Song: Ugly

Artist: 2ne1

Language: Korean/English

About: Lately I haven't posted any of my music obsessions. Not that I've slowed down at all with them, although Kpop seems to be slowly going downhill as I listen to some of the new bands :( But this song is great. The chorus is in English to draw out their international fans I think and it works wonderfully because they have nice pronunciation. This song also has a really good message about looking underneath the surface to what we really are inside and whether or not that is ugly.

MV with English Subtitles:

It is a catchy song, no?

Oh, and if you haven't entered my contest for Between by Jessica Warman then do so! :)

Peace out!

Logic of Demons: The Quest For Nadine's Soul

Author: H. A. Goodman

Summary: (back cover) What would you do if the love of your life was murdered by a deranged killer? Would you become a vigilante and seek retribution? And would this revenge affect those you care for in the afterlife? LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest For Nadine's Soul takes you on a journey inside the psyches of men and women forced to deal with the supernatural consequences of their decisions. Through the lives of a demon, two Angels and a mysterious teenage girl, a plethora of politically and socially relevant issues ranging from the roots of genocide and sex trafficking to child conscription and religious fundamentalism are addressed in this fantasy thriller. Life as well as the afterlife converge to explain certain peculiarities of the human condition. Whether you are a God-fearing individual or an atheist, LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest For Nadine's Soul addresses moral and theological issues of interest for people of all backgrounds.

Review: Because this is a self-published novel, it is going to be a little different in how I evaluate it. At first, I had a really hard time getting into it just because I had already formed opinions based on the fact that it was self-published...which was a mistake. After a break from it, I picked it up again months later and began reading eventually living the story with the characters.

The story picked up in pace and more things happened that drove the story forward. It was still very difficult for me to connect to the characters even in the very end, because they just seemed so secondary to the overall feel and story of the book.

This isn't really a YA novel. It has a teenage girl in it, but she is hardly in the story even though she is a crucial instrument in the resolution of the book. This was a super ambitious book. All of those themes introduced by the summary really did come into play within the plot, but I also felt overwhelmed at times. It was as if I could tell where the author was concentrating on writing fictional entertainment and then where the writing and style changed to informational and curt.

Overall, it was an interesting read opening my eyes to some different perspectives and things I was unaware of. I guess this is more criticism than usual, but I think that the book would have flowed better and have been stronger in its purpose if it was more focused on either being a book on human behavior or actually a character's story.

Rating: I am reluctant to give a numeric value since I use that system almost exclusively for fiction books that are directed to Young Adults. I will say that it was difficult to finish, but interesting while I was reading. If i rated it for story, plot and characters, it would be a 2. But for its overall construction, organization, and depth of themes and questions it asked and the impression it left me, then the score would be higher.

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Between by Jessica Warman

A huge thanks goes to the publisher for providing me with an ARC for this blog tour.

Title: Between

Author: Jessica Warman

Summary: (goodreads) Elizabeth Valchar --- pretty, popular and rich --- wakes up the morning after her 18th birthday on the yacht where she’d been celebrating with her closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, she finds her own drowned body is hitting the side of the boat. Liz is dead. She has no memory of what happened to her, and can only observe in horror the fallout of her death.

She’s also soon joined by Alex Berg, a quiet boy from her high school who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The two keep each other company, floating in and out of memories and trying to piece together the details of what happened to each of them.

In her regular life, Liz was a runner. It wasn’t abnormal for her to run 8-10 miles per day. But as memories from closer to her death begin to surface, Liz finds that she’d been running much more than normal, and that she’d all but stopped eating. Liz’s mother, who died when Liz was nine, had battled with anorexia as well, and those around her worried that Liz was following in her mother’s footsteps. But something more sinister was consuming Liz from the inside out...

Review: Mysteries? I love mysteries. And this was a pretty interesting book combining many different threads such as moving on, accepting the truth, life after death and forgiving oneself. I was kind of expecting it to be more action-driven which is why I may seem a little let down by the pace, but this was a really great "thinking" novel and I loved it overall.

So my favorite aspect was the mystery surrounding Liz's death and it pretty much is what drives the story. Although I guessed at the resolution a little early on, there were plenty of twists that I wasn't expecting and little details that I knew meant something, but I didn't know what. I make it sound so ambiguous, but I don't want to spoil the story.

The truth was complicated and I think that is a big part of what made the entire book seem so realistic. I could label it Realistic Fiction instead of supernatural because the voice and idea of life after death that Warman constructed was completely natural. That was the most amazing part of Between. I can see it happening. Like a narrative.

Except for maybe Alex (it could be argued), all of the characters were flawed in some way. Completely, shockingly flawed considering their lifestyles. And I suppose that their huge flaws made them as human as you or me. The ARC describes the book as "one that is also a heartbreaking character study" and I agree with that statement to the fullest. The eight main characters in this book were created with unique talents and weaknesses, putting together a complex cast and story line allowing the reader to forge a connection to each person even if their situations were a bit on the die hard side.

My only complaint for this novel is that although Liz was supposed to grow as a person now that she is dead, she started out completely and utterly annoying. I didn't comprehend her stupidity! But this isn't a bad thing actually, because having a reaction is another sign of a good book. Personally, I would have like a more active mode of writing, because the essential parts took place in memories which were in the past while the present was just so melancholy.

I admit that I cried during this book. To be let into Liz's world and Caroline's world and Richie's was difficult. I think these three characters were the most alive and broken at the same time. I can say that I will remember them for a long time because of the impact they had. But if I had to choose, my favorite would be Alex, because I can relate to him the most and he was the best.

Rating: 1 2 3 3.5 4 5

Visit Jessica Warman's site: http://jessicawarman.com/

__________________________________________

Fill out the form below to enter the giveaway! US entries only. No PO boxes. You must be a follower to participate.

Contest ends September 5th, 2011. Good luck :)

Waiting on Wednesday 17

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at BreakingtheSpine. Check it out for links to other bloggers' posts and details on more "coming soon" reads. Today I am waiting for:

Title: Invisible Order Book 2: The Fire King

Author: Paul Crilley

Release Date: September 27th

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Summary: (goodreads) Emily and her friends travel to 1666 to save London from the Great Fire and otherworldly creatures. (I have no idea why the summary is one sentence, but it continues from the first book so I want it anyways!)

My Thoughts: I read the first book and although it is geared toward younger readers, the setting is one of my favorites and the idea of pickpockets and spying is super fun. Add to it the paranormal and it makes a greatly exciting read. Loved the first and I know I will love this one also :)

Are you waiting for a book from a series too?

Bridge of Sighs

Author: Richard Russo

Summary: (goodreads) Louis Charles Lynch (also known as Lucy) is sixty years old and has lived in Thomaston, New York, his entire life. He and Sarah, his wife of forty years, are about to embark on a vacation to Italy. Lucy's oldest friend, once a rival for his wife's affection, leads a life in Venice far removed from Thomaston. Perhaps for this reason Lucy is writing the story of his town, his family, and his own life that makes up this rich and mesmerizing novel, interspersed with that of the native son who left so long ago and has never looked back.

Review: I actually chose this book for my AP English Lit class semester report, so it isn't YA, but it has lots of literary value and I really enjoyed it even so. I'm glad I am expanding my reading material a little more and that this was the book I read.

The book's narration was the most difficult thing to get used to because the story is told from three different points of view. The main character uses flashbacks to his childhood in the first person and then there are also present parts. Then there is another main character whose story is presented in the present but third person point of view. They are clearly marked for the most part and this type of arrangement adds depth to the book as a whole by keeping the reader interested in the 500+ pages of the book.

In a book this long, I would usually expect some really slow parts, but Bridge of Sighs stays interesting the entire way through. It keeps a nice pace, really going in depth and filled with details, but the writing is what keeps this book from causing me complete boredom. The summary really does the book an injustice. I really did sigh in exasperation when I read it because I couldn't figure out how an older man's story could possibly hold my attention since I am used to the werewolves, vampires and all the other adventurous books I've been so concentrated on.

It was a completely different book from what I would normally choose to read or review for that matter, but I don't regret it at all and have maybe learned to trust my teachers' judgments a tad bit more. Just a bit more.

I really recommend this book to YA lovers because of the huge parts in the past tense since they are from an adolescent's point of view, but beware that it is a bit long and has loads of information to process, so it should be read closely and not exactly devoured. I plan on reading another Russo book soon as well and hope you guys like this one if you decide to try it out!

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Haunting Violet Blog Tour!!

Author: Alyxandra Harvey

Summary: (goodreads) Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

From: Publisher

Review: Haunting Violet is an excellent read for those who enjoy ghost stories and tales of the London seasons. I'm sure some of you know by now that I am not a huge fan of scary stories, so I was wary that this book would really haunt me later. And in a way it has since I really like it and would re-read it.

The premise of this story is a little bit different from what the usual ghost story entails. In Haunting Violet, the main character doesn't believe in ghosts not because she has never seen one, but because her mother's occupation as a fake spiritualist has erased Violet's faith in the supernatural. When Violet does end up meeting a ghost, she is shocked just the right amount. Harvey's writing made it possible for me, as the reader, to believe Violet's story.

Another interesting detail is that Violet may associate with high society, so we do hear about balls and debutantes and the exquisite food. But that she herself isn't part of the Peerage is wonderful because I got to understand a little bit of how non-peers were treated. Haunting Violet has a cast of many different characters in different rungs of the societal ladder and this variety made for a more complete story.

Violet's thoughts are well explained by Harvey as to how she grows up in love and in her reactions to the people around her. She realistically thinks through her situations and isn't naive, although sometimes rash. Overall, she was a strong character and offered a different perspective for this ghost story.

And of course, the mystery. I love mysteries and I certainly loved how this one worked out although it was a tiny bit obvious a while into the story. Haunting Violet is an amazing paranormal read that had me not wanting to come back to the real world for a long time.

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Waiting on Wednesday 16?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at BreakingTheSpine on the books we cannot wait to read as soon as they come out. Check out her site to join in on the fun!

Title: Dark of the Moon

Author: Tracy Barrett

Summary: (goodreads) Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety.

So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship—one that could perhaps become something more.

Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace—unless he can kill the beast first. And that "monster" is Ariadne’s brother . . .

My Thoughts: Yay! Finally a book-related post for you guys! I am also going to be holding a contest really soon so stay tuned to that. And endlessly surfing AMAZON is how I came upon this book and many, many others to put on my wishlist.

I went through a huge mythology obsession awhile ago (don't we all?) so this book sounds amazing in the regard that it is a new spin on a very old story. The story of the minotaur is probably one of the most fascinating for me and I'm very excited to see how the author resolves such a difficult conflict in the end since loyalty can rip a person apart. The whole goddess thing sounds like lots of fun as well. And that cover is really cool too!

What are YOU waiting for?

Hey there!

So I am back from vacation. And I have a new computer now. WOOHOO! We were going to try to get the old one fixed, but the guy we took it to told us that everything in the hard drive that restores the computer was gone and we would need system recovery disks and that would take a couple weeks and then we might have to buy a new hard drive anyway and yeah...I decided it would be better to just get a new one. The old computer had already broken down twice before :( Hopefully this one lasts a little longer.

Anyway, I shall be writing a couple of reviews this week since I haven't been reading anything really new. Maybe I will post a reaction on the Harry Potter books 1 and 2 which I HAVE been re-reading. I'd forgotten how much I loved them! How much I loved Harry Potter! Haha. I would like to thank you for sticking with me, so I will be making a post with pictures from my Vegas trip also to share.

I have been indulging in my guilty pleasure lately as well: Korean Dramas. Just finished watching "Can You Hear My Heart" today. Cried a bunch, but am ready to move on to another one. Thinking of starting "Heartstrings" not only because it has CN Blue's Yong Hwa in it...ok so maybe that is the only reason. But I promise to focus more on actual book reviews since that is what this blog is supposed to be about!

Have a lovely day fellow book-lovers (it is overcast here :( yay summer.) and read lots and lots and lots of wonderful books!

Where I've been...

Hey guys! So I haven't been posting in a huge while. It is because my computer stopped working about three weeks ago and then I have been on vacation for the past week without much access to the internet. Just wanted to let you guys know that I didn' abandon my blog or something like that. I should have a computer up and running in about another two weeks depending. Hopefully...Well there is always the library anyway...

Where have I been for a week and a half? In Vegas! Some of you may know that summers are usually spent in Mexico, but not this year. Although I am underage and can't gamble and such, Vegas has still been really fun and truly does have something for everyone. Okay so I will be back soon more consistently and I have been reading. That means that I do have reviews written out, but they haven't been typed yet unfortunately.

That's all I have for you guys right now and I will be more involved in the blogosphere as soon as I have my computer that I miss oh so much!!! Peace out fellow readers! :)

Rules of Attraction

Author: Simone Elkeles

Summary: (goodreads:) When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Review: After finishing Perfect Chemistry, I was dying to get more of Elkeles' amazing writing. Finally, I have been able to read this book which I have been anxiously awaiting to get my hands on since before it came out!

So, I want to start off by saying that it isn't Perfect Chemistry. I loved it, but not as much as the first. I think I had the expectation that Alex and Brittany were going to be like in Perfect Chemistry, but it is really its own story.

The new starring characters are Carlos and Kiara. Similar and different to the Alex and Brittany match up, but I really need to stop comparing them because they were so much their own personalities. Carlos has a really strong, flirtatious personality, but really doesn't think that much of himself. He doesn't feel like he really deserves anything out of life since he is conscious that he doesn't put all that much effort into getting anything.

Kiara's personality is described as shy. But shy people aren't so shy when they are with people they love or by themselves. Everyone has an actual personality, thoughts and much more than what shows up on the surface. Kiara was a wonderful representation of that because when she was with her friend, she really opened up and was rash, courageous and fun.

Rules of Attraction is a great book on its own. No need to read the first one and you will still love the story and the characters.

Rating: 1 2 3 4 4.5 5