Why Fairys just aren't my thing.

The fairy poet takes a sheetOf moonbeam, silver white;His ink is dew from daisies sweet,His pen a point of light.~Joyce Kilmer

We all know that currently within the book world there are trends, vampires, werewolves, faeries, pixies, zombies etc. They all can be accounted for recently and normally I'm okay with them. I deal with trends and get fun reads from them, but I have found myself trying and trying to enjoy one trend and I just cant.

Fairys. (Faeries?)

I have tried and tried and tried, but I'm sorry I just cant seem to like them.

I've been thinking about this a lot today and I've come to a new conclusion. I think that I'm not a big trend person. Yes, I can enjoy them but I don't buy into them. The only vampire books I ever read were the Twilight series and Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side and then Shiver and Linger were the only Werewolf ones so maybe I just don't do trends.

I love paranormal and fantasy but I think originality is key with me. All of the Faery books I have read (or tried to read) all read the same to me, and maybe I just haven't picked up the right one, but I have yet to feel real emotions and I have to feel emotions.

I have been reading constantly for the past few weeks and I've read a lot of really amazing books, but each time I tried that particular fantasy genre I got to page 70 and couldn't take it anymore.

Maybe it has something to do with the way they're presented? Or the same Winter and Summer court thing but getting into them just seem impossible.

I don't know what's wrong with me, but perhaps they're just not for me, but leave a comment if you know of a fairy book (or amazing book in general) that may get me out of this.

Jekel Loves Hyde by: Beth Fantaskey

Jekel Loves Hyde
by: Beth Fantaskey

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, this good girl is tempted to peek inside, because the contents just might be key to winning a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. As things heat up in the lab though, Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and will compel her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

Review:

Beth Fantaskey did it again! I devoured Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, and Jeckel Loves Hyde was no different with catching my interest.

The very idea of taking the story of Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde and turning it literal intrigued me and I was amazed by the outcome. I felt the emotions Fantaskey was trying to express and throughout reading I was gripping the edge of my book because I didn't know what was going to happen or what the outcome would be. I didn't know whether there would be destruction or things would work out, and honestly Chemistry is some pretty scary stuff.

I loved Jill's name, which I know is a weird thing to comment on but Jill Jekel - say Jill Jekel out loud, see how it just flows? I think it's the J's, but more then just her name the character of Jill I felt was well formed. I knew what she was about from the very beginning and she didn't wander from that, or at least not while she was fully herself.

Tristen was dreamy. There I said it, every story needs at least one dreamy character who is maintaining dreamy status, while still being some what tortured. He was that guy and I loved him for it. He struggled with his own demons and with his very self which is a very interesting aspect of the story. I loved him and Jill together as well as those moments when you felt chemistry between the two of them, they cared while being stubborn which added to the suspense.

All in all I loved this book and my only complaint is that it wasn't longer.

-Christina

And the Contest Winner is...

Alright the contest ended on March 4th, but for those who emailed me after that date I still counted your entries as I've been MIA recently and haven't been blogging as much as I would like and the winner (according to names I drew out of a hat - the more entries you put in, the more times I wrote your name) is...

Rebecca

I will email you and if I don't receive an answer in 36 hours I will draw another winner.

Thanks to all who entered the contest!

Contest Reminder!

If you wish to be in the drawing to win a signed copy of Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison the days are running out! I'll be drawing a winner at midnight on March 4 so be sure and enter before that time. :)





This is just a quick reminder guys that if you haven't put in your entry you should go here and do so!

Also, if you would like to see my review for Sing Me to Sleep click here. :)

Author Interviews: Jenny Moss Edition

*Today we have with us Jenny Moss the author of the upcoming release Shadow (!) which is full of castly intrigue, adventure, dark secrets, and a smackling of love. :)

C: What gave you the idea for Shadow?

J: I'd read the book THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL by Philippa Gregory and loved all the castle intrigue. So I wanted to have fun with my own story.

C: Why did you choose the setting?

J: Creating my own kingdom appealed to me. I got to draw maps. :)

C: What is your writing process like?

J: It changes. For SHADOW, I wrote a skeleton draft and then revised many times.

C: Favorite Music?

J: I'm in awe of Bob Dylan, but enjoy different artists. The last CD I bought was one of Austin musician Ginger Leigh's.

C: Movies?

J: I love movies. The ones I rewatch the most: PERSUASION, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, NOTTING HILL

C: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

J: I can't remember a time when I didn't want to be a writer.

C: How long did it take you to write Shadow?

J: I was working on two books at the same time. It took me about 2.5 years to finish both of them.

C: What is your favorite book?

J: The book I most admire is BELOVED by Toni Morrison.

C: What is one of your most embarrasing moments?

J: I came home from work one day with a huge split in the back of my pants, which I didn't realize until I changed out of my work clothes.

C: If you could have any guest over for dinner, dead or alive, who would it be?

J: I'd be very nervous, but Bob Dylan.

C: What would you consider to be the hardest thing about writing?

J: Deadlines. Because I have an April 1st deadline for a manuscript right now. :)

C: The easiest?

J: Finding the characters.

C: Which of your characters do you feel is most like you?

J: My daughter tells me she sees similarities between me and Winnie in WINNIE'S WAR, my first book. I don't see it as much.

C: What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

J: To go beyond that first draft - and to really have fun with the process.

*Thank you so much Jenny for the awesome interview and everyone be sure to check out my review for Shadow!

http://books-are-life-reviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/shadow-by-jenny-moss_09.html

A Spy in the House by: Y.S. Lee

A Spy in The House

by: Y.S. Lee

It is May 1858, the beginning of London’s “Great Stink” — a blend of river pollution and heat wave that paralyzes the city. Tucked in the attic of a nondescript girls’ boarding school is the Agency, an intelligence service with a difference: it’s an elite, all-female group of private investigators with a reputation for getting things done. And it’s just hired a hotheaded, 17-year-old ex-thief whose on-the-job training goes completely wrong…
New agent Mary Quinn’s task is to pose as a lady’s companion and observe a merchant suspected of smuggling. But this straightforward assignment goes awry when Mary gets impatient and exceeds her mandate. Almost immediately, she finds competition in the shape of James Easton, an arrogant young man who’s doing some snooping of his own. They first tangle — literally — in a closet.
When pressed, Mary reluctantly joins forces with James. But as useful as the partnership may be, it’s also dangerous: their mutual attraction threatens to distract them from the real secrets of the merchant’s household. Eventually, they reveal a plot that threatens James’s life, as well as Mary’s own dark secrets…

Review:

As soon as I saw this book and read the summary I knew I would love it. I love the Victorian era and just historical fiction in general, but this idea for a Victorian mystery involving a young woman during the time of the Great Stink just instantly made me smile.

I loved this book, and can't express enough how excited I am there's still more and it is a series.

From the very beginning the book is addicting, it skips over the "boring parts" and goes straight for the fun scenes involving the actual problem solving and her fun banter with James. Each character brings something else to the table, some of them are relatively stereotypical but then they surprise you, but they each bring something else to the dynamic of the story and in true mystery form little things a character does or says shows their character and forms whatever secrets they may be hiding.

My favorite part of this book was any scene with James - I love the classic leading men such as Mr. Darcy, Gilbert Blythe, and Rhett Butler, and James is definitely one of my new literary crushes. He reminded me of each of my favorite leading men in some way, which of course just made me love him more.

I loved how well Mary and James played off each other, the dialogue was amazing and felt natural. I have read many books where the dialogue just fell flat and would leave me saying,"They would never have said that," but A Spy in the House never made me feel like this.

I felt like by reading it I was really spying them from around a corner somewhere, like they were really arguing or laughing for whatever reason and I wanted to be a part of it - I love that feeling.

I was hooked on this book from the moment I opened it and I feel like it could be a book for anyone who just wants to smile and get away for awhile and solve a nice mystery along the way, but you won't figure out the ending... believe me... I tried.

I give it a 10/10.

-Christina

*Also, sorry this review is so late, we've had some family difficulties lately but hopefully it will be settled soon. :)

Lack of Posts...

Sorry guys for the lack of posts recently, my father has been in the hospital and I haven't been home hardly at all, but hopefully this upcoming week I will be able to post all the reviews I've been meaning to, plus I finished quite a few books while in the hospital as well.

So look forward to that and I hope to speak with you soon. :D

Thanks guys!