Book Reviews by Today, I Read…

A Continuous Book Review and Vocabulary Assignment

March 23

Comments: 4

Teaser Tuesdays: It Cuts Glass You Say? And They Were Just Sitting There, Waiting for a Good Home?

by Ann-Katrina

Teaser Tuesdays Happy Tuesday! It’s time again for another edition of Teaser Tuesdays…

Here are the rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Let the book fall open to a random page
  • Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • You also need to share the title of the book where you get your teaser from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given
  • Please avoid spoilers

Flawless This week’s teaser:

"Removing evidence of their crime would be as easy as breaking into the control booth and stealing the tapes that recorded the break-in. Best yet, the guards clearly marked the videotapes with the month and day–rather than a code–so it would be simple to steal the correct ones." pg. 81 of Flawless by Scott Andrew Selby and Greg Campbell

You may not be able to tell from this blog, but I love true crime. The mind of a criminal, their decisions, and what drives them has always been interesting to me–can’t figure out why–so I try not to pass up an opportunity to read a good true crime story if I can help it.  This is one of those cases.

After reading as much fiction as I have lately, it’s time to balance it out. Plus, I absolutely love the book’s cover. You can’t tell from the picture, but the diamonds on the cover actually sparkle a bit and reflect a rainbow as you flip it around in the light. (I know, it’s the littlest things with me.)

4 Comments, add yours...

March 16

Comments: 4

Teaser Tuesdays: You See…There Was This Creepy Skeleton Guy with Wings, Dressed in All Black and He Made Me Do It.

by Ann-Katrina

Teaser Tuesdays Happy Tuesday! It’s time again for another (uber late, but at least it’s still Tuesday in some parts of the world) edition of Teaser Tuesdays…

Here are the rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Let the book fall open to a random page
  • Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • You also need to share the title of the book where you get your teaser from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given
  • Please avoid spoilers

Morpheus Road: The Light Cover This week’s teaser:

"After changing into my clothes, I found the bikes near the front door and grabbed the one with tires that didn’t look too dry and cracked. It was a barely roadworthy three, count ‘em, three gears." – pg. 217 Morpheus Road: The Light by D. J. MacHale

This must be my week for books because I checked the mail yesterday and found an interesting package from Simon & Schuster. It was wrapped around the top with red tape that said "He’s coming" on the front and on the backside was a haunting image of a dark figure with wings.

Morpheus Road: The Light Package Back

You know that got my attention and I was in the mood for something with the promise of being darker, edgier than what I’ve been reading lately. So, I decided to crack it open and devote a day (or, rather, evening) to reading it. Though I haven’t finished it yet, it has been smooth sailing.

4 Comments, add yours...

March 2

Comments: 5

Teaser Tuesdays: A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott

by Ann-Katrina

Teaser Tuesdays Happy Tuesday! It’s time again for another edition of Teaser Tuesdays…

Here are the rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Let the book fall open to a random page
  • Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • You also need to share the title of the book where you get your teaser from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given
  • Please avoid SPOILERS

A Wish After Midnight This week’s teaser:

“My first week here, I cried myself to sleep every single night. I’d just curl up, pull the blankets over my head, and cry ‘tip I fell asleep.” pg. 131 A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliot

I’m only just beginning this book, so I’m still forming my thoughts. In other words, I’m reserving judgment, but I must admit the writing so far is compelling. It’s told in first person by Genna Colon, an ambitious fifteen year old mixed race girl (with dark skin and short nappy hair) living in the ghetto.

These opening chapters give us a glimpse of her life and the life she wants to one day have. But, the book also promises to have elements of historical fantasy, so I’m eager to see how that unfolds. I have no doubt that this will be a book I’ll want to savor as I read rather than blaze through.

5 Comments, add yours...

January 19

Comments: 5

Teaser Tuesdays: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

by Ann-Katrina

Teaser Tuesdays Happy Tuesday! It’s time again for another edition of Teaser Tuesdays…

Here are the rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Let the book fall open to a random page
  • Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • You also need to share the title of the book where you get your teaser from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given
  • Please avoid spoilers

The Sea of Monsters This week’s teaser:

“As the chariots lined up, more shiny-eyed pigeons gathered in the woods. They were screeching so loudly the campers in the stands were starting to take notice, glancing nervously at the trees, which shivered under the weight of the birds.” pg. 79 The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Last year I read the first book in the series, The Lighting Thief, and enjoyed it very much. In fact, it made my 9 books I’m glad I read in 2009 list. For the longest, I’ve been meaning to pick up the second book and continue Percy’s adventure. Now just seemed like the perfect time.

A bit of fantasy to help me escape from the trappings of impending responsibility and I have a soft spot for Greco-Roman mythology. So far this book isn’t disappointing, but I’m still in the early portions of the book.

On an almost random tangent, I just learned that a new movie based on The Lightning Thief is due out in theatres and I can’t wait to see it.

5 Comments, add yours...

November 24

Comments: 6

Teaser Tuesdays: Fallen by Lauren Kate

by Ann-Katrina

Teaser Tuesdays Happy Tuesday! It’s time again for another edition of Teaser Tuesdays…

Here are the rules:

  • Grab your current read
  • Let the book fall open to a random page
  • Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • You also need to share the title of the book where you get your teaser from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given
  • Please avoid spoilers

I’m smack dab in the middle of two books right now, but the one nearest to me is Fallen by Lauren Kate and so that will be from where the teaser is pulled.

Fallen This week’s teaser:

“Even from this distance, Luce could see black mold covering the face of the dorm. All the windows were obstructed by rows of thick steel bars.” pg. 17 Fallen by Lauren Kate

So far the writing is smooth, but there has only been one small bit of action that’s piqued my curiosity. In fact, I’ve already developed a few quibbles.

I don’t know what to make of Luce just yet, but she’s teetering perilously close to the edge of being a whiney heroine and I believe nearly nothing about her new “friend” Arriane; her actions are anything but consistent with what we’re told. But there’s still time for character development. I might be surprised.

At best I feel the book will redeem itself by the end, and at worst, it will just turn out to be another average read. (I’m hoping for the former.)

6 Comments, add yours...

 

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