tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17721057541851086512024-03-15T05:25:18.187+11:00Just Listen Book ReviewsJust Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-69757447477140869002009-05-06T17:52:00.009+10:002009-05-06T19:03:09.052+10:00Pearl Verses the World by Sally Murphy.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.showtell.com.au/wa/images/authors/books/pearl_v_the_world.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 231px;" src="http://www.showtell.com.au/wa/images/authors/books/pearl_v_the_world.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: </span>4/5.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Summary: </span>At school, Pearl feels as though she is in a group of one. Her teacher wants her to write poems that rhyme but Pearl's poems don't. At home, however, Pearl feels safe and loved, but her grandmother is slowly fading, and so are Mum and Pearl. When her grandmother eventually passes away, Pearl wants life to go back to the way it was and refuses to talk at the funeral. But she finds the courage to deliver a poem for her grandmother that defies her teacher's idea of poetry – her poem doesn't rhyme; it comes from the heart.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Review: </span>Pearl Verses the World is not the kind of book I would pick up in a bookstore. The cover, though adorable is too childish for my tastes and I started the story with that mind set. The novel is directed at younger readers, but I still managed to enjoy it.<br /><br />It's written in verse and Murphy does a wonderful job at getting Pearl's emotions across and making the reader feel for her. The verse is clever and poignant and I enjoyed it immensely.<br /><br />Another thing I enjoyed about Pearl Verses the World is the youthfulness of Pearl and her sweet innocence in the novel, making the poems, for me a little more enjoyable and fun. Pearl, was in one word adorable. And I enjoyed her character, in the short length of the novel Murphy was able to make me feel attached to Pearl and really care about what she was feeling and how she would cope.<br /><br />I love the message of this story and I love the way Murphy puts Pearl's thoughts across. Pearl Verses the World really is a great novel. Even though it's not YA, I believe that a lot of people would enjoy it and younger sibling would love it.<br /><br />It's hard to rate Pearl Versus the World because it's not YA, it's more MG. I'd give it four out of five stars, I'd recommend it for your younger siblings and you can always have a quick read of this little gem.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Allie.</span>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-63771309010874695452009-03-28T14:22:00.003+11:002009-03-28T14:28:50.515+11:00Lack of Posting.As you may or may not have noticed there has been a lack of posts. It's the end of the school term and there have been tests, projects, work and not a whole lot of time for reading. It's a busy weekend for me, it was my birthday yesterday (ohhhhhhh) and I have lots of stuff on. Life has been a very stressful thing.<br /><br /><br />I apologise for the lack of posts. I have a two week break coming up at the end of next week, so I will be reading heaps, I have lots of reviews to write. <br /><br />Thanks and please just bare with me. <br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Allie. </em>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-41146132255310597952009-03-22T12:14:00.003+11:002009-03-22T19:46:15.453+11:00In My Mailbox (6)<a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n58/n292645.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 224px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px" alt="" src="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n58/n292645.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>In My Mailbox is the awesome weekly segment created by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/">The Story Siren</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><div><div><strong>Going Too Far</strong> by Jenniffer Echolls.</div><br /><br /><div><em>All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn’t make it back.<br />John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won’t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won’t be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge—and over..</em></div><br /><br /><div></div><a href="http://www.wppl.org/teens/images/mead_vampire.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 190px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 290px" alt="" src="http://www.wppl.org/teens/images/mead_vampire.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Vampire Academy Series</strong> by Richelle Mead. (1, 2 & 3)<br /><br /><em>St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school—it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's—the very place where they're most in danger. . . .<br />Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.</em> </div><br /><br /><a href="http://shopnewest.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/51cmlma1tjl.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 206px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 293px" alt="" src="http://shopnewest.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/51cmlma1tjl.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://urbanfantasyland.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/mead_shadowkiss.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 202px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 295px" alt="" src="http://urbanfantasyland.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/mead_shadowkiss.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div><strong>Money Run</strong> by Jack Heath.</div><a href="http://jackheath.com.au/images/moneyrun.gif"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 104px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="http://jackheath.com.au/images/moneyrun.gif" border="0" /></a><br />Ashley Arthur is a teenage thief - the best there is. Nothing is so safe that she can't get to it. But when she tries to rob a billionaire of $200 million hidden somewhere in his building, she collides with an assassin who plans to kill him. Suddenly Ash is fighting for her life, and it seems that the billionaire might have a sinister agenda of his own . . .<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Allie.<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-75209555353568336772009-03-19T16:07:00.004+11:002009-03-19T16:28:20.925+11:00Charlotte McConaghy Interview Part 2.<a href="http://www.bdb.com.au/images/authors_illustrators/standard/mcconaghy_charlotte.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px" alt="" src="http://www.bdb.com.au/images/authors_illustrators/standard/mcconaghy_charlotte.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em>Charlotte McConaghy's debut novel, Arrival, has been a hit with <a href="http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/">Adele</a>, <a href="http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com/">Lisa</a> and I. After thoughly enjoying the novel the <a href="http://aussieya.blogspot.com/">Aussie YA Alliance </a>has chosen this week to focus on Charlotte and her novel. We conducted a MEGA chat room interview last night and it's been broken into 4 parts. (Links to the other part at the bottom of the interview).</em> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Of all the characters you created, who is your favourite?</strong></div><br /><div>I'm completely in love with Jane and Fern. I can't get enough of them! Fern is ultra hot the way I imagine him!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Did you base any of the characters off of people you know?</strong></div><br /><div>No, they are all completely imaginary. However I did name a character after my brother Liam, in the hopes that it would one day entice him into reading it.No such luck yet. You'd think having a warrior emperor named after you would get someone reading...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>What can you tell us about Book 2? We need some details (we are a little fixated on what's going to happen)</strong></div><br /><div>Okay, I can tell you that it is very much in the works. I finished off the second draft today!!! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>What's book 2 called?</strong></div><br /><div>I don't have a name for it yet. I'll have to mull it over for a while yet. I'm terrible with names. I find it the most difficult thing about these books because there is so much in them!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>When’s book 2 being released?</strong> </div><br /><div>I don't have a date for it yet, but hopefully before the end of the year. Sorry, guys, I'm not being very helpful am I? Haha, yeah I'll definitely stick to the one word idea.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Who do you think you are most like...out of the Strangers?</strong></div><br /><div>I think what I like about all of my characters, is the fact that I can create qualities in all of them that I can aspire to. I'd like to be Jane, of course, but that's just wishful thinking. lol</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Want to read the rest of the interview?</span> </div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Part One: </span><a href="http://aussieya.blogspot.com/2009/03/interview-charlotte-mcconaghy.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Aussie YA Alliance</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Part Two: </span><a href="http://justlistenbookreviews.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Right here</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Part Three: </span><a href="http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com/2009/03/interview-with-aussie-charlotte.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Look At That Book</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Part Four: </span><a href="http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/2009/03/interview-charlotte-mcconaghy-part-4.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Persnickety Snark</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Arrival can be purchased online <a href="http://www.dymocks.com.au/ProductDetails/ProductDetail.aspx?R=9781742030296">here</a>.</span></em></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-82441524821121073902009-03-16T19:19:00.002+11:002009-03-16T19:27:58.158+11:00Review: Somebody's Crying by Maureen McCarthy.<a href="http://l.yimg.com/au.yimg.com/i/life/img/bhg/1711-crying-200x303.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 303px" alt="" src="http://l.yimg.com/au.yimg.com/i/life/img/bhg/1711-crying-200x303.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">“When Alice looks up and sees Tom staring at her, everything closes down around them and becomes very still. No one is breathing. No one else is in the room. Tom feels as if he can see right into the soul of Alice Wishart. It lies open before him, like a wide long pane of glittering glass. So beautiful and…ready to break.”</span></em></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong>Rating: </strong>1/5.</div><br /><div><strong>Publisher: </strong>Allen and Unwin.</div><br /><div><strong>Summary: </strong>Three years have passed since the murder of Alice's mother, but still the killer is unknown. Alice, her cousin Jonty and his friend Tom are drawn together by the mystery, but what is each of them hiding? Will their secrets bind them tighter or tear everything apart?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Review:</strong> <em>Somebody’s Crying</em>. It’s the novel that is everywhere at the moment. You can’t walk into any facility that sells books and not see it. That creates a lot of intrigue, it certainly did for me and I found myself disappointed.<br /><br />The story is centred around the death of Lillian, close friend of Tom’s, the mother of Alice, aunty and good friend of Jonty. And how each react to the death and what happens after. It’s a story filled with a lot <em>(a lot)</em> of angst. Characters that are constantly changing their oh so set opinions and too much description. Lillian is made out to be a wonderful and artistic woman and is wholly admired by the three main characters and I found her bland. The plot is basically a non thing, as I can’t name more then two big events. The blurb had me ready for a good mystery filled with twists and turns. Yet, I sat there reading tentatively, set up my suspicions and none of them were right, sure the mystery was tricky, but it wasn’t great tricky it was: is that all? And left me feeling no satisfaction at all.<br /><br />When you plunge into the first pages of the novel you’re taken aback by the descriptive and wonderful writing style. You’re interested, you want to know more about the lives of Johnty, Tom and Alice. You want to know who killed Lillian. Soon, the lovely descriptions become strenuous and you find yourself wondering when something will actually <em>happen</em>.<br /><br />I will not deny that Maureen McCarthy has a freaking fantastic way of writing a novel. Her style is just amazing. Unfortunately that doesn’t bring the novel home.<br /><br />I had a love hate relationship with the characters. I could get so annoyed at them, especially Alice. She seemed to be glorified by the other characters, but I found her hard to put up with. Same with the deceased Lillian. The characters that were glorified I found hard to put up with due their unattractive personalities. That made it hard for me to like Tom and Jonty due to their intense adoration of Alice and Lillian. On a positive note, they were very realistic characters and McCarthy crafted their realism very well.<br /><br />The end is sweet and happy. Sometimes when I think back on it, I think that it’s too happy. Other times, I think that after all they’ve been through it’s good closure.<br /><br /></div><br /><div>I’m giving this novel, one out of five. I wouldn’t recommend this novel. I expected a lot more. </div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-41648232918374837762009-03-15T19:03:00.004+11:002009-03-15T19:14:43.779+11:00In My Mailbox (5)<a href="http://www.tohby.com/Images/LuckyOnesCover.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 334px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 518px" alt="" src="http://www.tohby.com/Images/LuckyOnesCover.jpg" border="0" /></a> In My Mailbox is the awesome weekly segment created by <a href="http://www.tohby.com/Images/LuckyOnesCover.jpg">The Story Siren</a>.<br /><br /><br />Just one book this week, but it's one I've been looking forward to.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Set in 1980s inner-city Sydney, The Lucky Ones follows maverick teen Tom, as he tries to make sense of life after school.The novel reveals in poignant and hilarious ways the workings of a young male mind – with all its misplaced romanticism, youthful delusions, bewilderment about girls and need for adventure.</em><br /><br /><br /><em></em><br />I love the look of this one, the cover is pretty and the beginning was brilliant.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>What did you get this week?</strong>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-85243018573946648292009-03-15T13:34:00.003+11:002009-03-15T16:48:11.619+11:00New Look!I thought that my blog needed a make-over and look what the awesome <a href="http://readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com/">Kelsey</a> did! LOOK! How pretty is it? We went through I think two before we found this one. I think I stressed <a href="http://readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com/">Kelsey</a> out to the max, but look what we got in the end! Thank-you <a href="http://readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com/">Kelsey</a>!<br /><br /><br /><br />When the new template went up, I lost all of my widgets, so I don't have my blog list anymore. If you were on my blog list could you please comment so that I can re add you?<br /><br /><br />Don't forget to check out the <a href="http://aussieya.blogspot.com/">AYA</a> this week. We're focusing on <em>Arrival</em> by Charlotte McConaghy. An absoloutely awesome novel that I recommend to all of you. There will be an interview with Charlotte up on <a href="http://aussieya.blogspot.com/">AYA </a>later this week, so stay tuned. Want to know more about Arrival? Check out <a href="http://www.bdb.com.au/books/arrival">Black Dog Books</a> and, well the <a href="http://aussieya.blogspot.com/">AYA</a> this week.<br /><br /><br /><em>--Allie.</em>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-24945991870098110882009-03-11T20:12:00.007+11:002009-03-11T20:22:51.668+11:00Waiting On Wednesday (4)<a href="http://karinlibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/51snidlhzvl.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 236px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 364px" alt="" src="http://karinlibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/51snidlhzvl.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Waiting on Wednesday is the awesome weekly segments that allows us book lovers to drool over soon to be released books. Find out all you need to know <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">here</a>. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This week I chose <em>Wintergirls</em> by Laurie Halse Anderson.</div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong>Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.</strong> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've seen reviews EVERYWHERE and it makes me want to read this book SO much more. It looks so amazing. Everything about it so captivating, the cover, the title. I can't wait until I can read this one. </div><div></div><div></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em> </div><div><em>Allie.</em></div><div></div><div></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-4855911513373438982009-03-10T18:11:00.005+11:002009-03-10T18:33:47.651+11:00Teaser Tuesday (1)<a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n45/n229925.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 346px" alt="" src="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n45/n229925.jpg" border="0" /></a> Here's my first <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/new-teaser-tuesdays/">Teaser Tuesday</a>. The book I'm reading at the moment is <em>Undine </em>by Penni Russon.<br /><div><br />This is how it works:<br /><br /><div><em><strong></strong></em></div><br /><br /><br /><div><strong>*</strong><em>Grab your current read<br /></em><strong>*</strong><em>Let the book fall open to a random page<br />*Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.<br />*You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!</em></div><br /><br /><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><br /><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><div><strong>"It was dangerous: it was the glittering blade of a knife; it was the momentum of a single mindedness of a bullet. But it was also vivid and intoxicating."</strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>What I love about this book is the descriptions! They give you some great imagery.</div></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-61433531179924690832009-03-09T15:56:00.002+11:002009-03-09T16:21:46.342+11:00The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger<a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n26/n132600.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 439px" alt="" src="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n26/n132600.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Rating: </strong>4/5. </div><br /><div><strong>Summary:</strong> <span style="font-size:78%;"><em>(from inside of book)</em></span> Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, a librarian, who have known each other since Claire was six and Henry was thirty, and were married when Clare as twenty-two and Henry was thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement: periodically his genetic clock resets and she finds himself misplaced in time, pulled into moments of emotional gravity in his life, past and future.</div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>Review: </strong>Not a YA book, but it deserves a review all the same.<br /><br />It’s a long book, but it’s worth it. The Time Travellers Wife is an epic tale of Henry and Claire’s truly heartbreaking story and how they defy the odds, even with Henry jumping through time at unexpected times only to wind up in another unexpected time. It took me a very long time to get into it and I had high hopes for an amazing story, and in a sense, I got one, in another very small one, I was disappointed. It starts off really strongly, the prologues, from both perspectives are really amazing.<br /><br />For a while I couldn’t really feel Claire and Henry’s love for one another. Slowly it sunk in. Some events made it fade away, others made it stronger. I liked the way that everything was really built up and if I were to reread this novel, I would probably cry in some points because I’ll know 100% what’s going to happen and the foreshadowing and events that are clues will be very clear. There were quite a few confusing events that had no explanations but they all kept me hooked and really made this story a page turner. Some parts though, were boring.<br /><br />The writing style was really blunt, there was Niffenegger didn’t hesitate to swear or use raw descriptions, especially during the sex scenes. That kind of language kept me hooked and really helped me feel a part of the story.<br /><br />I love the comedic aspect that took away from the anticipated heartbreak Claire was about to face. At some points through the novel I felt like we were focusing on unimportant things.<br /><br />The way that they described Henry’s condition was amazing. It added the scientific part of the novel in a really interesting and informative way that I enjoyed whole heartedly. Niffenegger made it seem believable.<br /><br />It was a thought provoking story that really makes you ask: what if? As I write this review I think of scenes and it makes me want to cry.<br /><br />Unlike the YA romance novels I read, this one unravelled a lot of a married life together. I liked that, though I did very much enjoy when Claire was a teenager in the story.<br /><br />Seeing and knowing what was going to happen to Henry made it that much more of a page turner. You waited in anticipation for it to happen, you waited it out and then you had to experience it. There are some really intense scenes there that make your heart break.<br /><br />The end was heartbreakingly wonderful. Personally it was my favourite part of the novel and has me in tears just thinking about it. I’m holding back a spoiler filled rant right now.<br /><br />Four out of five. It was utterly thought provoking and magical. When I finished I had tears in my eyes and their romance is still with me now. I think that it will be the same for you. </div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-83059408668485289682009-03-08T11:47:00.003+11:002009-03-08T11:53:08.303+11:00In My Mailbox (4)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cdn.harpercollins.com/harperimages/isbn/large/7/9780061284397.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 336px;" src="http://cdn.harpercollins.com/harperimages/isbn/large/7/9780061284397.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In my Mailbox was created by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/">The Story Siren</a>.<br /><br />Nothing came in the mail for me this week. So, to make myself feel a little bit better I bought myself:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Evernight </span>by Claudia Gray.<br /><p> <span style="font-style: italic;">Bianca wants to escape. </span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. </p> <p style="font-style: italic;">Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him. </p> <p style="font-style: italic;"> "I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would." </p> <p style="font-style: italic;">But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed. </p><br />I've been seeing, hearing, reading a fair bit about this book and couldn't resist when I came across it Thursday. I love the cover of this one as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What did you get this week? </span>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-67468914609193392532009-03-06T16:12:00.004+11:002009-03-06T16:33:26.882+11:00Fabulous Blog Award<a href="http://www.zokk.com.au/images/inspiration_bookshelves.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 292px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 171px" alt="" src="http://www.zokk.com.au/images/inspiration_bookshelves.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Adele from <a href="http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/">Persnickety Snark </a>awarded me the Fabulous Blog award.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Here are 5 things that I am obsessed or addicted, or both to:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Coke.</strong> It rots your teeth very badly, I know, but I can't get enough of it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>2.</strong> <strong>BOOKS!</strong> I love to read, obviously. I love looking at books that are about to be released. I could spend hours in a bookstore.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>3.</strong> <strong>Photos.</strong> I LOVE taking photos of me and friends, family, having a good time.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Buffy the Vampire Slayer.</strong> Most fantastic show in the whole world.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>5. The computer and everything on it.</strong> I spend too much time on the computer, checking my emails, writing up reviews, writing, editing pictures (badly), blogging, posting. The list goes on and on. </div><div></div><div></div><div>Haven't been tagged yet? Well I'm tagging you! </div><div></div><div></div><div><em>Allie. </em></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-88553241463932354542009-03-03T15:56:00.007+11:002009-03-03T19:00:58.049+11:00Interview with Stefan Petrucha.<div><br /><br /><div><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px" alt="" src="http://www.petrucha.com/images/Stefan-Pic-2007.jpg" border="0" /><strong>Stefan Petrucha has written a crazy amount of novels and graphic novels, and the list just keeps growing. His latest novel <em>The Rule of Won </em>has been widely read and loved by a large percentage of the blogosphere. Including me. (Check out my review <a href="http://justlistenbookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/01/rule-of-won-by-stefan-petrucha.html">here</a>). Want to know more about him? Check out his website <a href="http://www.petrucha.com/index.php">here</a>. </strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><br /><br /><div><strong>What was your inspiration for The Rule of Won?</strong> </div><br /><br /><br /><div>Going back to my teen years, I’ve always been fascinated by New Age ideas. More recently, I was stunned by the popularity of The Secret, especially since, far from being “secret” in any sense of the word, it seemed to be just a collection of old ideas in new packaging. But Oprah endorsed it, and it’s sales were practically propping up the publishing industry for a year or so.</div><br /><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>What do you think of ideas like The Rule?</strong> </div><br /><div>Positive thinking’s great. Believing in yourself, believing the world is full of possibilities can open you up in a life-changing way. On the flipside, not believing in your own potential can shut you down, make it practically impossible to accomplish anything. </div><br /><div>So that aspect’s terrific, useful and healthy, but when you take it to an extreme, when you argue that the universe somehow has to give you whatever you ask for, that people who are starving or dying of disease do so because deep down they’re asking for it, that’s something else entirely. Aside from being irrational and utterly narcissistic, it’s dangerous. You can’t have everything. As the current economy is pointing out to peple all across the globe right now, real life is full of tough choices. Having to make those choices defines what we are.</div><br /><br /><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>Did you learn anything interesting while you were studying for The Rule of Won?</strong> </div><br /><div>Aside from reading The Secret and some of the books it was based on (which go back to the 1910s), I did come across a particularly fascinating story about a panel conference in the eighties, where the idea of the Rule of Attraction was being discussed by believers and critics. </div><br /><div>It kind of summed up some of my ideas on the subject when at one point, a gentleman held up a picture of a baby with a horrible both defect and said, “Are you telling me this child wanted to be born this way?” One of the believers coughed nervously but finally said, “Yes.” It’s stunning how far some people will go to defend irrational beliefs. </div><br /><div>Similarly, writing the novel gave me a chance to go back and watch Mondo Kane, which is mentioned in the book. It’s a really garish, dated documentary, but it did have an interesting section on the cargo cults of the Vanuatu, a tribe that built fake airports from bamboo in the hopes of attracting cargo planes, which they believe carry gifts from the gods.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><p><strong></strong></p><a href="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/27780000/27786780.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 335px" alt="" src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/27780000/27786780.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>One song that you think describes or suits The Rule of Won?</strong><br /><br /><p>Well, there’s the one I wrote, “The Rule of Won” available on iTunes and Amazon, and as a free download at my website, <a href="http://www.petrucha.com/">http://www.petrucha.com/</a>! Past that there’s that old song recently re-used in a children’s commercial, “Gimme that, gimme that, gimme, gimme, gimme that.” Don’t know who recorded that one. And maybe the George Harrison tune off the Beatle’s Let it Be album, I, Me, Mine.</p><p> </p><p><strong></strong> </p><p><strong>Why do you write for YA?</strong></p><p>They pay me! :) But seriously, I broke into writing doing comic books (aka graphic novels), so in some ways teens have always been a big part of my audience. Writing YA seemed a natural. I also write for “adult” markets, but don’t really see it as all that different, other than generally having a teen main character. </p><p>If anything, a lot of YA is actually far more inventive, engrossing and edgy than what you’ll find in the mainstream fiction sections. I’ve always been a big fan of M.T. Anderson for instance. Feed, and his more recent Octavian Nothing books are nothing short of brilliant.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Any advice for aspiring writers?</strong></p><p>Well, some writers advise you to write what you like, and that’s good advice for being happy, but to be a professional writer, to sell something, you have to write what other people like, and that’s not always the same thing. With that in mind, my advice is to read everything you can get your hands on, even stuff you don’t like, and try to figure out how and why it works. In the end, I think it’s more about developing great taste then writing what you like. Writing is communication, and communication is only half about you, the other half is about the person/people you’re trying to communicate with.<br /></p><p><strong></strong> </p><p><strong>What are you reading at the moment?</strong> </p><br /><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41-9GvH4UVL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41-9GvH4UVL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p>I’m very pleased to be working on a vampire thriller for the mass market that takes place across about a century. It starts in 17th century America and ends in 19th century Europe, during Napoleon’s reign. As a result, I’m reading a lot of interesting historical material, including a book from a very strange children’s series from the 1890s called Young Puritans in King Philip’s War. I’m also reading some fascinating material about the discover of the Rosetta Stone by French workers after Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt. </p><br /><br /><p>Fiction wise, the last story I read was a science fiction piece called Lobsters by Charles Stross I was at a Boston science fiction convention a few weeks back and it coming up on everyone’s must-read list. It did not disappoint. </p><p> </p><p><strong></strong> </p><p><strong>What are you working on now?</strong> </p><p>For Papercutz, the edgy tween graphic novel company, I continue to script the Nancy Drew graphic novels with my wife, Sarah Kinney. I’m also penning a few stories for their Tales from the Crypt series (including a Twilight satire co-written with my daughter Maia!) </p><p>Past that, I have two mainstream adult projects I’m currently working on, the vampire thriller mentioned earlier, which I think will be my best work to date, and a non-fiction project based on a popular paranormal reality show that I’m having a great time with. The contracts for those aren’t signed yet, so I can’t say much more. </p><p>I also recently completed my third book for Walker, Split – about a teen who leads two very different lives – and so far reaction from my publishers has been terrific. I’m very excited about that one as well. It looks like a great coming year for me, writing wise. And hey, thanks for having me!</p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p><strong>Thank-you so much for stopping by Stefan! :)</strong></p><br /><br /><p><strong></strong></p><br /><br /><p><em>--Allie. </em></p></div></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-27584507308914315402009-03-01T12:23:00.004+11:002009-03-01T12:29:07.082+11:00In My Mailbox (3)<a href="http://www.bdb.com.au/images/books/large/arrival.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px" alt="" src="http://www.bdb.com.au/images/books/large/arrival.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />In My Mailbox is the awesome segment created by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/">The Story Siren</a>.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Arrival by Charlotte McConaghy.</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><em>It has been foretold. Two worlds will collide when six mortals from Earth enter Paragor through a portal.<br />They will face forces of terrifying darkness.<br />Their journey will become the stuff of legends.<br />It is time.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br />I'm really excited about this one, the prologue was so amazing.Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-57857652547680247522009-02-28T13:11:00.004+11:002009-02-28T13:20:58.240+11:00The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.<a href="http://parkridgeya.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/truth.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 244px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 346px" alt="" src="http://parkridgeya.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/truth.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-size:85%;">“Don’t be afraid, be alive.”</span></em><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Rating: </strong>4/5.<br /><br /><strong>Summary:</strong> It’s going to be a long summer for sixteen year old Macy Queen. Her boyfriend Jason is going away to brain camp and she’s stuck working at the library.<br />But then one night, the summer seems to get a whole lot brighter when she’s needed to help the Wish Catering crew at her mother’s open house event. And not long after that, Macy ditches the library job and joins up with the Wish gang. Where she befriends: the big hearted Delia, quiet and clumsy Monica, fashion loving and funny Kristy, the young genius Bert. But who Macy likes the best is Wes, understanding, artistic Wes. The Wish crew teaches Macy to look at life a whole new way…<br /><br /><br /><strong>Review:</strong> I will firstly say that everyone who loves a young adult book, with a boy and an issue: you need to read Sarah Dessen’s books. I can’t enthuse that enough. Dessen is the queen of YA.<br /><br />The Truth about Forever is wonderful. Sarah writes a beautiful novel where we get a fantastic plot and even more fantastic characters.<br /><br />The characters are fun and entertaining, and have more to them then we think. From fashion conscious Kristy to Monica who barley speaks. As an avid Sarah Dessen fan I expect wonderful minor characters because she is so great at writing them. The Truth About Forever not only doesn’t disappoint, but brings her minor and quirky characters to a whole new and exciting level.<br />The Truth about Forever is laugh at loud funny in and brings tears to your eyes in other parts. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that is impossible to not jump on and enjoy like crazy!<br /><br />The story is sweet and we see that trying to be perfect can waste away our lives, and that we should just be ourselves.<br /><br />Sarah adds a lot of quirk and fun to the story as she is known to do. She lets us get to know the characters in fun ways, such as “the game of truth”.<br /><br />We see raw and strong emotion that makes this book a page turner.<br /><br />Four stars because I totally and utterly enjoyed this book, the characters fun and the plot sweet. Sarah writes us another fantastic book in her own style.<br /><br /><em>Allie.</em>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-69336393269125726482009-02-25T22:33:00.005+11:002009-02-26T20:34:53.981+11:00Special: Cover to Cover (3)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYDlH3J_ySMAtmqodBvs14sD3tnhSybpCdsbUYNhCygDDwl_VnDZVP6bxn0rTDipZZgP7oijG1MBx6oOqm9btz0O6ats0RUyOxnCcU71i0sPW-CV3_xe70RRe9GDRFfshifKp7xooNf4/s1600-h/The+Bride"></a>After reading <em>How I Live Now</em>, I’ve become an admirer and fan of Meg Rosoff. I was very excited to find out that she has a new book – a wonderfully titled book – coming out later this year. <em>The Bride’s Farewell</em>.<br /><br /><br /><br />Aussie publishers need your help in deciding between the U.S and the U.K cover for the book.<br /><br />So here’s a sneak peek at the <strong>U.S</strong> cover:<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306696994293593922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNp4auDDFsyQiMGgR8-ZxKZ9yDqaZevkOv7C1ozUyv1TdqpCkAV1wPVZ0GpjoTKyc6OfadScdHs9suN8vBahDDKU9inzdhB1CRi4KygnwvnREug40ID6wO9fbgOsrbAkVWDB-SQo3GEs/s200/The+Bride%27s+Farewell+US.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />And the <strong>U.K</strong> cover:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306697265630724818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 130px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4Zsu92bB1hyphenhyphenAq5zr_GmvJpJWPPfIm_-J5d6DLyTJwzuSY_pnKdIj13F8lEYEC1EL7xdi5qVAezL5p3YJCepiqopbANjKTE-_UTCidBJd7Xewk4MPHN2d9-iAdcGKBDN8CiE91TL_pfs/s200/The+Bride%27s+Farewell+UK.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />I’m tipping toward the U.K cover myself, <strong>but what about you? Which one grabs your attention? Which is your favourite?</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><em>--Allie.</em>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-38360622758283617802009-02-22T19:03:00.003+11:002009-02-22T19:11:50.823+11:00In My Mailbox (2)Whooo! I get to join in! This awesome idea comes from <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/">The Story Siren</a>.<br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://urbanfantasyland.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/larbalestier_fairy.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px" alt="" src="http://urbanfantasyland.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/larbalestier_fairy.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>(From <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ditch-Your-Fairy-Justine-Larbalestier/dp/1599903016">Amazon</a>)<em>Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy, like a specialized good luck charm, is vital to success. And in the case of the students at New Avalon Sports High, it might just determine whether you make the team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for 14-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all—especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass. Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenza (who has an All-The-Boys-Like-You Fairy) seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her heart’s desire, it isn’t at all what she thought it would be like, and she’ll have resort to extraordinary measures to ditch her fairy. The question is: will Charlie herself survive the fairy ditching experiment?</em> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Only one, but it's better then nothing and I am loving the look of this one. I can't wait to get into it! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://urbanfantasyland.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/larbalestier_fairy.jpg"></a></div><br /><div></div><div>Allie. </div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-83154369282978034572009-02-19T20:07:00.004+11:002009-02-19T21:00:18.337+11:00Aussie YA Alliance.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujDqw_tom0xab4ty_dxVD7Xo60OlTmDYQ6THT4hyMcFa-2tJZPuopCldgPZxOGFtfZ1Az3aXRc1_Xqtjbt7tVt9yKO6BRjqLIlNdnN_r_ttzr6PO_3cW8aoKZl_BDAKdN_ZbfxwAzZVw/s1600-h/AYA_icon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304435348120921970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 101px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 101px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujDqw_tom0xab4ty_dxVD7Xo60OlTmDYQ6THT4hyMcFa-2tJZPuopCldgPZxOGFtfZ1Az3aXRc1_Xqtjbt7tVt9yKO6BRjqLIlNdnN_r_ttzr6PO_3cW8aoKZl_BDAKdN_ZbfxwAzZVw/s200/AYA_icon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Something awesome has begun. The Aussie Young Adult Alliance or AYA for short. It’s a blog devoted to Aussie YA and international authors release in Australia. It’s been put together by Lisa May of <a href="http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com/">Look At That Book</a>, <a href="http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/">Adele of Persnickety Snark </a>and myself. All Aussie's who love YA, especially those by Oz authors .<br /><br />We’re planning a tonne of amazing things like regular features, author interviews, guest blogs, competitions and have already got an interview with the author of How To Ditch Your Fairy, Justine Larbalestier.<br /><br />It’s just getting off the round now, but there are many amazing things to come. So go and show your support! Subscribe, follow, comment!<br /><br />Want to see better versions of this post? Check <a href="http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/2009/02/aya-aussie-ya-alliance.html">Adele</a> and <a href="http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/2009/02/aya-aussie-ya-alliance.html">Lisa</a>’s blogs. </div><div></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>What Australian authors have you read? Who is your favourite Aussie author? </strong><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><a href="http://aussieya.blogspot.com/">http://aussieya.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-43026331054545683342009-02-18T18:24:00.002+11:002009-02-18T19:21:51.838+11:00Waiting On Wednesday (3)<a href="http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc181/shadowhunterCC/asheforblog.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 244px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 398px" alt="" src="http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc181/shadowhunterCC/asheforblog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Created by Jill over at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>. (Fantastic idea!). Basically we book lovers get to drool over books that haven't been released yet.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>My pick this week? <em>City of Glass</em> by Cassandra Clare. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>(From <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Mortal-Instruments-Cassandra-Clare/dp/1416914307">Amazon</a>) <strong>To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.<br />As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?</strong></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div> </div><div>One word, name, whatever. <em>Jace</em>. I am a huge fan of Jace and think that Cassandra Clare is awesome for creating him and putting him into the YA novel world. *fangirl moment. After the huge cliffhanger at the end of <em>City of Ashes</em>, I am dying for this one! </div><div> </div><div><strong>What's your pick this week?</strong> </div><div><em></em> </div><div><em>Allie.</em> </div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-67811597032472437982009-02-16T17:40:00.003+11:002009-02-16T17:46:39.137+11:00White Is For Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz.<a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0738704431.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 317px" alt="" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0738704431.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Rating: </strong>2/5.</div><br /><div><strong>Summary:</strong>A year has passed since Stacey Brown saved her best friend from a horrible death. Now she's having nightmares again, haunted by ghosts of the brutally murdered . . . and by a crazed stalker. As she desperately casts healing spells, a new student named Jacob enters her world. Beautiful and mysterious, he reveals that he is also having dreams. To stop a killer, they must join together. But can Jacob be trusted? Or will this new love cause her darkest dreams to come true? </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong>Review: </strong>I feel like I’m writing lots of negative reviews recently. Oh well. Let’s get on with this. White is for Magic is the second novel in the Blue is for Nightmares series.<br /><br />I felt like the series would get better, but I feel that it’s stayed the same, or even gotten a little worse. I feel like the characters haven’t grown at all since the tough times they’ve been through last year. Stacey is annoying and fickle. Drea is once again getting herself in trouble and I wish that she could look out for herself. None of them have grown at all. The new addition and love interest Jacob is cool and I hope that his character is more awesome and has more to him then Stacey and magic in the next novel. I think that Stolarz could have made the characters more human this time around. Instead of making the only thing they care about the mystery of the story and the person they’re interested in romantically.<br /><br />The mystery was odd and I felt like it didn’t really make much sense, but I knew who the “bad guy” was going to be. One positive is that Stolarz allowed you to doubt who the bad guy was, like she did in Blue is for Nightmares.<br /><br />For some reason I have a compulsion to finish this series, something has me hooked and I don’t want to be, so there’s another positive about the novel.<br /><br /></div><br /><div>Two out of five for this sequel. I feel like it could have been much better though, I have still have a little hope that the series will improve.</div><div></div><div><em>Allie.</em> </div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-12994897045499432302009-02-12T21:56:00.001+11:002009-02-12T21:57:50.567+11:00Waves by Sharon Dogar..<div><div><strong>Rating: </strong>4/5<a href="http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/books/covers/14/waves_pb_jkt.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 142px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/books/covers/14/waves_pb_jkt.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><strong>Summary: </strong>Last summer Hal’s older sister Charley was in an accident in the waves, leaving her comatose, not dead, not alive.<br />On returning to the beach, Hal finds it difficult to shake Charley’s dominant presence. Thoughts of her fill his mind, pictures and places, even strong emotions crowd his busy mind and soon enough Hal realises that they’re not entirely his.<br />Hal is determined to find out what happened to Charley last summer in the waves, and as the summer goes along he gets closer and closer to finding out about what Charley really did last summer.<br /><br /></div><div><strong>Review: </strong>This was a really fascinating story and I really enjoyed it.<br />A highly original story that had an excellent supernatural undertone. Wonderful plot, wonderful mystery. Awesome characters and some that were kind of disturbing. Dogar wrote the disturbing parts of her characters an enourmous amount of class.<br />There are two perspectives given in this novel. The most used is Hal’s, the younger brother, with him we go through his wonderfully written pain and anger about what’s happened to Charley. We’re able to watch him search for answers and put some of the pieces together and even fall in love. Even experience some of the emotion he is experiencing.<br /></div><div>Then we have comatose Charley. Her perspective is very interesting, we get her now – as in, the Charley that’s lost in a coma – it’s very creative and vague and I enjoyed reading her parts so very much. Then we get Charley then, and we live her memories of last summer and get quite a few clues from there.<br />I think that this story takes a bit of getting in to, but it’s very much worth it when you finally do. The ending is beautiful. When all the pieces are put together and you finally see what happened that night things seem to make a lot more sense and we see why some people are the way they are.<br />Dogar is a lovely writer, who writes with such imagination and creativity it’s inspiring.<br />I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mystery and putting pieces together, or even if you’re a supernatural addict, this could be a fix.<br /><br /><br /><br />Four stars, this book was really enjoyable and so original, the characters were fun and mysterious, the views creative, I think that this story was a breathe of fresh air. </div></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-55797250012237783192009-02-07T15:59:00.009+11:002009-02-09T20:20:20.641+11:00Cover to Cover. (2)<div>Cover to Cover. Want to know more about it? Check out the first one <a href="http://justlistenbookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/01/cover-to-cover.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>This weeks pick? <em>Looking for Alaska</em> by the <strong><em>awesome </em></strong>John Green. A personal favourite of mine.<br /><br /><br /></div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299921111118588050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4ggSlHsmCeFkfDSOIHCdM25UWYu6Dp-nFzG-WgWAl64X6SVP-EBcKEPgdRc40DFkr52tveEGIYLI8za5YRBqN9yko1IFmfKB9LEh8o8XjRJ7vDXqgVNhHlagvRZUVbVVXa-8xZWW_sI/s320/lfa1.jpg" border="0" /><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299921341043863586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm67ddCh3MRsj4yybmCzWyFGTHM5xjhKRbZkLUEfSRYRPDz_3fs7HE9bEWJBXgd0VrUN0b97raJ8EVm3muGU4qw3TntHXcnJhgjmC-Do8Av9ZBYqlAzNQM4_eFV00YdURKVATY_LRlxU/s320/lfa2.jpg" border="0" /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299921552651246834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 244px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-h1Y9Nc-BcI7lY8qP-8V1gy9st9sbz9DZmWsweiJ1KMUdBUZI0YFW5sKWUefMRlM4zQ1abQYPw5mtJEKai5ZyjkbSFY693oobXqkYEZs7oLAcNBkcsI8CYkhU2wlk3_CZ9aNHRBWt1M/s320/lookingforalaska3.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p align="center"><em>Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words — and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.</em></p><br /><br /><p align="center"><em></em></p><br /><br /><p align="left">I have trouble choosing a favourite out of these three. My copy of the novel has the first cover. I like how simple it is and how intense the: "First friend. First Girl. Last Words." And how Alaska is written.</p><br /><br /><p align="left">I love the second one because if you think about it for long enough it can imply a lot. Maybe it implys things going up in smoke? Maybe it implys the end? I adore the way that the smoke curls up the top of the shot.</p><br /><br /><p align="left">The last one and I believe the Australian cover. I love the way: "First Friend. First Girl. Last Words" is written on this as well. I love how sweet the picture is and how it's faded. I like the black border as well.</p><br /><p align="left">My favourite cover, I think has to be the second one (U.S). <strong>What about you? Which cover is your favourite and why?</strong></p>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-77878388810218634992009-02-06T22:48:00.004+11:002009-02-07T15:51:45.232+11:00A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks<a href="http://dreamaway.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/awtr-book.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 371px" alt="" src="http://dreamaway.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/awtr-book.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="color:black;">Rating: </span></b><span style="color:black;">2/5.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="color:black;">Summary: </span></b><span style="color:black;">In 1958 Landon Carter is a shallow but well-meaning teenager who spends most of his time hanging out with his friends and trying hard to ignore the impending responsibilities of adulthood. Then Landon gets roped into acting the lead in the Christmas play opposite the most renowned goody two-shoes in town: Jamie Sullivan. Against his best intentions and the taunts of his buddies, Landon finds himself falling for Jamie and learning some central lessons in life.</span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:black;"></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:black;"></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:black;"></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">Review: </span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">I feel bad writing this review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I’m going to express what I really thought about this novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I expected to really like <em>A Walk to Remember</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is the first novel I’ve read by Nicholas Sparks and I thought that it would be better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Read the summary and it’s my kind of story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Only a small amount of time to spend with someone you love, it’s amazing and tragic and I adore stories like that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Problem number one: I didn’t feel it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t feel like Landon and Jamie were in love, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It wasn’t passionate enough for me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Problem number two: Heaps of stuff was explained and never shown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Problem number three: There weren’t enough major events or exciting things, even though I powered through this novel in a mere few hours, I did so because I felt like something really amazing was going to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It didn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The beginning is so powerful, so amazing, so well written, the only thing you can do is have your hopes up high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rest of the novel really lets down such amazing writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It hooks you, and then deteriorates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The characters were very well written, Landon was really realistic as far teen males go, I got a little sick of the way he explained everything though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Jamie, is sweet and nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And just so sweet I could hardly stand it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve read Nicholas’s notes on the novel and I agree, they should be innocent as they’re portrayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But, I was hoping for a little corruption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sometimes I felt with Jamie the only personality trait she had was her love and devotion to God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">It’s a good story about faith, starting off amazingly and slowly getting worse and more rushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It took a long time to come into the main plot which is Jamie’s leukaemia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The way the town came together to express their sympathy is corny, but kind of beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I hate to do this, I really do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I’m giving this novel two out of five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Too much explaining, too rushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not passionate enough.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 143.15pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>Allie</em>.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-33453655682050019092009-02-04T17:21:00.002+11:002009-02-04T17:33:08.684+11:00Waiting on Wednesday (2)<a href="http://sarahdessen.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/alongforride.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 368px" alt="" src="http://sarahdessen.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/alongforride.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I just have to get my lust for this book out of my system.<br /><br /><strong></strong></div><div><strong>It's been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents' divorce - or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she's been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.</strong><br /><br /></div><div>Ah, now I don’t know whether you all know, but I’m pretty big fan of Sarah Dessen. (Does the title of the blog give it away? XD ). As you would expect, I am very excited about this novel. It seems like ages ago I read about the announcement of this novel and the days have been slowly ticking away to its release and are still trudging along and to be honest, it’s quite agonizing.<br /><br /></div><em></em><br /><div><em>Allie.</em> </div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1772105754185108651.post-42051930027761824872009-02-02T17:49:00.008+11:002009-02-02T18:01:32.034+11:00Glass Houses by Rachel Caine.<a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n34/n174575.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px" alt="" src="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n34/n174575.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><em>Welcome to Morganville, Texas.<br />Just don't stay out after dark.</em><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Rating: </strong>4/5.</div><br /><div><strong>Summary: </strong>College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero.<br />When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood. </div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div align="center"><strong></strong></div><div align="center"></div><div><strong></strong></div><div align="center"><strong>***</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>Review: </strong>What I liked about Rachel Caine’s <em>Glass Houses</em> was that I was told lots of good things about the novel and when I read it I wasn’t disappointed. One mildly negative thing I have to say about the novel is the writing style. It reminded me very much of a novel that I could not finish a couple months ago. The difference between the novels though is the plot and characters and all around wit of the story was able to carry the story and really make it a page turner.<br /><br />The characters were only lovable. Claire, Eve, Michael and especially Shane. Caine crafted them well and made them human. Other characters were very intriguing, especially Amelie.<br /><br />Something about the story that I really liked was how the town was crafted and ran. There’s so much potential in the story, plotting, the way the town is crafted that makes me very desperate for the next novel in the series. The vampires are pretty damn evil and stay evil, and I like that. Keeps things very interesting.<br /><br />I’m singing nothing but praises about this novel. And can’t wait until I have money to buy <em>Dead Girls Dance</em>.<br /><br /></div><br /><div>Four out of five. Fantastic. There’s been waves and waves of Vampire YA and I mean it when I say this: one of best Vampire YA novels I’ve read in a while. </div><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><div><em>Allie. </em></div>Just Listenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310539383321787948noreply@blogger.com5