Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 Here's my teaser:

"Luce suddenly shivered as something black swooped into the hall.  The shadow seemed to hopscotch across the panels in the ceiling in a very deliberate way, blacking out one and then the next and the next.  Damn.  It was never good to be alone with someone - especially someone as focused on her as Cam was at the moment - when the shadows arrived.  She could feel herself twitching, trying to appear calm as the darkness swirled around the ceiling fan in a dance."

(Fallen by Lauren Kate)

Review: Need by Carrie Jones

Title:  Need
Author:  Carrie Jones
Genre:  YA
Publisher:  Bloomsbury
My Copy:  306 pages/paperback
My Rating:  2.5 stars

From the cover:

Zara White suspects a freaky guy is semi-stalking her.  She memorizes phobias and chants them when she’s nervous.  And, okay, she hasn’t exactly been herself since her stepfather died.  But moving to a shivery Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix – so her mom says.  Except, this new plan of getting away to help Zara stay sane?  Yeah, not working.  Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara’s imagination.  He’s still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust.  There’s something not right – not human – in this sleepy Maine town, and all sings are pointing to Zara.

My review:

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

If you haven’t read this yet and don’t want me to ruin it for you, you may not want to read this review.

This was a pretty fast read.  I gave it two and a half stars because I felt that it was about average for me.  I’ll start with the things I didn’t like.  I thought that it was a little to cheesy in places.  For example, turning your jacket inside out helps you resist the pixies’ spells?  Also, I thought Zara was quite nonchalant about finding out that her family and friends are werewolves, weretigers, etc.  I like books with realistic characters and Zara just didn’t seem realistic to me.  Also, I found that some parts were predictable and I figured it out way before the main character did.  For example, I knew Nick was a werewolf way before it was revealed.

Now, for the things I did like.  I liked the story of the pixies and the plot of the novel.  The myths about the pixies were cool.  It was easy to follow and it was fun to read about all the pixies and shape-shifters.  I liked how Zara and Nick’s relationship evolved as well.  I also liked Zara’s fascination with phobias and how they are listed at the beginning of each chapter.  I’d recommend this book to young adults interested in fantasies with a present-day setting.  It’s a fun read, especially if you’re into pixies.

Imagination in Focus Contest!!

Imagination in Focus is having a giveaway!  There will be two winners:
Winner #1 will get:
- their choice of any book released in 2010 (as long as it's under $15)
- and any book that's been reviewed here on this site (as long as it's under $15)
Winner #2 will get
- any book that's been reviewed here on this site (as long as it's under $15)

This contest will be INTERNATIONAL!  It will end at Midnight (Central Time) on December 20.

Head on over there to enter!

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 "Something cracks a twig in the woods just beyond the driveway.  I squeal and fast-walk to the porch, lunging up the steps in a totally ungraceful and wimpy way.  I slam the door open and lock it behind me...I stare out into the dusky lawn.  The woods at the edge of it seem full of secrets, full of unexplained things."

Need by Carrie Jones

Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supplee

Genre:  YA
Publisher:  Dutton
My Copy:  245 pages/hardcover
My Rating:  3 stars

From the cover:
Retta Lee Jones walks out the door of Starling High School with a diploma in hand and stars in her eyes, determined to make something of herself.  Armed with a beautiful voice and full of country music dreams, Retta just might have the talent and drive to make it big in Nashville.

But the odds seem stacked against Retta: the road to success isn’t an easy one in a town filled with dreamers.  Despite some devastating setbacks, with a few lucky breaks and motivated by the greats of country music whose stories inspire her, Retta begins to forge her own path while striving to stay true to her talents, musical voice, and homegrown values.  If she keeps at it, Retta could be on her way to setting Music City on fire – and finally becoming somebody everybody listens to.  

From the breakout author of Artichoke’s Heart, this soulful novel is a must read for anyone who has ever chased a dream, lost themselves in a song or followed their heart to unexpected places.

My review:
When I first picked this up from the bookstore awhile back, I hadn’t really heard much about it.  I didn’t think it would be something that was for me, but when I saw that it was about a girl making her way in Nashville (and Dolly Parton’s blurb on the back!), I picked it up anyway, because, having lived in Music City myself, I thought it would be cool to read about this girl’s adventures there, too.

This novel, surprisingly, had a great main character, Retta.  I liked her from the beginning and identified with her and some of the things she goes through.  She comes from a small town and decides to chase her dream of becoming a country singer in Nashville.  She has no money, no place to live, and nothing much besides her guitar and the car she borrowed to get there.

I gave this book 3 stars because I liked it, but it wasn’t anything thrilling or ground-breaking.  It was a cute book, and a quick, light read.  I enjoyed the overall lessons that Retta learned and how she chased her dream through everything.  I would recommend this book to teens because it really emphasizes the hard work and dedication it takes to make your dreams come true while being sympathetic to the everyday struggles that teenagers go through, especially when leaving home for the first time.  One of the things I liked is that at the beginning of every chapter, the author names a famous country star, what they did before they hit it big, and how they got their big break.  That was a nice touch.

Blog Hop (2)

Blog Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books!!

This week's question: "Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"

My answer:  I am most thankful for my wonderful family who are always there for me.  Our holiday traditions...Well, Thanksgiving means turkey (of course!) and Christmas means a huge lunch, presents, then playing fun games well into the evening!! :)

Follow Friday (2)

Follow My Book Blog Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee...

This week's question: How long have you been book blogging?

My answer: I started blogging a few months ago, but have just recently starting book blogging "seriously."  When I started, I didn't blog much, just every so often when I got a chance...but I'm just now starting to really get into it...Probably because I have more free time lately to both read and blog about it!! :)

What about you?

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Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Genre:  YA
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company
My Copy:  343 Pages/Paperback
My Rating:  5 Stars

From the back cover: 
Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans.  They have also become enemies.  As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, they find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents’ deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don’t know whom they can trust.  They just know they can’t trust each other.

My review:
I have to say, it was fantastic.  I loved the gothic feel of the novel and the story is very intricate and wonderfully crafted.  I like how it is written from Lia’s point of view, in the first person, in the present tense.  I love that kind of narrative because it really is personal, reflective, and in-the-moment.  It’s as if you are living these events right alongside her.

I liked the fact that it was creepy at times and there didn’t seem to be a point where nothing was happening – there was always something going on – and this kept my attention.  

I can’t wait to read the next one, Guardian of the Gate.  I highly recommend this book; it had a lot of fantastical elements and the characters were so real, and their personalities intriguing.  Twin sisters, good vs. evil, apocalyptic prophecies, spirits, spells...to me, that’s pretty awesome.

Teaser Tuesday (2)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

 "It is a very strange sensation to inexperienced youth to feel itself quite alone in the world, cut adrift from every connection, uncertain whether the port to which it is bound can be reached, and prevented by many impediments from returning to that it has quitted.  The charm of adventure sweetens that sensation, the glow of pride warms it; but then the throb of fear disturbs it."

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Amazing Giveaways from SparklingReviews.com

Sparkling Reviews is giving away Amazon gift cards!  November 20th!  Go here to enter: http://www.sparklingreviews.com/2010/11/amazon-giveaway.html


The Kindle giveaway will be Nov 18th!  If you haven't already done so, go to Sparkling Reviews, become a follower, and sign up!

Great giveaways, people!  Be sure to check it out!

Weekend Question (1)

It's the weekend!! I was going to post this earlier but I'm just getting to it.  Weekend Question is hosted by Liz at Cleverly Inked. This weekend's question:

Do you hide any books from people? What books are you embarrassed by owning?


My answer:  I don't really get embarrassed that easily.  I'm definitely not one to hide my books from anyone.  I read what I want to read and I don't think anyone else should care what books I own either!  The closest I've come to feeling embarrassed is when I'm browsing the YA section at the bookstore and I'm like the oldest one in the aisle.  I wouldn't say I'm embarrassed, just awkward.  LoL :)  However, not awkward enough to not browse the section that I want.  I mean, yeah, so I'm definitely not a teenager...but I'm young on the inside, okay?


:)

What about you?

Follow Friday (1)

Follow My Book Blog Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.  This is my first Follow Friday post!

This week's question: What's your usual monthly book budget?

My answer:  I don't really have a budget...I probably should, though, because sometimes I go overboard. However, I get a lot of books off Goodreads and other swap sites, and maybe one or two brand new books a month.

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Book Blog Hop is weekly meme hosted by Crazy For Books.  This week's question is:

"If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series,
do you always start with the first title?"

 My answer:  Yes!  Always.  I feel like I have to start the series where it began or else I will be lost.  Even if I have heard from others that you don't need to read them in order, I feel like I'm missing something!  Besides, if a book in a series sounds really good, why not read the whole series?  They all are probably really good!!

Teaser Tuesday (1)

This is my first Teaser Tuesday post!  Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading that I am going to start participating in...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  

"My lethargy shakes loose, and I push through the window, stopped over my sleeping body for a mere second before dropping into it. It is a strange sensation, feeling my soul click into place like the piece of a puzzle and knowing for certain it was not a dream." (Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink)

The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House (October 2010)
My Copy: 376 pages/Paperback/978-0-7642-0832-4
Source: Publisher
My Rating:  3.5 / 5 stars

From the back cover:
No matter the sacrifice, Elizabeth Whitbread would serve a wounded family…No matter the danger, John Costin was determined to speak God’s word…Neither expected to fall in love…As enemies threaten to silence Costin – and those close to him – will following their hearts cost John and Elizabeth everything?

My review:
The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund tells the story of a young Puritan woman, Elizabeth, who feels directed by God to take care of the preacher’s children after his wife dies unexpectedly.  The trouble is, Brother Costin has Royalist enemies who seek to put down Independent Puritan preachers.  When a mysterious man starts stalking and harassing Elizabeth, wanting information about Bro. Costin, things get dangerous for all of them.

This is Jody Hedlund’s debut novel and, overall, it was a good, clean story about a woman who chooses to love at any cost and a man who chooses to follow God’s calling regardless of the dangers he faces.  At the end of the book, the author states that the novel was “inspired by the real-life story of one of history’s greatest heroes of the faith, John Bunyan” and his wife Elizabeth Bunyan.  This introduction to the novel should have been placed at the very beginning of the book.  Personally, I like to know if a novel is inspired by true events before I read it because it makes the story more interesting as I go through it.  (I suppose that’s just my opinion and a rather minor qualm.)  As for the story itself, I thought the character of Elizabeth was well-developed; however, I wasn’t as excited or interested in John Costin, the preacher, because his character seemed rather distant to me.  I didn’t get a good grasp on his character and, although Elizabeth is the main subject, I would’ve liked a more developed male character.

With that aside, I enjoyed the story.  It was a light, enjoyable read and there was a hint of suspense throughout the novel, but overall, a historical romance for anyone looking for an inspiring story about love and following your heart.

Let God Talk to You by Becky Tirabassi

Genre: Christian Living
Publisher: Bethany House  (September 1, 2010)
Pages: 195
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 4 / 5 stars

From the back cover:
For many of us, talking to God sometimes feels like sending words out into empty space.  And hearing from God as the biblical prophets did may seem like an ancient fairy tale.

But Becky Tirabassi shares that it really is possible to hear from God.  In fact, God longs to talk to us.  He loves us and wants to communicate with us, just as we desire to communicate with those we love.  You’ll discover how to develop a conversational relationship with God, one where you can both talk to and hear from God.  There’s no special prayer to pray or requirements to meet in order to hear from Him.  When we set aside the time and focus our hearts on God every day, God talks to us.

My Review:
Author Becky Tirabassi brings readers a fresh, new understanding of prayer and how anyone, anywhere, at any time can hear God talk.  This book is divided up into eight chapters, the first five focusing on who God talks to (anyone!), what God says to us, and why, how, and when God talks to us and guides us.  In these chapters, the reader is reminded of God’s love for us and why we need to spend time talking to our Creator.  The most helpful of these chapters, for me, was the chapter on how God talks to us.  In this section, I was reminded of the various ways God communicates with us.  The author reminds readers that God speaks to us through Scripture, Jesus’ words, His Holy Spirit, messengers, dreams and visions, acts of nature, and other circumstances. 

The remaining three chapters of the book concentrate on increasing your desire for hearing God, developing the discipline, and designing prayer time and conversations with God.  These last chapters are filled with practical advice from the author and that’s what I enjoyed most about the book.  In addition to developing discipline and patience for hearing God talk, she outlines the way she has found most helpful for her “God Talks.”  I won’t go into detail here; I urge you to read it for yourself…
Throughout the book, the author stresses the importance of making time for prayer every day.  Each chapter is filled with her own reflections and experiences which I enjoyed reading about.  I really appreciated that she gives readers practical, specific advice and tools for praying and hearing God talk.  I’ve read a lot of other books that never really get down to practical advice, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this book does! 

Overall, I am happy to say that I learned a lot from this book.  It’s packed full of useful information and inspiration!  It will jump-start your desire to speak to God and to hear from Him as well.  I highly recommend you pick this up and read it for yourself (or it would be great as a gift).  The author’s insights are sure to inspire you to rethink, reassess, and revitalize your prayer life.