November 2012
1 post
April 2012
2 posts
Announcement: We're Taking A Break
Hi guys! You may have noticed that there has been a severe lack of anything going on over here lately. We had a total of 4 posts in March and that really sucks. Unfortunately, between school and work and thesis stuff and wedding planning something’s gotta give, and that thing is our beloved blog.
Not only are we not writing, I’m barely reading either. My poor brain has no power left...
The Speculative Fiction Challenge: April Link Up
This is where you can link up your reviews, discussions and other Speculative Fiction type links. You must have already signed up as a participant in the 2012 Speculative Fiction Challenge to add your links and have your books counted towards your challenge goal. You can sign up until November 31st.
Feel free to add posts other than reviews (discussions, author guest posts or interviews and the...
March 2012
5 posts
Bloggiesta! Mini Challenge: How to put Social...
Social media is one of the best, easiest and funnest ways to promote your blog and those awesome posts you spend so much time writing. But why go through all that effort creating those accounts, and using them, if no one knows they exist? Our bloggiesta mini challenge for you is:
Put your social media links in your sidebar!
Here’s how:
1) Go search and hunt down some social media icons...
Book Bloggers & Publishers Online Conference
Last year I randomly stumbled across an event that turned out to be the best idea ever: The Book Bloggers and Publishers Online Conference.
Our blog was only 5 months old and I learnt SO much from this online event. The legal stuff, how to talk to big fancy (scary) publishers, how to make your blog so much better, it’s all here.
There are forums to help you answer any possible question and...
2 tags
Me, Earl and the Dying Girl: Jesse Andrews
Greg Gaines has been purposely spending his life on the edges of high school, dipping in and out of each and every social group. When his mother declares that he must spend time with a dying girl, Rachel, Greg is highly unimpressed. But as their friendship grows, Greg and his best friend Earl try to make her days suck less with one of their (not so) famous films.
This is a great book. Simple,...
The Speculative Fiction Challenge: March Link Up
This is where you can link up your reviews, discussions and other Speculative Fiction type links. You must have already signed up as a participant in the 2012 Speculative Fiction Challenge to add your links and have your books counted towards your challenge goal. You can sign up until November 31st.
Each month we will select one or two books to be highlighted as our challenge recommendations to...
Bloggiesta!
Last year I missed this awesome event but this year (even though I have no time at all), I’m signing up to participate in Bloggiesta, a kick ass blogathon. I’m going to try and spend at least a couple of hours each day working on those things I’ve been avoiding… like our review archive *yuk*.
It’s time! Do you plan to fiesta with us the weekend of March 30, 31...
February 2012
14 posts
Guest Post: Character Backstage with AT Audot...
Hi guys! We have a special treat today, Chrysoula Tzavelas has been awesome and sent us this great guest post as part of the Matchbox Girls tour. Look out for my review on Friday and be sure to check out all the stops to make sure you don’t miss anything!
Today’s interviewer at Character Backstage is AT Audot. In-story, she plays the role of “newfound ally.” She’s interviewing...
The NetGalley Review-a-thon: Go!
It’s Friday! Some of you may have been reviewing away already, but I managed to double book myself with the awesome Love-A-Thon so I’ll be starting bright and early tomorrow morning.
The review-a-thon has only one rule: REVIEW. Make a post with your goal, list the books you review as you go along (you don’t have to post them yet), and feel the relief of a bunch of books...
Mini Challenges!
#2 - New (to me) Bloggers!
I’m being pretty vague with the term ‘new’ here. If I’ve only recently (let’s say past 3 months) found a blog, I’ll count it as new. I generally find my new blogs from twitter so make sure to follow these guys on there too!
Completely Booksessed @TheJennJenn - A super awesome blogger who offered to attempt A Game of Thrones...
My Book Blogging Inspirations
I started to write this post with a whole long monologue about why I started blogging and which blogs I found first and all that, and then my computer decided it was time to restart and it’s all disappeared. It’s probably better for you guys though because now I can just jump into the actual point of this post, giving a shout out and saying thank you to those bloggers who made me...
6 tags
Under the Never Sky: Veronica Rossi
Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she’s never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim. Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s searching for someone too. He’s also wild...
Book Club: The Tiger's Wife, Chapters 1 through 4
So far I am loving this book. It feels like taking a step into something magical. As Natalia looks into her Grandfather’s life I feel like I’m making much more of a connection to her than I was at first. She seemed a bit cold and distant but through her Grandfather’s stories more of her personality is coming through. Most of all, I’m enjoying how the chapters are set up...
Sunday Salon: NetGalley Review-A-Thon
I’ve been mumbling and grumbling for months now about how I’m always behind with my reviews. I’m getting much better at actually squishing out time to read what I have for review, only asking for and accepting review books I’m itching to read and restraining myself from going request crazy on NetGalley and Edelweiss.
And while I haven’t read everything I’m...
Neverwhere: Neil Gaiman
In the tradition of Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, the reader is transported into another reality where the only way to survive to give up all we know and accept the realm of the seemingly impossible.
In London, Richard Mayhew is just an average guy, who is about to marry a beautiful woman, Jessica. One night, against his fiance’s wishes, he stops to help poor girl in tatters who...
Book Blogger Love-A-Thon
I’m posting this partly so I don’t forget that I’m excited to participate (I hate when that happens!) and partly so you guys can all run over and sign up to share the love. Katelyn over at Tales of Books and Band’s is determined to share some bloggy love over this Valentines, and I’m more that happy to join in!
Details from her post:
What is a Love-A-Thon, you may...
Our February YA Speculative Fiction Recommendation...
Every month we post one or two books that we feel are so good, everyone should try them as part of the 2012 Speculative Fiction Challenge.
Kris picked this month’s YA and it’s the first in a series that has captivated readers.
Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting...
4 tags
Lord of Light: Roger Zelanzy
Award winning American writer Roger Joseph Zelazny was known to snatch up existing mythologies for his own purposes. This one was no exception to the rule. Lord of Light was awarded the Hugo award for best novel in 1968 and apparently nominated for the Nebula for the same reason. It is also part of the SF Masterworks series, whose aim it was bring important books like this back into print. And if...
The Speculative Fiction Challenge: February Link...
This is where you can link up your reviews, discussions and other Speculative Fiction type links. You must have already signed up as a participant in the 2012 Speculative Fiction Challenge to add your links and have your books counted towards your challenge goal. You can sign up until November 31st.
Each month we will select one or two books to be highlighted as our challenge recommendations to...
Game of Thrones Announcement(s)
So if you’re participating in our Game of Thrones readalong, you may have noticed that Kwame’s final readalong post has yet failed to appear. It will be coming up this weekend, he’s finished but sick.
I, however, am nowhere near finished. In fact, I think I’m back at update two someplace. That was kind of a fail. So what we’re going to do is…
Sunday:...
NetGalley January Wrap Up
January is over and done with, which is kind of scary. That means that it’s time for some wrapping up!
I had 9 books on my list and read 2 of them before January had started, 2 others actually in January and 2 that weren’t on the list at all. My total number of books read in January is: 7. So more than half were from NetGalley which sounds nifty.
NetGalley books read:
The...
January 2012
21 posts
4 tags
Weekend Cooking with The Baker's Daughter by Sarah...
I was going write up my review with this post but I only finished late last night and this book was so, so good that I need a couple of days to ponder before reviewing. So instead, you guys get some weekend yumminess!
As one would expect in a book with ‘baker’ in the title, baking plays a central role in this book. It’s what brings characters together and, after much teasing,...
Adventures In Letters: The Tigers Wife (Book Club...
“In a Balkan country mending from war, Natalia, a young doctor, is compelled to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. Searching for clues, she turns to his worn copy of The Jungle Book and the stories he told her of his encounters over the years with “the deathless man.” But most extraordinary of all is the story her grandfather never told...
The Fallback Plan: Leigh Stein
The Fallback Plan was a weird, but enjoyable, novel. I could even say it was weirdly enjoyable but then you might look at me funny.
I spent a great part of this book under the impression that it was autobiographical, which seemed odd because the protagonist and authors names were different and I, personally, would not being sharing all this stuff with the world. I guess it’s because the...
2 tags
A Game of Thrones: Update Three
SPOILERS AHEAD!
The crap has finally hit the fan; Cersei has sealed her place in the villainous hall of fame, Joffrey becomes king after Robert’s death, and Ned’s honor has gotten a bunch of people killed and himself relegated to the dungeons (it didn’t help that Sansa ran crying to the queen).
Tyrion proves himself once again to be a cunning little fellow, with the gift of...
Anansi Boys: Neil Gaiman
“IT BEGINS, AS MOST THINGS BEGIN, WITH A SONG.”
Krick…Krack…two simple words that open up a doorway, allowing the listener/reader to step into another realm full of possibilities. These two seemingly innocuous words have preceded every Anansi story I’ve ever heard… except this one. Gaiman begins this tale with a song. At least, he begins it by discussing the importance of songs.
Fat...
TSS: Being A Busy Bee
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last TSS update. What’s been happening? A lot. My life in bullet points for your reading convenience:
- I’m working full time now (yay!) and we are looking for somewhere to move too soon (and may have found a place!).
- My *final semester* of ungraduateness starts on Monday so I’ll be working away at my thesis again, like I was...
Everneath: Brodi Ashton
Six months ago, Nikki disappeared. A hundred years later, she returns. But she only has 6 months to spend with her boyfriend, Jack, and her family before she will either be dragged into the tunnels by some seriously creepy creepers or forced to spend the rest of her life with Cole, the Everliving that got her into this mess in the first place.
Everneath is one of those books that starts in the...
Bossypants: Tina Fey
The one word summary: Hilarious.
While I kind of want to just leave this review at that… I don’t think I can get away with it.
Bossypants is a wonderful collection of… essays I guess is the best term. Essays which come off almost as one person mini skit things. Tina Fey shares stories from her random and amazing (but somehow totally normal) life.
I enjoyed following her rise of badassness from...
Game of Thrones Readalong: Update Two
**************SPOILER WARNING************
This post is part of an ongoing readalong and contains spoilers for A Game of Thrones. Stop reading now if you don’t want to know what happens!
**************SPOILER WARNING************
So that last section had a whole bunch of crazy stuff going on. Having finally accepted that his predecessor must have been murdered, Ned is playing detective...
The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
I was first introduced to the works of Neil Gaiman when a fellow bibliophile gave me a copy of Anansi Boys for Christmas some years ago. At the time, I think it was too weird for me. However, since then I have become a Gaiman fan. So far I have read Neverwhere, American Gods, The Graveyard Book, a couple of stories from Fragile Things, and my favorite, Good Omens (which he co-authored with Terry...
2 tags
Game of Thrones Readalong: Update One
It’s Sunday and that means that it’s time for our first Game of Thrones readalong update! This event is hosted alongside Jenn from Booksessed and if you have no idea what we’re talking about, you can check out the sign up post.
So far you should have read to page 189. Pat yourself on the back for getting a quarter way through this behemoth of a book!
Lisa: I haven’t...
TSS & Weekend Cooking Mashup: Traveling and Food
2012 is off to a great start! We’re currently in Trinidad, which I LOVE. Seriously, best island ever. This means that I haven’t finished a book for the year yet and I’m actually OK with this relaxed reading pace. I’m halfway through two books and neither of them were for review. 2012, you are my friend.
So, what’s been happening this week:
We’ve started a...
Forgotten Souls: Tiffany King
Forgotten Souls is the second book in The Saving Angels series. This review may contain minor spoilers from the first book, Meant to Be (my review of Meant to Be).
I’ve had a lot of trouble figuring out what to say in this review. Sometimes it’s like that, a book is just so right that it becomes almost impossible to pinpoint what I liked and loved and what didn’t work. I think in this case,...
All I Want Is You: Sherrill Bodine
Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O’Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood-and the man who helped ruin...
Busting the Newbie Blues: All Grown Up
I’m so happy to see this event popping up in my feed again! I participated in Busting the Newbie Blues last December when then blog was only a month old. A year later, I’m really happy with how far we’ve gotten and looking forward to what’s next! This time around, I’ll be filling out the ‘established bloggers’ questionnaire.
If you’d like, you...
5 tags
Our January YA Speculative Fiction Recommendation...
Every month we post one or two books that we feel are so good, everyone should try them as part of the 2012 Speculative Fiction Challenge.
I feel like you guys should have seen this coming. I LOVED Cinder.
“Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one...
And the winner is....
The winner of a copy of the Cinder audiobook, written by Marissa Meyer and donated by the publisher (Macmillian Audio) is….
Cialina over at Muggle-Born.net
Congratulations Cialina! You have 48 hours to respond to my email before we choose a new winner.
1 tag
Announcing the Adventures In Letters Book Club
This is something we’ve wanted to do for a reallllllly long time. Almost since the very beginning of the blog a year and an oomph ago. So here we are, finally, announcing the creation of the Adventures In Letters Book Club.
Here’s the dealio. I’ve made a facebook group where we will be posting polls to help choose upcoming books. You can link up and chat there if you’d...
May B: Caroline Starr Rose
If I had to choose one word to summarise May B it would be brave. The character, her actions and even the chosen writing style: all brave and bold and perfect. I loved the lyrical rhythm of the verse and how it contrasted so perfectly with May’s own problems with reading. I loved how vividly the author managed to create the barren and harsh landscape with so few words. Barely anything was...
TSS: Looking Back and Ahead
It’s officially 2012. I’m typing this while waiting for the sun to rise (it’s taking it’s gosh darned time too!) and listening to the roosters freak out. 2011 was an interesting year but it’s over now and I can finally share my ‘best of’ list! I was going to choose 11 because it sounds good but I’ve ended up with 16 books on my list.
...
The Speculative Fiction Challenge: January Link Up
This is where you can link up your reviews, discussions and other Speculative Fiction type links. You must have already signed up as a participant in the 2012 Speculative Fiction Challenge to add your links and have your books counted towards your challenge goal. You can sign up until November 31st.
Each month we will select one or two books to be highlighted as our challenge recommendations to...
December 2011
20 posts
Best I Didn't Review
While I’m still reading and won’t be posting my ‘Best Books of 2011’ until next week (just in case something awesome appears!) I figure I’m pretty safe sharing these books with you all. 2011 has been the year of the YA novel for me. Sometimes I read something and have just seen so many reviews for it already, it feels kind of silly and unnecessary to add my voice to...
Readathoning
I have reached my goal of 150 books in 2011, and K didn’t have a goal other than ‘read books’, but we are still going to be participating in this readathon hosted by Squeaky Books. My mum and sister have invaded so we’ll see how much reading is actually accomplished but we’ll give it a shot!
Lisa’s reading list:
Enclave
Legend
Paris, My Sweet
Graffiti...
2012 Goals
This is the first year ever that I’ve actually had a list of goals to look back and see if I’ve accomplished! I love having that reference, even if I didn’t actually finish most of them.
Looking Back (2011 Goals):
3 reviews a week, one of which should probably be an audiobook.
To actively comment and participate in others discussions.
To read a wider variety of things.
To...
Minis: Salvage the Bones, Next to Love, The Broken...
This was a weird book. It was good… but I’m not sure I liked it and I think it had a lot to do with the dogs (don’t read this if you are really sensitive about what happens to animals in books). I almost stopped reading a half dozen times, which is impressive for a book that doesn’t hit 300 pages. The writing is amazing. The plot was well put together. But what made this...
4 tags
Minis: Turn of Mind, Children of Paranoia,...
Warning: A ton of mini reviews will be comin’ atcha this week. I’m trying to get through some of the backlog of reviews before the new year. After that I’ll just be writing the unwritten ones off as ‘oh wells’ (obviously not including late December/January pub dates). I read these three books when I went to Canada in August… so that’s kind of how far...
Merry Christmas!
We are going to take a couple of days to chill out and enjoy the holidays. We’ll be back on Tuesday with a week of mini reviews to clear out the waiting-for-review lists before the new year! Until then, enjoy whatever it is that you are doing this weekend!
Lisa, Kwame & Kris.
P.S. - You can buy this card {here}.
NetGalley January
It’s that time again. Emily over at Red House Books has officially declared January to be NetGalley month. This is the third (maybe fourth?) of these months and each one has kicked my butt into gear and offered that little extra incentive that we all sometimes need to do the things that should be done.
I’m actually doing really well with my NetGalley books lately. I’m being...
