Chit•Chat with Caro (The Book Rogue)

Welcome to my new feature called


Chit•Chat!


What is Chit•Chat?

Well, it's me interviewing some fellow bloggers! :)

If you'd like to know more or like to participate,
JUST CLICK HERE!

It's time for another guest, so welcome, Caro!

Click here to visit her blog!

Tell us who you are!

I'm Carolin [plz don't address me with my full given name, ever], a 22 year old book blogger from Germany. Currently still in college, wanting to become a literature translator. We'll see how that goes, but I hope that one day my name will be on books - altough maybe only on the inside. ;)

How long have you been blogging? When and why did you decide to start blogging?

I started blogging at the begining of the year (2012), due to the simple fact that I was reading in English and a lot YA, and had just no one to talk to about it.
Well, I kinda wanted to try out blogging anyway, but it would've never ever worked as some kind of diary. So I needed a topic, and on Christmas 2011 frustration about non-comunication got to me, so I started my own book blog.
And since I feel a lot more comfortable with the English language, that's what I chose (you can reach more ppl, too!) to blog in.

Favorite and least favorite things about blogging?

Finding an endless flow of new titles I wanna read. That's as awesome as it is frustrating. x)
Another favorite is getting to know a lot of new people, especially with the same interests. Then meeting authors, maybe getting in touch with publishers over the years. That can only help my cause, right?
Last of the least favorite things: thoughtless comments, either because they have nothing to do with the post, or because they're just copy-pasted for... I don't even know why ppl do that!

Who is your favorite and least favorite literary villain and protagonist, and why?

Fave Male Protagonist: This isn't easy, really not easy. But I'll be going with Zachariah from Raine Thomas's Firstborn trilogy until further notice. His persoanlity is just so... wow, so is his life's story. Worst Male Protagonist: Edward from Twilight by Stephanie Meyer [although I am being a little influenced by Robert Pattinson here], Damen from The Immortals by Alyson Noel, and I am betting on Daniel from the Fallen series by Lauren Kate although I only read the first installment so far. You could say they share rank 3, coz it's the same cookie-cutter approach for all of them.

Fave Female Protagonist: Suzume/Rin/Yue [yes, her name changes like that] from Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott. You know Memoirs of a Geisha? This is like the YA-mystical version of it. Absolutely loved it, and simply the changes she went through, what symbolizes her name... She's my fave up til now. Worst Female Protagonist: You don't want me going into that... There's just so many heroines lacking depth despite having installment over installment to develop a unique personality, but simply don't. So yeah, not going there, I am sure you'll come up with enough yourself.

Fave Male Villain: Jonathan Morgenstern from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I think it's so awesome that he actually makes sense in his own twisted way, and look so good doing it. I'm sure there are more like him, maybe even better, but I can't think of anyone right now. Worst Male Villain: Nicholas from the Chronicles of Blood and Stone tilogy by Robert Newcomb. Just too creepy for comfort, and... I don't know, just no.

Fave Female Villain: Huan/Hrun from the Age of the Five triloy by Trudi Canavan. She was THE vicious goddess through and through, you might only argue the point that there was no real jealousy mixed into her hatred for the female protagonist, which does strike one as a little odd since Huan is the goddess of love/fertility after all.
Worst Female Villain: Stacia from The Immortals by Alyson Noel. She's just so... stereotypical jealous because the good-hearted, non-cheerleading girl gets the hot guy instead of her. Right now, I can't think of any more characters like her, but I am sure there are more. So feel free to fill in some blanks for me.

Vampire, werewolf, or something else?

a Minion of Day and Knight [really badass bat-winged warriors, created by Robert Newcomb], but a werewolf would also be nice, as long as I actually get a fluffy fur coat [not those versions from Harry Potter or Underworld, urghs]

If you could be any book heroine, who would you be and why?

I'd be Bella so I could tell Jake to kick Edward's butt into next week before settling in with Emily and the pack.
Just kidding! Well, maybe not so much, but Bella is definitively not the first pick. Really, I'd want to be Isabelle from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. She's simply my ideal female character, in all aspects like I would conjure up my heroine to be. Of course there are also a couple of others I'd like to slip into, just to test the powers, the boundaries... but I guess we all kind of feel this way, right?

What movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit? Spill!

Hmm... Personally, I'm not really embarrassed about it, but I guess most ppl would be, so I'm saying the 2004 Cinderella Story starring Hilary Duff. This is probably the most girlish thing about me, and I think it's the most pink I own. Other than that, most people consider it embarrassing to watch anime at my age, but I do so and I enjoy it.

Your favorite book of all times and why?

Uhm... Really not sure about this. My best read in 2012 so far was Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, and it is definitvely one of my all time favorites, with high potential for staying THE ONE favorite book for the rest of my reading life. I highly recommend all of you to pick it up! Like, now.
However, The Thief Lord and the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke were my first YA fantasy novels, and I would read them any time over again.

Tell us 5 random, (non-bookish, if you wish) things about yourself!

• Egypt is the only country I've been on vacation more than twice AND STILL want to go back there again [the US doesn't count, coz I lived there for a year, so of course I wanna go back!]
• I'm engaged. Well, at least for the authorities. Privately, I kinda got an engagement tattoo...
• When I am finally getting married, I am keeping my last name, because it's really special.
• I love musicals. I'll be seeing Dance of the Vampires in a few weeks. So excited!
• I've been to a concert in a wheel chair, and it was awesome. Me and the boys had fun with that, and the concert was worth about double than what we paid.

Your favorite...

• .. ice cream?
  Tiramisu, and in a lack of that I go for chocolate


• .. author?
  Hmm... There are a lot of authors with good writing styles out there, and they are all good for another reason. But if I had to pick out the most striking style, it'd be Tahereh Mafi. If you haven't read Shatter Me yet, you'd better start ordering now.


• .. smell?
  Smoke from blown out candles or matches, I even like gasoline. Essence of roses is nice too - makes a lot of people turn tail and flee, among them my mom and grandma. Loved to open that tiny bottle we had for decoration to annoy them when I was little. Muha.


• .. color?
  Black and red, even more so in combination


• .. movie?
  Gladiator


• .. quote?
  From Friedrich Nietzsche
  
  "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

If you'd like to say something to my followers, go ahead! :)

Dear Mind Readers ;),
it is awesome of you to step by here today, thank you. I hope that many of you are very faithful readers of Monaliz', which I am thankful for once again, but if you happen to be even the slightest bit able to pull yourself off this blog, then maybe you might want to check out my giveaway: http://the-book-rogue.de/a-new-beginning-giveaway/ ;)
But that's already gonna be it from the self-promo corner, and I'm turning back to more important matters: the question if you can actually read minds - or if you just mind reading? o.O Do I really want to go into this discussion with you? Maybe not, but tell me the truth anyway! And in case any of you answer yes, please leave me a way to contact you to fill out my next questionnaire/interrogation for me.
Thank you very much! :)
D

Thank you Caro for stopping by!

And I have to spill.. I watch 2004 Cinderella Story starring Hilary Duff all the time. Well, actually, I watch movies with Hillary Duff all the time.. I have all the Lizzie McGuire dvds. Don't tell anyone ;D
And do I read minds.. Guess you'll never know. Though you better only think nice things, just in case ;)
Again, thanks for stopping by! And if you, my dear reader, would like to be interviewed, email me zaturna [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com!

One Moment by Kristina McBride

One Moment
by Kristina McBride

Published: June 26th 2012
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Format: Ebook
Pages: 272
Series: -
Source: From NetGalley for
review
Amazon |
Book Depository

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before.
She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey.
She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her.

So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive?

Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below — dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
The blurb pretty much sums it up. Maggie and her best friends are hanging out, acting like a bunch of teenager. But what was ment to be a fun day, turns into nightmare.
And Maggie is the only one who knows what happened for sure, but she can't remember.
Bit by bit her memories start coming back, but something just doesn't add up. It doesn't take that long or that much digging to find out their little circle of friends' dirty secrets.

Maggie is pretty naive. She had a crush for Joey for ages before they started going out and when Joey finally asked her out, she was sold. She thought Joey was the perfect boyfriend. Yes, he's a little crazy, but everyone has their flaws.
Maggie had a plan; she was finally going to give in and sleep with Joey, after two years of dating. She had this naive little dream all planned out, but then Joey ends up dead. And believe it or not, it turns out to be a good thing.
Because Joey really wasn't the perfect guy, and if Joey hadn't died, his secrets could have stayed hidden.
Though Joey wasn't actually that good in hiding his secrets, but like so many times, you just want to believe in people close to you. Maggie idolizes Joey and is actually in love with a fantasy she created, not with the real person. But of course, she doesn't realize that at the time.

And Joey.. Dead or not, he's a douche! Half the time he dated Maggie, he also dated another girl. For a freaking year! If that's not a douche, I don't know what is.
One of the characters tries to explain his behaviour with some lame excuse like "he wanted to keep us all together". No, he was just a douche!
If he hadn't died, he probably would've slept with all Maggie's friends. Or at least with all the girls. He didn't want to keep his little group together, he just wanted to mark his territory by sleeping with all the girls. Yay for Joey.
But at least he broke up with the girl he was sleeping on the side before dying. Hah. I'm gloating, but this is a book, so I I can do that.

And something good comes from Joey's death. Maggie can finally be with the guy she's meant to be. If only she can forgive him for covering up Joey's secrets.

This was definitely delight to read. Writing was great and characters believable, though occasionally I did have hard time with connecting characters' feelings, especially with Maggie's sadness and sorrow. Jealousy and rage were something I really enjoyed, but I wasn't able to shed tears over this.
Which is why this ended up in the "entertaining" category rather than "life altering". But if you're after some good teenage drama, feel free to check this out!


My thanks to NetGalley and EgmontUSA for providing a review copy!

TBR Intervention #5

It's been a while, but it's finally time for another TBR Intervention!

Hosted by Books4Juliet, Whatever You Can Still Betray & Refracted Light!


TBR Intervention

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it.

Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).

2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer).

Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week (or two weeks).

1. THE BOOKS I COMMITTED TO READ:



I read both of these, I'm so proud of myself right now! And these both were such a great books, definitely worth reading.





2. THE BOOK I COMMIT TO READ THIS WEEK:



My picks for this week are Lies Beneath and By the Pale Moonlight. The latter is way overdue, but better late than never!

What book did you chose for your TBR Intervention?

Ordained Blog Tour has a winner!

We have a winner!



The winner was chosen with Random.org, and with number 20 the winner is..


Kati @ Jagged Edge Reviews!

I have emailed you, you have 72 hours to answer! :)

Thanks to all the participants!

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Fifty Shades of Grey
by E.L. James

Published: May 26th 2011
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 540
Series: Fifty Shades
Source: Borrowed
Amazon |
Book Depository

When literature
student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the
successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
Someone described this book with a term "housewife porn"; there's no need for a plot just as long as there's lots and lots of porn. Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Erotic? There's hardly anything erotic with two people just going at it like rabbits. Amusing? Naaaah. Deeply moving.. What book are they talking about?!

I wanted to stop reading this half way through, because that's when author ran out of ideas. But I continued, because the first half was at least some what entertaining. Definitely not believable, but vaguely entertaining. I kept going, but as said, author ran out of ideas. And guess what she does? Writes two more books.

I didn't really like the characters, because they were just repeating the same thing over and over again, they had no personality and they really were just dull.
I usually dislike male characters who say things women wants them to say.
Like you can imagine there's this lady playing with Barbie and Ken, imitating male voice and she's grunting

"oh baby, you're so hot! You make me hot. I'm on fire", says Ken. High-pitched Barbie continues "But.. I've never been touched before." Ken grunts, again "You're.. a virgin? OMG." High-pitched "Yeah." Ken is like "Wow. That's awesome. I wanna fuck you." High-pitched "Yeah." Ken is like "Show me how you touch yourself." Barbie, high-pitched and shocked: "I would never do that! Don't you see I'm all innocent and even though I'm 45, I've never touched myself before?! Because only you make me hot." Ken, like "WOW. Like AWESOME. Like you're so awesome I come like now."

Oh, except in this case dirty- Barbie and -Ken sound British, even though they are American. What's the deal with that?!
Don't get me even started with the freaking twitching palm, inner goddess, schizophrenic behavior, red room of pain.. This sucked so bad. And now I have headache, apparently even thinking about this book makes my hurt.

Cover Crazy #21

By The Book Worms!

Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters

Living in the aftermath of the Event means that seeing the dead is now a part of life, but Veronica wishes that the ghosts would just move on. Instead, the ghosts aren’t disappearing — they’re gaining power.

When Veronica and her friend, Kirk, decide to investigate why, they stumble upon a more sinister plot than they ever could have imagined. One of Veronica’s high school teachers is crippled by the fact that his dead daughter has never returned as a ghost, and he’s haunted by the possibility that she’s waiting to reappear within a fresh body. Veronica seems like the perfect host. And even if he’s wrong, what’s the harm in creating one more ghost?

From critically acclaimed Generation Dead author Daniel Waters, comes a delectably creepy and suspenseful thriller. Break My Heart 1,000 Times will leave readers with the chills. Or is that a ghost reading over the page?

I LIKE

* Love the tally thingy (is it tally? Well, you know what I mean!)
* Love the girls expression * Aaand love the red font

I DON'T LIKE

* Even though I love the red font, it takes quite a huge space :/
* And even though I love this cover, it's a little old fashioned

TBR Intervention #4

It's been a while, but it's finally time for another TBR Intervention!

Hosted by Books4Juliet, Whatever You Can Still Betray & Refracted Light!


TBR Intervention

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it.

Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).

2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer).

Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week (or two weeks).

1. THE BOOKS I COMMITTED TO READ:



It's been weeks since this commitment, but I've only managed to read Fifty Shades of Grey, review to come, but I can tell you this.. Man, it sucked! So bad.





2. THE BOOK I COMMIT TO READ THIS WEEK:



I'll try to read One Moment and Pushing the limits this week, guess I'll just have to forget Dirty Blood for a while, since it's just not happening!

What book did you chose for your TBR Intervention?

Monthly Recap: June

Another month is over and I'm still working, so there hasn't been that much reading. Plus it's been really cold summer, so I've started knitting again. Because everyone needs some woolen socks in the summer, right?

I read

There was some pretty great books, but there was some awful books too, meaning Angel Eyes and Fifty Shades of Grey (review coming) :/

Shut Up by Anne Tibbets + GIVEAWAYS (INT)

Shut Up
by Anne Tibbets

Published: February 28th 2012
(first published January 1st 2012)
Publisher: Premier Digital
Publishing

Format: Paperback
Pages: 118
Series: -
Source: From author for
review
Amazon |

Mary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life.
Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up.

Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport.

Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows.

Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
First of all.. Don't you just love the cover?! I absolutely fell in love with it the moment I saw it! And I was glad to notice this isn't book with just a pretty cover, but with amazing story inside.
This author has definitely interesting style of writing; we get to read about the time before Mary ran away and time after that.

This is Mary's story. She's only twelve, but she's suffering. Her big sister, Gwen, rules the household. She tortures Mary and emotionally blackmails their parents. Everyone's on edge and Mary gets the most of it. Time after time people tell her to just shut up.
Mary's family is poor, since her father lost his job. That probably would be tolerable if only their family wasn't so disfunctional emotionally.
In the past, Gwen was a normal, happy kid, until something happened. She tried to tell her parents about it, but they didn't believe her. That was the turning point.
After that Gwen has been bitter and unhappy and she's testing the limits nonstop. She has an awful boyfriend, who gets her pregnant time after time. Yeah, he really is a creep. Especially when he shows some sick interest in Mary, who's only 12! And it's pretty obvious Gwen notices this too, why else would she act so jealous and mean when ever she caughts The Creep and Mary hanging together?

This really is a sad story. There's bunch of unhappy and twisted people just living their lives, without thinking the consequences. Mary gets the blame most of the time, even though she's just a kid.
In the end, Mary's parents stand up and try to fix things by standing up to Gwen, but is it too little, too late?
They can't really blame Gwen for everything, either. They let Gwen rebel and do what ever she wants, but they still were the parents. Gwen got pregnant when she was 17. She was just a kid, too. A kid who would do anything to get the attention she craves, but you can only blame the parents for letting things get so out of hands. And a 17 year old really shouldn't have to make that big decisions! Her parents should've stand up a long time before she got pregnant. But when the parents really aren't involved in their childrens lives, things happen.

I was really glad when things got better for Mary. Though I'm pretty sure things may get harder at times, I'm sure she can handle them. She survived from years of bullying, so she can survive from anything. And she really was one of those characters you wish all the happiness world can give.



Huge thanks to Anne for providing a reviewcopy, and for writing this amazing story!

.. and now it's time for some AMAZING GIVEAWAYS!

RULES

• Anne will be giving away 2 paperbacks and 2 signed bookmarks, which means there will be FOUR winners!


• You can participate by filling in the form below; you need to like Anne's FB page OR tag her in a tweet.
  
  
• This giveaway is open internationally.
  
  
• Winners have 72 hours to reply my email, or there will be a new winner chosen.
  
  
• The giveaway will end on July 14th at 23:59 (GMT+2)
  
  

The giveaway has ended!

The Time Will Come #23

Hosted by Books for Company!

Nightshade (Nightshade #1) by Andrea Cremer


She can control her pack, but not her heart ...

'I wanted him to kiss me - wished he could smell the desire that I knew was pouring off me. You can't, Calla. This boy isn't the one for you.'

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: graduation, marriage and then a life leading her pack.

But when she defies her masters' laws to save a human boy, she must choose.
Is one boy worth losing everything?

I bought this probably a month ago? Or maybe two? Can't remember!
Anyway, this has been on my tbr- pile for over a year now, so I probably should read it soon!