
feelings as I am in first-person, I felt that I really knew who Raisa and Han
were and connected with their feelings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #8064a2; mso-themecolor: accent4;">IN CONCLUSION</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I liked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exiled
Queen</i> very much although I think the plot could have had a clearer purpose.
The romance and the intrigue were portrayed well, and enough questions were
left unanswered to leave me waiting in anticipation to begin the third book.
All in all, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exiled Queen </i>was a
well-written sequel to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Demon King</i>
and interesting because of the different setting and development of characters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><o:p><strong>4/5 An exciting fantasy novel!</strong></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">See my review for <em>The Demon King,</em> book one in the
Seven Realms Series, <a href="http://www.everyflavourbooks.blogspot.fi/2013/05/review-demon-king-by-cinda-williams.html" target="_blank">here.</a> </span></span><br />
<br />
Similar books: The Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan (Black Magician Trilogy #1)<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>-Eve</strong></span></span>Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-22769686877399160582013-05-14T16:21:00.000+03:002013-05-14T16:21:07.028+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#3): Books Dealing With Tough SubjectsTop Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted over at <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish.</a> This week's topic is Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects. Here are my ten, in no particular order...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"></span></b> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Save a Life" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337211222l/10757806.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10757806-how-to-save-a-life" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This
beautiful book with many important themes really found a place in my heart. It is a
sad yet happy story of two people, or more, finding the path to themselves. Both abuse and grief are touched on expertly in this novel.</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Sky Is Everywhere" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348272658l/6604794.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6604794-the-sky-is-everywhere" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"></span></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">2) The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
was pretty much rendered speechless by the profound truth and meaning I found
in <em>The Sky is Everywhere</em>. It is funny at some times, gut-wrenching at others,
and powerful for the rest of the time. This is one of the best books I know that handle grief.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Second Chance Summer" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337189920l/11071466.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11071466-second-chance-summer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">3) Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Taylor,
the main character, was totally relatable to me and her emotions, thoughts and
flaws felt utterly, compellingly real. I especially loved her growth in this
novel – she came to terms with, confronted and conquered her fears and
insecurities. The way the family became tight was simply heart-warming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Wintergirls" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346343878l/5152478.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5152478-wintergirls" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">4) Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wintergirls
is such an insightful, moving story dealing with difficult topics. I strongly
recommend it to anyone wanting to read about how an eating disorder affects a person's life.</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347810457l/8492825.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492825-where-she-went" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">5) Where She Went by Gayle Forman</span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
girl he loves left Adam without explanation. He also grieves the deaths of her family members
who were close to him. This really was an emotional read, I cried buckets.
Wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Looking for Alaska" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365451509l/99561.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99561.Looking_for_Alaska" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">6) Looking for Alaska by John Green </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A
well-written book that sucked me in, Looking for Alaska also handled a tough
subject masterfully. John Green is amazing!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366228171l/39999.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39999.The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pajamas" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">7) The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Through
the eyes of a naïve German boy, the horrors of the Second World War are
depicted through such an innocent perspective that I couldn’t help shivering.
Thought-provoking!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Hate List" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344271605l/6316171.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6316171-hate-list" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">8) Hate List by Jennifer Brown </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">School
shootings are definitely difficult issues to handle. For the main character of
the Hate List, Valerie, it is even more difficult because it was her boyfriend
who was behind it, killing people they both shared their hate for. Worth
reading for sure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Thirteen Reasons Why" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333822506l/1217100.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1217100.Thirteen_Reasons_Why" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">9) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher </span></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This
was awful, in a way, because from the very beginning we know that there is no
hope for Hannah anymore. Yet as a reader, I couldn’t help wishing she would
have survived as the reasons behind the terrible act are uncovered slowly in an
original way.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Veronika Decides to Die" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348139939l/1431.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1431.Veronika_Decides_to_Die" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-size: large;">10) Veronika Decides To Die by Paulo Coelho </span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Veronika
has attempted suicide but she didn’t succeed. This novel is powerful and
beautifully written, maybe even my favourite Coelho book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So those were my Top Ten this week - what are yours? List them in the comments or leave a link to your blog and I'll stop by!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve</span></strong></span></div>
</div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-8981055572606798792013-05-08T16:00:00.000+03:002013-05-08T16:00:03.576+03:00Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320129868l/7863274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Graffiti Moon" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320129868l/7863274.jpg" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7863274-graffiti-moon" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: Graffiti Moon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Cath Crowley</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Series: no</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published: 2010 by Pan Macmillan Australia</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where I got the book from: the library</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<h3 class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Synopsis from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7863274-graffiti-moon" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></h3>
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</div>
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<span id="freeText8757443276244752853"><em>"Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."</em><br /><br />It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.<br /><br />His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.<br /><br />Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.<br /><br />But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.</span></div>
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</div>
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My thoughts</h3>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This time I’m reviewing a little differently – I loved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Graffiti Moon </i>so much I’m going to make
a list of reasons why you should read it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p> </div>
<span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #ff0066;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) The
book takes place during a single night.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is something that will always capture my attention
in a book synopsis – there’s something really special about a story that
focuses on one day/night that is unforgettable for the protagonist and changes her/him
in some way. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Graffiti Moon</i> takes this
concept and makes it really work! I could sense the development of the
characters so well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span class="MsoBookTitle"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">2) It radiates an amazing urban artistic-ness.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I swear, all of the three POVs (Lucy, Shadow, Poet)
successfully give out a fresh, unique perspective on art and how it affects
their lives. The graffiti, the glass-blowing, the poetry… It’s such an exotic
and fascinating combination that really grabbed me as a reader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #4bacc6; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">3) The characters are compelling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Graffiti Moon</i>
succeeds in characterization outstandingly. Through Lucy’s and Shadow’s POVs
the reader is truly in their heads, faces their bared souls and comprehends who
they are and how they became that. Poet’s POV, simply poems he has written and
nothing else, is a unique way of showing what he is like, complemented by Shadow’s
remarks and the way he views Poet. I enjoyed reading about the other characters
too – Lucy’s wacky parents, Jazz, Ed’s boss Bert and the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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</div>
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<span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #008e00;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">4)
The emotions are tangible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Crowley is skilled with layering each sentence with
emotion – present are feelings of yearning for connection, fear of exposing
your complete self and uncertainty about following dreams. Through the one
night relationships slowly build or strengthen themselves. I especially loved
Ed and Leo’s tight, brotherly friendship and the way Ed and Lucy slowly find
out that they have a lot in common.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="color: #ffc000;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">5) The
dialogue is smart and fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-variant: normal !important; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Especially the interaction between Lucy and Ed is great –
it’s feisty, arty and feels very authentic. The three girls also have good
conversations that are humorous and speak volumes about them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-variant: normal !important; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is there anything I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t
</i>like about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Graffiti Moon</i>? Um, no.
In short, it is just perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">5/5</span></strong> <span style="font-size: large;">A new favourite contemporary novel!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Similar books: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">-Eve<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-54715933470769691162013-05-07T07:00:00.000+03:002013-05-07T07:00:01.423+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#2): Books When You Need Something Light and Fun<span style="font-family: inherit;">Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Broke and the Bookish.</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week’s topic is Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light
& Fun. The thing is, I had trouble coming up with books that would
completely fit this description – most books I’ve read have some kind of
serious subplot at the very least. I also thought of only 8 this time. In no
particular order…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341040322l/7719245.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="131" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7719245-paranormalcy" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) The Paranormalcy trilogy by Kiersten White</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These books fall into my category of light and fun. Yes, there are
monsters to be fought, but Evie is such an entertaining character and she loves
pink, sparkly stuff, so…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>:D<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1293821561l/9266810.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="133" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9266810-ten-things-we-did" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">2) Ten Things We Shouldn’t Have Done by Sarah Mlynowski</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Again, this one has a dash of seriousness, but all in all, it’s
a wild and spontaneous novel about teenagers living together for a short while.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361666855l/5821978.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5821978-the-summer-i-turned-pretty" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">3) Summer series by Jenny Han</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, the books do deal with grief, but I think the summer setting and
the romance balance it out into a slightly lighter read than some other books
having to do with illness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337187623l/10798416.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="131" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10798416-the-statistical-probability-of-love-at-first-sight" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">4) The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E.
Smith</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This novel is a wonderfully cute and fluffy read – but that
doesn’t mean it’s worth any less than some other book. This is something I
might pick if in need of a quick cheering up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Along for the Ride" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347644125l/5664985.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5664985-along-for-the-ride" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><span style="font-size: large;">5) Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s not all lightness and fun, but it’s a good contemporary
read that doesn’t deal with too heavy themes. Also, it’s set in the summer.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342343845l/301022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="138" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/301022.The_Boyfriend_List" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><span style="font-size: large;">6) The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart</span> </span></b></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So maybe Ruby Oliver doesn’t have an ideal life what with seeing
a psychiatrist regularly and basically having lost her friends and becoming
unpopular, but her first-person narrative is sassy and quirky and the novel in
its entirety is really quite fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="An Abundance of Katherines" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206426l/49750.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="129" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49750.An_Abundance_of_Katherines" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><span style="font-size: large;">7) An Abundance of Katherines by John Green</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This has to have one of the funniest sidekicks I have read
about, Hassan, so I strongly recommend this to those in want of a laugh – and some
unconventional maths!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1275618278l/7628741.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="129" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7628741-nick-and-norah-s-infinite-playlist" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><span style="font-size: large;">8) Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David
Levithan</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: accent5;"></span></b></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, this book is definitely fun! In a tough, hot, energetic,
desperate, sweet and musical way. So what if there’s a little angst in between…
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
That was my TTT for this week! What's yours? Leave a link in the comments and I'll come visit!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>-Eve</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-19054935524421080432013-05-05T09:00:00.000+03:002013-05-05T09:00:08.310+03:00Time to Quote (#2)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Perks of Being a Wallflower" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363910637l/22628.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="139" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22628.The_Perks_of_Being_a_Wallflower" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This (hopefully) weekly post is partly inspired by <a href="http://fredasvoice.blogspot.fi/" target="_blank">Quote it Saturday (Freda's Voice)</a>. I will be choosing a favourite quote – sometimes a
few - every weekend, share it with you and explain why I think it’s special,
beautiful or thought-provoking. Enjoy! P.S. The quotes won’t have any spoilers.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This week I chose the following quote:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<o:p><strong>"I think the idea is that every person has to live for his or her own life and then make the choice to share it with other people."</strong></o:p><br />
<o:p><strong>-The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky</strong></o:p></blockquote>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
couldn’t agree more with Charlie, the main character of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i>. The point in life is to do things
your own way – put in a clichéd way, to listen to your heart and follow its advice.
It really isn’t living if it feels like it’s going against the core of your
being. Everyone should aim for what brings them the most satisfaction and
personal joy without harming others in the process. Once you figure out your
own life, what makes you happy and angry and sad, you can decide who you want
to share your honest self with. I love this quote because though its words are
simple it really has the meaning of life summarized in one sentence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-31591389864577337082013-05-03T22:16:00.005+03:002013-05-03T22:18:07.420+03:00Review: The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328041669l/9221793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Demon King" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328041669l/9221793.jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9221793-the-demon-king" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Title: The Demon King</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Cinda Williams Chima</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Series: The Seven Realms Trilogy #1</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published: 2009</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where I got the book from: the library</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Synopsis from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9221793-the-demon-king" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </h3>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Times are hard in the mountain city of
Fellsmarch, and reformed thief Han Alister must rely on all his skills to
provide for his mother and his sister.<br />
<br />
While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer, discover three
young wizards using a magical amulet to set fire to the sacred mountain of
Hanalea. Han wrestles it from them, but without realising that his heroism has
put him and his family in great danger. For the young arsonist is Micah Bayar,
son of the High Wizard, and the amulet a treasure with immense power; it once
belonged to the Demon King, the legendary wizard who nearly destroyed the world
a millennium ago. The Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has just returned to
the city after spending three years with her father’s Clan in the mountains.
She aspires to be like Hanalea, the legendary warrior-queen who vanquished the
Demon King and saved the world, but her mother has other plans for her – plans
that will put both the queendom and Raisa’s future in great danger. The Seven
Realms will tremble when the adventures of Han and Raisa collide in this
stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My thoughts</span></h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "High Tower Text","serif"; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE
PLOT</span></span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I expect from all high fantasy novels is a blend of
monarchy, magic, mystery and memorable characters set in a richly described
realm alive with lurking dangers and deadly secrets. Cinda Williams Chima’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Demon King</i>, the first book in the
Seven Realms, fulfilled my expectations very well but not quite perfectly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was very anxious to like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Demon King</i> – partly because I really wanted to immerse myself
in a fantastical world of the favourite genre of my childhood, and partly because
I had tried to start a few books before that and they hadn’t resonated with my
mood enough for me to bother to finish them at the time. However, my worry of
not liking this book faded very quickly when Chima cut right to the quick in
the story and one of the main characters, Han Alister, former no-good streetlord,
runs into an unusual conflict with a few wizards. Han and his friend Fire
Dancer are left with a powerful-looking magical amulet and many questions that
eventually lead Han into a dangerous mess involving Princess Heir of the Fells,
Raisa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Han’s and Raisa’s stories run parallel, partially
intertwining, in third-person narratives, building up tension effectively as
the reader waits for the imminent collision of their worlds. Han is burdened
with earning a living for his family and the dangerous secret of the amulet, whilst Raisa
suffers from being Princess, confined to the castle and to frilly many-layered gowns.
Meanwhile, under the blind eyes of Queen Marianna, a devious plot is hatched
against the realm and its millennium-old traditions. With dreaded excitement and
anticipation, the plot goes into action, with fairly obvious hints that lead to
its contents, and finally is revealed – unfortunately to be almost exactly as I
guessed. However, despite the general predictability of the plot, Chima executes it successfully, and I was shocked or surprised at least a
couple of times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE CHARACTERS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I became immediately fond of Han and Raisa because of
being able to relate to or connect with their thoughts and feelings. Han was
lovable in his determinedness to take care of his family and Raisa was adorably
stubborn and very kick-ass in her own way. What I especially enjoyed about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Demon King</i> was the fact that secondary
characters were also fascinating and fleshed out nicely. Amongst others I liked
the honesty and good-naturedness of Speaker Jemson and the fierce and
protective personalities of Amon and Captain Byrne. I was a little disappointed<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>by Fire Dancer, Han’s friend, as it
was continuously mentioned that he usually was cheerful but through the entire
book he was angry and depressed and we never saw the “better” side of him. I
hope Dancer will get more attention in the second instalment of the series
because he has potential to be a more central character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The relationships in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Demon King </i>satisfied me with their complexity. There’s on one hand Han and
his mother who clearly love each other but don’t show it the right way. Then
again there’s Raisa and her childhood friend Amon who haven’t seen each other
for a few years but are now developing a new kind of connection. Of course
there’s also Micah Bayar, the High Wizard’s son, who has romantic interests in
Raisa which are returned.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE WRITING<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chima’s writing was, I think, just right for
this novel. The prose was not overly descriptive or tedious but instead smooth
and vivid. Her words called out clear images in my head: “gargoyles launched
themselves from every side of the building”, “the torchlight bled through the
cage door” and “the firelight deepened the lines on her face, the map of her
long life” are only a few examples of the author’s mastery at crafting
sentences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RANDOM <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps this is only a problem in the copy of the book I
read, but there was no map of the realms! I think this is practically a must in
all high fantasy novels because I feel it’s important to have a clear visual of
a newly introduced, imaginary world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">IN CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Demon King</i>
was a great start to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven Realms
Trilogy</i> and a tense, exciting read. The characters were relatable and
though the plot was a little predictable, I enjoyed the novel as a whole.
Especially the Chima’s writing deserves praise with its simple yet elegant
description.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4½/5</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"></span></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-Eve</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-31083090880767475242013-04-29T16:55:00.000+03:002013-04-29T16:55:29.771+03:00It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (#1)<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://bookjourney.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/3.jpg?w=240&h=232" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3" border="0" class="aligncenter wp-image-26656" height="193" src="http://bookjourney.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/3.jpg?w=240&h=232" width="200" /></a>It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme held over at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Journey</a> where participants share what they are in the middle of reading or will read during the week. </h3>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Right now I'm reading two books. Yesterday I started Cinda Williams Chima's <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6342491-the-demon-king" target="_blank">The Demon King</a> (link to Goodreads) which is the first book in the Seven Realms Trilogy. I'm really hooked on this fantasy novel at the moment, it's captivating and keeps me guessing. I've also borrowed the other two books in the series so I have them at the ready when I finish this one!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm also in the middle of re-reading the Harry Potter series - in Swedish! It's a good way to practice for my matriculation examination in Swedish which I'm taking next school year. I'm currently in the beginning of Harry Potter och Den flammande bägaren - or more familiarly, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6.Harry_Potter_and_the_Goblet_of_Fire" target="_blank">Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</a> (link to Goodreads). =)</div>
<br />
-EveEvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-79256528930950547682013-04-28T10:46:00.000+03:002013-04-28T10:46:50.587+03:00Time to Quote (#1)
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This (hopefully) weekly post is partly inspired by <a href="http://fredasvoice.blogspot.fi/2013/04/quote-it-saturday_26.html" target="_blank">Quote it Saturday (Freda's Voice)</a>. I will be choosing a favourite quote – sometimes a
few - every weekend, share it with you and explain why I think it’s special,
beautiful or thought-provoking. Enjoy! P.S. The quotes won’t have any spoilers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This week I chose the following quote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong>"There can be beauty anywhere. Even here. An if it ain't there, you can make it yerself."</strong><br />
<strong>-Blood Red Road by Moira Young</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">When
I was reading Blood Red Road, I was
particularly struck by this quote. I usually don’t remember to write down
quotes but when I do, they are words strung together like beads making a
beautiful pattern, or puzzle pieces fitting just right into each other, an
entity that calls out to me and sticks into my mind determinedly. This
particular one was just like that. The rhythm of these three sentences is
flowing and effortless, they give each other shape and most importantly, they
form together an ageless thought that applies everywhere, to everyone. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 199.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">We
choose what is beautiful. It is not truly our eyes but instead our brain and
attitude that make the – sometimes - unconscious choice to regard things in a
certain way. If we want to, we can find beauty anywhere. It’s always present,
often hidden, until the moment we decide to uncover it, to observe something
through positive thoughts. When we attempt to stop viewing things judgingly and
consciously examine our opinions and prejudices and the reasons behind them, we
can realize that really it often is a matter of will to see something or
someone in a better light. Every day we can try this – look around us, see the
beauty. Sometimes it is so close we don’t even notice.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Those
are my thoughts for today – what do you think of this quote?</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">-Eve</span></div>
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-8257495571370898622013-04-24T20:34:00.001+03:002013-04-24T20:34:26.546+03:00Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1364052399l/6131164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3)" border="0" height="200" id="coverImage" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1364052399l/6131164.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: Goodreads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Title: Clockwork Princess</span><br />
Author: Cassandra Clare<br />
Series: The Infernal Devices #3<br />
Published: 2013<br />
Where I got the book from: Borrowed from a friend<br />
<br />
This is my first proper review! My style will probably still change as I gradually find out what kind of review-writing works for me.<br />
<br />
Warning: This review contains <strong>spoilers for the first two books</strong> in the series and <strong>minor spoilers</strong> (mainly things one could guess) for this final book.<br />
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<h3>
Synopsis from Goodreads</h3>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Danger and betrayal, secrets
and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.</span></i></strong><br />
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<br />
Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?<br />
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around
the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.<br />
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who
plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy
the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He
needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart,
will do anything to save her."</span></div>
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<h3>
My Thoughts</h3>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I read the first two books in the
Infernal Devices trilogy last September and had forgotten the complexity and
wonder of the Shadowhunter world. I had to read online summaries of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clockwork Angel </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clockwork Prince</i> because I felt it was too soon to reread them and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to dive into the third part of the
trilogy with only an idea of the general plotline in the series and barely any
memories of the details.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the very first pages of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clockwork Princess </i>Clare pulled me right
into London of the late 1800s and amongst familiar friends who quickly became as
beloved as they were the last time I greeted them. There is Tessa, strong in
mind and good in heart, conflicted with her emotions towards the two young
Shadowhunter men, Will and Jem, one of whom she is about to marry. They are
like opposites, but linked closer than two brothers with their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parabatai </i>bond - Jem is the forgiving
one, kind, quietly passionate and dying, and Will is the flighty one, fierce, quick-tempered
and yet tender inside. The rest of Clare’s cast of characters are as varied and
wonderfully three-dimensional as the three main protagonists – just and
motherly Charlotte, sweet Henry, brave Sophie and the warlock Magnus Bane, as
mysterious as ever. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clockwork Princess</i>
also deepens the reader’s insight into previously side-line characters such as Cecily
Herondale, the impromptu newcomer at the London Shadowhunter Institute, and
Gabriel Lightwood, who appears at the beginning of the novel to tell Charlotte
and the rest that his father’s demon pox has turned him into a bloodthirsty
demon worm.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clockwork Princess </span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">starts
with hints of secrets that immediately arouse questions and a desperate need to
know the truth. Clare weaves with a talented hand an intricate, gripping plot filled
with betrayal and battles, romance and revelations, demons and death and
everything else that a fantasy novel like this is required to have. I
especially liked the fact that the romance wasn’t limited to only the main
characters and I think this must be one of my favourite books with third-person
narrative. I felt invested in this novel, like I was present with the
characters and had access to their emotions. My feelings were all over the
place – the waterworks went on and off, I smiled and even laughed out loud, I sighed
and frowned anxiously as I frantically read on to see what would happen next. I
was definitely startled at times – I practically gaped when I read that one
scene where the Shadowhunters were battling the automatons (I think, if you’ve
read the book, you know what scene and what “revelation” I am talking about!).
The uncovered truths were entirely plausible and satisfactory; I was impressed
with how everything suddenly made sense. The story is tied up cleanly and
cleverly together in a breath-taking, jaw-droppingly surprising and immensely gratifying
conclusion. Truthfully, the only slightly negative thing I have to say about
this book is that the “final” battle seemed to end a little too swiftly. I was
expecting a proper war-like situation with many parts to the fighting, including
casualties and losses and small victories before the final result. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Altogether I loved reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clockwork Princess </i>and think it is a
very fitting end to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Infernal Devices</i>.
Clare’s writing is heartbreakingly beautiful, sometimes funny – mostly the
things Will says, and the bantering between characters - and sometimes dramatic,
but always true to her characters and the world they live in. I strongly
recommend the entire series to anyone who loves fantasy and a historical
setting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eve</span></div>
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Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-53317716174924542662013-04-23T18:21:00.002+03:002013-06-13T22:57:42.982+03:00Mini Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)" height="200" id="coverImage" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331917778l/5099602.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="130" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture source: Goodreads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Title: Graceling<br />
Author: Kristin Cashore<br />
Series: Graceling Realm #1<br />
Published: 2008<br />
<br />
I thought I'd start with a mini review to get into the routine of blogging!<br />
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<h3>
Summary</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a magical world of seven kingdoms ruled by cruel kings, Katsa is born with a terrible and feared talent - a Grace. Katsa's Grace grants her the power and strength to fight and kill, which her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns, exploits mercilessly. Katsa has always felt tainted and shunned due to her skill, and gradually she realizes she no longer wants to hurt people. When she stumbles upon the mystery of the kidnapped father of the king of Lienid she finds herself tangled in a thick web of violence, deceit and manipulation. With her newest ally who is Graced with a skill almost like hers, Katsa decides to find out the truth - and for once use her gift to do something right.</div>
<br />
<h3>
My Thoughts</h3>
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Katsa is young, stubborn and impulsive, unbeatable in a fight and has perhaps the best aim with a bow in all the seven kingdoms. Despite her flaws and mistakes, Katsa is very easy to empathize with in her feelings of being alone and set apart, her conflict with being controlled by her uncle and her want of independency and also her arising emotions of love. I admired Katsa's development into a woman who listens to her own heart and brain instead of following orders she is against and grew quickly fond of her as a character. In the end, Katsa makes the right choices and acts selflessly, saving lives on the way.</div>
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The plot of the book was intriguing and exciting to me, I eagerly kept on turning the pages to find out what happens next and I felt invested in the tale of Katsa and her friends. Though certain happenings weren't unexpected, I was still glued to the pages and at some points, even startled by things I didn't see coming. Cashore's writing is effortless, flowing and captivating - in other words, I enjoyed it very much. Her portrayals of the characters were believable and multi-layered, my favourites being Katsa, Po, Bitterblue and Raffin. I would have liked to see a little more interaction between Katsa and Raffin and maybe also the other characters from Randa's castle, but all in all I was very satisfied with <em>Graceling</em> as a whole. Right now I am waiting in anticipation for a chance to lay my hands on Cashore's other two books set in the Graceling Realm, <em>Fire</em> and <em>Bitterblue</em>, which are both standalones thought they partly involve same characters.</div>
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5-/5<br />
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(Until I figure out a better way to put up stars, it's going to be like above...)<br />
<br />
Eve<br />
Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4745326006399848599.post-19058163425248519752013-04-23T14:09:00.000+03:002013-04-23T14:09:22.055+03:00Top Ten Tuesday (#1): Books I Thought I'd Like More/Less Than I DidTop Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.fi/">the Broke and the Bookish</a> - check out their book blog! This week's topic is "Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Like More/Less Than I Did".<br />
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<h3>
Books I thought I'd like more</h3>
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1) <strong>Anna Dressed in Blood</strong> by Kendare Blake<br />
I was excited about this one because I kept reading raving reviews but unfortunately I was a little disappointed. The title is deliciously morbid, the cover is sufficiently creepy and yet I didn't feel the goosebumps as I read the novel, though I would have wanted to. Cas's narrative didn't work for me and the romance felt a little quick. I did enjoy it, but I don't love it.<br />
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2) <strong>The Forest of Hands and Teeth </strong>by Carrie Ryan<br />
This was my first zombie book and a slow read for me. The idea and the whole set-up of being in a village surrounded by a forest full of zombies was intriguing. However, I didn't really get a feel of Mary and the plot didn't truly captivate me. <br />
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3) <strong>Legend</strong> by Marie Lu<br />
I was really into dystopian when I read this so maybe the fact that I had high expectations and books to compare it to affected my reading experience in a slightly negative way. It took some time for me to kind of sink into the story and I didn't feel a great attachment to any of the characters, though I liked them. However, the plot was engaging!<br />
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4) <strong>Three Bags Full</strong> by Leonie Swann<br />
This is a highly original detective story - a shepherd is found dead, impaled by a spade, and it is his sheep who try to solve the mystery of who is the murderer. I fell in love with the sheep with their distinct personalities, but there was a lot of description which felt a little tedious at times.<br />
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5) <strong>Starcrossed</strong> by Josephine Angelini<br />
I am a fan of mythology, so that's why I thought I'd enjoy it better. Unfortunately I wasn't thrilled by the romance, though the unique feel of this book did make up for it.<br />
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</h3>
<h3>
Books I thought I'd like less</h3>
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6) <strong>Where She Went</strong> by Gayle Forman<br />
<em>If I Stay</em> is a wonderful novel but it didn't awaken uncontrollably strong emotions in me. That's why I wasn't prepared for <em>Where She Went</em> to be such a mindblowingly amazing emotional rollercoaster ride of which I loved every minute, even when my heart broke a few times.<br />
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7) <strong>Nightshade</strong> by Andrea Cremer<br />
This was a "WOW!" kind of book for me. It's packed with smart humour, thrilling suspese, shocking secrets and heart-racing romance. I guess I wasn't expecting all that!<br />
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8) <strong>What I Was</strong> by Meg Rosoff<br />
My mother bought this for me at a point in my life when I barely read any contemporary. <em>What I Was</em> just captivated me right from the start and I loved it to bits.<br />
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9) <strong>Blood Red Road</strong> by Moira Young<br />
I was inspired by some reviews to read this but once I read the first few pages I kind of felt like I knew I wouldn't like it because of the slang. But I persevered and it has ended up being one of my favourite dystopian novels!<br />
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10) <strong>Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone</strong> by J.K. Rowling<br />
I know, I know. It's kind of shocking. At first I was put off from reading HP and I swore I never would but when my mother (once again) forced me to at around the age of eight or nine, I was enthralled. I still am. And this love affair between me and the HP books will continue until I die.<br />
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So, those were my Top Ten this week! I can't wait for next week's topic. =)<br />
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EveEvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00128842176719914286noreply@blogger.com6