15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 10: How Do You Choose What Book To Read Next?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6
       Day 2            Day 7
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4            Day 9
       Day 5

Day 10: How Do You Choose What Book To Read Next?

You know, I'd love to have a smart answer and say it's a very complex process, during which I read reviews and I check my TBR list and stuff like that, but it would be a complete lie. There are really two major things that determine what I'll read next:

1. Do I have any books that I received for review? If the answer is yes, then I'll read from this pile. If the answer is no, then it's option number 2.
2. Option number 2 is to just grab whatever's available at the moment. Or I flip a coin, whichever makes me feel better at the moment.

That's it. I don't have a schedule (can't keep one even if my life depended on it) or a list of books to be read in August, for example. 

What about you? 

Cover Reveal: Shelf Life by Stephanie Lawton

SHELF LIFE by STEPHANIE LAWTON

Paperback

Expected publication: December 2013 by IJP Press

It’s impossible to focus on college biology when your family believes doomsday is imminent and the government is out to get you.

All Pete Wilson’s ever wanted is to become a veterinarian, but those dreams are going up in flames. Commuting to an urban college and helping his parents with their apocalyptic prepper crap is more than he can handle.

Worse, Pete’s asshole neighbor is stirring up trouble, his family’s stockpile has been destroyed and farm animals are turning up dead.

Lindsey Linger is the tomboy sister of his best friend. Now a sexy spitfire, she and Pete are liable to set the barn ablaze as their romance finally heats up. But she’s hiding a terrible secret, and rural life isn’t all bonfires and hayloft romps. That becomes clear one icy winter night when the survival of everyone Pete loves hangs in the balance.

Can Pete be the hero they need, or will this be the end of the world as he knows it?

After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest and learning more about agriculture and farming than she ever wanted to know, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.

A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles.

Website † Facebook † GoodReads † Twitter 

VISIT www.GoodChoiceReading.com for a chance to win a SHELF LIFE T-SHIRT!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 9: Why do you blog about books?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6
       Day 2            Day 7
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4 
       Day 5

Day 9: Why do you blog about books?

About 6 months before I got my undergraduate diploma I decided to blog about books (2010). I had a series of minor... scenes let's call them, when I realized book blogging was what I wanted to do in my free time. Nothing major, just various moments throughout my college years when I realized there weren't that many people that shared my complete passion for books and not just any books, but romance books. Oh, I had friends who liked to read, but their choices for reading material are what you'd call "serious". I only personally know about two girls from high school who loved Chick Lit.

Before I made the big decision I was already lurking on some blogs and I already had a Shelfari account, I already discovered numerous other books that I could read. Because I couldn't share my thoughts about the books I was reading with anyone physically next to me, I decided to start a book blog.

Book blogging to me was a way to share my love for books. It didn't even occur to me how many other authors I'd get to love (or befriend). The idea of free books might have crossed my mind, but it really wasn't about it, it was about me wanting to talk about books. It's really difficult to explain to some people why I'd rather read about vampires and werewolves instead of a classic masterpiece. And it's even more difficult to explain it while trying to be respectful, when the other person clearly isn't.

The short answer to this question would be because I love books. Books are the best way to escape from reality and they're the world's best form of entertainment in my opinion. So that's why I do it, that's why I blog about books. What about you?

Sunday Book Soundtrack #11: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Sunday Book Soundtrack is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books, where I share some of my bookish soundtracks. Since I discovered my passion for reading years ago, I've discovered that more and more of the songs I loved remind me of certain books. So I thought I'd share my playlists with you. If you want to listen to the songs, I'll post a link to a Youtube videos for each and every title. No copyright infringement intended! I'll try to find the official videos for each song. There's no set number for each playlist, sometimes I might have 10, sometimes 5, sometimes if I'm one of my moods I'll have 15. If you want to read more about this feature, click the "show more" button below. 

I read with music. If there's no music, I can't read. And not just read, but almost anything, like studying of cooking or doing chores around the house. The only time I don't have music is when I sleep. And during exams, but that's a different story.

Sometimes it happens that a certain song and a book or a scene from the book I'm reading sort of... click. It's like they were made for each other. At least for me. And so I will almost always think of that particular book when hearing that song. I thought I'd share my book soundtracks with you.

Keep in mind that I have a very... weird taste in music. You'll find mostly rock music, country or the 80s-early 90s music in these lists. I might use some "contemporary" songs from now and then, but don't bet on it being something other than those particular genres. Also, not always the songs will be in English. If I have a link to a translation for the lyrics, I'll post it. If you like a song I'm using, that's fine. If not, that's fine too, just don't say I didn't warn you.

The songs aren't always on a book's playlist for their lyrics. Sometimes they're there for an instrument or for a feeling I get when hearing them. Also, I won't always mention what scene I used them for. If it's not a spoiler, I'll share the scene, if it is a spoiler, I'll let you guess.

Anyway, I hope you like my playlists :)

This week's book soundtrack is for The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa.

Oh, I'm so happy there are other covers for this book. This cover, the Australian (and New Zealand I think) version is amazing! She's Asian, she has gorgeous red eyes, she could be Allie for all I know :P

1. Metallica - Nothing Else Matters - Not a big Metallica fan, but this song is perfect for Allie!
2. Paramore - The Only Exception - Again, good song for Allie
3. Evanescence - Sweet Sacrifice
4. Eminem - Sing For The Moment - This song has a great combination of pain, anger, suffering and confusion, the same combo I sometimes feel Allie has.
5. Jen Titus - Oh Death - If you're a fan of the Supernatural TV show then you probably heard this song before. If not, listen to it. It's creepy and so good. And it fits with the world in this series in my opinion (both the sound and the lyrics). 

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 8: 15 things that appeal to you on blogs

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 
       Day 5
       Day 6
       Day 7

Day 8: Quick! Write 15 bullet point things that appeal to you on blogs!

1. Easy to find follow options. I like when  the links I need for following are easy to spot and all together. I don't exactly like to scroll up and down to find a certain following option.
2. No music. Just no. Not because of the music itself, but because it makes my laptop freeze for some seconds, during which I pray I don't get the Blue Screen Of Death (Yes, I do have a Vista on my laptop. Yes, I know, it's bad. *shakes head* You don't have to say it, trust me!)
3. Labels or tags. Here's the thing. I'm a bit of a crazy person who loves lists. Labels for posts help me keep things organized. Like if I want to read only 2 star reviews, I want an option to do that. Or if I want to read just reviews for books of one author, I want that. I love when I see bloggers use labels. I'm not such a big fan of search bars, but I do love labels. 
4. Unique posts. I know I'm not one of the most original bloggers out there, but I do know there are others who are. I feel special just because I get to read those posts.
5. Clean look. I like blogs that look clean, neat. Not sterile, clean. A blog that doesn't have all sidebars scattered with no apparent connection between each other.
6. Comment replies. I think that a blogger who responds to his/her readers who've left comments is a good blogger. Might be 2 weeks late, might be right away, but the response is needed. 
7. Spoiler-free reviews. I think a good review is one that doesn't give away much. Unless you read a book in another language than English (or the language you're writing in) and you need to translate the blurb and you feel like you should give more info. For instance, if you read a book in Russian, chances are I'll not read it anytime soon, so go ahead and tell me what it's about. 
8. Funny, witty, slightly sarcastic posts. I love sarcasm a lot. I try not to let it show in my posts, because I overuse it in my daily life, but I do love it. And I love a blogger who can find the right balance between smart and sarcastic.
9. Honest and respectful. Now, you might think this contradicts the previous point. And you're right, sometimes is does. Here's where sarcasm bothers me a little. Negative reviews. You can use a little sarcasm, that's okay. But there's sarcasm and then there's bitchy. I don't like bitchy in a negative review. State the why, the how and the where to show why you didn't like the book/movie/play/whatever, but don't be bitchy about it. Also, a review for a book is not a review of the author.
10. Not too many GIFs. I like funny GIFs, I do. Just don't overuse them. 
11. International Giveaways. Let's face it, who doesn't love giveaways? I especially love those open for international people, like myself :D
12. Cute design. I like designs that show off a little of the blogger's personality. Some may show that the blogger loves to read about werewolves or loves coffee or something like that. 
13. Discussion posts. I love to see discussion posts about random things, not just book related, that make me stop and think about that specific topic. 
14. Old books are cool too. I love reading reviews about ARCs (non-spoilerish reviews, that is) or books that just came out. But I also think bloggers shouldn't ignore books that came out 2-3 years ago, hell, a century ago. I'll read a review of a book that came out a few years ago much faster and with more interest than maybe a book that came out today.
15. Tips, tricks, tutorials for bloggers. I am always searching for ways to improve my blog, both in content and in look. So I will always follow those bloggers who give good, useful tips on how to do that

I think this is the longest post I've ever written. I'm sorry if it's too much to read *blush* But these the top 15 things that appeal to me on book blogs. What about you? What do you like to see in other blogs?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 7: Talk about your blogging quirks

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 
       Day 5
       Day 6

Day 7: Talk about your blogging quirks

• Before I even plan a post and what I'm going to write about or how the post will look like, I need music. There's no inspiration without music. I don't have a certain genre or a certain song that I listen to when I'm writing a post. I do however use the songs I associate with a book to help me write my review. I feel like my connection with the book is much stronger when I listen to those songs.
• If I can't post something that I deem readable and interesting, I'd rather not post at all. I don't blog to attract viewers, but because I love books and I want to share that with as much people as I can. If I feel that my post for a certain day is uninteresting, I won't publish it.
• I don't do any formatting until I finished writing. I lose focus and inspiration if I do. I do little formatting things while writing, like deciding if a word should be in bold letters or italics or underlined, but otherwise I just go on writing and decide how it's all going to look like when I'm done writing.
• Before I hit publish, I reread my post at least twice, to check for errors. I don't always catch the errors, though. But I hate reading typos and stuff on blogs, so I reread twice. (Don't say it's OCD, because I refuse to believe it is :P)
• I write better at night. Probably why I'm sleepy all day long...
• I limit myself to two, maybe three emoticons per post. Otherwise, the post would be full of them. I'd use GIFs, but I honestly don't know where do get them for free without violating any copyright law/rule.
• I have two daily planners and I write most of my reviews there and some ideas for other posts. I think better when I sit down at my desk and write them with my favorite pen. Old-fashioned, I know, but it helps.
• My reviews have to be a bit long, otherwise I feel like I'm failing to show how I feel about a book. Completely untrue, I know.

These are the biggest blogging quirks I have. What about you?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 6: Describe how you shop for books

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 
       Day 5

Day 6: Describe how you shop for books

Book shopping. I love those days. It's like a trip to Santa's workshop and I get to pick the toys I want :D

First of all, in the town I live in there are only two, maybe three (if the third one hasn't closed yet) bookshops that sell books in English. Some sell books in other languages too, but those shelves are small. The selection for paranormal/urban fantasy in my favorite bookshop is quite small for my tastes though *pout*. Anyway...

When I get to my favorite part of the bookshop, I sort of... disconnect. It's weird, but it feels as if my mind shuts down and there's just peace and quiet around me, just me and the books. There's actually a cute photo that reminds me of how I feel when I go shopping for books. Click here to see it (I'd post it here but I'm not sure about the copyrights, so I'd rather be safe than sorry :P)

Then I start looking for my favorite authors, to see if they have new books by them. I'm adventurous enough to buy paranormal books by authors I've never tried before, but I can't say the same thing about mysteries. I'd love to find good mysteries by myself, but I'm a bit scared. The only time I did that I got extremely lucky and I loved the book. Of course, it was about Shakespeare, and I don't think you can go wrong with that (in case you're wondering, the book is called Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell).

Because there aren't that many books in English, I don't exactly make a plan or a list with books I want to buy. I once talked with one of the employees from one of the bookshops and they told me that I could order a book and they'd get it, but I'd have to pay for shipping. Which sucks if you ask me. I get the why, but it still sucks :P

So like I said, I don't make a list. I do have books that I'm always looking out for, but I'm not getting my hopes up. If I don't find anything I like or new by searching for my favorite authors, I check the covers. And if there's a particular cover that catches my eye, I'll pick the book up and inspect it. If I like it, I'll read the last page and if I like that, then I'll buy it.

OH! One thing though. Even if I don't buy anything (which happens rarely) I still don't leave empty-handed. My favorite bookshop has a selection of FREE bookmarks. Not many, but they are free. Just waiting for someone to pick them up. So I do. I got tons of bookmarks like that, to be honest. Shiny, cute ones. *le sigh*

One cool thing is that most bookshops have these.. I think you can call them costumer cards. You buy one book and you can sign up for the card, usually free of charge. And you have sales and points and gifts and things like that, which is completely cool and awesome. And if that doesn't work, then I have 10% off of any purchase because I'm a student. It's not much, I know, but it's not nothing either.

I would be more organized if I read in Italian. They have tons of books in Italian, naturally, so I'd be able to spend more time searching (and probably finding) what I want, but I'm weary of that. I find that there are a lot of things that get lost in translation, not because of bad translation or anything, but a certain...something.

Anyway, that's how I shop for books. What about you?

Cover Reveal: Behind Closed Doors by Ashelyn Drake

I have a new cover to share with you!! It's so pretty.

Behind Closed Doors (Campus Crush #2)

by Ashelyn Drake

Release Date: 08/06/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Julia Monroe is through wishing she had an older guy like her best friend Noelle does. It’s time for her to act on her desires. So when she sees sexy, twenty-three-year-old Darren McEntire eating dinner alone at the pub, she decides to make her move. The attraction between them is undeniable, and even through Julia isn’t looking for a one-night stand, she winds up back at Darren’s place the same night she meets him. Only being with him makes her realize what she’s been missing dating other guys. All she wants is Darren.

But Julia allows Darren to think she’s his age and a grad student at the nearby college. She knows she has to confess the truth, but she’s afraid to shatter what they have. Not knowing what to do, she starts the semester only to discover that her new teaching assistant is none other than Darren. With the lies out in the open and campus policy against them, Julia and Darren know the relationship should be over before it even begins. But the chemistry between them is too strong to deny.

Can they find a way to be together or are they doomed to only see each other behind closed doors?

About the Author

New Adult and Young Adult romance author represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management Group. Look for her upcoming N.A. title, Romancing the R.A. (S.B. Addison Books, 2013).
Where to find Ashelyn Drake:

   

Cover Reveal Hosted by:

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 5: Recommend a tearjerker

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 

Day 5: Recommend a tearjerker

There are a lot of books that over the years have made me cry. Which is a bit weird, because I don't cry at movies. At all. I see actors crying in movies and I'm the only idiot in the cinema that is about to howl with laughter. I'm not joking! It's sad and weird and it makes me look like a lunatic! Back to the topic though!

So like I was saying, books have the power to make me cry. There is one that to this day wins the prize for "Most tears I've spilled". And that is Sherrilyn Kenyon's Acheron.

In case you haven't read this book (do eeeet!!) this book is divided in two major parts: Acheron's past and his present. I've reread the second part of this book so many times I've lost count. The first part, when we get to understand him and to know what really happened to him when he was growing up? ONE time. Just once. I can't to more than that. I know I'll eventually have to reread it, especially since Styxx is only weeks away (anyone else excited?? I can't wait!), but I'm trying to tell myself it's fine if I skip it. It's not, I know.

Some of the scenes in that part of the book I remember perfectly (apple scene anyone?), some I choose not to think about. Others I've blocked.






There isn't any other book out there that has managed to make me as sad as this book, or to crush me emotionally as much as Acheron did. But there are others that made me tear up a little bit. Here are just a few of them:

1. Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Seriously, this one is a sad story. And if you read the rest of the series and get to understand what happened and how and why? Yep, be sure to have some tissues ready, people!
2. Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong - I've read only two stories in this book: Elena and Clay's and Eve and Kristof's. With Clay and Elena there were some waterworks, but because I read this after I've read a few books in the series, I knew that eventually everything works out. But with Eve and Kristof? Man, I felt crushed. Oh, I know everything will be okay with them too, but it's not the same, and those of you who've read the series know why. Both stories are sad though.
3. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - Come on, seriously?? I couldn't sleep after reading the ending of this book. I did a marathon and read the rest of the books in two days, just to make sure everything was going to be okay. 

What about you? Any tearjerkers you want to recommend me?

Book Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Author: Dan Wells
Series: Partials Sequence #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: February 28th 2012
My Rating: 3 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

I have to be honest and say that I have been delaying this review for about two months now. The reason I kept putting it off is that I know a lot of people loved this book and I honestly feel like a freak.

Let me start with what I liked, because there were things that I enjoyed.

First, I liked the concept of this book. The idea of a war where human-like beings are used as soldiers is a new theme for me. Yes, I've read about cyborgs, but not to this extent. And though the idea of an unknown disease freaks me out, I liked that this was used in the book. And I love medicine, so I did enjoy the parts where Kira tried to discover how to cure the disease.

Second, there was no insta-love. I did a happy dance. I'm okay when two characters fall in love, but not immediately. Of course, now I'm sort of hoping Kira and Samm get together. I like Samm.

I also liked the scenes where the characters were either fighting for their lives or trying to escape the bad guys and such. There are quite a few action scenes and I think they were done very well. I could actually feel the tension in those particular scenes.

The things that weren't quite what I expected aren't that huge, but they did keep me from fully enjoying the book.

One is the difference that I perceived between the characters' ages and their actual "voices". I understand that the world is in chaos, the people are trying to find a cure for a terrible disease, but I didn't feel as if Kira and her friends were sixteen and seventeen year old teenagers. It felt as if I was reading about people in their twenties. I would've wanted to see them think their age or at least talk like they were teenagers.

Then there's the pacing. It was a little too slow for my taste. I wonder if the next book in the series is faster.

Lastly, I wanted to get to know the characters. I know this is a series and probably we'll get to see more of each character and to understand them better, but so far, other than Kira I felt as if all other characters weren't as developed.

I will read the next book in the series, to see what happens with Kira and Samm, though. Especially since the ending was surprising. I wasn't expecting this book to end the way it did and that is enough to make me want to keep reading.