Books: A true story http://www.booksatruestory.com Book reviews and some (mostly funny) true stories of my life. Tue, 21 May 2013 14:52:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Shelving by Covers: May 21, 2013 http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/21/shelving-by-covers-date/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shelving-by-covers-date http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/21/shelving-by-covers-date/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 07:05:43 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7145 Here are the brand new YA releases out today!

I?ve ?shelved? them purely based on their cover.  Hope you laugh and find some new, shiny books.

I Saw How To Make These Hearts on Pinterest



*Looks Over Shoulder* EWW Are Gomez and Bieber Back Together??



Firefly



I Am A Nice Shark, Not A Mindless Eating Machine



Whuuuut. Vampires Don’t Go Here



Bueller. Ferris Bueller Was…



Instagram Is Like A….




The covers are affiliate links.  If you click a link and purchase anything, it really helps support my blog. Thanks for stopping by!

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/21/shelving-by-covers-date/feed/ 0 Book Review: Asunder by Jodi Meadows http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/20/book-review-asunder-by-jodi-meadows/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-review-asunder-by-jodi-meadows http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/20/book-review-asunder-by-jodi-meadows/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 07:00:59 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7128 Asunder (Newsoul #2)Asunder (Newsoul #2) by
Series: Newsoul #2
Published On: January 29, 2013
Genres: ,
Source:

Buy the Book Goodreads

The Short, Sweet, and Spoiler-Free Blurb:

In this second book in the Newsoul trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

4 Stars

I was not planning on reading this book.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book in this series (Incarnate), but the ending had a lot of burning acid and death that left a lot of interesting questions so when I saw the second book staring at me at the library with it’s pretty flowers and rainbows, I decided to take it home.

Another reason I decided to read this book was because I had a theory and I wanted to see if I was right.  I was convinced that newsouls came from animals because that’s the first thing you think of when you think of reincarnation.  Turns out I was wrong.  Where newsouls really come from is even better. I love it when authors do that.  I read this book in 2 days and I couldn’t put it down.

Even though I read book 1 in January, I for the life of me couldn’t remember who Sarit was as well as some of the other minor characters.  Sarit is a friend of Ana.  She keeps bees.  Wait is she a she in this lifetime? That is all I know about Sarit.  I still think Sam is boring.  I do not like that Sam-I-am.  He’s unnaturally perfect and completely predictable. I mean when something completely devastating happens, he just lays in bed moping.  Cris was much more interesting.  He’s a new character in this book who is flawed, selfless, and has been trying to achieve a dream for lifetimes but he can’t quite get there.  I just wanted to hug him.

The plot is still pretty slow, but I liked the interesting questions that were brought up.  Some of them were pretty deep that delve into life, death, fear, and immortality.  Ana goes on a quest for answers that is sometimes metaphorical and sometimes more like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  It’s very bittersweet because along this journey Ana starts to realize how different and truly alone she is.  She has to deal with constant rejection and trying to build her self-esteem despite what others think about her.

Also, I hope we get to see more of the creatures mentioned like trolls, centaures, phoenixes, and, of course, dragons.

Overall, I thought this was much more addicting to read than the first book. It answered a lot of questions from the first book which, of course, just brought up tons more to be answered in the next book.  And it delves into some interesting and deep topics that left me thinking long after I finished.

Content Rating: Medium, for one mildly gory scene.

About Jodi Meadows

Jodi Meadows

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy (her cat), and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut.

Website ? Blog ? Twitter ? Facebook ? Goodreads

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/20/book-review-asunder-by-jodi-meadows/feed/ 0 My Mailbox (44) http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/17/my-mailbox-44/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-mailbox-44 http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/17/my-mailbox-44/#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 05:22:17 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7106 My Mailbox is where I show all the books I?ve gotten by various means throughout the week.

I will be linking up with Mailbox Monday and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga?s Reviews :)

Since I LOVE book cover art on my kindle, I took my own pictures of the covers of my ebooks.

Bought


Ever since I signed up for the Kindle Daily Deals email I have been hoarding books that cost a dollar.

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Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver for only $0.99!

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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield on sale for $1.99.

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Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson on sale for $0.99!

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The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey - on sale from Amazon.

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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I’ve already finished this so I’m all ready to go see the movie this weekend!

photo 1

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - I got this in paperback even though I have the hardcover because I’m on the book blogger appreciation page! AHHH!


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photo 2

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - at the book signing in Provo.

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - at the book signing in Provo.


Library


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Asunder by Jodi Meadows


What did you get in your mailbox this week?  Leave a link and I?ll come look!

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/17/my-mailbox-44/feed/ 3 Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/16/book-review-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-by-j-k-rowling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-review-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-by-j-k-rowling http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/16/book-review-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-by-j-k-rowling/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 07:00:20 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=6511 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2)Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) by
Series: Harry Potter #2
Published On: June 2, 1999
Genres: ,
Source:

Buy the Book Goodreads

The Short, Sweet, and Spoiler-Free Blurb:

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does.

5 Stars

My favorite thing about this book is how we get to see that wizards and Muggles are much the same.  Mr. Weasley actually thinks that Muggles are fasinating and even “magical” in their own way.  It’s a nice little theme that I only picked up since it was my third time reading it.  It’s a subtle contrast to the “Muggle-born” hate the goes along with the opening of the Chamber of Secrets.

And enter Lockhart – the fun, semi-villain.  He’s fun to make fun of and laugh at but I think he represents a villan that we are more likely to encounter in real life or even become ourselves if we’re not careful.  He’s selfish, vain and will do anything to get ahead including hurting others.

Honestly, this book gave me chills when I first read it. I was not expecting what I considered to be a “kids” book to be scary. I had to finish it in one night so I could sleep.  If I didn’t find out how Harry got rid of the voices talking about blood and killing, my subconscious would have no way to fight back in my nightmares.  I have nightmares about everything.

The magical world J.K. Rowling has built is so fantastic and unbelievably real that it makes me ask questions like, “Why is Peeves physical when ghosts are not and why is he afraid of the Bloody Baron?”  And I seriously want an answer.  There is no level of detail that is too much in my mind.  I must know all the things about Hogwarts.  And oh how I love Professor Binns.  He’s the ultimate old and boring teacher (another thing that Muggles sadly have, too).

I really can’t get over how very relatable this book is to kids.  It deals with the big and small struggles that kids go through every day.  It shows how the characters deal with unfairness and how tedious and boring school can be.  And Harry really acts like a kid  - he doesn’t tell Dumbledore important things in the fashion of any kid who is afraid.  Who as a kid didn’t tell their parents something even though they knew they should?

After reading it for the third time, it’s fun to pick up on the foreshadowing that I missed.  I’m noticing that Ms. Rowling often disguises important things as jokes or just another detail to make the world more interesting and colorful.  Ooh I just get chills when they figure out who Moaning Myrtle is.  See? She’s important although at first she appeared to just be a colorful character to annoy them in the bathroom.

I can’t end this review without the best quote of the book:

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

- J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (p. 333)

Content Rating: Mild, for talk of killing and blood, some scary scenes, and some mild swearing.

About J. K. Rowling

JK Rowling

J K (Joanne Kathleen) Rowling was born in the summer of 1965 at Yate General Hospital in England and grew up in Chepstow, Gwent where she went to Wyedean Comprehensive. Jo left Chepstow for Exeter University, where she earned a French and Classics degree, and where her course included one year in Paris. When her marriage ended, she returned to the UK to live in Edinburgh, where “Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone” was eventually completed and in 1996 she received an offer of publication. The following summer the world was introduced to Harry Potter.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/16/book-review-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-by-j-k-rowling/feed/ 3 Book Review: Bullies by Gary Taaffe http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/15/book-review-bullies-by-gary-taaffe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-review-bullies-by-gary-taaffe http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/15/book-review-bullies-by-gary-taaffe/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 07:00:24 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7079 Bullies (Urban Hunters #5)Bullies (Urban Hunters #5) by
Series: Urban Hunters #5
Published On: February 1, 2013
Genres: ,
Source:

Buy the Book Goodreads

The Short, Sweet, and Spoiler-Free Blurb:

The son of the mongrel old man who Billy speared wants revenge. Billy could lose the pups. A bloody battle ensues but Diesel doesn?t count on Amber; or Larry, Curly and Moe for that matter.

3 Stars

Another fun short story in the Urban Hunters series.  I really liked how we got to learn a little more about Billy and Amber and their personalities.  We get to see their relationship grow in little, adorable ways.  But I really struggled with the conflict in this one.  It just didn’t feel real to me that an adult, no matter how angry, would actually try to physically harm young kids.  I mean it was cool that we got to see Amber and Billy take care of themselves, but if I’m supposed to see this guy as a sympathetic character afterwords, it just didn’t work for me.  But way to go girl power for Amber! And there was some great humor at the end.

Overall, there’s some cute moments at the beginning and fun humor at the end, but the conflict just didn’t work for me this time.

Content Rating: Medium, mildly descriptive violence.


I received this book for review from the author, Gary Taaffe, in exchange for an honest review. I was not told what to say, I was not paid to write this review and all the opinions expressed are my own. 

About Gary Taaffe

7d5127626ea50a7f0235ec.L._V155810681_SX200_

Gary Taaffe lives in a small coastal town in NSW, Australia. There’s open ocean on one side, a massive saltwater lake on the other and enough virgin bushland in the surrounding areas to lose yourself for a week. When he’s not writing, Gary’s hunting deer for the freezer or putting around the lake fishing for flathead.
He’s a Toolmaker by trade, a successful inventor and now, a writer. Urban Hunters is the culmination of his inventiveness, his enthusiasm for the outdoors and his fun-filled sense of humour.

Blog ? Twitter ? Facebook ? Goodreads

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/15/book-review-bullies-by-gary-taaffe/feed/ 0 Shelving by Covers: May 14, 2013 http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/14/shelving-by-covers-may-14-2013/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shelving-by-covers-may-14-2013 http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/14/shelving-by-covers-may-14-2013/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 07:00:17 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7088 Here are the brand new YA releases out today!

I?ve ?shelved? them purely based on their cover.  Hope you laugh and find some new, shiny books.

The Red Green Show



And Then She Thought Up Harry Potter



It’s Gotta Be The Good Life….



I Wonder How Cold That Water Is



Acting Lesson 1: Dramatic Damsel



Running



I Can See Your Nose Hairs From This Angle



Mirror, Mirror, Does Black Leather Look Good On Me?



Do Robot Horsies Eat Carrots?




The covers are affiliate links.  If you click a link and purchase anything, it really helps support my blog. Thanks for stopping by!

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/14/shelving-by-covers-may-14-2013/feed/ 0 Book Review: Taken by Erin Bowman http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/08/book-review-taken-by-erin-bowman/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-review-taken-by-erin-bowman http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/08/book-review-taken-by-erin-bowman/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 07:00:20 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=6987 Taken (Taken #1)Taken (Taken #1) by
Series: Taken #1
Published On: April 16, 2013
Genres: , ,
Source:

Buy the Book Goodreads

The Short, Sweet, and Spoiler-Free Blurb:

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys?but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends?and he?s gone. They call it the Heist.  Gray Weathersby?s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he?s prepared to meet his fate?until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he?s been raised to accept . . .

3 Stars

Taken reminded me a little of The Maze Runner – they both had this engrossing quest for answers.  The plot delivers on answering a lot of the questions that come up.  The story moves quickly and kept me glued to the pages.  The interesting world was the strongest part of this book.  But, sadly there were a few things that kept me from really loving it.

I have mixed feelings about the plot.  I loved how it was so fast-paced and surprised me once or twice, even if it had a few minor plot holes.  I like fast moving plots in books, but I think this was a rare example of the plot moving too fast.  It’s amazing the amount of ground this 360 page novel covers.  Since so much is happening, there is a lot of “monologuing” if you will (to use a term from The Incredibles).  Instead of getting to experience the newly discovered layers of this world, the characters would often have mini-speeches explaining the newest development.  Then the characters would immediately act on the new revelations.  It made for an addicting and zippy plot, but I found myself missing the fleshed-out little details that would have made the world rich and believable.  Sometimes things felt over-explained and sometimes the characters are running for their lives when they feel the need to monologue something new and explain the world a little more.  I wanted to strangle all of them and remind them that they should be running for their lives.  If this book would have taken it’s time with building the world naturally and not skipped over so many details, it would have been an incredible book instead of just an average one.  The matriarchal society structure that Gray grew up in was so interesting. I so wish that it had gone into more detail about the society!

The main character Gray was so likable at the beginning, but I felt his character progressed into kind of an unforgiving jerk. There were a few cute, romantic moments at the beginning – like them talking about wanting to be like the birds – that were so adorable. But I found the way the love triangle unfolded to be very unappealing. It’s possible that I have a gender bias that love triangles are okay for girls and not boys, but I still felt this “love triangle” was more like unfairly dragging two girls along.  Another reason I felt Gray was a jerk was when he has to make decisions through the story that could potentially hurt those he cares about, he completely justifies his actions without some much-needed honest indecision.  It gave me the impression that he didn’t care as much as he said he did.

I didn’t like some of the language used in the writing.  There are a few descriptions of  his chest “heaving” when he’s attracted to a girl. Gross.  And the word “slatings” for dates?  That’s such a bizarre phrase.  The word pairing used later on in the book was much better.

Overall, it had a fast-paced action filled plot that was addicting to read, but it was at the expense of building a fleshed-out world.  This book started out so strong at the beginning and sadly fizzles out towards the end.

Content Rating: Medium, for some swearing and violence.


I received this book for review from the publisher, HarperTeen, through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. I was not told what to say, I was not paid to write this review and all the opinions expressed are my own.  I read an Advanced Reading Copy for this review.

About Erin Bowman

Erin Bowman

Erin Bowman used to tell stories visually as a web designer. Now a full-time writer, she relies solely on words. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and when not writing she can often be found hiking, commenting on good typography, and obsessing over all things Harry Potter.

Website • Tumblr • Twitter • Pinterest • Goodreads

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/08/book-review-taken-by-erin-bowman/feed/ 0 Shelving by Covers: May 7, 2013 http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/07/shelving-by-covers-may-7-2013/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shelving-by-covers-may-7-2013 http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/07/shelving-by-covers-may-7-2013/#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 07:00:19 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7065 Here are the brand new YA releases out today!

I?ve ?shelved? them purely based on their cover.  Hope you laugh and find some new, shiny books.

Smooth Criminal



Under Da Sea…Under Da Sea…



She Doesn’t Look Sneaky… AT ALL



Titanic Sails the Universe



It’s the End of the World As We Know It



Don’t Go Chasin’ Waterfalls



Classy Like Benedict Cumberbatch



At Least You Went To Paris??



I Don’t SEE This Relationship Going Anywhere



“Hey Look! I’m Picasso!”




“Uhh…I don’t get it.”

“You uncultured swine!”

The covers are affiliate links.  If you click a link and purchase anything, it really helps support my blog. Thanks for stopping by!

]]> http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/07/shelving-by-covers-may-7-2013/feed/ 1 Dusty Bookshelf May Theme and Soundtrack Your Book! http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/06/dusty-bookshelf-may-theme-and-soundtrack-your-book/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dusty-bookshelf-may-theme-and-soundtrack-your-book http://www.booksatruestory.com/2013/05/06/dusty-bookshelf-may-theme-and-soundtrack-your-book/#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 18:30:28 +0000 Jessica http://www.booksatruestory.com/?p=7052 The Dusty Bookshelf 2013 Reading Challenge

Welcome to the April Theme read and mini-challenge!

May Theme is A Book You Started Once


Is there a book on your shelf that you started once but just didn’t finish? Now’s the time to pick it up!  You can tell us about it on our Goodreads Discussion this month or in the comments.

Last month I read East of Eden which I had started in high school but I just really didn’t get it.  I’m glad I picked it up now because I did get it this time and I loved it.

May Mini-Challenge – Soundtrack Your Book!


Pick any of your books on your shelf – one you’ve read this year or one you want to read this month – and pick a song that goes with it! Easy right? Leave your song choice in the comments or in the May mini-challenge thread in the Goodreads group.

I read Life in the Pit last month which was a cute romance about a girl who loves to play the cello.  So I had to pick a song by Yo-Yo Ma because he is THE cello player.  This is the Bach Cello Suite No.1 Prelude.  It’s heavenly.