Teaser Tuesday #19

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

MY TEASERS:

"They walked from the car past the drummers and the bulldozer and the construction crew, and Ethan noticed that each person they passed seemed to freeze in the middle of whatever they were doing. One old Indian guy stared so hard at Ethan he thought it might leave a mark on the back of his head."

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult, p 59.

Bloggiesta Fall 2012 Edition

Suey from It’s All About Books and Danielle from There's a Book (where you can also find the sign-up linky) are hosting Bloggiesta Fall 2012 edition September 28th through the 30th.

Bloggiesta is your chance to (copied from Suey's post):

• spiff up your blog
• try something new on your blog, fix something, add something or delete something
• catch up on reviews, Google Reader, email, or anything else that's out of control
• work and party together with other bloggers
• learn new things from blogging experts
• join several mini challenges and win prizes
• have fun for three days blogging and connecting with your blogging friends!

I'm so excited! I already know some things I want to do:

• link and cross-post the majority of my hundred and something book reviews to Goodreads (a task left over from the last Bloggiesta)
• come up with a way to more prominently display my ratings and update the reviews accordingly (currently my ratings are only displayed as labels, and I've noticed through the comments I get that a lot of people seem not to notice them. My bad, so it's time to correct it.)

These are two really big tasks, but I'm sure I'll think of some more things to do when I see the challenges and other people's posts.

If you want to work on your blog and have some fun while at it, you can sign-up here.

Book Nook #26

Book Nooks

*Every weekend*

Founder: Sasha Soren (Random Magic)
Show us something pretty!

Commentary: Another one in my collection of ideas for a spacious and comfortable porch I'll have if I get rich. I can just imagine spending hot summer days reading there. 

Details: Location and artist unknown, not given in the original post. 

Source: Desire to Inspire

Join in: Add your own Book Nooks post.

Awakened by a Kiss by Lila DiPasqua

Note: The book reviewed is not suitable for persons under the age of majority.

SUMMARY (from Goodreads): Three classic fairytales – “Sleeping Beauty,” “Puss in Boots,” and “Little Red Riding Hood” – cleverly retold with enough sensual twists to prove wickedly ever after does exist….

Sleeping Beau: Five years ago, the notorious rake, Adrien d’Aspe, Marquis de Beaulain, was awakened by a sensuous kiss – and experienced a night of raw ecstasy that was branded into his memory. Years later, he spots his mysterious seductress – and this time, he has no intention of letting her go…

Little Red Writing: Nicolas de Savignac, Comte de Lambelle, has been assigned by the King to uncover the secret identity of the author writing scandalous stories about powerful courtiers. He never expected his investigation would lead to his grandmother's house, or to a ravishing woman who would stir his deepest hunger…

Bewitching in Boots: Elisabeth de Roussel, daughter of the King, is accustomed to getting what she wants – and she wants Tristan de Tiersonnier, Comte de Saint-Marcel, an ex-commander of the King’s private Guard. A recent injury has forced Tristan to leave his distinguished position, but Elisabeth is determined to make him see he's every bit the man he once was – and more than man enough for her..

MY OPINION:

Awakened by a Kiss is a collection of three novellas loosely based on classic fairy-tales. The stories are set in France during the reign of Louis XIV and faintly depict the glamour and the intrigues of his court.

The connection of the stories to the corresponding fairy-tales is VERY loose. The main characters and an echo of the fairy-tale plot can be recognised, but no more than that. All three novellas are focused on sex, therefore the plot and characterization are all but non-existent and serve only as a background.

The plots and characters' depictions are rushed in order to make place for erotic scenes. Now, I enjoy erotica when it comes in package with a compelling plot, possibly some suspense, and well-developed characters, which is not the case in these stories. The stories in Awakened by a Kiss have interesting premises, but their potential remains largely unrealised.

Of the three stories, the third one, Bewitching in Boots, is the one I enjoyed the most. Even though everything said above holds true for this one, too, I liked that Elisabeth actually helped Tristan go through some difficulties.

Finally, I think these three novellas would be much better if expanded into full-length novels, thus allowing for plot and character development. Anyway, Awakened by a Kiss is an easy read for when you just want your brain to rest for a while.

RECOMMENDATION: Awakened by a Kiss is readable if you want just a light adult read. However, if you are looking for erotica with a memorable story and the characters you fall in love with, this is not it.

One for the Money (2012)

DIRECTOR: Julie Anne Robinson; CAST: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata…

SUMMARY (from IMDB): Unemployed and newly-divorced Stephanie Plum lands a job at her cousin's bail-bond business, where her first assignment puts her on the trail of a wanted local cop from her romantic past.

MY OPINION:

I will not even pretend that watched One for the Money for any other reason than Jason O'Mara. Well, mostly.

The story is pretty clichéd: a girl wants to get back to a guy, but finds out that he is innocent of what he is being accused of, so she helps him out while still getting some revenge, and they make up in the end.

There are some foggy moments, but on the whole the plot is nicely rounded up. As expected, the bad guys are defeated, however the story is not completely predictable, as the main villain is quite a surprise.

The film is just as funny as it should be for a comedy, and did I mention the main cast is very easy on the eye? Also, I loved Stephanie's grandma, she is amazing.

All in all, One for the Money is a nice film to watch after a stressful day.

RECOMMENDATION: One for the Money offers some light entertainment to relax with.

Kiss of a Demon King (Immortals After Dark #7) by Kresley Cole

Note: The book reviewed is not suitable for persons under the age of majority.

SUMMARY (from Goodreads): From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king trapped by an enchantress for her wanton purposes -- and the scorching aftermath that follows when he turns the tables and claims her as his captive.

HIS OBSESSION...
Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.

HER DOWNFALL...
Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.

THEY WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO WANT EACH OTHER THIS MUCH...
With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?

MY OPINION:

Kiss of a Demon King was actually the book that first directed my attention to Immortals After Dark series quite a few years ago. So, basically, blame my love for IAD on this book. It took me some time to decide to try the series and then to get to this book, but it was all worth it.

Kiss of a Demon King definitely lived up to my expectations. It cleared up some issues left open in the preceding books, and finally provided a lot of information on rage demons and their kingdom.

Sabine's and Ryndstrom's story is very complicated due to their history. Sabine finds it difficult to trust anyone because of her troubled past. Ryndostrom is the first person ever who wants to protect her, so it takes time for her to accept that.

Ryndstrom is a very honest and upstanding man. He isn't without mistakes, but he always tries to right the wrongs once he becomes aware of them.

The relationship between Sabine and Ryndstrom is full of lies and deceit, which I am not a fan of, but their thinking and actions are well-reasoned and fit their characters.

Naturally, everything is clarified by the end. As usually with this series, the final solution(s) caught me by surprise, although I should have already expected that from Kresley Cole. The ending is perfect, though, because it totally goes with the rest of the story and the characters.

RECOMMENDATION: Kiss of a Demon King is another exciting story from IAD series which is not to be missed by fans of paranormal romance.

On a side note: I usually don't like promotion within a book, but Kresley Cole's (un)subtle mention of Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series somewhere in the middle of the book is incorporated in the story so well it made me smile. Watch and learn, advertisers. Oh, and that is another series I have check out.

Top Ten Favourite Books I've Read During The Lifespan Of My Blog

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

I started blogging in July 2010. Here are my favourite books I've read since then (in random order, linked to my reviews):

1. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
2. Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon
3. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
4. Labyrinth (Languedoc Trilogy #1) by Kate Mosse
   Sepulchre (Languedoc Trilogy #2) by Kate Mosse
   The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse
5. The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles #2) by Anne Rice
   The Queen of the Damned (The Vampire Chronicles #3) by Anne Rice
6. The Crystal Skull by Manda Scott
7. Random Magic by Sasha Soren
8. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
9. Shadow Souls (The Vampire Diaries: The Return #2) by L. J. Smith
10. Fifty Shades Trilogy by E. L. James
11. No Rest for the Wicked (Immortals After Dark #3) by Kresley Cole
    Dark Needs at Night's Edge (Immortals After Dark #5) by Kresley Cole

I know, that's more than ten books, but I really can't choose between neither Kate Mosse's, Cole's, or Rice's books.

I would like to point out that I distinguish between my favourite books and the best books I've read. I love both my favourite books and those I consider the best I've read. Although the two kinds mostly coincide, there are some exceptional books I've read which I cannot, in spite of their quality and greatness, consider my favourite books due to either the themes they deal with or other elements, take for instance Fatherland by Robert Harris or Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky.

What are your favourite books you've read since you've started blogging? Do you share any of mine?

Tiger's Curse (The Tiger Saga #1) by Colleen Houck

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):  The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world.

But that's exactly what happened.

Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

MY OPINION:

Tiger's Curse has an intriguing premise, but the execution is mostly not to my liking.

What I liked:

• the premise of breaking the tiger's curse
• the adventure
• the exotic setting: the jungle, India – well described
• Ren: upstanding, gentle, loyal
• Kelsey, in the beginning, when she seems brave and smart

What I disliked:

• telling instead of showing, especially because of feelings, too, are mostly told not shown
• everything playing out so quickly and easily: Kelsey's and Ren's adventures require a lot of effort and involve plenty of danger, yet everything works out smoothly, there is always a convenient solution to a problem at hand, they seem to  overcome any danger or hardship effortlessly
• in relation to the previous two points: the discrepancy between what Houck shows and tells us: for example she tells us Kelsey feels scared and tired, or that she is hurt and beside herself, and yet she doesn't act like it – she just keeps going as if everything was a piece of cake
• the ease with which Kelsey accepts everything she learns – I think an average person would have much more trouble believing and dealing with all the strange, irrational things she finds out and experiences
• Kelsey: I liked her in the beginning, but then she became really annoying as she started showing or rather telling how low self esteem she has (do all these YA heroines have to have be self-deprecating?)
• consequently, the teenage thinking/drama: Kelsey's reasoning is rather immature for an 18-year-old at several spots, and her creating imaginary obstacles between herself and Ren made me want to scream at her
• the amount of thinking Kelsey does during a kiss: pages, literally. How can she think so much while kissing?

Overall, what kept me reading Tiger's Curse was wanting to know what happens to Ren and the curse. I am interested in finding out the final outcome (although I can probably predict it), but I am not particularly eager to read the sequel. I might if I happen to come across it.

RECOMMENDATION: If you like YA adventure set in exotic places, and don't mind teenage romance angst, you might enjoy Tiger's Curse.

Have you read Tiger's Curse? How did you feel about it? Perhaps I'm just too old for YA and silly angst to really enjoy this book.