Elsewhere Online: August 2011

As you may have guessed from my In My Mailbox posts, I review for other websites (bookloons.com and bittenbybooks.com). As I cannot post my reviews there and here, but I would still like to count the books I read for the challenges, I am going to have a post like this at the end of the every month listing the books I reviewed and what challenges the went towards.

Title: In Zanesville

Author: Jo Ann Beard

Challenges: Debut Author, Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: All You Desire

Author: Kirsten Miller

Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, 100 Books in a Year

Title: Spellweaver

Author: Lynn Kurland

Challenges: iChallenge, 100 Books in a Year

Title: I Used to Know That: Shakespeare

Author: Liz Evers

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Guardian of the Dead

Author: Karen Healey

Challenges: Aussie Authors, iChallenge, 100 Books in a Year

In My Mailbox 8/21-27

Bought a lot this week. One of the branches of my work was having their annual book fair and

then I bought a TON at Borders (along with 3 tall bookshelves).

For review (on bookloons.com):

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

Won:

Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning

Assassin's Honor by Monica Burns

Assassin's Heart by Monica Burns

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

Ordered from Mystery Lover's Bookshop:

Would-Be Witch by Kimberly Frost

Bought at the bookfair:

e by Matt Beaumont

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

Bought at Borders:

Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

Sarasah Vol. 1 by Ryu Ryang

Nightschool: The Weirn Book Vol. 2 by Svetlana Chmakova

The Mammoth Book of Best New Manga 3 by ILYA

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Little Miss Red by Robin Palmer

After by Amy Efaw

Cast a Blue Shadow by P. L. Gaus

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Extras by Scott Westerfeld

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

The Corvette in Literature and Culture

Title: The Corvette in Literature and Culture : Symbolic Dimensions of America's Sports Car

Author: Jerry W. Passon
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 978-0-7864-6284-1
Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: What interested me the most in The Corvette in Literature and Culture: Symbolic Dimensions of America's Sports Car was the cover picture, which I learned after reading the book was entitled "Concrete Heaven" by Dana Forrester. Unfortunately seeing one of the most famous landmarks from my old neighborhood was the most interesting part of the book for me. Passon's coverage of the Corvette in literature and other cultural mediums was interesting, and I did learn some and found a couple paragraphs highly interesting, but it was very dry reading. Each chapter was filled with jargon - scholastic not mechanic - and too many quotes. This just served to halt what was already slow reading.
Rating: 2 stars

Suite Scarlett

Title: Suite Scarlett

Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Brillance Audio
ISBN:
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Audio Book, Young Adult Contemporary, Vacation, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Listening to Suite Scarlett was a definite delight. Johnson's humorous writing hooked me immediately, and I loved how the story had deep roots in theatre. There were plenty of ups and downs, as one expects from a YA Contemporary, and, of course, Scarlett grew over the course of the story. Listening to it, I was also able to form deeper emotions towards the characters based on how they were read. This was a very cute story.
Rating: 4 stars

Vacation Reads Challenge: New York is such a fun place to visit. I would love to stay in a hotel like the Hopewell - it sounds so quaint in an otherwise bustling city.

A Bride's Story Vol. 1

Title: A Bride's Story Vol. 1

Author: Kaoru Mori
Publisher: Yen
ISBN: 978-0-316-18099-3
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Historical Romance, Vacation, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Unlike most manga, A Bride's Story moves at a slow, leisurely pace. This is good, though, because it allows the reader to become imersed in Mori's beautiful art depicting a time and place much different from what Westerners are used to. Mori really takes the time to bring the historical feel of 19th century central Asia to life in this delightful story about a young bride and her even younger husband.
Rating: 4 stars

Vacation Reads Challenge: Central Asia along the spice road must have been a sight. I would love to be able to see all of those rich tapestries and carpets and smell all those delightful spices.

In My Mailbox 8/14-8/20

For possible review (on bookloons.com):

Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

Blood Sacrifice by Maria Lima

Won:

Wildfire by Karsten Knight

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Alice, I Think by Susan Juby

Troika by David Gurr

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell

Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay

Ordered from Paperbackswap:

Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

The Likeness by Tana French

Bought on Amazon:

Scorched by Sharon Ashwood

Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

The Bookman

Title: The Bookman

Author: Lavie Tidhar
Publisher: Angry Robot
ISBN: 978-0-85766-034-3
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Full Steampunk Ahead, Vacation, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I have not read many steampunk novels before, but I do love the genre - and The Bookman is a perfect example. This is a story of adventure, automatons, and aliens set in an alternate Victorian England and populated with both real and fictional people of the time period. And, since most readers are booklovers, the plot largely centers around books (which makes Tidhar's writing roughly reminiscent of one of my favorites - Jasper Fforde). This book is a delight for any fan of the genre, and a good introduction for those wanting to try steampunk.
Rating: 4 stars

Vacation Reads Challenge: Victorian England was a time of intrigue and the start of modern age as we know it - who wouldn't want to visit? And throw in Tidhar's fun alternate history and you have a location just waiting to be explored!

In My Mailbox 8/7-8/13

For possible review elsewhere (bookloons.com):

Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle

Shadow Fall by Seressia Glass

The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris

Won:

Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

French Lessons by Ellen Sussman

The Crossroads by L. Ron Hubbard

Writers of the Future XXVI by L. Ron Hubbard

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Vision in White by Nora Roberts

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

Summer WINNER!

Random.org has spoken and a big congrats go out to...

Christine J.!

An email has been sent. Winner has 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 1

Title: Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 1
Author: Svetlana Chmakova
Publisher: Yen
ISBN: 978-0-7595-2859-8
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I liked Svetlana Chmakova's DramaCon, so I knew I would like Nightschool: The Weirn Books. I did not expect to totally love it! This is a wonderful paranormal tale of vampires, witches, and other beings that ends on a major cliff hanger. Chmakova's art and story mix perfectly into an atmosphere of spooky and mysterious. I definitely need to get my hands on Volume 2.
Rating: 5 stars