Monday, November 30, 2015

The Coal Thief by Alane Adams (with giveaway)

The Coal Thief
by Alane Adams

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Google+
Website
Blog
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
Twitter @AlaneAdamsBooks

Just released: November 17, 2015
Publisher: SparkPress
Genre: Childrens, Historical
Hardback: 32 pages
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
One morning, Georgie went into the kitchen. He poked around the potbellied stove, hoping to find a stray lump of coal.

Brrr! Georgie wakes up to a freezing morning in 1920s Pennsylvania and gets the bad news that there is no coal to heat the farmhouse—and he knows there is no money to buy more, either. Just after he finds this out, along comes his friend Harley, who drags him off on an adventure to find some mysterious “black gold.” Before Georgie can catch his breath, he’s in a pile of trouble—all the way up to his ears! Take a trip back in time and join Georgie in this heartwarming tale of mischief made and lessons learned in America’s storied past.

My two-bits:
Sweet and sentimental book that tugs at the heart.

This tale is also appropriate for the winter season as all can relate to cold weather this time of year.

About the author:
Alane Adams grew up in an old Quaker town called Whittier in Southern California. Adams attended Whittier High School and was active in every possible sport including basketball (proudly claiming the nickname Breakaway Adams!) and swimming and diving. For college, Alane attended the University of Southern California where she wanted to be an English major, but family convinced her to become an accountant to help run a family business. After spending the next few decades helping to build one of the largest recycling companies on the West Coast, Alane left the family business behind to pursue her writing career. Before launching into writing full-time, Alane began teaching full-time at a local university. Finally, the Legends of Orkney series was born when her then 12-year-old son challenged Alane to write a book he could read. She hasn't stopped writing since that day.

Alane's favorite books include any story involving folklore, fantasy and fairytales. When Alane is not writing or teaching, she is hanging out with her three boys, each who have grown up having adventures to rival those of her characters.

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--

SIGNUP (here)


~*~

* giveaway courtesy of book tour sponsored by BookSparks @booksparks


Sunday, November 29, 2015

Fathomless by Anne M. Pillsworth

Fathomless
by Anne M. Pillsworth

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Twitter @AnneMPillsworth

Just released: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Fantasy, Magic, YA
Hardback: 320 pages
Rating: 3 (DNF)

Redemption's Heir series:
Summoned
Fathomless
book 3 - tba

First sentence(s):
Arkam's Independence Day festivities had drawn thousands of souls to its harbor, including Redemption Orne, who looked for a single should of peculiar quality.

In Anne M. Pillsworth's Fathomless, Sean dips even further into his magical destiny, but will blood prove thicker than the mysteries of Innsmouth's briny depths?

Sean Wyndham has tried to stay away from the lure of magic-the last time he tried to dabble in the dark studies, he inadvertently summoned a blood familiar, wreaking havoc on his town, and calling the attention of the Elder Gods. But now Sean has been offered the chance to study magic with a proper teacher, overseen by Helen Arkwright, a friend of Sean's father and heir to ancient order of much power, who protects New England from that which lurks in the coastline's unseen depths. But will learning theory be enough, when there is a much greater magical secret hidden in Helen's vaulted library?

Accompanied by his best friend, Eddy, and their enigmatic new friend Daniel, Sean wades out deeper into mystical legend and shadow. With hints and secrets buried long in family lore, they turn to the suspicious Reverend Orne once more for assistance. But as Sean deepens his understanding of his power, a darkness is waking...


Zombie sighting:
"Yeah. I got this series idea, too. Apocalypse, but not with zombies. Zombies been run into the ground." -chapter 1, page 12

My two-bits:

Got through 100 pages, and decided not to finish. Ack! I usually try to finish review copies but with the holidays and so many books on my pile, I am going to start to be stricter with myself and not waste reading time. So, I am rating the book based on what was read so far.

Although this story has an ensemble cast of characters, I could not connect with any to keep me reading.

Despite being book 2 in the series, it worked alright as a standalone. I did not feel that I was missing anything. But maybe knowing more of the backstory from book one would have interested me enough to follow at least one of the character story lines.

The pacing was slow at the start.

~*~

* review copy courtesy of TOR


Saturday, November 28, 2015

Stacking the Shelves - 11.28.15

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

For Review:

Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye: A Novel
by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle
-Middle Grade, Paranormal
courtesy of Quirk Books -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads | WIN a copy (here)

The Coal Thief
by Alane Adams
-Children, Historical
courtesy of BookSparks -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads | WIN a copy (here) and (here)

Fathomless
(Redemption's Heir #2)
by Anne M. Pillsworth
courtesy of publisher -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Library:

The Silkworm
(Cormoran Strike #2)
by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling
-Mystery, Detective
Amazon | Goodreads

Private investigator Cormoran Strike returns in a new mystery from Robert Galbraith, author of the #1 international bestseller The Cuckoo's Calling.

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives—meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before...


=====> Listening to the audio version which I also did with book one. The narrator portrays the characters well. Reeeeally got into this series after listening to the first book in the series, The Cuckoo's Calling. Loving the main characters and their back stories.

UNBOXING:

From Owlcrate package @owlcrate (details & signup):
OwlCrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on.


Box includes:
- Soundless by Richelle Mead and bookmark
- Vampire Academy series tattoos
- Fairytale tea, Snow White from Adagio Teas
- Camp Half-Blood bracelet created by The Colorful Geek
- Castle locket necklace from The Geeky Cauldron
- Pocket mirror (dragon scales) designed by My Clockwork Castle

Soundless
by Richelle Mead
-China, Fantasy, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...



OTHER things: kinda book-related

Participating in this...

Black Friday Book Bonanza
WIN books (here)


Books on the Nightstand 2015 Holiday Gift Guide is now available. GOT mine, get your free copy (here).

Tweet #GiveaBook - For each tweet Penguin Random House will donate a book to kids in need!

AND watched: in theatre

By The Sea (2015)
Director: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt
-Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 4.5

Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner.

=====> Loved the visuals. A couple dealing with love on the rocks.

45 Years (2015)
Director: Andrew Haigh
Based on short story by: David Constantine
Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay
-Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 4.5

In the week leading up to their 45th wedding anniversary, a couple receive an unexpected letter which contains potentially life changing news.

=====> Interesting focus on elderly love. Another couple dealing with love on the rocks.

AND watched: on DVD

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Based on comic by: Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons
Starring: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson
-Action, Adventure, Comedy, Spy | imdb | my rating: 4

A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

=====> After watching the latest James Bond film, I got into the spy mood. This film had it all and was light and fun.

Dr. No (1962)
Director: Terence Young
Based on book by: Ian Fleming
Starring: Sean Connery
-Action, Adventure, Spy | imdb

A resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program.

=====> Decided to go on a James Bond binge and re-watch all films.

From Russia with Love (here)
Goldfinger (here)
Thunderball (here)
You Only Live Twice
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (here)
Diamonds Are Forever
Live and Let Die
The Man with the Golden Gun
the Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker
For Your Eyes Only
Octopussy
A View to a Kill
The Living Daylights
License to Kill
Golden Eye
Tomorrow Never Dies
The World Is Not Enough
Die Another Day
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace
Skyfall
Spectre (here)

~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers

Friday, November 27, 2015

Black Friday Book Bonanza

Black Friday Book Bonanza
Nov 27-30, 2015
hosted by BookShelfery.com and Caffeinated Book Reviewer
details and complete list (here)

~*~

Pretty Baby
by Mary Kubica
-Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

The Fever
by Megan Abbott
-Horror, Mystery, YA
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

The Good Neighbor
by A.J. Banner
-Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads| my review


WIN my review copies!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: November 30, 2015

TO DO: (2 parts)

1. COMMENT here and tell me what you are currently reading (include your email).

2. READ and comment on another post on my blog.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - (winner is here)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~

NOW, hop-along to these other sites for more goodies… (here)


THIS would be a riot to see/hear during a shopping expedition...



Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving 2015


Happy Thanksgiving!
and may the day include
a little time to gobble up a book ;-)


~*~

* image source: turkey reading

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Coal Thief by Alane Adams

The Coal Thief
by Alane Adams
-just released: November 17, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads

Brrr! Georgie wakes up to a freezing morning in 1920s Pennsylvania and gets the bad news that there is no coal to heat the farmhouse—and he knows there is no money to buy more, either. Just after he finds this out, along comes his friend Harley, who drags him off on an adventure to find some mysterious “black gold.” Before Georgie can catch his breath, he’s in a pile of trouble—all the way up to his ears! Take a trip back in time and join Georgie in this heartwarming tale of mischief made and lessons learned in America’s storied past.

About the author:
Alane Adams grew up in an old Quaker town called Whittier in Southern California. Adams attended Whittier High School and was active in every possible sport including basketball (proudly claiming the nickname Breakaway Adams!) and swimming and diving. For college, Alane attended the University of Southern California where she wanted to be an English major, but family convinced her to become an accountant to help run a family business. After spending the next few decades helping to build one of the largest recycling companies on the West Coast, Alane left the family business behind to pursue her writing career. Before launching into writing full-time, Alane began teaching full-time at a local university. Finally, the Legends of Orkney series was born when her then 12-year-old son challenged Alane to write a book he could read. She hasn't stopped writing since that day.

Alane's favorite books include any story involving folklore, fantasy and fairytales. When Alane is not writing or teaching, she is hanging out with her three boys, each who have grown up having adventures to rival those of her characters.

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Google+
Website
Blog
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
Twitter @AlaneAdamsBooks

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--

WIN a copy of this book!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: November 30, 2015

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads (here).

2. LEAVE a comment.

AND, leave your email.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - (winner is here)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~

* giveaway courtesy of book tour sponsored by BookSparks @booksparks


Monday, November 23, 2015

The Call Of Gelduur by Jack Alriksson

The Call Of Gelduur
(The Norrland Saga Book 1)
by Jack Alriksson

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Facebook

Just released: July 8, 2015
Publisher: self
Genre: Fantasy
ebook
Rating: 4

The Norrland Saga series:
The Call Of Gelduur
book 2 - tba

First sentence(s):
Gone are the days of the great Khans. Gone is the empire they held together by wisdom and sword.

Great warriors have tales because they’re dead. Ivar Skullcleaver has a saga because his sharp wits have carved him into a living legend.

Start your journey in the mysterious islands of Norrland, embark on an adorable pillaging cruise, sail bravely through a fierce storm and reach the island-kingdom of Ingorle... shipwrecked and defenseless. But don't worry, it's not that bad. Not yet. Not until the soldiers of Ingorle turn you into a slave and send you up north to defend their borders from a hidden threat that only reveals itself moments before killing the beholder in a very rude way. Now it's truly bad. So, again, don't worry. It should get better. Especially since the hidden threat strikes and...OK, that's enough for spoilers. Read the book!

SOUNDS INTERESTING, BUT WHAT DO I ACTUALLY GET?
- A delightful adventure in a fantasy world inspired by an Europe at the dawn of the Viking Age
- A story of conquest, vengeance, friendship, bravery and subtle manipulation
- Battles. An obscene amount of battles. Land battles, sea battles, sieges, duels, slaughter, a bit of torture (not much, though. The author is not very fond of it), basically every act that can be performed by upstanding pirates, cutthroats and murderers
- A war of wits. Because wars are not won simply by hurling soldiers at the enemy
- A big and happy smile on the cover, just to brighten your day :)
- Plenty of twists and unexpected turns of events that are overcome with the most powerful form of magic. The magic of the mind
- Definitely not the "you must love the hero because I've made him so unbelievably perfect and you must hate the antagonists because they're bad in such a cheap way" approach. Definitely not that. Feel free to love or hate the characters based on your own morality. Or lack of.
- A bit of humor and a lighthearted story. Just because the characters are busy slaughtering each other doesn't mean the tone of the novel has to be dead serious.

HURR-DURR!

You mean "I'm still unconvinced"? Then buy it "ironically". In fact, buy it "ironically" for everyone you know. There's your chance to make a change! Fight for your beliefs! Come the revolution and all that.


My two-bits:

From the get go it there is action and fight scenes galore. At first, I wasn't sure what was going on as in the reason for the battles but the reading eased me along. Some the interactions were amusing with dialogue that caused a chuckle or two.

This is one of those stories that chugs and pulls you along for no good reason except for adventuring in the olden time.

About the author:
Jack Alriksson is the famous writer of the even-more-famous-yet-unknown The Norrland Saga, a series currently consisting of one book. Because he is a lazybones and won't finish the second one. Besides, he's also working on a series of books for children, since a frightening hulk who writes about bloody Viking-inspired warriors is the perfect man for job - or so he thinks. And people let him think that, 'cause, as stated previously, he's big and scary.

Seriously speaking (even though he hardly does that), Jack practices the black art of satire journalism every now and then and is a staunch believer in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Except for when he believes in Pizza and Beer.

~*~

* review copy courtesy of author


Saturday, November 21, 2015

Stacking the Shelves - 11.21.15

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Bought:

Winter
(The Lunar Chronicles #4)
by Marissa Meyer
-Fantasy, YA
Amazon | Goodreads -signup for current giveaway

=====> Books Inc. of Opera Plaza, San Francisco presented MARISSA MEYER and her latest book!

Here are a few things that she shared:

- loves fairy tales which started with Disney's The Little Mermaid
- instead of reading from Winter, she recited the Grimm's version of Snow White
- would love to see action figures made for the series and see the creation of Cinder on Ice!
- Thorn character was the most fun to write

AND presenting Megan as Princess Winter...



ALSO, was treated to...

=====> My second time to see and hear DAVID SEDARIS live! The way he presents his observations through his writing and speaking engagements are a riot!

Here are a few things that he shared:

- cute in his culottes
- read two of his recent New Yorker magazine essays
- read clips from a new book he is working on which is a compilation of his diary entries that date back to the 90's


UNBOXING:

From Uppercase package (details & signup):
A hand-selected young adult book & fun bookish item, delivered monthly #UppercaseBox


MONTH Box includes:
- Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
- Signed bookplate from Ryan Graudin
- Wolf by Wolf pin
- Oscar Wilde print by Risa Rodil (Uppercase-exclusive)
- Certified Book Addict (cat and books) keychain by PeachyApricot (Uppercase-exclusive)

Wolf by Wolf
by Ryan Graudin
Amazon | Goodreads

Her story begins on a train.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, they host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The prize? An audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele's twin brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and stay true to her mission?


Freebies: from library

Crewel
(Crewel World Book 1)
by Gennifer Albin
-Dystopia, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

The Jewel
(Jewel Series Book 1)
by Amy Ewing
-Dystopia, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

Shatter Me
by Tahereh Mafi
-Dystopia, YA
Amazon | Goodreads


Prize winner:

THANKS to BookSparks for this Halloween Book Bag prize!

Blood Orchids (Lei Crime #1)by Toby Neal | Goodreads
The Fever by Megan Abbott | Goodreads
The Good Neighbor by A.J. Banner | Goodreads
Ghosting by Edith Pattou | Goodreads
Hell or High Water (Nola Cespedes Mysteries, #1) by Joy Castro | Goodreads
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter | Goodreads

OTHER things on my shelf: kinda book-related

Magazines:

Little White Lies
Truth & Movies
September/October issue
-for film news | Website
=====> Love the layout and presentation of this film related magazine. This issue has a focus on Guillermo del Toro and his latest movie, Crimson Peak.

AND watched: in theatre

Spectre
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig
-Action, Adventure, Thriller | imdb | list | My rating: 5

A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

=====> Loved the opening sequence set in Mexico during the Dia de los muertos - Bond doing his Bond thing rocks throughout. And, loved his latest love ;-)

THESE are part of the San Francisco Film Society - Hong Kong film festival (here).

To The Fore (2015)
"Po feng" (original title)
Director: Dante Lam
Starring: Eddie Peng, Si Won Choi, Shawn Dou
-Drama, Sport | imdb
My rating: 4
Dante Lam’s (Unbeatable, Beast Stalker) latest film is an epic sports drama that captures the visceral intensity, speed and tactics of world-class competitive cycling. With twists and turns both literal and figurative, and relying on its stellar cast, the film centers on three cyclists, Ji-won (Choi Si-won), Ming (Eddie Peng) and Tian (Shawn Dou), and spins an exciting story about the rivalries, friendships and moral hazards that accompany pedaling one’s way to the top.
=====> CUTE soap opera sentimental vibe. Got some viewpoints of the cycling scene.

Two Thumbs Up (2015)
"Chung fung che" (original title)
Director: Ho Leung Lau
Starring: Francis Ng, Simon Yam, Leo Ku
-Action, Drama | imdb
My rating: 5
In a throwback nod to the golden years of wonderfully goofy action films that has so often marked Hong Kong filmmaking, Two Thumbs Up follows four lovable losers intent on pulling off the (im)perfect heist. The bumbling gangsters decide to disguise a minibus as a police vehicle, intending to use it to pull over and rob trucks that carry human carcasses stuffed with cash. Everything that could go wrong (and even some things that couldn’t) does, including the introduction of a ruthless rival gang that happened to have the same idea and is competing with our “heroes” for the cash. Writer/director Lau Ho-leung’s directorial debut is crackling with a frenetic pace and hilarious situations, a truly fun film that is a wish fulfilled for lovers of 1980s and '90s Hong Kong pulp.
=====> FUN with plenty of chuckles and fantastical happenings that climax to a fit of laughter!

Monster Hunt (2015)
Director: Raman Hui
Story by: Alan Yuen
Starring: Baihe Bai, Boran Jing, Wu Jiang
-Action, Comedy, Fantasy | imdb
My rating: 5
China's #1 Box Office Hit of All Time
Former Bay Area animator Raman Hui directed this box office–busting tale about a broken truce between the human and monster worlds. Blending brilliant live action with expertly rendered CGI, the action-packed and hilarious fantasy adventure is based on the idea that humans have forgotten the real existence of beasts and ogres. However, when a coup erupts within the monster world, forcing their queen to hide within the human world, the long-separate realms collide with comic fury.

=====> WOW - really enjoyed this blend of martial arts action, live animation with humans and cute monsters.

Wuba could be the next big thing in the US...


~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers


 
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