Review: Evermore by Alyson Noël

Title: Evermore (The Immortals, #1)

Author: Alyson Noël

Publication Year: 2009

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

Links: Goodreads | Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle)

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school - but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste. 

Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it is as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

My two cents: This review is certainly long overdue. But, don't blame me...I've been busy. Where do I start? I admit, I was drawn by the cover. I debated with myself whether to buy this or not until one day, it was on sale and I just couldn't resist the temptation. First few pages into the book, and all I could think was that this is just another 'Twilight' (never been a fan of that series). I was wrong. Damen is not a vampire and Ever is not obsessed to be whatever Damen is. I, at least, enjoyed this one. I have to admit though that an immortal can easily be interchanged with a vampire (he he).

Character-wise, I could totally see why Ever would shut herself out from other people. Her unique abilities were well-explained. But, it's a bit funny how she seems to never care enough to find solutions to her problems. Anyway, that is exactly the point, isn't it? However, Ever's friends are sometimes so one-dimensional. Miley is the typical gay sidekick. And Haven is the typical girlfriend who never heeds her friends' warning. Now, Damen was described as gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. Well, I get the wealthy part...but I can't really find anything exotic and gorgeous about him. I have to admit, it was kinda appealing at the start but it just becomes a bit 'blah' after a while. Having said that, I still enjoy reading about him and Ever. And the antagonist is the antagonist...typical one, cheesy and predictable and stupid!

The story is nothing new...girl is an outcast, new guy comes, they fall in love, things happen. I still enjoyed it immensely though. Kudos to the author for making this an enjoyable read. The dialogues are funny and witty and are exactly what glued me to the page after page of the book. And yeay to the flower reference and all. I am all about the symbolic meaning behind things and the flower thing totally earned a few points from me. But, I do have a few complains about the ending or the built-up towards the ending. Everything just seemed so easy. I would have liked it better if it was a bit more complicated. However, all in all, an interesting start to a series. I already have Book 2 and 3 in my safe-keeping and I certainly can't wait to read them.

My verdict: 3.5/5

"Waiting On" Wednesday #4

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

It's been a really long time since I last participated and it does feel good to come back. 

For this week, my WOW is 'Haunting Violet' by Alyxandra Harvey. I love her Drake Chronicles and I hope I will like this one.

Description: Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

The hardcover edition will be available from June 21, 2011 onwards. And I'm hoping I can get my hands on it as soon as it's available here in Malaysia.

Review: Hannah (Daughters of the Sea) by Kathryn Lasky

Title: Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1)
Author: Kathryn Lasky

Publication Year: 2009

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Links: Goodreads | Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle)

Hannah wants to be normal, but she's not. The sea calls to her, and she can see a delicate tracing of scales on her legs. Billowing waves soothe her, but flat land makes her sick. She knows there's something wild in her that's different, wrong - and deeply thrilling.

Only one person seems to know who - or what - Hannah is. He's a guest in the house where she works as a scullery girl, and his fascinated gaze follows her. She doesn't understand his terrifying allure, or her longing. But even as the mystery deepens, Hannah is sure of one thing. A sea change is coming.

My two cents: I came across this series while looking for something with mermaid to read (since I couldn't locate my 'Selina Penaluna' book). I was a bit reluctant to pick this up because of the mixed reviews it receives but it sounds like something I'd really like.

The book opens in an orphanage in Boston where our protagonist, Hannah had lived most of her life. Now fifteen, she was ready to leave the house but she was deemed unsuitable for the employment and was instead sent to Kansas. But Kansas, being far from the sea, made her sick and soon she returned to the orphanage and found a job as a scullery girl at the Hawleys' house, one of Boston's wealthiest families. It was at this house she began to slowly learn of her true identity and destiny.

I would say that the book is more of a historical fiction with a twist of fantasy rather than the other way round. Most of the book is spent on describing Hannah's life as a scullery girl in the household and the elaborate tradition of what it was like to serve in the 19th century in a house of a wealthy family. Though I would have preferred more if more pages were devoted to the fantasy part of the story, I nevertheless enjoyed it thoroughly. I never really read anything with historical settings that took place in the USA and I was kind of intrigued.

Hannah's true identity is kept secret to the readers for most of the book. Clue is given bits by bits particularly through the remarks of one Stannish Whitman Wheeler, a renowned painter who was working on a piece with the Hawleys. Though it is never made clear until a few last pages, it is very clear from the very beginning what the mystery is and who Stannish really is.

I have to admit that the romance between Hannah and Stannish felt a bit rushed. And I was kinda hoping that Lila (one of the Hawleys' daughters) was more than just evil and lunatic. Rather she is just a convenient means to Hannah discovering her true self. The youngest of Hawleys' daughters, Ettie though likable seems a bit too mature for her age sometimes and it is somehow unbelievable. I, nevertheless, love her for all the love she has for Hannah.

The only complain I have is that the story ended rather abruptly. I'd really like to know what would happen between Stannish and Hannah after all those initial attraction especially when he seems to have the answers to Hannah's many questions. However, I'm glad that there are two more books in the series and I hope some of the unresolved story lines in this one will be addressed. Though it ended abruptly, I have a pretty good idea of where Hannah's life would be intertwined with that of her other sisters.

All in all, 'Hannah' is a pretty good read. A very easy read too. I'd totally recommend it to younger readers.

My verdict: 4/5

Challenge: Historical de Tour Genre Reading Challenge 2011

Review: City of Stars by Mary Hoffman

Title: City of Stars (Stravaganza, #2)
Author: Mary Hoffman
Publication Year: 2003
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Links: Goodreads | Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle)

Georgia would love nothing more than to ride horses every day and avoid her annoying stepbrother at all costs. But she could never have guessed that a tiny, antique winged horse figurine would be the key to her escape to another world and another time. When Georgia arrives in a 16th-century city called Remora, she is plunged into a dangerous and treacherous world of horse-racing, family honour and deadly rivalry. And there, as a new Stravagante, Georgia will have a dramatic and extraordinary role to play.

My two cents: This review is certainly long overdue. In this second instalment of 'Stravaganza' series, a new city and a new Stravagante are introduced. The new Stravagante, Georgia, a girl from Lucien's past, lives with her mother, stepfather and stepbrother (who would go extra-length to annoy her) and is fond of anything horses. After saving up for and purchasing a statue of a winged-horse she spotted in an antique shop, she fell asleep holding it. Upon waking up, she found herself in a stable in Remora, Talia, the equivalent of Sienna, Italy. Divided into twelve sections, each section of the city is related to a sign of zodiac and everyone in the city was buzzing with excitement for the Stellata, a horse race similar but different to the Palio, the horse race held annually in Sienna. In the stable of Twelfth of the Ram, she saw a living winged horse, the first to be born in Remora in over a century.

Georgia was reunited with Lucien (now Luciano) and had a hard time accepting the growing relationship between Luciano and the Duchessa of Belleza as she once had a crush on him. She also met other Stravaganti including the owner of Twelfth of the Ram stable where she stravagates and she befriended crippled Falco, the youngest son of Duke Niccolo of the Di Chimici's family.

This book maintains the political intrigue surrounding the Di Chimici's family and Talia's city states (in particular, Belleza). This time, the political war between the city states is apparent in the form of the Stellata. There was much lobbying and there were some who believed that the Stellata is rigged every year so that one of the city states under the direct influence of the Di Chimici would win the race. Also, a little more is revealed about the act of stravagazing. It seems that the talisman would find its way to someone who is not happy in our world. Lucien was suffering from brain cancer and Georgia is constantly being bullied by her stepbrother. Often Stravaganti find their way to Talia in times when one of the city states of Talia needs their help.

It was a bit hard getting into the story at first since I just couldn't picture how the city is divided into twelve parts despite the wonderful description by the author. Add to it, all the rivalries and alliances among the twelve parts. Each Twelfth owes allegiance to another city states of Talia though they are located in Remora. This is quite confusing and often I lost track of who are the allies and who are the rivals of each Twelfth. But, as the story progressed, things did become clearer.

Of all the characters, including those newly introduced, I found Falco very moving. The relationship between him and his brother, Gaetano reminds me of those moving stories we often heard about siblings making sacrifices for each other. The decision taken by Falco, though, have consequences on more people than just himself and not just on the lives of those from Talia.

It is easy to see the parallel between what happened to Lucien in the first book and the adventures gone through by Georgia in this one, though their adventures are different in nature. All in all, a great sequel to its first instalment.

My verdict: 4/5

In My Mailbox #2

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren every Sunday. The aim is to share the new stuff we got for the week with other participants of the meme. Books don't have to literally come in our mailbox. The idea is just to share what's new on our book stacks.

This is how my mailbox looks like this week:

Title: Keep Me in Your Heart: Three Novels

Author: Lurlene McDaniel

Publication Year: 2010

Genre: Young Adult

Three of Lurlene McDaniel's bestselling novels in one volume. Readers will relate to the compassion and strength of the characters as they piece their lives back together after tragedy strikes.

Saving Jessica: Jessica McMillan and Jeremy Travino are a perfect couple. When they met in high school, Jessica's upbeat spirit helped Jeremy to see that there must be a reason he was spared in the car accident that killed his brother. But now Jessica has been diagnosed with kidney failure. Her only hope is a kidney transplant but no one in her family is a match. Jeremy believes that his life was spared so he could save Jessica by donating a kidney. Will Jeremy go against his parents' wishes to do what he must to save Jessica?

Telling Christina Goodbye: Trisha Thompson and her best friend, Christina, are having a great senior year. The girls love to double-date -- which would be perfect if only Trisha got along with Christina's boyfriend, Tucker. Their lives are forever changed when one night Tucker drives them all home from a basketball game. He hits black ice and the car overturns. The aftermath is devastating. Can those who are left behind learn to heal and find the courage to move on?

Letting Go of Lisa: Nathan Malone has always been home-schooled, so he hasn't spent much time with kids his own age. Then circumstances change. On the first day of senior year at a local school, he notices Lisa. Lisa is a loner, but she is attracted to Nathan. Nathan is the happiest he's ever been. But Lisa has a tragic secret and when she decides to deal with it herself, Nathan has to make a choice. Can he ever let go of Lisa?

Now three novels in an edition, isn't that just great? I'm on the second novel.

And I also got myself this:

Title: City of Flowers (Stravaganza, #3)

Author: Mary Hoffman

Publication Year: 2005

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Everything changes for Sky when he finds a perfume bottle that whisks him away to the city of Giglia, an ancient city similar to Florence. This may be the beautiful City of Flowers, but things that seem beautiful might also be deadly. As a new Stravagante - someone who can travel through time and space with the help of a talisman - Sky finds himself caught in a deadly feud between Giglia's two ruling families. Now, the Stravaganti must do all they can to avoid further bloodshed as politics, conspiracy and espionage unfold.

What have you got in your mailbox?

Review: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Title: Someone Like You

Author: Sarah Dessen
Publication Year: 1998

Genre: Teen Chick Lit

Halley and Scarlett have been best friends ever since they met. Halley has always been the quiet one, Scarlett braver and more outgoing. Halley has always turned to Scarlett when things get rough, and Scarlett has always known just what to do. It's the perfect setup. But everything changes at the beginning of their junior year, Scarlett's boyfriend is killed in a motorcycle accident; then Scarlett finds out that she is carrying his baby. For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley. Now Halley has to learn how to be strong for Scarlett. It won't be easy, but Halley knows that she can't let Scarlett down. Because a true friend is a promise you keep forever.

My two cents: Okay, I'm back to reviewing books and I must apologize for the lack of updates in the past two weeks. Life happens and things get hectic. I bought this after I went to my first interview for pupilage position and I was hoping to finish it by the weekend of the same week. But I ended up taking more than 1 week.

The reasons? Well, for one...I got so busy with Civil Advocacy and assignments I barely had time to read anything that's not related to them. And second of all, I have to admit that I struggled a bit through the book. The blurb sounds like something I would have liked but it really wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting the book to be entirely about the two best friends. But, it was also about Halley's high school crush (Macon) and how she rebelled against her mum and everyone around her (Scarlett included) to be with him. I guess it's just a phase every teenager goes through and there would come a time when it would just pass, but at some points, Halley managed to annoy me so much. But just like every story with a happy ending, our girl gained her senses back before it was too late. All's well that ends well.

It is also a story about self-discovery, those moments when you discover yourself bit by bit and be surprised by it. Halley is no different. One mistake by Scarlett changed their lives forever and I have to say, the way Halley handled the changes is not at all times with maturity. With Halley, I can totally see that everyone has to make their own mistakes before they can learn from it. Scarlett is likable but I feel like the readers could do with more background story concerning her. Macon is weird, to say the least. I was hoping that the reason behind his rebellious nature would be explained by the end of the book but there really was no explanation offered. He seems to be a rebel without cause.

To say I didn't enjoy it at all would be wrong as I did enjoy the book for most part of it. It's just that my reading got interrupted so many times by things I commit my life to. I guess, I can't really complain. There are a few quotes from the book that I really liked but my favourite has to be the one on its back cover, "Life is an ugly, awful place not to have a best friend". It is true in every sense because at the end of the day, no matter what happened, Halley and Scarlett will always have each other and they will stand for each other through thick and thin and I believe, that is the message the book is trying to convey.

I don't really like the way it ended. It feels incomplete and so many questions are left unanswered. I honestly don't know how I really feel about this book. Maybe I read it at a wrong time. Perhaps one day I'll pick it up again and my opinion will change.

A few of my favourite quotes:

"There are some things in this world you rely on, like a sure bet. And when they let you down, shifting from where you've carefully placed them, it shakes your faith, right where you stand."

"...I wondered again why the right thing always seemed to be met with so much resistance, when you'd think it would be the easier path. You had to fight to be virtuous, or so I was noticing."

"Life is an ugly, awful place not to have a best friend."

My verdict: 3/5

Teaser Tuesdays (Feb. 15)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• Be careful not to include spoilers! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week, my current read is 'City of Stars' by Mary Hoffman. It is the second installment of of the young adult series, Staravaganza.

Georgia is an ordinary girl, living in London with her mother, stepfather and bully of a stepbrother and coping with the difficulties of growing up. But all that changes when she buys a tiny figurine in the form of a winged horse and suddenly finds herself swept up into the world of the Stravagante. Her talisman, the figurine, transports her to Remora the Talian parallel to Siena, Italy.

My teaser: Dreaming of a city with flying horses was one thing - even if it turned out not to be a dream and the city was real. But coming face to face with someone from her own world, someone she knew to be dead - that was something else again. (pg 76)

In My Mailbox #1

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren every Sunday. The aim is to share the new stuff we got for the week with other participants of the meme. Books don't have to literally come in our mailbox. The idea is just to share what's new on our book stacks.

Here are what I have in my mailbox for this week.

Title: Rampant (Killer Unicorns, #1)

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Publication Year: 2010

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

Title: City of Stars (Stravaganza, #2)

Author: Mary Hoffman

Publication Year: 2003

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Georgia is an ordinary girl, living in London with her mother, stepfather and bully of a stepbrother and coping with the difficulties of growing up. But all that changes when she buys a tiny figurine in the form of a winged horse and suddenly finds herself swept up into the world of the Stravagante. Her talisman, the figurine, transports her to Remora the Talian parallel to Siena, Italy.

Title: The Blue Noon (Morning, Noon and Night, #2)

Author: Robert Ryan

Publication Year: 2003

Genre: Historical Fiction/WW2

East End chancer Harry Cole is consumed with a burning desire to transcend his social class and when WW2 breaks out he joins the British army in France and reinvents himself as the suave Captain Mason. He becomes involved with an attractive French nurse, who persuades him to set up and run an escape line. As the debonaire Captain Mason, he helps dozens of soldiers to safety, including one Airey Neave. But when his true identity is discovered by the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Harry is faced with his toughest moral dilemma - the acceptance he craves at the cost of betraying his comrades-in-arms. Meanwhile, back in London, Neave is furious that Harry had the gall to impersonate a British officer and sends instructions to apprehend Harry at all costs. Harry realises he is involved with forces far more ruthless and devious than he could ever have imagined.

Title: After Midnight (Morning, Noon and Night, #4)

Author: Robert Ryan

Publication Year: 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction/WW2

In 1944, a Liberator bomber pilot writes a letter to his daughter on the occasion of her first birthday, he posts it moments before embarking on a mission in Northern Italy. Tragically he never returns and neither the wreckage of his plane nor his body has ever been found. In 1964, Linda Carr resloves to find out what happened to her father on that terrible night. She employs the help of Jack Kirby, a Mosquito pilor during the war and a man with his own inner demons. What Jack and Linda discover in their journey deep into uncharted mountain regions where they attempt to piece together the fragments of their personal stories, is more dangerous and life-changing than anyone could ever have imagined.

What's in your mailbox this week?

Review: City of Masks by Mary Hoffman

Title: City of Masks (Stravaganza, #1)
Author: Mary Hoffman
Publication Year: 2002
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

One moment Lucien is in this world and the next he is transported to the 16th-century city of Bellezza, a world that is filled with deception, treachery and glamour. At first it feels as if only his mind is visiting Bellezza, but Lucien soon discovers that he is in fact a Stravagante - someone who, with the help of a talisman, can transport himself in time and place. Lucien may be the one person able to save Bellezza from political intrigue surrounding the city's ruler. But there is always the chance that he will get stuck on the other side of time, never able to return to his own world.

My two cents: Finally, I got to read this book! It had been on my wishlist since I first saw it. It offers a really wonderful premise - a parallel dimension of our world. The country of Talia is both like and unlike the Italy of this world and exists in a parallel world similar to a 16th-century Italy. In this alternate universe, magic as we know in our world is science and science as we know is magic.

Lucien, our protagonist lives in 21st-century London and is ill with cancer. But, one day after falling asleep hugging a new notebook given by his father, he found himself in Bellezza, a city in Talia with his illness gone. It was in Bellezza he discovered the secret of stravagazing, an act which enables certain people to travel between the two worlds. These people are called Stravaganti and Lucien is one of them.

The description of the city as well as of the Bellezzan culture are very well-detailed by the author. There are masks, mandolas (or known as gondolas in our world) and politics of the court. The similarities and differences between Bellezza and Venice are very well compared. As someone who doesn't know much about Italy and its history, I found myself drawn to the culture and the beauty of it. It kinda motivates me to read more on Italy especially on Venice, very much like how Lucien was motivated to learn as much as he could about Venice after his first visit to Bellezza.

Most of the characters are likable. The depiction of Lucien's parents as parents struggling to keep their cancerous child alive felt very realistic. Lucien's mentor and master in Bellezza, Rodolfo does not lack of depth either. However, I found it difficult to relate to the Duchessa and to understand the motives behind her sometimes ruthless action. But she is, no doubt, very clever and a great schemer and doesn't hesitate even a bit to do anything to protect the city and the people she loves.

Though the book is a part of Stravaganza series, it certainly stands on its own and the author ends Lucien's story on a beautiful note. You don't really need to read subsequent books to find out what happened to Lucien and the people he has come to love.

My only complain is there seems to be no clear explanation as to what Stravaganti do and why they do what they do except that they can travel between the worlds and they have to guard the journeys from the people with oblique motives. Maybe there is some explanation offered in subsequent books and I'll try to read them to see if there is any.

All in all, a very enjoyable read. Something light for a change after all the WW2 novels I've been reading lately. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the second book, 'City of Stars'.

My verdict: 4/5

Review: Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

Title: Here Lies Arthur

Author: Philip Reeve
Publication Year: 2007
Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction

Arthur fights giants, rescues maidens and tricks the Devil with his words - or so they say. Gwyna is overwhelmed. She's only a slave-girl and he's a king. Soon Arthur's magician, Myrddin, will show her the real secret behind Arthur's power...

My two cents: Brilliant! I think that one word sums up the whole book pretty well. This was on my wish list for a very long time. I finally managed to get my hands on it last Wednesday.

The book tells the story of Gwyna, a young slave-girl who was taken in by Myrddin. It was through her eyes and mind that the story unfolds. This Arthur is not the Arthur we know from the legend. The whole book, in short, is based on the premise "everyone's heard of King Arthur but no one's ever heard the truth".

Though King Arthur's story has been told many times in hundreds different ways, this is certainly one of the best that I've ever read. It stays true to the legend but with its own twists to every occurrence found in the legend. Arthur wasn't a king or a hero, but just a warlord, motivated by greed and pride to take as much as he could from other warlords. But, it was Myrddin, his advisor as well as a story-spinner, who turned Arthur's struggles into something heroic and magical. These stories told around campfires at nights were convincing enough that people started to believe in Myrddin's Arthur and ignored the fact that the real Arthur was nothing more than just a tyrant.

Kudos to Reeve for writing a very compelling read. Written in a journal-style, it wasn't hard getting into it for it didn't waste time on unnecessary stuff. The author got to the story right on and brilliantly. The main events in the legend were fantastically explained. You can easily see how all the magical and fantasy stuff surrounding the legend came into being.

It is a refreshing take on the legend and in all honesty, I'm glad that it sheds some new light on King Arthur and his knights. If they ever existed, perhaps they were not very much like what has been passed on in legend. Perhaps they were more as depicted in the book. Gwenhywfar might not be a beautiful princess. Bedwyr might not be a strong knight. Medrawt might not be a heartless traitor. And Cei might not be boorish. But does it really matter what the truth was? The people needed a hero, and they got one...known as King Arthur. And he will live on in the stories, no matter what the truth had been. This is exactly the message this book is trying to relay....that in the end, what matters about him was the stories.

A few of my favourite quotes:

"...it didn't matter any longer what the truth had been. The real Arthur had been just a little tyrant in an age of tyrants. What mattered about him was the stories."

"People see what they expect to see, and believe what you tell them to believe."

My verdict: 4.5/5

Wednesday's Round-Up (Jan. 19)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for WOW this week is a Young Adult fiction, 'Waterfall' by Lisa T. Bergren. It's the first novel in the River of Time series and set to be released on February 01, 2011.

Description: Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one. Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

My notes: I'm a sucker for both young adult fiction and historical fiction. There's little that could make me more happier as a reader than both genres combined. I hope this turns out to be good and live up to my expectations.

----------------------------------------

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly event hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?

What are you currently reading? I'm reading 'Here Lies Arthur' by Philip Reeve. It's a retelling of Arthurian legend as we know it but from a view point of a young servant girl, Gwyna. I'm currently halfway to finishing the book and I'm hoping to finish it by the end of this week.

What did you recently finish reading? I've just finished reading 'After the Break' by Penny Smith. Not the best novel ever written, but it wasn't the worst either. An 'okay' one.

What do you think you'll read? Hmm, I think I'll try to read 'The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls' by LJ Smith. I've had the book since forever but I'm yet to start reading it.

Teaser Tuesdays (Jan. 18)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• Be careful not to include spoilers! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week, my read is 'Here Lies Arthur' by Philip Reeve.

Arthur fights giants, rescues maidens and tricks the Devil with his words - or so they say. Gwyna is overwhelmed. She's only a slave-girl and he's a king. Soon Arthur's magician, Myrddin, will show her the real secret behind Arthur's power...

My teaser: Myrddin was right. People see what they expect to see, and believe what you tell them to believe. (pg 43)

Review: Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: Blood Feud (Drake Chronicles #2)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publication Year: 2010
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living, and must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who turned her into a vampire and left her buried for two hundred years. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is a sweet as the revenge she seeks.

My two cents: This second instalment in the Drake Chronicles is told from Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives. Isabeau first appeared at the Royal Court at the end of the first book and helped save Solange but she was not then named. Isabeau is a Hound princess and was sent to the Royal Court for negotiations between the two tribes. But, there was something else. A prophecy also told her that she would find her mate at the Royal Court.

I’m really glad to get the insight of Logan’s funny mind. And I can totally see why Isabeau thought the Drakes family is weird…for vampires. To be honest, when the first book ended, I was hoping for more Nicholas and Lucy. This book gives me that. Nicholas and Lucy are ever present as well as Kieran who is now dating Solange. Seeing from the perspectives of our two narrators, it is easy to appreciate the humors and ironies in their relationships.

The book maintains the antagonist from the first book, Montmartre as well as introduces to us another antagonist, Greyhaven, Montmartre’s second in command who was responsible for turning Isabeau and who was planning a coup against Montmartre. But, I can gladly say that by the end of the book, all conflicts are resolved including the one between Logan and Isabeau. This book also functions to change the Drakes’ and Lucy’s view (also mine) on the Hounds, a tribe which was said to be ruthless and savage in the first book. Love is indeed the best revenge

All in all, Blood Feud was an easy and enjoyable read. Unlike when I first started reading the first book, I no longer had confusion over the characters and also the various vampire tribes featured. I finished this one in less than two days (and hey, that’s achievement enough for me). If you’ve read the first book, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss this one.

My verdict: 4/5

Review: My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: My Love Lies Bleeding (Drake Chronicles #1)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publication Year: 2010
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

Solange has always known she is a vampire. And as the only female vampire ever born, not initiated, she is surrounded by danger on all sides – from other vampire tribes who want to take her blood into their lineage, and from the bounty hunter who are set on destroying her and her family. When she is kidnapped, it’s up to her elder brother, Nicholas, and her best friend, Lucy, save her. But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with every look – what will be her own fate if she surrenders her heart to a vampire?

My two cents: In all honesty, I had no intention to read this series. But as I was browsing through the bookstore, I came across this first book and it was on such a good bargain. And I thought I should give it a try.

The story is nothing new. In a way, it reminds me of Vampire Academy. The Drakes are one of the royal families though have since been exiled from the Royal Court. And I can’t help but see Lucy as Rose and Solange as Lissa…except that Lucy is really human and Solange can really kick some asses. But the way the story was written kept me interested. It has humors as well as action and romance. I really liked the way the tension between Nicholas and Lucy was presented. And I could straightaway guess that Solange and Kieran would be something something by the end of this book from the moment Kieran was introduced. Then, there is the whole drama involving the vampires’ Royal Court and Queen. I have to say that Solange’s seven brothers really help to keep the mood light…especially Nicholas and Logan.

I’m glad that it was told from the perspective of two people instead of one. This way, it prevented the book from becoming one dimensional and offered more insides of what the characters felt and saw. I would have liked it more if it was longer. But in a way, the author managed to not waste time going round background stories which might be or might not be boring. The author jumped straight into the issues at heart and it helped me not to lose focus. I think it’s because of this that I managed to finish this book in less than two days (I’m usually a slow reader…a very slow one). All in all, a good read if you’re looking for something to help you laugh and at the same time keep your heart beating fast.

My verdict: 4/5

"Waiting On" Wednesday #1

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick for this week is 'Timeless' by Alexandra Monir, which will be released on January 11, 2011.

Description: When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Teaser Tuesdays (Dec. 21)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted at Should Be Reading.

The objective is to open to a random page of your current reading and post two teaser sentences from anywhere on that page.

This week, my read is 'Last Sacrifice' by Richelle Mead. It is the 6th book in the Vampire Academy series.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch.

My teaser: Dimitri didnʹt acknowledge my comment. Instead, he grew pensive again. I could see turmoil behind his eyes, some inner war. (pg 165)

Review: Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers

Title: Postcards from No Man's Land

Author: Aidan Chambers
Publication Year: 1999
Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction

Jacon's plan is to go to Amsterdam to honor his grandfather who died during WW2. He expects to go, set flowers on his grandfather's tombstone, and explore the city. But nothing goes as planned. Jacob is not prepared for love - or to face question about his sexuality. Most of all, he is not prepared to hear what Geertrui, the woman who nursed his grandfather during the war, has to say about their relationship. Geertrui had always been known as Jacob's grandfather's kind and generous nurse. But it seems that in the midst of terrible danger, Geertrui and Jacob's grandfather's time together blossomed into something more than a girl caring for a wounded soldier.

My two cents: This novel is about two stories, one is that of the young Jacob in the present day Amsterdam (well, in 1995) and another of Geertrui in the war-stricken Oostorbeek in 1944. These two stories, separated by 50 years in time, are told interchangeably between chapters.

I'll be honest. For the first few chapters, it wasn't an easy read. It was rather confusing, all over the place and left me trying to figure out the connection between one sentence to another. But it was purposely written in that way...and as the book progressed, I found it became easier and easier to relate each character to the main stories. Life in time of war is told from Geertrui's perspective and it wasn't easy reading all she had to go through during the war. Somehow, it makes me realise how lucky I am to live somewhere where war is just a history. As for the modern day Amsterdam, it is told from the perspective of a visiting English teenager who is yet to discover himself. It shows us the cultures and customs of Dutch as well as an English boy's perspective on the city and its people.

Originally, I picked up this book because I wanted to read something about love during WW2. And, was I disappointed? I'd have to say, not at all. There is love, self-discovery and sacrifice all in one book...in both stories of young Jacob and of young Geetrui. Though, if I had to choose between the two, I loved Geertrui's story a bit more. Her story was truly tragic yet beautiful. Her love for soldier Jacob and how she dealt with losing the people she loved to war are the aspects that touched me the most.

And I have to say, there's a lot of history in this book, from WW2 and its famous Anne Frank to Rembrandt to the history of the two families featured. Also, the book is full of philosophical quotes about life and memories. All in all, the author managed to intertwine the lives of two main characters, Jacob Todd and Geertrui in a very beautiful, clever and awesome sort of way.

At the back cover of the book, it is written "...teens may remember not only that they read it, but also where and when they read it." This is particularly true in my case. I still remember that I read most of this book while I was sitting in the food court of Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre waiting for WCOA session for that particular day to end.

My words would never be enough to describe this book. Just go and pick it up whenever you have time. I believe it won't be a disappointment.

A few of my favourite quotes:

"You have to know your own truth and stick to it. And never despair. Never give up. There's always hope."

"Here is memory. For me now there is only memory. Memory and pain. All life is memory. Pain is of now, forgotten as soon as gone. But memory lives. And grows. And changes too."

"Events separate people quite as much as time and distance. What has happened to one in the absence of the other makes foreigners of them."

There are more but I can't seem to locate them now. Don't blame me for being too lazy to go through each chapter, it is 3.30 in the morning.

Note: According to the author, this book is a part of 'The Dance Sequence' which consisted of 6 books. But, it can be read as standalone.

My verdict: 5/5