The GIF Tag (Show me your GIFs!)

Thanks Kath of The Last Reader for tagging me on this! She must’ve noticed my love for GIFs. Really excited to do this. I’m feeling extra creative today so I’ve made this button just for this tag. Isn’t it cute? 😀

So here’s how it works:
-link the person who tagged you
-give 1 GIF to books that
were listed by the one who tagged you
-list 10 books for those you want to tag
-tag at least five of your friends

Books listed by Kath

Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami

I haven’t read it and I don’t think I will. 😀

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This looks promising..

Every Day by David Levithan

Definitely interesting!

The Mortal Instruments as a TV Series?

I haven’t been paying much attention to the TV/Movie world since I’m caught up with a lot of work, plus squeezing time to read and a whole lot more so I’m quite surprised when I read an article about this. I believe it was announced a month ago that the book series won’t be on the big screen anymore after City of Bones being a blockbuster. They will continue it as a TV series instead. They will start the production next year and from what I’ve read, recasting is possible.

“It actually makes sense to do (the novels) as a TV series. There was so much from the book that we had to leave out of the Mortal Instruments film. In the series we’ll be able to go deeper and explore this world in greater detail and depth.”
— Martin Moszkowicz, Head of Constantin

I’m really torn. About the book being on a TV series and for the possible recasting. I’m excited about it since I miss the book and it really broke my heart when the series finally ended, but I’m worried how they will pull it off. There could be two aftereffects out of this.

The Return (Titan #1) by Jennifer Armentrout: Interview with Seth + Giveaway

Name: The Return (Titan #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Number of Pages: 335 in Paperback
Published: February 17th 2015
by Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Mythology

The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…
It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet. Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.
But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.
Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

HELLO COVENANT SERIES FANATICS!
LOOK WHO’S HERE?

If you’ve noticed the use of caps lock, well you need to
picture out that while I’m typing this post, I’m practically doing this at the same time..

LOL. I know Waiting on Wednesday is done, but then I’ve stumbled upon iHeartBigBooks‘ blog and found an interview with model Drew Leighty. Wondering who he is? He’s the face of Seth (Oh God! He’s super hot!) on the cover of the The Titan series which is the spin-off of the Covenant.

Here’s some snippets of the interview:

Book Review: Crown of Ice

Name: Crown of Ice
Author: Vicki L. Weavil
Number of Pages: 300 in Paperback
Published: September 9th 2014
by Month9Books
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairytale, Retelling, Romance

“Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith. Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal. A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts — to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.”

In all honesty, I haven’t read The Snow Queen or watch Disney’s Frozen. I’ve only read reviews of this book before reading it so I could have an idea of what to expect. Plus the movie’s soundtrack went viral. I have my own share of moments when that song lingered on my head for about a week. To my surprise, not only kids sing it. Also those young at heart. 🙂 Anyway, as I’ve mentioned on my Book Beginning post, readers were torn though. Some loved it. Some didn’t. Which I perfectly understand. I can’t just bring myself to actually hate a fairy tale. Being a sucker for fairy tales, I grabbed this, sat in a corner (literally like some looney) and the world around me faded away.

The writing is quite simple. This won’t make your head ache. A kid could actually read this on his own or a Mom during bedtime stories (minus the kissing/killing parts of course). That’s how easy this read is. I was taken back when I was a little kid, reading fairy tales under my sheets with a flashlight so I could see. 🙂

Book Review: Gates of Thread and Stone

Name: Gates of Thread and Stone
Author: Lori M. Lee
Number of Pages: 355 in Hardcover
Published: August 5th 2014 by Skyscape
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Science Fiction, Paranormal

In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

If you have read my Currently Reading post about this book, you might have an idea of what concerns me the most. For those who have not read it yet, I’ll give you an overview. Well, you see I am a fan of Emily May and I consider -but not always- her reviews on books we’re both interested in. I usually do that. Read reviews first and mull over why they like it or not. Then, write my own as to how I felt about the book. Going back to Emily. Well, she didn’t like this book and I think, now I know why.

Book Review: Stolen SongBird (The Malediction Trilogy #1)

Name:Stolen SongBird
(The Malediction Trilogy #1)
Author: Danielle Jensen
Number of Pages: 469 in Paperback
Published: April 21st 2014
Genre: High Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Fiction, Paranormal

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity. But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader. As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

Since I have a lot going on, I’ve read this book for a week. Yeah, you read it right. One bloody week. I won’t discuss how the story goes since it was practically shortened on the rundown. I’ll just discuss points which I like and points I tolerated.

Book Cover Reveal: The Wicked Will Rise (Dorothy Must Die #2)

This is perhaps a little late, but for the benefit of all readers who have not had a glimpse of the book cover of Dorothy Must Die’s second book. Here it is. I believe this was revealed the 21st of August 2014 by USA Today. The article also has an interview with the author, Danielle Page.

In this dark, high-octane sequel to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die, Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to kill Dorothy and free Oz.

To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die…

But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn’t wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked?

The cover is so perfect for the book’s summary. That’s one intriguing sequel, I may say. Dark and mystifying and the title? Thrilling! I’m so excited about this! Here’s what Danielle Page has to say about the book cover. This is from the interview:

“I’m totally in love with this cover. It’s so creepy and mysterious, but a little bit funny, too, which is just the way I see these books.”

    —Danielle Page, author of Dorothy Must Die series

Book Review: Don’t Look Back

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?’

This is not anywhere on my Waiting on Wednesday list, but I got it and I’m pretty excited about this. I literally devoured it. Like I stuck my nose on it the whole day since I can’t, totally can’t afford to put it down. I practically stayed until two in the morning to finish it, though I need to be at work at 8am sharp. That’s how intense it is. I rarely read contemporary books since I’m a fantasy reader, but I really enjoyed this one that I totally forgot to include it on my list of Currently Reading. I’ve read this along The Winner’s Curse since sad to say, that book bored the hell out of me. Sorry.

Currently Reading #20

Stolen SongBird (The Malediction Trilogy #1)

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

+++

This is definitely one of the books that I’ve crave for, but I’m not pretty sure if I listed this on my Waiting on Wednesday. I’m really glad I have it now and certainly looking forward to an awesome review. A lot of my friends are so excited to hear from me too so I’m truly trying to squeeze some time within my busy schedule to read as quickly as I can. I bet this reading experience would be a lot of fun.

Here are some of the wonderful reviews I read:

Book Review: The Winner’s Curse

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

+++

I really don’t have an idea how I’ll start with this. I’ve read this because of the hype among book lovers and seriously I think something’s wrong with me. I didn’t really enjoy it. I was wondering if they have read the same book. I’ve read reviews that generously rated a five star and were all being intense about the whole thing, but I swear I tried. I really tried to love it. It didn’t work for me. Yeah. I know, usually those first books on a series were all talk or world building, but man I’ve skimmed this.