Friday, September 30, 2011

What I'm Reading 9/30/2011





    I am currently reading BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS by ANNA GODBERSEN, the first book in the series. BEAUTIFUL DAYS is the second book in the series, which I obtained through Goodreads.

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Add me as a friend on Goodreads  If you would like to see what I have read previous to the month of September 2011. (Please let me know in a message if you are adding me from this site.)

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    If you were thinking of following my blog, here are the genres that I read the most often.
  • Generalized Fiction
  • Young Adult
  • Paranormal
  • Fantasy
  • Sci-Fi
  • Dystopians
  • Historical Fiction
  • Classics
  • Horror/Thriller
  • Etc.
Sometimes, but rarely, I read memoirs, non-fiction, and romance (straight-out romance, as I call it, where there is nothing to the plot but the actual romance).

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A few books/authors I plan on reading in the near future:

  • Catherine Asaro
  • Atonement  by Ian McEwan
  • The Wolf King  by Alice Borschardt
  • Looking For Alaska  by John Green
  • The Help  by Kathryn Stockett
  • The Power of Six  by Pittacus Lore
  • A Great and Terrible Beauty  by  Libba Bray
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If you have any recommendations, please feel free to comment. In fact, I absolutely hope that someone WILL leave a recommendation. Even comments on how I can better my blog are very welcome.

Book 2: The Radley's


GoodReads synopsisMeet the Radleys

Peter, Helen and their teenage children, Clara and Rowan, live in an English town. They are an everyday family, averagely dysfunctional, averagely content. But as their children have yet to find out, the Radleys have a devastating secret

From one of Britain’s finest young novelists comes a razor-sharp unpicking of adulthood and family life. In this moving, thrilling and extraordinary portrait of one unusual family, The Radleys asks what we grow into when we grow up, and explores what we gain – and lose – when we deny our appetites.


                                                                       *******

My GoodReads review: Every family wants to be considered normal and accepted within society. The Radleys are doing their best to be just that, but when the daughter, Clara, makes the conscientious choice to be a vegan, a situation arises and in defending herself gets her first taste of blood. This sets of a chain of events that proves that the Radleys are FAR from normal no matter how hard they try to be. Much to the mothers dismay, in flies Uncle Will to the 'rescue', but with a dark secret. In fact, this whole family seems to have thrived and survived on secrets their whole lives, ones that are just as responsible for the said chain of events that expose what they really are. Vampires.

This is not your typical paranormal vampire book. After Twilight became such a big deal among young adults, hordes of paranormal romance novels sprung up all over the place. Vampires seem to be the big fad this decade and it's hard to wean out the good from the bad. This novel, written more for adults, is a good read. I could never lump it in with Bram Stokers "Dracula or Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles', nor is it as diverse as the Charlaine Harris novels, but it is a respectable addition to the vampire genre.
    
                                                                         *******

  The Radley's was my second 'First-Reads' novel. I was one of 200 people that won the privilege to own the Advanced Readers copy of this book. (I don't mean to boast. I just can't think of anything else to say about this book at the moment besides the truth; that it was good, but I wouldn't read it again or recommend it to anyone who prefers action packed paranormal novels. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great, either.)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Book 1: Inside the Outside

GoodReads synopsis: By the time Timber Marlow is fifteen years old, she has already killed three men. Despite the bloody and violent nature of their deaths, Timber is hardly a murderer, at least not in the traditional sense. She has lived her entire life as a cannibal within a cult tucked away in the San Bernardino Mountains called the Divinity of Feminine Reproach. The Divinity keeps itself isolated from the Outside, which is the mainstream society beyond its invisible borders. When the opportunity presents itself, Timber escapes into the Outside, bearing witness to some dark and unsettling truths about the world around her and the integral role she plays in it. But no matter how long she stays away, Timber finds out the past isn't as far away as she thinks it is. In this debut novel, laced with scenes of horrific violence and uplifting humanity, Martin Lastrapes has written a one-of-a-kind story about love, friendship, sacrifice and cannibalism.

                                                                               ******

My GoodReads review:  They say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but when the amazing cover art actually reflects the story within, it is definently worth breaking the rules. As a lover of all things art, this cover (not to mention the synopsis of the novel) definently had me sold before I even knew I was a First-Reads winner.

I was drawn into Martin Lastrapes praiseworthy debut novel, Inside the Outside from the very beginning. The endearing characters enthralled me throughout; especially Timber, whos trials and tribulations within the 'Divinity' captivated me and kept me reading into the early morning hours. It is well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I definently recommend it to anyone who enjoys a bit of suspense and horror.   

                          
                                                                               ******
That was my very first attempt at writing a review online, so don't be too harsh on how short and forced it was. I won a free copy of this book through Goodreads 'First-Reads' within the first week of joining. I just want to point out that I NEVER EVER EVER win anything, so winning a book was a big deal for me, and I wouldn't have wanted it to be any other book. Perhaps I am biased on my love of this book for that reason, as well as the that the author not only signed the copy, but wrote a little inscription addressed to me personally within it. Despite the fact that this is my first free book, I truthfully couldn't put it down until I was literally sick from staying up all night reading it. Martin Lastrapes writing style is absolutely wonderful compared to alot of modern novels I have read lately. I LOVED this book and I hope to see more from the author soon.

The Beginning of Book Blogging

I am an avid reader and have been all my life. I have been reading for pleasure since I was in elementary school. No matter what phases I go through in life, no matter what twists and turns my life plot takes, I have always and will always come back to reading.

I have recently joined Goodreads, and before that, WeRead. I have written about books I read in all sorts of places; Facebook, Tumblr, as well as older sites that I no longer know my passwords to, but I have never kept a blog solely dedicated to books. Until now.  Here I will keep you updated on what I am currently reading and review what I have finished. I might time travel into the past at times to talk about books I read growing up, books that had big impacts on my life, and I just might indulge in a book challenge questionare or two.

So, if you are a book lover, a bibliophile, or if you are just looking for a new book to read, feel free to follow this blog.