Books By Their Cover

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Bargain Books (8)

Wuthering High: A Bard Academy Novel / love this series

Ballads of Suburbia

Demon Princess: Reign or Shine

Dragonhaven

Evernight (Evernight, Book 1)

Graffiti Girl

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye

Lipstick Apology

Leftovers

Miss Match (Lauren Holbrook Series, Book 1)

Paisley Hanover Acts Out

Chelsey: My True Story of Murder, Loss, and Starting Over (Louder Than Words)

Savvy Girl

serafina67 *urgently requires life*

I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure

Bargain Books ~ 1 / Bargain Books ~ 2 / Bargain Books ~ 3 / Bargain Books ~ 4 / Bargain Books ~ 5 / Bargain Books ~ 6 / Bargain Books ~7

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Books by its Cover Week 1

Week 1:

What’s black and white and re(a)d all over?
Hint:
The king came before the pawn.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Major Crush

Major Crush by Jennifer Echols

Source: Personal

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5
I promised myself that I will read all of Jennifer Echols book and Major Crush is only step forward in this goal. (I only have one more book to go!) Here is pyramid of me liking Echols books, highest to lowest:

1. Going Too Far

2. Forget You

3. Major Crush

4. The Boys Next Door

5. Endless Summer

As you see Major Crush falls smack-dab-in-the-middle. There is a reason for that, which I will get to eventually.

"Tired of the beauty-pagean circuit, Virginia Sauter tosses her tiara, pierces her nose, and auditions for the most unlikely of roles -- drum major of the high school marching band.

Virginia wins, but is forced to share the title with Drew, whose family has held the position for generations. Sure, Drew is hot, but because of his superior attitude, he and Virginia are constantly arguing. That is, until they share more than just their half-time salute...

But as the drum major's heated competition turns to sizzling romance, explosive rumors threaten everything -- including the band's success. Love seemed to be a sure hit, but Virginia and Drew may be marching straight into disaster." (Amazon)

I expected a lot more romance from this Simon Pulse RomCom. There seemed be a lingering moral behind these novels. Major Crush dealt with racism and affairs in marriages and just being trapped in a small town following in the footsteps of your father, your brothers, breaking free. Don't get me wrong, Major Crush does have a lot of romance and feel good fun :) *kicks review* I can never review well for Echols books.

It's currently in-stock, but out-of-stock, at Amazon right now.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Love Sucks

Love Sucks by Melissa Francis

Source: HarperTeen

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Love Sucks is the sequel to Bite Me, a novel that I called "Awh!". Well if that was awh I'm calling Love Sucks "Sexy!" AJ's mother is pregnant by Ryan's father with the prophesied child. Ryan just happens to be AJ's ex-boyfriend who still has a hard time stopping her feelings for him. If that's not awkward, AJ's biological dad is trying to use her to take over the world. Well more like forcing her to find him these stones, "runes", that has the potential to time travel. Thus comes in Lex, her godmother's nephew, to help AJ harness her vampire powers and protecting herself from her father's side of the family. (He's super hot, super British, and really sweet underneath.)

Helloooo dream cast! If you're looking for something fun, look no further! Love Sucks immediately takes off where Bite Me ends so it would be really helpful for the reader to pick the prequel up first. Other than that, lean back and enjoy this action packed ride with bad-kicking, forbidden loving, and tension! It starts off slow, but picks up speed quickly to the point where I could not keep my eyes from the page (and ignoring "Deal or No Deal!"). I find all the male characters irresistibly charming, even the little middle graders (really energetic and bubbly, infectious kids). No one was overly dramatic in the boo-whoo-the-world-is-out-to-get-me type of fashion. Confused on the last fight though.

Order Love Sucks! or order Bite Me!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Thirteen Reason Why

TH1RTEEN R3ASON WHY by Jay Asher

Source: Personal (had this baby on my shelves for almost years before finally reading it)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Hannah Baker committed suicide. She left behind a stunned student body, an empty desk, and a shoe box of cassettes to thirteen lucky individuals who played a part in her death.

Here's a funny thing about Thirteen Reasons Why: I've read it before without actually reading it. Prior to me starting to book blog and reading large quantities of books in general I was really big on anime/manga and fanfiction (there goes my dirty little secret)! So when I first picked up Thirteen Reasons Why I had this deja vu feeling and then it hit me like a bullet. I had read a fanfiction that used the exact same plot.Good going Yan--you managed to spoil a book without even realizing it! Thankfully I read the fanfic so long ago (3-4 years ago) that some of the details were blurry, which it made reading Thirteen Reasons Why tolerable.

Because Thirteen Reasons Why has been out so long and has been on the New York Times Bestselling List I'm not even going to attempt for a full review. So here are some half-jumbled words I've thrown together:

Distinctive voice; easy to follow; raw with clear emotions.
Wonderful plot (if if I read it somewhere else unintentionally); greatly executed.
Interesting characters; many are not at all likable, but interesting nonetheless.
Love how the chapters go by "Cassette ___: Side _"
Borders on the line on emotional to overly dramatic.
Middle of the book is numbing a.k.a my eyes slightly glazed over.
Jenny is still ??? for me.
Would like to know about the aftermath of other listeners rather than "looking like hell".

Thirteen Reasons Why is currently on bargain price.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

How to Grow Up and Rule the World

How to Grow Up and Rule the World by Vordak the Incomprehensible (also known as Scott Seegert and John Martin)

Source: ARC from Egmont ("Uncorrected, but nonetheless perfect")

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

"Slip on your acid-free gloves, make sure you have a duplicate copy of How to Grow Up and Rule the World (just in case something should happen to this one) and try to follow along as the incomparable, superior-in-all-ways Vordak the Incomprehensible teaches you a thing or two about villainy. Now you, too, can try (and fail) to attain Vordak's level of infamy....

In return for this wealth of knowledge, Vordak requests nothing more than an honored place in the evil regime of he who achieves control of the world. (And, of course, the opportunity to assume command, should things not work out.)"

Vordak the Incomprehensible is freaking mean. And I love it! He reminds me of those sergeant boot camps that get into people’s faces and starts screaming orders. Except Vordak the Incomprehensible is funnier.

How to Grow Up and Rule the World is a multiple step instructional guide on, you guessed it, become a supervillain and conquer the world! MWHAHAHAHAHA! (Look I’m already one-step there :D) There is the chapter that talks pros and cons of masks, goggles, various helmets; a chapter on choosing your personal villainy name; Chapter 3: Superheroes—Noble Upholders of Justice or Big, Fat, Stupid Jerks; and loads more!

How to Grow Up and Rule the World (what a mouthful) is an interactive book with mini-puzzles, pictures, and diagrams. It’s also written in second person point of view so it sounds like Vordak the Incomprehensible is constantly yelling at you :) (though it can get kind of tiring).

Cover A

Order Vordak the Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World

Monday, August 2, 2010

Manga Monday: Devil and Her Love Song

Devil and Her Love Song by Tomori Miyoshi

Other Titles: Akuma to Rabu Songu / Akuma to Love Song
Genre: Shoujo, Drama, Psychological, Comedy, Romance
Art: 4 stars
Plot: 3.8 stars
Characters: 3.8 stars
Serialized: Margaret

Maria is expelled from a top school and is transferred to a rather low-point average school. She was expelled for various reasons, one of which is for violence against teacher. Maria is straightforward: she sees and tells things clearly and is not afraid to tell it even if the public eye is not to forgiving. She has been said to "corrupt" others. Her new classmates isolates her and her new teacher is trying to make her life at school miserable. Maria finds solace in singing with her voice strong and powerful. Her favorite song: Amazing Grace (coming from a religious background).

I think I read too many shoujo mangas. That or I find it so much easier to throw all these shoujo mangas at you. (I'm just really picky about the shounen mangas I read. I think next week I should review a Josei manga.) Anyway I am at volume 6 of Devil and Her Love Song and so far it is quite good. The plot line is tedious and slow in retrospect, but I like that the romance is developing over the course of volumes rather than a volume. I am expecting much gritter and dark themes in teh upcoming volumes because it has been at that Maria's, the main character, mother committed suicide and that Maria is some form of a bastard's child whose life went through some mockery.