Stop, Drop, and Read!

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

2009-11-09T04:45:00.000-05:00

Title: As You Wish
Author: Jackson Pearce
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 298
My Rating: 4/5

Viola just wants to be accepted and loved. No, she is not a loner and she have friends but she just feels that there is something missing inside of her. Ever since her boyfriend/best friend broke up with her because of his sexuality, she yearns for a chance to belong.

With a powerful wish inside of her, she somehow summons up a jinn. Like a genie, he will grant her three wishes. But fearing that she will wish for something that will not make her happy, she holds back on making any wishes.

Jinn on the other hand is desperate for her to quickly make her wishes. That way, he can return home to Caliban where he can not age, unlike here on Earth where he will continue to grow old like a normal human.

As the two spend more and more time together with each other, their feelings grow stronger and stronger. Except if Viola is to make her three wishes, Jinn will disappear altogether. Can their love possibly last?

With so many 5/5 ratings for this novel, I had very high expectations for As You Wish. In the end, I didn't end up giving my 5/5 as I hoped, though As You Wish is an adorable read nonetheless.

In this story, you will get two perspectives, one from Viola's and the other from Jinn's. I was most surprised when I first read Jinn's side of things. Being so used to the typical, mysterious male in most YA novels, I thought Jinn would have that sexy and dark tone of voice or something along those lines. Instead, he sounded more normal than anything! No offence to Jinn but sometimes his thoughts were like a girl's. I did however find myself liking him as a character because his emotions towards Viola were sweet and caring.

When it came to Viola though, I couldn't find myself caring for her so much as the protagonist. She is alright; I didn't outright dislike her or anything. She's more like, meh. If she was a side character, she would definitely blend into the background. All of her actions and thoughts were very lulling and non-exciting. I can relate to her though and I think many other teens could also. I'm sure many people out there had that want for belonging at one point in their lives so I understood her and her thoughts quite well throughout the story.

I really liked the idea of Jinn's home world, Caliban. It sounded very perfect but at the same time, somewhat of a curse if you put things into perspective. The idea of never aging and being practically immortal could definitely have been put to good use in the novel. A lot of great ideas could have been pulled out of this imaginary world of Caliban and get incorporated into the story but unfortunately did not. Pearce wanted to focus more on the romance between Viola and Jinn rather than adding in heavy context.

What the novel lacked in my opinion was the "wow" factor that made the reader desperate to continue on reading non-stop. It was not intensely amazing as I hoped it was but I still enjoyed it. As You Wish is a fluffy and lovable read with its own charms. I definitely recommend it. If you want to have a glimpse of it, check out here.

Review copy provided by HarperCollins.

In My Mailbox - XLVI

2009-11-08T00:24:00.001-05:00

To do your own In My Mailbox, please check out how to at The Story Siren!

The Borrowed

Nightschool: The Weirn Books vol. 1 by Svetlana Chmakova

The Bought

None

The Received

Moyasimon vol. 1 by Masayuki Ishikawa
Night Head Genesis vol. 1 by George Iida and You Higuri
Kitchen Princess: Search for the Angel Cake by Miyuki Kobayashi and Natsumi Ando
I Hate You More Than Anyone! vol. 1 by Banri Hidaka
The Recipe for Gertrude vol. 2, 4 by Nari Kusakawa
Go Go Heaven!! vol. 1-2 by Keiko Yamada
Variante vol. 1, 4 by Iqura Sugimoto
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Eon Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Homg, this is one of the best IMM weeks I had in quite awhile! I want to do a quick thank you to Cindy from Princess Bookie for hosting a great and huge giveaway! I received Give Up the Ghost from Megan because I won one of Cindy's contests. So thanks guys! And look forward to the reviews of the novels and mangas above folks!

Can someone let me know if I need to read Graceling by Kristin Cashore before going into Fire? In case I'll get lost if I jump right into Fire.

Also, I want to let you guys know there is a cool event you can join called the Holiday Swap! It's like Secret Santa! You guys should really check it out! Not only will you make someone else happy, byt you'll get your own little cool gift too! Click here or the image below to get more info! Who knows, I might be your Secret Santa. ;)

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

2009-11-07T13:53:00.002-05:00

Title: Viola in Reel Life

Author: Adriana Trigiani
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 288
My Rating: 3/5

The idea of being at a boarding school away from home is different for many people. Viola, a young girl who is passionate about filming, doesn't want to be alone in a new environment when she has no choice but to go to an all-girls boarding school as her parents work abroad.

Rooming with three other girls, Viola eventually learns to adapt to her new life and begins to understand the meaning of friendship.

I think Viola's personality works as a ninth grader. Sometimes you can't help but think that she could be smarter than she already is. Then again, she is still new to the concept of being by herself and learning to live on her own. There were times where I found her to be a little spoiled and whiny, but she was okay for the most part; there could have been more to her as a character though. I do however like how dedicated she is with her favourite hobby, filming.

There was only this one part that bothered me the most in the story and it was Viola's relationship with Jared, a boy from an all-boys boarding school nearby. They met at a party for the first time when their schools came together. Then right after, they kissed within an hour or so and were "dating". Quick relationships like that bothers me a lot in any novel. Without proper interaction that would lead up to a relationship, I don't consider it much as a relationship. I do however think Viola learned a lesson near the end with the little "romance" of hers.

I was somewhat bored for the majority of the time during the novel. It had a difficult time grabbing my attention because I couldn't find myself looking forward to anything in it. This is where a plot in a realistic novel can get tricky. With no paranormal activity or some hero's quest, the author would have to find some sort of realistic problem that the audience would be interested in. This is where Viola in Reel Life lacked, therefore making it a less enjoyable read for me since everything was so bland.

Viola in Reel Life is not a bad read, easy to breeze by. It is a read for those who wants to follow the lives of the protagonist in a simple real life situation rather than have a thick, complicated plot. If you would like a little preview of the novel, click here.

Review ARC copy provided by HarperCollins.

Reiko the Zombie Shop by Rei Mikamoto

2009-11-06T07:37:00.000-05:00

Title: Reiko the Zombie Shop
Mangaka: Rei Mikamoto
Age Group: Older Teens
Series is: Completed with 11 volumes
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1
My Rating: 4.5/5

You can't bring the dead back to life, unless you are Reiko. This young and beautiful high school student could easily have anyone who is deceased walking and talking again. Of course, only if you pay her well. But no worries, she'll charge depending on how much you make.

Popular with her services, Reiko encounters many dangerous cases. Known as Reiko the Zombie Shop, she'll always get the job done. Of course, it doesn't mean that the safety of her customers would be definite. After all, you are messing with the undead!

With my desperation for anything zombie-related, I scoured long and hard for any manga that contained some. Unfortunate, there isn't much. I lucked out though, discovering this title through Deb Aoki from the popular Manga About.com.

When I first saw the art, I was like "Hmm". Sometimes I found Reiko's head to be awkward compared to the rest of her body, but if you were to just see only her on the page, you wouldn't expect that there would be so much gore following after. While reading, the art sometimes went to the extreme, with guts everywhere. It wasn't creepy until I actually thought about the artwork and story once I was done reading.

A few of the situations that Reiko ended up in went by a little too quickly. What bothered me was the question on how did Reiko obtained the power to bring the dead back? Was it because she fiddled with dark magic? Through bloodline? The first volume never covered the background story of Reiko and I really wanted to learn more about her.

Despite all that, I enjoyed the manga. It gave great doses of creepiness, blood and zombies with interesting background stories to it. Reiko the Zombie Shop is a great read for horror fans but not to those who are not into mangas with quick, short stories.

Book Tour: Medina Hill by Trilby Kent + Author Interview + Contest

2009-11-04T09:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Stop, Drop, and Read! from Carrie's YA Bookshelf! Please enjoy your stay at my stop for Trilby Kent's Medina Hill book tour!

Title: Medina Hill
Author: Trilby Kent
Age Group: Tweens
# of Pages: 172
My Rating: 4/5

Set in a time period during the Great Depression in London, Dominic Walker is a young boy who can not speak. He can to his family, but whenever he is in contact with anyone else, he is unable to produce sound.

Life at home is dreary with his mother weakening with illness and his father without work. And with war on top of it all, no wonder the boy has nothing to say.

When his Uncle Roo unexpectedly came by, Dominic and his younger sister Marlo was taken to spend the summer with him at a boarding house. There, the two siblings encounter unusual but loving people. Dominic befriends a one-legged Gypsy girl but the people in the village discriminate against her people. With the power of friendship and a novel of Incredible Adventures for Boys: Colonel Lawrence and the Revolt in the Desert in hand, the boy who lost his voice learns about true heroism.

I generally don't pick up novels that are for middle school children but the synopsis sounded interesting that I decided to go for it.

The characters were defined and had a pleasantness about them when you read them. I thought Dominic was a strong boy but did not realize it until the end. He was attached to the book that his Uncle Roo had bought him and looked up to his personal hero, Colonel Lawrence. Like most kids, he dreamed about grand things. I found him to be a charming protagonist and his friendship with tomboy Sancha was sweet.

I really love Kent's writing within this novel because it is descriptive without using big words. But in my opinion, I think the novel will have a hard time garnering the attention of middle schoolers. Although aimed at tweens, Medina Hill would be better appreciated by someone older because of the theme and language. The story line isn't fast moving nor exciting to those with a younger mindset so it would be more difficult for a child of ten years to sit through rather than one who is sixteen years old. But of course, I am sure there would be a adolescent out there who would like this novel.

Medina Hill is definitely a great debut by Trilby Kent, although it will appeal to someone more mature rather than the targeted audience.

~~~

Now that you know a bit about Medina Hill, why not get to know the author some more? I have interviewed Trilby with some questions below! Scroll down some more for a chance to win a copy of Medina Hill also!

First, what inspired you to write Medina Hill?

A trip to Cornwall provided the crucial ‘spark’, although I’d been interested in writing a book about Lawrence of Arabia for quite some time before that.

What do you find is the easiest part in writing? And the hardest?

Starting is easy; ending is much harder.

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, can you please give a quick summary about them?

I’ve recently completed a second children’s novel set during the Anglo-Boer War. The main character is a twelve year-old girl who embarks on a grueling trek with her mother and brothers across the battled-scarred Transvaal. A friendship with a Canadian soldier, the loss of an African friend and the tragic consequences of the British concentration camp system all play their part in her coming of age.

I also have a novel for adults doing the submission rounds at the moment. Ranging between Flanders and Ceylon in the late 1930s, it tells the story of a correspondence that grows out of a case of mistaken identity between a young Englishwoman and a 13 year-old Flemish boy. I’m quite proud of it and am hopeful that it will find a home soon.

The latest project is a novel I’m writing as part of my PhD. Most of the action takes place in an experimental boarding school in 1950s Guernsey, although I’m playing with the possibility of a time-slip into sixteenth-century southern Africa…

Did you always wanted to be an author? If not, what led you to become one today?

I’ve always loved writing, but until relatively recently I didn’t really believe that I’d be able to make a full-time career out of it. For me, the turning point came when I decided to quit the 9 to 5 and start working as a freelance journalist. Around the same time, my partner was offered a job in Brussels, so I was able to start with a fresh slate in a new city. I was very lucky: within a few weeks I’d landed a gig as a regular contributor to the Continent’s largest English-language newsmagazine, writing book, film and exhibition reviews and the odd feature article. The combination of flexible working hours and a stimulating day job made it possible for me to spend several days a week developing my writing. That was four years ago now, and I haven’t looked back since!

Like Dominic, do you have your own hero that you look up to now or when you were younger?

What a great question. The South African journalist and anti-apartheid activist Donald Woods was probably my first proper hero. I saw Cry Freedom when I was in middle school, and it blew my mind.

If you could jump into any book, which book would it be?

Atonement (those gorgeous first few pages, anyway - before things start to go hideously wrong). Or Other Voices, Other Rooms, because I’m a sucker for Southern Gothic. Mint juleps and pecan pie all round!

If you could travel back to any era or year, which era or year would it be?

The 1930s, without a doubt. I find the interwar years absolutely fascinating – it’s easy to forget, what with all the razzmatazz of the Roaring Twenties, that people were still coming to terms with the Great War years later. The 1930s was a decade of massive social change, considerable hardship, and a lot of pent-up energy resulting from the dawning realisation that another global conflict was just around the corner. For a writer, it’s a period bursting with creative potential.

Lastly, please give us an interesting fact about yourself that many do not know of!

Backpacking in India, a friend and I found ourselves on a train travelling in completely the wrong direction: we were supposed to be going to Jaipur, and instead found ourselves heading for Bihar, which at that point was in the grip of an outbreak of deadly riots. A fellow passenger told us about another train that would soon be passing ours, travelling in the opposite direction, which always slowed down in order to let both trains navigate a narrow bend. When it appeared, we took our chances, jumping from our train and racing to catch the other before it picked up speed again. This all happened at 3 o’clock in the morning, in the pitch dark, somewhere in the Uttar Pradesh countryside. A couple of men who saw us trailing their carriage flung a door open and hauled us on board just in time. It was terrifying and exhilarating. Suffice to say, I didn’t tell my parents about the escapade until I was safely home in England!

~~~

Now that you have read the review and know more about Trilby, it is time to get onto the contest! Yes, you can win 1 of 5 copies of Medina Hill!

To get entries:
+1: Comment with your email address
+1: Become a new follower
+2: Already is a follower
+1: For every place you link this contest to

Open worldwide and closing date on November 20, 2009. I am the last stop for today but be sure to continue the tour tomorrow at Write for a Reader!

Trailer Tuesday: Explorer X - Alpha by LM. Preston

2009-11-03T07:22:00.000-05:00

Title: Explorer X - Alpha

Author: LM. Preston

Description: For most kids, a trip to space camp is a trip of a lifetime, for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. Lucky for him, he was engineered to survive, thrive, and dominate. Without realizing he is being trained to conquer worlds, and manipulated under the guise of a camp, he unfolds the plot too late for a change of fate.

I'm going to review this one in a couple of months. Look forward to it!

Author Interview: Kathleen Bolton/Cassidy Calloway

2009-11-02T10:33:00.000-05:00

If you have read my review for Confessions of a First Daughter, you would know that I highly adore it! So I hunted down the author but to find out that Cassidy Calloway is her pen name! Her real name is Kathleen Bolton and she agreed on a quick and fun interview with me!

She does not have a site but she does co-write with others on a site called Writer Unboxed if you want to check her out!

First, what inspired you to write Confessions of a First Daughter?

Mine was an unusual journey. I'd been invited to submit a writing sample for this project by a publisher looking to pair a writer with a high-concept storyline which was pitched as "The West Wing meets Princess Diaries". I knew the second I read the storyline that the book would be so much fun to write. First Daughter Morgan Abbott is a lovable character who gets into trouble. She's hates how being a quasi-celebrity interferes with trying to have a normal life. Added to the mix that her mother is the president of the United States, which provided plenty of mother/daughter angst, boyfriend troubles, then you've got a fast-paced read. Above all, the book was meant to be funny and entertaining. Plus I'm a political junkie, so the whole project was right up my alley. I let the jokes fly, and I was able to dial into exactly what the publisher was looking for, luckily!

What do you find is the easiest part in writing? And the hardest?

The easiest part about writing is when you've just finished writing a really good scene that you know clicked with all the elements: pacing, dialogue, freshness. Those moments are awesome. The hardest part about writing is having confidence in yourself that what you are writing will eventually lead to a publishable book. No one writes without a ton of revision, that's just the way it is. But if there's nothing to revise, you're dead in the water.

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, can you please give a quick summary about them?

I've delivered book 2 in the First Daughter series, which is called SECRETS OF A FIRST DAUGHTER and will be released in 2010. It's the further adventures of Morgan Abbott, her hunky Secret Service boyfriend Max, and more conflict with the bratty Brittany Whittaker. This time the fun takes place in London, which was really cool for me because London is one of my favorite cities.

Did you always wanted to be an author? If not, what led you to become one today?

I vividly remember the moment I decided I wanted to be a writer. I was around 9 years old and had just finished reading a Little House on the Prairie book. My mom had come into my room to tuck me in, and I sat up in bed and informed her that I wanted to be a writer. I've been pursuing it on and off ever since.

If you could jump into any book, which book would it be?

Lord of the Rings, post Sauron. Middle Earth is so cool. I'd want to help rebuild Gondor.

If you could travel back to any era or year, which era or year would it be?

I'm pretty happy with today. I like having cures for diseases and the Internet.

Lastly, please give us an interesting fact about yourself that many do not know of!

I am a huge fan of Project Runway and other elimination reality shows. I can waste a ridiculous amount of time on them.

In My Mailbox - XLV

2009-11-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

To do your own In My Mailbox, please check out how to at The Story Siren!

The Borrowed

None

The Bought

None

The Received

Drawing Manga Animals, Chibis, and Other Adorable Creatures by J.C. Amberlyn
The Manga Artist's Workbook by Christopher Hart
Fairy Cube vol. 2 by Kaori Yuki
Kitty and the House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn
Sumomomo Momomo vol. 1 by Shinobu Ohtaka
Cat Paradise vol. 1 by Yuji Iwahara
Jack Frost vol. 1 by JinHo Ko
Nabari No Ou vol. 1 by Yuhki Kamatani
Ichiroh! vol. 1 by Mikage

I have received quite a bit of manga this week! I want to thank TD from Tiamat's Manga Reviews for hosting a great Yen Press contest! Lol, because of you, I finally have Yen Press titles in my manga collection! And thank you Az from Bookmooch for Fairy Cube! I luckily already have the first in the series and needed to continue it!

I was notified through my email from Laura of Tattooed Books that she presented me the One Lovely Blog Award! Thanks Laura!

Spooktacular Suggestions for a Seasonal Scare

2009-10-31T15:09:00.004-04:00

Happy Halloween! Due to my lack of reviews //coughcough//, I decided to put together a list of Halloween-y recommendations for you guys (on Halloween)! Originally it was supposed to be 5 recommendations in each of the three categories: YA novel, manga, and film. But it was way too much (trust me, try it yourself and you'll see) so I decided to just do one of each then. So check out below my random picks on what you can read or watch tonight!

YA Novel

Title: Zombie Blondes
Author: Brian James
Description: From the moment Hannah Sanders arrived in town, she felt there was something wrong. A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.

The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in appearance: blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.

But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling her: If she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town. . . .

Diana's Comment: This is the first and last YA novel that I have read in the bookstore because I was so desperate to read it! (Only had the hardcover at the time and no money). I read this before actually creating this blog so I do not have a review for it but I give it a 5/5! Totally spooky and totally unique, zombie fans should definitely check this out! Brian James was fantastic at making a story through a girl's perspective because he nailed all of the emotions and thoughts amazingly!

Manga

Title: Dragon Head
Mangaka: Minetaro Mochizuki
Description: A typical school field trip going back to Tokyo from Kyoto via the bullet train Shinkansen is suddenly interrupted by a blinding light and a powerful explosion. Hours later, Aoki Teru, wakes up in total darkness only to find that everyone except him are dead. Now, trapped in a tunnel with both ends burried under a pile rocks, he must find the remaining survivors and get out of there. But what awaits him outside may not be what he wants to see.

Diana's Comment: Read my very old review of it here. This stuff will keep you hooked and freaked out 100%!

Movie

Title: The Ring
Release Year: 2002
Description: A mysterious video tape is killing off anyone who watches it. Whenever the victim watches it, the phone rings, telling them they have only one week to live. A young reporter named Rachel is investigating these events, but after she and her small son watch the tape, it becomes a race against time to find out why the tape is killing everyone and how it could be stopped.

Diana's Comment: This movie scared me, even until today. After I watched it when I was around 10 years old, I couldn't sleep for that entire night. I was honestly so scared out of my mind that every shadow made me think it was Sadako coming out to get me. If you guys really need a scare for Halloween, The Ring is your movie.

So do you guys have any Halloween recommendations you would like to share with others? Or what is your take for any of my recommendation above? Feel free to comment below!

Never Bite a Boy on the First Date by Tamara Summers

2009-10-30T21:31:00.000-04:00

Title: Never Bite a Boy on the First Date
Author: Tamara Summers
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 280
My Rating: 2.5/5

Kira, once known as Phoebe Tanaka, is a teenage vampire who has a big problem. (Which young bloodsucker doesn't?). Sure she bit a guy she temporarily lusted for but it didn't mean she took another snack out of someone from her new school! But her vampire family doesn't believe her. She must clear up her name within a week or else she'll have to face the consequences!

With three cute suspects she is eyeing on, how can Kira keep focus on her little "detective" work? Especially when she might be crushing on one of them!

Well, I don't hate the vampire part of this novel but it is practically everything else the bothers me.

In first-person narration, Kira fell flat through her voice with her feelings only grazed upon. She was impossible to connect with because whenever she narrated, it would be like she was talking to you in real life, simply describing what was going on but without giving you that personal connection. If there is no connection with the protagonist, the reader will likely end up not caring what would happen to the character in the end.

Also, you don't learn much about her past life and how she dealt with her blood family after she became a vampire. She constantly stated that she is half Japanese but what is the other half? European? African American? There were a lot of blanks in terms of her history and I think it is important to at least let the reader know more about Kira as a whole.

I didn't understand why there would be anything going with Kira and her suspects. There was absolutely no chemistry between Kira or any of the guys because their time spent together wasn't even worth enough to develop anything! The romance was practically non-existent!

When the ending came around, it was not as exciting as it was supposed to be. From start to finish, I was like, "Uh huh. Uh huh. Okay, done." I couldn't find this novel to be appealing as I hoped.

I guess you could call this novel a mystery but I just don't see the mystery factor in it. I found the plot was an excuse to have Kira hang out with three different cuties because that was pretty much what was happening throughout. I don't hate the book; I guess I just don't like how everything was put together. The premise is not mind-blowing but a potentially good story could have been created upon it. There were just too many flaws, from characters to plot to almost anything you could think of. As a reader, you wouldn't mind reading the novel but you would definitely be nit-picking it as you go through.

Never Bite a Boy on the First Date is your lighter vamp novel and is easy to breeze through, but something I would never recommend purchasing. You can take a peek of the novel here.

Review copy provided by HarperCollins.

X-Men Misfits by Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, & ANZU

2009-10-29T20:35:00.000-04:00

Title: X-Men Misfits
Mangaka: Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman (Story) & ANZU (Art)
Age Group: Teens
Series is: Ongoing with 2 volumes
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1
My Rating: 3/5

Kitty isn't like any other kid. Really. How? She can walk through walls!

Thinking that she will never fit in, a man arrives at her home to let her know that he is giving her a scholarship to attend a private school for the gifted. A chance for a change, she agrees.

Discovering that she is the only female at this odd and new school, Kitty is surrounded by a harem of beautiful males! She immediately gets fawned over with attention from left to right. Not to mention, she gets a cute boyfriend who can control fire! Oh life at her new school is great.

But, Kitty realizes that her new cool friends are not as cool as they seem. With their reactions towards humans, can Kitty truly call them friends? And her eyes keep venturing towards the cold-hearted Iceman, Bobby, even though she is with John...

"Different" girl + Boys with magical powers = another typical harem manga. So yes, plenty of eye candy of guys in this new series but I am not fond of the artwork. I have looked up the artist, ANZU, and her style is pretty nice but when it came to this manga, it just didn't work. It felt somewhat rushed, compared to her usual art pieces. The lines were thin and somewhat awkward upon the characters, unlike to her personal comic, Thirst of Angels, which was neat and nicely inked.

The story was a little "Ehhh". I thought it could have been better in terms of an X-Men twist (this is when Professor Xavier was not yet in a wheelchair). I found the relationship between Kitty and her boyfriend to be dumb. They came together too quickly and it appeared to be more of lust than love. Which was something I am sure that was meant to be portrayed but I still didn't like it. The plot didn't have anything to look forward to except for some pretty characters. The only character I liked was a mutant named Kurt, who was like part lizard or something, but was unfortunately had limited appearances.

X-Men Misfits so far only has nice looking male characters with powers and a girl stuck in the middle of it all with no concrete story. It is hard to pinpoint what will build up in the continuing volumes. It is a manga I do not recommend going out to buy but not bad to read if you have some time to spare.

Review copy provided by Del Rey.

Watching on Wednesday: Shaun of the Dead

2009-10-28T01:33:00.000-04:00

Title: Shaun of the Dead
Type: Movie
Age Group: Teens +
Release Year: 2004
My Rating: 4.5/5

Shaun (Simon Pegg) lives a life that is less than super in any way. I mean, stuck with a roommate that does nothing but play videogames all day and being an appliance salesman doesn't exactly live up to much. He has to also deal with his ex-girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), and his stepfather, Philip (Bill Nighy), whom he both has a shaky relationship with.

When things can't get any duller or more problematic than it already is, Shaun discovers (a little late) that everyone has turned into zombies because of a virus! Devising a plan to save his mom and ex from the horror, Shaun sets out with roommate, Ed (Nick Frost), to seize a very zombified day with rofl moments and head-bashing action!

Ah, zombie comedies. There are a few and rare that exist in the entertainment world (or maybe it's just me?). Shaun of the Dead definitely delivers the laughter and zombie goodness in one go. In the beginning, it might take a few minutes to adjust to the British talk for those who are not used to it. Once adapted to, you will be enjoying the different antics they throw out at the audience.

It would have been better if they expanded their location of filming. The movie set is predominately at Simon's flat and his favourite pub, The Winchester. A change of scenery, like out in another city, would have been a nice instead of staying within one town.

I think Simon and Nick nailed their roles pretty well; all of the other actors were alright since their characters weren't as important. I did think however a couple of characters, like Liz's friends, seemed a bit unnecessary to the cast. They didn't contribute much to the overall story as they were just there in the background.

The makeup made pretty convincing zombies, although you don't see much gore and blood-shed. It is nothing to the likes of Resident Evil, considering it is comedy. But still, it worked!

So folks, if you are in need of a Halloween-y movie or just wants something to watch, check out Shaun of the Dead! (Even if you are not into zombies!)

Trailer Tuesday: Impossible by Nancy Werlin

2009-10-27T06:46:00.000-04:00

Title: Impossible
Author: Nancy Werlin
Description: Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil?

The concept is interesting but for some reason, I don't really think it is my type of book. For those who have read it, your opinions?

In My Mailbox - XLIV

2009-10-25T20:29:00.003-04:00

To do your own In My Mailbox, please check out how to at The Story Siren!

The Borrowed

None

The Bought

Vampire Doll vol. 6 by Erika Kari

The Received

The Ghost in the Shell by Shirow Masamune
Akira vol. 1 by Katsuhiro Otomo
The Official xxxHolic Guide

(Sorry for bad photo, I was sick earlier and was too lazy to take a better picture...)

All mangas this week!

When I hauled out the package from my mailbox that contained The Ghost in the Shell and Akira, I honestly thought that there were six mangas within. I got so excited and when I opened it, I was shocked. They were two huge mangas! I think I could have fainted because with school taking away ALL of my time from reviewing, I am expected to get through these two chunky mangas. But, I shall try!

Anyway, I have received an email from Lesley that her site Tactical Urban Gears is having a contest to win an Apple iTouch, iPhone, and 10 consolation prizes! You don't need to purchase anything! It ends on January 25th! Click the banner below to enter! (And remember to list me as your referral!)

Also, fellow blogger Liyana is hosting a giveaway for a $10 voucher to TUG! Click here! Her contest ends on Novermber 13th!

These are a couple of the shirts offered in the store! Ain't it cool?

Reminder to those who joined Cindy's great giveaways, she posted up the list of winners already! Click here to see if you have won! Congrats if you did!

Everything Sucks by Hannah Friedman

2009-10-23T12:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Everything Sucks
Author: Hannah Friedman
Age Group: Older Teens
# of Pages: 256
My Rating: 4/5

In this memoir, Hannah Friedman will give you her life story. Well, up to the end of high school that is.

Once dubbed as the "Monkey Girl" in her elementary school, Hannah spent most of her young life in a tour bus with her eccentric family and her father's band members. But once she entered the world of high school, everything changed. She was part of the "in group" at a prestigious boarding school, had an awesome boyfriend and was no longer the weird kid. Could life get any better?

But with her best of times, Hannah also had her worst of times. She tried to cope with a huge amount of stress due to university applications, drugs, and figuring out who she really was in the world.

Through this fun memoir, you will get to hear the voice of this sarcastic and in-your-face Yale graduate as she describes to you her first boyfriend to her first sex experience.

I am not a memoir person and doubt I'll go buy memoirs anytime soon, but Everything Sucks is a fun read as I explored life in Hannah's perspective. People from big name places (in this case Yale) always pique my curiosity because I always wonder how they end up in such an impressive position and what they did to get there. Everything Sucks gives the perfect glimpse where sometimes the end result will always be a surprise, no matter what you do.

The novel focuses a lot on Hannah wanting to be accepted, which is something you see often in YA novels and real life. There will be a part in the novel where the reader will be able to relate to Hannah, sooner or later. She is a little wild in my opinion but surely, is like any other human.

There are times where you wonder, "Why does (insert person) do this?" Hannah gives you a clear picture of her past experiences which led to her decisions later on in life. What is most unique about Everything Sucks is that the content is all true, not a made-up story. You will follow the events in sequential order, in which each chapter starts with "____ Sucks" and each one has a main topic which it evolves around.

I know that if I were to meet the author, I would be a little scared because she is so out there. With her attitude and situations in Everything Sucks, you can't help but enjoy her storytelling though. I recommend it to those who wants a break from fiction and get some fun from reality instead.

Review copy provided by Hannah Friedman.

Tramps Like Us by Yayoi Ogawa

2009-10-22T19:41:00.000-04:00

Title: Tramps Like Us
Mangaka: Yayoi Ogawa
Age Group: Older Teens +
Series is: Completed with 14 volumes
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1-14
My Rating: 5/5

Sumire Igawa has recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend who decided to leave her for another woman. This causes the young business lady to become estrange and refuses to date anyone with a lower status than herself.

In the middle of the night, she comes across a large cardboard box in front of her condo. In frustration, she kicks it. Only to find that there is a body inside!

Sumire takes in a homeless twenty years old man and allows him to stay at her place if he becomes her pet. He immediately agrees. Sumire names him "Momo", after her beloved dog as a child. Although he's only a pet, why does she have such strange feelings towards him...?

I remembered when I first picked up this series back when I was in grade seven or so. I read the first volume and got really bored, never continuing on. Now five years later, I saw the same series completed in English. Remembering back at the plot line, I decided to try Tramps Like Us/Kimi wa Petto (Japanese title that I much prefer and will use from now on that translates to "You Are My Pet") again because I like that sort of plot now. I was instantly hooked.

A series that is finally not based on high schoolers, Kimi wa Petto takes a little encounter between two different people and make a fun, loving, and heart-aching story.

I absolutely adore the relationship between Sumire and Momo. It is way too cute/sexy/honest beyond words! Sumire is a woman in her late twenties who has always been trying to perfect herself for ages. She is afraid to disappoint others so she enclose herself in a shell where people view her as a cold-hearted person because she is so firm and blunt. Momo on the other hand is completely silly and acts just like a dog. At the same time, he does have feelings but tries not to show them in front of his master. I find him so appealing. As their lives intertwine further everyday, they learn things they couldn't have on their own.

The plot evolves around the two most of the time as they run into plenty of problems, making them doubt themselves in various aspects. Near towards the end of the series, there are a few chapters that are dedicated to the side characters but not so much that it veers away from the original plot between the protagonists altogether. A couple of chapters gives a peek into the future, which I found to be most appropriate and made me want to read more.

In the beginning when I first saw Kimi wa Petto at a younger age, I was not fond of the manga's art style. But now that I have grown with a better mindset on mangas, I think the art is perfect for the story. Simple but lovely, Yayoi Ogawa does not exaggerate with lines or shading. Her art may not be the best out there but it harmonizes with the plot to complete it whole. The more I continued to read, the more I adored the drawings, especially when I got to see my favourite couple together.

In conclusion, I think Kimi wa Petto is an amazing series of normal people for normal people. I definitely recommend it but someone at a young age should not venture into it. Not only are there is inappropriate content, but it would be harder to digest because of the setup is not meant for kids.

There's also a Japanese drama (which I never finished it because I have little patience with dramas) but I recommend for those who have read Kimi wa Petto to watch the live version also! From what I remember, it's a pretty good show where you can kick back and just relax.

Trailer Tuesday: Secret Society by Tom Dolby

2009-10-20T08:04:00.000-04:00

Title: Secret Society
Author: Tom Dolby
Description: Three Upper East Side teens find that they have been tapped for The Secret Society, an elite order with roots going back to ancient Egypt. Once they accept Secret Society membership, they stand to benefit beyond their wildest dreams, with one caveat, once they get in, they can never get out.

I am considering reviewing this novel but it may be awhile till I get to it. For those who have read it, what are your opinions on it?

In My Mailbox - XLIII

2009-10-18T18:40:00.000-04:00

To do your own In My Mailbox, please check out how to at The Story Siren!

The Borrowed

None

The Bought

None

The Received

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce
Catwalk: Strike a Pose by Deborah Gregory
Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen
Flawless by Sara Shepard
The A-List: Hollywood Royalty by Zoey Dean
Mini swag

Thank you Book Muncher for The A-List: Hollywood Royalty and bookmarks!

Ah, finally a nice batch of YA novels! I have just finished As You Wish today so look forward to its review soon! I definitely can't wait to get my hands of Flawless since I've reviewed Pretty Little Liars awhile back. But I think I might have to hold it off because there are a few novels that must be reviewed first. So what did you guys get this week?

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

2009-10-17T22:08:00.000-04:00

Title: Lockdown
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 288
My Rating: 5/5

Alex Sawyer and his friend have a tendency to steal from other people. Hey, it's not that bad, they never get caught. When the two are tipped off that the owners of a home will be away, they get down to business. But they have no idea what awaits them...

Accused of murdering his friend, Alex is sent to the Furnace, an inescapable prison for young offenders which is known to be absolutely treacherous. Alex doesn't know why he is framed into such a position but he does know one thing, he has to get the hell out of there. And fast, before it is too late.

Madly intense, Lockdown will keep your eyes wide open and mesmerized into a world that is full of darkness and terror.

Really, I don't even know where to begin for this review! Alex is not a bad person, he just does bad things. Somehow, his actions catch up to him, sending him straight down to hell --- literally. He regrets the first time he stole money from a kid he bullied at school. If it wasn't for that very small event in his life, he wouldn't have ended up in Furnace because of repetitive stealing. He encounters enemies that are absolutely horrifying as they torture him in his wake and sleep. The only fact that is keeping him alive is the possibility of escaping this endless nightmare. You will be attached to the book, supporting and praying for Alex from the beginning to the end because you know, deep down he does not deserve his punishment.

My favourite character would have to be Donovan, Alex's cellmate. He puts on a tough facade but is really a great guy. Although he is in the Furnace for a crime he did do, you will still root for him as much as you do for Alex. Together they have a stronger bond of friendship than you can imagine.

In this riveting tale, you will be pulled into a terrifying journey that you'll never know where you'll end up at. When you think everything calms down, something else jumps out at you! Left with a cliff-hanger that literally made me feel like I was hanging from a cliff, I am definitely holding on for the sequel! Lockdown is a must read everyone should pick up!

Review ARC copy provided by Henry Holt and Company.

Q4U: What keeps you coming back to a blog?

2009-10-15T21:20:00.000-04:00

As a reader, there are some blogs you tend to go to check out more often than others. So...

What keeps you coming back to a blog?

Is it the content? Giveaways hosted? The blogger is your friend?

I have to admit, I will try to return the favour by checking out bloggers who stop by mine often (if they do have a blog). If they are taking their time to read my content, I feel that it is appropriate to do so too with their blog. Of course I don't spam them or anything; I just comment when there is something I feel worth commenting about or else I just do a quick drop-by.

Neat blogs with simple reviews of subjects I am into (YA novels and mangas) is definitely a plus. I am not the type of person to check out a review blog that likes to be lengthy and wordy (not that I have a problem with it! Just not my cup of tea). If the blogger can say what they have in mind with whatever they are reviewing without throwing fancy stuff in, there is a higher chance for me to come back.

With bloggers I am friends with, I do check their stuff as often as well. Why? Well, friends are friends right? And of course I support them in what they do!

So what about you guys?

Crown by Shinji Wada & You Higuri

2009-10-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

Title: Crown
Mangaka: Shinji Wada (Story) & You Higuri (Art)
Age Group: Older Teens
Series is: Ongoing with 6 volumes
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1
My Rating: 3.5/5

Being an orphan is tough, but Mahiro doesn't let that get to her. She is working hard to make money and tries her best to ignore the cruel family that she is stuck with from her mother's side. But her life abruptly takes a 180 degree turn when her long-lost (and handsome!) older brother, Ren, comes back for her! Apparently, they are both royalty and now the evil queen who married their father is trying to get them killed!

Under the protection of her brother and his best friend, Jake, Mahiro is now living life under the covers as she must be careful with whatever she is doing. But, will the queen get her in the end?

This is honestly the first manga I bought based on a review from MangaBlog. In this series, you get the fine-line and dashing art of the popular mangaka, You Higuri, with a one-of-the-kind-story by Shinji Wada.

Mahiro is a girl who thinks the best of everyone, which was something that bothered me. If several people were hired to chase you down and kill you, you should be more careful. But Mahiro didn't seem to have that mentality, which the reader could be easily irked by. Ren is a cool brother, after all these years he came back to protect his little sister. For some reason though, it seems their relationship may go beyond sibling love. So far, nothing in the plot within volume one has indicated so but it does give off that vibe. Now I wonder if they may not be blood-related at all...

Higuri is notorious for her boys' love series and although I have never read any of them, I know because she's famous for it. So when it came to Ren's relationship with his foreign friend, Jake, it was a peculiar one. They are not on the romantic side of things but whenever Jake got mad, Ren would always seem like he was ready to pronounce his undying love for him. I was not too fond about this because Crown is definitely not a shonen-ai/yaoi manga, which makes all this extra stuff between Ren and Jake unnecessary.

I think the storyline is pretty awesome but for some reason, pairing up with Higuri did not work out so well. It is not terrible at all because her art style is lovely, but she doesn't know how to make the manga stand out because she is very used to her own area of expertise (boys' love). Although there is a lot of killing and blood, I find Crown to be on the lighter side of things. If a mangaka who is based on intense action (but comedy also) came into the project, Crown would have been much better.

Overall, Crown is a good series but something I would not run out to buy all the volumes of. But if you have it in your library, go borrow it.

Trailer Tuesday: A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis

2009-10-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

Title: A Most Improper Magick
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Description: Kat's mother was a scandalous witch, her brother has gambled the whole family into debt, and her stepmama is determined to sell Kat's oldest sister into a positively Gothic marriage to pay it off - so what can Kat do but take matters directly into her own hands? If only her older sisters hadn’t thwarted her plan to run away to London dressed as a boy and earn a fortune!

When Kat makes a midnight foray into her mother’s cabinet of secrets, though, she finds out something she never expected. Her mother wasn’t just a witch, she was a Guardian, a member of a secret Order with staggering magical powers - and Kat is her heir.

Of course, there’s no chance of Kat choosing to join the Order that forbade her parents’ marriage...but Mama’s magical mirror doesn’t seem to understand that. It keeps following her wherever she goes, even when the family travels to Grantham Abbey to meet the sinister Sir Neville, her oldest sister’s chosen fiancé.

And what with Sir Neville showing a dangerous interest in Kat’s untapped powers, her mother’s old tutor insisting that she take up her mother’s position as a Guardian, and her sister Angeline refusing to listen to her about anything, as usual...well, it’s a good thing Kat kept her boy’s clothing, because she may well have to use it--especially if the rumors of a highwayman are true.

My entry for the A Most Improper Magick book tralier competition. Read the rules and enter at http://www.stephanieburgis.com/competition.php.

Sounds like a pretty cool tween novel, does it not? Back in the days when I was a tween, I never really came across titles like these.

In My Mailbox - XLII

2009-10-11T00:07:00.000-04:00

To do your own In My Mailbox, please check out how to at The Story Siren!

The Borrowed

None

The Bought

None

The Received

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Only one novel this week and it's a memoir.

School has been such a drag and it's so hard to type out reviews more and more each day. Please bear with me!

Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates by Philip Caveney

2009-10-08T16:38:00.001-04:00

Title: Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates
Author: Philip Caveney
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: 420
My Rating: 5/5

After a heroic act of taking down the evil King Septimus, Sebastian Darke is back! With his long-time buddy, Max the Buffalope, and the short (but mighty) warrior Cornelius. They are off to another grand adventure! And this time, out into the sea!

After being saved from a monster by a man named Adam, the trio is told that his sister, Leonora, knew that they were in danger. But these siblings have an agenda of their own. They are out to get the treasure that Sebastian and his friends are trying to find!

Attempting to escape from their pursuers, Sebastian and the gang hires a ship to find their way to the mysterious island that holds Captain Callinestra's world fortune. With fierce pirates, a long-lost loot, and mythical creatures, you should prepare for another fantastic quest with Sebastian Darke!

After reading the Prince of Fools, I knew I had to one day get my hands on the sequel. And I was not disappointed as Caveney delivered a non-stop and fun action story with enthusiastic characters, new and old!

The plot kept me hooked and I continued flipping the pages, dying to know what happened to the characters next. When you think things are going to be okay, another problem jumps out! You will be sitting there, biting your nails as you pray for the characters' safety.

I pitied Sebastian throughout this novel because he fell under an enchantment where he would only think of the evil Leonora. On his journey, he made acquaintances with the pretty female captain pirate, Jenna. I think she is pretty cool and I do hope she makes an appearance again in the next novel but for some reason I doubt so. Sebastian slowly but surely grew up some more after encountering plenty of obstacles in this expedition since the Prince of Fools. He is an odd character to have a story evolve around because of his personality and situation but I love how different he is compared to most male leads.

What I adore the most about the novel is how everything is like a classic hero story for kids. You have the protagonist with his steed and best man, going through deadly challenges to get to the treasure that was lost for hundreds of years. Except it is a read for teens instead of the youngsters.

I definitely recommend the Sebastian Darke series if you have not read it yet! It gives you a break from the usual supernatural/fantasy stuff that you generally find in YA fiction. I'm anxious for the third installment!

Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea by Nakaba Higurashi and Seiichi Morimura

2009-10-07T06:20:00.000-04:00

Title: Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea
Mangaka: Nakaba Higurashi & Seiichi Morimura
Age Group: Older Teens
Series is: Completed with 1 volume
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1
My Rating: 3/5

History is a fascinating subject. Society is based off of what had happened in the past and what humans have learned over the courses of many years. There are also those who were great leaders that made a huge impact during a certain era of time.

Temujin grew up in a tribe within Mongolia. Since he was a young boy, he always had the fire in his eyes and his father knew that he was going to be a strong man that would lead their people. In this stand-alone manga, you follow the life of the historical figure Genghis Khan.

This is the kind of manga where you would have to sit down and read it properly. Otherwise, you would easily get confused. Not only do the characters all look similar but their names are so difficult to remember. You would have to flip back and forth a couple of times to know who is who in the story. But once you are in the right mood to read the manga, it's not that bad.

I don't think the manga provides enough history for one to understand why Genghis Khan was so great to those who have heard of him for the first time. The manga only covered a couple of key events in his life and they are more or so personal with his friend/enemy, Jamuqa. I think it would be more interesting to those who know about Genghis Khan and would like to see a manga version of him.

For sure, Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea it is not something that will appeal to the majority of the manga-reading audience. But for those who know a bit about the history, it should be checked out.

Review copy provided by CMX.