Category Archives: Readings

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Fantastical Intentions – Beginnings

Fantastical Intentions is a feature featuring Hannah and Naithin of Once Upon A Time and Jacob of Drying Ink. They decide on a fantasy related topic and everyone is welcome to join in. If you would like to participate, write a blog post of your own and leave your link in the comments.

This week’s topic is: Beginnings!

My pick is the beginning of The Passage by Justin Cronin.

“Before she became the Girl from Nowhere-the One Who Walked In, the First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years-she was just a little girl in Iowa, named Amy. Amy Harper Bellafonte.”

The Passage is a very long book (almost a 1000 pages) and it’s the first installment in a trilogy. To be honest, it’s not the easiest read in the world despite a great theme and an interesting plot: the story takes a (very) long time to unfold and I thought some editing would have been needed for some parts of the book. That being said, The Passage has one of the best beginnings I’ve read in my life. The first 250 pages are just amazingly gripping and incredibly well written. Entitled “The Worst Dream in the World”, this part 1 of the novel describes how the world comes to an end in less than half an hour.

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

This beginning is a race against time and a great introduction of the main characters.

It is an outstanding example of what a beginning should be in a novel.

What beginning did you choose?

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Waiting On Wednesday – 3

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Today I have chosen Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare Blake (Expected publication: August 7th 2012 by Tor Teen)

From Goodreads:

“In this follow-up to Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas begins seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he’s asleep, and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong. These aren’t just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn’t know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn’t deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it’s time for him to return the favor.”

I LOVED Anna Dressed in Blood that came out last year. I can’t wait for its sequel!

What are you waiting for this week?

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Book of the Week – 4

This week I’m reading The Line by US author Teri Hall. Its is a Dystopian novel published in 2010. The second book in the series, called Away, came out last September and I have had them both on my TBR pile for ages. After watching The Hunger Games I have decided it was time for me to dive into this original story.

According to Teri’s website, here is what the series is about:

“Rachel lives with her mother on The Property. The good thing about living there is that it’s far from the city where the oppressive government is most active. The bad thing, at least to most people, is that it’s close to the Line—an uncrossable section of the National Border Defense System, an invisible barrier that encloses the entire country.

She can see the Line from the greenhouse windows, but she is forbidden to go near it. Across the Line is Away, and though Rachel has heard many whispers about the dangers there, she’s never really believed the stories. Until the day she hears a recording that could only have come from across the Line.

It’s a voice asking for help.

Who sent the message? What is her mother hiding? And to what lengths will Rachel go in order to do what she thinks is right?”

What are you reading this week?

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TGIF – 1

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads! Each Friday, she asks a question for anyone to answer. This Friday’s Question is:

Book Series Finales: Which book, from any series has been your favorite ending? What about your least favorite ending?

These past few years, I have read a lot of book series that have yet to have an ending. Among those that are done, though, my favorite has to be the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, which ended brilliantly with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I remember buying the book and reading it on the same day, breathlessly eager to find out who would die and who would survive and how the whole story would finish. I wasn’t disappointed a bit, even if I still find the book too short.

What about you? Any series finale you liked or didn’t like?

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Book of the Week – 3

This week I’m reading Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber. It’s a YA historical novel set in 19th Century New York. The 17-year-old heroin is mute and the book is her diary, in which she recounts the strange events that took place at the Metropolitan Museum in the summer of 1880. It’s a quick read and a cute love story, as well as a good mystery.

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Follow Friday – 1

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Book bloggers answer a question each week then they check out how others answered it. It’s a great way for bloggers to connect and learn more about each other!

Please follow me via email, WordPress or RSS and leave me a comment saying you’re now following me, so I can follow you back. Thank you.

This week’s question is:

What is the longest book you’ve read? What are your favorite 600+ page reads?

The longest book I’ve ever read has to be the Song Of Ice and Fire series by G.R.R. Martin.


Each book is at least 900 page-long (in paperback) and I’ve made my way through the first three books so far. Although my interest has a bit dwindled while reading book 3, it’s still a series I recommend to any reader interested in fantasy.

My favorite +600 page read is the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Do I really need to explain why?

What’s the longest book you’ve ever read?

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Waiting On Wednesday – 2

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Today I have chosen The Cavendish Home For Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand (Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by Simon & Schuster BFYR)

From Goodreads:

“Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster–lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does, too.)

But then Lawrence goes missing. And he’s not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that Mrs. Cavendish’s children’s home is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out . . . different, or they don’t come out at all.

If anyone can sort this out, it’s Victoria, even if it means getting a little messy.”

So on top of having a great blog, Claire Legrand is publishing this novel that sounds GREAT. I simply can’t wait.

 

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Waiting On Wednesday – 1

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Today I’ve chosen Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London (Expected publication: May 29th 2012 by HarperTeen)

From Goodreads:

“This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.

Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters….

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.”

Does this sound awesome or what?

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Top Ten Tuesday – YA Books

The Broke and the Bookish is a great book review blog and it hosts what is called the Top Ten Tuesday. I have decided to take part for the first time, since I like (and already do) lists on this blog. This week is the Top Ten X Genre books and I have chosen to list my favorite YA books.

So, on my bookshelf, you can find…

1-      Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Witches in South Carolina. Wonderful writing and setting. My number One.

2-      The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Gossip Girl in the 19th Century. A delight to read.

3-      The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

A girl who can see the future in 19th Century Baltimore. What more do you want?!

4-      Abandon by Meg Cabot

A retelling of the Persephone myth. I loved the idea but this book was so short! I felt a bit cheated. Now I’m waiting for Book 2.

5-      The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Werewolves! And such a gorgeous cover…

6-      Evermore by Alyson Noel

Immortal lovers who have to find each other again every time they are reborn. A good idea but I didn’t like the heroine.

7-      Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

Already a classic. And I bought it at the Strand Bookstore and read it while I lived in New York. Good times…

8-      I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Extraterrestrials! Teenage hormones! Not my favorite book of all time but a good read, with a great suspense.

9-      Fallen by Lauren Kate

I bought this book for its cover, I’ll admit it. It’s about angels. And there’s a love triangle. A good read, but nothing highly original.

10-   Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Angels, again. I liked the plot, but I loathed the main male character. Which is why it’s my number Ten.

What is your Top Ten?

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Book of the Week – 2

This week I’m reading Fever (the second book in The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano. I loved the first installment in the series and I was very excited to get my hands on the second one. It is a Dystopian novel with a wonderful sense of setting and a great plot. I recommend it!

What are you reading this week?