Teaser Tuesday (17)

Teaser Tuesday is a Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, as long as they do the following:

• Grab your current read. 
• Open your book to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. 
• Warning:  Avoid spoilers in your teaser as not everyone has had the pleasure to read your current read
• Share the Title & Author so anyone can add your current read to their list if they wish to do so. 
• Note: links go to Amazon

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: 1st November 2011
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Pages: 348


After dinner, Adam disappeared with a few of the other soldiers. He disappeared without a word or glance in my direction and I don't have any idea what to anticipate. At least I have nothing to lose but my life. 

Musing Mondays (5)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks... Have you ever found a book out of the blue, read it, and then had it be surprising good - one that stuck with you for years? If so, what book was it?
Whilst it hasn't stuck with me for years yet, I know that it will - Juliet by Anne Fortier {my review here}. I saw this book in the book store and its cover pulled me in, but I didn't buy it because I hadn't heard of it before and I didn't have much money on me at the time. After hearing some positive stuff about it, I went out and bought the book a couple of weeks later, but left it on my bookshelf for about 6 months because I wasn't dying to read it. Then, I read the book, and my giddy gosh was it good. It kept me up until about 3am one night, it was that good. 

What about you? Have you ever picked up a book on a whim and found it to be amazingly good?

Book Review: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: 24th August 2012

Publisher: Scholastic
Format: eBook 
Pages: 400
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

" Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. "

Review:
After finishing this book, I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not really sure if I loved it (I know that I liked it at least...), because there's something nagging at the back of my mind. But, whilst I don't think this was Suzanne Collins' best effort, it was a fitting end to The Hunger Games, and this was a book that I enjoyed reading.

You could kind of guess where the series was heading at the end of Catching Fire. We were moving away from the Hunger Games themselves, and more towards a rebel vs Capitol war till the last man standing won. The final instalment of the series is much more serious, focusing more on politics than on action and adventure. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - there is still plenty of action and adventure in this book, its just surrounded by a much more grown-up plot - a small nation's struggle for independence from their oppressive dictator. I guess, you could say that Mockingjay was a bit of a war propaganda book, but honestly, this didn't faze me. 

What did bother me though, was Peeta. Peeta, who was such a great character in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, was missing for the first half, and then when he did return, he wasn't really Peeta anymore. Of course, Suzanne Collins has to take the best character in the novel, the one that everyone loves, and mess around with him. That was not a plot point that I particularly enjoyed.

Overall, I would have to say that Mockingjay is my least favourite book of the series. This isn't me saying that its not a good book, because it is, but I just think that The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were in a different league. Fans of the series will probably be a little disappointed, but the book is a fitting end to the series and I do recommend that they read it. 

Page to Screen: The Hunger Games

Last night, I went to a midnight screening for The Hunger Games (what with being a harcore fan of the series and all). And, with the excitement surrounding the movie, I just thought I'd let everyone know exactly what they're in for. So, here's the breakdown:

The Pros:

The Set: The set for this movie was perfect in every single way. District 12, the Capitol, the Arena - everything looked exactly as I had imagined it. And for a movie to achieve this is a massive, massive pro in my book

The Actors: When the cast for this movie was announced, I don't think anyone had any doubts about how suited the actors were for their characters. Jennifer Lawrence perfectly balances strength and vulnerability in Katniss and Josh Hutcherson perfectly plays the sweet and charismatic Peeta. Shout outs also have to go to Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket and Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, who literally brought their characters to life. 

The Atmosphere and Underlying Message: the one thing that made this movie amazing was that it felt so real. This movie was so down-to-earth, that it didn't feel like a scifi, dystopian, out of this world movie. Pair this with the underlying messages about humanity and morality, and the movie has a profound impact. 

The Cons:

The Plot: With every book that is translated onto the big screen, there are bound to be plot points that don't make the final cut. I expected this when I went in, but I have to say that I have some serious problems with some of the plot points that were missed in the movie. One major problem for me involved the mutts, and if you've read the books, you'll know what I mean. 

The Budget: The Hunger Games was made on a budget of $78mn, and I hate to say it, but the movie fell short in the special effects department because of this. 

The Overall Verdict: The Hunger Games movie has managed to be very true to the novel whilst also establishing itself as a separate entity. Was it amazing, yes, but could it have been better. The answer: probably. 

What about you? What did you think of The Hunger Games movies?

WWW Wednesdays (15)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

*Note: all links go to Amazon, except for when you click on the pictures :)

My Answers:

1. I'm currenlty reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I was hoping to have finished the book before I saw the movie, but since I'm going to the midnight screening tonight, that's probably not going to happen! So excited to see the movie though! 
   
   
2. On Sunday I posted my review for The Sorceress by Michael Scott {which you can read here} 
   
   
3. I actually have no idea what to read next - so many books to choose from!

Teaser Tuesday (16)

Teaser Tuesday is a Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, as long as they do the following:

• Grab your current read. 
• Open your book to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. 
• Warning:  Avoid spoilers in your teaser as not everyone has had the pleasure to read your current read
• Share the Title & Author so anyone can add your current read to their list if they wish to do so. 
• Note: links go to Amazon

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: 25th August 2010
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 448

Between the images, we are privy to the real-life action being played out on the set. Peeta's attempt to continue speaking. The camera knocked down to record the white tiled floor. The scuffle of boots. The impact of the blow that's inseparable from Peeta's cry of pain.

And his blood as it splatters the tiles

Book Review: The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3) by Michael Scott

The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3)by Michael Scott
Release Date: 27th April 2010

Publisher: Baker and Taylor
Format: eBook
Pages: 512
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.

But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.

If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane. "

Review:
Just like the first two books, The Sorceress by Michael Scott doesn't disappoint. I'm pretty much loving everything about this series at the moment - the characters, the plot, the action, the mystery, everything is just so enthralling that I found it hard to put this book down at times.

What I think this book managed to do well is that it took a step up - there was more confrontational action, the characters were growing, and (finally) the evil guys were getting their just desserts. What Scott has also managed to do well is to ensure that you'll keep reading the series with all the little mysteries (Who is Dee's Dark Elder? What will happen to Scatty and Joan?), and that cliffhanger at the end (which really has me intrigued). My only problem with this book (and the series as a whole) now is that the line of monsters never seems to end. Honestly, how many of them can their be? We've already had more than an entire series would have, and I'm only half way through!
But, overall, I think this is a fitting 3rd novel in The Alchemyst franchise, and I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment. 

Teaser Tuesday (15)

Teaser Tuesday is a Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, as long as they do the following:

• Grab your current read. 
• Open your book to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. 
• Warning:  Avoid spoilers in your teaser as not everyone has had the pleasure to read your current read
• Share the Title & Author so anyone can add your current read to their list if they wish to do so. 
• Note: links go to Amazon

The Sorceress by Michael Scott 
Release Date: 27th April 2010
Publisher::Baker and Taylor
Pages: 512

"Have you done this before? he asked, growing increasingly worried.
The king reached out and took Sophie's right hand and Josh's left hand and looked at them seriously. "Just once. And that didn't end well."
"What happened?" Josh attempted to pull his hand away from the immortals, but Gilgamesh gripped it tightly, his flesh as rough as tree bark."
"He flooded the world."

Musing Mondays (4)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks... What book do you wish you were reading right now? Where would you take it to, if you could go anywhere to read for a while?
I wish I was reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins right now - I am in love with  The Hunger Games series at the moment, but I decided not to read the book back-to-back because then the story would be over waaaay to quickly for my liking. Its been about a month since I finished Catching Fire, so now I'm dying to start reading Mockingjay.
To be honest, I would just stay in my room, but I would have torrential rain outsides. Nothing beats curling up in bed to read a book when there's heavy rain outside :)
What about you? What do you wish you were reading right now and where would you go to read?

WWW Wednesdays (14)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

*Note: all links go to Amazon, except for when you click on the pictures :)

My Answers:

1. I'm currenlty reading The Sorceress by Michael Scott  
   
2. On Friday, I finished reading Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi {my review here}
   
   
3. I'm not entirely sure. I could continue on with The Alchemyst series and go for The Necromancer by Michael Scott, or I might read Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins  

Musing Mondays (3)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

Sorry this is a day late, didn't see the post yesterday before I went to bed. Anyway.....

This weeks musing asks... When you walk into a bookstore — any bookstore — what’s the first section you head toward (what draws you)?

When I walk into a bookstore, I'm either drawn to the Top 100 Booklovers Shelf or the Fiction Shelves first. The Top 100 Booklovers Shelf is basically the top 100 best selling books. Even though these hardly change, I always go to that shelf first...I'm sure by now I know all the books on the list, but I still visit the shelf every single time!

Depending on the orientation of the store, I might go to the fiction shelves first. I just find it easy to browse for books on these shelves because they basically cover all genres

What about you? What section do you head for in a bookstore?

Teaser Tuesday (14)

Teaser Tuesday is a Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, as long as they do the following:

• Grab your current read. 
• Open your book to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. 
• Warning:  Avoid spoilers in your teaser as not everyone has had the pleasure to read your current read
• Share the Title & Author so anyone can add your current read to their list if they wish to do so. 
• Note: links go to Amazon

The Sorceress by Michael Scott 
Release Date: 27th April 2010
Publisher::Baker and Taylor
Pages: 512

With a tremendous effort, Areop-Enap opened all its eyes. "I am sorry to leave you alone and defenseless."


Perenelle sealed the spider Elder in the huge cocoon of the web, then turned and strode across the room. the tiniest breeze swept the floor clean before her. "I am Perenelle Flamel, the Sorceress," she said aloud, unsure whether Areop-Enap could hear her. "And I am never defenseless."

Book Review: Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

Release Date: 7th February 2012  
Publisher:  Pier 9
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 374
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge

Summary from Amazon:

"Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

In her enthralling debut, Veronica Rossi sends readers on an unforgettable adventure set in a world brimming with harshness and beauty."

Review:
This, again, was one of those books that I’d heard a lot about through other bloggers reviews, and was keen to get my hands on it as soon as possible. And I have to say, I was really happy with this book. I liked the characters, the plot, the romance, the underlying messages, but I have to say, my favourite part was the premise of the book itself. I can’t say that I’ve read something like this before, and this part of the book really intrigued me. I enjoyed reading about the world Aria inhabited – living in Reverie, roaming through the Realms. And, I also equally enjoyed reading about the world Perry inhabited – a violent planet where you have to fight and struggle to survive every day.

But, at times, I also didn’t enjoy reading about Perry and his world – it seemed quite barbaric, and a bit confusing for me. In this future world in which Perry lives, people don’t really have emotions anymore – you don’t love somebody, you are rendered to them. Brothers don’t love each other, they fight to be Bloodlord, the leader of their tribes. And father’s don’t love their sons, don’t protect them – they place the wellbeing of the tribe above their own flesh and blood. These parts of the book I hated; you would think that living in a violent world would force people together, but no, apparently not.

I enjoyed reading the novel, but the entire time, I was waiting for that one thing to happen, that one plot point that would take the book from good to amazing. But that just didn’t happen. I just felt that, whilst this book was really good, it just missed something, a bit of pizazz. Maybe this was because their were parts of the books I hated, maybe not – I’m not really sure.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend, because I know there are people out there who love this type of book. It’s most likely that I will read the following books, but I won’t be rushing out to buy them as soon as they hit the shelves.