Review: Like Clockwork by Bonnie Dee


Like Clockwork by Bonnie Dee

Copy Courtesy of NetGalley and Carina Press
Already Released

Summary
Automatons have taken off in this Victorian world, and are replacing the jobs of not only factory work but servants such as maids, butlers and nannies. The unrest leads one Dash to kidnap Victoria, the lady scientist behind the human-looking shells of the automatons. Little do they know that greater things are happening, and love can be found in the weirdest of circumstances.

Commentary
I liked the premise of the story a lot. I was pretty excited about automatons and civil unrest being part of this story. The story though didn't really live up to its promise.

The pacing of the story can best be described as hurried as the author attempted to cram a lot of plot points into a small book. This led to a feeling of shallowness to the events which occurred.

I enjoyed reading about Dash and Victoria, but their romance and dialogues often left a flat taste in my mouth. Love at first sight kind of deal with some hemming and hawing for class restrictions, but no real depth to be found.

I will grant that this is a romance novel, and plots can be somewhat secondary to the mindless attractions of the main characters, but I can't help feeling disappointed that the ideas of this plot were squandered thusly.

Star Rating: 2.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Like Clockwork at Amazon

Light Response Warning


Hey all~~

I'm going home to Chicago (Big Shout-Out to any bloggers that live there!) which means not much time to reply to ya'll even though I still <3 you guys. I will be back next week. Posts shall continue uninterrupted as I have them scheduled so this should only be a minor blip for you ^.^

Much <3,
Sniffly Kitty

If you haven't done so yet, enter my 150 follower giveaway! It's open to international folk as well ^.^

Third Sentence Thursday (#5)

Third Sentence Thursday
Grab the Code



Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme for treating third sentences with the diginity they deserve!

This week's theme is review the sentence from your current read.

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!
4) Prepare for next week's theme: Weirdest Third Sentence!

"We said we came home because our mother was ill, because we needed a break, a momentary pause before the Next Big Thing." - Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

This sentence sums up the feel of the story in a rather dramatic way. It also gives a good glimpse into some of the major points of the plot. I actually really like this sentence, but maybe that's only because I like the whole "Next Big Thing" part of it heh~~

BTW enter my 150 Follower Giveaway! Also, I wish everyone a very Happy New Year this weekend!

Minor Changes to the Blog


Pic Unrelated!

I have been continually fussing around with the blog to make the layout better! You may or may not have noticed, but I thought I would update you ^.^

- There is a 'Jump to Comment Form' link (erm... it doesn't seem to show up if there is only 1 comment on the post)
- Avatars for comments work now. Before, they wouldn't automatically show when I chose that option for some reason.
- Archives are in hierarchy now! That seems to be the easier option to navigate. Any posts prior to September 2010 are not book blog posts heh~~
- Fixed the Review Index (because blogger decided to change my anchor links for some unknown reason)
- More posts show up on the front page!

I hope the changes make your experience here better ^.^

Review: Empire (Empire #1) by Orson Scott Card


Empire by Orson Scott Card

Summary
Major Reuben Malich is completely loyal to the idea of democracy. As the US is drawn into a possible civil war after the President's assassination, Malich finds himself at the center of a vast conspiracy. As he and his assistant Cole, scramble to uncover what is happening and stop it, the layers of the plot get deeper and deeper.

Commentary
Card hasn't lost his touch with weaving complex plots and characters although he really likes to write brilliant people. The scenario in this book of a civil war is chillingly plausible given the right kinds of people with enough motivation, ambition, and funding.

As great as Cards' writing is, his political views show up much to much in this book. You can hear his homophobia (among other things) coming through, and this can be quite off-putting despite liking his characters. I understand authors have a right to make their points, but that doesn't mean I have to like reading them.

Despite my misgivings, purely on writing along, this story is worth reading although the 'surprise' ending isn't much of a surprise. Major Malich and Cole are characters you want to root for and the story definitely has a lot of seat-gripping moments.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Empire at Amazon

Teaser Tuesday (Dec 28)


"She looked up from the novel she was staring at. She couldn't remember a word of it, although she had flipped 50 pages since breakfast" -The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

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!

Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your own teaser post or just the teaser if you don't have a blog.

Review: Counterfeit Magic (Women of the Otherworld Bonus) by Kelley Armstrong


Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong

*note* This is a novella, and not one of Kelley's regular novels.

Summary
Savannah and Paige penetrate the underground fighting world on a case which involves a supernatural fight club which has had a death connected to it. These clubs have very strict rules against serious injury and/or death since well supernatural powers are pretty deadly and that would scare away the fighters.

Commentary
I loved this little glimpse back into the world of Paige and Lucas. We haven't had anything from Paige's point of view in a long time, and the recent book features Savannah but Paige really isn't around at all.

This is really a book for fans rather than for new readers as it was published from Subterranean Press, which publishes wonderful collector's stuff btw... (not affiliated, just love them!). There isn't really enough time to give the proper background for new readers.

The story itself deals with some of the issues of Paige being the wife of Lucas as he delves into the world of the Cabals, which was a dimension I enjoyed. The fight club thing was also a great extension of the world Armstrong has created. Basically, fans should try to get their hands on it if they can, but it's not essential.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

I think there are still a few copies left over at Subterranean Press if you want to snag one!

Sad Little Moisturizer Story


Olay Total Effects

So I purchased this moisturizer because quite a few beauty recommendation sites said it was full of awesome. Excitedly, I hunted for it on Amazon, and it had a coupon so I bought it! Unfortunately, it managed to dry my skin out (my skin type isn't dry). I am sad~~

The End


P.S. If you haven't done so yet, enter my 150 follower giveaway! It's open to international folk as well ^.^

Review: Boyfriend of the Month Club by Maria Geraci


Boyfriend of the Month Club by Maria Geraci

Copy Courtesy of First Reads

Summary
Grace has a rather unfortunate history with men being that she only seems to go out with losers. After a particularly horrendous first date, she and her girlfriends form a Boyfriend of the Month Club to dish on the various loser men they have dated. The word gets out, and the meetings get out of control while Grace dithers between 2 men who are after her affections.

Commentary
This is a nice and light chick-lit piece with many references to Pride and Prejudice. I will admit to having not read Pride and Prejudice, which is brought up a lot in the book although the points made were still clear. The concept is certainly intriguing although the underlying elements aren't necessarily new (dishing!).

If you read my review for Awaken, you will know that incorrect technical stuff tends to bother me so I was happy to see that the author seemed to know the site her characters were using (Yahoo Groups).

Grace strikes me as a somewhat confused main character, who at once thinks she knows what she wants in life but at the same time questions it all. She does have a couple hot guys after her though so I suppose she is entitled to a bit of indecision.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Boyfriend of the Month Club at Amazon

Merry Christmas!


I hope you have a great Xmas for those who celebrate it secularly or religiously. I am going to be AFK almost the entire day ^.^ Go forth and enjoy the day!

100+ Reading Challenge



I'm going to be taking part in the 100+ reading challenge Hosted by. I managed to get over that number this year (so far I'm at 169 books read), but next year I will have less time so... who knows.

Progress 3/101

Books:
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Review: Behemoth (Leviathan #2)by Scott Westerfeld


Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
*Spoiler Alert* If you haven't read Leviathan, this review contains some spoilers in the summary. You can read my review of Leviathan here.

Summary
Alek, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his small group of supporters travel along in the Leviathan mostly on the goodwill of the engines they have provided. Unfortunately, the tensions between the Clankers and the Darwinists are still palpable on the ship, and when the the mission that brought the Leviathan to Constantinople is threatened, some very interesting adventures happen for Alek and Deryn.

Commentary
Westerfield's second novel takes us deeper into his alternate history of WWI, and it's excellent. We get to meet the next generation of inventions for both the Clankers and the Darwinists, which are both familiar and rethought with tie-ins to historical events. Granted, I'm not much of a history buff, which is to say that I'm not one at all so a hinting at historical stuff, and I think it's all good ^.^

There are actually a lot of plot threads within this book, but because they are pretty tightly focused around Deryn and Alek it's very easy to follow while giving a nice wide view of what is going on in the war. I thought Westerfield's writing in this respect to be quite skillful although my emotional buy-in for the characters is a bit lacking.

Another bonus to Behemoth is the increase in pictures. The first one had some gorgeous pictures, but this one ups the ante with full spreads (2 page panoramas) that are breathtaking in detail and imagination.

If you enjoyed the first one, definitely pick this one up because you shall not be disappointed. If you didn't read the first one yet, what are you waiting for?!

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Behemoth at Amazon

Edit: This is now a Book Review Wednesday post.
CymLowell

Last Follow Friday of the Year


Welcome from Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee!

I'm not taking part in next week's hop and follow hoopla because I'm going to be going home, and definitely won't be online much!

Things you might have missed this week:

I put up a piece with some advice for new bloggers!

Third Sentence Thursday!

I had an interview with author Krista D. Ball! Also, check out the review of her new novella - Harvest Moon.


150 Follower Giveaway still going on! It's open internationally, and getting pretty close to having a second winner ^.^

Reviews:
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Halfway to the Grave - Jeaniene Frost
Outside In by Maria V. Snyder


What are your plans for the Christmas holiday?

Eating lots and lots of food. Then sharing lots of presents, which are under the lovely tree. (I had tons of fun wrapping a lot of them as I mentioned last week heh)

Last year was the first year ever that I celebrated a real American style Christmas with a tree, presents, and a lively party of people. I'm still pretty excited about it this year, and will likely to be for years to come. The boyfriend thinks I'm like a little kid, and in some ways, it's definitely like being a little kid at Christmas because I've hardly done it before. This year there are even stockings!! (Can you tell I'm super excited? ^.^)

I hope y'all are celebrating in some fun way~~ For those of you that regularly have a big hoopla, does Christmas get less exciting because you've done it many times before?

The Latest Obsession: Recettear


As an early Christmas present, the BF got me a little game called Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale, and it has managed to consume a lot of my time in the past few days! It's an indie role-playing game, where you play a shop owner of a store for adventuring heroes. This means buying and selling stuff for the most part. There is also an aspect of it where you get to fight some monsters by controlling some of the heroes you meet in your shop ^.^

I think it's a cute little game, that is also highly, highly addictive. A lot of indie games are really quite fun and a ton cheaper ($4-$20) than their juggernaut counterparts. Steam is having a sale so they're even cheaper than normal ($1-$10) if you want to check some out~~

(I have no affiliation to Recettear or Steam)

Third Sentence Thursday (#4)

Third Sentence Thursday
Grab the Code



Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme for glorifying the third sentences of these things we call books.

This week's theme is review the sentence from your current read. (sorry had the wrong description up earlier~~)

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!
4) Prepare for next week's theme, which is going to be the same as this week's!



"Maybe at least he could understand what made him different." Like Clockwork by Bonnie Dee

This sentence all by itself is rather sad feeling. It's too heavy of a sentence to have a silly review for so I do hope whoever is saying this finds peace!

BTW enter my 150 Follower Giveaway! Also, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas this weekend!

Advice for Bloggers: Comments


Is a comment!


This isn't the start of a series, just a small piece of advice.

Dear New Bloggers,

You want to have comments on your posts because then your blog doesn't feel as empty so don't make us commenters, who are willing to take the time to comment, jump through so many hoops. Jumping through hoops makes people less likely to comment, which you as a new blog can't afford.

You are a NEW blog you're not going to get much spam. I have as yet to get ANY spam despite allowing anonymous comments without an 'Are you human?' test.

When you get to be a big blog, then you can afford to put lots more moderation on your comments. For now, stick to EASY AS POSSIBLE.

Sincerely,
Sniffly Kitty

Review: Outside In (Inside Out #2) by Maria V. Snyder


Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Copy Courtesy of Netgalley and Harlequin
Release Date: 2/22/2011

*Spoiler Alert - If you haven't read Inside Out, then you shouldn't read this review because it contains spoilers. You can find my review of Inside Out here.*

Summary

As most rebels find, the aftermath of overthrowing the government is rarely simple. Trella finds herself going to endless Committee meetings only to have her contributions ignored. Uppers and Scrubs segregate themselves and resentment abounds. On the other hand, things with Riley seem to be going well, which adds some brightness to her life. Then, the bombings start, and Trella must figure out what is going on and stop it before the ship self-implodes.

Commentary

I find that Maria V. Snyder has this pattern where her first books in a series are really good and the second ones suffer a significant decline. I really enjoyed Inside Out. It felt fresh and had good worldbuilding. Outside In, however, just didn't live up to that promise.

Trella spends much of the book running away from her problems, which while an understandable reaction, makes it feel like not much is happening despite bombs going off. Her relationship is written very well, however. I thoroughly approved of its progression.

There was also a lot of focus on when things occurred which was difficult to keep track of because the way Insiders keep track of time is pretty different from how we keep track of time so I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how much time had passed. While this may have added to the Worldbuilding, it also took away from my complete immersion in the story.

The overall plot and its twists were somewhat interesting although I didn't feel as engrossed in what was happening as I was in the first book. This may, in part, be due to the pacing, which dragged somewhat because of Trella's 'moping' and then all of a sudden speeded up when things came to a peak. I'm not entirely sure you need to read the second book. I feel that the first book could be a great standalone novel.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Outside In at Amazon

150 Follower Giveaway Still Going On!


Just a quick reminder that you should enter my 150 Follower Giveaway! You can choose which book you want to win. Any book! (under $10) It's open internationally too~~ Head on over to this post to enter ^.^

Teaser Tuesday (Dec 21)


I got my copy of Counterfeit Magic in the mail ^.^ Happy Happy!


"With a snarl, Mel pulled free and wheeled on Savannah, fist flying. Before it could land, Savannah nailed her with a right hook that sent her reeling, probably more from surprise than force." -Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong

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!

Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your own teaser post or just the teaser if you don't have a blog.

Off The Shelf Challenge

Off The Shelf!


This challenge is to read those books you own copies of, but have never got around to reading. Definitely sounds like a challenge I need to take part in because that TBR pile just keeps growing rather than shrinking heh~~

I'm taking part at the 'Trying' level - 15 books!

Progress: 3/15

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Review: Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1) by Jeaniene Frost


Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Summary
Cat is a half-vampire out to kick some serious vampire butt, which actually means killing them. She's been taught for much of her life that vampires are full of evil, and the only way for her to atone for her half-vampire-ness, she must kill them. One night while vampire slaying, she meets another vampire whose purpose is aligned with her own. The vampire - Bones - is super sexy, and perhaps they could make a good team.

Commentary
Yum! There was a good bit of 'action' in this book, and the sexual undercurrent was very strong all throughout the book. Bones has an English accent and that helps with the sexiness. He's one of those knight in shining armor types with a dash of rogue to him.

Cat is pretty fun, and she has this habit of killing first and asking questions later, which is amusing because it frustrates the other characters in the book. She comes off as a chick with a huge chip on her shoulder although there is a glimpse of her softer nature which helped to add depth to her character.

This book is a good read. I didn't have a gripe with anything, but it wasn't particularly special in terms of the plot elements, story progression, or characters. Granted, the ending had some interesting twists, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Halfway to the Grave at Amazon


Edit: This is now a Book Lovers' Blog Hop Post
Photobucket

Interview with Krista D. Ball


The BIO

Krista D. Ball was born and raised in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, where she learned how to use a chainsaw, chop wood, and make raspberry jam. After obtaining a B.A. in British History from Mount Allison University, Krista moved to Edmonton, AB where she currently lives with her partner, two crazy but likable step-boys, seven cats, and a very understanding corgi.

Like any good writer, Krista has had an eclectic array of jobs throughout her life, including strawberry picker, pub bathroom cleaner, oil spill cleaner-upper and soup kitchen coordinator. These days, when Krista isn’t software testing, she writes in her messy office.

The INTERVIEW

1) What's the inspiration for Harvest Moon?

I was working at an Edmonton, Canada inner-city agency when I first conceived of the idea. The agency's clients were about 40% aboriginal, so I was exposed to traditional stories on a daily basis. One of the regulars was Jim Thunder, who later passed away. He'd tell these amazing stories from his family's oral tradition, as well as from the elders he'd gotten to know over the years. He encouraged me to expand my own world and settings. So, I decided to write my own Canadian aboriginal tale, with a gender bending twist.


2) One of your characters would probably be classified as someone who has alternative relationship styles (aka queer) was that merely a plot device or is this an issue you might continue exploring in your future work?

The notion of having a queer character came pretty much at the same time as the plot. Harvest Moon is the first of (hopefully) a series of stories that address identity, in a Canadian setting. Harvest Moon addresses gender. I find that many folks still judge a person's gender based on their sexual orientation (i.e. a real man isn't gay, proper women don't like both men and women, etc). So, I wanted to challenge that notion while I explored gender.

My work will continue to feature different cultures, races, and sexual preferences. I find too many books are stuck in the same areas and people. I want people to always pick up my work and never assume American-white-straight-middle class. I want people to come into my work with a clean slate.

3) Some parts of your short Biography are really interesting, and I wanted to know if they're actually true such as do you really make raspberry jam or go strawberry picking as a job?

I don't make raspberry jam now, because raspberries aren't in the wild much here in Edmonton. However, when I lived back in Newfoundland, we'd go out in the woods, pick wild berries, and make jam. I also had a summer job picking strawberries. I was chopping wood before my age hit double digits. I knew how to skin a rabbit in the first grade (which, btw, I'll probably never do again. Talk about messy - yuck!). I enjoy learning lots of different skills and getting new experiences, and with such a rustic upbringing (though, amongst my peers back home, it wasn't rustic...it was normal), I've had a lot of great experiences in life.

4) You mentioned you were working on a Sci-Fi military thriller, could you give us a sneak peek?

I'm always scared about giving peeks of my unpublished work. I feel like I'll jinx it. However, I can give you the blurb that I sent with the query letter. Hopefully, it sounds exciting :)

"Captain Katherine Francis is about to disobey every Ethics Law the Union of Planets throws at her. After the Union’s enemy destroys her home planet and murders her family, she makes the decision to bring an end to the war—whatever it takes. When an opportunity arises to ally with the neutral Alliance and turn the tide of war, Katherine throws aside her moral code, partners with a known spy, and risks sacrificing the very core of who she is. And when faced with choosing between her conscience and stopping the bloodshed, she realizes that, either way, she’ll lose."

The blurb sounds intriguing! A big thank you to Krista for doing an interview here at Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books!

The NOVELLA


Cursed, abused, and desperate to know her future, Dancing Cat sneaks a glimpse inside her tribe’s Sacred Bundle, a powerful source of spirit magic. Instead of the future, she sees her most powerful ancestor, Small Tree and incurs her wrath. Small Tree strips Dancing Cat of everything —her home, her identity, even her gender – and drops her in the middle of enemy lands.

Injured, and in a strange, new body, she is befriended by Bearclaw who is on a spirit quest. He offers her assistance and asks for nothing in return; a kindness Dancing Cat had forgotten existed. She struggles to weave a path around the obstacles of friendship, identity, and longing in order to survive her eventual return home to face even further punishment.

And she does it while wearing someone else's skin.

You should check out my review of Harvest Moon!

Review: Harvest Moon by Krista D. Ball


Harvest Moon by Krista D. Ball

Copy courtesy of Krista D. Ball
Released Already

Summary
Dancing Cat is considered cursed and everyone in her tribe treats her like dirt. She makes a prayer to her ancestors pleading for a better future and gets turned into a man for her efforts.

Commentary
This is a sweet little story which takes place in Northern Alberta with Native American elements to it, which gives it a mystic feel. The author managed to put together a good story in a small amount of space although there could have been a lot more exploration if the story had been longer.

Despite the short length of the story, Dancing Cat is a very realistic feeling character. I was able to feel sorry for her initial plight and was somewhat amused by her predicament of being turned into a man.

I look forward to longer pieces from this author *hint hint wink wink*.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Harvest Moon at Amazon

What Gets You Excited About Books?


photo moderately related

It's been awhile since I had a pure thought post so here we go!

Oftentimes, unless I happen to have already read something by an author, I judge a book by its cover and title. This means, I only read reviews on books that have already caught my interest this way.

If the reviews and synopsis are good, then I am properly excited about the book. Perhaps I should be doing things the other way around, with looking at reviews first, but there are so many reviews and books out there that I need to have a quicker way to decide. This quick judgement of mine is now helped a bit by rating aggregation from goodreads especially with books which don't have interesting covers or titles.

What do you guys think? What gets you excited?

Review: Awaken (Awaken #1) by Katie Kacvinsky


Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Copy Courtesy of NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: 5/23/2011

Summary
In 2060, the world's children take all their courses online at Digital School, which is free. Not only does School all occur online,but just about everything else does too. people rarely leave their houses. Maddie is the daughter of the head of Digital School, and she is chafing beneath the bit. A new boy named Justin comes into her life, and breaks the isolation she didn't realize she was feeling while immersed in her digital life.

Commentary
The fear expressed in this book that digital life increases isolation has been voiced in many arenas, and the story takes that fear to its logical conclusion. In that sense, it is a natural feeling story, and continues in the vein of a good dystopian novel by extrapolating current fears.

Maddie's interactions within the virtual worlds and discovery of the outside world feels natural. Her relationship with Justin, and the way it grows is a lot more realistic than some of the other YA romances out there right now. I also really enjoyed the back and forth between Maddie's diary entries and what is going on around her.

My biggest concern with this story is the lack of plausibleness of the technology. It makes me sad because it mars an otherwise great story. For example, there is this machine that supposedly breaks any possible encryption, which makes no sense because encryption lengths are infinitely variable. Apparently having two of these machines opposing each other 'cancels' each other out, which also makes no sense from a technical standpoint because that's not the way encryption works.

One last example because there were a lot of other things I could point but I don't want to go too long. Maddie gets around her dad's 'fingerprint encrypted' keyboard with a mind reader, why would there be a need for a keyboard if you can just think at your computer?! /end rant (and sorry for ranting) I really wish the author had taken more time to understand and logically piece together the technology which is the basis for the entire story.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Awaken at Amazon

Choice of 1 book out of 3 Giveaway!

Third Sentence Thursday

My friend immortalelf over at Tales of a Bookworm is having a giveaway!

Prizes: The winner will get to their choice of either:
a brand new copy, 1st edition of Firelight (by Sophie Jordan), OR
a brand new copy, 1st edition of Clockwork Angel (by Cassandra Clare) OR
a brand new copy of Immortal (by Gillian Shields).

It's open Internationally! So head on over~~

Book Blog Hop and Follow Friday (Dec 17)

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome from Book Blog Hop hosted by Crazy for Books and Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee!

Does anyone else really like to wrap presents? I find that there's a certain amount of satisfaction from it ^.^

What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?

How can you choose the plot supports the characters and the characters support the plot o_0 I suppose if I absolutely had to choose I would choose the characters because I often remember more about them than the actual plot.

Week in Review!

Third Sentence Thursday featuring third sentence that reflects how you feel this week!

The Winner of Funniest Third Sentence was announced!

Announcement of my first GIVEAWAY celebrating reaching 150 Followers! Still time to enter ^.^

Reviews:
Foundation by Mercedes Lackey
Emmy's Song by Christy Trujillo
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Solid by Shelley Workinger
Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

If you're a new blogger I have a guide with some info which may be helpful for you ^.^


What did you study in college, or are currently studying?

I'm slightly amused by this question because I mentioned what I was going to study in my Third Sentence Thursday post. I studied psychology for undergrad, but I'm switching over to Computer Science for grad school. Programming is just more fun, and well a lot more practical in the job market ^.^

Be sure to come back Saturday and Sunday for a review of Harvest Moon and the interview with the Author: Krista D. Ball!

Third Sentence Thursday (#3)

Third Sentence Thursday
Grab the Code



Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme for glorifying the number 3 as in, sentence 3 of a book.

This week's theme is pick a third sentence that best describes your mood this week.

1) Find a third sentence that describes your mood.
2) Post a link to your sentence here or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!
3) Find out how other people are feeling this week.
4) Prepare for next week's theme: Third Sentence Review!

Edit: Clarification for next week's theme. Take the third sentence of the book you are reading and review it! (Serious review or silly is up to you)

"It was by choice, my choice." Naamah's Curse by Jacqueline Carey

So, I am starting computer science courses soon as part of a path which hopefully leads to a Masters in CS. I'm apprehensive about it, but it is my choice after all so here we go.

BTW enter my 150 Follower Giveaway! I wish everyone a happy weekend ^.^

Review: Intrigues (Collegium #2) by Mercedes Lackey


Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

Summary
Mags has gotten more used to the Collegium although he is still somewhat apart from the other Chosen. Suspicion falls upon him when he realizes he is foreign and the Farseers (future seeing people) have a vision that someone foreign is going to endanger the King.

Commentary
I liked that some of the mysteries in book one were solved, and the characters stayed true to form with some development. Besides Mags though, there doesn't seem to be that much of a deep exploration of his friends' histories.

This is still a likeable book because it stays with the signature Valdemar tone although it's nothing special. There's a bit in this book where Mags goes out on the streets, which is somewhat reminiscent of Take a Thief.

Possibly the biggest issue I have with this book is the reaction of his friends. They don't seem to be supportive when Mags most needs it. The only one who is supportive is his Companion, which defeats the purpose of Mags trying to make friends for almost the entirety of the book. I do still want to read the last book though just to know what happens.

Star Rating: 2.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Intrigues at Amazon


Edit: This is a Book Review Wednesday Post

CymLowell

My Favorite Book Couple


I would definitely have to say Phedre and Joscelin from Kushiel's Dart. They have to go through so much to be together, and Joscelin is really hot. I love both of the characters, and well Kushiel's Dart is also my favorite book so perhaps I'm biased.

Wee! Part of the Christmas Countdown hosted by Not Enough Books!

Ignore this: KSNAQKYP45YF

Teaser Tuesday (Dec 14)



"Taking several breaths to regain her nerve, she took the sacred bundle into her hands. The invisible, icy touch of magic twisted its way over her body." -Harvest Moon by Krista D. Ball

The review for Harvest Moon is coming on Saturday. There will also be an interview with Krista coming up on Sunday!

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!

Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your own teaser post or just the teaser if you don't have a blog.

150 Follower Giveaway! (closed!!)


Grab the Code


As I am fairly close to 150 Followers (edit: yay! 150 reached!), it's time to do my first giveaway as a thank you to my followers! It's as international as Book Depository gets. Winner shall be randomly chosen.

Prizes:
-Book of winner's choice under $10 from Amazon (US) or Book Depository (Outside US wherever they deliver)

Edit: Reached 250 followers! 1 extra prize winner (same prize ^.^)!
-If I reach 350 followers there will be a third winner also book of choice under $10! and every 100 followers beyond that means another winner ^.^

Giveaway Dates: Dec 13, 2010 - Jan 13, 2011

To Enter:

Initial Entry:
-You MUST leave a comment on this post with your Email address.
-You must be a public GFC follower to qualify (if your follower name is different from what you're posting with please list your GFC name). This is a follower thank you giveaway after all. (google friend connect, it's in the sidebar)

Bonus Entries
+2 Follow my Twitter snifflykitty0
+1 Tweet about this giveaway using the tweet below and give the link (1/day up to 5 times)
Book of choice - 150 Follower Giveaway! Open internationally. http://bit.ly/erMj6O @snifflykitty0
+1 Link this giveaway in a giveaway linky or other giveaway announcement place, and provide the link here
+3 Do a blog post about this giveaway with a link back to this post and provide the link here.
+3 Grab the button, put it in the sidebar of your blog, and provide the link here.

Review: Solid (Solid #1) by Shelley Workinger


Solid by Shelley Workinger

Summary
Clio is attending a summer camp, but this is not your typical summer camp. This one is run by the military for kids who have been genetically modified as part of an illegal experiment. The existence of this camp is to find out more about these modifications as part of the military's 'open book' policy and make amends for their rogue doctor who conducted these experiments. As the camp progresses though, Clio finds things to be a bit fishy.

Commentary
The beginning of the book is great because there is a glimpse into the experiment. It sets the mood for the book very nicely. I also liked that there are abilities beyond athleticism and intelligence.

This is a pretty short book (less than 250 pages), which doesn't leave a lot of room for a story (maybe because I read so many epics >.>). The story itself was pretty good in terms of pacing, but I felt the romances, in particular, lacked depth. I also did not get very emotionally attached to the characters because there were actually quite a few which were central to the story besides Clio.

Also, it's good to see a beginning to a trilogy have an ending that isn't a cliffhanger. Solid ended in a good place, and has enough hint to make the reader want to continue reading the series.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Solid at Amazon


Edit: This is now a Book Lovers' Blog Hop Post

Photobucket

Review: Boneshaker (The Clockwork Century #1) by Cherie Priest


Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Summary
In the aftermath of an incident, which has left poisonous gas (it happens to create zombies) pouring out into Seattle, Washington, Briar - the wife of the man who brought about this calamity - tries to raise her son, Zeke. Unable to take the taunts from his classmates, Zeke runs off into the walled up ruins of Seattle. Briar takes off after him, and the two journey separately through the new society inside the ruins

Commentary
I had hoped this would be better than it turned out to be since it was nominated for a Hugo and a Nebula. I couldn't really seem to get into it mostly because of the elaborateness of the ruins. There was a lot of moving through, up and down, and into this tunnel or that which, because I am spatially challenged, I was not able to follow very well at all.

Generally speaking, this is not really a zombie novel. There are zombies, but they don't drive the story. The zombies are pretty standard and mostly serve to move the characters around the city (and in doing so, introduce you to aspects of the society) rather than being the focus.

The story itself, and the culture which had sprung up inside the ruins was interesting. Priest does a good job of building up the suspense surrounding the doctor who caused all the trouble in the city.

This is worth a read for the less spatially challenged, but it's not a must read by any means.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Boneshaker at Amazon

2nds Challenge

Off The Shelf!

This challenge is for reading the second in a series books or the second time reading an author. It is hosted by Katy of A Few More Pages. The challenge runs from 1/1/11 to 12/31/11.

I'm taking part at the level of:
A full plate - Read 12 books that are 2nd in a series or the second time you've read the author.

Books I've read will be posted as I finish them ^.^
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