Wednesday, January 11, 2012
One day left! Don't forget!
There's only one day left to enter my latest, and cheesiest, giveaway. Click here to enter.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Beautiful Code
Beautiful Code
Sadie Hayes
64 pages
Publisher: the author
Source: the author
★★★★☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
Beautiful Code is the third novella in Sadie Hayes' The Start-Up series. The book picks up with Adam and Amelia arriving in Hawaii to participate in a conference where they will reveal their app to the public for the first time. But when their demonstration goes haywire, it seems someone had it out for them.
This third installment of The Start-Up series was just as good as the first two. I was drawn into the plot immediately and was interested to follow both the technological developments and the personal developments. I think the part of the plot that intrigued me the most was the relationship between Patty and Chad. Because of what went on between the two of them in the last novella, I was interested to see how their relationship would progress in this one. It was definitely exciting!
Beautiful Code was extremely fast paced and drew me in just like the previous two novellas did and it ended on an even bigger cliffhanger. I just wish that it was a little longer, sixty-four pages took no time to read. I highly recommend this series to anyone interested in technology and gadgets and I'm looking forward to continuing on with the series.
Sadie Hayes
64 pages
Publisher: the author
Source: the author
★★★★☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
Beautiful Code is the third novella in Sadie Hayes' The Start-Up series. The book picks up with Adam and Amelia arriving in Hawaii to participate in a conference where they will reveal their app to the public for the first time. But when their demonstration goes haywire, it seems someone had it out for them.
This third installment of The Start-Up series was just as good as the first two. I was drawn into the plot immediately and was interested to follow both the technological developments and the personal developments. I think the part of the plot that intrigued me the most was the relationship between Patty and Chad. Because of what went on between the two of them in the last novella, I was interested to see how their relationship would progress in this one. It was definitely exciting!
Beautiful Code was extremely fast paced and drew me in just like the previous two novellas did and it ended on an even bigger cliffhanger. I just wish that it was a little longer, sixty-four pages took no time to read. I highly recommend this series to anyone interested in technology and gadgets and I'm looking forward to continuing on with the series.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Why We Broke Up
Why We Broke Up
Daniel Handler
354 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown
Source: purchased
★★★☆☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
I ordered this book and it arrived today. I immediately opened it and started reading it (well, okay, I took a shower and got some lunch first) because it seemed like it was going to be such a great book. I thought it was going to be a five star-er. I was wrong. Three stars.
Why We Broke Up is written entirely as a letter written from Min to Ed explaining, obviously why they broke up. The letter accompanies a box of items that Min has collected throughout their five week long relationship.
The pluses: I loved the concept of the book, going over each little thing about why Min and Ed Broke up. I liked that Min was essentially giving her stuff back to Ed along with the letter. I really liked the illustrations that went with the novel, as well. If Ed and Min can see the physical examples of why they're breaking up, I'm glad I was able to see them, too. Completely unrelated to the plot, I liked the way the book was printed on really nice shiny paper, which made the illustrations look spectacular. Drawback: it was super heavy.
The minuses: They only dated five weeks. Why was Min so invested in Ed, especially knowing his past with girls? Maybe I just don't remember what it's like to date when you're sixteen. You probably feel like you're in love with your boyfriend after just five weeks when you're only sixteen years old. What I really don't understand though, is why Min felt the need to write Ed this letter in the first place. The way he was portrayed by the end of the book, I couldn't picture him caring at all. I wonder if he even would have read the whole 300+ page letter. Another minor annoyance - no one writes letters that long.
More minuses: I couldn't follow Min's obscure movie references and I watch TCM a lot. Also, she spoke and acted nothing like a teenager. On the whole, I found more than just a quirky teenager still doing the teenager thing; I found her pretty unbelievable.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book and I'm sort of glad to have read it, it just didn't completely sit right with me.
Daniel Handler
354 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown
Source: purchased
★★★☆☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
I ordered this book and it arrived today. I immediately opened it and started reading it (well, okay, I took a shower and got some lunch first) because it seemed like it was going to be such a great book. I thought it was going to be a five star-er. I was wrong. Three stars.
Why We Broke Up is written entirely as a letter written from Min to Ed explaining, obviously why they broke up. The letter accompanies a box of items that Min has collected throughout their five week long relationship.
The pluses: I loved the concept of the book, going over each little thing about why Min and Ed Broke up. I liked that Min was essentially giving her stuff back to Ed along with the letter. I really liked the illustrations that went with the novel, as well. If Ed and Min can see the physical examples of why they're breaking up, I'm glad I was able to see them, too. Completely unrelated to the plot, I liked the way the book was printed on really nice shiny paper, which made the illustrations look spectacular. Drawback: it was super heavy.
The minuses: They only dated five weeks. Why was Min so invested in Ed, especially knowing his past with girls? Maybe I just don't remember what it's like to date when you're sixteen. You probably feel like you're in love with your boyfriend after just five weeks when you're only sixteen years old. What I really don't understand though, is why Min felt the need to write Ed this letter in the first place. The way he was portrayed by the end of the book, I couldn't picture him caring at all. I wonder if he even would have read the whole 300+ page letter. Another minor annoyance - no one writes letters that long.
More minuses: I couldn't follow Min's obscure movie references and I watch TCM a lot. Also, she spoke and acted nothing like a teenager. On the whole, I found more than just a quirky teenager still doing the teenager thing; I found her pretty unbelievable.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book and I'm sort of glad to have read it, it just didn't completely sit right with me.
Fateful
Fateful
Claudia Gray
328 pages
Publisher: HareperTeen
Source: library
★★★★★
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
When I first heard about this book last year I thought, "Warewolves on the Titanic? Really?" But I'm slightly obsessed with all things Titanic, so I knew I had to read it. I picked it up last night around ten p.m. and didn't stop until I turned the last page a little after one thirty a.m. FIVE FREAKING STARS.
Tess Davies is a servant to a very prominent English family, the Lisles. Out of their thirty-five servants, Tess is selected to accompany the family to New York for their daughter's spring social season. Once on board the ocean liner, Tess keeps having uncomfortable run-ins with a man named Mikhail who seems to have it out for her - as a werewolf.
I loved how the romance between Tess and Alec, the first class passenger who always managers to save Tess from Mikhail, developed. It was paced just right and they didn't immediately fall in love. It was a very sweet romance that I couldn't get enough of - in between the action.
There was lots of action in this book, as well. Fight scenes, threats, lots of running through corridors - it was that aspect of the book, the fast pacing, that really kept me turning the pages through the night. I don't know how accurate I was in my head, but I kept picturing the setting from the movie Titanic.
But as I kept reading the book, I kept forgetting what ship they were on. I realized over and over that there was going to be an ending - the ship had to go down even though Tess and the others had no idea. I kept realizing there couldn't be a happy ending. Sure enough, I was close to tears near the end of the novel, but I can't really tell you why - I don't want to spoil the ending you don't know about.
I highly, highly recommend. Five stars plus. You need to read this book. Seriously, add it to your library holds now.
Claudia Gray
328 pages
Publisher: HareperTeen
Source: library
★★★★★
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
When I first heard about this book last year I thought, "Warewolves on the Titanic? Really?" But I'm slightly obsessed with all things Titanic, so I knew I had to read it. I picked it up last night around ten p.m. and didn't stop until I turned the last page a little after one thirty a.m. FIVE FREAKING STARS.
Tess Davies is a servant to a very prominent English family, the Lisles. Out of their thirty-five servants, Tess is selected to accompany the family to New York for their daughter's spring social season. Once on board the ocean liner, Tess keeps having uncomfortable run-ins with a man named Mikhail who seems to have it out for her - as a werewolf.
I loved how the romance between Tess and Alec, the first class passenger who always managers to save Tess from Mikhail, developed. It was paced just right and they didn't immediately fall in love. It was a very sweet romance that I couldn't get enough of - in between the action.
There was lots of action in this book, as well. Fight scenes, threats, lots of running through corridors - it was that aspect of the book, the fast pacing, that really kept me turning the pages through the night. I don't know how accurate I was in my head, but I kept picturing the setting from the movie Titanic.
But as I kept reading the book, I kept forgetting what ship they were on. I realized over and over that there was going to be an ending - the ship had to go down even though Tess and the others had no idea. I kept realizing there couldn't be a happy ending. Sure enough, I was close to tears near the end of the novel, but I can't really tell you why - I don't want to spoil the ending you don't know about.
I highly, highly recommend. Five stars plus. You need to read this book. Seriously, add it to your library holds now.
Venture Untamed + FREE COPY!
Venture Untamed
R.H. Russell
171 pages
Publisher: the author
Source: the author
★★★★☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
When the author contacted me to review this book the plot summary intrigued me and I thought, "I"ll get to it when I get to it," but I'm sorry to have waited! I really enjoyed this novel.
Venture is a young bondservant growing up in his master's house after his mother dies. Left with no parents, Venture's anger gets out of control and he finds himself fighting and at one point, fighting to save the life of the master's own daughter. It's after that scuffle that Venture is sent off to train to be a professional fighter.
What a fabulous book. The plot drew me in and the characters kept me in. What struck me the most was that even though Venture's own father died trying to win a professional fighting match, that didn't scare Venture off from the profession. Venture knows he's good but that doesn't go to his head. I can only hope that as the series continues on Venture has the opportunity to win both for himself and for his father.
The other aspect of the novel I really enjoyed was the budding romance between Venture and his master's daughter, Jade. Jade is both charming and spunky and she can definitely hold her own. She was a great character unto herself and I think she would make for a great spin-off story.
Venture Untamed has something in it to appeal to everyone. I was afraid I might not like it because of all the fighting, but there wasn't too much. The romance aspect of the novel really surprised me, too, and it's because of that that I think this book would be a great read for both boys and girls. Definitely check it out if you have the chance. The book ended in such a way that I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the sequel soon.
Want to read it? It's currently FREE on Smashwords! I highly recommend, since it was such a great book and it's free, that you go get a copy. You can't go wrong.
R.H. Russell
171 pages
Publisher: the author
Source: the author
★★★★☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
When the author contacted me to review this book the plot summary intrigued me and I thought, "I"ll get to it when I get to it," but I'm sorry to have waited! I really enjoyed this novel.
Venture is a young bondservant growing up in his master's house after his mother dies. Left with no parents, Venture's anger gets out of control and he finds himself fighting and at one point, fighting to save the life of the master's own daughter. It's after that scuffle that Venture is sent off to train to be a professional fighter.
What a fabulous book. The plot drew me in and the characters kept me in. What struck me the most was that even though Venture's own father died trying to win a professional fighting match, that didn't scare Venture off from the profession. Venture knows he's good but that doesn't go to his head. I can only hope that as the series continues on Venture has the opportunity to win both for himself and for his father.
The other aspect of the novel I really enjoyed was the budding romance between Venture and his master's daughter, Jade. Jade is both charming and spunky and she can definitely hold her own. She was a great character unto herself and I think she would make for a great spin-off story.
Venture Untamed has something in it to appeal to everyone. I was afraid I might not like it because of all the fighting, but there wasn't too much. The romance aspect of the novel really surprised me, too, and it's because of that that I think this book would be a great read for both boys and girls. Definitely check it out if you have the chance. The book ended in such a way that I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the sequel soon.
Want to read it? It's currently FREE on Smashwords! I highly recommend, since it was such a great book and it's free, that you go get a copy. You can't go wrong.
Cheesy Romance Monday (6) + GIVEAWAY!
Every once in a while you want to read a mindless romance to distract yourself from the world - or at least I do! Thus, Cheesy Romance Monday was born - a feature in which I review a romance that otherwise would not have gotten face time on my blog. And this week Cheesy Romance Monday includes a giveaway!
A Cold Creek Secret
RaeAnne Thayne
Subgenre: Classic, Western
Goodreads link
I really enjoyed this book! Home in Cold Creek, Major Brant Western is on leave from his tours of duty in Afghanistan when a big snowstorm hits. As he's taking care of his horses, he notices an SUV crash off the slippery roads and into the creek. He saves the woman inside as well as her tiny puppy. Turns out, the woman is well-known socialite/bad-girl/tabloid subject Mini Van Hoyt. And she's got a secret - she's pregnant!
Ah! I was drawn into this romance right away because the action started right away. What kept me involved, though, was Mimi's secret and how the plot revolved around her knowing and Brant not knowing. It also made me wonder - if tabloid bad-gril Mimi Van Hoyt can turn out to be a secretly wholesome and great woman, what about the bad-girls we see in the tabloids today? Who knows! This was definitely a heartwarming tale that I really enjoyed straight through to the end.
Now's your chance to score a copy! Thanks for Harlequin, I have three extra copies I can give away so there will be three winners! Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter! US only and since there wasn't anything too steamy in it, just be over 13 to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sunday, January 8, 2012
In My Mailbox (16)
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren.
Switched by Amanda Hocking (already read and reviewed!)
World War Z by Max Brooks
She Went All The Way by Meg Cabot
Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Snow White, Blood Red edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
SWAPPED FOR:
The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (This is a duplicate from last week; my library hold came up while this was in transit from Paperbackswap.com and I wanted to start reading it right away!)
Flawless by Lara Chapman
WON:
Justice by Karen Robards
TOTAL TBR: 148
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