Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon: Hour 1

The read-a-thon has begun!  I'm updating from my phone because I had to run some software tests this morning so this post is short.  It will also be missing correct capatalization and punctuation (I've gone through and fixed this now) because for whatever reason I can't do that on my phone.

Anyway here are my answers to my introduction questions.

1. Where am I reading from?  Dayton, Ohio in the US
   
2. Three random facts about meI have a bachelors of science in electrical engineering.
   I was in marching band for nine years.
   I have been to England, Spain, France, Italy (twice!), Canada, and China
   
3. How many books are in you TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
   I have four books I'm current reading and my goal is to finish them. They are Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill, Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (a re-read), and The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
   
4. What are my goals for the read-a-thon?
   My only goal is to stay up for the full 24 hours, which will be a challenge but I can do it!
   
5. Are you a veteran reader and do you have any advice?
   Nope!  This is my first time doing Dewey's read-a-thon but I've done other ones in the past.  I would say just read what you want.  Don't force yourself to read a book you aren't into.  

Ok that's it for now, more to come later!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

#1 in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
Published on September 27, 2011 by Little Brown & Co.
5 stars

Goodreads Review
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a PERFECT example of paranormal romance done wonderfully right.  Everything about this book is fantastic.  The characters are all well developed and supported, the setting is imaginative and descriptive, and the plot is fresh and unique while still having the classic elements of the paranormal romance genre.

First let's discuss the characters.  The entire cast is charming, interesting, and very well written.  I absolutely love Karou.  I love her physical description with her blue hair and the double life she leads.  She's interesting and smart but still can make mistakes.  She goes through a lot of growth because she starts off very sheltered and a bit precocious and by the end of the book she has become a strong heroine.  I also liked Karou's love interest, Akiva, but not as much.  He was a bit more of a stereotypical paranormal romance "bad boy" but near the end of the book when we learn about his past he grows on me and I actually really liked him. 

As a bit of a side note, I really appreciated how the secondary characters (namely Karou's BFF Zusana) don't get forgotten about half way through the book when the romance starts to heat up.  This happens countless times in paranormal romance and it really grinds my gears.  I think the fact that Karou doesn't just forget about her friends is refreshing and shows her as a strong woman, capable of making decision and not defining herself by the man she is (or is not) with.

Now let's just talk for a second about my favorite character, Brimstone.  Oh my gosh, I loved him so much.  This could be partially due to the fact that I imagined him as the faun from Pan's Labyrinth:

Am I right?  Brimstone is hella awesome, I wish we had learned more about him from his point of view, not from other people telling us about him.  I LOVE his teeth collection and the magic behind them.  His home/workshop is just so creepy but at the same time the way Karou describes it makes it feel safe and secure.  Everything about Brimstone could be terrifying, but because we know Karou we see him as a fatherly figure.  He is an interesting character and despite what happens (no spoilers!) I really hope to see more of him in the next book. 

I was a little worried that this book was just going to be a run of the mill paranormal romance.  I had just read a book that I thought was going to be sweet but fell into that category, and I really didn't want to repeat the same mistake.  Lucky for me this was paranormal romance done so, so right.  I love the ending.  We get a lot of interesting back story which is almost a whole new book within a book (inception anyone?) but it never feels awkward or forced.  It totally fits the story and is integrated flawlessly into the pacing of the book.  (Dang writing this review is making me want to read it again lol)

Overall The Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a fantastic fantasy that doesn't sacrifice any action or explanation of the mythology in order to have a spicy romance (and believe me, there is some fantastic romance too).  It's a perfectly paced and balanced story that does a great job of setting up the series story arc while still being an independent book in it's own right.  I highly recommend The Daughter of Smoke and Bone; it's in my top 10 for 2011 for sure :).

Waiting on Wednesday 10/19/2011

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
#4 in the Iron Fey Series
Publication Date 10/25/2011

 Goodreads Review

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.
I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.
My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

Friday Face Off (on Wednesday) Cover Reveal: The Fault in Our Stars

So yes, I know it is Wednesday and I know Friday Face Off (hosted by Misty at The Book Rat) is supposed to be on Friday, but this is breaking news that cannot wait.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has a cover!  Here it is: 

I like it, but I have to admit I'm not in love with it.  I do like the simplistic nature of it and maybe once I read the book I'll like the cover more. That certainly was the case for Paper Towns so I'll keep an open mind.

I do have one massive problem with the cover though.  Why the HELL is Jodi Picoult quoted on the cover!?  First of all, Jodi Picoult is a lame-o lifetime movie-esque adult author, not a funny-as-hell-while-still-being-extremely-poignant YA author.  Second of all, just because Jodi Picoult wrote a shitty book about a teen with cancer that got turned into a fairly successful movie, she's the go-to default author on the subject?  I'm sorry but if The Fault in Our Stars is even one tenth similar to My Sister's Keeper I may just have to punch a baby.  (oh and for the record, the movie of My Sister's Keeper is totally different from the book and has much more believable characters and a way more logical ending...go movie people you got it right).  I'm really disappointed by this blurb and I hope this isn't final and the publishers will wise up and put someone else on the cover (or no one, that's ok by me) but I doubt it.

Top Ten Tuesday 10/18/2011: Top Ten Books Whose Titles or Covers Made Me Buy It

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.  This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish.  We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new top ten list complete with one of our bloggers' answers.  Everyone is welcome to join.  All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers in the comments.

TOP TEN BOOKS WHOSE TITLES OR COVERS MADE ME BUY IT

1.  The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - This book is because of the title.  What a perfect zombie book title!  It's chilling and violent and awesome.  Too bad the book didn't do as much for me as the title did.

2.  Wither by Lauren DeStefano - This book I knew nothing about other than the fact that the cover was amazing.  It's so, in the words of Tyra, FIERCE!  Again too bad the story inside of it doesn't live up to the awesomeness that is this gorgeous cover.

3.  Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - I haven't read The Wolves of Mercy Falls yet, but if the cover is indicative of the story within (and I have a feeling I'm going to like these books because I loved The Scorpio Races) it's going to be beautifully written.  These covers are so intriguing and unique, they really drew me to these books, even before I really got into YA.

4.  Possess by Gretchen McNeil - This cover is lovely and creepy at the same time.  I love how the girl looks a little Asian like Bridget (she's half Asian, half Caucasian).  I also love how the trees also kind of look like creepy veins.  In real life the cover has a really pretty shine that makes it extra pretty.

5.  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - I love how on the hard cover the title seems to disappear depending on how the light hits the cover.  I'm usually not a fan of headless people on book covers, but I think because of the fact that they're underwater it's ok.  I also really like the position of the man in this photo.  Is he helping her out of the water?  Or is he dragging her under?

6.  From Bad To Cursed by Katie Alender - I LOVE THIS COVER.  You can't really tell in the picture but the expression on this girls face is so creepy.  She looks straight evil.  I actually bought this book then realized it's the second book in a series lol.  Yeah the cover was that awesome for me.

7.  Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs - This book is a modern interpretation of the Medusa legend, and WOW was a perfect cover!  I love how her braid mimics a snake without actually turning into a snake (unlike some other book covers that take the whole modern Medusa thing a little too far).  I also love how you can see her bones at the back of her neck.  I don't know why, but I feel like they add to the other-worldly-ness of the book.  

8.  Firelight by Sophie Jordan - I have red hair, so I always love seeing fellow red heads on the covers of books.  I especially love what they did with this cover model, giving her golden scales and human-reptile hybrid eyes.  I think the red and gold coloring really lends to the title too, being fiery colors and whatnot.  

9.  Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev - I really like the almost anime quality of this cover.  I really like how it combines the fantasy elements of the book with the theater aspects.  Really the entire series has beautiful covers, but I really don't know what these books are about.  At all.  I just know the covers are lovely.

10.  Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - While I disagree with the title matching the cover (the cover of Pretties should be called Uglies, IMO) I think this cover is SO pretty.  I'm not a huge fan of the cover re-designs either.  I like the smaller version of these books and the face covers.  They're more unique and interesting in the original format.

Teaser Tuesday 10/18/2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author so others can add the book to their TBR list

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

I walk the rest of the distance to the couch and collapse on it.  Scarlett and Silas crowd around.  "Right.  Well, I was...um..." I sigh and look at Scarlett. My head has finally stopped spinning, and I suddenly realize that I'm going to have to explain the dance class.  "I was at this tango lesson," I say quickly, "And there was a Fenris --"

"Wait -- at a what?" Scarlett asks.

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

 Published October 11, 2011 by EgmontUSA
egalley for review from netgalley
1 star

Goodreads Review
A modern retelling of the German fairy tale "Tristan and Isolde," Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

Review:  Tris & Izzie is a first on a few different levels for me.  It's the first book I've ever read on my new Kindle, the first book I've ever received for review from netgalley, and my first ever one star review on this blog.  It's very rare for me to give out a less than two star rating, but there is nothing remotely redeeming about this book.  I'll try and hold in my negativity, but there's gonna be some snark and sarcasm.  Even I'm not that good.  (oh and p.s. this review may get spoilery, so if you really care (but why would you) you have been warned.)

First let's talk about the few things I did like about this book.  The cover is beautiful and it's what drew me to the book in the first place.  Not like I could see the pretty cover on my Kindle, but I could imagine it.  Ok, the other things I liked about this book are.....um....well there was....I liked the part where.....did I mention the pretty cover?

Let's talk about the characters.  Every single character in this book has bi-polar disorder.  One minute they're professing their undying love for each other and then not even ten pages later they're punching each other in the face.  No seriously, a boy punched his girlfriend in the face.  And she was cool with it.  I'm sorry but if my boyfriend punched me in the face I wouldn't be ok with it, I would be lying on the ground sobbing in a pool of my own nose blood.  Izzie is probably the worst.  She decides that her BFF Branna is too depressed and mopey and the best way to fix it is to give her an irreversible love potion with a guy they met literally TEN MINUTES AGO.  AND this was after Branna said she didn't want a love potion, that she wanted her love to be real.  Wow, some friend no?  And then when Mark (Izzie's "perfect" boyfriend (he's the one that punched her in the face)) almost drinks the love potion instead of Branna what does Izzie do?  Drinks it instead.  She doesn't, oh I don't know, pour it ON THE GROUND!?  No she has to drink it and then she acts all pissed off about being in love with a boy that's not her boyfriend.  Hum, maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to trick your best friend? 

These characters play musical chairs with their relationships.  They swap partners faster than the cast of Jersey Shore, I'm not exaggerating.  Mark goes from being in love with Izzie to Branna in literally five minutes.  Izzie goes from loving Mark to thinking that she never really loved him and that he and Branna are a much better match, even though earlier in the book she was super pissed that Branna had a crush on her boyfriend.  Tristan is just an idiot.

AND THEN there's the "magic" in this book.  It makes no sense other than to provide a greater enemy than this weird-o love square.  It's poorly supported and even more poorly executed.  The enemies and fight sequences are frankly, lame.  The ending made me want to gag it was so happily ever after.  I wish it had been like the real Tristan and Isolde and everyone had just died. 

Sigh.  Ok, end rant.  As a side note, if the author/publisher/editor/anyone involved with this book ever reads this, I don't mean to be a douche.  Promise.  But I just really disliked this book (ok loathed may be a more appropriate word), and I'm not going to try and sugar coat it.  Hope you're ok with that.