It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (12)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.

Books I Read Last Week: 

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (Goodreads)

I've been meaning to read this book for a while, and I saw it the other day on someone's blog, so I decided it was time to order it from the library, and it came within a couple of days. This was a quick, but really intense read. I absolutely loved how Francesca finally started to actually be herself. I think it's terrible when people pretend to be what they're not, it's terrible for that person and it's terrible for everyone around them. I think the best people out there are the ones who are their true selves. They're comfortable with who they are, and they don't change to fit the people around them. I also loved the Aussie slang. :D

• Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog (Goodreads)

This is another one that I'd been wanting to read! And it came from the library too...in case you hadn't noticed, I tend to read the library books before the ones I already have. ;) Anyways...this book was awesome! I really liked it. I was expecting more of a modern retelling of a fairy tale, but I couldn't have been more wrong, and I'm glad I was because this story was unique and it definitely left me with a smile on my face. If you like fairies (or faeries, take your spelling pick ;P), psychics, teenage angst/drama, and hot boys, this book is definitely one you will want to check out. :)

Reading Now:

• Take Me There by Susan Colasanti

 I'm not too far in this one yet, but I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I haven't really connected with the characters yet, although I do like the writing. I'm hoping to finish this one sometime this week...fingers crossed that my schoolwork doesn't pile up again. :P

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I have to finish this book by Wednesday this week...luckily, I'm pretty close to being done already. I actually really like Great Expectations...although it is quite an intense read. You have to actually focus on every single word or you totally miss what you just read was actually about. Also...this book is making me sad...poor Pip, at least I didn't have 'Great Expectations' about what would happen to him...haha...did you catch that pun ;P if you didn't, just please humour me/don't judge me too harshly for my lame joke. lol

• Across the Universe by Beth Revis

I am seriously so sad that I didn't get to read this book during the week. I resisted it only because I knew if I picked it up I would get absolutely none of my homework done.

Books I Want to Read This Week:

• Cloaked by Alex Flinn

I absolutely loved Beastly, so I am super excited to read this one! I also have A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn out from the library right now too...so many books to read, so little time. :P

• The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

If it hasn't been obvious before I'm a huge Kelley Armstrong fan! I first read The Summoning, then The Awakening...and then I transitioned into her adult series, The Women of the Otherworld before The Reckoning came out. I just love her books, so saying I'm excited to read this one might just be a bit...or a whole lot...of an understatement! :P

I'm pretty sure with all the other books I have to read I won't actually get to these two, but I do really want to read them!!! Zoё from In The Next Room sent them to me. So, I'd just like to give her a shout out right now, and say thank you. :)
On another note...I think I might go crazy from all of the books I wish I were reading at the moment!

I'm also trying to finish all of my library books I have out, so that I won't feel like I'm hogging books that someone else might want to read...does anyone else ever feel like that?

And because I'm curious what are you reading?

Feel free to check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to find out what everyone else is reading. :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Blog Tour: Sybil Nelson Guest Post!!!

 Priscilla Sumner is the strong, opinionated, yet lovable main character of my Priscilla the Great series. She always has something to say and she often won’t shut up until I write down her thoughts. This is what led me to write a collection of five short stories entitled Twin Shorts from her point of view. For those of you who want to get to know her a little better before you commit to reading the entire first novel of the series, this is a great introduction. Each story takes the form of a school assignment for her English teacher Mrs. Talendy. You can buy the kindle version of Twin Shorts for only $.99 here: Twin Shorts on Amazon

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My Life Changing Moment by Priscilla M. Sumner

Mrs. Talendy's 7th grade English class

So I'm supposed to write about a life changing moment. Well, that's kind of hard for me to do. I mean I've had lots of life changing moments. For example, when I was in third grade and I figured out that I was going to marry Spencer Callahan and that we were going to have three children and two dogs. That was a pretty important moment in my life. Not many people know exactly how their life is going to turn out when they're only eight years old. I guess I'm lucky that way.

But unfortunately, things change. The marriage and kids thing came before I had to babysit The Devil Twins. After that I decided I would definitely have to get my tubes tied before Spencer and I got married. I didn't exactly know which tubes needed to be tied, but I knew any tubes that could possibly lead to children like Charlie and Chester had to be eliminated. Hey, I'd go even further than tying them. Whatever had to be done to make sure no children came out of my tubes was fine with me.

You think I'm being mean, Mrs. Talendy? Well, you haven't had the life changing pleasure of spending an afternoon with my little brothers. (And when I say pleasure, I don't really mean pleasure. That's sarcasm. My older brother Josh taught me about that.)

So let me tell you what led to this decision. It was last summer when I was a young eleven-years-old. My mother was away on "business" and my father had to take Josh to take his driving test so that he could get his license. There was no way I was gonna interfere with that. Having a brother who could drive would definitely come in handy during the summer. But it meant that day I was stuck babysitting the almost five-year-old monsters for a whole afternoon.

I wasn't completely naive (look Mrs. Talendy, I used a vocab word. Naive. Extra credit, huh?). I knew what my little brothers were capable of. So I borrowed some shin protectors from my friend Kyle, slapped on my rain coat, and snapped my bicycle helmet on. Then I locked all the doors and sat them in front of the TV.

While they watched SpongeBob Squarepants, I stood in front of the kitchen door to make sure they didn't go in there. They were notorious for turning the kitchen into a literal land mine of eggs and dog poop.

Everything was going great for about an hour. Then Chester turned to me with his deceivingly cute blue eyes and curly blond hair and said, "Prissy, can I go to the bathroom?"

 I had to debate this for a second. I mean did he really have to go to the bathroom? Or was he trying to confuse me? If I let Chester go to the bathroom and kept Charlie on the couch, I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on both of them. My defenses would be breached. What if this was part of their plan? They were trying to divide and conquer. Well, I was too smart for them. If they wanted to go to the bathroom, they would have to go together.

"You have exactly forty-five seconds," I said as I let them in the bathroom. Then I stood outside while they took care of business.

Exactly thirty-eight seconds later, panic set in. It was too quiet in that bathroom. They weren't capable of quiet. What was I thinking? How could I let them go to the bathroom together?

I burst through the door just in time to see Charlie light some kind of string and toss something white into the toilet.

"What are you doing?" I asked, snatching the lighter away from him.

"We're lighting bombs," he answered cheerily.

"Yeah, but they don't work," Chester said with a pout. "We've almost gone through the whole box and not one explosion."

"Yeah, Tampax makes the worst bombs ever!" Charlie added.

"Tampax? What are you talking about?" I snatched the nearly empty box away from Chester. "You've been lighting my tampons!" I yelled. (Okay, Mrs. Talendy, the only reason I'm telling you this is because I really need a good grade and you're kind of a girl anyway. Please, please, please don't tell anyone else about my tampon troubles. It's sooo embarrassing.)

"We didn't know they were yours," Chester said.

"Yeah, sorry Prissy. I'll get them back." Charlie reached his arm into the toilet.

"No, don't do that. Just go. Just get out!" I screamed. I was just about ready to pull out my hair.

Chester jumped up and ran out of the bathroom, but Charlie didn't move.

"Didn't you hear me? I said get out!"

"I'm trying. I can't. I think I'm stuck!"

I rolled my eyes then grabbed him by the armpits. I pulled as hard as I could. Charlie screamed as loud as he could, but he didn't budge. His arm was stuck in the toilet.

"I'll get him out!" Chester said running back into the bathroom holding a tub of butter. Before I could stop him he started dumping the butter on Charlie's head.

"How is putting butter on his head supposed to help him get his arm out?"

Chester shrugged. "It worked on SpongeBob Squarepants."

"That's a cartoon, you moron!"

"Hey, don't call my brother names, Priscilla Gorilla!" Charlie said while splashing toilet water on me with his free hand. Good thing I was wearing the raincoat.

           

Two hours later my dad came home to find his youngest son covered in butter, chocolate syrup, honey, and bacon grease. Not to mention sopping wet and halfway down a toilet.

Even though The Devil Twins claimed that I had tried to flush Charlie down the toilet for no reason at all, my dad saw through their lies. Either that or he saw the box of burned tampons and chose to believe my version of events. My dad actually had to unscrew the toilet in order to free Charlie. Personally, I would have just left him there for a couple days so he could learn a lesson.

So the moral of this story is that I will never have kids. Never, ever, ever, ever. Give me a shoelace. I'll tie my own tubes right now.

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And there you have it. That was the first of five stories in Twin Shorts. If you enjoyed this glimpse into Priscilla’s odd little world, be sure to pick up a copy of Twin Shorts today! And don’t forget to check out the first book of the Priscilla the Great Series in paperback or ebook. Priscilla the Great on Amazon

 
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I'd just like to thank Sybil for stopping by! 
And here are a couple more links that you'd might be interested in: 


Visit Priscilla's Website

Visit Sybil's Website

Show Sybil some comment love, I'm sure she'd love to hear what you guys think! :)

 Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Teaser Tuesday (11)

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 (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"My legs pump up-down, I force myself to take longer and longer strides, to use my arms to make my entire body fall into the race. My muscles strain and burn, but I revel in the pain."

- Across the Universe by Beth Revis, p.134

Well that’s what I’m reading, so what are you reading?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Interview with Lori Brighton & Giveaway!

I have an awesome guest on my blog today! Lori Brighton the author of The Mind Readers, which I reviewed a couple weeks ago HERE.Now, without further ado, here is our interview:

Ambur: Hi Lori! Thanks for stopping by my blog for this interview, I’m so glad to have you here. :)

Lori: Thank you for having me!

I’m curious, what gave you the idea for The Mind Readers?

It was in one of those moments when I wondered, ‘wouldn’t it be nice to know what he/she was thinking?’ And I paused and realized, actually, maybe it wouldn’t be so great. You’d know when people thought you looked like crap, or if you looked fat in your jeans. It would be horrible for your self-confidence!

How did you come up with your different characters? Are they based on people you know, or did they reveal themselves to you while you wrote their story? And just so you know, I absolutely loved Cam’s character, she’s a fantastic heroine!

As for my characters, no, none are based on anyone in particular, although I do take bits and pieces from reality. In the beginning of the book you have a bunch of teens who want to be popular. Let’s face, that’s completely true. Deep down we all want to be liked. Even adults. I also touch on the subject of older men seducing young girls, which, unfortunately, happens way too often in society.

First of all, I’m so glad you liked Cam! People seem to either get her or not. I’ve read reviews in which people have complained that she wasn’t strong enough. The thing is I try to give my characters some sort of weakness. A lot of readers, especially in the paranormal genre, want characters to be these strong, kick-butt heroines. And that’s great, but not exactly realistic. I try to give my characters a touch of realism; I like to see them grow. I’ve had readers write to me and say they loved how realistic my heroine, Cameron, is. They loved the fact that she grew in the story. Other’s didn’t care for her and wanted her to be kick-butt right from the beginning. As I said, I like to have a little realism.

I’ve already asked you this, but I’ll ask again so everyone can know the answer. :)

Do you have any plans for a sequel to The Mind Readers?

Yes! There will be three books in all. I’m working on the second one now, although I’m not positive when it will be out.

This is definitely a favourite question among interviews with authors, but I figured it’s always worth hearing the answer to, sorry if you get it a lot. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

No, I haven’t. lol. I’ve always had a huge imagination and I’ve always made up stories, but my grades in English weren’t great. I wasn’t flunking (had about a B average in High School), but I wasn’t at the top of my class either. The rules that went along with English class bored me and took the fun out of writing. Because I wasn’t some advanced student in English class, I figured it wasn’t in me to be a writer. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I decided to give it a try.

Being an author, I’m guessing that you love to read. So, do you have any suggestions?

                                                   

Actually, I don’t read nearly as much as I used to before I started writing. I’m so busy now, that I rarely have time. But… when I was young my favorite YA stories were The Chronicles of Narnia, Anne of Green Gables and Cynthia Voigt books.

I love the Harry Potter books! Just recently I read the Ally Carter Spy books and loved them!

I know authors aren’t supposed to play favourites with their characters, but do you have one? Or even one that you just relate better to than the others?

Well, I also write romances, but those are a little more… more intimacy, more cursing…  so for 18 years and up. But as for characters from my adult books or YA, I really don’t have a favorite. My favorite is usually the character I’m writing at the moment. I’m a little shallow like that, lol.

Did you have a playlist or a certain song that you listened to while writing The Mind Readers? I’m a big fan of author and book playlists. :)

I wish I did! But honestly, I am addicted to T.V. so if I have something on, it’s the television. I try to write in my office, where it’s quiet so I can concentrate. When I do listen to music, it’s mostly Indie bands.

Now onto a couple of random questions:

Paperback or Hardcover? Paperbacks are easier to handle. But actually, I just recently got an Ereader and that’s my new love!

Reptile or Rodent?  Both. Neither bothers me. I was a natural science interpreter and we had to handle mice and snakes.

Plane or Train? Car. When my husband drives, I can spend the trip writing on my laptopJ If I a long trip, then Plane, although they do make me a little nervous.

Slushie or Iced Coffee? Slushie. I’m not a big coffee drinker. If I drink coffee, it has to have a lot of milk and sugar. 

Cash or Cheque?  Cash or credit card.

Online or In-Store Shopping? In store! Because I work at home, when I go to the store it’s often the only time I can interact with people. Plus, with clothing, I have to try it on first.

Mind Reading or Teleporting? Or would you rather have something else?

Definitely teleporting! I love to travel. Mind reading would suck! To know when someone thought you looked fat. And even if you were able to hear the thoughts of some criminal, what could you possibly do about it? If you went to the police they wouldn’t believe you! They’d probably put you in a mental ward.

Thank you so much for this interview Lori, and thanks for sharing your amazing story with us. :)

Thanks so much for having me! 

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! :D

Lori has generously offered to giveaway 3 ebook copies of her book, The Mind Readers!
This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL and it will run from January 24th until February 1st (ends @ midnight MST).
There are no requirements for entry, just make sure that you have written down the correct email and that you check my blog to see if you're a winner.
One entry per person, and the three winners will be chosen using random.org. They will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.


To enter this giveaway all you have to do is fill out this FORM.

****This giveaway is now closed****

Please do not leave your entries in the comments, only entries in the form will be counted. You don't have to be a follower to enter this giveaway, and there will be 3 winners! :D

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I loved having Lori on my blog! I hope you all enjoyed our interview and that you plan on entering this awesome giveaway! This story was amazing, and it's definitely one to add to your to-read lists! I'd love to here your comments on the interview, and if anyone wants to answer my random questions, I'd love to hear them! ;)

Happy Reading!!!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (11)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading. 

Books I Read Last Week:

• Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Goodreads Page)

I absolutely loved Graceling! I had heard amazing things about this series, and I wasn't disappointed. The characters were remarkably developed and had some amazing personalities. I loved the interaction, the action, the romance, and the mystery of this book! I've got Fire on hold at the library...but it might be a while, I think I'm like 20th in line or something. I fully recommend this book, and hopefully you'll love it as much as I did. :)

• Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (Goodreads Page)

 This book was fresh, funny, and I really liked it. Sophie's an awesome character, with insecurities that you can't help loving her for. The premise for this book was pretty fun too, a boarding school for delinquent prodigium (witches, fairies, werewolves/shifters, etc.), and it was definitely as fun and hilarious as I imagined it would be. :)

• Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson
  (Goodreads Page)

 This book made me realize how much I missed reading middle grade books. I used to read books like Abby Hayes, and I have most of the books, but I kind of stopped after a while...this books totally makes me want to start them all again. It was action-packed, sweet, and hilarious...I must admit I kind of missed fart and booger jokes. :P

• Empty by Suzanne Weyn (Goodreads Page)

 

 I loved the premise for this book. Society runs out of fuel...duh dun dun...and I thought it was an okay read, but I wasn't a big fan of one of the narrators and it kind of kept me from liking the book too much. There were three narrators, Gwen, Tom and Niki, they're all go to the same school, and this story kind of just follows them. Niki was the one I didn't like, but I absolutely loved Gwen, and I liked Tom too...just not Niki :P I also was expecting this book to be more of a worldwide thing, and instead it focused on the US, so that kind of disappointed me. It's definitely a story that makes you think though.

• Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz (Goodreads Page)

Oh how I love the Blue Blood series! Bloody Valentine had three short stories in it. I only thought it was going to be one, so I was pleasantly surprised. :D I loved the stories, one was about Oliver, one was about Allegra van Alen (Schulyer's mom), and the last was about Schulyer and Jack. The short stories were awesome, and I felt like I was reading some secret knowledge about the series, kind of like when I read the Keys to the Depository book from this series. :)

• The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (Goodreads Page)

I won the DUFF from Reading Teen's Secondhand Saturday, and I devoured it! I absolutely loved the DUFF! I absolutely loved Wesley, I can definitely see why everyone else loves him so much now. haha And Bianca was extremely easy to relate to. I'm not cynical and pessimistic like she is, or at least not nearly as much, but I could still easily relate to her doubts, her pain, and her past. We've all gone through hard times before, and I'm sure we've all felt like the DUFF. Her story was incredibly inspiring, in fact, I think this book was a better self-help story than the one that her mother wrote in the book. ;)

Reading Now:

• Across the Universe by Beth Revis (Goodreads Page)

I've been so excited to read this one. I wanted to wait until I had time to enjoy it, but I couldn't wait, so I think I'll read this when I have time off from Great Expectations. ;)

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (Goodreads Page)

 I have to read a big chunk of this one for class on Wednesday, so I'll probably be reading this nonstop for the next couple of days. I actually like it so far, so it shouldn't be too bad. :)

Books I Want to Read This Week:

• Evolve: Vampire Stories of the New Undead (Anthology) (Goodreads Page)

  I received this last week from EDGE publishers in Calgary, Alberta, and I'm pretty excited to start it. I'm a sucker for vampire stories, although not as much as I used to be, but I'm still pretty excited. Kelley Armstrong has a story in this anthology which makes me even more excited! :D

• Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog (Goodreads Page)

 I've been wanting to read Fairy Tale for a while, and it came from the library this week, so I'll dig into it if I finish all the others. :P

• Girl in the Arena by Lisa Haines (Goodreads Page)

 Another library book, and another one that I'm super excited to start! This book sounds super intense. Hopefully I'll at least have time over the weekend to read it. :D

And what are you reading???

Any awesome books that you'd love to share???

Feel free to check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to find out what everyone else is reading. :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Blog Tour - Review: Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson

(Click this link to go to Priscilla the Great's Goodreads page.)

Sybil contacted me about her blog tour a while ago, and I jumped at the chance. Priscilla the Great sounded hilarious. I knew it would totally make me nostalgic for junior high and all that 'lovely' drama (yes, that was sarcasm, although sadly some of it was actually nostalgic :P). Here's the blurb:

"Meet Priscilla Sumner, an ordinary seventh grader with extraordinary gifts. As if middle school isn’t hard enough, not only does Priscilla have to fight pimples and bullies, but genetically enhanced assassins trying to kill her and her family. Armed with wit, strength, and a genius best friend, Priscilla must defeat the Selliwood Institute, an organization dead set on turning children into killing machines.

Add an older brother annoyingly obsessed with Christina Aguilera, mischievous baby twin brothers who could scare the sin off of Satan, and parents more puzzling than a Rubik’s cube in the Bermuda triangle and expect a smoking page-turner!"

See how I couldn't resist it?!

I thought, 'If the blurb is this funny, the book will be hilarious!' and boy was I right! 

Priscilla was an awesome narrator and a pretty fierce superhero too! I loved her jokes, and her whole inner monologue, which was also packed with jokes. I was laughing throughout this book, and when I wasn't laughing I was thinking about being twelve, almost thirteen, and how awesome it would have been to have superpowers...which was another thing that I totally predicted would happen while I read this book, and I was so right. I mean it would've been scary too, not knowing why it was happening or how to control it, but it would've been beyond cool! Yup, she's even got me talking like I'm in grade 7 again. :P 

The characters in this book were described simply and we got to know each of them through their interactions with Priscilla. I absolutely loved her friends, Tai and Kyle, and her Christina Aguilera-loving brother was pretty awesome too. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just talk about her parents a little bit. Her dad was described as a body-building secret service agent at one point...and he was trying to get jiggy with it. Oh how I miss using words like jiggy, I think my friends would look at me weird if I said jiggy, but I'd still do it anyways. Her mom's name is Quindolyn, which I think is such a cool name...totally long and a little crazy, but I still love it.

This book is middle grade, so it's not too complicated and it's easy to follow. It's also not too long, but it packs a huge punch. The paperback copy that I have has 271 pages, and in those pages it was probably one of the most exciting books I've read in a while. I forgot how dramatic being a pre-teen/early teen is, and how exciting everything feels. Reading this book helped me remember all that, and I was as caught up in it as Priscilla was herself. I would've loved to have read this when I was younger because I loved the story now, as a girl a few months shy of 20, but I would have loved it even more if I were Priscilla's age. That being said, I think this book is versatile for many ages. Sybil did an amazing job at making this book applicable to more than just those in the middle grade age group, she uses vocab and Priscilla's thoughts to help put you in Priscilla's shoes. I'm gonna be honest too, I really miss reading books where the writing it a nice font, it's easy to read, doesn't hurt my eyes, and it looks pretty. So many adult or YA books have tiny writing on big pages, so it was a relief to read a book that had really clear font, and that looked amazing too. I loved the texts that were used...I'm a sucker for aesthetics inside and outside of a book. :P

Priscilla the Great was an adorable and funny story. I'd recommend it to anyone, from the target middle grade age group, to fledgling adults like myself, to parents, or anyone looking for a fun story, which will make them remember their own childhood...and be slightly envious that they didn't have superpowers, or an ice cream machine in their school. :)

Here's the official trailer for Priscilla the Great if you wanna take a look:

And here are some links that you might wanna check out:

Buy Priscilla the Great

Visit Priscilla's Website

Visit Sybil's Website

*I was provided with a copy of Priscilla the Great by the author, Sybil Nelson, for an honest review, I was not required to right a positive review, and all the opinions are my own. 

I'd just like to thank Sybil for asking me to participate in her blog tour, and for sending me a copy of her book. I'm so glad to have gotten to read it. :)

So, am I the only one who would've loved superpowers in grade 7 or would you want them too? What powers would you have liked to have? I would've loved to have had telekinesis, I still wish I had it, then I would've have to get up just to grab things...yup, now you know how lazy I am sometimes. :P

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Dreaming of Books Blog Hop Giveaway WINNER!

Hey Everyone! I just want to thank you all for entering my giveaway in the Dreaming of Books Blog Hop! There were almost 300 entries, and for a giveaway that only lasted four days, that's amazing! :D

I also want to welcome any new followers that followed because of the hop, I hope you like my blog, and that I can keep it nice and interesting for you all.

Now, onto the winner of Across the Universe!

The winner is:

ESTELLA!

I'll be sending the winner an email shortly, but if it isn't there email me at ambiepie_6(at)hotmail(dot)com. The winner was chosen using Random.org, and has 48 hours to respond before I will draw a new winner.



Congratulations Estella!

And thanks again to everyone who entered, I'm glad to see so many people interested in this book.

Hopefully, I'll get my copy soon and we can all talk about it! :D

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur



Teaser Tuesdays (10)

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 (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"Archer shrugged again. "Maybe not. But you've been living with one foot in each world, and you can't do that anymore. You're at Hecate now." "

- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, p.86

Well that’s what I’m reading, so what are you reading?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Review: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

 (Click this link to go to Jane Eyre's Goodreads page.)

Well, nowadays it's hard not to come across mention of Jane Eyre, and other classics, within current literature and media. For this reason, I really wanted to read this book. I wanted to understand the references and know the story.

At first, I had difficulty getting into the book and it was taking me a long time to read. However, once Jane grew up and the more notable characters were introduced, I found myself getting drawn in.

I loved Mrs.Fairfax, such a kind a gentle older lady, and Adele, was such a spoilt little girl, who you couldn't help wanting to dote on, at least I couldn't.

Jane herself, is such an interesting character, she has various beliefs, which she sticks to persistently. She won't let anyone sway her beliefs or ideas, and when pushed her fiery spirit comes out. You can't help but love her, she thinks herself plain and not handsome, which other characters repeatedly mention as well. It makes you think that it must have been terrible to be ugly or not 'handsome' back then because no one lets you forget it. Anyways, despite her plainness, she's brave and one of the greatest heroines of all-time, it's no doubt we're still hearing reference to her today. And Mr.Rochester, well I tend to love whomever the heroine loves, most of the time anyways, and this time was no exception. He seemed a strict and hard man, not handsome himself either, but the banter and connection between he and Jane was so strong, you couldn't help but notice it and root for it. Edward Rochester hid various secrets, but even with those secrets, I couldn't help but feel for him.

I don't want to ruin the story for anyone who hasn't read it, but despite the hardships that befall each character, I was happy with how it ended.

It's a difficult read because of the language, which obviously we aren't used to anymore, but if you persevere, it's well worth reading. It's a beautiful story and once I got used to the language it seemed to flow off the pages.

I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Have you read Jane Eyre? Do you want to read it?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Review: The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

(Click this link to go to The Outsiders' Goodreads page.)

I have read this book twice for school, and I loved it both times, so recently I caved and bought myself a copy. :)

This book is amazing. The characters are so real, and they go through so much in such a short period of time. Their lives change drastically, but they always stay gold. ;)

I loved how the characters get introduced, and how you grow to know each of them. Their struggles and their connections with one another. And their names, I absolutely love their names. Sodapop. Ponyboy. Two-bit. The names just add a special touch of awesome to this book, and they're so unique. :)

If you're not sure about reading this book, the movie's fantastic too, probably one of the best book-to-movie transistions that I've ever seen. The cast was amazing, both in their performances and in their likeness to the book's characters, it was almost as if the movie came right off of the pages of the book.

This book is intense and makes you feel, both of which are things that I love in a book. It is definitely a fantastic read, and if you're considering reading it, go for it, it's worth every second. :)

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who read this for school, so many of you have probably already read it, what did you think? And if you haven't read it, have you heard of it before?

 

Happy Reading!!!

 

♪♫ Ambur

Review: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinback

(Click this link to go to The Grapes of Wrath Goodreads page.)

I won't lie, I hated the beginning of this book. It took me at least a third of the book before I could actually get into it and enjoy the story.

Part of this might be that I prefer a more forward writing style and part of it was most definitely the topic. During my grade 12 year, all we read were stories with depressing topics, we were all convinced the school board wanted us to be depressed because of it.

Anyways, after I got past the parts that I struggled through, I really grew to enjoy this book. The characters, while facing the same situation in the big picture, all seem to struggle with their own independent problems. You get to know them, know what they like, what their habits are, and you see them, most of them anyways, do almost anything to support their family. They struggle relentlessly to stay together, and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for them because of it.

The ending was shocking to say the least, but underneath the shock was such strength, and to be honest, a beauty. A beauty that mankind could be willing to go to such lengths to help one another, despite not even knowing those they are helping.

I found myself so into this book that by the end of it I had tears in my eyes. I'm a pretty easy crier, but I have to enjoy something to get to that state, so I can say I definitely enjoyed this book.

This book is a classic, and it definitely deserves that title. It's an amazing story, and once you get used to the more refined language, and by that I mean lack of current slang, it is easy to lose yourself within the story. The only downside of reading a story such as the Grapes of Wrath is that it leaves you feeling sad, which just shows you how much a book can move you, but it also leaves you with a sense of hope thanks to the ending.

I would gladly read the Grapes of Wrath again, and I'm sure that since I wouldn't be reading it for school this time, I'd like it even more.

Have you read The Grapes of Wrath? What were your thoughts?

And if you found it boring or hated it, that's ok, not every book is for every person. The important thing is to not judge other people for how they feel about a book. We're all entitled to our own opinions. And it's also important to give a book a chance, don't just say you hate a book because everyone else does...you're allowed to like a book even if your friends don't. And I'm going to leave you with that little message.

Review: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

(Click this link to go to Ella Enchanted's Goodreads page.)

I loved this book so much!

If you've seen the movie, the stories are nothing alike, but personally, I enjoyed both. I love the movie, and I love the book, for totally different reasons. The movie changed the plot, the timeline, pretty much everything, but it stays true to the characters, and since the story was so far from the book I found myself able to enjoy both separately. While I loved the movie, the book is even more adorable!

Char and Ella have so much chemistry in the book, and so many moments! The references towards Cinderella in the novel made it even more enjoyable to me, and Lucinda definitely redeemed herself in the book, in the movie not so much. :P

I loved how the story just had so many different aspects to it, you saw Ella as a child and also as she grew older. She experienced so much, and the comedic moments in the book were amazing, too! Ella on 'shrooms is all I'm going to say to that, not magic mushrooms, but anyone who has read this book will definitely know what I mean by that.

I enjoyed the moments with centaurs, gnomes, birds, elves, giants, pretty much all of it just was completely remarkable to me.

I loved this entire book! Gail Carson Levine is an amazing author, she weaves an amazing story, and although it's not a long book, it's one that has you enthralled from beginning to end. A must read! :D

 

Whenever I want to read a short and sweet story and want to know that I'll love it, I pick up Ella Enchanted. It never fails to bring a smile to my face and to make my day better. :)

 

Do you have a book that you just love to read over and over again??
And what are you thoughts on Ella Enchanted??

 

Happy Reading!!!

 

♪♫ Ambur

Review: The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan

(Click this link to go to the Mermaid's Mirror's Goodreads page.)

Thank you Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin for letting me download this on Netgalley. :)

I LOVED this story! It was incredibly unique and the story seemed to weave together seamlessly. I loved Lena, and her family. Cole was freaking adorable, I always wanted a tiny little brother like him. Her father was probably one of the coolest dudes ever and her step-mom was pretty awesome too. You know your step-mom's pretty great when you call her mom instead of her first name. Her friends had totally different personalities and I also loved that there was diversity in this story.

The settings were described so fluidly and descriptively. This book made me want to go to the ocean, learn to surf, swim in giant waves, and walk on the beach. And the mermaids...well I love mermaids! I think you're crazy if you're don't, well maybe not crazy, but you're definitely missing out.

This story had me on my toes and I didn't want to stop reading. It was beautifully written and is definitely a book that you don't want to miss! The ending was pretty open-ended, but it was still a wonderful story. :)

 

I'm going to be posting a bunch of reviews today, I decided to add all of the reviews I have on Goodreads right now onto my blog, so you can expect quite a few more.

 

This book just came out a few months ago, has anyone else read it??

 

Happy Reading!!!

 

♪♫ Ambur