The Quiet Concert: July 2013

Showing posts with label July 2013. Show all posts

July 2013 Recap

Nicole Read

Ashley Read

Nicole's Favorite

Read

Ashley's Favorite
Read

Nicole's Challenge

Recap

Debut Author Challenge

23/12

2013 Sequel Challenge

15/13

Contemporary Challenge

16/10

2013 Reading Challenge

117/125

Ashley's Challenge

Recap

Debut Author Challenge
10/12

Paranormal Reading Challenge
14/28

Dystopia Reading Challenge
15/20

2013 Reading Challenge
67/65

I'm Waiting On The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to shine a spotlight on upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating!

This week I chose...

Title: The Dark Between
Author: Sonia Gensler
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

A supernatural romance about the powers that lie in the shadows of the mind, perfect for fans of Sarah Rees Brennan, Alyxandra Harvey, and Libba Bray.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and séances are all the rage—even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.

Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave—or risk joining the spirit world themselves.

Perfect for fans of Libba Bray? Well, that's me! This sounds/looks super creepy. But in a good way! And it reminds me a bit of In The Shadow of Blackbirds (which I loved). AND I love Historical Fiction and England! For all these reasons and more, I am excited to read The Dark Between. :D

What are you waiting on?

REVIEW #144: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 21st 2012
Pages: Hardcover, 359 pages
Source: Audiobook from the Library

Summary from Goodreads:
A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a slow moving novel about two unique boys sparking a one of a kind friendship that both saves their lives and changes them forever. I chose to listen to the audio book. The narration was well done; the story was told from Aristotle's, who goes by Ari, point of view. The two boys seem to be quite the opposites yet Dante is determined to keep Ari as a friend in spite of an accident, a move, and family issues. Dante is the only true friend Ari has.

The friendship was something rather incredible. Ari saves Dante's life without hesitation not thinking about the consequences. Even though Ari tries and tries again to push Dante away, Dante is relentless and will not give up. Both characters are extremely well developed and very unique. Saenz does a great job of explaining the history and background of each boy and how it has made them the people they are today.

My issue with the book was not the characters, nor the family dynamics, nor the friendship; it was the plot. The book truly is a story about how these two boys conquer and overcome the hurdles they are faced with in life. There was not a lot of action, mystery, or love simply a lot of teenage boy angst and confusion.

Overall I had to give the story 2 stars, not because it was not well written simply because it was not for me. The story moved at a pace far to slow for my liking. There were some important events that changed the dynamic of the story but nothing that I really enjoyed. Others may enjoy the book especially if you are looking for a deeper more lyrical story about learning and not being afraid to be honest with yourself.

REVIEW #141: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Title: Tiger Lily

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson

Publisher: Harper Collins

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Pages: 292, Hardcover
Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:

Tinkerbell narrates the magical, bittersweet love story between Tiger Lily and Peter Pan. Tiger Lily has never been truly accepted by her tribe, and now the elders have decreed marriage to a man she doesn’t love. She spends more and more time alone in the woods, where she meets wild, fearless Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys.

Tiger Lily is intoxicated by the freedom she feels with Peter, and falls under his spell. Their love is all-consuming, and she risks everything to be with him.

Then Wendy Darling arrives in Neverland.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started Tiger Lily. For me, this was one of those books that I picked up on reputation alone. I only new that it was a retelling of Peter Pan's first love, but that's it. Suffice it to say, I was blown away. I completely and utterly LOVED IT.

Tiger Lily had me from hello:

"Let me tell you something straight off. This is a love story, but not like any you've heard. The boy and the girl are far from innocent. Dear lives are lost. And good doesn't win. In some places, there is something ultimately good about endings. In Neverland, this is not the case."

I guess I can't say I wasn't warned but still this book took me for a ride. It was heartwrenching-ly good. I tend to love the books with both happy and sad in them because they feel the most real. This book had a lot of sad but there were moments of unconditional love and joy interspersed. It was just a beautiful story.

I think the synopsis does a fair job summarizing but fails to capture the full depth of this story and all of the emotion within it. Like how Tiger Lily is feared and avoided, except for her one friend Pine Sap, whose about as much of an outcast as she is. Pine Sap is gentle and patient and what they share is comfortable and sweet. Or how her soon-to-be husband is repulsive and commanding, but Tiger Lily meekly obeys because there is not much else she can do. She was promised to him and she keeps her word. Then theres the Englander whom she saves before he becomes an influence in the village and he costs her the person she loves most. There is so much to this story. So much heartbreak. And yet amidst it all she finds love with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. But loyalty ties her to her village and she struggles to make a choice.

I was in absolute awe of Tiger Lily. She was so strong and yet at the same time totally vulnerable. She was a girl of few words but everything she did had such meaning to it. She amazed me.

And I loved the world. It was so imaginative and wonderful but a bit strange and dark too. I couldn't get enough.

I have not read any Peter Pan stories before Tiger Lily. I have only watched the movie Peter Pan as a child and it's probably safe to say that I don't remember every detail. I'm not sure if my distance from the fairy tale worked in my favor or not but I didn't mind it this way. Without a strong baseline for which to compare the story to I couldn't be disappointed. Rather, I found myself pleasantly surprised by what I did remember and the connections that were made. I loved our glimpse at Captain Hook, and learning how the clock got in the alligator's belly. I loved the story of Wendy and Tinker Bell. Every detail that reminded me of this childhood favorite made me happy.

I can't say it enough, I was swept away from the very first page. Every moment fascinated me. The writing was beautiful. The story was beautiful. The world was beautiful. THIS BOOK WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL. Sad, but (wait for it), simply beautiful.

REVIEW #140: Born of Illusion (Born of Illusion #1) by Teri Brown

Title: Born of Illusion
Series: Born of Illusion #1
Author: Teri Brown
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Pages: 373, Hardcover
Source: Final Copy obtained at BEA

Summary from Goodreads:

ANNA VAN HOUSEN HAS A SECRET.

A gifted illusionist, Anna assists her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage shows and seances, easily navigating the underground world of magicians and mentalists in 1920s New York. For Anna, the illegitimate daughter of Harry Houdini - or so Marguerite claims - handcuffs and sleight-of-hand illusions have never been much of a challenge. The real trick is keeping her own gifts secret from her mother: because while Marguerite's power may be a sham, Anna possesses a true ability to sense people's feelings and foretell the future.

But as Anna's powers intensify, she experiences frightening visions of her mother in peril, which lead her to explore the abilities she's tried so long to hide. And when a mysterious young man named Cole moves into the flat downstairs, introducing Anna to a society that studies people with gifts like hers, she begins to wonder if there's more to life than keeping secrets.

As her visions become darker and her powers spin out of her control, Anna is forced to rethink all she's ever known. Is her mother truly in danger, or are Anna's visions merely illusions? And could the great Houdini really be her father, or is it just another of Marguerite's tricks?

I really enjoyed Born of Illusion, and here’s why:

It was set in the 1920’s which is quickly becoming one of my favorite time periods for historical fiction. Something about that time period just holds so much potential! It's lively and rich and Born of Illusion captures that. Perhaps not as well as the likes of Libba Bray but you can definitely still feel it.
The storyline involves magic , mentalists and séances which is not yet overdone and fun fun fun! Anna and her mother's work was a bit spooky, a bit show and a whole lot of exciting! I loved loved loved their performances. Anna's confidence in her magic. The sudden and terrifying visions. The danger. The suspense. Everything!
Anna herself was a strong lead. She was very level-headed, capable, and a even bit rebellious! Her raw untapped talent kept things interesting and her choices never frustrated me. She had a bit of standing up for herself to do too and I enjoyed watching her finally do so. And she did it with a bang! This girl was feirce.
The pacing was smooth and the story progressed nicely. I never got bored or anxious but rather kept a steady interest. Which was easy enough to do with a plenty of magic shows and seance's, a healthy does of skeptical characters, the growing threat of danger and an attack on Anna that goes awry, the mystery of Anna's visions, and the puzzle over her father.

So, there is a lot to like about Born of Illusion. Truth be told though, the ending was a little predictable, and I didn't care for the love interest. It could have been better developed but instead it was just there. But niether of these things really affected my overall enjoyment. I would still recommend this read.

And can I just say...THAT COVER IS GORGOUS (like seriously one of my favorites EVER)

Summer of Love Giveaway Hop!

Summer of Love Giveaway Hop

Hosted by YA Romantics

July 22-29

For this giveaway hope, we are offering readers a chance to win their choice of one of our favorite romance themed books. The winner can choose from the list below. US only and 13+up please!

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW #137 & GIVEAWAY: Broken Forest by Eliza Tilton

Title: Broken Forest

Author: Eliza Tilton

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Release Date: May 1, 2013

Pages: 242, Paperback
Source: Provided by author for an honest review

Summary from Goodreads:

Hopeless he'll never be more than the boy who didn't save his brother, 17-year-old Avikar accepts his life as the family stable boy, trying to forget the past. But when his sister, Jeslyn, is kidnapped, the thought of losing another sibling catapults him on a desperate quest. With his best friend by his side, and using the tracking skills he learned from his father, he discovers Jeslyn has been taken, kidnapped by one Lucino, the young lord of Daath, a mystical place thought only to exist in fables.

And Lucino has plans for Jeslyn.

His shape-shifting brethren feed off the auras of humans, and Jeslyn's golden hue is exactly what Lucino needs to increase his power. The longer it takes Avikar to reach her, the more entranced she becomes with Lucino's world, and the harder it will be for Avikar to set her free.

He failed his family once. He won't fail again.

Broken Forest is a fast-paced, action-packed, and suspenseful fantasy story.

It's no secret that I am a fan of multi POV. In Broken Forest we get the perspective of Avikar, Jeslyn, and Lucino, providing a well-rounded depiction of events.

From Avikar's side we get the chase. He's desperate to find Jeslyn before it's too late. But Lucino continues to send forces against him, making his journey a treacherous one. He finds allies along the way and he even finds love. I really enjoyed the small romance between Raven and Avikar. Raven was fierce and headstrong. And Avikar was completely clueless when it came to women. Their relationship was sweet but it was by no means was the focus of the story. Just a nice complement.

I especially enjoyed seeing both Jesslyn and Lucino tell different sides of the same story. Lucino's end game was not in Jeslyn's best interest but he treats her well so that she will come to him willingly. But as he spends more time with her he begins to feel something close to fondness for her, even though she is just a human. Meanwhile, Jeslyn is charmed by Lucino and finds him to be a complete gentlemen. She is oblivious to his powers of influence and true thoughts.

This book was strongly plot-driven, rather than character-driven, but we do get some character depth and development. This is mostly seen in Avikar, who is haunted by his brother's death, for which he feels responsible. He doesn't think he can survive the loss of someone else he loves and this guilt and fear is what compels him on his journey. By the end, he has come a ways in learning to live for himself and letting go of that which he cannot control.

I would have liked to see a bit more world building in Broken Forest. Lucino is this reptilian-like creature. His kind have invaded this world because their world is dying. But I don't understand their kind, the extent of their powers, their behaviors or their motives. The ending left room for a sequel but I don't see anything on Goodreads yet. If there is one, I hope we get some of the answers then. I need more information to fully appreciate the story. Also, we only got glimpses of the world in which the story is set in. Daath is this magical, lively place and I wanted to see more of it. Unfortunately, I was unable to picture the setting in my head. Broken Forest is not lacking in originality, only in description.

Broken Forest is a fun adventure with some pleasant warmth and intrigue. All the traditional elements of a good fantasy story are present, but Eliza Tilton adds a twist to things that set it apart from the rest. I'd even go so far as to say that it read a tad sci-fi-ish. While it didn't blow me away, the story, world and characters have a lot of potential.

Broken Forest is a fine debut that hints at good things to come.

Giveaway!

Eliza Tilton has generously provided a Paperback of Broken Forest + Swag for one lucky reader to win! US only + 13+up please!