Review - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (Audio Book)

Ok, so I know I've posted some thoughts on the Linger audio book once before. Not that far back here. I've recently finished it and like with Shiver, Sam's voice didn't irritate me as much by the end. Maybe because I'd gotten used to it. Or maybe because he stopped ending every sentence like it was a question. I don't know.

I was wicked impatient listening to this one. And tempted to just skip a CD or two to get to the end. Maybe because I already knew what was going to happen. But it was fun to listen to. And I still LOVE Cole's voice. In this blog post by Maggie herself, she introduces you to the voices of Same and Cole. Dan Bittner is not at all what I pictured. But I think that was because I was excpecting... Cole. :-P But still. The fact that THAT VOICE comes out of him makes him incredibly declicious. ::sigh::

Picture from Maggie's blog post 

Pierce Cravens is almost exactly what I pictured him to be. And like with Cole... I think it's because I was picturing Sam. While I can't stand it when people talk like everything they're saying is a question, I believe he sounded more the age of Sam than David Ledoux. Sam number 1 sounded about 20 years too old for him. But Pierce was just right. Though, not as yummy as Cole.

Also taken from Maggie's blog

I was happy with the audio book overall. And I loved the extra tracks at the end playing  Maggie's music. She's an amazing musician. And her music is just gorgeous. I definitely recommend listening to the series if you get a chance. Even if you haven't read the books yet. Just make sure you listen to them in order. :-P

Follow Friday #19

Thanks to Parajunkee for hosting Follow Friday every week!

This week's question:

Q. In books like the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish would come out of the closet, for real?

A. If this means "coming out" as in letting everyone know it exists then..... elves maybe. Or unicorns. I already know dragons existed. :-D And no I'm not kidding about that. But I'd want to see elves. Or shape shifters. I think that would be pretty nifty.

Teaser Tuesday #21

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 two (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!

Todays teaser comes from a book I received this weekend that I won in a giveaway from the lovely Sarah over at The Brazen Bookworm.

Make Mine a Bad Boy (Deep in the Heart of Texas #2) by Katie Lane:

"Except one - one lone heart that wasn't stupid enough to give itself to such a stubborn wildcat. No, his heart didn't belong to her, but other parts of his body could be persuaded to." p 43

Haha. :-) Gotta love that cover.

Follow Friday #18

Many thanks to Parajunkee for hosting Follow Friday every week! Head on over to her page and check out the new look!

This weeks question:

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?


A. This may sound lame, but I'm actually writing a semi-autobiographical book (or I was until MY computer crapped out on me and I can't see the screen to do anything with it) about a 20 something girl who fell for the man of her dreams, only to find out once they got married that he was abusive physically, verbally, and emotionally. It's about her internal struggles as well as her external battle. Whether to stay because she had nowhere to go and no one to help her and put up with the abuse, or to leave with nothing and hope he didn't follow her. I started writing it in the hopes that if it ever got published and someone read it who may be in the same situation, or something similar, that it would help them somehow.
 
Can't wait to see what ya'lls answers are!

Review - Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Yay! I finished a book.

Haha. I've been in kind of a slump the last few months. I'm not sure why. But I think this one broke me out of it! I didn't want to put it down. It was great.

Glow was sent to me by the publishers as a giveaway win. Word.

Anyways. It's unlike any other book I've read before. And I loved it. It's set years and years in the future aboard a space station called The Empyrean. Or at least that's how it starts. There's another station involved called The New Horizon. Earth has all but died away and the people on these ships are on a mission to create a new Earth on a planet in some far corner of the universe.

I have never read a book where I can't figure out what "side" I'm on. Where I couldn't figure out who the good guy was supposed to be. Because once I thought I figured it out, I'd realize I was wrong. That happened 2 or 3 times while I was reading it. Kept me on my toes. I've never seen that in a book before. There were characters I didn't like, that I ended up liking 50 pages later. Or characters that I thought were pretty great that turned out to be slimy and coniving. The only character I think DIDN'T change was Waverly. I liked her a lot. Again, she was not one of those "damsel's in distress" that expects everyone to take care of her. She's a pretty hard core chick and I think it was good that she was sort of the... control... if you will.

I did notice on Goodreads a lot of the reviews said that the "religious overtones" had no business being in the book. But really... that was the story the author came up with. It had every right to be in there because it was part of the story. She's not forcing her views or her religion on anyone. It plays a part in why the people are the way they are.

It seems like this may turn out to be a controversial novel. But I definitely look forward to reading the rest of the Sky Chasers series. And I recommend it to anyone looking for something new!

This review is kind of vague, I know. But the book doesn't come out until September 27th. I don't want to give away anything I shouldn't and ruin it for the rest of you!

Follow Friday #17

Thanks to Parajunkee for hosting Follow Friday every week!

This week's question:

Q. How have your reading habits changed since you were a teen? or If you are still a teen what new genres are you in love with currently?

A. Well, when I was a younger teenager I was still big into books like The Babysitter's Club by Ann M. Martin and The Babysitter by R.L. Stine. LoL. I didn't realize until I finished typing his name the similarities in both of those choices. Totally unrelated though. Well, almost. I mean, on the one hand, I liked the feel good, best friend type novels. They were what I wanted my life to be like. On the other hand, I also liked horror stories. And to me, RL Stine was the king of YA/Teen horror. Way back then I was in to "romance" novels too. And sad stories like Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniel. Full House was also on my list of MUST READS. Hehe.

As I got older, around 14 or 15 I started to read The Saddle Club. I loved horses, and again it was a feel good series and it was the way I wanted my world to be. Good friends, something I loved to do. I had probably 40 of those books. I wanted to give all of my BBC and SC books to Alanna, but they were thrown away last year. Which made me sad.

Then at 16 and 17 came Harry Potter. My mom read us The Goblet of Fire on the way to Florida in 2000. When we got back, she picked up the rest of the books and that was really all she wrote. We got the books on tape because Jim Dale was absolutely AMAZING. Love him.

Since then I've been pretty much strictly fantasy. Well, as far as what I pick up from the bookstore/library myself. But I will read whatever anyone gives me to read. Sometimes it's good to take a break. To keep your mind from getting all muddy. I don't really like romance novels, because my life hasn't exactly been one where that's been present at all, but I will read one if someone gives it to me. I love Jonathan Kellerman and James Patterson. I love Louis L'Amour and his stories about the Sackett's. I also dig Harlequin novels. I'm not gonna lie. Harlequin novels AND the Love Inspirational novels. :-P I'm so weird.

So yeah... that was long and drawn out. Haha.

Last order of business, need input please! I'm debating on changing my name from Shhh... Not While I'm Reading to The Irish Bookworm. What do you guys think?

Book Trailer: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I've heard lots of good things about this one. I'm excited to read it!

Shiver vs Linger Audio Books

A while ago I wrote a post about audio books. Graceling and Shiver in particular.

I wasn't too fond at first of the guy they chose to narrate Sam's part. He sounded really nasally and creepy because you could tell that he was just so much older than the role he was supposed to be portraying. About halfway through the book though, he got much better. I enjoyed listening to him. I really did.

Once I was finished with Shiver I put Linger in the CD player. Different Sam. This one is more the age I thought Sam should sound, and at first I almost liked him better. But the more I listen the more it irritates me. He reads every sentence like it's a question. And it SOUNDS like he's reading. His narration is not as effortless as Jenna Lamia. It sounds like he's trying too hard. Honestly I think they should have stuck with David Ledoux.

I love Isabel and Cole though. I think they picked perfect people for those parts. Cole's voice is soft and could almost put me to sleep. It's just... melodic. I guess that's a good thing to sound like since Cole is a rock star. I'm not really sure what to say about Isabel. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is about the person who reads Isabel. I just love her voice.

I definitely recommend listening to both books on CD. No matter how much it bothers me that every sentence Sam says in book 2 sounds like he's asking someone something.

In My Mailbox #15

I want to say, first off, that I'm wicked sorry. I've got terrible reader's block. I just haven't been able to sit down and read for more than a few minutes at a time and I don't know why. :-(

NOW. On with our regularly scheduled programming. In My Mailbox is hosted every week by The Story Siren.

I've gotten some interesting reads.

The first is called The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer.

The second I just got in the mail yesterday. The Forgeiners by Maxine Swann.

These next two I got from Walmart for $1.00. How awesome is that. I got Peter Pan and The Secret Garden. They're large print and illustrated! B&W illustrations but it's better than not at all. :-) When I find them (kids have sticky fingers) I'll post the pictures of the covers. They're wicked simple, but I don't care. They were a dollar!

Can't wait to see what you all got in your mailbox! 

Harry Potter Meets Metal

This kid is absolutely amazing. Uh. Maze. Ing. Seriously. He is completely wicked on guitar and he arranges all these himself which can be super difficult to do. He's got videos doing metal versions of Lady Gaga, Rebecca Black, Star Wars, RICK ASTLEY. I mean come ON. I Heart Him. He's just phenomenal. Click the link up there at the beginning of the post, go to his youtube page and SUBSCRIBE.

Oh, and watch the video down there. :-)

RAK - August



So I did not participate in RAK last month or the month before, but am glad to say I am now. Here's what ya do:

Rules:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.
• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)
• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.
•NEW REQUEST: Please, once you receive a RAK, email or tweet me {Vanessa} so that I can update the Google doc. There are a lot of requests for this!

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!
{Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!
FYI: One RAK will be chosen and showcased! Yayyy!

That's it!
Easy peasy huh??
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vanessa at :



Twerd413 [at] gmail DOT com

My RAK list for August:

• Tiger's Curse - Colleen Houck
• Tiger's Quest - Colleen Houck
• Luthiel's Song: War of Mists - Robert Fanney
• Wolfsbane - Andrea Cremer
• Iron King - Julie Kagawa
• Iron Daughter - Julie Kagawa
• Iron Queen - Julie Kagawa
• Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa
• Everdark - Elle Jasper
• Forever - Maggie Stiefvater
• Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater
• The Girl in the Steel Corset - Kady Cross
• Wrapped - Jennifer Bradbury
• Instructions for a Broken Heart - Kim Culbertson
• My Life as a White Trash Zombie - Diana Rowland
• Eye of the Tempest - Nicole Peeler
• The Iron Witch - Karen Mahoney
• Entwined - Heather Dixon
• The Noble Pirates - Rima Jean
• Sisters Red - Jackson Pearce
• The Water Wars - Cameron Stracher
• A Touch Mortal - Leah Clifford
• Ink Death - Cornelia Funke

That's my list for now! Nothing has to be new! I love ARCS, used/dogeared/torn/worn books. As long as the pages are all where they're supposed to be and nothing is missing! I'm an equal opportunity book lover! And I will love you forever if you send me something!!

Disney Princesses - Historical Style

So, thanks to Lisa Mantchev and her facebook, I came across the coolest webpage I've seen in a while.

Claire Hummel, an LA based illustrator for Microsoft Game Studio Publishing, decided to dig a little deeper into the history surrounding our beloved Disney Princesses. Namely their fashion. She did some research on the supposed time frames of the movies we love and came up with more... historically accurate renderings.

I'll show you a couple of my favorites, but you can check out her article to see the rest of them as well as the blurbs she's written for each one!

So again, go check out the article Reinterpreting Disney Princess Costumes Through a Historical Lens. I love it!

Teaser Tuesday #20

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 two (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!

Now, for those of you who didn't guess my last teaser, it was from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. If you guessed right.. kudos to you. :-)

Now, this weeks teaser is from Humanity Scar by Monique Doucette. It's currently in E-Book form and is available on Amazon! She's a wicked cool person and she also runs the Humanity Scar website which is post-apocalyptic RPG (which I never thought I'd be able to get into, but it's freaking awesome. I love it!) message board for survivors of a ZOMBIE outbreak. Yes, I said it... ZOMBIE. Go check it out.

On to the teaser...

"How much can the scar protect? How many of us are left? And of those that still breathe, how many actually deserve it?"