A Bibliophile's Thoughts on Books

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Before I Wake Mini-Reading Challenge {Sign Up}

The Before I Wake Mini-Reading Challenge is hosted by Rachel @ Fiktshun!

The Challenge

To READ and REVIEW Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent by August 1, 2012.

WHAT TO DO…

1. SIGN UP by leaving a link to your blog, Facebook page or Goodreads account in the Linky List in this post, BELOW.

{If you do not have a blog and want to have your review posted on the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge Blog, leave a link to that blog with your name in the Linky List.}

2. Create a participation post (optional) and leave your link to that post BELOW.

3. WRITE A REVIEW for Before I Wake by August 1, 2012 and leave your link BELOW.

4. Grab a challenge button from the sidebar! (Not required.)

THE DEETS…

1. You will get one entry for signing up below, but you will only be entered into the giveaway if you post a review by August 1st.

2. You will get one entry for writing your review and linking it below.

3. You will get one entry should you choose to create a participation post – which can be an announcement on your Blog, Goodreads, FB, Tumblr, etc. If you don’t have a blog, that announcement post can be made on the SSRC blog.

The Incentives

There will be FOUR prizes awarded for this giveaway.

1. The first place WINNER will receive $50 in books of their choice from Amazon or The Book Depository. 2. The second place winner will receive three Rachel Vincent books of their choice, which can include a Soul Screamers Volume 2 pre-order, which I will send to the author for her signature.

3. The third place winner will receive two Rachel Vincent books of their choice, which can include a Soul Screamers Volume 2 pre-order.

4. The fourth place winner will receive one Rachel Vincent book of their choice, which can include a Soul Screamers Volume 2 pre-order.

***

Link Up

#HSReadathon: High Summer Read-A-Thon {Sign Up}

The High Summer Read-A-Thon is hosted by Michelle @ The True Book Addict @ Seasons of Reading!

The High Summer Read-a-Thon, coming your way Monday, July 16 through Sunday, July 22. Times are central standard time so adjust your times accordingly.

Now, let's get down to brass tacks on the read-a-thon details:

Books read must be novels or novellas, adult or young adult are fine, but no children's books. Of course, non-fiction is fine too.
You DO NOT have to participate the entire week. Join in when you can, start in the middle, end early...whatever works best for your schedule.
I will not be hosting any mini-challenges during the read-a-thon. Trying to keep it more about the reading here by eliminating time spent completing mini-challenges.
There will be a participant giveaway at the end of the read-a-thon for those who sign in at the starting line and complete a wrap-up post. Number of winners will be determined by the number of prize donations I receive.
Other participants may host their own mini-challenges/giveaways, but participation in these is entirely optional.
You do not have to have a blog to participate. You can sign-up, sign-in, and wrap-up...all from Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. You can also do updates from those locations, if you do not have a blog.
We will be on Twitter during the read-a-thon, tweeting under #HSreadathon We had some nice little reading sprints last time on Twitter. No prizes, just bragging rights. Fun!

Sign up now!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Book Promotion: Siren's Song by D.L. Snow (Review)

I'd like to thank Lisa @ Bewitching Book Tours for giving me this opportunity to participate in the SIREN'S SONG Book Promotion and providing me a copy of the book to review.

Title: Siren's Song
Series: A Bandit Creek Time Travel Romance
Author: D.L. Snow
Genre: Science Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Time Travel
Publisher: Bandit Creek Books
Format: PDF, 73 Pages
ASIN: B005Q13DU2
Release Date: September 26, 2011
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating: 5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: After giving up fame, Joss Jones just wants a normal life. Maybe she’ll find it in Bandit Creek. Or…maybe not. From the moment she moves into the old mansion she inherited, she’s stalked by a ghost who torments her before dragging her back in time to Bandit Creek, 1899.

Has she gone crazy or is this old mining town, full of saloons, gambling, whoring and fortune seekers her new reality? It feels real enough as does the ghost who brought her here. His name is Morgan Hawes and he is very much alive. Is Morgan the key to Joss finding her way home or is Joss stuck for the rest of her life as the Siren of Bandit Creek?

Review: (SPOILERS MAY BE PRESENT)

Joss Jones is unsatisfied with her life and just wants some normalcy after a childhood as a teen idol singer. She hopes she'll find that normalcy in Bandit Creek when she inherits her grandmother's house and a 1983 Firebird. But she finds nothing close to normal when she arrives at her new house and she's stalked by the ghost of a young man who seems to have a message for her.

When Joss goes to the James Ellis School for a job as the music teacher, she learns that her ghost is Kyle Copeland, who disappeared from Bandit Creek without a trace ten years ago. After Joss meets some of the students and questions of her accident, that took her mother's life, are voiced, Joss is overwhelmed and runs to the lake. Kneeling at the edge if the lake, crying out her sorrow and frustration, Joss hears the song she'd been dreaming about:

"Meet me in the Promised Land,

where all our dreams come true,

meet me in the Promised Land,

I'll go first and wait for you..."

When she looks down at her reflection in the lake, it isn't her reflection, but Kyle's and suddenly she's being pulled into the lake by a very real and very solid Kyle Copeland. But when she wakes up she's in a very different place, with very different people. But one person looks familiar: Is Morgan Hawes who he claims to be or is he really Kyle Copeland? Will Joss ever be able to get home or will she be forever known as the Siren of Bandit Creek? And if she does make it home, will her heart be forever lost to a man in 1899 Bandit Creek?

I completely fell in love with Siren's Song. I was intrigued by the mystery of Morgan Hawes and his connection to Kyle Copeland, as well as the coincidence (or not?) of Kyle's disappearance ten years ago in Joss's original timeline and Morgan's presumably fatal attack by muggers ten years back in 1889 that he was miraculously saved from.

I could feel Joss's desperation to return home. From accosting Morgan on Main Street thinking him to be Kyle, trying to drown herself in a pond thinking that water is the medium between times, to becoming the Siren of Bandit Creek to gain more freedom to search for a way home. Then her relief when she sees two Native Americans ride into town, one of them wearing modern clothes from her time, only for him to tell her that a traveler must find their own way to where they must go. It was an up and down journey that was interesting to read about. Not to mention the whole time travel occurrence (who would have thought?).

When Joss is separated from Morgan in the mines on Turtle Mountain after accepting his marriage proposal and the mountain continues to move, she knows that she's being sent home and leaves her mother's gold cross necklace with Morgan along with her love. It was completely heartbreaking when Joss wakes up and leaves the mines knowing that she'll never see Morgan again. She sings Promised Land as a heartbroken farewell to the man she'd left in the cave.

I didn't really understand what the Native traveler meant when he said that time was not a straight line but a circle until Joss comes to the lake and sees herself there crying then being pulled into the lake by Kyle. Joss realizes at that point that they are fractured parts of the same person. This is further proved when Joss returns to her house, notices some differences, and finds a sapphire ring, a wedding photo, family photos, and a note to her from herself:

"Never be afraid of living your life. Never be afraid of loving others. Time is not a straight line but a circle of smoke blown in many directions at once."

(HUGE SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!)

I loved that the song Promised Land is the connection between Joss and Kyle (Morgan) through all times. In Joss's current timeline, Kyle didn't disappear, but is a famous singer whose #1 hit single is Promised Land. i was extremely happy that they got their happily ever after in the end. Kyle even had in his possession Joss's mother's gold cross necklace, which she had given Morgan in the cave before she was sent home.

"You came back," I said.

"No," he grinned. "I've been here, waiting for you the whole time."

Siren's Song is a mystery wrapped in a heart-wrenching love story that spans all different times. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, and I raged. Like Joss was pulled into the lake by Kyle, I was pulled into this story by D.L. Snow. I'm glad I didn't pass this one up.

About this Author:

DL Snow spent her youth living by trial and error. From touring with an international performing group, backpacking through northern Africa to living bohemian style in Berlin, she pursued adventure and passion from one place to the next, never really knowing where she’d end up. She’s been a wildlife technician, a rock climbing instructor, a tailor’s assistant (measuring men’s inseams – someone’s gotta do it!) and a high school social studies teacher.

It wasn’t until she met the love of her life, the son of a Nakoda chief, and started a family, that DL found her true calling – writing. Now, she writes about passion and adventure and is happy to say her characters never know where they are going to end up. Find out more at www.dlsnow.ca

#WWReadathon: Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon {Wrap Up}

The Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon is hosted by Rebecca @ Kindle Fever and April @ My Shelf Confessions!

Books To Read:

Echo Falls by Jamie McDougall
Starring in the Movie of My Life by Laurel Osterkamp
Another Jekyll, Another Hyde by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
~~Never Eighteen~~ ~~by Megan Bostic~~
The Earth Painter by Melissa Lee
Dire Needs by Stephanie Tyler
Caterpillar by Kate Oliver
Wander Dust by Michelle Warren

Manga To Read:

~~Pandora Hearts Volume 9~~ ~~by Jun Mochizuki~~
~~Pandora Hearts Volume 10~~ ~~by Jun Mochizuki~~
~~Blue Exorcist Volume 5~~ ~~by Kazue Kato~~
~~Blue Exorcist Volume 6~~ ~~by Kazue Kato~~
~~Negima! Volume 33~~ ~~by Ken Akamatsu~~
~~Negima! Volume 34~~ ~~by Ken Akamatsu~~

Updates:

6/20
Number of books I’ve read today: 3
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Caterpillar, Location 3507-3781 // The Earth Painter, Pages 129-143 // Never Eighteen, Pages 1-142
Challenge Posts:
(1) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-something-wicked.html
(2) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-slake-your-thirst.html
Books Finished: NONE

6/21
Number of books I’ve read today: 3

Total number of books I’ve read: 3

Books: Caterpillar, Location 3781-6344 // The Earth Painter, Pages 143-159 // Never Eighteen, Pages 142-200
Challenge Posts:
(1) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-cover-lover-day-1.html
(2) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-wicked-title.html
Books Finished: Never Eighteen

6/22
Number of books I’ve read today: 3
Total number of books I’ve read: 6
Books: Pandora Hearts Volume 9 // Pandora Hearts Volume 10 // Another Jekyll, Another Hyde, Pages 1-56
Challenge Posts:
(1) I did not participate in the Sonnets & Songs challenge, because I can't write poems or songs at all (I totally suck at writing).
(2) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-beach-soiree-day.html
Books Finished: Pandora Hearts Volume 9, Pandora Hearts Volume 10

6/23
Number of books I’ve read today: 3
Total number of books I’ve read: 8
Books: Caterpillar, Location 6344-7039 // Negima! Volume 33 // Negima! Volume 34
Challenge Posts:
(1) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-mix-n-match-day-3.html
(2) http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-party-up-with.html
Books Finished: Negima! Volume 33, Negima! Volume 34

6/24
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 10
Books: Blue Exorcist Volume 5 // Blue Exorcist Volume 6
Challenge Posts: http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/wwreadathon-challenge-wicked-summer.html
Books Finished: Blue Exorcist Volume 5 , Blue Exorcist Volume 6

WRAP-UP

I had finished a lot more than I thought I would (even though most of the books I completed were manga and relatively fast reads). And I did a lot better this go-around. I think I can say that this readathon was a complete success! Woo-hoo!

BOOK STATS:

Total Books Read: 10/14

Total Books Unfinished: 3/10

Total Books Completed: 7/10

Tour Kickoff: Bitten Shame by Olivia Hardin (Giveaway)

Bitten Shame (Book 2 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy)

Jill Prescott returned from self-imposed seclusion to help save her best friend Devan’s life. Throwing herself into Devan’s problems and bringing an evil organization to its knees might just be the distraction she needs to keep living without the only man she’s ever loved. Her life changed forever when she was hired to spend a week with Doc Massey.

On the day she became a vampire her youthful innocence ended, but Doc’s love rescued her from being consumed by the darkness. The shadow of that former life continues to loom over her, keeping her from realizing her own self-worth. Running from her past only brings her closer to a destiny that is inextricably connected to what she is trying to escape…

Every gift has both a reward and a price, because All of it fits…

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Manga Review: Blue Exorcist Volume 6 by Kazue Kato

Title: Blue Exorcist Volume 6
Japanese Title: Ao no Exorcist
Series: Blue Exorcist #6
Manga-ka: Kazue Kato
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novels, Older Teen Ages 16+
Publisher: Viz Media, Shonen Jump Advanced, Shueisha Inc.
Format: Paperback, 193 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4174-7
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): Fight hellfire with hellfire!

Summary: The heads of the various Myodha temple families gather to discuss recent events surrounding the Eyes of the Impure King. Revelations at the meeting only deepen suspicion of Suguro's father, Tatsuma, and angry accusations follow. Tatsuma's silence on the matter isn't helping either. Amid all the swirling distrust, Rin tries to make sense of things but struggles to keep his flame in check. Then Rin receives a letter that may shed more light on the current situation--and the secret past!

Review:

As accusations and suspicions are voiced, tensions run high as the heads of Myodha convene to uncover the traitor in their midst. Rin has a heart-to-heart with Konekomaru that has him even more dedicated to his training, because as long as Rin is seen as a threat, Konekomaru won't consider him a friend. The traitor is found, but the right eye is still stolen. Suguro has words with his father that are reminiscent of the last words Rin said to Father Fujimoto and this causes Rin to lose control when Suguro refuses to take them back. Shura subdues Rin and locks him up in solitary confinement. Now that the left and right eye are together, a new and potent poisonous gas can result. Suguro's father leaves a letter for Rin describing past events that lead up to where they are now. What happened in the past to cause the current events?

Rin's friends seem to be coming around to accepting him again once they actually that the time to really see Rin for who he is. I think what changes their minds about Rin is his straightforwardness, his kindness, and his conviction. Rin shows that he's not a mindless, raging, uncontrollable beast, but a person who never asked to be born the son of Satan. Rin can't help who he was born to, but he can choose who he's going to be.

I'm really excited to be learning about the past; Father Fujimoto's involvement with Rin's birth, the Koma Sword, and Suguro's father's involvement in it all. These are things that only three people knew about before Rin: Mephisto Pheles, Father Fujimoto, and Tatsuma Suguro.

Revelations abound in the next volume as past secrets are brought to light. How will these new details impact the present as Rin and his friends follow Suguro's father in pursuit of the left and right eyes of the Impure King?

About this Manga-ka:

Kazue Katō (加藤和恵, Katō Kazue), born on July 20th, 1980 in the district of Shinjuku, in Tokyo, is a Japanese mangaka, author of shōnen manga. She is mainly known to be author of Blue Exorcist. She also created Robot to Usakichi ( ロボとうさ吉 ), for which she received the price Osamu Tezuka Award.

Blue Exorcist Volume 6 was read during the Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon

Manga Review: Blue Exorcist Volume 5 by Kazue Kato

Title: Blue Exorcist Volume 5
Japanese Title: Ao no Exorcist
Series: Blue Exorcist #5
Manga-ka: Kazue Kato
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novels, Older Teen Ages 16+ Publisher: Viz Media, Shonen Jump Advanced, Shueisha Inc.
Format: Paperback, 183 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4076-4
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): Fight hellfire with hellfire!

Summary: In the late Edo Period, a demon known as the Impure King killed thousands of people. After defeating the demon, the Knights of the True Cross kept its left eye safely sealed away on Academy grounds--but now someone has stolen it! Hearing the thief has taken a child hostage, Yukio and Rin go to help. The investigation and pursuit will lead Rin and his friends to Kyoto and involve them even deeper in a sinister plot! But will his friends' knowledge that Rin is the son of Satan drive a wedge between them?

Review:

Rin is still feeling the brunt of his classmate's feelings of betrayal and discomfort, but more important things are happening than hurt feelings. The left eye of the Impure King has been stolen and the right eye is next on the list. In an attempt to steal the right eye of the Impure King, the Kyoto Field Office was attacked, leaving many injured. Rin and company are sent with a group of Exorcists to help the injured and defend against another attack.

Rin's situation is the classic classmate alienation because he's misunderstood and they only see what they want in Rin. They see the half-demon son of Satan with his blue flame, so he must be evil, too, right? They don't see someone who watched as Satan killed his foster father, Father Fujimoto, but a demon who is uncontrollable. You would think that Bon, Shima, and Konekomaru would understand how Rin feels about defeating Satan and how determined he is to accomplish it. They've had family killed by Satan during the Blue Night incident, just as Father Fujimoto was killed by Satan when Rin came into his powers. I really think they need to give Rin a break and try to understand and get to know him. Rin has enough on his plate without his friends treating him like some kind of leper.

Going to Kyoto means going home for Bon, Shima, and Konekomaru. We learn about the connection between their families, Bon's father's abandonment of the Myodha and the failure of the temple that caused it to become affiliated with the Knights of the True Cross, Bon's determination to become and Exorcist and defeat Satan, and finally the conflict between the Shima and Hojo families. When the two families tasked with keeping order within the followers of Myodha, Shima and Hojo, are at each other's throats, things are bound to fall apart unless they can work together.

Another attack is being planned by the end of Volume 5 for the right eye of the Impure King. Who is behind these thefts and what are they planning? I can't wait to see what happens in the next volume.

About this Manga-ka:

Blue Exorcist Volume 5 was read during the Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon

#WWReadathon Challenge: Wicked Summer Scorcher + Day 4 Update

The Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon is hosted by Rebecca @ Kindle Fever and April @ My Shelf Confessions!

The Wicked Summer Scorcher Challenge is hosted by April @ My Shelf Confessions!

Challenge:

For this Wicked Wildfire Challenge you are a VAMPIRE who cannot be out in the sun or – you guessed it, you get scorched. Szzzzzz. Smoking skin, you get the picture. It’s not going to be pretty. However, YOU don’t have a choice!

You see you have several beloved objects you must grab otherwise they will be forever lost to you. What are those objects? Well we’ve peaked inside your minds and made sure to grab 3 of your MOST treasured belongings, which since they are unique will be different for each of you – but you know what they are.

So knowing two things, that you’re a vampire who HAS to run in the sun to grab 3 precious items, you have some thinking to do.

How are you going to protect yourself from the sun; from getting scorched to a little vampire crisp? Tell me what you’d do and how you’d do it and HOPEFULLY you’ll survive to see another sunset.

Having read the Cirque du Freak series, where Mr. Crepsley actually had to do something like this, I would do what he did and slather on a ton of sunscreen and drape a coat or cloak over myself and just make a run for it. I may get a little crispy on the edges, but at least I would make it through the sun without bursting into an inferno.

Updates