Elsewhere Online: September 2011

As you may have guessed from my In My Mailbox posts, I review for another website (bookloons.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: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

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

Title: Gandhi

Author: Kazuki Ebine

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet

Author: Kirk Scroggs

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Reasons to Be Happy

Author: Katrina Kittle

Challenges: Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: The Buddha at Culver

Author: Richard Gwyn Davies

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Freshman

Author: Corinne Mucha

Challenges: Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: The Magician King

Author: Lev Grossman

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Bond Girl

Title: Bond Girl

Author: Erin Duffy
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-06-206589-6
Why Read?: Book Reporter
Challenges: Chick Lit, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: It is hard not to try to categorize Bond Girl with The Devil Wears Prada, but it really is such a better story. Duffy's writing is hip and fresh and creates a fresh, youthful "new adult" chick lit novel. And surprisingly, especially for this genre, Bond Girl is rather informative about the way Wall Street works, which just gives it a highly realistic edge.
Rating: 5 stars

In My Mailbox 9/18-9/24

For possible review (on bookloons.com):

Conquer the Dark by L. A. Banks

Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep

Down These Strange Streets edited by George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois

The Death Cure by James Dashner

Won:

The Last Seal by Richard Denning

All These Things I've Done (audiobook) by Gabrielle Zevon

The Half Life (audiobook) by Jennifer Weiner

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons

Step on a Crack by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

In My Mailbox 9/11-9/17

For review (on Bookloons and Bitten by Books):

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The End of the World Club by J & P Voelkel

Won:

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Chasing Lilacs by Carla Stewart

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike

Requested from Paperbackswap:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Cup of the World by John Dickinson

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Title: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Author: Washington Irving
Publisher: eBook
ISBN: n/a
Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, Classics, Show Me the Free, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I was excited when my book club picked this because I am directing a play version right now. I have to say, I was rather disappointed. As there is no dialogue and Irving goes into such detail about everything, which is too much for a novella, the story drags and seems like nothing but exposition. The climax was lost in excess description.
Rating: 2 stars

City of Thieves

Title: City of Thieves

Author: David Benioff
Publisher: Plume
ISBN: 978-0-452-29529-2
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Eastern European, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I really had no clue what I would think of this book when I started, but I ended up loving it (despite the one chapter where I had to put the book down and give my dog a ton of hugs and kisses). Benioff writes a wonderful period piece with an amazing mixture of humor and raw emotion. Definitely a must-read.
Rating: 5 stars

In My Mailbox Borders Editions

I went to Borders for the last time, and as I bought a ton (of manga), I thought it needed a special post.

Elixir by Hilary Duff

Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman

The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming

Death and the Running Patterer by Robin Adair

The Golden Key by Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, & Kate Elliott

Brody's Ghost Book 1 by Mark Crilley

My Bad! by Rize Shinba

Alice the 101st Vol. 1 by Chigusa Kawai

Alice the 101st Vol. 2 by Chigusa Kawai

Summoner Girl Vol. 1 by Hiroshi Kubota

Double Cast by Ellie Mamahara & Takana Mizuhashi

Honey/Chocolate by Nanao Okuda

Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only Vol. 1 by Cecily Von Ziegesar & HyeKyung Beak

March Story Vol. 1 by Hyung Min Kim & Kyung Il Yang

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 3 by Svetlana Chmakova

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 4 by Svetlana Chmakova

When the Heavens Smile by Aki Senoo

Nightmare Insepctor Vol. 1 by Yumekui Kenbun

In My Mailbox 9/4-9/10

For review (on bookloons.com):

Antiquitas Lost by Robert Louis Smith

Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet by Kirk Scroggs

Won:

Matched by Ally Condie

Crossed by Ally Condie

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson

LibraryThing Early Review:

Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

Impeding Justice

Title: Impeding Justice

Author: Mel Comley
Publisher: Kindle
ISBN: eBook
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: This book is definitely action-packed and kept moving. However, I never really connected with Detective Lorne Simpkins and kept asking myself over and over why The Unicorn is, after so many years of her chasing him, all of a sudden attacking those she loves? Comley does end it with one hell of a cliff-hanger, though.
Rating: 2 stars

Honolulu

Title: Honolulu

Author: Alan Brennert
Publisher: St. Martin's
ISBN: 978-0-312-36040-5
Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: Vacation, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: When I first started reading Honolulu, it really reminded me of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. However, the further I got into it, the more different and lush it became. This is a wonderful historical fiction piece about Korean "picture brides" and life in Hawaii in the early 1900s. Brennert's writing brings both Jin and Honolulu to picturesque life making this a must-read.
Rating: 5 stars

Vacation Reads Challenge: Hawaii is beautiful and I would love to go back. However, it would be very interesting to see what it was like before it was a state, which is how it is depicted here.

Back to the Books WINNER!

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

Justine H.!

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

In My Mailbox 8/28-9/3

Went to Borders again this week.

For Review (on bookloons.com):

Gandhi by Kazuki Ebine

Won:

The Companion of Lady Holmeshire by Debra Brown

Between by Jessica Warman

Cameo the Assassin by Dawn McCullough-White

Cameo and the Highwayman by Dawn McCullough-White

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Deception Point by Dan Brown

Breathless by Dean Koontz

Ordered from Paperbackswap:

Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

Bought at Borders:

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Mercury by Hope Larson

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.