Tag: goodreads

• Goodreads Choice Awards 2012

  Posted at 10:08 am by Laura, on October 29, 2012

  It’s that time of year! Goodreads will be hosting the annual Goodreads Choice Awards starting Tuesday, October 30.

  The Categories

  Fifteen books will be nominated in twenty categories, which include Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Romance, Memoir & Autobiography, History & Biography, Nonfiction, Food & Cookbooks, Humor, Graphic Novels & Comics, Poetry, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, Middle Grade & Children’s Books, Picture Books, and Goodreads Author.

  The Voting Rounds

  1. Round One — October 30 – November 11 — Voting will be open to the fifteen books across the twenty categories, as well as write-in votes.
  2. Round Two — November 12 – November 18 — The top five write-in votes will join the original fifteen, making 20 options across 20 categories. Additional write-ins no longer accepted.
  3. Round Three — November 19 – November 27 — Slashed in half, voters will choose from ten books across twenty categories. Make your vote count!

  Winners will be announced December 4.

  Which Books I Predict Will Be Nominated

  I’m not a prolific reader, but I’m basing my predictions (in a handful of categories) for the nominations based on what I enjoyed and what I saw, as a bookseller, flying off the shelves.

  1. Fiction: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  2. Romance: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (I really don’t want this to happen, but I predict it will)
  3. Memoir & Autobiography: No Easy Day by Mark Owen
  4. Young Adult Fiction: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  5. Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
  6. Middle Grade & Children’s Books: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

  Log on tomorrow and start voting!!!

  Which books do you hope to see? Which books do you predict will be nominated?

  Posted in books, Update Post | 2 Comments | Tagged awards, goodreads, personal

• Book Review: “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas” by Agatha Christie

  Posted at 12:49 pm by Laura, on October 21, 2012

  Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

  Published: 1938 (“Murder for Christmas” and “Holiday for Murder”)
  Publisher: originally G.P. Putnam Sons (Penguin), then Harper Collins
  ISBN: 9780062074010
  Goodreads: 3.81
  Rating: ★★★

  Christmas Eve, and the Lee family’s reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.

  When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man…

  Alfred, David, Harry, and George Lee may be brothers but they each lead vastly different lives. Alfred is a doting son, David still mourns over his mother, Harry is the prodigal returned home, and George is incredibly thrifty. Their wives are passionate and suspicious, and everyone is on edge when Simeon invites the whole family together for Christmas. What does this awful old man want? Will there be any holiday cheer? Who is this estranged granddaughter Pilar and a dear old friend’s son Stephen? Why are the servants nervous this Christmas? Everyone is to be blamed for the murder, but who really committed the crime?

  This was my first step into old school mystery fiction. I’m not much of a mystery reader, in the traditional sense. I like Tana French, and the typical plot twists in general fiction, but who-dun-its and clues are not my thing. Since the holidays are approaching and people rave over Agatha Christie’s brilliancy, I decided to give this a shot!

  It was a quick read, and light and interesting and fun. But I think the book could have benefited with more descriptions of her characters and the setting. This may be a personal preference or a change in the times — I’m not sure — but Christie lacked the description I felt was necessary to help the reader discover the murderer just as Poirot does. Christie was excellent with dialogue!  She knew just how to shape a turn of phrase to make you love and hate a character all at once. But when Poirot gave his big reveal, I was stunned. Poirot used physical descriptions of the murderer and the surroundings to guide everyone to his conclusion. I would not have gotten there on dialogue alone.

  I wonder if I should read one of her first pieces, or a Miss Marple story, and see if this can change my opinion of Christie and mystery fiction. After all, Christie became the queen at some point!

  Posted in Reviews 2012 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Snowed Up” by Rosalie K Fry

  Posted at 12:03 pm by Laura, on October 15, 2012

  

  Snowed Upby Rosalie K Fry

  Published: 1970
  Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
  ISBN: 9780374371005
  Goodreads: 3.67
  Rating: ★★

  This was read for an assignment in a publishing course. We were to read an out-of-print book and then create a book proposal to bring this back in print. While my proposal will focus on the need for realistic children’s survival stories, and perfect timing with the survival theme in dystopian YA, this review will be different.

  Anna, Brian, and Verity are cousins visiting family in Wales. Their aunt slips on some ice as a terrible blizzard sets in, and Aunt Marian and Uncle Fred decide the children need to head back to London immediately. The children miss the bus that would take them to the train station, and they are stranded in a farmhouse. The next several days the three scramble to find and make food, boil water, sleep, and keep warm till they devise a plan to be rescued.

  On the surface it’s an excellent read, especially for children. As an adult reader, though, I have to admit some flaws. First, there are very little descriptors. Sometimes it was difficult to distinguish between characters, and the story is mostly dialogue driven. I was surprised when hours had passed as one character spoke two sentences, such as “I am going to pack my bags. There, now I’m done, so let’s check on Brian.” (Not an actual quote.)

  But when the children are stranded, the story became very fun to read. What sort of food would they eat? How do they plan to keep warm? How will they escape the buried farmhouse? In a time without cell phones and easy transportation, how did these children get in touch with other people in order to be rescued? Little hints are dropped throughout, a small mystery for child readers to solve as the story progresses.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: children, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Shadowfell” by Juliet Marillier

  Posted at 1:22 pm by Laura, on October 5, 2012

  Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

  Published: 11 September 2012
  Publisher: Knopf
  ISBN: 9780375869549
  Goodreads: 4.04
  Rating: ★★★★

  Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill—a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk—Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec.

  During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death—but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban’s release from Keldec’s rule.

  Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

  The cover photo resembles a friend of mine, who is completely obsessed with Lord of the Rings, enjoys archery, loves fairy tales, and frequently quotes A Song of Ice and Fire.  It seemed fitting that, once I picked up this book to read the jacket, this was the first installment of a trilogy about a country under political unrest, filled with Anglo-Irish folklore, and a young girl on a journey to a faraway rebel encampment.

  I’m fascinated with the cultural transition from Irish fairies to cute little Tinkerbell pixies, and this book was completely filled with all of the good and bad characteristics of these long-forgotten creatures. The names and places — Neryn, Brollachan Brig — were extremely Gaelic in tone, and I became very nostalgic for folklore of the past. Marillier skillfully crafted Neryn’s difficult trek across the country with moments of reflection, heartbreak, illness, joy, companionship, and discovery. Like what most people say about Lord of the Rings, this first installment is “basically full of walking, eating, and sleeping,” but the characters Neryn meets along the way, the determination to survive, and the bits and pieces we learn about the world kept the pace of the story quick.

  I am very interested to see how Flint, the double agent, and Neryn continue to grow with the second book. I want to see her sculpt her talents, learn self-defense, grow with the other women in Shadowfell. I want to know what happens to Flint, how he is treated by King Keldec, and what Keldec’s court is like. It would not surprise me if the second book contains two perspectives throughout as it builds to the final battle! And finally, what about the Good Folk? Will they join the fight or watch from the edges? Will they come out of hiding?

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness

  Posted at 2:14 pm by Laura, on August 18, 2012

  

  A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

  Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

  What a thrill! I was hooked when I read “Oxford’s Bodleian Library” in the summary – it was my favorite spot in Oxford when I lived in England two years ago. A lover of archival stories, fantasies, historical fiction, and romance, this book was absolutely perfect.

  The beauty of Diana’s character is that she is flawed. She is intelligent and athletic, but it’s all about drive, and a desire to avoid who she truly is: a witch. She worked hard for her multiple degrees, and her interests and curiosity motivated her to continue with her education. It’s not natural brilliance, which many authors instill into their characters. Diana is athletic, but only so that she does not succumb to panic attacks. Her adrenaline (which is really her trapped magic) builds up to the point of explosion, and Diana needs to get rid of it in a healthy way. She’s independent, and a very well-rounded character. None of this disappears when Matthew, a vampire, enters the picture.

  Thank goodness.

  Matthew is a fantastic character. I want to describe him as “perfect,” but that’s too cliché for a description of a vampire and he is not perfect in the slightest. Yet, what makes his character great is an excellent blend of instilled human emotion and interaction, mixed with the traditional predator responses. For example, like an animal his emotions change with the slightest scent, movement, distraction. He’s very alpha male without being a dominant, insufferable git who never listens to what others have to say. Yet his human qualities remain: he fights the thirst for blood by establishing a thirst for knowledge.

  As far as the plot goes, this book could be divided into three obvious sections: Oxford is the rising plot, France is the pinnacle, and America is when commotion begins, plotting the next step ensues, and the journey into the next book begins. This All Souls trilogy is going to be brilliant. A wonderful blend of fantasy, romance, science, and history. Using DNA to explain magical creatures? How cool is that?

  Rating: ★★★★★
  Goodreads: 3.97

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: history, genre: romance, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Tiger Lily” by Jodi Lynn Anderson

  Posted at 9:26 pm by Laura, on August 9, 2012

  

  Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

  Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn’t believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

  Peter is unlike anyone she’s ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland’s inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything–her family, her future–to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she’s always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

  With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it’s the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who’s everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

  Before Wendy, there was Tiger Lily. This lovely tale is told to the reader through Tink’s observations. Tink is witty, honest, and such a fiery and perceptive sprite who cares far more about the well-being of her dear Tiger Lily than her status as near-bug. Tink leaves her family in the swamps to observe this quiet, stone-like girl and her growing relationship with the forbidden Pan and his lost boys.

  Such a neat twist to the original story! Tinker Bell is not the jealous fairy we’ve all known, Tiger Lily isn’t unintelligent, Hook isn’t mad but is certainly ill, Smee isn’t a blubbering idiot but rather a man with an agenda, and Wendy is the epitome of unwanted colonization.

  It’s an interesting young adult book with so many adult concepts packed within. Wendy and, prior to her arrival, Phillip, demonstrate the English’s desire to colonize natives of a new land. Phillip’s talk of religion and Wendy’s need to show the “proper” gender roles and take the boys home to a “safe” environment all echo every colonization story and history. Tiger Lily’s camp’s response fits the typical swaying and dissent natives would react towards colonizers. And then, of course, there’s the love story: the concept of various kinds of love, who is “right” for whom, the first love not always the best love. Tiger Lily and Peter Pan love one another, without really knowing what love is and what they want from each other. It’s not until Wendy arrives that both truly begin to understand that love comes in many forms for many reasons.

  Apart from this analytical outlook and late night ramblings, I really did enjoy this. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read twists on fairy tales and twists on classic literature (without it destroying the original story). Fun thing to note: Tink’s description of fairies evolving from dragon flies left such a deep image in my mind that I found it endearing and enchanting all at once!

  Rating: ★★★★
  Goodreads: 4.05

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Mermaid” by Carolyn Turgeon

  Posted at 10:57 am by Laura, on July 26, 2012

  

  The Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale by Carolyn Turgeon

  Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning, as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea, she witnesses a miracle: a glittering mermaid emerging from the waves, a nearly drowned man in her arms. By the time Margrethe reaches the shore, the mermaid has disappeared into the sea. As Margrethe nurses the handsome stranger back to health, she learns that not only is he a prince, he is also the son of her father’s greatest rival. Sure that the mermaid brought this man to her for a reason, Margrethe devises a plan to bring peace to her kingdom.

  Meanwhile, the mermaid princess Lenia longs to return to the human man she carried to safety. She is willing to trade her home, her voice, and even her health for legs and the chance to win his heart…

  I had seen so many poor and mediocre reviews for this book, but the cover and the fairy twist kept calling to me. I’ve read Yolen’s “Briar Rose” and Murphy’s “Hansel and Gretel” and really enjoyed those, so I thought I’d give Turgeon a try.

  If I had not been on vacation, I may not have had patience for this book. Simple writing – almost read like a parent telling a bedtime story to a child. The characters were flawed in that they only had one goal in mind, and the main emotions that consumed them were love and jealousy. Margarethe was consumed with love for Prince Christopher (without even truly knowing him at all) and intense jealousy towards Lenia’s mermaid form; Lenia was consumed with love for Christopher (again, without truly knowing him) and jealous of Margarethe’s human form; and Christopher was an arrogant charmer (this is a euphemism for a more blunt and crude word) with no loving qualities whatsoever.

  And yet, I continued reading. It was a dark tale, with vastly different settings and worlds, surrounded with politics, mythology, and religion. I wanted to know the twist, what made this different from Anderson’s (and Disney’s) Little Mermaid. And boy, every difference was a painful one, and quite the shocker. Instead of losing her voice, Lenia loses her tongue. Sacrifices are made, on land and in the sea, for every action Lenia and Margrethe make towards their competition for the prince’s affections. It is not a happy ending, but if one were to experience the story as if it were a legend, then the happier version we know and love could easily be conceivable. We could visualize how the story transformed from “what really happened” to “what I wish had happened.” It was an interesting concept.

  Rating: ★★★
  Goodreads: 3.5

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Crossed” by Ally Condie

  Posted at 7:39 pm by Laura, on July 24, 2012

  

  Crossed by Ally Condie

  Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky–taken by the Society to his sure death–only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.

  Narrated from both Cassia’s and Ky’s point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.

  This sequel in the Matched trilogy is vastly different from the first, and compelling in a very alternative way. While the first story explores the Society through a methodically clean lens, echoing the feel of Brave New World with its technological advancements, secretiveness, and pills, the second installment is gritty and political, mirroring a Hunger Games feeling of predator and prey, survival, and rebellion.

  Although the political back-and-forth between Ky’s opinions and Cassia’s opinions could become irksome once in a while, I enjoyed the way Condie revealed more and more about the Society’s current situation and history. All the things I was curious about in the first book were answered in the second, and the second has raised questions for the third that are incredibly deep: is there truly a war? Who are they fighting against? How long has this been going on? Who is the Pilot? How will the Pilot lead the rebellion? What is the rebellion composed of? I’m glad these questions were different from my questions after the first book, because it’s a sign that Condie is diving deeper into her dystopian world and revealing truth to her characters and readers.

  Crossed was nothing like I expected, and yet I was not disappointed. If I had read Matched immediately before Crossed I may have felt jarred by the different atmospheres, but the books in-between certainly helped to give the slow pacing Crossed deserved to resemble the passing of time between Ky’s capture and Cassia’s move.

  Rating: ★★★★
  Goodreads: 3.53

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, genre: dystopian, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Meaning of Night” by Michael Cox

  Posted at 5:31 pm by Laura, on July 8, 2012

  

  The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox

  After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn’s for an oyster supper.

  So begins the story of Edward Glyver, booklover, scholar, and murderer. A chance discovery convinces Glyver that greatness awaits him. His path to win back what is rightfully his leads him to Evenwood, one of England’s most enchanting country houses, and a woman who will become his obsession.

  I fell in love with the first chapter of this book after reading the summary. It was everything I could ever want in a great novel: Victorian England, gothic setting, murder, mystery, story-telling, love, scandal, the highs and lows of London life — and yet, I could not love this book as much as I wanted to.

  Cox certainly needs to be applauded, though! If Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens were still alive today, I think they would congratulate him on his writing abilities and perfect imitation of literature of the time. Cox wrote this piece as if an editor had discovered a long-lost autobiography, complete with footnotes, snatches of parchment covered in poetry, dreams written down after opium and laudanum intake, and of course, the ability to tell a story in “too many words.” This could certainly have been a serial story if such things still existed today.

  However, as brilliant as the writing is and the thorough research put into this piece, I was saddened by my thoughts as I read it. I kept thinking, when will this end? Just get to the point. Collins and Dickens always had surprises and plot twists and sidebars to keep the readers entertained during the major plot, but Cox seemed to lack this. Everything connected together almost too well. After a while I became less and less sympathetic towards Edward Glyver/Glapthorn (his name changes frequently depending on whom he speaks with) and his mission.

  My favorite moments were moments of Edward’s vulnerability: his time in Evenwood. Every chapter with him there brings about a certain humanity. It’s more than his love for Emily Carteret, it’s more than his revenge on Daunt, and it’s more than his personal connection to the estate. Something about it makes him more human, more likeable, and more vulnerable. I looked forward to those chapters and relished it — sadly, there weren’t enough of them.

  I would recommend this book to history buffs and hardcore Dickens fans, as it contains everything one would love. Sadly, for me, I may have just had extremely high expectations.

  Rating: ★★
  Goodreads: 3.64

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fiction, genre: gothic, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Matched” by Ally Condie

  Posted at 9:41 am by Laura, on June 19, 2012

  

  Matched by Ally Condie

  Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander’s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate… until she sees Ky Markham’s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

  The Society tells her it’s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she’s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can’t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

  Once again, do not be led astray by the summary! It is a love story, certainly, but it’s within a social system like that of Huxley’s Brave New World. Everything from minimal information for citizens, the color of uniforms to denote class and position, and little pills that will aid or hinder your functioning. Unlike Brave New World, where everything is based on pleasure, the Society in Matched is on perfection: the perfect vocation, the perfect age for death, the perfect body size and calorie intake, the perfect person to Match with (or even the option to be the perfect Single). It’s down to an art, and a fascinating one at that, but to what cost?

  It’s clear that Cassia has never come across a glitch in the Society’s well-oiled machine of a system, because she was perfectly content with her situation and surroundings prior to reading a microcard. This, as well as her grandfather’s heavy hints at a better, freer life filled with choices, causes her to question everything. Cassia becomes a skeptic, allowing the reader to became wary and anxious along with her.

  The Society is incredibly fascinating! A part of me wondered what it would be like to live in such a place. It seemed so…well, perfect, and wonderful. Here, you don’t have to know loads of information about random stuff. If you’re not math-inclined, for example, don’t worry about it – someone else will take care of everything. If you can’t remember details of events in history, don’t worry – you only need to know one hundred lessons. But then the heartbreaking things happen: someone else chose which one hundred songs, poems, books, and lessons; someone else chooses your vocation based on your talents rather than your interests. Would you like to know more about the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson? There’s no way to find out – because his works did not make it to the One Hundred Poems and knowing his name alone would cause suspicion and incite an Infraction.

  You cannot be curious in this society. You cannot be a creator. You can only take what you’re given and become a doer. It’s these glitches that cause Cassia to rebel, to question everything, and to wonder who she would really fall in love with if given the choice.

  Rating: ★★★★★ of 5
  Goodreads: 3.79 of 5

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: dystopian, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• 

• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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