The Norwegian Book Girl

Waiting on Wednesday: A Breath of Eyre

2012-02-15T00:05:00.000+01:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are eager to read.

My pick this week is A Breath of Eyre by Eva Marie Mont (April 2012)

Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

This just sounds like something right up my alley. It is about a girl who apparently lovedsto read and then gets to spend time in a story from a book. And not every book but Jane Eyre (I love that novel).

The trailer is really good too, take a look:

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop 09.02 - 11.02

2012-02-10T14:43:00.001+01:00

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison.

For more information, visit this post.

This week's question:

What would you prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

I would rather read 100 mediocre books. I seldom read the same book twice, since there are so many other good books out there. But there are exceptions of course.

I also participate in the February Book Blogger Hop over at Crazy for Books. More information on that meme here.

This week on The Norwegian Book Girl:
In My Mailbox
Review of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Return of Music Monday
Review of Heaven by Christoph Marzi
Waiting on Wednesday: The Whispering House

Have a great weekend everyone :)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Whispering House

2012-02-08T13:33:00.001+01:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about the books we are eagerly awaiting for to be published.

My pick this week is The Whispering House by Rebecca Wade (22th of May 2012):

When the Price family moves into Cowleigh Lodge while their home is being repaired, fourteen-year-old Hannah discovers that the ghost of a girl who died there at age eleven wants help unraveling the mystery of her 1877 death.

I love stories about ghosts and there is just something about this book that peaks my interest. I do not normally read a lot of middle grade titles, but this one is on my reading list for sure.

Review: Heaven by Christoph Marzi

2012-02-07T17:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher:Mangschou (Norwegian publisher)
Pages: 360
Release: September 2011
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: Bought
Challenge: None this year, read it in 2011
Good to know: This book was first published in Germany in 2009 and last year it came out in Norwegian. The book was published in English February 2nd this year.

The night that Heaven lost her heart was cold and moonless. But the blade that sliced it out was warm with her dark blood... David Pettyfer is taking a shortcut over the dark rooftops of London's brooding houses, when he literally stumbles across Heaven: a strange, beautiful, distraught girl who says that bad men have stolen her heart. Yet she's still alive... And so begins David and Heaven's wild, exciting and mysterious adventure - to find Heaven's heart, and to discover the incredible truth about her origins. Part thriller, part love story and part fairy tale, this brilliantly original novel from a bestselling German author will take your breath away...

A Great Fantasy

Heaven has one of the best storylines I have encountered in a YA - novel. Nothing in this book is predictable, the surprises are many and the suspense is high.

Parts of London is covered with a nightsky without stars. It has been like this a long time and for David Pettyfer, who works in the bookstore The Owl and the Pussycat, this is normal. David's work consists of delivering books, often rare books, to customers in London. He likes to take a shortcut over the rooftops of London's brooding houses whilst on his way with a book. David has had a troubled past, but the job in the bookstore is a new beginning for him. One night, David runs into Heaven on a rooftop ...

Heaven, or Freema Mirrlees as she also is called, is an orphan. She tells David that some bad men have stolen her heart. David does not know what to believe, but he soons finds out that someone is after Heaven. He have to help keep Heaven hidden and at the same time figure out why the men are chasing her.

I have read a lot of YA - novels in the past years, a lot of them have a similar storyline. You know what's going to happen, who will fall in love with whom etc. In Heaven you cannot predict anything. Marzi have created a fantastic and thrilling story with a mystery that is slowly unveiled as you flip the pages. There are a lot of paranormal elements in the story too, like zombies and ghosts.

It is not hard to guess that Marzi loves the victorian era and the writers that lived in this time. Heaven is kind of like a love poem to the city of London and a lot of the characters in the story have been given names from characters in Dickens' stories. The book made me want to read a story by Dickens again.

Marzi is a musiclover and there is a lot of references to songlyrics in the novel. He also got the idea for the novel itself from a song, Chim Chim Cher-ee, as sung by Dick van Duke and Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins.

The language in the book is not that consistent. Marzi knows how to write poetically and the book is full of beautiful quotes and observartions. But, at the same time, there are a lot of repetitions and clichees here.

Heaven was an interesting character. It takes some time for the reader to get under her skin, but I liked that. Jeg was constantly wondering what had happened to her in the past, why her parents had died and why the men where out for her heart. Marzi kept me guessing until the final pages in the book.

This book is not a part of a series. Keep in mind that Heaven is not a book for the younger readers. There is a lot of swearing in the book, the characters are thinking abous sex and have dealt with alcohol and drugs.

If you love London, Dickens and Urban Fantasy you should pick up this book. It is great! And if you do not love London and Dickens, pick up the book anyway and read it.

(I do not have any quotes this time since I read this book in Norwegian)

Other reviews:
Lost Among the Shelves
Bloggers Heart Books
A Cupcake and a Latte

The English cover for the book:

Return of Music Monday

2012-02-07T00:41:00.000+01:00

Music Monday is a meme where I talk about some of the great new songs, or old songs, released by Scandinavian artists. I may also talk about other songs that are stuck in my mind at the moment.

This monday I will share a new, Norwegian song with you. It is a song from the artist Tone Damli Aaberge. Tone is one of Norways hottest stars, a position she has risen to over the years. She is also the girlfriend of a famous Norwegian actor, Axel Hennie, and the two are called Norway's supercouple by the media.

Tone's new song, Look Back, easily gets stuck in your head. The musicvideo for it have caused a lot of controversy in Norway, and some have called it too sexy. Tone herself has said that her targetlisteners also listen to music from artists such as Lagy Gaga, so she has to make sure people notice her. Beside, she wanted to stretch her own boundaries a little. The world must think Norway is a truly conservative country since a musicvideo like this can cause so much controversy. Anyways, here is the video, judge for yourself:

And if you like this song, I suggest you check out some of Tone's other tunes. They are worth listening too:

Butterflies:

Stuck in my head:

And last one of my favories by her, I Love You:

Have a great reading week everyone.

In My Mailbox #47

2012-02-05T18:00:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got the past week.

I have started this year with some bookbuying restrictions. I am only allowed to buy 4 books each month. In January I bought 5, one more than originally intended, but still not as many as I have used to buy. The preordered books does not count. I have only bought one book this week:

Bought:

Kristen Callihan: Firelight

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2012-02-05T00:14:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 338
Release: November 2011
Source: Review copy from BEA
Challenge: None this year, read it in 2011
Good to Know: This is Mafi's debutnovel and the first book in a new series.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

A Great Debut

Shatter Me received a lot of buzz before it was released, and Harper Collins put a lot of effort and marketing behind the novel. This off course creates expectations.

Juliette have been locket up in an asylum for 264 days. She has no direct contact with any human being; her food (the days when she is lucky enough to get something to eat) is served through a hole in the door. Everything she does, she does alone. She have not been able to change clothes or freshen up. The reason she is locked up is because she have special powers, powers that may have caused the death of a little boy. One day Juliette gets a cellmate, Adam, and her whole world changes.

The world outside Juliette's cell is also changed. Wars have been raging and a lot of people are dead due to starvation and misery. A lot of the trees and plants are gone. The people with the power, The Reestablishment, have to fight to keep their power because there are rebels and they want power too.

The world is flat. I know because I was tossed right off the edge and I've been trying to hold on for seventeen years. I've been trying to climb back up for seventeen years but it's nearly impossible to beat gravity when no one is willing to give you a hand.

Shatter Me is not a book that screams out loud to you. Nothing happens in fast pace, and the book is not a pageturner as in a lot of things is happening. But it is a pageturner nevertheless: it is the writing and the way the author makes us sympathise with Juliette that makes this such a great read.

I spent my life folded between the pages of books. In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. (...)My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of lettrs, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.

I have never read anything like this, the writingstyle is unique. Most of the book is narrated by Juliette and her thoughts are very well described. I felt like I was in her head the whole time. There are a lot of good metaphores and descriptions in the novel, I found myself constantly marking pages that had beautiful quotations. Mafi writes like a poet. Some will perhaps say that it is too much, but it worked for me. Once I got used to Mafi's style of writing I devoured the book.

"You're getting a ~~cellmate~~ roommate", they said to me.
"~~We hope you rot to death in this place~~ For good behavior", they said to me.
"~~Another psycho just like you~~ No more isolation", they said to me.

Every inch of my skin is taut with tension, fraught with feeling and the pressure is building in my chest, pounding louder and faster and harder, overcompensating for my stillness. I do not tremble when I'm frozen in time. I train my breaths to come slower, I count things that do not exist, I make up numbers I do not have, I pretend time is a broken hourglass bleeding seconds through sand. I dare to believe.

The book is a dystopian novel, and as such it does not work so well. I miss more information about the new world order: What really happened before, what triggered the events etc. I hope I will get some answers in the sequel, bit if you are reading this book hoping for a fastpaced dystiopian read you will be dissappointed.

His face is 10,000 possibilities staring straight through me.

My eyes are two windows cracked open by the chaos in this world.

Shatter Me was a refresing read in a genre where it is not easy to stand out. This book stands out and I am looking forward to the next one.

Other reviews:
Tynga's Reviews
The Readiacs
The Book Smugglers

A new series from Maggie Stiefvater

2012-02-02T18:07:00.000+01:00

Maggie Stiefvater, the author of the trilogy the Wolves of Mercy Falls and the book the Scorpio Races, and her publisher Scholastic announced today that they soon will be publishing a completely new series for the young adult audience written by Stiefvater.

The Raven Cycle will consist of four books, and the first one, The Raven Boys, will be published September 18th this year. Stiefvater have called this series "magical" and you will find elements of the paranormal, suspense and romance in the books. Here is what the publisher writes about the first book in this series:

The Raven Boys introduces readers to Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh king. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish—either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart. Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there—known as Raven Boys—can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But now she’s not so sure.

- It feels like such a different sort of project for me, Stiefvater writes on her blog.

I am thrilled that Stiefvater will be publishing a new series. I have still to read the last book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls - trilogy and the Scorpio Races, but I love her writing style. This is so exciting news.

Review: The Name of the Star, Mauren Johnson

2012-02-01T22:37:00.000+01:00

Publisher:Putnam Juvenile
Pages:370 (Hardback)
Genre: YA, paranormal
Release:September 2011
Source: Review copy from BEA
Challenge: None this year, read in 2011
Nice to know:The first book in Johnson's new series Shades of London.

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

A Great Storyteller

Maureen Johnson has her own way of telling a story. She writes with humour and entusiasm, and her personality shines through the pages of the book.

In the Name of the Star we get to meet Rory Deveraux. She arrives in London to go to a boarding school, men her stay in this city will be a lot more thrilling than she could ever have imagined. Soon a series of murders takes place, every murder a copy of one of Jack the Ripper's murders. Rory finds herself a witness to one of them, but what has she actually seen?

I had huge expectations for this book. I am deeply fascinated by the myths surrounding Jack the Ripper, and I have read a lot of books about this infamous murderer. I also happen to love London and I love stories that takes place here.

The English will play hockey in any weather. Thunder, lightning, plague of locusts... nothing can stop the hockey. Do not fight the hockey, for the hockey will win.

Johnson's book is off to a good start, and I like her way of writing a story. As I mentioned earlier, I think she is a great storyteller. She does not take herself too seriously, and neither does the characters in her book. She writes with so much humour and spunk, and avoids the big clichés. She also have a lot of funny observations when it comes to the English people and their culture.

Rory is an interesting and great character who seems to embody a lot of Johnson's spirit. She also has a natural and believable development throughout the book.

There is not a lot of romance and love in this book, this aspect takes second place to the big mystery surrounding the murders. I do not mind that. Sometimes the love story takes up to much space in YA - fiction, in the Name of the Star this have been given a natural place. Not too much and not too little.

Kissing is something that makes up for a lot of the other crap you have to put up with in school and as a teenager in general.

No guy had ever asked me if I wanted to talk, not like that. Not like a talk, talk kind of talk - if this was, in fact, a talk, talk "can we talk?" Or whatever.

The book has a thrilling beginning, but the suspense is not sustained throughout the book. There is, though, some interesting twists to the mystery, the problem is it takes too long for anything to really happen. I sat and wanted more as I read and flipped the pages. But for those of you who love paranormal YA, there is a lot of things in the book you would enjoy. The ending came as a complete surprise to me, nothing is what it seems.

I will pick up the next installment in this story because I loved Johnson's writing. The book does not have a cliffhanger, so you can pick it up if you do not normally buy a book in a series.

Other reviews:
The Book Smugglers (OBS: spoilers)
Sam Downing
YA Bibliophile

Waiting on Wednesday: The Wicked and the Just

2012-01-19T00:36:00.000+01:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are eager to read.

My pick this week is The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Cecily longs to return to her beloved Edgeley Hall, where her father was lord of the manor. But now he has completely ruined her life. He is moving them to Caernarvon, in occupied Wales, where he can get a place for almost nothing, since the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will get to be the lady of the house at last—if all goes well.Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English came and destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now Gwenhwyfar must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl who has taken what should have been hers.While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And meanwhile the Welsh are not as conquered as they seem. Outside the city walls of Caernarvon, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

This book just sounds great.I love historical fiction and this one seems to have quite some adventure in it. The book comes out april 17th.

Which book are you waiting for?

Happy New Year

2012-01-07T13:55:00.000+01:00

I have had a long break from bookblogging on The Norwegian Book Girl. The past months was really busy and hectic, but now I am back and eager to start the new year.

I am going to sign up for some reading challenges this year as well, and these are the ones I wanna go with:

100 books in a year

Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge
I plan to read 30 books

Off the Shelf
I plan to read 30 books

The Dystopia Challenge
I plan to read 15 books

The Historical Fiction Challenge

I plan to read 10 books

Have a great reading weekend everyone!

Waiting on Wednesday: Darkness before Dawn

2011-11-23T20:38:00.000+01:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are eager to read.

My pick this week is Darkess before Dawn by J.A. London

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters.... Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series

Three reasons why I wanna read this book:

1) Vampires and dystopian novel
2) I love the Morganville - series
3) The story sounds great

Review: Cold Kiss, Amy Garvey

2011-11-21T15:31:00.000+01:00

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304 (Hardcover)
Genre: YA, paranormal romance
Release: September 2011
Source: Book Expo America
Good to know: This is Garvey's first book for teens. It is a standalone, and not the first book in a series.

It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants—what she must do—is to bring Danny back.But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her—and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again.

Beautiful and gripping

Cold Kiss can be described as a cross between Pet Sematary and Shiver.

Wren loves Danny with all her heart, and her world falls to pieces the day Danny dies in a car accident. She cannot live without Danny, and decides to use her special powers to bring him back to life. But things does not play out the way Wren planned. Danny is not acting like he used to before the accident. There is also a new boy at Wren's school, and suddenly she begins to doubt her feelings for Danny. She regrets bringing Danny back to life, but there is to late for regret now...

I wanted him back. I wanted him back so much I couldn't think about anything else. Everywhere I looked was suddenly somewhere Danny wasn't. My hands were empy because Danny wasn't holding them. My room echoed with quiet because Danny wasn't there whispering ridiculous things to make me laugh, or make me shiver. (...)Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn't going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead...

Garvey writes about something most of us can relate too; how it feels like to loose someone we love. I know that I have thought many times that I wish I could spend some more time with loved ones that have passed. Wren acts out on this longing, she brings the love of her life back from the dead. But soon Wren realise that it is not safe to mess with nature.

I am the kid who sticks her finger in the light socket. I am the person who doesn't check the expiration date on the milk. I am the idiot who has never looked before she leaped. I am the girl who is falling apart, right now.

Cold Kiss also deal with darker issues; the love Wren feels for Danny turns to a form of obsession after he dies. She wants to be with him no matter what. She does not reflect upon how it must be for Danny to be brought back to life, a life where he is hidden from everyone he once knew, aside from Wren. Danny exists only for Wren, it is all about her feelings.

I wrote that the book is a cross between Pet Sematary and Shiver. As with Pet Sematary, Cold Kiss is also about what happens when you bring someone back from the dead, and the person brought back is not the same person you knew before. When I mention Shiver, it is because Garvey has a writing pretty similar to that of Maggie Stiefvater. She has some beautiful quotes and passages.

I liked some parts of the story, and the fact that the book is seeping with emotion. But I thought the story was too slow paced, nothing really happens until the second half of the book. The first half is all about how Wren regrets bringing Danny back, and it is not intereresting to read only about that from chapter to chapter. But when Wren talks more with Gabriel, things really kick off.

It wasn't love right away, because nothing ever is, no matter what the songs say, but it was the start of it. A beginning in one way, and the end in another. I think that might always be true of love.

I love that some authors still writes paranormal novels that are not part of a series, that in itself is a good reason to read this book. I have not read a lot about zombies before either, and that was also refreshing. Cold kiss is a beautiful written book that will appeal to those who like a slowpaced book that grips you.

Other reviews:
The Book Smugglers
Book Briefs
The Diary of a Bookworm

Amy Garvey is on Goodreads and has her own website here.

In my mailbox #46

2011-11-20T14:07:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got the past week.

I have had an amazing bookweek, and I have gotten a lot of books that I cannot wait to read.

For review (via Netgalley):

Sarah Zettel: Dust Girl

Stephanie Hemphill: Sisters of Glass

Jordan Dane: On a Dark Wing

Veronica Rossi: Under the Never Sky

Cynthia Hand: Hallowed

Peter Howe: Warriors of the Black Shroud

Brodi Ashton: Everneath

Jodi Meadows: Incarnate

Rachel Hartman: Seraphina

John Claude Bemis: The Prince Who Fell from the Sky

So many great titles that I have been dying to read. I have preordered hardcover - editions of some of them already, but I am so grateful to the publishers at Netgalley who let me read them a bit in advance. (All of the titles are due out in 2012) It felt like Christmas and my birthday all at once when I got approved. I know what I will be doing in December, can't wait to get into these titles. Thank you so much Harper Collins, Random House Children's Books & Harlequin.

Have you read any of these titles yet? What did you get in your mailbox?

Review: Crossed, Ally Condie

2011-11-19T14:19:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Dutton Books
Pages: 384 (Hardcover)
Genre: YA, dystopian, sci-fi
Release: November 1th 2011
Source: BEA
Good to know: The sequel to Matched. This series is going to be a trilogy.

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Poetical dystopian

I had high expectations for Crossed since I loved Matched so much. I liked this book too, but it did not live up to my expectations.

Cassia finds herself in a whole new place, and she begins to search for Ky. Ky, on the other hand, is doing his best to survive and he manage to find new allies and friends.

Condie has a beautiful writing style and she is one of the best writers in the Ya - universe. Her writing is poetical, with a few words and sentences she is able to say so much. Sometimes I just stop my reading and reflect over something she has written. There are so many great quotes, so many good observations. It is simply a joy to read.

Because in the end you can't always choose what to keep. You can only choose how you let it go.

If you love someone, if someone loved you, if they taught you to write and made it so you could speak, how can you do nothing at all? You might as well tahe their words out of the dirt and try to snatch them from the wind. Because once you love, it is gone. You love and you cannot call it back

Love changes what is probable and makes unlikely things possible.

My biggest problem with this book, is that the story is too slowpaced. It takes too long before there is any real action, and once the book was finished I still had a lot of questions that were not answered. I longed for more. More information about the Society for one.

Loving him gave me wings and all my work has given me the strength to move them.

The narrative in the story shifts between Ky and Cassia. I liked that, since I felt we got to know each of them better. But what surprised me was that I felt a lot more sympathy towards Ky, he is a much more complex and interesting character than Cassia - at least in this book he is.

Even though I felt the story lacked something, I will still recommend the book. The writing style is, in itself, something that should make you read the book. I hope I will get more answers in the third book, because I will read it. I cannot get enough of Condie's prose.

Other reviews:
The Story Siren
Amy Reads
Sash & Em

Visit the Matched trilogy here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Insurgent

2011-11-16T15:53:00.000+01:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are anxious to read.

My pick this week is Insurgent by Veronica Roth:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

I loved Divergent, and I have been waiting for the seuel ever since. Insurgent has a planned release on May 8th, please May, come faster.

Review: The Russian Concubine, Kate Furnivall

2011-11-14T01:00:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Sphere
Pages: 592
Genre: Historical fiction
Release: November 2007
Source: Bought
Nice to know: This is Kate Furnivall's debutnovel. The story is inspired by the experiences of Furnivall's own mother. The sequel is called The Concubine's Secret /The Girl from Junchow, and there is also a prequel called the Jewel of St Petersburg.

Exiled from Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution, the beautiful and fiery Lydia and her aristocratic mother have taken refuge in Junchow, China, in 1928. On the edge of destitution, Lydia uses her wits to survive and resorts to stealing. She is saved from certain death by a young Chinese Communist, Chang An Lo, and together they are thrust into clashes with savage triads. Lydia and Chang fall in love and are swept up in a fight against prejudice and shame. Forced to face opium-running, betrayal and kidnap, their compelling attraction to each other is tested to the limits in this story of love and loss, secrets and lies.

A great historical read
The Russian Concubine is a pageturner and an entertaining read about what one would do to survive, but mostly the book is about is about love.

During the Russian revolution in 1917 a lot of the wealthty russians were arrested and killed. Valentina, who are married to a dane called Jens Friis, is a very beautiful woman and to save their daughter and herself she used her looks. But she cannot save her husband. Many years later, in 1928, the story is set in Junchow in China. Here we find people from all parts of the world, Great Britain, France, Italy and last but not least Russia.

Lydia and her mother Valentina are having a hard time making ends meet. Valentina drinks and Lydia are picking pockets in order to put food on the table. One day Lydia steals a very valuable piece of jewelry, and this changes her life and the lives of the people close to her.

I love historical fiction, but I have read very few novels based on russian and chinese history. This novel starts with a dramatic scene, which plunges the reader right into the story. From there on the book is hard to put down. There is a lot of things happening, and the story takes some unexpected turns.

Lydia is a typical herione. She is beautiful, strongwilled and stands up for herself. She is a bit of a tomboy, and she is prepared to fight for the people she love. She loves intensely and passionately, but her actions sometimes puts her in dangerous situations.

The book has a lot of surprises, especially at the end. On the negative side I did not like that we are offered the perspective of a lot of characters. I was mostly intererested in reading about Lydia, not the other characters. I also did not find that the title of the book corresponded well with the story.

But the Russian Concubine is a great historical read which will entertain you and also learn you a bit of history on the way.

Other reviews:
The Jerseymooners
Betsy's Book Club
Fire & Air
Book Reviews for Book Lovers

Kate Furnivalls website can be found here!

In my Mailbox #45

2011-11-13T18:11:00.003+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got the past week.

Here are the books I have gotten the past weeks:

For review:

Ilsa J. Bick: Drowning Instinct (Via netgalley)

Lia Habel: Dearly Departed (Via netgalley)

Katherine Govier: The Printmaker's Daughter (Via netgalley)

Maria V. Snyder: A Touch of Power (Via netgalley)

Kristen Painter: Blood Rights (Via netgalley)

Eleanor Brown: The Weird Sisters (In Norwegian from Norwegian publisher)

Cassandra Clare: City of Bones (In Norwegian from Norwegian publisher)

Scott Westerfeld: Pretties (In Norwergian from Norwegian publisher)

Bought:

Robinson Wells: Variant

Veronica Wolff: Isle of Night (The Watchers 1)

Jeyn Roberts: Dark Inside

B.R. Collins: Tyme's End

Leanna Renee Hieber: Darker still

Lucinda Riley: The Girl on the Cliff

Michelle Paver: Dark Matter

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Early Recommendation: The Snow Child

2011-11-12T19:36:00.000+01:00

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

3 Reasons why you should read this book

1. It is absolutely amazing, one of the best books I have read in 2011.

2. Ivey has a poetical and beautiful writing that will make your eyes tear up.

3. It is a book you fall in love with.

The Snow Child will be released February 1st 2012. Read about the book at Goodreads here.

Review: Becoming Marie Antoinette, Juliet Grey

2011-11-11T15:36:00.000+01:00

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 480
Genre: Historical fiction
Release: August 2011
Source: ARC from Netgalley
Nice to know: This is Grey's debut and the first book in a planned trilogy. The next book in the series Days of Splendor;Days of Sorrow is expected in 2012.

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother's political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.

Captivating and entertaining

Becoming Marie Antoinette is a captivating and wellresearched novel about a girl who became one of the most talked about queens in the history of the world.

From a very early age Marie Antoinette was destined for great things. Her mother, the empress of Austria, sought only the best possibilities for her daughters, and once she decided to try to get the dauphine of France, Louis, to marry Marie Antoinette, Marie Antoinette's destiny was sealed. In the palace at Schönnbrunn she was given countless hours of training to one day, maybe, become the queen of France.

The novel starts in 1766, when Marie Antoinette was still a young and carefree girl who liked to fool around with her sisters and play tricks on her governess. We follow Marie Antoinette through the years until the moment when she and Louis are about to be put on the throne of France.

Juliet Grey has written a great historical novel, and managed to bring Marie Antoinette to life. Through extensive research and details she shows us how Marie Antoinette transforms from a young and innocent girl, and to the woman that married the dauphine of France. We learn a lot about the history of Austria and that of France.

This was a time when marriage was a strategical maneuvre, and when love was not a part of the picture. A time when a lot of people succumbed to diseases like smallpox and not all children lived to grow up.

Becoming Marie Antoinette should be read by anyone who likes a good and entertaining historical read, and also would like to know more about the woman that became the queen of France. I am eager to read the next installment in this trilogy.

Other reviews:
Medieval Bookworm
Passages to the Past
Historical Fiction.com

Juliet Grey can be found at Goodreads here.

Review: Eve, Anna Carey

2011-11-11T00:16:00.001+01:00

Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 336
Genre: Dystopian, YA
Release: October 2011
Source: ARC from Book Ecpo America
Nice to know: Eve is Anna Carey's debutnovel, and the first book in a planned trilogy. There are currently plans about making the books into a TV - Series by the people who make the Vampire Diaries come to life on screen.

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her. Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

A disappointing dystopian

Eve was one of the YA - books I was mostly looking forward to this year. The premise for the novel sounded interesting, even though there are a lot of dystopian books being published these days. Sadly the book didn't live up to my expectations.

A virus have killed a lot of people, and the remaing population are trying to build a new society behind the walls of a new town founded in the desert. Boys and girls are kept separate, and attend separate boarding schools. Eve is 16 years old, and was taken away from her mother when her mother got infected with the virus. Eve has lived most of her life inside the walls of her school, and she is looking forward to her graduation and to utilize some of the talents she has been tought over the years. The girls have been taught that life outside the school's walls are dangerous, and that boys and men are not to be trusted. They will only take advantage of a girl.

a relationship between two people can be judged by the list of things unspoken between them.

The day before her graduation, Eve makes a discovery that makes her question everyting she has been told. She understands that a horrible fate awaits her, and escapes from the school and out into a world where she does not know who she can trust.

for days in the wild, only the birds spoke to me. The stream was the only hand that touched me, the wind the only breath tht blew the dust from my eyes. I learned the strange art of loneliness, the weathered yearning that swells and passes, swells and passes, when you walk a trail alone.

Eve comes off to a good start. The author sets the atmosphere, and I am instantly interested in finding out more about Eve and her world. The suspense continues until Eve meets Caleb, from that point I lost interest in the story. Considering the things Eve have been taught at school, I find it hard to believe that Caleb and his friends gain Eve's trust so fast. The pace of the story also changed, and made me think of Lord of the Flies.

I also had a hard time sympatizing with Eve, my sympathies was with another female character. She had all the qualities I look for in a YA - heroine. Eve was to weak in my opinion, and I did not understand her motivations, for example I was puzzled that she chose to flee from school and leave her best friend in the arms of a terrible, terrible fate. Eve also has a hard time surviving by herself, she needs help from other characters.

Happiness is a moment.

Later in the book, when Eve meets Marjorie Cross, I thought that the author was inspired by the Stand by Stephen King.

On the back of the ARC Eve is compared to the Hunger Games. That is not a good comparison. Eve does not come close to Katniss, and the book lacks a lot of the depth one can find in the Hunger Games.

Eve is a light read, that will entertain you in the moment. But it is not a book I wil remember for long, and that makes me sad because the story had so much potensial. Anne Carey is a good writer, she knows her way around words, but Eve was not my favorite dystopian read.

Other reviews:
I Swim for Oceans
Reading Teen
Chick Loves Lit

Anna Carey's website can be found here, and you can visit the author on Goodreads here.

Review: Fury, Elizabeth Miles

2011-10-13T12:00:00.001+02:00

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Release: August 30th 2011
Source: Arc from Book Expo America
Nice to Know: Fury is Miles' debutnovel. Miles is author Lauren Oliver's best friend. This book is the first in a planned trilogy.

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems... Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend. On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed. In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen.

Choices that haunts you

Fury is an original tale with a message that everything you do will have concequences.

Emily Winters lives in Maine, where she spends her days just like any other teen. Problems arise when she gets the hots for her bestfriend's boyfriend. And he seems to be liking her too. Another character in the story, Chase, is struggling to forget something he did to a girl. Something that may have caused her to hurt herself. But soon he forgets all about her when he meets three mysterious girls...

Fury starts off with a dramatic prologue. Then we are cast into Emily Winter's world. Miles is a great storyteller, and the pages in this story seems to turn themselves. Emily did not know what her love for Zach would lead to. She did not imagine that her whole life could be turned completely around just because of one single kiss. But that is excatly what happened. I truly felt for her throughout the book. I also liked the fact that we did not get the explanation behind the prologue until later in the book.

Another thing I liked is the fact that I didn't know what the paranormal element was. I did not know the role the three girls had,maybe because I am not that into Greek mythology

It is a few months since I read this book, so my review therefore is a little sparse. But I remember that I was glued to the pages, unable to put the book down.

The book has an important message. You cannot hurt other people, because there will be concequences. And sometimes love just isn't enough. I highly recommend the book.

Other reviews:
The Book Smugglers
Wondrous Reads
Overflowing Library

Elizabeth Miles' webpage is here and she can also be found on Goodreads here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Tempest

2011-10-12T00:16:00.000+02:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are eager to read.

My pick this week is Tempest by Julie Cross

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun. That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

3 reasons why I wanna read this book:

1. Timetravel

2. Sounds a bit like The Time Traveller's Wife for a young audience

2. A great cover ( You can always sell me a book on the cover)

In My Mailbox #33

2011-08-21T11:47:00.000+02:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got last week.

I have been acquiring many books this summer, but I could not resist buying some books last week either. This is my last book buying this autumn, I swear. I will try to put myself on a book buying ban from now on.

Here are the books I got:

For review:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Every Other day ( E-galley)

Maryrose Wood: The Poison Diaries; Nightshade (E-galley & review copy in mail)

Rae Carson:The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Bought:

Larissa Ione: Pleasure Unbound

Lucy Christopher: Stolen

Lara Adrian: Taken by Midnight

Lara Adrian: Deeper than Midnight

Alexandra Harvey: Haunting Violet

Stacey Jay: Juliet Immortal

Maryrose Wood: The Poison Diaries ( Kindle - edition)

I have also preordered some books, among them The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton. I am looking forward to having these show up in my mailbox. What did you get in your mailbox?

Early Recommendation: Fury by Elizabeth MIles

2011-08-20T00:00:00.004+02:00

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed. In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.Em and Chase have been chosen.

3 reasons why you should read this book:

1. It shows that everything you do have consequences, and makes you reflect over the choices you take.

2. It has a lot of unexpected twists and turns, and is a real pageturner

3. The creepy - factor is great, some parts may scare you at night time.

I will be back with a full review on Fury when the book have been published. In the meantime, you may want to look up the book on Goodreads here.

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop 19/8 - 21/8

2011-08-19T14:12:00.003+02:00

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

For more information, visit this post. Question of the week:

If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

I would love to be Hermione in the Harry Potter - series.

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy for Books:

This week's question: What is the longest book you have ever read?

That will have be the books in the series Earth's Children by Jean M. Auel. But once I am finished with the Stand by Stephen King, that book will be the longest.

If you have just visited my blog, here is what I have posted since last friday:

Friday 12.8: Review, The House at Riverton
Saturday 13.8: TV - series based on books this autumn
Sunday 14.8: In My Mailbox #32
Monday 15.8: Music Monday, Scandinavian Version
Wednesday 17.8: Waiting on Wednesday: Unleashed
Thurday 18.8 : Review of Misfit, Jon Skovron

Review: Misfit, Jon Skovron

2011-08-18T22:44:00.000+02:00

Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 384
Genre: YA. Sci-fi & fantasy
Release: August 1st 2011
Source: ARC from Book Expo America
Good to know: This is Skovron's second novel. Jon Skovron is currently participating in a blog tour for the book.

Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths. Author Jon Skovron takes on the dark side of human nature with his signature funny, heartfelt prose.

Original Demons

Misfit is a highly original tale that will keep you entertained throughout the pages.

Jael lives with her father, and attends catholic school. The two of them have moved a lot, and Jael does not have a lot of friends. What Jael does not know is that she is a halfbreed, part demon and part human. Once she finds out, her whole life changes. She finds out that some scary forces from Hell are after her, and the few friends she does have are also in danger.

It took some pages before I was truly captivated by this story, but once that happened I could not put the book down. I have not read a lot of books about demons, so that setting was new and refreshing. Jael is a great character and stands out in the book. I believe that a lot of teenagers will identify with her and her many feelings. Jael feels that she does not fit in, she dreams of the first kiss and of having a boyfriend. One of the things she says to her friend Brittany, on the first page of the book, truly shows how she feels. It also gives the reader a hint that Jael is not your ordinary girl next door:

"You know that I heard? she says. "That what you see in the mirror isn't what you really look like. That since mirrors flip everything, you're looking at a flipped version of your face. Like, the exact opposite."

Speaking of friends, I didn't quite get the feeling for Brittany and Rob. The became a little vague for me. It also seems like the author has tried to build feelings between Rob and Jael, but this somehow drowns in all of the other things that are happening.

The best parts of the book is where we read about how Jael's mother and father met, and their adventures together. Those passages reads like an episode of Supernatural. I also liked how the author has described Hell, and the things that go on there. Dagon is a character that, if there is to be written more stories about Jael, I would love to read more about.

The author has also thrown in some excisting myths and legends, and put his own spin on them. One example is the story of Samson & Delilah.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will get a second book about Jael. I would love to read more about her.

Other reviews:
In the Good Books
Bookaliciou.us
Beyond Words

Jon Skovron's webpage
Jon Skovron on Goodreads

I did mention the story about Samson & Delilah, this tune played in my head whilst I read the scenes about Jael's mother and father:

Waiting on Wednesday: Unleashed

2011-08-17T11:28:00.000+02:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are anxious to read.

My pick this week: Unleashed by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie, the New York Times bestselling authors of the Wicked series, have created an entirely new trilogy with the passion of Twilight and the grandeur of Fallen. The Wolf Springs Chronicles introduces readers to a town of secrets and the new girl who's about to start believing in werewolves.

I want this book like yesterday. I have preordered it, and can't wait to get it in the mail. The description for the book sounds so tempting. I also love the cover, but is it just me or does the female look like Buffy?

What are you dying to read?

Music Monday - Scandinavian Version

2011-08-15T16:53:00.003+02:00

Welcome to Music Monday, Scandinavian Version, where I share some of the Scandinavian songs I listen to at the moment.

Rye Rye & Robyn; Never Will Be Mine:

Cir.Cuz: Radio

(Text in Norwegian)

I am also hooked on the new cd from Kelly Rowland. I love this song:

Have a great week, everyone.

In My Mailbox #32

2011-08-14T13:00:00.002+02:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got our hands on last week.

I have not done an In my Mailbox - post since april. After that I have been attending Book Expo America, have gotten some books for review and bought a lot of books. The post would have been too long if I should have written about each book, so this is a selection of books I have accquired during the summer.

For review:

Rebecca Lim: Exile Lizzie Enfield: What You Don't Know

Eowyn Ivey: The Snow Child

Louisa Young; My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You

Moira Young: Blood Red Road ( e-galley)

K.K Ross: Daughter of the Centaurs (e-galley)

Jenny Wingfield: The Homecoming of Samuel Lake (e-galley)

Juliet Grey: Becoming Marie Antoinette (e-galley)

Juliet Dark: The Demon Lover (e-galley)

Mike Mullin: Ashfall (e-galley)
Sylvia Day: A Touch of Crimson (e-galley)

Mary McGarry Morris: Light from a Distant Star (e-galley)

R. William Bennett: Jacob T. Marley (e-galley)

Julie Kagawa: The Iron Knight (e-galley)

Mette Ivie Harrison: Tris & Izzie (e-galley)

Stacia Brown: Accidents of Providence (e-galley)

Adrian McKinty: Deviant (e-galley)

Cayla Kluver: Legacy (e-galley)

Bought:

Rachel Caine: Working Stiff

Melissa Marr: Enthralled

Alyson Noel: Everlasting

Ellen Feldman: Next to Love

Sarah Addison Allen: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

Sarah Addison Allen: Garden Spells

Sarah Addison Allen: The Peach Keeper

I read The Sugar Queen, and fell completely in love with this author's writing style, so I bought the rest of her books too.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh: The Language of Flowers

Katherine Webb: The Unseen

Chevy Stevens: Never Knowing

Sarah Blake: The Postmistress

Jennifer Donnelly: The Tea Rose

Kathleen Grissom: The Kitchen House
Michelle Moran: Madame Tussaud

I have been hooked on historical novels lately, and I have not bought a lot of YA - titles since I received so many at BEA. I need to read those first. But I have preordered some titles, that I will show to you once they show up in my mailbox during autumn.

What did you get in your mailbox?

TV - Series based on books this autumn

2011-08-13T13:00:00.000+02:00

Every autumn there is a bunch of new series on television. Some of them become very popular, and are turned into books later. That is the case for series like Supernatural og Criminal Minds.

But a lot of TV - series have been books before they were filmed for TV. Rizzoli & Isles, The Vampire Diaries, Bones, Dexter, True Blood and A Game of Thrones are examples of that. This autumn there will be a lot of new TV - series based on books. Here are some of them:
(be aware that some of the trailers involve spoilers)

The Secret Circle

Based on bookseries written by L.J. Smith.

Once Upon a Time

Series based on famous fairytales

Grimm

This series is also based on fairytales, the fairytales collected by the brothers Grimm to be excact. The producers behind this series are the same that produced Buffy og Angel.

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.

Based on the bestselling book with the same title. Some of you may recognize the girl playing the main character, Laura Prepon from That's 70's Show

How to be a Gentleman

Inspired by the book by the same name, which was written by John Bridges.

The Playboy Club

This is not based on a book, but on the famous magazine.

I would also like to mention three other series. They are not based on books, but look very interesting:

Pan Am

This series is set in the 1960s.

Ringer

A new series with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Alcatraz

New series from the creators of Lost

Review: The House at Riverton

2011-08-12T14:14:00.005+02:00

Publisher: Schibsted (Norwegian Publisher)
Pages: 511
Release: In Norway in 2008
Source: Bought
Good to know: This is Kate Morton's debutnovel

Summer 1924: On the night of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again.

Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, onetime housemaid of Riverton Manor,is visited by a young director making a film about the poet’s suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long-consigned to the dark reaches of Grace’s mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could.

Set as the war-shattered Edwardian summer surrenders to the decadent twenties, The House at Riverton is a thrilling mystery and a compelling love story.

Evocative, historical read

The House at Riverton will appeal to readers who love great, British epics with stories from a bygone time.

A great tragedy unfolds at the mansion Riverton an evening in 1924. The two sisters, Emmeline and Hannah witness the tragic event. As the years go by, the event gets shrouded in mystery. 75 years later, a female director is eager to make a movie about the tragedy. She meets up with the housemaid Grace, who worked at Riverton at the time. Grace is the only one who knows the whole story, and when she starts talking about the past, old memories resurfaces.

I had heard so many great things about this book, and it is not difficult to understand why it has become so popular. The book has everything you would want from a great epic novel: secrets and mysteries, love and tragedies, betrayal and loyalty, all wrapped together in a historical blanket. Kate Mortom appears to have done a lot of research on the periods she writes about. It is almost as if one can hear the rustling of the gowns and smell Chanel no five.

Morton's language suits the novel, and the dialoges are written in a way that makes them seem appropriate for the time they were spoken.

The book is quite entertaining at times, but unfortunatey I didn't find myself fully immersed in the story before it was almost over. The book is too long, and a lot of the secrets revealed did not come as a surprise for me.

But if you enjoy historical novels from Britain, you may want to check this one out.

Other reviews:

Book Bliss

Tiny Little Reading Room

Playing Librarian

Kate Morton's website

Kate Morton at Goodreads

Review: Long Lankin, Lindsey Barraclough

2011-07-21T20:03:00.003+02:00

Publisher: Bodley Head Children's Books
Pages: 448
Release: April 2011
Source: E - book bought by me

A chilling, beautiful debut novel inspired by a haunting folk song about murder, witchcraft and revenge. Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the moss ...When Cora and her little sister Mimi are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Bryers Guerdon, they receive a less than warm welcome, and are desperate to go back to London. But Auntie Ida's life was devastated the last time two young girls were at Guerdon Hall, and now her nieces' arrival has reawoken an evil that has lain waiting for years. A haunting voice in an empty room ...A strange, scarred man lurking in the graveyard ...A mysterious warning, scrawled on the walls of the abandoned church ...Along with Roger and Peter, two young village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries - before it is too late for Mimi. Intensely atmospheric and truly compelling, this is a stunning debut.

Unused potensial

I like the idea of basing a novel upon a scary folk song, but this novel is unfortunatly not that scary.

The year is 1959. Cora and Mimi are sisters, and are spending the summer at their aunts place in an old village. They soon discover that they are not welcome here, and their aunts wants them to leave. Her house is not that friendly either. The stairs creak at night, there are chilling paintings on the walls, and the house appears to be haunted. Cora and Mimi get to know two local boys, Roger and Peter, and together they discover something scary on the cemetery. They discover that the village is home to something very special...

I first heard of Long Lankin when I was at the London Book Fair in April this year. The publishers said that it was one of their best titles this spring, and it was supposed to be very, very scary. That triggered my curiosity, and back at my hotelroom I bought the kindle version of the book.

The book starts with the old folk song Barraclough based her story on. A scary song, that is not sutable for the youngest kids:

So he pricked him, he pricked him all over with a pin,
And the nurse held the basin for the blood to flow in

Then th story continues with Cora and Mimi, who are on their way to their aunt. We are told, through Cora's eyes, that they are poor.

The perspective in the book changes between the main characters. Sometimes I liked this, because it made the story progress more rapidly. Other times I found it tiresome. But my main objection about this book is that I didn't find it scary. There is too much time passing before anything thrilling happens, the first 200 pages were a bit slow. I was constantly waiting for something to happen. And when the story really takes off, there is too much going on at once.

There is no question that Barraclough knows how to write a scary story, when we eventually gets to the scarier parts. Those pages would have scared me when I was a child. Maybe the book would have been better if it had been shorter.

I am going to read the next book from this author, but Long Lankin didn't quite do it for me.

Other reviews:
Cively Loves Books
Book Chick City
Writing from the tub

Lindsey Barraclough on Goodreads

The Booktrailer:

Review: Uglies, Scott Westerfeld

2011-07-17T16:42:00.005+02:00

Publisher: Schibsted (Norwegian publisher)
Pages: 367
Release: First published in 2005, this edition in 2011
Source: Review copy
Good to know: Uglies was awarded the prize Best Books for Young Adults, when it came out. Fox has optioned the film rights

The tyranny of beauty

Uglies is a thrilling dystopian about what may happen when society gets to obsessed with beauty and good looks. Even though this is a made up story, it may serve as a critical loook at where out society today is headed, if we are not there already...

Tally is looking forward to turning 16 years, because that is when she will get cosmetic surgery and become pretty. Tally's best friend have already had the operation, and she is eager to meet him again in the city where all the beautiful people live. Whilst waiting for the operation, Tally spends her days doing pranks and going out on adventures. One day she meets Shay, and her life will never be the stame. Soon Tally is presented with a dark view on the world she lives in.

Uglies is a pageturner, written in an effective language. The chapters are short, and a lot of them ends with a cliffhanger. This makes the book a read I believe a lot of teens will enjoy. The story is not very obvious, and there is a lot of surprises. The characters are two - dimensional, and has depth.

Uglies is a coming of age story about finding your place in the world and in your own society. It is a book about growing up, and realising that your innocent view on the world has been just to innocent. The book talks about what happens when you leave your childhood behind, and see the world with different eyes. It is a book about friendship and loyalty, and the main character, Tally, is confronted with a lot of difficult choices.

Uglies was written because Westerfeld wanted to help teenageres love themselves. He also wanted to show what may happen if we just tag along and don't ask questions. The extreme reality that is Tally's world, is a harsh reminder of what may happen in a society that favors beauty before other qualities, and where no one can be different. Is that the place our world is going to in the future, or are we already there? The truth is that we live in a world where people can order babies from spermbanks, and where the intelligence and looks of the donor is important. A world where we are able to terminate a pregnancy if there is a prognosis that the baby will not be born healthy.

Our society loves beauty, and the more beautiful you are, the more sucessful your are likely to be. If your are skinny and beautful, you have succeeded in life. But if you are fat and ugly, you are look upon as lazy and as a loser.

Uglies makes us reflect on important questions, and that makes the book, not just a thrilling read, but also an important story well worth spending some time with.

To change the world, we need to start with our selves. Maybe this book can make you take one step in the right direction.

Other reviews:
Rhapsody in books
Teen Reads
25 Hour Books

Scott Westerfeld's website
Westerfeld on Goodreads

Music Monday, Scandinavian Version (4)

2011-07-04T14:48:00.003+02:00

Welcome to Music Monday, Scandinavian Version, where I share some of the Scandinavian songs I listen to at the moment.

Darin: Lovekiller:

Darin is a Swedish artist, and this song is from his latest album. The woman in the video is not Angelina Jolie, even though she resembles her a lot.

Here is a coverversion of Darin's song, song by Mo:

Atle Pettersen: Shine

Atle came in second in last years X - Factor here in Norway. This is his new single.

Have a nice week everyone, and happy 4t of July America!

Book Expo America - Recap

2011-06-02T12:39:00.015+02:00

First off all I want to apologize for neglecting my blog the past month, but I got completely overwhelmed when I visited Book Expo America, and I have spent some time letting everything I experienced sink in. Aside from that, a lot of other unexpected things happened the past month. One of the best was that my boyfriend proposed. He had been planning the whole thing whilst I was in New York. I said yes, off course. So now we are planning a wedding next year.

But back to Book Expo America. It was an adventure and a great experience, and in this post I will try to recap some of it all.

Book Expo America was my very first vist to the United States, and I had butterflies in my stomach throughout the week before I was going to leave. It was actually a relief finally getting on the plane. From Norway you can take a directflight, that lasts for about 8 hours. During the flight there is movies, games and free magazines you can read. I brought my laptop and watched DVDs with tvseries episodes, I also did some reading in Die for me by Amy Plum (look out for a review of that one soon).

When I landed on Newark, I spent a lot of time standing in lines before I could relax in the yellow cab. I was a bit surprised that the airport was so small, I had imagined it as much bigger. New York on the other hand, was a big city. I have read that New York is the city that never sleeps. My first impression was that New York is the city that always smells. There were smells everywhere, different smells mixed together to something very distinct. I got used to it after a while.

And the sounds, the sounds were everywhere. People talking, sirens, cabdrivers honking their horns, music, laughter... I live in a rural area and is not used to that kind of noise, and I had a hard time sleeping during my stay. I had to turn the aircondition in my hotellroom on to get some kind of sleep. I lived on Times Square, so the sounds were all around me at all times. But I do not complain. I started to smile once I left the airplane, and I continued to smile the whole week. To me, USA have been a country in the movies and on TV, a kind of fairytale country, and it felt so surreal finally to be there.

I spent the first days sightseeing, and visited Barnes & Nobles on 5th Avenue. Here I bought some new books, among them Wither by Lauen Destefano and The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. On Saturday I picked up my badge for BEA, and visited the Strand. What a great bookstore, if you haven't been there, be sure you visit the shop when you are in New York.

On Monday I attended the Teen Author Carnival, that consisted of four panels:
* Kick ass females in YA: And why it's a big deal to have them.
* Teenage angst: Getting it right - The emotions, the voice, the drama
* Otherwordly adventures: With a bit of the real world thrown in
* Debut author showcase: The journey to publication

I sat in on the panel with the debut authors and the one with otherwordly adventures. Very interesting both of them, and for me a big thing just to get to listen to the authors. Publishing in the United States is completely different from publishing in Norway. In my country you do not need an agent, everyone can submit a manuscript to a publisher and keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best. I specifically remember Scott Tracey's story about his road to publication, and that made me all the more interested in his book.

Author Carrie Jones captured the audience when she talked, she could have been an actress. Bettina Restrepo had a very emotional reading of her book Illegal, I almost started to cry myself, and Michelle Modkin told us that her book is a kind of Romeo & Juliet meets Hitchcock story - she totally sold me on that pitch. I was also so lucky that I won a totebag full of ARCs at the event, I am dying to read all of them.

Books I bought at the carnival:

On Tuesday I got up early and headed to Javits and the Children's Author's Breakfast. Once there I realized that everything people have been saying about friendly bloggers were totally true. I met Lenore from Presenting Lenore in the line, and got to share a table with her and some other bloggers, among them The Girl from the Ghetto. Julianne Moore was lead speaker at the breakfast, and it was a big thing for me seeing her in real life.

I left the breakfast a bit early, because I was going to meet up with another Norwegian blogger. I also got to see the madness once they opened the doors to the exibition floor. I was totally taken aback by the behaviour of some of the attendees. I mean, people were literally running to get inside. I thought for a moment that I was watching a class of young students, not adults. This took me completely by surprise.

I was also shocked by how some people act around free books. People were literally grabbing everything they could get their hands on, not bothering reading on the back of the book. I got pushed by a woman and a man in their fourties and fifties, who had desperation glowing from their eyes while they tried to grab as many copies of Eve by Anna Carey as possible. I got a bit stressed out by this.

I was also overwhelmed. People had told me that there would be a lot of free books, but I had no idea just exactly what that meant. So everytime I visited a booth, I kept asking the publishers - Is this for free? Really? In Norway the publishers never distribute free books like this, so to me this was something completely new and, as I said, overwhelming.

BEA is also all about lines, and I stood in a lot of them. I found out pretty early that it was a good thing showing up an hour or so before the signings, that way I got all the signatures I wanted. On Richelle Mead's signing, I showed up over two hours earlier, and got to be first in line once she got there. That was a big experience.

I was told beforehand that you needed to donate 1 dollar to the publishing industry in the autugraph area, but I never saw anybody doing that. When I did it, people looked strangely at me. I thought that was something everybody should do. Standing in lines to me was one of the best parts about BEA. It was mostly during the lines that I met a lot of fab bloggers, and got to talk to other readers. Thank you to everybody who took their time talking to me, making me feel welcome and giving me a lot of inspiration to blog and read. I found some new blogs that I will be following.

Here are some of the authors that I meet during BEA. :

Ally Condie:

Brunonina Barry:

Maureen Johnson:

Lauren Kate:
Kady Cross:
Julia Kagawa:
Gena Showalter:

Introducing The Norwegian Book Girl

2011-05-21T23:41:00.003+02:00

Since I am attending BEA next week, I wanted to do as so many other bloggers attending have done, and introduce myself.

So, this is me:

I live in Norway, not far from the capitol Oslo. I started blogging in Norwegian in January 2010, and half a year later I started The Norwegian Book Girl. I have a pretty eclectic tast, but mostly I read mystery/suspense and Young Adult. I especially love books with a dystopian theme and/or paranormal elements.

Aside from reading, I have interests such as interior design, cooking and healthy living, dogs and travelling.

I will be attending BEA the whole week, and I will also attend the Book Blogger Convention. There is a lot of signings I am planning to attend, a selection are:

Tuesday:
Alma Katsu: The Taker
Tahereh Mafi: Shatter Me
Richelle Mead: Bloodlines
I will also attend the Children's Breakfast this day.

Wednesday:
Lauren Oliver: Delirium
Ally Condie: Crossed
Wendy Delsol: Frost
Maggie Stiefvater: The Scorpio Races
Maureen Johnson: Name of the star
I will also be hanging around for signings at Booth 4638 this day.

Thursday:
Anna Carey: Eve
Marianna Baer: Frost

And I will be attending the Teen Author Carnival om Monday and the Writing for Teens Today at Wednesday.

I may appear to be a little shy in the beginning, but I like to socialize and talk to people, so if you see me, just say hi :) I speak English fluently. I am staying at a Hotel in the Theatre District.

Wishing all the attendees at BEA a great exprience!

Waiting on Wednesday: Shatter Me & The Taker

2011-05-18T19:36:00.003+02:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about books we are anxious to read.

My picks this week:

Shatter me by Tahereh Mafi

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Unfortunately, there is'nt a cover for this book yet.

I am also looking forward to this book:

Alma Katsu: The Taker

Described as an "epic supernatural romance," The TAKER combines historical fiction with a supernatural element for a dark romantic story that's "astonishing... heartbreaking and magical."
In the novel, set in the 19th century, a girl from northern Maine falls for and gets impregnated by a wealthy local out of her social league. When she flees to Boston to have the baby, she gets swept up by a group of immortal beings, and a tricky love triangle develops after the leader of the undying crew falls for her and gives her everlasting life

Booktrailer:

Music Monday, Scandinavian Version (3)

2011-05-16T23:37:00.003+02:00

Welcome to Music Monday, Scandinavian Version, where I share some of the Scandinavian songs I listen to at the moment.

Rikke Lie: Better Off

Rikke was one of the finalist in the Norwegian version of X-Factor in 2009. She didn't win, but afterwards she signed with Universal music. She has a very special voice, and this song is just beautiful.

The Ark: Calleth You, Cometh I

The Ark is a glamrockband from Sweden. They were formed in 1991, and have released 6 albums. This year, they have decided to quit, sadly. But their music lives on. They write songs that gets you in a good mood.

Hope you have a great week, everyone. I have butterflies in my stomach and can hardly concentrate. All I can think about is that I leave for New York on Friday. It will be an adventure, I am sure.

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

2011-05-16T00:35:00.010+02:00

Publisher: Mangschou (Norwegian publisher)
Pages: 395
Format: Hardback

Released: April (Norwegian translation)
Source: Review copy

For Cassia, nothing is left to chance--not what she will eat, the job she will have, or the man she will marry. In Matched, the Society Officials have determined optimal outcomes for all aspects of daily life, thereby removing the "burden" of choice. When Cassia's best friend is identified as her ideal marriage Match it confirms her belief that Society knows best, until she plugs in her Match microchip and a different boy’s face flashes on the screen. This improbable mistake sets Cassia on a dangerous path to the unthinkable--rebelling against the predetermined life Society has in store for her. As author Ally Condie’s unique dystopian Society takes chilling measures to maintain the status quo, Matched reminds readers that freedom of choice is precious, and not without sacrifice

Life in a protected bubble

Matched is a great dystopian novel. I could not put this book away.

Imagine a society where all the big choices in life are decided for you by others. A society where officials decide who you are to marry, fall in love with and when you can have a baby. A society that decides what food you are allowed to eat, and also when you die. A place where no one must differ from the right norm, and where every wrong step may lead to terrible concequences. A place where something as private as your dreams is being monitored too. Welcome to Cassia's world.

There have been sometime since George Orwell wrote his famous novel 1984, but the heritage from that novel still lives on today. That is apparent in Condie's bestselling novel. Big Brother is watcing you and officials controls what you get to read and listen to. People are not able to write by hand anymore, everything is conducted on computers.

Cassia have never questioned this way of living, it is the only way of living she knows. She likes living in a world free of dangerous diseases, and is looking forward to the day when she will be matched with the boy she later will marry. Little does Cassia know that the day of the matching will change her life in ways that she never could have imagined. She gets to know Ky Markham more, and soon she starts asking questions about her life and the choices made for her by the officials.

Matched is a great novel, and I could not put it down. I became fascinated and was horrified by the world the author has created. I felt strongly for all the characters, especially Cassia and Ky.

The writing was good, and Condie is really great at conjuring metaphors and beautiful pictures. I also think she is talented when it comes to character-development. She describes Cassia's relationship to Ky and Xander in a very believeable way.

There is a lot of questions in this book that do not get answered. That didn't bother me, but actually served as an incentive to keep on reading. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, and can't wait to see what Condie are up to next. A great debut.

Other reviews:

Wondrous Reads

There's A Book

The Infinite Shelf

Ally Condie's website

The website for the series

Matched on Goodreads

Book-trailer :

One weeks silence

2011-05-02T23:22:00.002+02:00

I will be away from the blog for a week, but I will be back next week with bookreviews, Scandinavian music and more. So stay tuned for reviews of Long Lankin and more.

But before I go, I want to share two new booktrailers with you. Enjoy:

Happy reading :)

Review: Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater

2011-04-28T21:55:00.003+02:00

Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 434
Format: Paperback
Released: October 2009

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

A beautiful paranormal romance

Maggie Stiefvater has written a haunting, chilling, but above all beautiful novel about love, loss and longing.

When Grace was a little girl, she was attacked by wolves. She survived the attack, and ever since that day she has felt a special bond to the wolf that saved her. When she discovers that her wolf is actually a werewolf, her fight to make him stay human begins.

I have read countless ravings about this book online, and I understand why. Shiver is captivating from the first page on.

The story has some similarities with Twilight: Girl meets boy, eh wolf. Girl discovers that boy is a supernatual creature. Girl and boy longs to be together, but it seems like that is not an option. Girl dreams about becoming a wolf in order to stay with boy/wolf forever.

But if the story is a like, the writing is not. I am no fond of Stephenie Meyer's writing, which I think is pretty poor. Stiefvater on the other hand really knows her way around words. She uses them to make beautiful pictures. Sometimes it feels like your are reading a poem.

I was a leaking womb bulging with the promise of conscious thoughts: the frozen woods far behind me, the girl on the tyre swing, the sound of fingers on metal strings. The future and the past, both the same, snow and then summer and then snow again.

The main focus of this story is the relationship between Sam and Grace, and we hear the character's thoughs as the chapters are divided between them. One chapter is from Sam's point of view, the other from Grace's. This ensures that all the feelings they both experience is well described, and the reader feels for them both.

I loved this story, and can't wait to continue with Linger. If you like great lovestories with a supernatural twist, this is the book for you.

Other reviews:
The Reading Zone
The Book Smugglers
Linus's Blanket

Website for Maggie Stiefvater
Maggie Stiefvater on Goodreads
Fanpage for the trilogy

Watch the book trailer:

Music Monday, Scandinavian Version (2)

2011-04-25T19:04:00.004+02:00

This is a new meme I will do weekly here on the blog, where I talk about scandinavian music that I like. It may be new songs, or older ones.

Easter is over, and even though I have been working and not taken all the days off, it's going to be hard to get back to the normal routine. The weather have been so nice, I hope that will last.

Here are some Norwegian songs I like very much:

Susanne Sundfør: The Brothel

I love this beautifil song. Susanne is a Norwegian artist, and the critics love her. She have been compared to artists such as Joni Mitchell and writes beautiful music. Her debut came in 2006 with the single Walls.

Tone Damli: Stuck in my Head

Tone came second in the Norwegian Idol in 2005, and got a record deal. She have made four records, the last one Cocool came in 2010. Tone is considered one of the most beautiful women in Norway, and is an ambassador for exercise and healthy living. She is currently trying to break through internationally.

Tone Damli: Butterflies ( Another catchy tune)

Wishing you all a great week and happy reading.

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday 22.4 - 24.4

2011-04-22T19:24:00.005+02:00

The hop is hosted by Crazy for Books.This weeks question:

"If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?"

Yes I do, sometimes I buy them all. And if possible I tend to read them chronologically.

The Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee.

This week's question:

What is on your current playlist right now?

I always have a long playlist on spotify, which I play on my mobile. The most played songs at the moment are:

Lady Gaga: Judas
Natalia Kills: Mirrors & Wonderland
Nicole Scherzinger: Wet
Within Temptation: Lost
Kanye West: All of the Lights
Britney Spears: 'Till the world ends
Matt Cardle: When We Collide

Here is what I wrote on The Norwegian Book Girl this week:
Music Monday, Scandinavian Version
Waiting on Wednesday
Review: Between Shades of Gray (5 Books)

Happy Easter!

Review: Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys

2011-04-21T12:01:00.007+02:00

Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Released: In the UK April 2011

One night fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother and young brother are hauled from their home by Soviet guards, thrown into cattle cars and sent away. They are being deported to Siberia.An unimaginable and harrowing journey has begun. Lina doesn’t know if she’ll ever see her father or her friends again. But she refuses to give up hope. Lina hopes for her family.For her country.For her future. For love - first love, with the boy she barely knows but knows she does not want to lose. . ..Will hope keep Lina alive? Set in 1941, Between Shades of Gray is an extraordinary and haunting story based on first-hand family accounts and memories from survivors.

Heartwrenching and full of hope

Between Shades of Gray is a heartwrenching tale of a forgotten part of our world history.

Lina and her family leads an ordinary life in Kaunas, Lithuania. Lina's father teaches at the university, and Lina herself dreams of becoming an artist. She is talented and deeply inspired by the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. Lina's whole world is torn apart one night in June 1941, when the NKVD ( an earlier name given to the KGB) storms their apartment and take her, her mother and her brother away. They do not know why they have been arrested, and not where the guards are taking them. Together with a lot of people, they are trown into cattle cars and taken to a labourcamp. Lina's days is soon filled with pain, longing and hard work, but admidst it all new friendsships are born and hope is always glowing.
I heard about this book during the London Book Fair, and decided to buy a copy. Once I started reading, I found it hard to put the book down.

They took me in my nightgown. Thinking back, the signs were there...
(Chapter 1, page 3)

Lina's story is so full of horrendous details, that I sometimes felt it hard to continue reading. The fact that the author based her story on eyewitness accounts, makes it even more heartwrenching. Lina is a strong character, and she never loose hope or the will to live. She struggles to keep her dignity and stay sane.

I felt as if I were riding a pendulum. Just as I would swing into the abyss of hopelessness, the pendulum would swing back with some small goodness.
Chapter 21, page 78)

Lina's mother is also a remarkable woman, a symbol of all the brave women who endured the same struggles as her during Hitler's and Stalin's reign. A lot of the things she said and did, made me cry.

I also liked Lina's brother Jonas, and the author have done a great job describing how he transforms from a young and carefree boy to a more mature boy weighed down by the things he has seen and experienced after he got hauled away from home.

Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worht a pocket watch.
Chapter 7, page 27

There are many other interesting characters in this book too, Andrius being the most interesting of them all. Like Lina I was not always quite sure about what he meant and what he actually was up to. I also like the fact that the author has not portrayed the Soviets as animals. It is easy to demonize someone who does horrible things, but that is not what happens in this book. Lina do, of course, think of the Soviets as horrible people, but still we are lead to think of them as human beings.

As Lina's story progress, we get small glimpses into her past, revealling some of the things that may have lead to her family' being hauled away. Lina's memories is a stark contrast to what she experience during her hard journey away from home. And the reader is, like Lina, left in the dark about many things until the very end of the book.

We have heard countless tale about the persecution of the Jews during WWII, but I have not heard so much about the attrocities commited by the Soviets. This book opened my eyes to a somewhat forgotten chapter in the history of WWII. It was a heartbreaking read and the book will stay with me for a long time.

The title of this book is very well chosen, and the same is the cover. It describes Lina and her feelings in a very touching way.

Do not read this book on the bus or the subway, because you will cry.

Other reviews:
Wondrous Reads
Bibliophile Brouhaha
The Overflowing Library
Forever Young Adult

Official website for the book

Waiting on Wednesday: Eve

2011-04-20T20:47:00.003+02:00

his is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about the books we are eagerly waiting for to be released.

My pick this week: Eve by Anna Carey

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

I love dystopian novels, and I am looking forward to reading this one. The author has previosly written the Sloane Sisters series.

Music Monday (Scandinavian Version) (1)

2011-04-17T20:11:00.006+02:00

This is a new meme I will do weekly here on the blog, where I talk about scandinavian music that I like. It may be new songs, or older ones.

Music is very important to me. The only time I am not listening to music, is when I read or sometimes when I work. My taste is pretty eclectic: I love metal, pop, dance, classical etc. It all depends on my mood and what I am doing at the moment. When I am working out, I love RnB and rock. When I am working, I like to listen to movie soundtracks. I listen to pop or dance music when I am cooking, and on it goes.

Here is some of the songs I listen to at the moment:

Anine Stang: Dominoes

Anine is recording music with Universal Music. This is a new single from her and it is really catchy, and the video is cool too. The hot guy in the video is a famous Norwegian handballplayer called Kristian Kjelling, voted Norway's most sexiest.

Here is Anine's first Norwegian single, Trying you on:

Mo: Dance like a Freak

This talented guy was the favorite througout most of the Norwegian X -Factor 2010, but sadly he had to leave just before the finale. The exit was top news in many newspapers, and the viewers were outraged. Now he has signed with Sony Music Norway, and this is his debut single. I like it, and it gives me happy wibes. Mo is considered a strong performer, that always gives 110 % whilst on stage.

Here from some of the X-factor shows:
Beautiful by Christina Aguilera:

Faith by George Michael: (starts at 0.37)

Bad Romance by Lady Gaga (The performance starts 1.07)

Amaranthe: Amaranthine

I love this song from Swedish metal band Amaranthe. It brings back all the good wibes from the powermetal songs I used to listen to in the late 80's. This song is from their debutalbum, that was just released.

Which of the songs do you like?

Have a great week, everyone!

In my mailbox (12, 13, 14, 15)

2011-04-17T13:48:00.013+02:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren,where we talk about the books we got the last week. I have not an IMM post for some weeks, so these are books I got over a few weeks:

First; I had a wonderful surprise waiting for me when I came home from London yesterday. It was a package containing Haven by debutauthor Kristi Cook. The book was sent to me from Pamela, who runs the great blog At Home Between the Pages, through the Random Acts of Kindness. Thank you so much Pamela, I can't wait to read the book. Pamela's review of the book is here.

For review, presented to you by my miniature schnauzer Bogart: Don Calame: Swim the fly ( Got at the London Book Fair, LBF)
Heather Gudenkauf: These things hidden (Got at the LBF)
R.J. Andersson: Ultraviolet (Got at the LBF)
Andy Briggs: Tarzan, The Greystoke Legacy (Got at the LBG)
Diane Chamberlain: The Midwife's Confession (Got at the LBF)
fransesca Simon: The Sleeping Army (Got at the LBF)
Gill Lewis: Sky Hawk (Got at the LBF)
Colin Mulhern: Clash (Got at the LBF)
Margaret Leroy: The Collaborator (Got at the LBF)
Meg Rosoff: There is no dog (Got at the LBF)
Heather Davis: Wherever You Go (Via Netgalley)

Bought:

Gabriella Poole: Darke Academy 1 ( Have heard great things about this from a Norwegian blogger, so that's why I got it)
Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Secret Garden
Christopher Ransom: The Haunting of James Hastings
Andrew Pyper: The Guardians
Jana Oliver: The Demon Trappers: Forsaken
Lisa T. Bergren: Waterfall (Forgot I presented this in my last IMM as well)
Marie Treanor: Blood Sin (Awakened by Blood 2)
M.J. Putney: Dark Mirror
Janice Hardy: Blue Fire ( Loved the first one in this series.)
Melissa de la Cruz: Blue Bloods

And for my kindle I bought:
Lindsey Barraclough: Long Lankin
Clay & Susan Griffith: Greyfriar

And I also bought a trip to New York, and registered for the Book Blogger Con 2011 and for BEA. I have wanted to go there for so long, but I was not sure if I wanted to go all by myself. New York is a big town, so the thought of travelling there all by myself was a bit scary. I have not been to the USA ever before. But then I found out that a friend of mine is going to be in town at the same dates, so that was the trigger. I will still be travelling and attending BEA all alone, but at least there is someone I know in town at the same time. That is a reasurrance to me.

Have a great sunday everyone :)

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop 15/4 - 17/4

2011-04-15T21:20:00.004+02:00

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. For more information, visit this post.

This week's question: Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.

When it comes to the YA - genre, no. That is the reason I started a blog in the first place. I wantet a place to keep track of all the books I read, and discuss them with others.

The hop is hosted by Crazy for books.

This week's question: "Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her."

I am currently almost finished with Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys.

The main character, Lina, and her family are arrested and deported to Siberia during WWII. The book is hard to put down, and heartwrenching. Lina is fifteen years old, and have dreams and hopes about the future. She is also a talented painter. During the book, she changes a lot because of the things she experiences, but she still manage to be strong.

Have a grea weekend, everyone :)

Book News (1)

2011-04-15T01:28:00.005+02:00

Here are some assorted news from the last weeks:

Rowling more positive to e-books
J.K. Rowling have refused to sell the digital rights to her series about Harry Potter, but now she have, according to her agent, decided to think about it again. The digital rights to Rowling’s bookseries are estimated to 100 million GPB.

Sweden’ answer to Twilight
A new young adult series is creating headlines in the Swedish newspapers. The Circle will be released in Sweden in the middle of April, and is predicted to be a big success. The book is the first in a planned trilogy telling the story of six teenage girls who find out that they have magical powers and are in fact witches. The rights have been sold to the UK, Estonia, Italy, Germany. Denmark and Norway at auction, and 20th Century Fox have expressed interest in making an American movie version of the series.
The Swedish booktrailer:

New trilogy from Brennan
Sarah Rees Brennan, know for the Demon’s Lexicon, is working on a trilogy. Listen for a Whisper is descriced as a gothic where a young journalist finds out that her hometown is harboring many secrets. The series will be published by Random House Children’s.

Steampunk from Carriger.
Gail Carriger is working on her first young adult – series. Espionage and Etiquette is a spinoff from Soulless and takes places 25 years before Soulless. The series is described as Ally Carter meets Steampunk. There will be published at least four books.

Ghosts from Schwab
The Near Witch have created a big buzz in the blogosphere, even though the book have not been published yet. Schwab is currently working on her next project, a book about ghosts which will be called The Archived.

The next big thing?
The Lacios Project may be the next bestseller in the young adult genre. Harper Children’s will publish the series which is written by Erin Bowman. The storyline revolves around a town where boys are being kidnapped before they turn 18 years old. None of the boys are ever seen again. Bowman have published parts of the first chapter on internet.

New post-apocalyptic series
Harper Teen will publish Demitria Lunetta's In the After. A post - apocalyptic trilogy where the readers meet a 17 year old girl who is doing her best to survive in a vicious world and protecting a little boy. The first book wil be published in 2012.

New series from Conrad
NYT bestselling author, Lauren Conrad, is writing a new series. Conrad, who have written the L.A. Candy series, is now working on The Fame Game. This is a trilogy featuring Madison Parker, one of the characters from the L.A. Candy universe. Publication will begin winter 2012.

There was also presentations of the hottest titles being published in the UK this fall on the London Book Fair this week. I will be back with more information on that soon.

Review: Divergent, Veronica Roth

2011-04-11T00:01:00.006+02:00

Publisher: HarperCollins UK
Format: Paperback (Uncorrected proof)
Pages:496
Release: Released in the UK on May 3.
Review copy given to me by HarperCollins UK

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

An outstanding debutnovel

Divergent is one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read. It is an addictive read that you will not be able to put down. This is the new Hunger Games.

Beatrice Prior lives in a future Chicago, where the society is divided into factions that cultivates different virtues. There is the Abnegation, cultivating selflessness. The Dauntless is the faction for the daring and the brave. In Candor the emphazise is on honesty, and in Amity on peace and harmony. Every child must, by the age of sixteen, choose which faction they want to dedicate themselves to. The decision is helped by a test, that will show which faction you best belong to. But you still need to make your own decision, and for Tris this choice is going to be lifechanging.

Divergent have been getting a lot of buzz even though the book is not published yet. People are saying that this is the new Hunger Games, and the rights for both the series and the movie adaptions have been sold in major deals. There is only one thing to say: the book deserves every superlative that have been written about it. It truly is the new Hunger Games, and on some levels it is even better than the Hunger Games.

Beatrice, or Tris as she renames herself, is a fantastic heroine. She is strong, but not superhumanly strong. She is someone the reader wants to relate to, someone you can emphatize with. She has both good and bad qualities, and that makes her all the more interesting. Not one of the things she does is predictable. I really felt for her throughout the book. I cheered on her, and actually felt like she was a friend. Someone I wanted all the best for.

Tris' relationship to the different characters is described with insight, and the different developments in said relationships makes perfect sense. Nothing is given away to early.

Tris goes through lifealtering events, and the author managed to develop her accordingly to this througout the book.

The idea of the different factions is great, and the dystopian society described in this book is interesting to read about. Roth has done an amazing job creating this world. I see it vividly in my mind.

The book have a lot of suspense. It is thrilling, heartbreaking, entertaining, addictive, fantastic and great. Divergent has everything that you would want from a great book. I have trouble finding the words to describe how good it is.

The story have so many levels. Even though this is an entertaining read, you can find a critical look at the society we live in in the text. The book shows how power may corrupt, it talks about a society where individuality is not cheered on, but where everyone should fit into a specific form. If you are different, you are a threat. You are not to ask any questions. The book actually draws on the heritage from authors such as Franz Kafka.

The writing in the book is very good. Veronica Roth knows her way around words. And she avoids every cliche. Every time you think that hey, it will be a happy ending because that is just the way it is in books - she proves you wrong and the storyline takes surprising twists and turns.

Like I said, this is an amazing read. If you like the Hunger Games, you are going to love Divergent. This is the book you need to read this year. Get it now.

Veronica Roth is currently working on the sequel to Divergent. I cannot wait to read it, and find out more about this world. This is an amazing debutnovel.

Other reviews:
Parajunkee
The Lovely Reader
Confessions of a Book Addict
Bookalicio

Divergent on GoodReads
Veronica Roth's blog

Review: I am number four, Pittacus Lore

2011-04-10T22:24:00.005+02:00

Publisher: Cappelen Damm (Norwegian publisher)
Pages: 441
Format: Hardback
Released: Released in Norwegian March 2011
Review copy, book read as part of a Norwegian bookblog tour

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now. The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

A light read

I am Number Four is an easy and light read, that lacks some depth.

Nine aliens were sent to earth, when it became impossible for them to live at their own planet Lorien. To stay safe from attacks from the evil Mogadorian, they used a form of magic that only makes it possible to kill them in a specific kind of way. Every time one of them is killed, there appears a scar on the leg of the surviving ones. John Smith, aka Daniel Jones, is number four, and when he gets scar number three, he knows that his life is in danger.

I have not read many books about aliens before, so it was refreshing to read this book. I liked the mythology surronding Lorien, and the whole idea behind this book. But the book does not have much depth, We do not get under the skin of the characters, and sometimes the authors just rush through the scenes and does not take time to stop and dwell on the things that happen. This is particularly true in the prologue.

I am Number Four reads like a movietranscript. There is a lot of short sentences and the authors are more concerned about describing events rather than the character's feelings during the actual events. The actionscenes are written in a way that makes me believe that the authors have actually had a movie adaption in mind. There is a lot of details here, and I see it vividly in my mind.

I am Number Four is an entertaining read, the pages flew by and I think that the younger audience will like this book. There is a lot of suspense here, and much action. I also believe that having a male protagonist will help attract the boys to the book.

The book deals with a lof of themes; the most obvious one is the search for ones place in the world. The wish to belong to someone or something. That is something that may ressonate with the younger audience.

As you have noticed, I write "the authors" because this book is actually a collaboration between authors James Frey and Jobie Hughes. The duo is working on a new book. The Power of Six will be published in August this year.

Other reviews:
Katie's Book Blog
Becky's Barmy Book Blog
Book Nerd Blog

I am Number Four on Goodreads
The authors on Goodreads
Official website for the book

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop 8/4 - 10/4

2011-04-08T21:02:00.004+02:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. Find out more about it here.

This week's question: Do you judge a book by it's cover?

Yes, I do. When shopping books I often buy the book with the best cover, not the cheapest one (if there are multiple editions of a book in sale). There are a lot of great covers. I love the Norwegian edition of A Discovery of Witches, which just came for sale here.

And I also love the covers for the Fallen Angels series by Lauren Kate.

The hop is hosted by Crazy for Books.

Review: The Darkest Night, Gena Showalter (Spoilers)

2011-04-06T22:22:00.006+02:00

Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Release: Released in Norway february 2011
(This is not a YA - title)

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own. Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love . .

Lacks depth

Now that I have read the first book in the Lords of the Underworld - series, I have a hard time figuring out why this series is so popular.

Maddox, Torin, Reyes, Aeron, Lucien and Paris are immoral warriors. Thousands of years ago they helped daemons escape from Pandora's Box, and the world was thrown into darkness and chaos. To save the world, the warriors were cursed and a daemon was trapped inside each one of them. They became the Lords of the Underworld. Maddox carries the daemon Violence, and his curse is that he have to die every midnight again and again. But then Ashlyn Darrow comes along, and everything change...

I have read so many great reviews of this series, and I was so excited when I saw that it was being released in Norwegian.

The Darkest night have an ok beginning. I was drawn into the story, and I thought that Showalter had created an original and interesting story aimed at everyone who likes dark and handsome men, suspense, myths and legends, romance, paranormal events and steamy scenes. But the problem is that she only dwells on the surface. She does not dive deep into the plot, the storyline or the characters, and sometimes she seems to be in such a rush that the storyline suffers.

The writing consists of a whole bunch of cliches. It is to much. But I am keeping in mind that the Norwegian translation may take some of the blame for that.

The characters in the book have a lot of potensial, but Showalters does not succeed in letting the reader understand their motivations and why they act like they do. The relationship that eventually develops between Maddox and Ashlyn does not make sense. One day they do not know each other, the next day they are willing to die for one another. I did not believe this storyline, and as a result I was not taken by the book. But one thing I do like: Ashlyn is portraid as a woman with curves, unlike all the tiny heroines we normally read about. She is normal, and that is something I like a lot.

The Darkest Night was not one of my favorite reads, to say it mildly. But I will read the next installments in this series, to find out if the books gets better. I have a feeling that they do.

Other reviews:
Book Faery
Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
Tynga's Reviews
Darque Reviews
Dear Author

Fan-page for Gena Showalter
Gena Showalter on Goodreads
Gena Showalter's blogg

Review: The Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead

2011-04-04T13:31:00.006+02:00

Publisher: Penguin UK
Pages: 332
Format: Paperback
Release: First released in 2007, this version in 2009

St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, staying alive.

Suspense and clichés

Vampire Academy is a thrilling first book in the Vampire Academy series, but the book has too many clichés.

Rose and Lissa are on the run from St Vladimir's Academy believing that Lissa is not safe at the school. Soon though, they are apprehended and brought back to the school. Rose is Lissa's best friend and bodyguard, and she must once again attend lectures to learn everything a dhampir must learn in order to be a good bodyguard.

Lissa and the other vampires are Moroi and they live in constant fear of being killed by the Strigoi, vampires that have crossed over to the dark side. Lissa and Rose share a special bond, and that is both good and bad when it comes to Lissa's safety.

I have heard so many great things about this series, so I needed to check it out. From the start I was sucked into the pages of this book. The book starts off with a very dramatic scene, and the drama continues on the next pages.

Richelle Mead have created an interesting world which, in some cases, looks a bit similar to Harry Potter's world. In both series there is a special school where the students learn magic and how to tackle evil forces outside of the school. There is also evil forces out to get some of the students at both the schools.

But there is a lot of differences between these series too. Some would say that the Vampire Academy never comes close to Harry Potter, and the VA - series is not suitable for the youngest kids. There are some references to sex here. The writing in both books also differs. Mead uses a lot of clichés, to many in my opinion. Sentences like this:

" His lips moved to mine, gentle at first, and then hard and hungry. His kiss consumed me"

is something I would expect to find in a paranormal romance book for adults. And it is oh, so cliché.

I like the characters though, and some of them have surprises for us. The suspense is kept throughout the book and the book was very entertaining.

I will keep on reading this series, but I hope Mead does not use that many clichés in the next installments.

Other reviews:
Love Vampires
YA Reads
Once Upon a Chapter

Random Acts of Kindness - April

2011-04-03T23:10:00.002+02:00

As you probably have read on my blog, I love buying books and I also like to give stuff away. Today I found this incredible meme where I can do both.

Random Acts of Kindness is hosted by Book Soulmates.

Rules:
• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)

• Create a wish list and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!
Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

I am absolutely participating in this. My wishlist is found at Goodreads.

Review: The Killing Dance, Laurell K. Hamilton

2011-03-28T23:12:00.003+02:00

Publisher: Headline UK
Format: Paperback
Pages: 464
Released: First released in 1997, this version in 2010
This is not a YA - title

These days my life is a cross between a preternatural soap opera and an action-adventure movie.' The first hit man came after me at home, which should be against the rules. Then there was a second, and a third. Word on the street is that Anita Blake, preternatural expert and vampire killer extraordinaire, is worth half a million dollars. Dead, not alive. So what's a girl to do but turn to the men in her life for help? Which in my case means an alpha werewolf and a master vampire. With professional killers on your trail, it's not a bad idea to have as much protection as possible, human or otherwise. But I'm beginning to wonder if two monsters are better than one...

Dark & entertaining

The Killing Dance was another entertaining book about Anita Blake, but not my favorite in this series.

There is a prize on Anita Blake's head, but she does not know who or why. Richard and Jean-Claude must try to help keep her safe, and soon Anita is caught in a whirlvind of emotions.

I have read this book on and off for some time now. The book is entertaining, but I didn't find it very suspenseful. There is a lot of focus on the relationships Anita has with the two men in her life, and there is some surprising additions to this. We get to know the characters better, and they evolve.

I have read that this series just keeps getting more and more erotic as the story progresses, and that is obvious in this book. There is more action here than in the previous books. But Hamilton still manages to create an orginial world with interesting perspectives on the paranormal.

Another thing I like about this series is the dark humour, and the character Anita Blake. So even though this book was not the best read in this series, it was still entertaining and I will keep on reading.

Other reviews:
Supernatural Bookworm
Books I Loved
Nyx Book Reviews

Follow friday & Book Blogger Hop

2011-03-25T18:47:00.005+01:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.Find more about it here.

This week's question: Give us five book-related silly facts about you.

1. I have a book with me at most times when I am not at the house. I feel naked whitout one. Sometimes I carry around more than one book, because I cannot choose which one to take with me.

2. I am not a loyal reader; I choose books to read impulsively. One day I am in the mood for some horror, the next I want to read Anita Blake. That's why my reading list here on the blog keeps changing. I do try to read the books I receive for review though, so normally I read like 3 or 4 books at a time.

3. I have a hard time giving or throwing books away, I am a book hoarder. When someone in my family dies, I am usually the one that inherites all the books because I can't stand the fact that they otherwise would be thrown away.

4. I cannot sleep if I do not read after going to bed. I normally read with a strong flashlight, so I don't disturb my boyfriend.

5. When I go on vacation, I have a hard time choosing the books that are to come with me. Most times I end up taking 6 or 7 books, even though I am not going to be away that long. My kindle has been a real savior when it comes to the weight of my suitcase.

The hop is hosted by Crazy for Books.

This week's questions:

If you could physically put yourself into a book or series…which one would it be and why?"

I would put myself into RubyRed by Kerstin Gier, would be nice to be abel to travel back in time whenever I pleased.

And I would love to be a part of a wizard-family and attend Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series.

Happy weekend everybody. Remember, you can follow my blog via e-mail also. More information here.

Interview with Jeannette Walls, author of the Glass Castle

2011-03-23T23:18:00.005+01:00

Today I would like to welcome Jeannette Walls to my blog.

Walls was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1960. She moved to New York when she was 17 years old, and lived here for a while. Walls worked as a journalist in New York City in over 20 years and had her own column at MSNBC:Com. Today Walls lives in Virginia with her husband.

Walls made her debut as an author in 2000 with the book Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip. Her real breakthrough as an author came with the memoir The Glass Castle, first published in 2005. Walls also wrote Half Broke Horses, which came out in 2009.

The Glass Castle have been translated into a lot of languages, including Norwegian, and this was the reason I recently interviewed Walls.

Here is the interview where Walls talks about her book and how her family have reacted to it, among other things:

Your novel The Glass Castle has just been released in Norway. Can you tell us a little bit about this book?

It’s about growing up with two brilliant, unconventional, complicated parents and trying to make sense of the chaotic world they created. It’s about sorting through that chaos and finding the beautiful gifts they gave me.

The book is a memoir from your childhood. Why did you decide to write this book?

One evening, I saw my homeless mother on the street digging through garbage. I asked her several days later what the heck I was supposed to tell people about her, and she gave me the best advice anyone has ever given me: “Just tell the truth.”

What was the most challenging thing you encountered whilst working on this book?
Rising to Mom’s challenge to just tell the truth. The truth, as anyone who’s compared notes of their childhood with a sibling knows, is a tricky critter and it takes on many shapes. So much of it depends on your perspective and how you choose to see things.

What are you most proud of when it comes to this book?

The Glass Castle is being read in a number of schools – both high schools and colleges. I get lovely letters from well-to-do students telling me that the book has made them see poverty differently. And I get heart-wrenching letters from kids from the wrong side of the tracks saying that after having read my story, they realize that if I made it, they can too. Nothing could make me happier.

How have your siblings and the rest of your family reacted to this book, and what do your siblings do today?

My family has been great. I think the book has actually brought us all closer.

My brother, Brian, was with me from day one. I showed him the manuscript while I was working on it and he gave me feedback. Brian has a steel-trap memory and would have called me on something if I got it wrong. He’s retired from the police force and now works with Habitat for Humanity, building houses for folks who can’t afford to buy one.

Lori was a little ambivalent about the idea of my telling our story. She would never have asked me not to write it, but she couldn’t understand why the heck I would want to revisit some of the darker corners of our past. She is still an artist and still living in Manhattan and has been quite wonderful about the book.

I didn’t discuss the book with my younger sister Maureen because we’d lost touch, but one of the many blessings that’s come about as a result of telling my story and that Maureen and I have reconnected. She has been absolutely lovely about The Glass Castle.

Mom has been pretty darned fabulous, too. I offered to show her the book while I was working on it, but she wasn’t interested. She read it after publication, and was a little upset with my description of her driving, but other than that, she’s been incredibly wise and philosophical, which is to her great credit, because the portrait of her isn’t entirely flattering. She said, “I don’t see everything the way that you do, but I understand why you saw it that way, and you had to tell the truth as you saw it.” Mom, by the way, is no longer homeless; she lives with me in rural Virginia and we’re closer now than we’ve ever been. She’s a hoot and continues to astonish me with her perspective on things, and still paints like a fiend.

I was really moved by some of the scenes in this book, especially the scene where you “get” Venus for Christmas. What was the most important lesson your parents taught you?

Dad taught me to dream and Mom taught me optimism. If you get those gifts from you’re parents, you’re extraordinarily lucky.

Why should the readers in Norway pick up your book and read it?

People have incredibly different reactions to my story. Some readers think I was neglected or even abused, some have actually told me that they were a little jealous of my childhood. Once a man told me that he found the book so upsetting that he could barely finish it, but his wife said she thought it was hilarious and laughed throughout. Many book clubs have told me that my story caused the most heated debate their club has ever had. I’ve stopped trying to guess what people’s reactions.

Do you feel relieved, now that you have told your story to the world? Or, in other words: how has your reaction to having this book published been?

A very wise man once told me that secrets are like vampires: they suck the life out of you, but they can exist only in the darkness. Once they’re exposed to the light, there’s a moment of horror when you see them, but then – poof – they loose their power. I have found that to be very true.

The Glass Castle has stayed on the NYT bestseller list for years, and the rights have been sold to a lot of countries. Why do your think the book have become so popular?

I have no idea. I’m still pinching myself.

Despite the serious topics dealt with in this book, you never point a finger at anybody and the book is not depressing. How did you achieve that?

I love my parents and I believe that they loved me. I’m extraordinarily happy with the way things have turned out for me, and if you are where you want to be, why regret how you got there?

Who are your favorite authors, and which book have made the greatest impression on you?

When I was ten years old, I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I was pretty much an outcast at the time, and the character of little Francie Nolan became my closest friend. She wasn’t very cute or popular, either, and she also loved to read and write. And Francie Nolan she could adore her no-count, charming, alcoholic, day-dreaming dad, then so could I.

Are there any plans to make this book into a movie?

It has been optioned for a movie and a script has been written. But with Hollywood, you never know what’s going to happen until you see the credits rolling.

Have you found your Glass Castle yet?

Oh yes. Many times over.

Is there anything you would like to add/say to the readers?

We all have a story, and I’m grateful to anyone who chooses to share mine.

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, Jeannette Walls.

The Glass Castle have received a lot of praise and prizes, including the Christopher Award, the American Library Association's Alex Award and the Books for Better Living Award.

The book is a fascinating, warm and brave retelling of a special childhood. If you have not read this book, I would strongly suggest that you do so. It had me glued to the pages.

Review: The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls

2011-03-23T22:33:00.003+01:00

Publisher: Pantagruel (Norwegian Publisher)
Pages: 375
Format: Hardback
Release: March 2011

'Walls doesn't pull her punches. Walls's parents - just two of the unforgettable characters in this excellent, unusual book - were a matched pair of eccentrics. And raising four children didn't conventionalise either of them. [Walls has] a fantastic storytelling knack.' Publishers Weekly 'Just read the first pages of THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls, and I defy you not to go on. It's funny, and sad, and quirky, and loving. I was incredibly touched by it.' -Dominick Dunne, author of The Way We Lived Then : Recollections of a Well-Known Name Dropper and Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments * 'Like JD Salinger or Hemingway before her, Jeannette Walls has the talent of knowing exactly how to let a story tell itself, crafted without self-pity or analysis or judgement' Independent on Sunday * 'A terrific story, grippingly told' Sunday Times * 'Funny and brilliantly written' Evening Herald * 'There isn't a shred of self-pity in this deeply compassionate book' Marie Claire

Fascinating and warm

Jeannette Walls has written an incredible memoir, so fantastic in it's descriptions you have a hard time believing that this has actually happened. There is nothing ordinary about her childhood.

Walls' parents had a somewhat eccentric perpective on life in general. They lived for art and their own fantasyprojects. Their kids just had to tag along. They moved frequently, and lived in poor living conditions. Sometimes they didn't have money for food. But they had a strong bond in the family, even when Walls' father used up all the money on alcohol.

A meeting with her mother in New York, sparked Walls to write this memoir. For many years she had repressed her childhood memories, and not dared telling anyone about what she experienced. Her life had gone a long way since she was a child and she was ashamed of her background.

Some people may point to neglect and childabuse whilst reading Walls' memoir, but she does not point a finger at anybody in her book. On the contrary she describes her so childhood warmly and enthusiastically which makes the readers feel like they are reading a fantastic fictionnovel.

The book has a lot of lessons, and I especially liked the scene where Jeannette "gets" the planet Venus for Christmas.

This is a fascinating book that will make you keep on reading to find out what happens next. Your own childhood will seem dull in comparison, despite the seriousness surronding the situations described in this book. It is hard not to be engaged in the story, and I think Walls' have done a great job writing about her childhood in a way that makes the reader forget the seriousness in it.

This is an easy and fascinating read, and I liked the book very much.

Other reviews:
It's All About Books
Addicted to Books
Vishy's Blog

The Glass Castle on Goodreads

Trailer Tuesday

2011-03-23T00:00:00.003+01:00

My pick this week is Shimmer by Alyson Noel. I have not started the Riley - series yet, but I think this trailer is so cute:

In My Mailbox 9, 10 & 11

2011-03-20T17:40:00.005+01:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we talk about books we have gotten lately.

I had decided to not buy so many books this year, but one weekend I went on a total bookbuying spree on the internet. And the result is shown under. Now, I seriously need to go of the bookbuying-wagon. If anyone has any advice to how not buy so many books, please let me know. I am all ears.

Anyway, here is the results of my shopping spree:

Melissa Marr: Darkest Mercy (For Review)
I have not read the other books in this series, so I need to do that soon.
Veronica Roth: Divergent (For review)
I was so excited to get this book, and it sounds so good. I love dystopian literature. And the cover is awesome.
Laurie Halse Anderson: Chains & Forge (Bought)
I love reading historical fiction and these sounded good.
Laurie Halse Anderson: Fever 1793 (Bought)
Again a historical fiction, I have read some great reviews of this one..
Richelle Mead: Spirit Bound, Blood Promise & Last Sacrifice (Bought)
Have just started this series, and needed to have the books I missed in order to contiue reading it.
Lionel Shriver: We need to talk about Kevin (Bought)
Another blogger recommend I read this one, since I liked Room by Emma Donoghue.
F.G Gottam: The Magdalena Curse (Bought)
A horror story. Need I say more?
Emma Donogue: Slammerkin (Bought)
Loved Room, and this is a histocial fiction. I also bought The Sealed Letter by the same author, but have not gotten it yet.
Pittacus Lore: I am number four (For review)
Going do read this as part of a Norwegian blog tour.

I also bought some books that are not in this picture:

Stacia Kade: The Ghost and the Goth
Lisa Tawn Bergren: Waterfall

I have also read some great books lately to be reviewed on this blog soon: Chevy Stevens: Still Missing, Richelle Mead. The Vampire Academy and Jeannette Walls: The Glass Castle, to name a few.

What did you get in your mailbox?

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2011-03-20T11:47:00.006+01:00

Publisher: Gyldendal (Norwegian Publisher)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 456
Release: 2009

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. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like 'Survivor' and 'American Gladiator.

Simply spellbinding

The Hunger Games was a fantastic and intense reading experience. I could not put this book down. It consumed me.

Katniss, or Catnip as her best friend Storm prefers to call her, lives in Stollen - a part of District 12. We are in the future, and North America is made up of districts with Capitol holding the power. As punishment for earlier rebellions, there is the annual Hunger Games. Each district must send a girl and a boy to compete in the games. There is only one winner; the person who survies until the bitter end. The competitors are chosen via a lottery. The Hunger Games is shown on TV in every district.

When Katniss' sister is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Together with Peeta, son of the local baker, she must travel to Capitol to fight for her life. But how do you fight for your life and still obtain your dignity? The competition is unfair. The tributes from the rich districts have been preparing for their participaton in the Hunger Games all their lives. But Peeta and the team behind him and Katniss have a plan...

The idea for this book is not original, but is much similar to Battle Royale, which came out as a novel in 1999 and became a movie in 2000. In Battle Royale a class of 42 students are kidnapped and thrown into a deathgame where there can only be one winner. In the Hunger Games, the number of participants is 24, and also here the state have the power and there can only be one winner. Both the endings are also a bit a like. Some might say that the Hunger Games also resembles The Lord of the Flies.

Suzanne Collins have created an exciting world I did not want to leave. I was hooked from the first page, and even had to sneak off to the toilet during a concert to find out what would happen next. The book kept me awake at night, and I was eager to reach the end and find out what would happen to Katniss and Peeta.

Katniss is a great female heroine. She is not one-dimensional and clearly the author wants the reader to like her. When Katniss kills one of her opponents, it is shown as a last resort and I as a reader can understand why she had to do that. She is not, as opposed to other participants in the Hunger Games, a sadistic and violent person. She tries hard to remain sivilized.

There is also a love triangle here, and we are never quite sure who feels what and why.

The Hunger Games kept me at the edge of my seat. I loved this book, and have already started the next installment. If you have not read this book, do so today!

Other reviews:
Presenting Lenore
The Literary Wife
Escape in a Book

Contest winner

2011-03-11T13:17:00.002+01:00

I have found a winner of Withering Tights using Random.org. The winner is Christina @ The Paperback Princesses.

I will send you the book in the mail, and I am looking forward to reading your review of it.

Have a great weekend everybody.

Review: Room, Emma Donoghue

2011-03-08T12:55:00.005+01:00

Publisher: Gyldendal (Norwegian publisher)
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Release: Released in 2010, but first released in Norway in 2011. I read this in Norwegian
(This is not a YA-title)

Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don't have the key. Jack and Ma are prisoners.

Gripping and beautifully crafted

I have not read anything like Room before. I was instantly sucked into the book, it crawled under my skin and hit me both in the heart and the head. This is not a book you easily forget.

Imagine that you have spent all your life in a little room, that all you know of the world is a table, a rocking chair, a lamp, at tiny bathroom, a flower, a stowe, a big bed that you share with your mummy, a television set and a blanket with marks from the day that you were born. This is Jack's world.

Jack's mom is kidnapped of the street when she is 19 years old, and the kidnapper locks her in a little room. He visits and abuses her regularly. Two years after the kidnapping, Jack is born. Jack and his mom are totally dependent on their captor; he brings them food and supplies. Jack calls him Old-Nick, and when Old-Nick comes to visit, Jack must spend the night in the closet.

Jack knows nothing about the world beyond Room. When his mother tells him about "Beyond", he has a hard time understanding that there exists something outside of Room. But Jack's mum has not forgotten the world outside, and she dreams of running away from captivity.

The whole story in Room is told through Jack's point of view and we understand that his mum is very thin, that she sometimes breaks down and sleeps for days. Jack describes how their captor cut the power to Room, and how they nearly freeze and starve to death as a result. Jack's narrative makes the story even more gripping and heartbreaking, and makes it sound real. It is a big achievement writing a story that the reader actually believes is told by an actual five year old.

Room was inspired by the Joseph-Fritz - case, but despite the gruesome premises, this is also a beautiful book. The love and the bond between mother and son are so well described. The book shows that it is possible to survive horrendous ordeals if you only have love. Love makes you able to live through everything. This is a heartbreaking book, but it also has humour and warmth. It is dark, but at the same time filled with light and hope. It plays on all your emotions. I do not think it is possible to read this book and not be moved by it.

This is one of the books that has made the greatest impression on me throughout my entire life, and one of the best books I have ever read. Simply amazing. You have to read this book.

Other reviews:
Booklover Book Reviews
Medieval Bookworm
Shelf life

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison & Contest

2011-03-06T22:22:00.010+01:00

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Release: February 2011
Review Copy received from publisher

Winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2010! The misadventures of Tallulah Casey… Hilarious new series from Queen of Teen – laugh your tights off at the (VERY) amateur dramatic antics of Talullah and her bonkers mates. Boys, snogging and bad acting guaranteed! Picture the scene: Dother Hall performing arts college somewhere Up North, surrounded by rolling dales, bearded cheesemaking villagers (male and female) and wildlife of the squirrely-type. On the whole, it’s not quite the showbiz experience Tallulah was expecting… but once her mates turn up and they start their ‘FAME! I’m gonna liiiiive foreeeeeever, I’m gonna fill my tiiiiights’ summer course things are bound to perk up. Especially when the boys arrive. (When DO the boys arrive?) Six weeks of parent-free freedom. BOY freedom. Freedom of expression… cos it’s the THEATRE dahling, theatre!!

You have perhaps noticed that it doesn't say "review" on the title of this page. This book showed up in my mail from the publisher, and the title appealed to me; Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books. I have read almost all of Withering Tights, but the problem is I don't get the book, and that is not the book or the author's fault.

I read very little comedy books, it's not that I am not a funny person but it is not my cup of tea. And that became obvious once I started reading; I did not get a lot of the jokes - and I think that is due part to my maternal language and/or place of living. It would not be fair to the book and the author if I reviewed it on that basis.

But, the book deserves a well written review - I have read some reviews for it already and it seems like people are loving it. I have decided to give my copy away so another person, who understands the jokes better than me, can enjoy it and review it.

Here is what you have to do to win:
1. You must have a blog with regular posts for the last 6 months
2. If you join the contest, you are also stating that you will read and review the book during March/Early April 2011 (I will draw the winner and ship out the book Friday this week)
3. You must be a follower to enter
4. You must like to read comedy

The winner will be chosen using Random.org. The contest will be closed Thursday 10th of March at 24.00 CET. Everyone can join - this is an international contest.

Please make sure to put the name of your blog after your name/nick in the spreadsheet, thank you.

(The last "question" in the spreadsheet says I understand that by joining this contest, I will read and review this book on my blog within two weeks after getting the book in my mailbox. )

Follow friday & Book Blogger Hop

2011-03-04T13:20:00.002+01:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. You can read more about it here.

The Hop is hosted by Crazy for Books, and information about this meme is found here.

This week's question:

"Who's your all-time favorite book villain?"

That was a terribly hard question to answer. I think I will have to go for Roman, from The Immortals series. He is an interesting character, and even though I do not like some of the things he does, I am still fascinated by him. And I love his british way of speaking.

Have a great friday everyone. PS, be sure to check out this blog tour.

Review: The Vampire Diaries, book 3 & 4

2011-03-03T23:29:00.005+01:00

Publisher: Hodder Childrens UK
Pages: 410
Format: Paperback
Release: First released in 1991, this edition in 2009

The Fury: Faced with an ancient evil, Stefan and Damon must stop their feuding and join forces with Elena to confront it. But in so doing, they are unwittingly sealing her fate . The Reunion: Elena summons the vampire trio once more to unite and challenge their fate. Together they will be called to face the most terrifying evil Fell's Church has ever known.

An easy vampire read

Book 3 and 4 in the Vampire Diaries are way better than the first two books.

The story revolves around evil - an evil is threatening Fell's Church, Elena and all her friends. Together they must try to fight it with all means and do their best to adapt to the circumstances brought on late in book 2.

I was not a big fan of the first two books in this series, but I am glad I kept on reading because this was much, much better. Here your have a lot of suspense, mystery and surprises. I did predict some of the twists in the story, men not everyone of them.

I felt like I got to know Stefan and Damon better, and the relationship between the two brothers is the most interesting part of these book, in my opinion. Elena remains a somewhat vague character - my sympathy is with Bonnie. I find her much more interesting to read about.

Book 3 is the one I liked the best. Here you have situations which reminded me of Cujo by Stephen King. Book 4 is not so good, and it lacks in originality and suspense. Both books are easy reads perfect for days when you just want to relax. The problem with this series is that the books are so uneven, especially when it comes to the development of the main character. I do think that the younger audience will like these books better than me.

Other reviews:
An Addicted Book Reader
My Books My Life

WOW: Passion

2011-03-02T21:31:00.004+01:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the spine. This is were we talk about the books we are most anticipating.

My pick this week is Passion by Lauren Kate:
Before Luce and Daniel met at Sword & Cross and fought immortals at Shoreline, they lived many lives. . . .

I love Lauren Kate's books, and I can't wait to read more about Luce and Daniel. There have been rumours that this book will serve as a prequel to the series. I am superexcited.

Review: The Iron Witch

2011-02-28T19:12:00.010+01:00

Publisher: Flux
Pages: 290
Format: Paperback
Released: January 2011

When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.

An easy read

Not original, an easy read - but holds promise for the next installment.

Donna Underwood has been through tragedy. Her father was killed by a vicious fey when she was a little girl, and her mom went mad. She now lives with her aunt and spends her time with her best friend Navin. He is the only one that likes her - at school she is labeled as a freak. But soon, Donna's life is about to go in a whole new direction. She meets Xan at a party and soon dramatic events unfolds.

The Iron Witch was an easy book to get in to, at first. The writing flows easily and you are a bit curious about Donna and her past. But, there is a but: It takes too much time before there is actually anything happening. You read about Donna's life, her interaction with Navin and her past - but that's just about it. There is nothing here to compel me to go on reading.

I didn't get under Donna's skin and I felt that Navin became to vague. When he is kidnapped, I didn't feel Donna's anxiety for him. It was more like: Ok, so now that he is gone can we please get down to real business and get to know Xan a little bit more pleae? I never really got emotionally involved in the story. It was more like: an easy read - easily forgotten.

I also felt that the book was not that original, but my main problem with this was that it reminded by too much of The Iron King. Here are some examples:

* The first sentence in both books are very much alike:
Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeard.
(Quote from the Iron King)
My father died saving my life when I was seven years old.
(Quote from the Iron Witch)

* In the Iron King, Meghan must enter the fairy world to save her brother Ethan. In order to get to this world, she gets help from Robbie. In the Iron Witch, Donna must enter the realm of the Woodelves to save her best friend Navin. In order to get to this world, she gets help from Xan.

* Both of the covers have ornaments on them. Like this:

And I will not mention the obvious part about the titles of both books being almost a match.

That said, the book also had it's qualities. The language worked well, and when things really started to happen - in the last part of the book - I got more intrigued. I really like the dark world the author has created for the woodelves and I am really looking forward to reading more about that.

So all in all I think this was a book that could have been a little more original. But I will also go on reading the next installment in this series because I believe the author is talented enough to give us something more unique in the next book.

Other reviews:
Wondrous Reads
Book Chick City
Tales of the Ravenous Reader
All Things Urban Fantasy

Karen Mahoney's webpage
Goodreads

In my mailbox 3,4,5,6,7,8

2011-02-27T13:15:00.007+01:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got the last week.

I have not done this in a while, so this haul is for a lot of weeks. But aside from books in Norwegian, I have not bought a lot of books lately. I am trying to dig into my TBR - pile, which consists of a lot of old books that I bought a long time ago.

Anyway, here are the books:

Kelly Keaton: Darkness becomes her (Bought)
Caitlin Kittredge: The Iron Thorn (Bought)
Elizabeth Woods: Choker (Bought)
Jill Mansell: To the moon and back ( Review copy)
Jana Oliver: Forsaken; The Demon Trappers (Bought)
Karen Mahoney: The Iron Witch (Bought)
Louise Rennison: Withering Tights (Review copy)
Brenda Yovanoff : The Replacement (Bought)

I have already started The Iron Thorn and The Iron Witch, and so far I am loving them. The review of The Iron Witch will be up shortly, since I only have a few pages left in the book.

I also subscribe to a series called Nocturne, where they are publishing a lot of American bestsellers in Norwegian. I get two books in the mail every month. These are the books I got in that series lately.
Gena Showalter: The Darkest Night ( Bought)
Gena Showalter: The Darkest Kiss (Bought)
Maggie Shayne: Twilight Phantasies (Bought)
Rachel Vincent: Stray (Bought)

I have already read The Darkest Night, the review for this will also be posted on my blog. And I am very much looking forward to reading Stray, since I have heard great things about that series.

And I did get some titles to review from Netgalley, but I have had trouble reading some of them since the button where we can download the titles to our kindle have been gone. I have ordered a new mobilphone, and I believe I can read galleys on that. I truly hope so.
Here are the titles:
Christina Shea: Smuggled
Amanda Stevens: The Restorer
Colleen Gleason: The Vampire Voss
Colleen Gleason: The Vampire Dimitri
Brianna Karp: The Girl's Guide to Homelessness
Maggie Shayne: Twilight Prophecy
Michele Hauf: Forever vampire
Aimée Carter: The Goddess Test
Jon S. Lewis: Invasion
Anna Sheehan: A long, long sleep
Jordan Dane: In the arms of stone angels
Francisco Goldman: Say her name
Lauren Myracle: Shine
L.A. Weatherly: Angel burn

I am going to the London Book Fair in april, and plan to bring my kindle along and do a lot of reading then.

There has been some controversy surrounding the In My Mailbox meme. To me it is a great way of showcasing books and authors. I have bought a lot of books that I have heard about through other bloggers' in my mailbox - posts.

Have a great sunday. P.S: What did you get in your mailbox?