The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1), by Bree Despain

Spanish Cover

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain on Goodreads

Release Date: December 22nd, 2009, USA - October 13th, 2010, Spain
Age Group: Young Adult
Publisher: Egmont USA, USA - Ediciones B, Spain

Pages: 310 (Spanish Edition)

Overall: 4 Monkeys
Source: Bought - Paperback
Interest: Series

Other Titles in the Series: The Lost Saint (The Dark Divine, #2)
Read in March 2011


Summary from Goodreads:

A Prodigal Son

A Dangerous Love

A Deadly Secret

Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

My Opinion:

It took me a while to get into this book. I'd read half of it when I felt that spark I love feeling when I'm reading. The spark that tells me, "This is an awesome book!" It took a while for me to sense it, but in the end, I wasn't disappointed.

The Dark Divine's pace is slow-ish at first, but the ending, OH MY the ending... I need answers, and I need them now!

The relationship between Grace and Daniel is beautifully written, not rushed or forced, which is what I love about book romances. Both characters are great, Grace always doing the right thing, and Daniel... well, trying to stay away but failing miserably. 

Grace's family is very religious, and I cannot imagine it any other way. It made a lot of the things that were happening make much more sense and in the end, when it came to saving souls, you could understand the character's actions a whole lot better. 

Bree's writing is amazing. Like I said, it was a bit too slow for me at first, but then I got everything I'd been waiting for at the end. All the drama, action, love and suspense condensed in the last five chapters. 

Things are not what they seem in this book, and as hard as you try to guess what the outcome will be, you won't be right every time.

-----------------

Does anyone else think the cover had nothing to do with the book? I mean, I love it and I'd definitely have picked the book up in bookstore just because of it, if I hadn't know what the book was about; but I just feel it's there to distract us from the real topic of the book, and nothing more. I don't know if I'm making any sense... 

xo,
Ella

Review: Purple Hibiscus, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Summary (from Amazon):

Fifteen-year-old Kambili is the dutiful and self-effacing daughter of a rich man, a religious fanatic and domestic tyrant whose public image is of a politically courageous newspaper publisher and philanthropist. No one in Papa's ancestral village, where he is titled "Omelora" (One Who Does For the Community), knows why Kambili's brother cannot move one of his fingers, nor why her mother keeps losing her pregnancies. When a widowed aunt takes an interest in Kambili, her family begins to unravel and re-form itself in unpredictable ways.

My Opinion:

Amazing book.
Really, this is a must read for everyone.

To read a story like this, told from the POV of an innocent 15-year-old Nigerian girl, is a strong and powerful experience.

I feel like I'm not doing this book justice with this review, but I'll try.

Imagine if your world consisted of doing what your told, no matter how dumb, and thinking it's the right thing to do. And it's right because He says so.
Imagine having to live by a schedule on a daily basis, with hours for study, and family hours. Everything organised, right?
But what about your freedom? Freedom of speech, of action.

This is the life of 15-year-old Kambili (Káhm-bili not Kahmbí-li). She thinks she's doing what God has planned for her, and what will make her Father proud. Never taking herself into consideration, but it's not like we can blame her. She knows no other way of living. That is until she goes to Nsukka to spend a few days with her Aunt Ifeoma.

Spending five days away from home can make all the difference in the world. Now Kambili is learning that there's more to life than picking out an English name for your Confirmation. Knows that there are things her Father is the only one to blame. And not even his acts of charity can make up for what he's done. Because what father punches her child to the verge of leaving her half-dead?

With the help and guidance of her Aunt Ifeoma, Kambili and her brother Jaja begin to accept that it's time to make a better life for themselves and their mother.

Monkey Rating: 4 and 1/2 Monkeys!

Chimamanda's Official Website.
Click on the Book Cover to go to its Amazon Page.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Summary (from Amazon):

In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing.

My Opinion:

This book is absolutely amazing. So amazing I read it in two days. I left whatever I was reading and finished it in no time. I had to stop because I needed to sleep, and go to school. But I took it to school with me and finished it there in a few hours (we weren't doing anything important, and I had to know if Peeta really loved Katniss, or if it was just a strategy!).

Collins's Present Tense writing threw me off at first -I'm not used to reading in the Present Tense-, but after a while it made sense. And I loved that Katniss was the narrator, because I got to feel whatever she was going through, and I, as a reader, knew exactly what she did, and that gave it a sense of overall mystery, I love being surprised!

I found I could relate to Katniss in almost every way: she stepped up to save her little sister from entering the Games, knowing that her chances weren't high, but at least her sister'd be safe. I would do the same thing if it happened to any of my brothers; I'm also a big sister. She was very head-strong, and didn't trust many people, unless these people had proven themselves worthy of her trust. Same thing with me. She was modest, and sometimes confused, which gave her a really humane personality.

I really liked Peeta (not his name though). From a start I wanted to believe he really did love Katniss, and I still do. I'm dying to read Catching Fire, and find out what this "Team Peeta" v "Team Gale" is all about, because the only thing I had on my mind while reading was how much I liked Peeta, Gale was barely mentioned. I understand the difference in them, Katniss shared her life with Gale, and she fought alongside Peeta in the Games, so she's got a strong connection with both of them. But I didn't see her thinking much about Gale while she was sleeping beside Peeta.

Maybe if I read Catching Fire I'll understand it better.

To sum it all up, The Hunger Games is a wonderful book, full of twists and turns, romance, not at all predictable (a huge plus to Collins!), and its fair share of darkness.

Monkey Rating: 5 Monkeys!

Author's Site: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

Buy it on Amazon/B&N

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs, by Molly Harper

Summary (from Amazon):

Unceremoniously fired from her job as Half Moon Hollow's children's librarian, Jane Jameson drowns her sorrows with a handsome stranger, vampire Gabriel Nightengale. When Jane is accidentally shot, Gabriel saves her life by turning her undead. As Jane starts to get used to chatting with her dead aunt, finding creative ways to dodge her mother's nosy questions and enjoying the chemistry with Gabriel, she's brought up short by being named a suspect in a recent vampire murder. Jane's snarky first-person narrative is as charming as it is hilarious, retaining enough humanity to connect instantly with readers. Harper keeps the quips coming without overdoing the sarcasm, and her take on vampire lore will intrigue and entertain even the most jaded paranormal fan.

My Opinion:

Molly Harper has created a witty, funny and sarcastic novel, one with which you'll be laughing your heads off from beginning to end.

When Jane Jameson (not Jenna Jameson) is fired from her librarian job, she decides to drown her pains in alcohol. Here enters Gabriel Nightengale, tall and mysterious, and the spark between them is obvious from the start.
And when she's turned undead, that spark grows bigger and stronger.
Jane has to deal with keeping her secret from her parents, especially from her mother, who's constantly calling her, asking Jane to have lunch with her -where Jane can neither eat nor go out in the sunlight-; and the issue of having the Council for the Equal Treatment for the Undead (imagine a not so spooky/evil version of the Twilight's Volturi) always keeping an eye on her, holding her responsible for a series of vampire murders.
Jane is able to sort through this things with (not so much) grace, and a wry sense of sarcasm.

While reading, I couldn't help comparing Nice Girls... to the Sookie Stackhouse series. Especially when Jane drank bottles of Faux Type O. But, I decided I needed to let go of the comparisons, and just enjoy the book.

I got into this book having some reserves about the theme. All the way I kept thinking: another vampire story? This has to be good! Are there enough of these books, or is the subject oversaturated? But I really am a Fanpire, and I really liked the writing, from Jane's POV. She always had something hilarious to say!

All in all, this is a very enjoyable quick read, with an edge of sexiness that will draw you into it in no time!

Author's Website:
http://www.mollyharper.com/

Author's Blog:
http://www.singleundeadfemale.blogspot.com/

Buy this book on Amazon

xo,

Today's Book: The Forest of Hands and Teeth, by Carrie Ryan

Trailer:


How awesome is that!
This is one of the best book trailers I've ever seen!
Amazing!

My Opinion:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a very exciting book, filled with mystery, romance, action, and of course, zombies -or how Carrie called them: the Unconsecrated.
The postapocalyptic world that Ryan created was very believable, and I was able to relate to Mary's longing to see the Outside world, her dreams to see the ocean, a thing that sounded like something out of a fairy tale, too beautiful to be real.
I loved how driven Mary was, she always knew what had to be done in order to get what she wanted. However, she never left those whom she loved aside, but instead, she pushed them forward, made them keep going. Reminded them that hope was not at all lost, that they could -and would- find it once more.
Whatever obstacles Mary encountered, she always knew how to get past them, and this made me root for her throughout this book.

Ryan wrote a very dynamic tale, and when you thought you knew what was coming, she'd spin the story into something else, something either beautiful or very frightening.

If you still haven't read The Forest of Hands and Teeth, shame on you!

Monkey Rating: 5 Monkeys!

Monkeyshines:

*I thank Diane @ The Book Resort for this book, which I won in one of her giveaways.
Thanks Diane!*

Author's Website?
www.carrieryan.com
http://carrie-me.blogspot.com/ (blog)

Fun Facts:

Movie News!
Seven Star Pictures has picked up the film rights for The Forest of Hands and Teeth! Publishers Weekly has more information on the deal here where they report that "Supposedly Seven Star is developing the project for an-as-yet-unnamed A-list starlet, and fast-tracking the project with a first draft of the screenplay already in the works." More information on the Seven Star Pictures website here.

Statistics:

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385736819
• ISBN-13: 978-0385736817
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces

Get It!
-From Amazon
-From Powell's Books
-From B&N

Love,

Today's Book: Vampire Diaries: The Struggle by L. J. Smith

Summary (vampirediaries.net):

ln book two of the first Vampire Diaries omnibus, The Struggle, Elena quickly realizes that the only thing more dangerous that being in love with a vampire is being desired by two. As Stefan struggles to suppress his instinctive thirst, Damon persists in his quest for Elena's heart. A dark turn of events forces Elena to risk her mortality to save one of her immortal suitors.

My Opinion:

I loved this book. Really. I think it was even better than the first one in the series. Now that Elena knows the truth about Stefan and Damon, she can confront them, trying to keep the brothers apart, fearing they might fight and Stefan getting killed, because of his weakness.
I hate Damon. But I love hating him. He's a great villane.
And I love Bonnie! She's a great supportive character, almost main character. I can't wait to find out more about her "powers". And what's the deal with Meredith? I know she's hiding something!
And that cliffhanger! Arghhhhhhh!!! Why are you doing this to me Lisa? Why?

But there was one thing I kept on my mind while reading. The fact that this book is very much alike Twilight. Damon and Stefan fighting over Elena? Hmmm... Friends with powers? Hmm again. That sounds like Alice and Jasper Cullen and their abilities.

L. J. Smith did a great job with this book, I loved how she wrote the ending, making you want to read the next one. Good job Lisa!

Monkey Rating: 4 Monkeys!

*Author's Website: http://www.ljanesmith.net/

*Books' Website: http://www.vampirediaries.net/

Get It!

-From Amazon

Statistics:

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper (February 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006102001X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061020018
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces

Read my Review for VD: The Awakening here.

xo,

Today's Book: Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L. J. Smith

Summary (from Amazon):

A Love Triangle of Unspeakable Horror...  

Elena Searching for the ultimate thrill, she vowed to have Stefan. Stefan Haunted by his tragic past, he struggled to resist her passion. Damon Driven by revenge, he hunted the brother who betrayed him. The terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

My Opinion:

The first thing I thought about this was "How similar to Twilight this is". There's a girl, and a guy who does everything he can to stay away from her, but eventually falls for her. And there's no Jacob, but Damon. He's evil, though.
So I can't help but wonder: Did SM get her inspiration from TVD? Looked like it.
Overall, I liked how the story wasn't told from just one of character's POV, 3rd person worked really well in this book. Cause I got to see what Elena, Stefan, and sometimes their friends thought when dealing the same situations. So that was a plus.
But it was way too short for me, and I felt like I knew how it was going to end, when I was half way through.
One of the things I didn't like was how Elena let Damon manipulate her. Sometimes you could tell he was "dazzling" her, and she did what he wanted, but then there were times were this wasn't so implicit, and I got mad at her. But I guess that was the whole point of the scene.
I really liked it, and I'll be searching the sequel soon.

Monkey Rating: 4 Monkeys!

Monkeyshines:
*How long did it take Ella to read the book?
- 4 days

*Did she like or relate to any of the characters?
- No, I felt like I was watching them from afar.

*What was her favourite line/part of the book?
- When Stefan told Elena about Katherine, I fell in love with him <3>

*Was this a good read for Ella? Did she get stuck at some point?
-It was a very good read :o)

*Author's Website: http://www.ljanesmith.net/

Get It!
-From Amazon

Statistics:

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper (February 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061020001
• ISBN-13: 978-0061020001
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces

xo,


ps: Kudos to Stephanie Kuehnert on her book release!Ballads of Suburbia in stores TODAY!

Today's Book: Fairy Hunters, Ink.

Summary (from lulu.com):
Have you ever wondered why your child's clothes, or even your own, always end up on the closet floor? Or why your socks go missing from your laundry? Or why ants inevitably show up at your picnics? If you want the answer to these and many other vexing questions, then "Fairy Hunters, Ink." is the book for you. All this and more await you as you follow the adventures of the intrepid band of Fairy Hunters made up of a little girl named Ashley, her friend Big Rabbit, and their fellow companion, Turtle. You will discover which fairy hates to fly, what Teacup Fairies eat, and the favorite games of the Mud Puddle Fairy. And you’ll delight to the the dry, amusing voice of Laura, the narrator whose age is uncertain, but whose gentle management of occasional conflict amoung the band’s members teaches wisdom and tolerance in a way that children can fully understand.

My Opinion:
I love magic. I do. I love Harry Potter, and Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. I love fairies, and have a fairy friend, Blossie. I had never asker her what kind of fairy she was, I was just happy she’d agreed to be my friend. But after reading Fairy Hunters, Ink., I started wondering about this.
So, I went to Blossie’s room the other day (her room is the little theatre I built for her, which I placed in my room), and asked her what kind of fairy she was. She laughed and said “Well, I’m a Theatre Fairy. Isn’t it obvious?”. I had to admit that it was.

But it was great learning about different kinds of fairies.
There’s the Teacup Fairy, which lives in your teacup, except when you’re using it, of course. There are Sock Fairies, which live in your socks; so when you’re wondering what could have happened to your socks, you know a Sock Fairy took it to turn it into its home.
But my favourite kind of fairy is the Book Fairy. They love to read and have Book Club meetings, just like me. Now I know that when I find a book out of place, it means that a Book Fairy must have been reading it.

Fairy Hunters, Ink. is really a journal, where Sheila, Ashley, Big Rabbit and Turtle share with us their Discoveries.
If you like fairies like I do, and you’d like to learn more about them (things like what they eat, where they live, what is their favourite form of Mischief), then this is the book for you!

Monkey Rating: 3 Monkeys

Monkeyshines:
*How long did it take Ella to read the book?
- She read it in the course of three days.

*Did she like or relate to any of the characters?
- I loved Ashley! She reminded me of myself when I was her age (she’s 5) and I wanted to know everything.

*What was her favourite line/part of the book?
- The part about Turtle finding the Blue Bottle Fairies was my favourite! Turtle is a lovely Hunter.

*Was this a good read for Ella? Did she get stuck at some point?
-It was a great read! She enjoyed the book from beginning to end.

*Website:
http://www.fairyhunters.net/

Get It!
-From Fairy Hunters, Ink.

Be on the lookout for a special Interview with author Sheila A. Dane and her friend Big Rabbit!

xo,

Today's Book: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Summary: (from sarahdessen.com)
Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years, sharing secrets, clothes, and crushes. People know Scarlett as the popular, flamboyant one; Halley's just her quiet sidekick. Then, at the beginning of their junior year, the balance shifts. First, Scarlett's boyfriend Michael is killed in a freak accident; soon afterward, she learns that she is carrying his baby. For the first time, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever. Sarah Dessen's poignant, funny voice has earned her raves and legions of teenaged fans.

My Opinion:
Someone Like You was not a great read for me. I think I was expecting to love this, since everyone else does. I could not relate to any of the characters, and I got mad at them –mostly at Halley- at some points. This doesn’t mean that Sarah didn’t write a good book, quite the opposite. Sarah tells the story of two best friends going through the most traumatic experiences of their lives, two best friends who are always there for each other.
Not having gone through the same experiences myself, I cannot understand what Halley must have gone through, helping Scarlett with her pregnancy, and dealing with Macon.
Maybe someone closer to these situations will find this to be a rewarding book.

Why was I mad at Halley, you may be wondering. I felt like she couldn’t stand up for herself, like she lacked her own voice. Where she didn’t say anything, there was Scarlett, and sometimes her mother, to fill in the gaps. I felt like she took everything that came her way, and did little or nothing to defend herself. But then again, I constantly compared her to myself, saying “If I were in her shoes...”. Of course I wouldn’t just stand there in front of my mother listening to her blaming me for something I hadn’t done. I guess that’s my latin heritage right there, we’re more outspoken.
I also knew I’d been right about Macon all along.
The only character that won my sympathy was Scarlett, who, in spite of being all hormonal, I found to be the most down to earth. You learn from the beginning she’s mommy material all the way through.

Overall, this was not one of my favourite reads this year, it all was a bit too predictable, I swear I could have told you the ending just after reading the 1st part; but I’ll give Sarah another try; this was my first Sarah Dessen novel after all.
Maybe I’ll love the next one.

But you know what, I liked this book, what I didn’t like were the characters. Does that make sense to you?

Monkey Rating: 3 Monkeys

Monkeyshines:
*How long did it take Ella to read the book?
- Ten/Eleven days. 1st, cause the storyline wasn’t appealing to me, and 2nd cause I was sick, and my head wasn’t cooperating when I had to read.

*Did she like or relate to any of the characters?
- No.

*What was her favourite line/part of the book?
- “I will never learn, until you let me.” Halley. (reading this I was like ‘Really? Good for you girl! Finally!’)

*Was this a good read for Ella? Did she get stuck at some point?
- It wasn’t a great read, but she’s glad she went on and finished it. Things turned out just like she’d thought they would.

*Author's Website?
http://www.sarahdessen.com/

Statistics:
• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141302690
• ISBN-13: 978-0141302690
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces

Get It!
*From Amazon
*From Barnes & Noble

xo,

Today's Book: The Little Vampire and The Mystery Patient by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg

The Little Vampire (original title: Der kleine Vampir) is a children's fantasy series by German author Angela Sommer-Bodenburg that follows the adventures of young Anton Bohnsack and the child vampire Rüdiger von Schlotterstein (Tony and Rudolph in the English Version).

In this particular book (there are 19 in total) Anton goes to the psychologist, Mr. Schwartenfeger, who tells him he has a pacient that could be a real vampire. Anton proves that no member of the Schlotterstein family is such patient, but it's a new character (Igno Rant), who indeed is pale and leaves a rather strong moldy scent around him.

My Opinion: I didn't like it very much. It was OK, but it left out too many things, left me with a lot of questions. And I thought it ended at the last page, but apparently, you have to read the entire collection to know everything about it, the ending was a bit off. No one told me this.

Monkeyshines:
*How long did it take Ella to read the book?
-Five days. Not in hours, though. Maybe, 20 some hs. In the course of 5 days. :P

*Did she like or relate to any of the characters?
No, the characters are too young, and she didn't relate to any one of them.

*What was her favourite line/part of the book?
There wasn't one.

*Was this a good read for Ella?
It was OK. She liked it, but the rather abrupt ending threw her off. Maybe she should read the next installment to find out what happens next...

Monkey Rating: 3 Monkeys.

*Authors' Website?
http://www.angelasommer-bodenburg.com/

*Statistics:

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Wayland (April 1992)
• ISBN-10: 0750011858
• ISBN-13: 978-0750011853

xo,

Tuesday Book Update

I got this idea from Teen Tuesday...

Books I've finished reading:

*The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of The Dawn Treader ---> Loved it! Read my review here.
*Marked by PC & Kristin Cast---> Loved it too! Read my thoughts here.
*The View From A One-Man World, The Way I See It by J.S. Buckingham ---> Liked it, not loved it ;) Here's my review, and it's got a giveaway! Enter now!

Books I'm Reading:

*Betrayed by PC & Kristin Cast ---> I'm really liking it, this is just my type of book! Review will be up soon!
*Someone Like You by Sarah Dressen ---> I'm too busy reading Betrayed, and I've left this book for later! But the first pages were good, I'll tell you what I thought about it, when I'm done with it!

*Books I'll be Reading:

*The Pillowman by Martin MacDonough ---> When it gets here! I've been waiting for this one for over a month! Mail can be so unpredictable!
*Kathryn's Beach by Nadine Laman ---> Should get here soon, when it does I'll get right on it, and write a review, and possibly an interview!
*Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler ---> I have said this before, but... I won this book in a Giveaway (my 1st win ever!) and I'm expecting it to get here in a week or two.
*A Poetry Book from Mariana, from BookCrossing --->My 1st BC Book!
*The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, from a BCer in Germany!
*The Golden Apples of the Sun by Ray Bradbury ---> Love him! (his writing, that is!) Can't wait to read it!
*The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong ---> I've read some really good review on it, so I obviously have to read it!

I'll be busy this month, and next!
What are you reading, going to read?
xo,

Today's Book: Marked by P.C. & Kristin Cast

16-year-old Zoey Redbird faces a life-altering experience when she is marked as special to enter the House of Night, a school where marked humans go while they are Changing to become vampyres. In Zoey's world, vampyres live among humans, who either ignore them or are against them, like Zoey's step-dad (or as she calls him, step-loser) who is a member or the People of Faith, a religious organization whose only goal is to get rid of all the vamps in the world.
Zoey has always felt like she didn't belong in the normal world, and prays that she'll fit in in her new one.
But that might be hard, because Zoey isn't like a "normal" fledging; her Mark is different, resembling that of an adult vampyre.
However, she finds friendship at the House of Night, an enemy, a crush, and discovers that she may be way more special than she thought she was.
For Goddess Nyx has blessed her with a special affinity: Zoey can control all five of the elements: air, fire, water, earth and spirit.
Zoey will learn how to control the elements, that will later help her become a High Priestess.
And with her new friends she will go through scary situations, learning in the process the meaning of true friendship, honesty and loyalty.

Monkeyshines:
*How long did it take Ella to read the book?
-Three days, with breaks in between.

*Did she like or relate to any of the characters?
Yes! I completely felt for Zoey, I thought she was a very well rounded character and I could feel whatever she was feeling ;)

*What was her favourite line/part of the book?
"Zoey Montgomery! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!”
"Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse I saw the dead guy standing next to my locker..."
(from many others).

*Was this a good read for Ella?
YES! Ella HEARTS (!) paranormal stories (ehem... HP... Twilight), so this was a perfect read for her! She can't wait to read the rest of the Series!

Monkey Rating: 4 Monkeys!

*Authors' Website?
http://www.houseofnightseries.com/

Statistics:
* Reading level: Young Adult
* Paperback: 320 pages
* Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (May 1, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0312360266
* ISBN-13: 978-0312360269
* Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches

Get It!
*At Amazon.

xoxo,

Today's Book: The View From A One-Man World, The Way I See It by J.S. Buckingham (+ interview!)

In a world with too much political correctness, or complete lack thereof, J.S. Buckingham delivers a spicy, witty written book about today’s society. He explores almost every aspect of the US inhabitants: not just your average middle-class man/woman, but the country’s old people, teenagers and southerners, to name a few. He explains why the US have become such a poor country, culturally speaking.

I had the honour of having been given this book by J.S. himself, but not because of that did I have to love it. J.S. makes excellent points, which he cleverly disguises as jokes, trying not to give them too much importance. Underneath all of the fun layers of this book, lay very important real issues, like obesity, unemployment, teenagers’ lifestyles, racism, materialism, teen pregnancy, the degradation of modern music and illegal immigration, among other things.

Funny, well written, you’ll even laugh out loud while reading!

So open your mind, and go and get a copy of this book now! You won’t regret it.

Monkey Rating: 3 Monkeys: Not that bad, but... it wasn’t what I’m used to read, so it kind of threw me off balance. WARNING: If you’re thinking about reading this book, you must have an open mind, and read it imagining that you’re in a theatre watching a comedic act. Do NOT take any of the contents of this book personally.

INTERVIEW WITH "THE VIEW FROM A ONE MAN WORLD"'S AUTHOR: J.S. BUCKINGHAM!

• Basic Inquiries:

Ella: What's the title of your book?
J.S.: The View from a One-Man World; The Way I See It.

E: When did you start writing it? How did the idea for it come to your mind?
J.S.: I started actually writing it in book-form late last Spring. A lot of the ideas I had been carrying around in my head for a long time. Others I had written on sticky notes and hung all over my apartment so I wouldn't forget them.

E: Which are the main characters?
J.S.: There really are no "main characters" in this book, which I guess could be called a social commentary, unless you want to consider self-righteous church goers, rednecks, Beckys, Kipps, old people, fat people, cell phone abusers and others as "characters".

E: How many chapters does it have?
J.S.: The book really isn't broken down into chapters per se, but it has 98 pages. I know that much.

E: How long did it take you to write it? When did you finish writing it?
J.S.: It took me about 3-4 months on and off to put it together in book form, but as I said I had most of the ideas down already; they just weren't organized at all. I finished writing the book late last summer.

E: Does it have a sequel?
J.S.: The View volume two is currently in the works.

• Ella's Q's:

E: Did you ever think you'd be writing this book, or did it just happen?
J.S.: I always knew that I wanted to write, but I didn't think this would be my first published work. It just seemed to work out that way.

E: When you'd finished writing it, what did you think would be the readers' reaction to it? Because many people may understand and even relate to the book, but others could find it offensive.
J.S.: Being what many consider to be "controversial", I knew that a lot of people would probably be offended or even pissed off by it. I also knew that there would be people who could appreciate the sarcasm and understand the humor in it. I know some people will be offended by it, but I didn't really write the book to befriend everybody. If people disagree with what I've written and want to get angry, that's their business.

E: What's your favourite chapter of the book, and why?
J.S.: I couldn't really pick a favorite section of the book because each and every one of them is so near and dear to me. I'm passionate about every one of them. If I had to single any out, I guess the sections on music, rednecks, dope-smokers, and the UAW would be some of my best, I think.

E: Are you planning to write another book, separate from this one?
J.S.: I do have other writings in the works which have nothing to do with The View from a One-Man World.

• Monkeyshines:

*How long did it take Ella to read the book?
-5 hours in total. Read it through the course of 3 days.

*Did she like or relate to any of the characters?
-There aren’t distinct characters in this book.

*What was her favourite line/part of the book?
-Her favourite chapter was definitely “Word Play”, that explains the subject of the wrong usage of the English language, especially by young people.
From “Word Play”:
‘“Jumping up and down” is a stupid term. A person jumps up, and
gravity does the rest by pulling the person down. No one who jumps up
has to jump back down.’ LOL ;P

*Was this a good read for Ella? Did she get stuck at some point?
-This was definitely something completely different from what Ella usually reads, therefore, she did get stuck a couple of times, but managed to read on; she’s glad she did.

*Author's Website?
http://www.jsbuckingham.vpweb.com/
J.S.'s site on Book Blogs.
J.S.'s site on FiledBy.

Book Statistics:
• Paperback: 98 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica, Incorporated
• ISBN-10: 1607030640
• ISBN-13: 9781607030645

Get It!
-AtFiledBy
-At Target
-At Amazon

I had a wonderful time chatting with J.S., and organizing the interview! Read my review of this book on FiledBy, B&N, and Amazon.
Oh, one more thing: this was my 1st interview to an author! How awesome is that?!
Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Trilogy author, Nadine Laman :) (another brilliant author).

Hope you enjoyed your visit!
Before I go, I want to give a very big hug to J.S. for having been amazingly cool! (we Argentinians tend to hug and kiss people a lot, even if we've just met them!) THANK YOU!

Today's Book: Las Crónicas de Narnia: La Travesía del Viajero Del Alba de C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

I know that there must be tons of reviews on this book out there, but this is a must for my Reading Challenges, so bare with me please :)

Yesterday I finished reading the fifth Narnia book, it only took me 5 days (cause it wasn't the only book I was reading).

"The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his first voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, their cousin Eustace, and Caspian to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan's country at the End of the World." narniafans.com

This book tells the story of Lucy and Edmund Pevensie going back to Narnia 1 year after having helped Caspian claim back his throne (three years have gone by in Narnia). The children have to go to their aunt and uncle's after their parents leave to America, only taking Susan with them (Peter is going to college). There they meet their cousin, Eustace, who is a really spoiled kid. At his house, the 3 children find a way to go back to Narnia, and once they're there, they must help Caspian find the Seven Lords who were friends with his father, and travel farther than anyone has dared to sail, to find Aslan's Country.

*I thought this book was: ;) GREAT!

This book was on my list for the following challenges:
*Spring Reading Thing,
*Read Your Name Challenge,
*and Once Upon a Time III Challenge.

Wanna read it? Buy it now on Amazon.

greetings from the dark road,

Today's Book: Let's All Kill Constance

I just finished reading "Let's All Kill Constance" by Ray Bradbury, and let me tell you that I loved it. It's just the kind of book I like to read, mysterious, addictive, with a touch of black humour.

"Let's All Kill Constance" tells the story from the narrator's POV (RB himself?), in which one stormy night, aging-Hollywood actress Constance Rattigan, knocks on his door and hands him over two Death Lists, with the names of once-famous people, most of them dead, and others marked with a red circle and a cross signaling that Death is coming for them. After this, Constance mysteriously disappears, leaving this unnamed man alone to solve the riddle. He goes to his friend Elmo Crumley and asks him to help him.
The narrator and his friend begin the quest to find Constance, visiting the people from the Death Lists -who, shortly after their visit die under strange circumstances- and help her deafeat Death. Along the journey, they are joined by blind man Henry and film director, Fritz Wong.

Intriguing and disturbing, this mystery novel will make you want to read it in just one sitting.

I thought this book was :) NICE!


Click here to read my review of another of RB's books Dandelion Wine.
(This book was on my list for my Reading Challenges)

greetings from the dark road,

Today's Book/ El Libro del Dia: Dandelion Wine

Dandelion Wine, one of my my favourite books

"The title refers to a wine made with dandelion petals and other ingredients, commonly citrus fruit. In the story, dandelion wine, as made by the protagonist's grandfather, serves as a metaphor for packing all of the joys of summer into a single bottle.

The main character of the story is Douglas Spaulding, a 12-year-old boy loosely patterned after Bradbury. Most of the book is focused upon the routines of small-town America, and the simple joys of yesteryear."

Join Douglas in his search for the real meaning of life. Travel through time alongside Coronel Freeleigh, learn what love's all about with Helen and Bill, and maybe find out what dying is, as opposed to what we think it was.
Great book filled with metaphores about the discovery of life and death, about happiness and love. Its wonderful and sweet characters will have you hooked from the start!

This book makes me feel: ;) GREAT!


El Vino del Estío, uno de mis libros favoritos

"En tres prodigiosos meses de 1928, Douglas Spaulding observa, escucha y saborea las sorpresas rituales de un verano especial: el descubrimiento de la vida y la muerte, el último tranvía, la limpieza de las alfombras, la aparición de las hamacas en los porches, la cosecha del vino del estío... pero también a máquinas extraordinarias y magia misteriosa: la Máquina de la Felicidad, que casi destruye la felicidad de su inventor; la Máquina Verde, que pasea a dos viejas señoras por las calles del pueblo; la Máquina del Tiempo en el cuerpo de un viejo coronel; le terrible y fabulosa Madame Tarot...
Lo fantástico y lo cotidiano se dan la mano en esta deliciosa crónica de un verano visto a través de los ojos de un muchacho de doce años."

Un gran libro lleno de metáforas acerca del descubrimiento de la vida y la muerte, la felicidad y el amor. Sus magníficos y tiernos personajes te van a enganchar desde el comienzo! Un libro para no dejar de leer.

Este libro me hace sentir: ;) GENIAL!