Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Characters I would switch places with for 24 hours

1) Hermione Granger and
2) Ginny Weasley

because hello??? The Harry Potter World??? Oh, and as much as I like Ron as a good friend, I'd much rather date Harry :)

3) Susannah from The Mediator Series (by Meg Cabot)
because she kicks butts and is SO freaking confident!!! Also, she lives in California so far away from good old boring Germany *ugh* ....

4) Isabelle Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments Series
because her life is adventurous and like Suze she is a kick-ass heroine with a good amount of confidence. Then again...I'd have to say I want to be

5) Clary from The Mortal Instruments Series, too
because I'd much rather date Jace than Simon :)

6) Hartley from Deadly Cool and Social Suicide
because she's nothing but hilariously funny and has a great, shit-happens attitude!

7) Anna from Anna and the French Kiss
because fancy boarding school in Paris and a boyfriend who can speak with a French and British accent??? And all that amazing French food?? Oh my...

8) Emma from The Lying Game Series
because I want some creepiness in my life :)

9) Rose from The Vampire Academy
see the explanations for Isabelle and Suzanna. I love strong, independent heroines. And that guy she's always flirting with? Hottie...

10) Spencer Hastings from The Pretty Little Liars Series
again for the creepiness of the story AND because I feel like I already am a lot like Spencer, it's just that her world is SO much cooler than mine!

So...that's it for me. Who'd you like to switch places with?

Books Of the Week (July 30)

All New Stories:
Hey everyone!
Books of the Week is a new feature on my blog that is so not my invention, but my own take on something lots of bloggers do. Every Monday I will share which new books are being released and which paperbacks are coming out. The info is mainly from Barnes and Nobles and of course I can't keep track of all the news in YA but I find these posts pretty helpful on other blogs! In the end I will talk a bit about the books or authors I know and which of these I plan to pick up in the near or far future...



Paperbacks:




So, I have to say Sara Shepard's books are a guilty pleasure for me. Sometimes I just need those creepy, girly novels to relax :) Which is why I highly recommend you pick up the paperback version Never Have I Ever as well as  the rest of the series. I did preorder my copy of Hide and Seek and it actually arrived a few minutes ago. Everyone who read my review for Pushing The Limits knows how much I adored that book - you have to get it as fast as you can, I swear you won't regret it!
As for the rest of the books, I don't know any of them but I've read so many good things about Bright Young Things that I consider buying that book and its sequel Beautiful Days sooner or later.
Hope you all have a wonderful week to look forward to!

Words of the Week

Slowing Down - you might have noticed that I haven't been as active on my blog, with replying and tweeting and stuff. Which is not because I'm tired of it or anything. I love it and could do it all day long - and that's the problem. I think I'm going to post a bit less per week (right now it's six, but mostly seven posts a week) as I cannot spend my whole summer in front of a computer screen. I just can't. I feel like I get caught up with this and that thing and then I spend hours everyday staring on a screen.


Efficiency - I change some things in order to get more stuff done. For example, I write all my posts on a computer without an Internet connection - it helps a LOT. That way I give myself a limit of one hour, type what I can and turn the computer off without thinking about it. On the other hand, when I'm on my Netbook, I take it to breakfast with me, then take it to my room, out in the backyard - you get my point. It's just too much!

Sun - so this week it's been so HOT where I live. Like crazy hot. Not even funny anymore...I always thought I'd want summer but now that it is (was) here - no, not so much ;)

Read-a-thons - There are TWO in August that I plan to participate in, so that I have some room for school when it starts again (three weeks from now -meh!)

Books I got this week:

Feature & Follow Friday

This week's question is:

Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

Hmpf. I'm out this week. The thing is, people in Germany don't really know "summer reading". It's not that we'd be required to read a certain book - or anything, really - in summer. We do, of course, have to read books during the school year because we're working on them in class, but most of them are...well...german books I guess noone would know anyway. We do read some books in my 

English class, though. 

1) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime which I hated with a passion (no offense...I just didn't care about the story at all and then I was forced to read and I was forced to analyse parts of it and I was confronted with it three times per week for many weeks)

2) Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing which was hilariously funny and which I'm still obsessed with :)

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

 

Goodreads summary:


"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.
So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.


Pages: 384 (Hardcover
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Series? No


LONG STORY SHORT:

You will love this book. Trust me. You are going to want to be Echo's best friend, you are going to want to marry Noah or at least want Noah to marry Echo. The plot might seem a bit slow to you at first and you might feel guarded because this is another story about troubled teens, but trust me this book is so heart wrenching, the story so beautiful that you won't forget it in a long time.

REVIEW:

I requested Pushing The Limits from Netgalley because the story sounded interesting to me and because after all that Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy and Dystopia that I've read in spring, I needed a break, something different.

Oh my, how I got that break. Pushing The Limits caught me totally off guard - I didn't expect a story so difficult, I didn't think my heart would be in it as much as it was eventually. I fell in love with not one or two but all the characters, they felt so real!  It was hard for me - after I had finished the book - to just put it down and move on.

It's been a long time since I've felt the need to write fanfiction to a certain book or movie or anything but Pushing the Limits almost brought me to do it as I could not stop thinking about how Echo and Noah's story might go on.

Their relationship was so pure and developed in exactly the right pace. No rushed insta love, but the author didn't let the reader wait too long or brought in too many predictable hurdles along the way.

Noah and Echo alternate while telling the story which is a method that doesn't work with every book but with PTL it totally did! You could see both sides of the story, both their emotions towards things and - a big plus as well - Noah and Echo had their own very specific voices.

At last, I need to give some credit to MrsCollins - a very important side character that totally rocks and a shrink I'd love to have at my school, too. Together with her comes my last praise for this book: the humor that came through  from time to time - we actually had characters who didn't forget to laugh even in the darkest moments of life!

There's nothing more to say. Read this book, guys!

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Weigh in Wednesday

Light vs. Dark blog background

Uh, this is tough. I never really thought about it. I am a rather girly girl, though, so I'd go for anything pastel, pink, purple, baby - blue. I think dark backgrounds can appeal to me but the rest of the blog has to look very epic too then.
One example is the Parajunkee website -it's dark but it has those cool animations and the great fond!
I just noticed that the post background on that site is white and while I don't think that's a must (look at my blog, duh!) I certainly believe it's important that it does not take the tiniest bit extra effort to read the text!

Top Ten Tuesday

1) I feel like Harry Potter is the book I mention a couple of times every week but I can't help it! Of course I'd love going to school in Hogwarts, living in a house like the one of the Weasley's and buying all that cool wizardry candy. I LOVE the Harry Potter world!

2) Inkheart. And here we go again. But, I mean, come on! I didn't even read through the second and third book of that trilogy, but the glimpse that I actually got to see of the world that Cornelia Funke created fascinated me!

3) Lakeview and Colby, the Sarah Dessen towns, because they have amazing restaurants, people (also some cute guys!) and malls :)

4) Ravka from Shadow and Bone
I mean, I'd probably be scared to death and pee my pants or something, but I just am sooo curious to see how it looks like! Especially the palaces, though!


5) The Mortal Instruments Series
Can I just say I'd love to see New York one day? At the best of course, a New York filled with vampires and werewolves and demons :) And with Jace.

6) Gatlin from The Caster Chronicles

I know I'm weird. I hate the small town I live in. I hate all the characteristics of smalltowns in general. Anyway, as soon as it's an American small town I will drop everything and hop over that big ocean without taking a second thought. Oh, and the creepy magic helps, too.

7) Anna and the French Kiss

I'm such a cheater! Well, yes I'd love to go to Paris anytime soon. But I wouldn't mind staying at Anna's boarding school either, so it's okay :)

8) Rosewood from the Pretty Little Liars Series
Because it is sooo creepy and the people there are sooo....I don't even know the word, it's just a different world!

9) Vampire Academy

Although I still haven't gotten past the first book, I'd love to go to school there. I think Richelle Mead created an awesome world!

10) Genovia from the Princess Diaries
Everyone who has read those books knows how awesome that place has got to be for a nice little beach vacation!



I mean...come on, look at this! I'd probably stay in school forever if that meant flying pumpkins every year :)

Summer Reading Review What happened to Goodbye

Who is the real McLean? 
Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out. 
Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.







LONG STORY SHORT:

What happened to Goodbye is one of those Sarah Dessen novels that I really like because of the identifying - element. I found the main character so relatable, I didn't have any problems understanding her emotions and why she acted the way she did. Also, I really enjoyed the setting in the story and the weird family constellations. This is a very cute read that I'd recommend for those who want a lighter Dessen - read, a bit different from books like Just Listen or Lock and Key.

REVIEW:

What Happened to Goodbye was my second Dessen - book after Lock and Key and I read it way before I started this blog. I think it was almost a year ago. What made me buy it was the synopsis, a girl that wakes up every few months, pretending to be a completely new person? That's what I've tried and failed to do for years and years!

Usually, in Sarah Dessen books I don't care for the guys that much. Especially in the ones I read more recently. I hated Dexter from This Lullaby, I couldn't really understand Sumner from That Summer...but for some reason I loved Dave. He was so cute and weird and awesome and so real - I couldn't stop smiling whenever he entered a scene.

Also, the friendships McLean makes during her last stay are so great. The people she meets - all so different and unique with great character traits and huge flaws! They're funny and nice and you want them to be your friends, too.

As for her family - it's difficult, no questions asked. She barely talks to her mom and there are some things she hasn't figured out with her dad, yet, but again the issues aren't that heavy. Of course, it's hard when your parents divorce after so many years and it might even be normal how McLean treats her mom after that but that's all problems that can be figured out, you know what I mean? She wasn't abandoned by her mom and noone in this book is dealing with depression or eating disorders which makes this book a bit more beach read for me.

I could go on and on about how much I loved What Happened To goodbye. I think it's even more so in retrospect because I remember all the fun characters and want to enjoy the story all over again.

At last I need to mention Dave's parents. They are hilarious.

All in all, I really liked What Happened to Goodbye and can only recommend it. It's based on a great idea and features awesome characters and of course - Sarah Dessen once again is able to display exactly what I believe most teens feel sometimes :)

As this book hasn't gotten a new cover (at least, that's what I think) I decided to compare the US cover with the UK cover (which I accidently bought).



Although I always try to buy the American covers (because...you know...I'm weird like that) this time I must say I'm glad I didn't pay more attention when I ordered the book. I feel like every Dessen book has a girl with an accessory on the cover so it's refreshing to have that British cover with all the colorful junk in the suitcase :)

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties!

Words of the Week

Slump - Have you noticed the changes on my Goodreads widget on the right handside of this page the past week? It's insane! I don't really think I hit a reading slump, but I'm so moody with my reading at the moment - it's not even funny anymore!

Wintergirls - I kind of blame Wintergirls for that moodiness. I was planning on reading Glitch this week, then randomly read the beginning of Wintergirls and couldn't stop until I was finished that same day. After that I needed something cheerful, something very positive, so I tried a bunch of different books and now I find myself in a very messy state of mind :)

German books - As I said I wanted to catch up on some german books I checked out from the library and need to return this week, so don't be confused by my slow reading progress (I mean, even slower than usual!) - I don't add the german books I read to Goodreads.

Challenge - I originally participated in the Goodreads challenge with a goal of fifty books this year - then I noticed I've almost gotten to that goal by now so that I updated to 100 books and am now struggling to get behind :)

Recommendation - Does someone have any? For a hilariously funny novel with a snarky , confident heroine? Because I'm really craving something like that right now!

Books I got this week:

from NetGalley:

Smart as I am I requested Dearly Beloved and found out way too late that it's a sequel. Well..not too bad. Now I had a reason to order Dearly Departed which sounds amazing!




For review:



Thank you, Amanda Burke!

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

Goodreads summary:

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

LONG STORY SHORT:
This book totally lived up to my expectations and everyone's raving reviews. The story was very unique - a dystopian fantasy kind of world with completely new "never seen before" story elements and creatures. The plot was gripping, fast paced. I couldn't put the book down. Very important for me: no over-the-top romance, but a few sparks flying in the sub-plots. I liked the main character Alina, too, who was very real and never your stereotypical heroine.

 REVIEW:
I don't think I have to explain why I wanted to read Shadow and Bone. Basically it was because everyone has been raving about it for months before it was even released...

...and they turned out to be right. I can honestly say that I haven't read such a good book in a while. The world Leigh Bardugo created was just so epic, detailed , so different from many other dystopian or fantasy worlds.
  
Shadow and Bone was fast - paced and although it involved a lot of traveling - which I actually don't like in books - it was never confusing or boring. I as a reader was able to feel the main character Alina's emotions, so that I felt more like a part of the story than like I was just reading it.

The characters. Oh my, the characters. They drove me insane at times because I never knew who had which intentions. It was a roller coaster! At some point I rooted for that person, then for that person. Just like Alina, I didn't know who to trust. In addition to that sometimes I felt like I wanted to trust someone just because they were so nice and caring although I knew better. 

The process of Alina's power revealing was very well done. I still find myself thinking about it. It was on the one hand explained with fantasy - elements and on the other hand it felt like a process we all have to go through at some point. Alina had to grow a bit as a person in order to go through that change and I love when dystopian or fantasy novels do not neglect the challenges every teen faces  - even if they're busy saving the world :)

All in all? Go read that novel. Now. Everyone.

Feature & Follow Friday

Today's question is:

Christmas in July! Someone gives you a gift card for two books (whatever that costs). What two books will you buy?

What? Two books? Two books only? It's not...somehow...in a way...two boxes of books? No? Oh, well..
This is my problem with book buying, as well. I hop around all those different blogs with their ravings over books and I want to read ALL of them at once. Which is impossible. Because I don't have the time. Or the money. Anyway, these are the books I'd choose (among a thousand others):



My Life Next Door because I love, love, love contemporary fiction and because I heard nothing but great things about it and Everneath because I didn't really care for it at first but then got VERY interested once I read the Amazon Kindle sample so that I need to get it soon :)

Florence by Ciye Cho

Goodreads summary:
Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.
Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul


Release Date: July 1st 2012
Pages: 336 (ebook format)
Series? No


LONG STORY SHORT:


If you should read the book depends on the question of what kinds of books you like to read and how much endurance you have. The world building and the descriptions in Florence were very well done and that certainly is important for a novel that is set almost exclusively under water. Then again, it also pretty much filled the first hundred pages and that was a big flaw to me. The ending of the book was suspenseful, but overall I was not too content with the story.

REVIEW:

I received Florence for review from the author and put it on top of my  TBR - pile because I'd never read a mermaid book and was really excited about this one. Also, I'd read an excerpt and found the writing style very enjoyable.

The writing really did not disappoint - I loved the detailed descriptions of Niemela and the thoughtful construction of the world and all the animals and how great I could picture the merfolk. No really, if it was just for the world building and also the setting descriptions I would've given the book a whole carton of smarties.

Unfortunately, though, there were quite a few aspects of this novel that I wasn't so excited about. One surprisingly - is the detailed descriptions. It was just too much. I felt like the first one hundred pages of two hundred were nothing but a big picture of Niemela - and while it was beautifully done - it bored me after some time because I had no idea if there was still a story to come or not.

When the story did come it was too late for me. By the time things got suspenseful I was at that point when you just want to be done with the book. Also, due to the amount of words that were spend on setting descriptions in the first part of the book I felt like the reader didn't get to know the main character, Florence, as good. She seemed very "pale" and a bit flat to me.

As I said, the speed picked up in the last fifty pages or so and the plot really went into an interesting direction. Eventually, there was a nice message and a cute little love story that rounded the book and made it a nice, but not breathtaking read for me.

All in all, I'd recommend this book for anyone who doesn't mind a low paced start when there's a well done ending. It's not a must-read but if you're looking for a mermaid book this is a nice one.

RATING: 2 out of 3 Smarties

Weigh In Wednesday

Weigh in Wednesday is a weekly - and very self explanatory - meme hosted by Epiloguereview :)

Adult Fiction vs Young Adult Fction

Ha, easy one for me! I don't really read Adult Fiction unless I'm forced or really want to read the book for some reason. I hate reading books about people who go to work instead of school, people who don't suffer from teenage angst, people who don't have the occasional zit, people who actually get along with adults! I want to read stories about teens like me :)

Top Ten Tuesday

I don't know how it is for you guys, but I find that the Harry Potter Series is as great as it is because of all the elements every story has that JK Rowling featured in her story, too ,but did a perfect job doing that! Get what I mean? Like...those witty characters that make you laugh and think and that turn into role models for you? Like Hermione, Dumbledore but also Sirius Black or Molly Weasley? And then the action-packed plots and showdown endings that keep you chained to the story until the very last page. The way Rowling throws in a ton of teen problems we all go through - Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the gang have to face love and loss and adolescence issues although they live in a magical world. Speaking of...world building - amazing! I mean, show me one kid that didn't keep a tiny bit of hope that one day, their acceptance letter would find its owl-ish way to their house :)
I could go on and on about this, but the actual point is:

Here are my Top Ten Books You Should Read If You Loved Harry Potter - Not Because I Like Them As Much As HP (won't ever happen - sorry!) But Because Certain Elements Of The Story Are Done So Perfectly I'd Reread These Books A Couple Of Times


1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
For the awesome characters and the action-packed ending.

2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
For the great world-building.

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
For its uniqueness and - of course - the factions :)

4. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Not the whole trilogy, just this one. For the amounts of quotes you can collect from this book and the fantasy world she creates.

5. Pushing The Limits by Kathrin McGarry
Pure real world here but the most amazing characters ever!

6. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
The writing...oh my - the writing is so beautiful!

7. The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
Because this is an author who created a world and when reading about it you think the author lives in this world for real.

8. The Caster Chronicles Series by Kami Garcia and Margeret Stohl
See The Mortal Instruments Series.

9. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Oh, come on! Magic in a boarding school? And I loved it although normally I run and hide when I hear the word "vampire"? Gotta stand for something!

10. I don't believe this. I came up with nine books without even thinking about it and now - after searching in my real bookshelf AND in my Goodreads list I can't come up with a number ten? This is sad.

So, again, keep in mind that none of these books are LIKE Harry Potter. They just have certain elements that I loved in JK Rowling's Series!

Enough words for today, hope it (today) turns out great for all of you!

Summer Reading Review -That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary:

For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister—the always perfect Ashley—is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.













LONG STORY SHORT:

I liked That Summer but I did not enjoy it as much as some other Sarah Dessen books. The main character was quite likeable but a bit flat sometimes. I was missing some of her emotions and thoughts at times and I found that the focus was a bit too much on everyone else. The problems, though, that Haven had to face were very relatable and realistic and especially the second part of the book really got my attention and was quite entertaining and a bit heartbreaking at times.

REVIEW:

Sarah Dessen was one of the first authors whose books I read in English which makes her one of the first YA authors I've gotten to know - and love. I'm pretty sure there will ever be a  Dessen novel I won't like at all which was why I picked up That Summer a few weeks ago.

I wouldn't say I was disappointed with this book but also not as excited about it as I thought I would be. What I liked about the book was the situation Haven found herself in, that phase of changes that hits you unexpectedly and that brings so much confusion and insecurity with it.

There were some scenes where you could see very well how Haven felt like she did not fit in anywhere and how noone could understand her and how she wanted everything to stay the way it always has been, but then again there were so many other characters and their stories that Haven's own development got neglected. There is Haven's best friend who comes back from summer camp and starts having some issues with her parents, there is Haven's dominant older sister Ashley, there is Haven's mom and her dad and every character could have had their own book, but instead they were all crammed into one.

This,  I guess, is why Haven's development, that turning point, came pretty surprising and rushed to me. It was more like a sudden realization that she had while I would've wanted to see progress a bit...slower and step by step.

However, That Summer is by far not as long as most Dessen books and Haven with her fifteen years is a lot younger than most of Dessen's characters. I'd recommend this book to younger teen girls, maybe thirteen and up, because it's a great read about dealing with that point in your life when you start seeing things clearer and growing into your own person. Older teens and adults might find that this book doesn't go into as much depth, but it can provide a great message - especially the one that some day we all wake up knowing a bit better who we are, leaving those weird times behind us :)

RATING: 2 out of 3 Smarties



Now on to the covers...



Again, I think it's very difficult to decide on which one I like more. I think the fact that you can see parts of the story reflected in the new cover (the boy and girl in the background are - I guess - Ashley and her former boyfriend Sumner) is a plus for cover no. 2 while the original cover is a bit random. I mean, the girl is probably supposed to be Haven, but otherwise it could belong with any other book that mentions the word "beach". So - also for those cool sunglasses - this time I'd vote for the new cover and regret for a while that I bought the old version :)

Happy Summer Reading!!!

Words of the Week

Summer - Or rather - the lack thereof. My first week of summer vacation consisted of nothing but rain. Rain, storms, wind, cold.

Readathon - oh well. I screwed up. Totally. I was so busy that every post I wanted to put up that wasn't scheduled (except for the one  challenge I participated in) got lost on the way. It really sucked - all those appointments, work and then I fell asleep every single night and at last forgot about the Wrap - Up post alltogether. Definitely not a success! But there's always a next time :)

August - Did you guys notice that there are a ton of challenges and Readathons in August? Well, I did and I'm dedicated to take part in some of them to get behind my reading already so that I can buy new books as soon as school starts again :)

German - I do actually have a lot of reviews as back up for the blog so that I decided to spend this weekend reading some German books I have to return to the library soon. Feels a bit weird, actually, as I've been reading  English books for such a long time...

Audiobooks - I just rediscovered my love for audiobooks. Really, guys, there's nothing better than lying in bed, raindrops on your window and a good audiobook speaker in your ear. I even like to paint while I listen although I'm so not talented in art (the only subject I almost failed in 8th grade) it's sooo relaxing!

Books I got this week


For review:



This one sounds sooo freaking awesome! Thanks to the author Trisha Leigh for offering me to review it!

Tess, Terrorist and the Tiara by Terry Baldwin

Goodreads Summary:


Thirteen-year old Tess has never been able to compete with her “perfect” older sister, but now she must—if she wants to inherit her grandmother’s priceless tiara. The two girls have been invited to their grandparent’s lake house for the summer to help take care of Grandma who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The sister who earns the most “helpful points” wins the former beauty queen’s crown.

"It’s not easy for Tess, who seems to always get things wrong despite best intentions. And who is that mysterious stranger who’s just moved next door to their grandparents’ summer cottage?
Does he know that Tess’ grandmother was once the winner of a famous patriotic beauty contest? Or that she keeps her tiara where anyone can steal it? And why doesn’t he have a face?

Pages: 212 (Paperback)
Expected Release: August 10th
Series? No


LONG STORY SHORT:
This book was a lot better than I expected it to be just by reading the synopsis. I was afraid the lesson provided by the book - about tolerance and the danger of prejudice- would be too much, but it turned out a quick, nice read that I would recommend for younger teens - actually even younger MG readers, because to the majority of the teenagers it might be too "childish".

REVIEW:
When I accepted the book for review I did that only because I was really interested in how a story could contain terrorists, a tiara, prejudice, and Alzheimer's syndrome - and not turn a massive amount of lecturing. 

I was surprised, though, how the author was able to not only write a very cute story with an adorable main character but also bind the message into the story. Tess was such a nice girl, standing in the shadow of her older sister and not having a very high opinion of herself. Then again,she's not whiny or anything and she tries to do the right thing. The little accidents that happen to her are really funny and make her a very sympathetic little girl.


Which brings me to an element of this book that I did not like. Throughout the whole story Tess - at least to me - seemed much younger than thirteen. She was quite naive and  didn't know about a lot of things - facts that should be common to a thirteen year-old girl. That didn't hold me from enjoing the story, though. I just imagined her being no older than maybe nine or ten which is no problem because apart from the synopsis her age is never mentioned in the novel.


The plot itself was nothing uber-special. I mean, the events were very unexpected - but also kind of unrealistic so that should keep the balance :)
It did help,though, to deliver the message of the book. Tess made some mistakes and learned from them and I think that's what readers of this book would do, too.


All in all, Tess, Terrorist and the Tiara was a quick read I'd recommend for Middle Grade readers or everyone who is in the mood for a light children's novel with a valuable message.


I want to thank the author of this book and the publisher Middleton Books for offering me a digital review copy of Tess, Terrorists and the Tiara. That, of course, does not influence my view on the book :)

Feature & Follow Friday

This week's question:

What drove you to start book blogging in the first place?

This one is easy. I decided within a few days. I randomly tripped over a bookshelf tour on Youtube that happened to be in a playlist with reviews, bookhauls, discussion posts. In my head, the alarm lights went like crazy. I wanted to do that, too!!! Mom came in my way with a big fat NO. Which happens to only refer to showing my face in a Youtube video. She never talked about a bookblog. Neither did I. I wrote a review for This Lullaby and was embarrassed about it because it was so bad but took me hours. Three months later - after reading a ton of blogging advice posts that informed me that everyone sucks at the beginning I decided to just throw myself into it - and never since thought about quitting. So, the essential idea of talking about books with people who won't throw their heads against a wall once I confronted them with "Seriously, the BEST fantasy book you will ever read!" as well as being up to date on YA and this great, welcoming community were what got me started and still are what keeps me going :)

Wow...this is quite a long post....

Weigh In Wednesday

Weigh in Wednesday is a weekly - and vry self explanatory - meme hosted by Epiloguereview :)


Peeta vs. Gale

This one is easy for me. I know most people are for Peeta but I got to know Gale in the first book, fell in love with him and voted for him until the end. I love how strong he is and how he's always there for Katniss and how quiet he is. And I know Peeta would do everything for Katniss and they went through so much together, but to me he always seemed way too nice, too creative, too vulnerable. I don't like that sort of guy, I'm sorry ;)

Once Upon A Read-a-thon Update

Oh wow, it's already the last day of the Readathon (here in Germany, at least) and I have finished one whole book...yeah I know. You'd think I'd read more now that I'm out of school. But it also means that I don't have the bus drives to and from school (45 minutes) that I usually spend reading...Also, the freedom to sleep whenever I want to kind of collides with my Readathon goals...whatever.

By now I have finished Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry and started Glitch by Heather Anastasiu and That Summer by Sarah Dessen. I hope I can finish That Summer today...it's only around 200 pages long...

Top Ten Tuesday

This week is a freebie, so I decided to talk about the ten books I'd recommend you read during a Read- a - thon ( as I'm typing this on Sunday and I'm starting a Read-a-thon on Monday)

1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I read this one during my first Read-a-thon and it's my new favorite book. I know that the one thing some people didn't like about it was the slow pace in the beginning and I figured you wouldn't mind that as much when you don't do anything but reading anyway - you probably get through the slow parts faster. Also, with 400 pages Delirium can bring you forward quite a bit if you don't count books but pages read.

2. Pretty Little Liars

These books are meant to be one- sitting reads. They are so creepy you won't want to put them down until you're finished. Also, they are very fast reads.


3. Deadly Cool

I always mention this book but it is just a fun and quick read (I also read this one during my very first Read-thon) and it is so entertaining!

4. Beautiful Creatures

This book is quite thick so I'd recommend it for the end of your Read-a-thon or for an all nighter or something like that. You will definitely get absorbed in the world, though, so that you probably couldn't find your way back even if you really had to.

5. Shadow and Bone

This is just another book you won't be able to put down - and it is quite different from your mainstream YA novel.

6. The Selection

Even though I don't find this book absolutely amazing, it certainly does melt in your hands. By which I mean that it just disappears into nothing and suddenly you find that you have already read the whole thing!

7. If I Stay

This book is so heartbreaking. I seriously don't know if I'd be able to just devour it and go on with the next one but I guess that's why it'd be a great last book of a Read-a-thon. It definitely leaves you thinking.

8. The Airhead Trilogy

I actually haven't read a whole series or trilogy in a Reada-thon but I think it'd be fun to get lost in only one  world for quite a few days. What is more, I think the different events are clearer in your head when you read all the books at once.

9. The Hunger Games trilogy

See above. This trilogy is so fast paced and suspenseful that you will probably want to read all of the installments together.

10. Evermore

I read it during my last Read-a-thon, too and I think it was a great Paranormal Romance that I enjoyed but after reading it it was easy to immediately jump into the next story.

Once Upon a Time There was a Book Fight...

MINI CHALLENGE!!! (hosted by Kindle Fever )

We're supposed to imagine a fight between too characters :)

It is the duel of the year - it's what everyone has been waiting for....Isabelle Lightwood versus Bella Swan. All eyes are on Isabelle as she enters the arena - packed with weapons, dressed in high stilettos, a seemingly non-existent mini-skirt, a black silk top and the mask of the victor on her face.
In the second corner we see Miss Bella Swan. A bit helpless-looking, her mouth wide open, head turned to the bleachers where her vamppire boyfriend cannot stop iting on his fingernails.
The bell rings, the fight begins. Isabelle raises her arm to land the first punch - and misses. Buffled, she turns around, turns left and right - but there's no Bella to be seen.
After an appearingly endless second everyone in the audience raises their heads, a look of confusion on their faces:
Bella is up in the air, her arms rapped around her boyfriend's neck. Edward, shining like a lightbulb in the sudden sunlight races away with Bella on his back.
Back on the ground, Isabelle throws her weapons on the ground, letting out a frustrated mourn. Looks like that's it for now - fighting-wise....