WoW #23: The White Oak, by Kim White

Waiting on: The White Oak (Imperfect Darkness, #1), by Kim White

Expected publication date: April 9th, 2012

Publisher: Story Machine Studio

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Summary from Goodreads:

In The White Oak, the first book in the Imperfect Darkness series, Cora Alexander falls through a sinkhole and enters the underworld still alive. Her living presence threatens the tyrannical rule of Minos and the infernal judges who have hijacked the afterlife and rebuilt it, trapping human souls in a mechanical, computer-controlled city that lies at the core of the earth. To survive, Cora must rely on her untrustworthy guide, Minotaur, an artificial intelligence built by Minos. She is helped by a mysterious voice, and by Sybil, underworld librarian and author of each person’s book of life. Sybil’s collection holds the key to humankind’s intertwined life stories. When Cora’s own book is destroyed, Sybil gives her a magical golden pen and sends her to the underworld city to write her own destiny. Along the way, Cora finds the ghost of her dead brother, Lucas, a genius programmer who alone is capable of finding the chink in Minos's armor. But will he be able to get Cora out alive, or will they both fall victim to the underworld trap?

The MC's name is Cora, like mine! I do love this description, it reminds me of Maria V. Snyder's Insider Series, which I love. I've requested it on NetGalley, and I hope I'm approved!

Books + Cupcakes = Good Times

Closer...

Closer...

There we go! See how yummy the bread is!

This was my first attempt at a Red Velvet Cupcake, and I gotta say, they turned out pretty good! The cupcake anyway... cause the frosting (Cream Cheese) was a nightmare. I couldn't get it right, but I'll keep trying! I liked this video tutorial from Joy of Baking, so I'll try to do what she does next time.

You can also see my latest read: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. (I always try to read a book before watching its film.) It's good so far, nothing major has happened, but I like the pace and the writing.

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

News: Julie Kagawa's eNovellas will be published in Print format

The Iron Fey Series author Julie Kagawa has just announced that her eNovellas, Winter's Passage and Summer's Crossing will be published in an anthology that will also contain a new Novella, titled Iron's Prophecy. 

The anthology will be titled The Iron Legends and will hit the shelves on August 28th, before the release of her new book. 

Julie said that there'll be some exclusive content in the anthology, so fans, be ready!

New Girl, by Paige Harbison

Release Date: January 31st, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall: 3,5 out of 5 Stars

Categories: Drama, Romance, Retelling
Goodreads Page

Read in March 2012 

Summary: 

A contemporary young-adult retelling inspired by the classic 1938 romantic suspense bestseller Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend…but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My Opinion:


It took me a while to get into this story. Normally I don't go for contemporary, but I'd read that this had a supernatural twist, so I decided to give it a go.


The first half of the book narrates the New Girl's life in Manderley, the boarding school her parents send her to. That's the school she wanted to go as a little girl, not now that she's a senior and has all of her friends in Florida. But she goes anyway, because she doesn't want to disappoint her parents. 


I loved that the book had two POVs: Becca's and the New Girl (BTW, we don't learn her name until the final chapter, if I remember correctly. When I read her name, I was like, what, this is your name?, and started looking for it in past chapters. Very well played, Ms. Harbison!). Becca's chapters would be in the 3rd person and NG's in the 1st. With Becca's we got to learn more about the why behind her disappearance. 


I only wish the first part of the book would have been faster-paced (yes, I like inventing terms, if they don't already exist). That's the part where you have to engage your reader. I felt like I was constantly reading a new girl's whines about how much she missed her family and home, and why everyone at school compared her to Becca. Becca's chapters, however, were completely engaging. She was a very cool character to read. 


The boys from this book were appealing, and their story with Becca really showed us who they were. I started feeling sorry for them, for how Becca had treated them. Max and Johnny were good characters. Max definitely captured my heart along with NG's!


This school fed on gossip and rumours, and the NG got to be the centre of attention from the start. I liked how her character evolved towards the end, and how the mystery around Becca was finally solved. 


So, my only critique would be: the book should have been more engaging in the beginning, like it is in the end. We can forget about the NG's whines, because they show her character, and she does change in the end. The end of the book definitely makes up for the slow parts.  

I'm giving it 3,5 stars based on my personal enjoyment. 

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2), by Cassandra Clare [Audiobook]

Release Date: December 6th, 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Narrators: Ed Westwick, Heather Lind

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall: 5 out of 5 Stars (multiplied by four)

Categories: Paranormal, Drama, Romance
Goodreads Page

Read in February 2012 

Summary:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

My Opinion:

The beginning of the book.

If I thought I'd loved Clockwork Angel, then I'm crazy for Clockwork Prince! I can't even describe this book's greatness, it's too much.

It'd been a while since I'd read C. Angel, so it took me a bit to get back into the story, but oh boy, did I fall for Will all over again!

The middle part.

Will has got to be one of the best characters ever. His life history (which we learn in this book) is so deep, I can't help but feel completely sorry for him. I want to reach into the pages (or sound waves) of the novel and hug him and tell him everything will be ok.

The rest of the cast is amazing as well, and just the whole book is perfect.

This would be me after finishing the book.

That ending! OH CASSIE, HOW COULD YOU! Now I don't know how I'll live until C. Princess comes out. Not one chapter is dull or boring, and they're all essential to the story.

Sexy Eric has a nice voice too.

And then the narrators. Ed freaking Westwick and his sexy voice was too much to handle. Heather was great too, but I just wanted her to finish her parts so Ed could start reading again. His Will voice was beyond swooning! DEAR!

I don't really have anything else to say, other than, GO READ THIS BOOK!

2012 Audio Book Challenge

I've always loved Audiobooks, I listen to a few every year, so I thought this year I'd sign up for this challenge. I tried to do a smiliar one a couple of years ago, and completely failed. I'm hoping I won't this time! Click on the logo to go to the challenge blog.

I'm signing up in the Going Steady level: Listen to 12 Audio Books.

Here's where I'll be keeping track of my progress.

So far, I've listened to:

1. Clockwork Prince, by C. Clare, narrated by Ed Westwick and Heather Lind.
2. Die for Me, by Amy Plum, narrated by ? (Still listening to it ;) 

So, are you an AB fan like me?