Monday, March 28, 2011

Book Review - Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

Publish Date: March 1st, 2011
Publisher: Atria
Pages: 466
ISBN: 978-1-4391-0272-5
Series: None
Source: Simon & Schuster

Summary:
One miscarriage too many spelled the end of Max and Zoe Baxter's marriage. Though the former couple went quite separate ways, their fates remained entangled: After veering into alcoholism, Max is saved in multiple senses by his fundamentalist conversion; Zoe, for her part, finds healing relief in music therapy and the friendship, then romantic love with Vanessa, her counselor. After Zoe and Vanessa, now married, decide to have a baby, they realize that they must join battle with Max, who objects on both religious and financial grounds. Like her House Rules and several other previous Jodi Picoult novels, Sing You Home grapples with hot button issues.

My Review:
I love Jodi Picoult, I'd have to say that she is my favourite author. I've been reading her books since I was in highschool and I did a project on The Pact (my favourite of hers). And I just devour her books!
Sing You Home took a little more time for me to get into, maybe just because my daughter was having surgery, then March Break and work, but when I could sit down and read it, it was worth it. I did find the story to move faster than Picoult's other books - almost like she just wanted to get to the end of the book, and get her point made, but that was just a little downfall, that didn't ruin the book at all.
Zoe is such a strong character. And I mean this in more ways than one. Not only is she written stong by Picoult, she is an emotionally strong character. For all that she goes through, she stays as tough as she can, and that's amazing. We meet a young girl named Lucy and I would have loved to have seen more from her. She was such a great addition to Sing You Home, and I was eager for scenes with her in it.
It is so obvious that Jodi Picoult researches everything she puts (and doesn't put) into her novels. She doesn't miss a beat throughout Sing You Home. She shows her knowledge in music, music therapy, infertility, IVF, embryos, and of course - law. I live for Picoult's court scenes: the bantering, the pleas, the arguments, and the raw emotion, they all play in my head like a movie and this book was no exception.
Sing You Home is a must read! It will get you talking (I mean, I could go on about gay rights, frozen embryos, religion and many more issues that are brought up in the book, but this is a review. I'll save my opinions on these issues for my bookclub discussions).
Jodi Picoult deals with tough issues, and throughout her books she makes clear arugments from all points of her characters, and this I don't imagine is easy. Once again, Jodi Picoult has proven herself to be a masterful writer.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

In My Mailbox (March 27, 2011)

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

I missed last week - sorry!


My family and I have been enjoying cool mornings and sunny afternoons walking through our town, and neighbouring town finding little bookstores that we've been browsing through. We've found some great little stores that we'll be visiting again for sure.

Bought:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling - This is a First American Edition to add to our collection!
The Vampire Diaries The Fury and Dark Reunion by L.J Smith
The Vampire Diaries The Return: Nightfall by L.J Smith - both TVD books were super cheap, and I cannot pass up a book for just a couple of dollars.

That's it! What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Saturday, March 26, 2011

New Button

I've finally decided what my blog is going to look like - I've tried this deisgn with the owls and I love it. After trying different desgins, with the help of my sister, this is the one I'm sticking with. So for any of you that followed me before, and had my old button, you can remove that one and add the new one(which is on my sidebar)!
I did try to have it so it changed by itself, so I didn't have to bother you all to change it, but that didn't work, so I'm sorry! Just grab my new one, and we're all good!

Thank you!

Friday, March 25, 2011

ARC giveaway over @ Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe

For all of you who are looking to win a great book, you should head on over to see

She's giving away 3 great looking ARC's.

What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (The pretty, orginal cover - thankfully!)
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

There will be 1 lucky winner for each book.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Bookish Pet Peeves - Stickers on Books...

Yesterday was Top Ten Tuesday,(unfortunately I didn't get to do my post - oh well!) and this weeks discussion was "Top 10 Bookish Pet Peeves". I saw some interesting pet peeves, among them were things like:
  • dog earing pages - I personally don't like doing this, only because I find it tough to quickly find the right page, so I'll use book marks, or take note of the pages I want to remember
  • bent spines - well this is how we know the book has been read and loved
  • books without covers or pages missing - this does bother me, there is no need to have a book without a cover, and how are we supposed to enjoy the book as a whole with pages gone?
But there was one that stood out to me:

Stickers on books!

Thankfully, where I buy a lot of my books - !ngido Chapters - they use these really cool stickers that stick but are super easy to come off. Therefore there is no gross, sticky-icky residue left of the pretty books. But there are some book companies that use the stickers that are nearly impossible to come off. I had one book that I tried to peel the sticker off - it was terrible!
After that disaster, I found a solution. It's as simple as a hairdryer! Just blowdry the stickers / tape right off those babies. This works each and every time. Give it a try next time, and you'll see how easy it is. Just don't let your book go up in flames. (Low heat setting, don't aim the dryer too long, etc)

There you have it - a pet peeve and a solution!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Anticipating City of Fallen Angels

In a few short weeks (or long I suppose), we'll all have our hands on this:
!!!!

City of Fallen Angels, the highly anticipated fourth novel in Cassandra Clares' New York Times Best Selling series, The Mortal Instruments, hits stores April 5th, 2011. If you're like me and have already read City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass, this day can't come fast enough.

*Don't read any further if you haven't read the others in this series - I do not want to be responsible for spoiling anything!*


“City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.” (From Goodreads)

I'm really looking forward to reading this book to get into Simon's head and into his world. Now that he's the only vampire who can withstand light - daylighter, as they call it - it's going to be great to understand Simon a little more, and see how he adjusts to the vampire life.
After Clary and Jace came to the realization that they are not actually brother and sister, I'm very very eager  to find out where their relationship goes from here. I love Jace, I really do. He's a smart and funny character. Not to mention cute, and sexy ;) He puts up a wall and doesn't allow anyone to get past it really. Jace is a genuine guy in all honesty, and I'm ready to dive back into a world where he exists.
Alec and Magnus also play a role in City of Fallen Angels, and now that they are open with their relationship, it's going to be interesting to see where Clare takes us with them. I really like Alec and Magnus, and I'm glad they're back! Alec is a sweet, sensitive guy, and he compliments Magnus and his quirky sense of style perfectly.
Since I've read Clockwork Angel, (the first ARC I ever got and the main reason for starting this blog) I cannot wait to see the two series entwine together. I loved Tessa and Will and Jem and I'd love to have them altogether. (Which is so unlikely - impossible actually, to have all the characters from The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices together in one book) But that's alright because it's going to rock no matter what!

We all thought that TMI series was finished with City of Glass. We were sad that it was over, but we were okay with that, knowing that all series have to come to an end sometime. So it came as a big surprise when City of Fallen Angels was announced. I'm happy that Cassandra Clare has continued with this story of Shadowhunters vs Downworlders and I know that I'm not the only one.

So thanks Cassandra Clare and Simon & Schuster! And hurry up April 5th!!

And for those of you who just can't get enough, here's a trailer for you - it's "Previously in The Mortal Instruments Series" and goes over what's happened so far! Enjoy!


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Words by Ginny L. Yttrup Giveaway Winners

My giveaway for Words by Ginny Yttrup has ended, and using random.org, I have found myself 2 winners!

Thank you to all who entered!

Without further ado, the winners are:

Lynda V (Canada)

Emma H (US)

I will be emailing you both, please respond within 48 hrs to claim your prize

*winners were chosen by random.org*


Sunday, March 13, 2011

Im My Mailbox (March 13, 2011)

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren

Won:
ARC The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong - Thanks again to the bookclub I'm part of by celebrating a birthday with these copies! How exciting.
The Mermaid's Mirror and Flash Burnout by L.K Madigan - both of these books I won from Madigans' friends holding a contest, to help spread the word of her work, unfortunately L.K Madigan has recently passed away from cancer. Both these books sound great, and I cannot wait to read them.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult - Picoult is my favourite author, I have her books, and love her books. She was in Toronto the other day, and I was supposed to be there (I won a ticket to this event from YMCBookalicous, part of The Yummy Mummy Club) But unfortunately I wasn't able to attend, and had to pass up my ticket. So the lovely Wanda (from the Club) was able to send a copy of Sing You Home. I'm "meeting" them on Twitter at the end of the month to discuss this book.

4 great books this week! What did you guys get in your mailbox?

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Book Review - Flawless by Sara Shepard

Publish Date: March 1st, 2008
Publisher: Harperteen
Pages: 330
ISBN: 978-0-06-088735-3
Series: Pretty Little Liars
Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: 
Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.
And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

My Review:
Flawless is the second book in the PLL series, and it's just as good, if not better then the first!
I was really surprised at how good these books are! This doesn't mean that I had low expectations for this series, but I was just thinking it was going to be a book filled with girly drama and repetitiveness (with there being so many books in the series) but Flawless has so much more than that! It has suspense and cliff-hangers, shocks and twists and turns. Just when you think something is figured out...BOOM!, we don't actually know as much as we may have thought! And I absolutely love books like that! (I try not to think to far ahead while reading, and I don't like to try and solve things until the last minute - I love the surprises and the story telling me what happened.)
Shepard obviously knows a thing or two about being a real "pretty little liar" or she is just a really great writer because she has these 5 girls written to a tee. Aria, Spencer, Hanna, Emily  and Ali are all back and better than ever! Things are happening to them left, right, and center - things we haven't thought of - and we're hoping they are strong enough to pull through.
Flawless will have you reading it in one sitting, and have you at the edge of your seat as we see the life of these Pretty Little Liars unfold in front of them. Secrets are kept, secrets are revealed and more secrets are being made. You'll want to get your hands on a copy as soon as possible!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Like Mandarin Release Day!

A huge congratulations goes out to Kirsten Hubbard today, as it's the release day of her debut novel,

Like Mandarin.


"It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin. When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their Badlands town. Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal." (from Goodreads)

I've been looking forward to reading this book, since..well, since I first read about it a while ago. And to be honest, I've tried to get my hands on an ARC for ages.
Here's some good news - you can have the chance to win your very own copy of Like Mandarin, along with some pretty awesome looking stuff including a t-shirt or a hand-crafted necklace. This giveaway was a surprise to Kristen, so let's surprise her some more and wish her all the best today and in the future and enter to win some really cool stuff. Thanks to the awesome people at YA Highway for doing this! So go, enter this contest and good luck!

Monday, March 7, 2011

In My Mailbox (March 6, 2011)

In My Mailbox credit goes to The Story Siren


Just another week of fantastic books coming in my mail!

Won:
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova
*these are not YA books*

These 3 books were a prize from The Yummy Mummy Club, and Simon & Schuster. Thanks so much!

Bought:
That super cute little turtle bookend. There were supposed to be 2 of them, but one was missing, so I got that 1 for $2.00! Couldn't resist him sitting with my books.

That's it! What came in your mailbox this week?


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