Release Date: August 30, 2011
Published by: Rizzioli

I know I said I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but this one is definitely worth your perusal.

Please Read (if at all possible): The Girl Project by Kate Engelbrecht

In 2007 Kate Engelbrecht began sending cameras and questionnaires to teenage girls across the country.  She asked them to use the camera to communicate their view of themselves and the world around them.  The questionnaires were based on the famous Proust Questionnaire, aimed at revealing a person's true personality.  Eventually, nearly 5,000 girls between the ages of 13 and 18 took part in the project.  Girls from all parts of the country, of different backgrounds, faiths, and races, participated in what became known as The Girl Project.  It is an account of teenage girlhood, experienced and communicated as only teenage girls know and understand.

This is not the usual type of book I'd review... so I'm not posting my usual type of review.  Each of you will have your own reaction to this book, and it's hard to capture that feeling in a review, but I truly think this is a documentary of which we should all be aware.

I think a good deal of it can be summed up by Kate Engelbrecht's words: "Dear Girl: Three years ago I became fascinated by popular depictions of you.  I didn't recognize you. Bratty.  Slutty.  Spoiled.  Vapid.  Mean--even vicious.  Absent of heart or soul.  I didn't see myself in you or relate to you..."  And obviously Kate Engelbrecht's assumption was wrong.  Oh my goodness was it wrong.  When I first saw this book on Amazon, I was reminded of the Vagina Monologues and hoped for something as... refreshing as that.  And I got that.

At first, I was sort of upset that there were so many pictures of girls camera-whoring... but then when I was going through the book a second time, the girls's fears of never being good enough... and the image society portrays of girls - the tall, thin models.... and their awareness of that image... well, I understood that maybe that was how they saw themselves.  It made me want to give them all a hug, but I'm not sure many of them would even need it.  So many of them are so much more perceptive and self-aware than I was at that age.

Not all the pictures are like that though.  Some of them are really interesting --there was one where a girl lay sprawled in the middle of the street; is that truly how she sees herself??-- but what really makes this book are the few questionnaires and the questions she selected from them for expansion.  Here are a few samples of what the teens answered:

In as many or few words necessary, tell me about being you.
"I hide myself away with smiles and juicy gossip.  I am not happy at all."
"I hate being me.  I am never skinny enough or pretty enough.  I tell myself I will never let the kids at school see me cry; because then they win."
"I'm a good friend.  I'm complex.  I'm naive.  I like to be silly.  I don't like the way I look.  I'm a follower, not a leader.  Music and photography are my outlets.  People never remember me, but they don't forget me either."
"I just want to be held.  Loved for who I am.  Listened to."  (<-- So many of these.)
What's the hardest part about being a teenager?
"I would say the hardest part about being a teenager is knowing that being an adult comes next."
"Being on the journey to self-discovery while being scrutinized from every angle."

There was also one girl who wrote a section on "The Perfect Girl."  Here's what she concluded: "'Girl.'  The term describes all of us, and yet, it describes no one."

The only stereotype that held was the one about girls not liking science.  So many of them wrote photographer or fashion designer or musician or writer.  There were a couple of doctors/psychologists but no scientists.

This book was amazing.  I know this review is kind of all over the place, but I hope that I still managed to convince you guys that this isn't something you should miss.

Hey, everybody.  College starts in two days for me so I've been trying to decide which books from my to-read pile I should take with me.  Some of these have been in there since January, hell even October or sometime earlier for Beautiful Darkness--I remember it being on my shelf for a while last year and I still haven't finished it.  Anyways... this is essentially "my mailbox" [like the meme hosted at the Story Siren] (excluding NetGalley titles.  Add 10+ more books ><), and I was wondering if there any books which you'd like to see me review... or which you particularly recommend.  Please help :).

Yep.  It's a lot of books.  Some I bought, some I got from the RT Convention a while back.  But either way, I can only take maybe 6 of them with me.  Help me choose... pleeeasee??

In books like the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series, the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world.  Which mythical creature do you wish would come out of the closet, for real?

Faeries.  Without a doubt.  Just as they're portrayed in the 4th season of True Blood, human/vampire relations would probably be pretty bad.  Hell, I wouldn't want to be living among a super strong, super fast kind of creature that preys upon people like me.  The same goes for werewolves (except that most of them don't eat humans).  Fallen angels... well, they fell for a reason.  Don't think many of them are all that pure.  Faeries, in contrast, are often portrayed as conniving creatures, right?  But they're not terribly strong.  I suppose what I'm really trying to say is that I believe in my intelligence but know that my body would never match up against those other creatures.  And if these creatures came out of the closet... slash existed... I don't think humans would fare very well ;p so best be prepared.

I figured that some of you may be hesitant to buy Bloodlines because you liked the Vampire Academy series so much that a new series might feel weird... or you might be afraid that it'd disappoint you.  So rather than writing another review for Bloodlines--I'm sure there are plenty of them out now as it is--I figured I'd do a comparison post between the two so you could see if you'd like Bloodlines.

First, here's the summary in case you haven't seen it already.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Differences:


1. The Protagonists - Rose vs. Sydney

Brash, loud, brave, strong girl jumping into action without thinking versus a quiet, responsible, brilliant, somewhat socially oblivious scientist girl.  When reading from Rose's perspective, you get a lot of cursing and disrespect for a good portion of authority... still, you see that she has good intentions, despite the arrogance, and is incredibly loyal to her friends.  Sydney is the same regarding loyalty & good intentions but is more... logical about it.  She overanalyzes a lot of things.  Sydney is a scientist; Rose is a fighter.  It really comes down to just that.

2. The World - Well, it's the same world of Moroi and Strigoi and Alchemists as established before, but the focus is more on the Alchemist part with the Moroi world in background.  It's not too far in the background, given what Sydney is asked to do, but you get a different perspectives on vampires as a whole.

3. The Romance - It's slower building in Bloodlines than in Vampire Academy, and the reasons are two-fold: the personality differences of the protags & the consequences of the ending in the VA series.  Sydney strikes me as the kind of girl who needs to be friends with and respect a guy before she starts dating him, particularly since she's never dated somebody and never been in love.  Not only that but Adrian is also still getting over Rose, and there's the whole human/Moroi controversy that they'll have to face... So while VA had a near-sex scene, Bloodlines didn't even have a kiss; just quips exchanged back and forth... until the end.  When it definitely seemed like things were heating up.

4. Body Issues - Rose was the girl with an exotic beauty and a girl who knew she was beautiful and used it.  When I think of her, I see a curvy girl with big breasts and hips to match, though her body is well-toned due to dhampir training.  Sydney, on the other hand, compares herself to Moroi, who are tall and thin like models. Sydney feels inadequate in comparison and doesn't get very many compliments regarding her beauty.  It'll be nice to see how she'll come into herself as the series progresses.

[Side note: I cannot tell you how grateful I am that Richelle Mead included this.  How many novels even address this issue?  Most of the time, the girl is "average" (though it's questionable what it is actually average) or good-looking as it is... but is that really how most teenage girls see themselves?  I don't know about the masses, but I do know that I have insecurities, and reading about Sydney's made her seem like a real character.]

5. High School Setting - I was actually considering making this a similarity, because Ms. Mead uses the high school setting in a similar way.  The classes aren't actually all that important; the setting, rather, is just another tool to develop social drama and prove how hard a time the protag/side characters are having adjusting to their new lives... The real difference lies in the 'extra-curricular' studying the protag does--while Rose goes to the priest to ask about Anna & St. Vladimir, Sydney turns to one of her teachers and unwittingly discovers another aspect to the fantasy world Mead has created.

Similarities


Twists and Turns - This sort of reminds me of Shadow Kiss where two things are happening to Rose: her aura being so dark & her seeing ghosts.  There are multiple layers to Bloodlines, and nothing is what it seems... a sign of the plot mastery & suspense/mystery that Richelle Mead is so good at, no matter what story she's telling.

The Characters - Richelle Mead also excels at creating unforgettable characters.  I admit, when I read the VA series, I didn't think all that much about Eddie or Jill.  I felt bad for both of them when things happened to them but didn't spare them a second thought, really.  I definitely liked Adrian and Sydney, though.  But it really doesn't matter what you thought of them in VA, because they get well-developed in Bloodlines and are infinitely more likable once you know them... which I didn't think was possible for Adrian, but hey, an author who can make a mobster (aka Abe) likable has some serious talent up her sleeve.

Themes - This section is comprised of a lot of my own speculations regarding the series / what may happen in the future Bloodlines books.

A. The magic in the world being greater than the protag. realizes... With VA, this was an examination of Spirit Magic--its limitations, its possibilities, etc.  There is still some of that in Bloodlines, and I expect a lot more to come... And yet, there is also something else introduced in Bloodlines besides the stuff you learn about regarding the type of "Alchemist magic."

B. With the maturation of the protag. comes challenging of one of the established ideas of the world... Rose starts off in VA scorning dhampir/dhampir relationships... and yet where does she end up?  I think the same will happen regarding human/Moroi interactions with Sydney, particularly in the romance realm.  There is another idea being challenged, similar to Rose's discovery regarding humans and Strigoi, but I won't say what it is here, because it's more spoilery...

C. The protag. challenging her own ideas...  For Rose, it was finding out what it meant to be a Guardian, and when to put her life above Lissa's or vice versa.  I think that for Sydney, a part of the story will focus on what being an Alchemist will do for her in life.

Honestly, I don't think anybody who loved VA won't love Bloodlines.  It was fantastic.  I don't know which I like better, and I don't really want to make that judgement now.  For me, each VA book only got better, so I'd like to give Bloodlines that chance too, and hope the rest of you will as well.

Release Date: November 15, 2011
(Thanks to S&S Galley Grab!)
Published by: Simon & Schuster

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Words are the most dangerous weapon of all.

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

Ten Likes/Dislikes:


1. (+) Charlie, the Protagonist - Right off the bat, Charlie gets my sympathy.  I cannot imagine how hard it would be to conceal her power all the time-- at the threat of death! -- even when the upper class bullies at school are such bitches.  And then there's the fact that she's so loving and loyal with her family and friends, working after school to help her parents manage their restaurant.  More so than that, she's practical and smart.  I can't think of a single time I felt frustrated with her.
2. (+) World-building - There is so much to love about this story world.  Ludania's history and the oppressive society and the gender divide in the Royal family and the pending war with the rebellion and the languages and the difference in voices, pitches and the clubs and the class system.  Admittedly I haven't been able to get into some dystopians just because I can't picture that sort of society ever existing, but that is definitely not the case here.  I mean, with the harsh rules about the class system -- take a look at the caste systems and Victorian England and whatnot. Maybe the Queen's power and Essence part can't possibly exist but a society functioning on all this?  Yes, I believe so.  And I savored every last detail Derting had to offer.  Fantastic world-building.
3. (+) Side Characters - Oh my goodness.  I loved the relationships Charlie has with everybody -- Aron, Brooklyn, Angelina, her parents (her dad's devotion--so heartbreaking!), even Sydney.  I was a little weary of Xander though; I don't want to spoil anything for you guys, but I just thought that his past seemed at odds with his behavior towards Charlie.  But that by no means detracts from the rest of the relationships.  Friendships and her family dynamics were wonderfully complex and laced with secrets I was dying to know.  Seriously loved all of these characters and am glad only necessary characters were introduced.
4. (+) Romance - My initial reaction: too intense too quickly.  And too many mentions of his eyes and their greyness and beauty and staring into them and whatnot (reminds me too much of paranormal insta-love!).  And why exactly does Max find her intriguing if not for her powers as he claims?  I looked back at their original conversation and couldn't really figure that out.... But the romance grew on me because it was sweet and builds throughout the novel (on the side) and Charlie's reactions were wonderfully appropriate; she didn't know whether or not to trust him so she didn't court the danger--she walked away.  Yes!  Thank you for a strong, logical female response, despite the fact that this is the first boy she takes interest in.  Also, neither character claims to be in love by the end. They're strongly attracted to each other... Still, what really clinches the deal with Max for me is this note he writes to Charlie--it's so sweet and romantic and fitting for this novel & its theme.
5. (+) Alternating Perspectives - As in The Body Finder, we get multiple perspectives--Charlie's first person POV and third person POV accounts from the Queen, Max, and Xander.  Personally would've loved to see more of the villain's perspective--thought that one was the most intriguing of them--and I wanted to know more about the villain.  But in general I loved the alternating perspectives because they were a great suspense builder and kept me hooked to my computer.
6. (+) Not What I Expected - I sort of predicted what the ending was going to be after the 2nd? chapter, but that didn't stop me from reading... and didn't stop me from being surprised by all the intricacies.  Nothing is what it seems--each character has something mysterious going on... I loved peeling back the layers to this story. 
7. (+) The Ending - Beautiful.  It was complete... and then Derting added a little bit of unresolved tension--not enough to ruin the ending, not like a cliffhanger.  No, just enough for me be like wow, that sounds like it would make for a fantastic sequel should she decide to develop it.  Please tell me this is a part of a series.  Damn, Goodreads doesn't have it listed.  Hmm...
8. (+) The Writing - An issue I had with The Body Finder was some of the character descriptions... but The Pledge makes it clear how much Derting's writing has matured.  I called Charlaina smart.  I'd say this writing is smart.  Derting alludes to the secrets you find out about the characters in such subtle ways-- I sort of shrugged off the hints and continued reading... until I came across another revelation and thought back to the brilliant foreshadowing...I already mentioned her talent for suspense building... and Derting's descriptions are also fantastic (see world-building comment above!).  Also, my God!  What an explosive Prologue.  Great beginning to the story.  Great writing all around.
9. (+) Pacing - I was immersed in this novel.  At one point -- when I was 30 pages from the end - my brother came into my room to discuss Game of Thrones or something; really, all I could think was: ssshhh, John, I need to finish this book.  I didn't put my computer down until I had finished reading.
10. (+) The Cover - How isn't this cover beautiful?  I love the dark theme and the little slit for Charlaina's head and the font and even the big, all encompassing letters... and can I say how much I love the title and how Derting used it as a theme throughout?

Yes, all of them are likes.  I really can't think of anything which I majorly disliked -- I mean I mentioned the intense romance & the way the villain finds out about Charlie bothered me & maybe that the book's inciting incident was a bit later than I expected, but those were all very minor things.

On the whole, I seriously loved this book -- it's chock full of suspense, danger, and romance and is altogether a must read for fall 2011.  Mark your calendars, guys.  November 15th isn't a date you'll want to miss ;).

Hey, everyone :).  The last two weeks or so have had irregular posting, but I'm back now and will catch up with everything -- comments, posts, return blog visits, and whatnot -- this weekend.

If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play?

Ooh, I don't think I'd want to be the heroine just because a lot of bad stuff happens to the heroine ;p and if this is my fantasy, I want to live it up!  And not have to make the tough decisions ;p!  Still... I would like to be a part of some of the action.... sooo, I'd probably write myself as a sidekick.  Preferably a sidekick who also has a romantic interest ;).

I'd probably write myself in a supernatural book... one where I'd get awesome powers... like the mutants in X-men.  My issue with contemporary stuff is that it's just like real life so there's a chance that at some point in my life, I would actually play the role I'd write for myself regardless, you know?  And if I'm going to write about it, let it be extraordinary!  And my issue with paranormal?  Well... I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to be an eternally damned vampire, a fallen angel, a werewolf, or a trickster fairy.  (The fairy might be the most fun to play of all of them though :D).

What about you guys?

Release Date: 08/09/11
Published by: Razor Bill

All You Desire (Eternal Ones #2) by Kirsten Miller

Haven Moore and Iain Morrow have been living a blissful life in Rome, an ocean way from the Ouroboros Society and its diabolical leader. But paradise is not to last. The mysterious disappearance of Haven's best friend, Beau, sends the pair running back to New York, where they encounter the Horae, an underground group of women who have spent centuries scheming to destroy Adam Rosier. Only they can help Haven uncover the secret to Beau's whereabouts in one of her past lives. But their help comes at a price: Haven must infiltrate the Ouroboros Society, charm Adam Rosier, and lure him into a trap. It's a plan the Horae believe will save the world-but Haven and Iain fear that it may destroy the happiness they've been chasing for two thousand years.

Things I loved:


Adam - he's not as creepy in this book as he was in The Eternal Ones.  I actually liked him this time around and his effort to reform himself... I especially love the aura of mystery to him.  Chaos is a good way to describe him, and I wonder what will happen with him next.  (That is, if there is another book.  The ending is certainly open for more, but I haven't been able to find any news about the series.).

Reincarnation - What I think Kirsten Miller does exceptionally well is that she chooses to explore only one of Haven's past lives and lets that one become a theme of the whole book.  I like seeing how that past plays itself out in the present... and of course what it reveals about the relationships of the characters.

Feel of Book - By this, I mean the fact that All You Desire is part-mystery, part-supernatural romance, part-thriller, part.... so much.  I just love how utterly together this book feels despite its slight exploration in various genres.  Does that make sense?  It doesn't precisely have the action inherent to a thriller but retains that feel of mind games--who should Haven trust?  How much does she know about her own past? etc.  And it has that sort of feel with everything else.

Haven - Oh, lord, she annoyed me in The Eternal Ones (especially regarding her relationship with Iain) but yay!  I actually liked her in the sequel.  She's way more mature now and her decisions make more sense to me.... I still don't completely like her... but she improved a lot and has a great deal of potential.

Pacing - The book is filled with lots of dialogue and lots of action.  It reads pretty quickly.

Characters - Even though the book reminds me of the Blue Bloods series in that it has the same sort of chic feel to it, its characters are so much more entertaining... In my opinion at least.  I think that's mostly due to writing style.  While Melissa de la Cruz has a tendency to describe every last character, Kirsten Miller introduces a lot of characters who have a great deal of potential without dragging us down in details... yeah, maybe we don't find out everything about them now, but because of the nature of the book--with the Ouroboros Society and whatnot--we know that their pasts are going to come into play... and that underlying the history is a complex relationship that'll be explored later.  Plus, not describing all the characters and instead allowing their dialogue and actions to define them really helped the pacing and made it that much more fun for me to read.

I also really liked the twist that the Horae add to the supernatural world Miller is building.  And the snake goddess?  What?  I want to know more about how that works.

Disliked:

Reincarnation - Because it still doesn't make sense to me.  Why did it take Haven 90 years to be reincarnated from her life as Constance to her current life?  And Adam also mentions something about people 'choosing to return.'  Why has she chosen to return?  I remember Iain saying in Eternal Ones something about his theory that he returns so that she won't fall into Adam's  hands.  But to me, that makes no sense... Because haven't they spent a few lives together, happy with each other?  And if they live a happy life and then die, why come back?  It's not the technicalities of reincarnation that bothers me--like how it actually works [except for the amount of years; that annoys me]--but instead the loop holes that have yet to be explained.  And while I enjoy a book with open ends that allow us to imagine the possibilities for ourselves, I also would like some attempt at explanation.

Neutral:


The Ending - While I liked the open feel to it and the possibility of a sequel, I didn't enjoy the explanation that was provided regarding what happened to one of the characters.

As you can tell, I didn't dislike very much about this book :).  In fact, I think that it's much better than The Eternal Ones.  All You Desire is a fun read filled with enough suspense and romance to keep you hooked until the very last page.  I hope you guys check it out.

Release Date: August 3rd, 2011
Published by: Little Brown


Mini reviews will continue until the 19th after which I will have more time.

Circle of Fire (Prophecy of the Sisters #3) by Michelle Zink

With time dwindling but her will to end the Prophecy stronger than ever, Lia sets out on a journey to find the remaining keys, locate the missing pages of the Prophecy, and convince her sister Alice to help--or risk her life trying. Lia has her beloved Dimitri by her side, but Alice has James, the man who once loved her sister--and maybe still does. James doesn't know the truth about either sister, or the prophecy that divides them. And Alice intends to keep it that way. 

There are some secrets sisters aren't meant to share. Because when they do, it destroys them. This stunning conclusion to Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy will make saying good-bye bittersweet for readers.

Things I loved:

1. Lia/Dimitri - No kidding when Michelle Zink said there was some sexy in this book.  And Dimitri has some of the most romantic lines I've ever read.

2. Lia/Alice - Complex throughout the trilogy.  Literally one of the best villain relationships I've read.

3. Victorian Feel - Just like in PotS, Circle of Fire has the same Gothic Victorian feel to it but without all the emphasis on speaking in one way... or at least in too stiff of a manner.  And not as much emphasis on propriety.  Another wonderful aspect to the trilogy.

4. the Prophecy - Even if you haven't read PotS, I think you could still read this book.  Granted, you'll be missing out on a lot of the little details - like what Lia really remembers about Altus and whatnot - but the details of the prophecy are all worked out here.  It was nice to see that come to an end and see how Ms. Zink had included so many little details in it.

5. Character Maturation - If you've read PotS & Guardian of the Gate, you'd appreciate seeing just how much Lia has matured... and seeing how close she comes to losing the determination she's had all along.

6. James vs. Dimitri - I liked how this book highlighted the differences between James and Dimitri.  It's nice to see how it goes hand in hand with Lia's character maturation.  I'd even say that James is a foil for Dimitri and just shows much stronger of a romantic interest Dimitri is.

Things I Wish Were Done Differently:

1. Dimitri's Past - Sometimes he feels like too ideal of a boyfriend... I wanted to know more about his Grigori past... more about who he is and not only about his devotion to Lia and the ending of the prophecy.

2. More Alice scenes - Because Alice is such a compelling and complex villain, I would've loved to see more of her.

3. More scenes showing the Souls's cruelty - Because although in previous books it was shown how cruel the Souls could be, I wanted to see it again.  Having Lia constantly mention their danger sort of took away the danger--I needed a reminder... but there really wasn't one.  Just Lia talking about how they made Sonia betray her in GotG, how Lia's always tired from fighting them, how she's running away from them in the Plane.  But they don't do anything directly threatening in this book.

I loved this book though!  A great end for the trilogy.  I especially liked how the ending made it possible for more development of the fantasy world, maybe even a few short stories about what happened to the characters afterwards.

If you're interested in Circle of Fire, don't forget to check out my interview with Michelle Zink and the giveaway!

What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?

Ooh man.  I would probably pick either The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin or Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.  (Nope, I can't choose just one :D).

1. They have been getting heaps and heaps of hype ever since BEA.

2. They both sound like books I would purchase anyways.

3. Seriously, look at the synopsis for Mara Dyer and tell me that doesn't interest you.

4. Did you look?  Also, pretty much every review I've read about it has been glowing... well, except for that random one lady on Goodreads who has a knack for giving books I like only one star.  But Mara Dyer looks like a supernatural thriller and I would LOVE to read more of those.

5. Shatter Me as a mix of X-men and The Hunger Games?  Um, yes please!  And it's already been optioned for film.  I'd love to see that happen.

6. Gorgeous covers!!

7. Tahereh Mafi is funny on Twitter.

8. The teaser trailer for Shatter Me is one of my favorite book trailers.

Really, need I say more :D?

What about you?

Michelle Zink has kindly agreed to answer some of my questions and will be giving away a signed copy of Circle of Fire at the end of this interview.  Please join me in welcoming her :)!