Friday, December 23, 2011

Last Minute Gift Ideas: Most Overlooked Books of 2011


(Don't you just love this book tree?)

Need ideas for last minute gifts?  Check out NPR's list of the Most Overlooked Books of 2011.  If you have 13+ minutes to spare, listen to the podcast rather than read the article as you really get a sense of how the guest editors and bloggers feel about the books they're nominating.

There are quite a few excellent suggestions ranging from novels, memoirs, non-fiction, graphic novels to young adult.  Much to my surprise, Rick Yancy's Monstrumologist series is hailed as better than Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.  Those are some mighty big shoes to fill.

Earlier this year Yancy's award winning series was dropped by Simon & Schuster, but later given the green light due to overwhelming fan complaints.  The third book in the series, The Isle of Blood, was published this year and is considered the best thus far.

Here's the NPR link with free samples of the books.

I'm definitely getting The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy.  I simply can't resist the comparison to Harry and Katniss.

Incognito by David Eagleman sounds amazing and I'm such a nerd when it comes to books like this.

World Enough and Time: on Creativity and Slowing Down by Christian McEwan.  Time for me to slow down and get centered.

I love reading new authors and discovering gems. Do you think you'll give any of these books a try?  If so, which ones?

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Teaser Tuesday: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.  This meme is simple and fun, you just pick up your current read, flip to a random page, and choose 1 or 2 teaser sentences to share!  Here are the guidelines:
  • Grab Your Current Read
  • Open to a random page
  • Pick two “teaser” sentences from that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO SHARE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn’t give too much away.  You don’t want to ruin the book for other readers)
  • INCLUDE the TITLE & AUTHOR too, so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR and wish-lists!  If possible, add the page number.
I LOVE this cover!  Strong heroine with a crossbow in a kick-ass gown with a castle in the background. What's not to love?


I'm reading this on my kindle as it is an ARC, so I have to choose sentences that are on the screen for fear of losing my place! Here goes:

"The clash of Duval's and Hivern's gazes as they meet is as loud as the opening parry of any duel, but what makes my breath catch is the brief glimpse of pain I see in Duval's face before he shutters it.  It is so fleeting, I cannot help but wonder if I have imagined it"  (location: 1288-93)

From Goodreads:
"Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?"
Rating details
ratingfrequency%#
5
 
45%21
4
 
41%19
3
 
10%5
2
 
2%1
1
 
0%0
all editions:4.30 average rating, 46 ratings, 31 reviews, added by 1337 people, 1141 to-reads
this edition:4.31 average rating, 45 ratings, 30 reviews, added by 1273 people, 1090 to-reads
So what are you reading these days?
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 
Blog Design by Use Your Imagination Designs Lost Atlantis kit by Irene Alexeeva