Friday, September 30, 2011

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

Author: Kirk Scroggs
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

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

Author: Richard Gwyn Davies
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Freshman
Author: Corinne Mucha
Challenges: Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Author: Lev Grossman
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Monday, September 26, 2011

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

Saturday, September 24, 2011

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.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

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.

Friday, September 16, 2011

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

Sunday, September 11, 2011

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

Saturday, September 10, 2011

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.

Friday, September 9, 2011

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

Thursday, September 8, 2011

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.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

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.