Saturday, December 31, 2011

2012 Witches Reading Challenge


Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf


Another one of my 2012 Reading Challenge. Thanks to Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. Since I love witches so this is just perfect for me.

Details:


1. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012. I will be posting a place to link up a sign-up post (below), reviews and a wrap-up post. (Note: You do not have to review the books to participate, but only those who link up reviews will be entered for the prize)

2. Grab the reading challenge button (code & button below) and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate- you could track your progress and post reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, etc.

3. Any full length book that includes a witch as a main character or major witchcraft elements counts. They may be fiction or non-fiction. However, they should not be reference books which are not read cover to cover-I will leave this to your discretion. 
 
4. Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).

5. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.

6. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

7. When you sign up in the linky put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge.

8. You can move up levels, but no moving down.

9. Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
10. Have some Witchy Good Fun !!!


The Levels:

Initiate: Read 1 - 5 Witchy Books
Maiden: Read 6 - 10 Witchy Books
Mother: Read 11 - 15 Witchy Books
Crone: Read 16 - 20 Witchy Books


I'm going for Initiate! Wish me luck! Happy New Year everyone.

Top 10 Wishlist Books of 2012




Today's Top 10 are books that we are so looking forward to in 2012. So here goes.


Have I told you that I love witches? Yes I did! Hundreds of times.



Just so I can find out about poor Jack. Dear Jack! Where art thou?


A girl who can harness electro-magnetic energy? Oooh..


Yes..I know it's over hyped but well a tale with dragons is something to look out for.


Is she dead or alive? That is the question.


Yes, I stalk Kiersten's blog endlessly. So sue me.


Another sequel to look out for. Yay witches! Em..demons.


Team Tucker!


Can't wait for Tris to really show what she's made of. Kick some ass, girl!



The Ghostbusters gang are back! I mean Anna is back.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Top 10 Best Cover



Thanks to Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books , Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun for hosting this wonderful event.

I love these book covers! But I only have read 4 out of 10 of them.






Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop



Welcome to my stop of the Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. I've posted my Top 10 Books of 2011 yesterday.

Rules:
1. One winner will get a book of their choice from the books listed in my Top 10.
2. As usual it's open to International followers as long as Book Depository ships to you.
3. But if the winner is from US then I'll probably order the book from Amazon.
4. Fill in the rafflecopter and that's it.


Monday, December 26, 2011

Top 10 Books of 2011




Yes, it's high time I revealed my top ten books of 2011 after featuring several of them for the past few days. Thanks to Jessica from Confessions of a BookaholicLisa from A Life Bound By Books , Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books & Rachel from Fiktshun for hosting this wonderful event.

I know there's so many wonderful books that came out this year and I'm still reading some of them.


Divergent by Veronica Roth 

Yes, it won the Goodreads Choice Awards and with good reason too because it is flipping amazing!


Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

I nearly shed a tear near the end. The tale of the starcrossed lovers is so tragic.



Supernaturally by Kiersten White

How can a book about paranormals be so funny?


Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

I love witches and demons. And yes the London setting!


Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Teens with superhuman powers? Way cool!


Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Some angels actually have to learn how to fly. Practice makes perfect!



The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstein

It feels as if you're actually there in the circus!


Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Oh, Jem! How can you be so dreamy?


Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

When the villain turns out to be the hero. You rock, Anna!


The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

The title's a mouthful and it's a kids' book but the magical worlds just sucked me in. Pure genius!

Starting tomorrow you can win one of the book because I'll be participating in the Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop. Happy Holidays!


Sunday, December 25, 2011

Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins





Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)
by Rachel Hawkins 

Hardcover
359 pages
Published March 22nd 2011 

by Hyperion Book CH

Summary:
Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Thoughts:
Yes, I absolutely love witches! And I may or may not harbour a secret wish to be a witch in real life.

The second book in the Hex Hall series is as usual an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read. Sophie turns out to be a demon so her powers might be unusual to say the least. There are so many things happening all at once that the book moves along nicely at a very action packed pace. I love it!
We get to find out more about Sophie's background and her father and at the same time the London setting is just so exciting. The only gripe I have about this book is relating to Archer. Come on Sophie. You already have a very fine fiancée. (Ops..spoiler alert). You don't need Archer.

Verdict: 4 stars.

Guest Post: Nuayma Jeggels & Raven Giveaway

Merry Christmas everyone! So today I have the lovely Nuayma Jeggels; writer of the epic fantasy Raven doing a guest post. And she has kindly give us a special excerpt from her book Raven and 3 e-copies of her book. Thanks Nuayma! The giveaway is open to everyone and it ends on January 8th 2012. So plenty of time for everyone to enter.


Raven (The Violet Jewel #1)
by Nuayma Jeggels
Kindle Edition
Published July 13th 2011

Summary:
A girl, a coma, a Plague, and an empty grave.

When Shardaie wakes up, she doesn’t know who she is, why she can’t understand emotions, why she has been unconscious for nearly nine of her thirteen years, or why the dead just won’t stay dead. The only clue to her past is a locket, but the Plague, which finally stretches its unnatural hand to her village, forces her to leave and to learn to protect herself. But everything has a cost: the protection against the undead reveals a secret that Shardaie and her classmates just don’t want to accept, and at the end, Shardaie realises that some secrets shouldn’t be revealed. Secrets have the power to destroy, and the power to change her view on humanity for ever.




Special excerpt:

Shardaie was lying on her side on the floor, nose nearly pressed against the struggling lizard. Her violet eyes slowly blinked, watching as the creature waved its limbs and tried its best to get up and crawl away. Watching, but not understanding. She inhaled deeply, then released the breath as she muttered, “What are you feeling?”
The lizard’s eyes flitted this way and that way, and when Shardaie realised that the world had to look just too big for it, she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. What was it feeling? She spread out her legs and her arms, trying to see the room from the lizard’s perspective.
Window, too far away. She started to wave her arms. Floor, too wide. She started to wave her legs. Walls, nearly never-ending. Her stomach clenched, a sheen of sweat covered her brow. Shardaie blinked, and as she stopped moving, she thought, that didn’t help. She still didn’t understand what she was feeling.
Shardaie looked back at the lizard, but only found an empty space bathed in sunlight. She rolled onto her side, in the direction of her bedroom doorway, and watched as her guest scuttled away, its broken tail twitching occasionally. “Go,” she whispered, remembering the words a girl had once said to a different lizard, “be free.”
Then she pulled herself up, but when she straightened, she accidentally knocked her arm against the edge of the windowsill. Shardaie noticed the sudden prickling sensation in her flesh, and when she raised her arm, brow twitching as her eyes narrowed, she took note of the scratch and the thin line of blood that stood out vividly against her pale skin.
Wasn’t she supposed to be doing something? she thought as she tilted her head to the left and then to the right continuously,she was supposed to react, wasn’t she? Her arm lowered to her side. She looked up and licked her lips, thinking about the girl, who loved to speak to lizards, before turning to stare at the floor.
Shardaie began with her face: she started to arch her eyebrows and then opened and closed her mouth. Her calves twitched, so she started to shake her legs, but that turned into a hopping-on-the-spot. She tried her best to re-enact a scene she had witnessed a while ago, of a little child noticing a wound, but when she spun around, arms flapping in the air, she realised that she wasn’t alone.
Celio, her red-haired guardian, stood in the doorway, his hand on the doorknob. He cocked his head and then frowned at her. “What are you doing?”
Shardaie immediately stood still and smacked her lips. She looked at her arm, then raised it and replied, “I’m reacting.”
Celio looked at her arm, then glanced over his shoulder to address someone before turning back to her. “Give me a moment, child,” he turned around, but kept his gaze on her face, “keep your arm clean.”
Shardaie nodded at the suddenly empty doorway, turned around, marched up to her bed and sat down. She wriggled around for a moment, but sat still and stared ahead. Her eyes blinked. Her fingers twitched occasionally. A lock of her hair fell down to caress her nose. She looked at her arm and then raised it before sitting upright and staring at the doorway once more.
Stomp, stomp, stomp announced Celio’s presence, but Shardaie didn’t move and didn’t look away from the doorway. Celio walked into the room and sat down beside her, then took her raised arm and started to wipe a wet cloth over the scratch. Shardaie watched him work, watched how he bowed his head and slowly turned his wrist, but when he was done and he turned to her as though he was expecting something, she remained silent for a while before saying, “Thank you, sir.”
Celio nodded, looked away and studied his cloth. “Everything’s all right now.” He smiled at Shardaie, placed a hand on her shoulder and stood up. “It’s time for dinner. Come.”
Shardaie didn’t follow him, even when he made a beckoning motion with his hand, and when he had left the room, she looked back at her arm and thought. The prickling sensation was still there, but it was fainter. She looked at the doorway that both Celio and the lizard had used, then crawled across her bed and threw her blanket over her body and her head.
Her stomach clenched. Her bottom lip trembled. Shardaie closed her eyes, and as she felt her breath flutter across her upper lip, she started to wave her legs and her arms. NothingHow was everything all right? Shardaie continued to wave her limbs. She still couldn’t understand what she was feeling ...




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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire




Hourglass (Hourglass #1) 
by Myra McEntire
Hardcover
400 pages
Published June 14th 2011
by Egmont USA 

Summary:
One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?


Thoughts:
The cover blew me away! It was the first thing that drew me to the book. I was so expecting a horror story maybe something along the lines of Sixth Sense but got Back to the Future instead. And it was amazing! Okay, so the Hourglass organisation reminds me of Prof X's School for Mutants but well so many books are using the same old formula that I sort of accept it. So now it seems that everyone has some super hero powers. Great.
Emerson is your average girl next door who thinks she can see ghosts. Yup cliché. And Michael is even more cliché'. He's your average smoking hot mysterious stranger. So the characters are kind of boring but the plotline really got me hooked. And the twists..yes the twists really save the book.

Verdict: 4 stars

Friday, December 23, 2011

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand




Unearthly (Unearthly #1)
by Cynthia Hand 

Perfect Paperback 
435 pages 
Published May 2nd 2011
by Egmont UK Limited

Summary:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Thoughts:
I'm sure everyone has read this book. What? You haven't? What have you been doing? Go and read this book like right now! Why?
Because it's awesome
Believe me. I'm not much for slow moving paranormal romance but this one's take the cake. Usually it's the guy who turns out to be the angel but now the situation's reverse. Clara is a quarter angel who must fulfil her mission. What happens if she ignore the mission? Beats me. Hey..at least her mother is supportive and they have money to support their angelic endeavours.
And Tucker! Bless him. I love it when the not so obvious second hero gets the girl.

Verdict: 4 stars.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Winner: Gift Card Giveaway Hop


The winner of the Gift Card Giveaway Hop is

Queenie


An e-mail has been sent to the winner. Thanks to everyone for participating and don't fret because the December New Release Giveaway Hop is currently on right now and there's two more upcoming giveaways that will be up very soon! 

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Best of 2011


Okay I have to admit, I'm a very picky reader. I have not yet finalised my top 10 list of books this year. But since I'm going to be participating in the Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop on the 27th, I decided to feature books that are currently among my favourites this year.


Just a general note. I'm very partial to kick-ass chicks and witches. So please bear with me my darlings because my taste are very strange and unpredictable. Only now since I've started to read a lot of YA books that I think other people can relate to the books that I read. 


So I will start my countdown to New Year's by featuring books that are in my Best of 2011 list. And on the 27th December until the 31st, you can enter the giveaway to win one of those books. Excellent!

Wishlist Wednesday # 7

Photobucket


Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Pen to Paper. 




The Marked (Delcroix Academy #2)
by Inara Scott
Expected publication: April 3rd 2012 by Hyperion Book CH


Summary:

All of her life, Dancia Lewis has wanted to use her powers for good. And now that she’s learned the truth about Delcroix Academy—and herself—she may just get the chance. But being part of Delcroix’s top secret Program isn’t anything like Dancia expected. She has to ask herself: what happens to the Talented kids who refuse to pledge their loyalty to the Program? And why did her friend Jack run away rather than join? Dancia’s adorable boyfriend Cam insists they need the help of every Talented student to defend Delcroix from dangerous enemies outside their gates. But Dancia has to wonder: what if Delcroix’s most frightening enemies come from within?

Babble: 
I've read the first book; The Candidates and absolutely loved it! Cannot wait for this to come out and read more on the adventures of Dancia and Jack. I love Jack. He's so much cooler than Cam. I've been trying to request this from Netgalley but got turned down. Oh dear..never mind. Just have to pre-order this one I guess.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Review: Shatter Me

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)
by Taherah Mafi
338 pages
Published November 15th 2011
by Harper/HarperCollins

Summary:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Thoughts:
What can I say that has not been said already? So many rave reviews and gushing stories that I just have to go out and read it. Ironically, I actually read this weeks ago and was in a reviewing slump.

Apparently, I'm not all that fascinated by the story. I know.. a shocker right?

Dislikes
The pace of the story. The beginning is a bit slow. I think the action only picked up on page 83 when Juliette decides to rebel against the scary Warner. I think he's psychotic. A cute psycho but still a psycho.

Likes
The romance between Juliette and Adam is sweet but way too predictable. I love how they both fell in love with each other even when they were little kids and kept that feeling a secret all this time.

This is kind of hard for me to say. I was actually expecting something along the lines of Divergent or Hunger Games but got a lot of kissing and hugging instead. The romance actually dominated  the book and the action parts are very few. Maybe the next book will be much better. After all, now that we actually know what kind of super hero Juliette is maybe we get to find out Adam or Warner's powers. Well if they do have one.


Verdict: 3 stars.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday Star # 6


So..you have probably heard about it or not. Yes.. Daughter of Smoke and Bone has been optioned to be made into a movie! I'm super excited and it coincides nicely win Karou's win in her first Heroine Tourney match. Yay!

There are speculations abound on who would play Karou. Seriously whom ever they picked to be her, better not sucked. I'm sure all the die-hard fans of Karou (including me) are expecting an actress who can be a strong heroine (very kick-ass) and at the same time is able to pull off that rare vulnerability that Karou has in her previous life. 

Let's see some of the actresses that MTV picked to be Karou.


Ava Santanna

I have no idea who she is but she has the look. But being born in 1983, probably the producers will be thinking that she's too old to play Karou.


Kaya Scodelario

Okay she has Karou's mysterious look too. And she's the right age but Kaya is rumoured to be in talks to play Luce in the movie based on Lauren Kate's bestselling series; Fallen.

Emily Browning

I love Emily ever since I saw her way back as Violet in Lemony Snicket. She has that strong willed quality and at the same time an innocence that is just mesmerising to watch. 


These little known actresses are my picks.

Seychelle Gabriels


I love her potrayal of the young Sand Sarif in The Spirit. And she reminds me of a young Jessica Alba.

Lily Cole


Okay she's blonde but hey Karou has blue hair. She has a unique look besides she's great in The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus.

Dakota Blue Richards


Do you remember this little girl? She was in The Golden Compass with Nicole Kidman. My how she has grown! And she looks so different from the movie. 

So who do you think should be Karou? A newcomer or a popular teen star? Selena Gomez perhaps?