Mind Reading?

October 15, 2012

Ties to the Blood Moon by Robin P. Waldrop

Ties to the Blood Moon
by Robin P. Waldrop

Published: November 1st 2011
Format: Ebook
Pages: 152
Source: From author for review
Amazon |
Book Depository

Genevieve is a teenage girl who moves in with her aunt in Alaska after the death of her mother.

Soon after her arrival she learns the things she was raised to believe only existed in fairytales are in fact a big part of her history.

When it gets to be too much she seeks refuge in the arms of her new boyfriend, William, only to find out he's not who she thought he was either.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
Genevieve's mother has just passed away, so she's forced to move in with her aunt, who lives in Alaska. There she's surrounded with eskimos. Plus one guy he instantly falls in love with. His name is William, and before you can say a cat, they're kind of dating or something. And of course there's this eskimo guy, who is a werewolf guy, and so on.

Sorry for the not-so-great introduction, but I just couldn't do it. There was so much similarities with Twilight, I just couldn't take it. Yeah, Twilight rocks, and other authors seem to know it too, since there's so, so, so many books trying to be the new Twilight. Sometimes that works, sometimes not. And you guess correct, this time it didn't work for me.

Usually great main character saves a lot, but in this case, I had huge problems with Genevieve. I actually made notes and there's few "Why is she being such a brat?!" and "Why is she whining nonstop??", because she was just so irritating! And she had absolutely no manners! Your aunt takes you to live with her, and you just complain and whine, and not really about your mothers death, but your aunt being too overprotective and suffocating you? Seriously.
She's also really aggressive, and yeah, I know there's some changes going on with her (more than just normal puberty), but it's still pretty rude to shove people around. Don't like.

“Who? Those creeps right there?”
I nodded toward the three approaching boys. “Let’s just say I hope everyone isn’t as unwelcoming as they are.”

My eyes followed them as they walked by. When they glanced my way, I narrowed my eyes at the one who’d been so rude.
He halfway smiled, and then out of nowhere wrapped his forearm around Luna’s head and gave her a noogie.

“Leave her alone, you cretin,” I yelled, and shoved him backward so hard he slammed into the wall on the other side of the hall.

If there was one thing I had no patience for, it was a bully.

Now who's a bully? I really had high expactations, but unfortunately I wasn't able to enjoy this all that much.

October 13, 2012

From Book to TV #5: Green Arrow

I have this habit to watch any tv show/ movie based on book. So I'd like to introduce some of those tv shows/ movies!

If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment and a link to your own blog post!

I know, it's been ages since I last posted FBtT, but it's fall again, which means tons of new TV series!
And since few days ago started new series, Arrow, I decided to go with that.

green
arrow then..

Green Arrow is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics.
Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941.

His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City. Dressed like Robin Hood, Green Arrow is an archer who invents trick arrows with various special functions, such as glue arrows, net, explosive, time bomb, grappling, fire extinguishing, flash and tear gas arrows, as well as cryonic arrows, and even a kryptonite arrow.

..and green
arrow now

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific.

When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island.
While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was.
Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance.

As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow - a vigilante to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory.
By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be - flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle - while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness.

However, Laurel's father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver's own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

So far there's only one episode out, but it was quite promising. There was a little too much noise and action and bad hairdos to my taste, but guess this has potential.

I especially drool over the fact Laurel's father is played by my favorite wizard, Paul Blackthorne!

What wizard, you may ask? He played Harry Dresden in The Dresden Files, based on Jimmy Butcher's books!

Unfortunately that only ran for one season, which made me sooo sad. But he's back, I can drool again!

Laurel Lance is played by Katie Cassidy.

The last time I saw her, she was in Gossip Girl (based on novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar) as Juliet Sharp, who was quite the b**tch!

That's why I have hard time liking her, but hopefully I'll get over that!

The main character, Oliver Queen, is played by Stephen Amell, who I can't say I'm familiar with.

I've seen him in The Vampire Diaries (based on the novel series by L. J. Smith), where he tortured Caroline and was killed by Stefan.
Not yet sure how I feel about him, we'll see!

October 12, 2012

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern

Published: September 13th 2011
Publisher: Doubleday
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 387
Source: Borrowed from library
Amazon |
Book Depository

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.

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.

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.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
Did you know there really is magic among us? Or that's what I believe after reading this book. There's two kids, Celia and Marco, who are chosen to be part of some silly competition between Celia's father and Marco's trainer. They don't know the rules, they don't know the game, they just know they have to practise nonstop, so when the time comes, they're ready.
Then the circus comes. Circus filled with magic. And your life is changed forever.

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "breathtaking". Beautiful. Seductive. But I do feel conflicted. This book is amazingly visual, if you can say that about a book. There was just this magnificent beauty I can't get over with. And I must admit, I've never read anything like this. Author manages to paint the picture through words, and that is absolutely amazing talent (who can count "amazing"s in this review?). I just wanted to pick a brush and some paint and start painting the circus all over our appartment. I mean, how cool would that be?! Especially since I'm such a fan of black and white (if I could, I'd be wearing this dress nonstop!).
Not only does this author paint a vivid picture, but also manages to feed all the senses. Which you would think is impossible, but apparently not. All the smells and tastes are described so vividly, you can't help but get sucked into the story and picture it all. Actually, live it all.

And then to why I felt conflicted. At first I had some trouble with the Lemony Snicket- kind of voice, especially since I kept hearing the narrator from the movie. So that gave me some trouble, but after the first 50 pages I got over it.
Then there's the competition. I usually have trouble since I'm so curious, and this was the problem this time too. I did realize the basic idea of the competition, but it's really hard to follow competition where there really is no guidelines. What is the goal, when can you say the game is over (well, we did get the answer for that..), what is the point in this competition, what are the rules in magic etc. There just was so many questions and not enough answers.

I also did enjoy the romance, especially the few romantic moments there was. But I still felt like there was something missing, even though they were starcrossed lovers and I absolutely adored them. Guess the ending just kind of bugs me, and just makes me feel lost. I'm not sure if this was happy ending, or bad ending, or just a little satisfying ending or what. I'm officially confused. But still kind of awed most of the time.

October 09, 2012

Rape Girl by Alina Klein

Rape Girl
by Alina Klein

Published: June 4th 2012
Publisher: namelos
Format: Ebook
Pages: 129
Source: Through NetGalley for review
Amazon |
Book Depository

"Hey, look. It’s that girl. That rape girl, right?"

Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl.

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers.

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same.

RAPE GIRL is the compelling story of a survivor who does the right thing and suffers for it. It is also the story of a young woman’s struggle to find the strength in herself to fight back.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
Valerie's mum's out of town, so what does a teenager do? Have a party, what else! And the party is kind of fine, never mind the fact she ends up throwing up. All over the guy she has a crush on.
It isn't until the next day, when Valerie's life gets turned upside down. She ends up being raped, and is haunted by the fact she didn't fight back. But she said no, shouldn't that be enough?

First of all, the name is quite extreme. But that's definitely the first thing that caught my eye. It's provoking, but you definitely won't miss this book if you see it!
And the title is quite accurate, since that's what Valerie ends up, a rape girl. She could've just let this whole thing go, but she decides to stand up for the truth, even when it means losing all her friends. But can you really call people who doesn't believe you friends?
But at least she has her family, who believes her, no matter what. Together they try to fight for justice, but sometimes, there just isn't such a thing. So this also becomes a story about surviving, when there's no hope left and you just want to give up.

Valerie definitely grows up during the story, but what else can you expect? First she's this quite naive teenager, who decides to throw a party with her little sister sleeping upstairs (this was pretty horrible!) and drinks for the first time. And has her first hangover. But in the end, she's almost a grown up, who gives support to her mother and learns to live a life with a horrible unjustice. She ends up being a survivor.

The ending left me feeling quite conflicted. I always wish there was at least some kind of a happy ending to everyone, but I guess it just isn't possible to always have the happy ending. Even though the justice wasn't served, Valerie manages to make the best out of her situation, and ends up being stronger than ever. This book also gives the lesson that no matter what, you should speak up, since it may save someone else. And for that, I have to thank Alina, since this really ended up being very inspirational book.

Thanks to NetGalley and namelos for providing a review copy!

Teaser Tuesdays #29

By Should Be Reading!

I thought of our last day together and wondered how he could have let me enjoy one of the greatest days of my life, when he knew it would be followed by so many of the worst.

Was it a particularly cruel form of torture he'd learned as an assassin, or was it designed especially for me?

First Light by Samantha Summers