Nikola's Book Blog

The Hunger Games Trailer RELEASED!

2011-11-14T23:04:00.000-08:00

As you may know, I am not the one usually to post news articles on the website. I usually do with book reviews, author interviews, giveaways and the such. This, however, I am too excited about not to share. After being titillated with a very bare-bones teaser for a while now, fans of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games (including me - check out my review of the novel here) get to finally see Katniss in action!

This makes me even more excited about the movie. It seems like March cannot come fast enough! Until then, for all of you who have not yet read this exciting novel, Amazon is offering it at a low price of $5.39 for the paperback and $4.69 for the Kindle.

WWW Wednesdays #1

2011-11-09T00:27:00.000-08:00

This is my first time participating in the charming WWW Wednesdays meme, hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading! The meme consists of answering three fun questions.

What are you currently reading?

I am in between books at the moment, but am trying out the romance novel Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels. Good news - it is a free ebook, available on Amazon! I am only a couple pages in, but so far so good!

What did you recently finished reading?

I have recently finished (and reviewed!) two very different books. The first one is a novella by JL Merrow novella entitled Muscling Through, a very juicy and heartwarming romance. The other one is one of my favorite reads this year, Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. (click on the titles for my reviews!)

What do you think you'll read next?

In all honesty, I am not entirely sure. My TBR pile is not very big right now, but I might tackle actor Rupert Everett's autobiography entitled Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins. Nothing is set in stone, though!

Review: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

2011-11-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

Oh Gregory Maguire, how exhausted you left me after reading your book! Here I am, excited to finally read your ultra-bestselling novel-turned-pop-culture-phenomenon Wicked, and you give me frustration, tiredness and sheer brilliance! Why, oh why do you take yourself so seriously?

Don't get me wrong, fellow book lovers: if you don't know what book to read next, make sure Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is at least one of your options. Come to think of it, go buy it right now and read it already. There is no escaping it. Not only have I for years obsessed over the marvelous soundtrack the Broadway adaptation of this book has spawned (as if it were not enough that Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, two biggest Broadway divas of our time united as Elphaba and Glinda, the incomparable Joel Grey plays the Wizard!), but now that I have read the book, I feel I will never not think about it. It's one of those works of fiction that stay with you, for better or for worse.

Which isn't to say reading it was easy.

For Wicked, Maguire re-imagines the Oz we thought we knew from the original L. Frank Baum novels and, I would argue even more importantly, from the 1939 Judy Garland film of the same name. The book serves both as a prequel and a parallel story of the Wicked Witch of the West, here named Elphaba, and her life up to that legendary moment when she met Dorothy Gale of Kansas.

Ostracized from birth because of the unpleasant color of her skin, it turns out that Elphaba was a quiet and smart girl with a strong sense of morality and social justice, which made her the perfect enemy of the tyrannical Wizard. The book follows her childhood, university years, days of activism in the Emerald City and, finally, her growing into the fearful Wicked Witch. The cast of secondary characters is extensive, but arguably the two most important characters are Glinda, Elphaba's roommate at college and the first person Dorothy meets after her crash landing in Oz, as well as Nessarose, Elphaba's handicapped-yet-popular sister, who will be the first victim of the intruder from Kansas.

Since its publication in 1995, Wicked has been talked about everywhere, and now that I've read it, I testify that indeed, it is a must-read. The immaculately written 400 pages of the political, sexual and personal circumstances of some of the most influential characters of today's popular culture are all present in this modern classic of extraordinary quality. The book is deeply political, as it investigates the notions of patriarchy, dictatorship, gender (in)equality and, most importantly, evil. Maguire obviously loves language, and Wicked is a book that encourages the reader to lose him or herself in the beautiful and harsh narrative about the life of Elphaba.

And what a character she is! To turn one of the 20th century's most feared villains into a protagonist nobody will be able to help cheer for is not a small feat. Elphaba embodies all the pains of being human, and it is the negotiation of her 'wickedness' that is the main focus of the novel. She is a literary character that will soon become legendary.

All this said, Wicked is often a frustrating book to read. There are simply too many details, plot lines and characters for a casual reader to follow. Chasing the answers may prove to be too exhausting for some readers, as Maguire does not allow the plots to end too neatly. There are many answers that are merely hinted at, while some are open to the interpretation even after the book ends. I was personally delighted by this decision, but am certain many people will resent Maguire for this reason. The book does take itself a little too seriously. I can imagine some people might find it off-putting, but it is a great piece of fiction, nevertheless!

No one mourns the wicked.

RATING: 5/5

Review: Muscling Through by JL Merrow

2011-11-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

I must admit that I have lately been obsessed with the romance genre, and for more reasons than one. Firstly, I believe it takes a skillful writer to successfully write a satisfying romance, particularly with all the constraints such a formulaic genre imposes. Think about it - with all these rules about what a romance novel is (and make no mistake, the publishers will only publish the stories that meet very strict criteria), how does an author make the story their own? Do you dare attempt making it original?

On a surface level, JL Merrow's novella entitled Muscling Through seems straight out of a romance novel tutorial. The two protagonists are polar opposites; their romance is unconventional; every single external conflict in the story is a result of misunderstandings.

The story is narrated by Al, a rough and somewhat dimwitted ex-boxer, laboring his life away for London tourists. One night, he meets Larry Morton, a university professor, with whom he strikes up an affair. Obviously, the affair turns into eternal love, but not without a complication or two, usually involving their very different backgrounds, communication skills and some painting, of all things.

I am happy to report that Muscling Through may just be the most charming romance I have ever read. Al is such an endearing protagonist - one can't help but root for this big softy of a man. I was not very fond of Larry, however - and I thought that more characterization would have proven beneficial in his case. However, this is a novella - and in the span of about a hundred and fifty pages, a romance afficionado certainly gets plenty of these delicious men.

Muscling Through is, in my opinion, particularly recommendable for first time readers of romance, and especially gay romance. It is short and compact and, despite its minor problems, it contains all the elements that a m/m romance should. There is the wonderful protagonist, an interesting (but realistic!) plot, and the sizzling scenes of intimacy that never feel pornographic. The cast of secondary characters is especially good. This reader was also surprised by the subtle commentaries of the (silent) class system that these characters need to overcome. Muscling Through is definitely a recommended read!

RATING: 4/5

In My Mailbox/USA Vlog

2011-11-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

Dear bloggers, readers and the like,

I am happy to post this vlog (my third vlog ever!) after settling in my new American existence and getting ready to continue working on my book blog - writing about authors, books and other finer things in life.

As I mention in my blog, I got to go to a final sale at a Borders store, which was both sad and exciting (great discounts, y'all!). Also, I have discovered the amazing website called ABEbooks, where one can shop hundreds of used bookstores and get books for ridiculously friendly prices.

Finally, here is some of the stuff I've mentioned.

Review: A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice

2011-08-10T06:49:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows about Anne Rice. Dubbed the "vampire queen", she is the author of so many popular vampire books, including Interview with the Vampire (which, in turn, was made into a splendid film starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise). Everybody knows this. What not too many people know is that Anne Rice has a son, Christopher, and that he is also an author, and a fine one at that. I've seen him praised all around the internet and couldn't wait to get my hands on one of his novels for the longest time. Now that I have, I am pleased to report that the results are beyond amazing.

Rice's debut novel, A Density of Souls (one of the most poetic titles I've come across lately), is a competent, mind-blowing novel that makes me want to read his other stuff as soon as possible. The complex, multi-layered story follows four childhood friends/enemies through their adolescence and young adulthood. Stephen is the shy, gay boy, the book's protagonist, whose life is threatened more than once in the book. Brandon is the popular bully, Greg is the enigmatic weak link and Meredith is the auto-destructive, sensitive girl. The story takes the form of a thriller, with a mystery at its center. The mystery is slowly revealed and it masterfully includes all of the book's many characters.

There is a strong sense of community in the book. The lush setting of New Orleans comes to life with some of the best atmosphere I've ever read in a book. Rice grew up there and he borrows from his life throughout the book. The story has a real, grounded feel to it. There are many people who play a role in the book's plot and sometimes it seems overwhelming. The only thing I disliked about A Density of Souls was that it sometimes got too dense. The character of Stephen mother, for example, works completely when it comes to Stephen's story, but Rice doesn't back away from telling her back story as well, which I found a little irrelevant. Luckily, the book is snappish and doesn't dwell on unimportant plot lines too much.

All in all, A Density of Souls is a splendid debut novel, one which truly makes me lust for more. Christopher Rice is definitely an author to look out for!

RATING: 4/5

Review: Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

2011-08-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

Annie Proulx is a writer that I've wanted to read for quite some time, especially because of Brokeback Mountain - a movie that I liked very much (honestly, less then some other people I know, who were pretty much obsessed with it). Anybody who's seen the movie knows that it's more about the cinematography, the acting and the fabulous chemistry between the main actors, than it's about the (very basic) story. And it's exactly the same with the literary source as well.

Proulx's Brokeback Mountain is a novella. A short story, even. The story of two lonesome cowboys whose awkward love affair on the titular mountain leads them to question their very fiber is about 50 pages long. Packed in these 50 pages is more character development than I've seen in some 400-hundred page novels. The story is driven by these vibrant characters, particularly Ennis del Mar, the more "butch" of the two (played in the film by the incomparable Heath Ledger). He is the perfect embodiment of an all-male American testosterone no-nonsense kind of person, his main conflict within the book's realm being the feelings he is forced to juggle.

In all honesty, I enjoyed the movie more. I felt as if the themes and the symbols the book only hints at did not have the space to breathe and develop - mainly the titular mountain, the symbol of Renaissance-like lack of society pastoral environment, which is in sharp contrast with the "town" and all that comes with it. And although I would always choose the movie before reading Brokeback Mountain again, this is a masterfully written novella that should speak to a large readership.

RATING: 4/5

The movie version of Brokeback Mountain on DVD is on sale at Amazon.com, a fantastic bargain for this modern classic. Get it there!

Review: Raziel by Kristina Douglas

2011-07-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

Vampires are all the rage, obviously, and lately angels have also been the talk of the book-lovin' people everywhere. Kristina Douglas (which is, in fact, a pen-name for the bestselling author Anne Stuart) has decided to mix it all up and thus, we have Raziel, the first installment in the Fallen series. Be very excited about this.

Allie is a spunky New Yorker who soon after the first couple of pages finds herself hit by a bus, and well, dead. In charge of her journey from the world of the living to that of the dead is the hunky fallen angel, Raziel. For him, this is a routine task. However, something goes terribly wrong and not only is Allie denied her rest, she gets involved in a terrifying plot of heavenly proportions.

First of all, Raziel is an incredibly fun book to read. This was something that I really did not expect, as both the cover and the first couple of pages seemed really pretentious. However, Allie is possibly my favorite type of heroine: witty, sarcastic and just enough of a spaz to be considered totally lovable. In fact, her narration often reminded me of that of Queen Betsy, the protagonist of MaryJanice Davidson's Undead and Unwed, which was a very fun read as well.

Allie's narration makes up only half of the book, however, as Raziel gets to weigh in from his point of view. Now, this was just amazing. Too often the author gets too caught up in only the protagonist, which then leads to all the other characters becoming two-dimensional. The titular character is just as great and well fleshed-out as Allie. Narration was generally the best part of the novel (although I could have done without certain chapters dedicated to the POV of more minor characters), and the banter between Allie and Raziel often made me giggle.

As for the story itself, I really loved the skillful mix of romance and action. In fact, Douglas' universe is way more complex and intriguing than I expected it to be, and there are some great twists in the plot. That being said, the main plot twist did not really work with me, as it relied on solely withholding information from the reader - the hints were few and far in between, and the final denoument generally felt a bit anti-climactic.

I cannot really take off too many points for this, since this is mainly a romance novel. And the romance in it is really something - instead of coming from cliches or convoluted situations, the author really exploited the characters' traits and their story really felt genuine and, ultimately, satisfying. It should be noted that there is quite a number of steamy scenes in the book, but they are all executed uniformly well and are basically the stuff that (certain) dreams are made of.

To anyone who likes romance and/or paranormal - get your hands all over Raziel. There is quite a lot to satisfy both types of fans. I especially liked the various pop references - Allie's narration allows shout outs to everything from Buffy to Shakespeare. This is truly a satisfying, sexy summer read.

RATING: 4/5

Giveaway Winner: Ex-Girlfriends United

2011-07-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

With a little help from RANDOM.org (seriously, a life-saver for book bloggers everywhere), I now give you the winner of Matt Dunn's Ex-Girlfriends United, courtesy of Sourcebooks!

Drum roll, please... Here's what RANDOM.org had to say about this.

Congratulations, Sarah! I will email you right now and as soon as I have your postal address, I will forward it to Sourcebooks. Enjoy the book!

Review: Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo

2011-06-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

A book that never really grabs you by the throat, but definitely leaves scratch marks after you're done reading it. A book that never really feels like a wonderful, interesting read, but nevertheless, you feel like you're gaining so much for simply reading it. A book that to some people felt like 9/11 premonition. Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis.

The story is easy. Set in one day, it follows a rogue capitalist, Eric Packer, on an Odyssey around New York City. He spends most of the book in his limousine, which serves as his office, his medical examination room and his house. He meets a variety of characters, including his associates, his doctor, his wife and his lover, none of which are very interesting. He witnesses a protest. He contemplates about linguistics, literature and the modern world. And then the ending happens.

To those interested in plot lines, fascinating characters and emotional roller-coasters that many novels offer, stay away from Cosmopolis. It lacks a natural plot, the characters are even less than archetypes and the whole experience is decidedly frigid. On the other hand, if musings about the nature of space and time are your thing, if you think you'd enjoy a clever rant on the philosophy of capitalism disguised within capitalism itself, then by all means get this book.

I certainly appreciated the many things Cosmopolis had to offer. The nature of language that DeLillo talks about, for example, rang completely true for me. Why use the word 'skyscraper', he muses, if the very notion of a skyscraper is that of another time. The word should retire, just as taller buildings have made skyscrapers obsolete. It's similar with society, he implies. A simple ride to the barbershop, something that seems so obviously quaint in the universe of Cosmopolis, must end tragically, as it is definitely a thing of the past. The vision of the world in Cosmopolis is far from peachy.

I could never honestly recommend this book to anyone, but I do recommend you try and read it for what it's worth. And if you like it, if you see yourself responding to the massive ideas that DeLillo throws your way, Cosmopolis is a great place to start exploring such concepts as hyper reality, chaos theory, creation of space, rogue capitalism, etc.

Plus, there is a Robert Pattinson movie adaptation in the works.

RATING: 3/5

Teaser Tuesday #8

2011-06-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by MizB at ShouldBeReading.

Here are her instructions:
Grab your current read, turn it to a random page and share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Make sure that what you share does not give too much away. You don't want to ruin the book for others! Share the title and the author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like the teaser.

I'm reading another romance novel, and the one I've been wanting to read for quite some time. So far, I really like it. The book in question is Raziel, book one of Kristina Douglas' The Fallen series. I'm sure you've at least seen the yummy cover! Anyway, here's a little sample of the relationship between the macho alpha male and the spunky heroine:

Asshole. He knew I didn't have much to fight back with. Little did he know that I'd always been wickedly inventive. Maybe that was why I'd been sent to hell. Hands sliding down my body, beautiful hands, his mouth following, on my breast, sucking...

"Stop it!" he said with complete horror, pushing away from me as if burned by the sultry image in my brain.

I smiled sweetly. "I've got a hell of an imagination, Raziel," I sadid, calling him by name for the first time. "Stay out of my head or prepare to be thoroughly embarassed."

Review coming soon!

Help needed!

2011-06-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow bloggers, book lovers and readers, I have a big favor to ask from you. I don't know whether you have ever heard of Empire Magazine, but it is the biggest movie magazine in the world (at least to my knowledge); the Vogue of movies. The latest copy, as some of you may know, includes the exclusive, collectors edition, Harry Potter: The Perfect Farewell supplement.

It is a 36-page mini magazine, as far as I can tell, and being a HP fan this huge, I would just love to have it. You can check it out here and see the prices here (it's 5£ in the UK with free shipping). Problem? Here in Serbia, I could only find it for 15 pounds, and that is way beyond what I can afford. So, here's the deal. Would it be possible for anyone who can get it cheaply (those from the UK particularly) to buy if for me and then send it my way? Here are some books that I would be willing to offer in return for the magazine.

Margo Lanagan - Black Juice (paperback, definitely shows wear): Lanagan's 10 fantasy short stories are set in cultures both familiar and unknown and are peopled with empathetic characters who battle nature, individuals, and events. The stories begin slowly, but Lanagan gradually draws readers into each brief, fresh reality. It would work especially well in a classroom setting, as it is full of teachable moments.

Beth Fantaskey - Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (hardcover, like new): Jessica Packwood is a normal teen attending Woodrow Wilson High School. Her mathematical nature has even given her a slightly geeky reputation, which is about to change with the arrival of Lucius Vladescu, who seems to be stalking her. She tells her mother about him and learns that she is really a Romanian vampire princess who has been betrothed to Lucius at birth.

Geoffrey Chaucer - Canterbury Tales (paperback, good condition): The Modern English version of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is a reader-friendli(er) edition of a beloved classic. On a spring day in April--sometime in the waning years of the 14th century--29 travelers set out for Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Beckett. Travel is arduous and to maintain their spirits, this band of pilgrims entertains each other with a series of tall tales that span the spectrum of literary genres.

Freya North - Pillow Talk (paperback, good condition): What keeps you up all night? They were high-school sweethearts who hadn't seen each other for seventeen years. And suddenly they're in front of each other - in a tiny sweet shop in the middle of nowhere. These days, Petra works in London as a jeweller while Arlo has left his rock-and-roll lifestyle for the wilds of North Yorkshire. Out of the blue, their paths have just crossed. But what are the skeletons in Arlo's closet, and just what causes Petra to sleepwalk?

Thank you so much for reading through this and considering my offer. I think it's pretty cool if you'd like to read one of these books. We could either go through book mooch, or like this. If somebody is willing to buy and send me the magazine, but is not interested in either of these books, I would probably be open to sending you a book of your choice from the BookDepository (around £5) - then you'd get a new book! Anything goes.

Interview + Giveaway: Matt Dunn

2011-06-11T06:41:00.000-07:00

Today we have a special treat on the blog. Matt Dunn, a British novelist living in Malaga, Spain (lucky!) has stopped by for an interview and a giveaway. His novel Ex-Girlfriends United, the premise of which includes a website with reviews about people which people can check before they go on the date with them, has just been released in the US by Sourcebooks!

Welcome to Nikola’s Book Blog! We are so happy to have you here.

Thank you for having me!

You write fiction that has, if I may say so, traditionally been reserved for women, if you don’t count certain bestselling authors like Nick Hornby, Dan Begley or Tony Parsons. Have you felt any anxiety of authorship? Do you think men and women write differently?

I don't feel any anxiety, perhaps because I don't feel I'm writing for any particular gender, and while I'm aware that more women than men read my books, I actually enjoy the fact that I'm 'different'. I've been told that one of the reasons women like my books is because I give the inside track on what men really think about life, love, and relationships - if that's my 'USP', then I'm happy to oblige.

As to whether men or women write differently, I think they often write about different things, mainly because they're often interested in different things, but good writing is good writing whatever sex the author is.

Your novel Ex-Girlfriends United is coming out in the US this month. You must be pretty excited, even though you’ve already had the book come out in the UK like three years ago?

I'm very excited. The prequel, The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook, came out in the US last year and got a good reception, so I'm interested to see how this one does.

The premise of Ex-Girlfriends United doesn’t seem very far-fetched. Were you inspired by any websites that really exist? Do you think this instant-getting-to-know-someone is typical of relationships nowadays?

No – I wasn't aware of anything like SlateYourDate, although it's a mystery to me why a website where people can rate their exes doesn't exist yet. Surely it'd be an ideal add-on to some of the bigger dating websites – it'd save people a lot of time and effort! And yes, internet dating in particular has meant that people know an awful lot about each other before they've even met – assuming what's written on their profile is true – meaning the early fun part of relationships, the 'getting-to-know-you' bit, is accelerated, and in some cases bypassed. It adds an interesting dynamic, but I think it also makes people feel relationships are a lot more disposable. Which isn't a good development.

Do you read chick or lad lit yourself? Do you have any favorite or inspirational authors?

Nick Hornby's High Fidelity was the book that made me want to write in the first place, John O'Farrell's The Best A Man Can Get was the book that almost made me want to stop, it was so funny. In terms of chick lit, Sophie Kinsella is hilarious (and was kind enough to give me a quote for the cover of Ex-Girlfriends United) , but I read a variety of authors– most recently, I've enjoyed David Nicholls' One Day. David Mitchell is possibly my favourite writer – Cloud Atlas is the most amazing novel I've ever read. I also love Haruki Murakami, Jay McInerney, Iain Banks, Douglas Coupland... Too many to mention, really. I've just read my first Jonathan Tropper – How To Talk To A Widower – which was excellent, so I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.

You write on your website that From Here to Paternity may become a movie! How do you feel about this?

I'd love it if it happens – but I know a lot of authors, and while many of them have had their books optioned, only one - Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic - has actually made it to the big screen, so I'm not holding my breath. Of all my books, I'd love The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook to be made into a movie – not only because I've already written two sequels – but because I'd love to see Ed and Dan brought to life. So if any producers are reading this, feel free to get in touch.

Thanks for stopping by the blog! And a big thank you to Beth from Sourcebooks who graciously offered one copy of Ex-Girlfriends United to one lucky reader!

Here are the rules of the giveaway:

To enter, simply leave a comment below and make sure you include your email address! The giveaway ends on June 25th. You can win extra entries by doing the following:

+2 follow my blog

+2 tweet about the contest (leave a link)

+2 link to the contest anywhere else (leave link(s))

+4 visit Matt's website and come back with the title of the book of his you'd most like to read and why!

The giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only.

Review: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2011-06-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here comes a long-overdue review of a book I absolutely LOVED. Yup, it's the book-blogging favorite, the soon-to-be-motion-picture-blockbuster, Hunger Games!

Seriously, have you read this book? After I got burned a couple of times with certain YA books that everybody seemed to love (Eclipse? Hush, Hush?), I was just not that sure about Hunger Games. The unusual cover certainly drew me in, as it seemed to promise an actual plot, and I caved in and read it.

In like one day.

Here's the layout, although I'm pretty sure you already know what this book is all about. The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, lives in a dystopian country of Panem, in it's poorest area, called simply District 12. Soon, she is selected to participate in Hunger Games - a gladiator-style combat between children, where there can be only one winner, seeing as they fight each other to death. Each district sends two contestants - a girl and a boy - and Katniss' companion/enemy is the sometimes-adorable, sometimes-despicable character of Peeta. There is also the character of Gale, Katniss' best friend and possible love interest.

Okay, so before we continue, go and buy the book. Seriously. Okay, all done? Let's continue with the review.

I was shocked and amazed by the level of trust and respect author Suzanne Collins seems to have for her young readers. Not since J. K. Rowling have I seen a young adult book so frank when it came to not only violence, but poverty, oppression, politics, and any other uncomfortable topic. This book will not play it safe or sugarcoat, and I believe this is highly commendable. And just so you know, the book packs a powerful punch - it is emotional, scary, exciting and often very violent. On the other hand, its aim is never to simply shock and, given its unorthodox topic, it is never exploitative.

The character of Katniss is a make-it-or-break-it kind of character, since the book relies mostly on her. I am happy to say she is one of the most impressively written characters I've ever read in YA. Other characters are equally good, if somewhat marginalized, and I particularly enjoyed the character of Peeta and his arch. The novel ends in a cliffhanger of sorts, so I am very excited to read the sequel sometime soon and see where these characters are going.

I hear they are making a movie based on the first book in the series, and obviously I am interested in seeing it, if only to see if they have done the book justice. The book itself closely resembles a novel entitled Battle Royale by the Japanese author Koushun Takami (never read it), as well as its movie adaptation (never seen it, though there is a trailer on YouTube - beware, it's not for the faint of heart).

All in all, I could not recommend Hunger Games more. It's an honest, smart and intriguing start of what is surely a fantastic series and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books, starting with the sequel, Catching Fire.

RATING: 5/5

This review was entered in the "Book Review Wednesday Party" Competition

Sex and the YA

2011-06-09T02:37:00.000-07:00

As you may know if you've read my #amazonfail post, I get very, very angry if someone tries to censor books in any way, which for me includes saying that if someone is to read something (say, Harry Potter), then one is of a lesser moral standard (say, demonic) than the one who doesn't read the damn thing. If that makes any sense.

So, naturally, I was kinda pissed off when I read the blog post by this fabulous up-and-coming author, 'Quinn'. Quinn is the second-place winner of a competition for unpublished authors, and the prize is a professional critique on his first 10 pages. How cool is that!?

Unfortunately, he has gotten a lot of harsh comments from people in the comment section under the post that announced these winners, because, well, his novel starts with a sex scene. And there's talk about a right breast being seen and the sudden tightness of the boy's jeans in the crotch area. You know, an erection. Apparently, the people who commented would never give this sort of YA books to their teenagers to read, which I guess is okay, since different parents parent differently (though I can bet my own right man-breast that your teenagers have gone further than simply feeling the tightness in their pants from time to time, but whatever).

The problem here is that they feel like they have the right to comment under the post announcing Quinn's victory (and there was a judge, I mean, he didn't just get it randomly) to give their two cents about why they think he shouldn't have got it. I mean, who cares about your f-ing standards!? How dare you assume that your standards and no-one else's should be the norm?

Head over to the post I'm talking about and read the winning paragraph (which I think is sexy, non-exploitative, non-pornographic, as well as wonderfully written), as well as the comments. And obviously, let me know what you think - am I overreacting? What do you expect to read in your YA books? Should there be a standard? Did you blush when Edward and Bella, you know, did it?

Finally, congratulations to Quinn and don't let these people rain on your parade!

Review: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

2011-06-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Definitely not a pleasure read by any means, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is nonetheless one of those books that will always stay important and valuable, even though the readers' reactions and perceptions of it may change.

In a nutshell: Douglass was a 19th-century African American slave who not only managed to escape the brutalization he endured under several masters (sometimes described rather graphically, as they should be), but also learned how to read and write, ultimately writing three (!) autobiographies and becoming a prominent member of the abolitionist movement.

There are a number of great literary elements in the Narrative that are worth discussing, but let's get one thing out of the way here - this is first and foremost a valuable historical artifact, one of the very few 19th-century first-hand slave stories in existence (I believe there were around seven written, though I may be wrong, but it is an incredibly small number compared to at least 60 million slaves who lost their lives at the time). As such, it does not go particularly well with 21-century literary mindset - it is too linear, way too descriptive and although a lot happens in a relatively short book, it never feels particularly exciting or page-turning. Don't let this distract you.

For it packs an incredibly strong punch, not just with the story itself (which should definitely be enough). It is not a black-and-white account by any means, as it manages to criticize certain attitudes of enslaved Negroes as well as show that slavery was not easy even for some white people to comprehend. It shows Douglass's journey from slavery to freedom as his acquisition of masculinity, as this is something that he never was allowed to have (although in this respect, I feel that Harriet Jacobs' narrative is far superior). His description of slavery transcends time and manages to speak for all the oppressed, even today, and it really makes the reader think about such issues as violence, disrespect, humanity and, of course, love.

Make sure you pick this up, especially if you've never read a slave narrative before. These narratives may be outdated and too simplistic for our perceptions of literature, but there is no reading, say, Alice Walker or Toni Morrison without them!

Amazing News - Cunninghamfan Coming to America!

2011-05-06T03:52:00.001-07:00

As you may have noticed, my blog has been on another hiatus lately... However, for the first time ever, the reason for this hiatus is not something bad - illness or death in family, as it was earlier on.

I have been super busy studying and dealing with the paperwork because I won a scholarship for one school year in America! That's right, I will be studying at Humbold State University, California, for a year - starting this August.

I am super excited to do this, not only because of the obvious reason, but also getting a chance to maybe even attend an amazing book signing or two, or meet some of you. So any of you guys in California somewhere? I am pretty sure I will go to San Francisco, Sacramento and LA during my stay, so if there is someone to show me around town or maybe point me in a direction of a book shop, I would be most grateful! Let me know!

I am now getting down to business writing reviews I haven't yet written, wrapping up the ancient giveaways I still haven't wrapped up, and all in all, getting this blog into order.

What have you been up to?

'I Am Number Four' Book + Movie Combo!

2011-02-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to be asked to spread the word about the FABULOUS deal on Bookperk.com that concerns the long-awaited release of the I Am Number Four movie. The Pittacus Lore novel has amazed readers everywhere and now you can get the movie tie-in edition in hardcover (featuring Alex Pettyfer on the cover, the hunk de jour who seems to be everywhere nowadays) for $17.99 and get a free movie ticket with it (for any movie!), only on Bookperk! It's not a competition - everyone gets the ticket. Bear in mind that the offer expires on the 18th, so you have about a week left to kill two birds with one stone. Click here to read more.

And obviously, come back and let me know if the movie is worth seeing. I'd greatly appreciate it!

Interview + Giveaway: Tom Dolby

2011-02-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

Today, we welcome author Tom Dolby to Nikola's Book Blog! Tom's YA novel The Trust has just recently been published and it is the second in his very successful and popular Secret Society series. This is why I am so excited that Tom is here today to answer some questions and, wait for it, do a giveaway for a SIGNED copy of The Trust! Welcome, Tom!

First of all, congratulations on The Trust being published last week! There must be much excitement in your camp!

Thanks! I'm excited to continue the Secret Society journey for my characters. I'm very fond of Nick, Phoebe, Lauren, Patch and Thad.

Why should people go and buy the Secret Society books right now?

Secret Society is the type of book that I like to curl up with on a snowy winter day - and now that its followup, The Trust, is out, the story has completed its arc. The Trust picks up right where Secret Society left off, so there's no more waiting around to see how those cliffhangers will turn out.

Your earlier novels, The Trouble Boy and Sixth Form, both have gay protagonists and could be dubbed coming-of-age novels. Do you think YA fiction is a good field for writing gay fiction?

I love good adult fiction with gay characters. I haven't written many fiction with gay main character that is "YA" per se, but The Trouble Boy and Sixth Form do have a lot of teenage fans, as they are about teenagers and twentysomethings. I think the teenage years are ripe for exploration, and doing it through young adult fiction is a great way to speak to young people while they are going through these formative years.

Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, an anthology of essays including your own, has just been adapted for the small screen. Would you like to see your Secret Society novels adapted for the screen as well?

Of course! It was thrilling to see Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys become a reality show on the Sundance Channel! Like any author, I would love to see my novels as films!

What is the biggest challenge you face as an author? Also, what's next for Tom Dolby?

I am working on a screenplay now, as well as starting work on a new novel. I think my biggest challenge is simply balancing work with new fatherhood (my husband and I had twin girls several months ago) - it's very rewarding as well as often exhausting!

Congratulations on your new family member as well, Tom!

Tom is offering one SIGNED hardcover copy (how cool is that?!) to one lucky winner. The contest is open to US (48 states) and Canada only! Contest ends February 22nd! To enter, leave a comment with a way to contact you in the comments. The winner will be randomly selected.

BONUS ENTRIES (not mandatory):

+2 for following my blog

+2 for tweeting about the contest (leave the link!)

+2 for linking to the contest somewhere

+4 for blogging about the contest

+4 for visiting Tom's website and coming back with a title you'd read other than the Secret Society books and the reason why!

Book to Movie Review: Never Let Me Go

2011-02-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite 2010 reads was Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (click here for the review). It is a strange, wonderful story of a world which does not care for its inhabitants and how the power or love and friendship may or may not win in the end.

The movie adaptation of the novel stars three of the most perspective young actors - Carey Mulligan (Oscar-nominated for An Education), Keira Knightley (Oscar-nominated for Pride & Prejudice) and Andrew Garfield. They play Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, respectively. The three have grown up in a boarding school named Hailsham and, having recently graduated, are thrown in the outside world to fend for themselves. I do not want to give too much away - but Hailsham, as well as the world in the story, may not be at all as it seems and once the three reach this conclusion, they only have each other for support.

Much of my excitement prior to seeing this movie was the cast - namely, Keira Knightley. One of my favorite actresses, she is given the most colorful role in the movie. A part of a love triangle, she embodies the conflicting feelings of competitiveness and vulnerability perfectly, and particularly shines in a scene where she is finally confronted with the reality of her situation. Mulligan and Garfield are just as competent and have remarkable chemistry, which helps the movie immensely. Throw in competent direction and beautiful cinematography and you cannot go wrong with this one.

It is difficult to write about Never Let Me Go without giving anything away. Yet, I cannot recommend this movie enough. My DVD copy will surely be played a great number of times as this wonderful, warm story is slowly becoming one of my all-time favorites. Ishiguro should be really proud.

RATING: 5/5

BEWARE: The trailer contains spoilers!

Review: A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes

2011-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read Julian Barnes? One of the greatest living postmodernist authors, he is one of those writers who are able to turn serious matter into hilariously witty - yet real - stories. And check out the title of this one: A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters. First, a history, because there are official, textbook histories, but then again, there are the private, subjective, personal histories. In 10 1/2 chapters (the half-chapter is a short essay) are Julian Barnes' view of history. Here, it is not the people who shape history - it shapes people. At least according to Julian Barnes.

The book is hard to define. It could just be a novel - after all, there are overarching themes, symbols, story lines and leitmotifs. On the other hand, each chapter could be read exclusively. Not only that, but each chapter is written with a different narrator and in a different style. The first one, for example, takes place on Noah's Arc and is related from a mystery animal (I won't give it away). This animal stays as a leitmotif throughout the book, but is never the narrator again. In fact, the abundance of voices, narrators and styles in the book shape and populate Barnes' history. There is not one voice, but many.

Not all of them worked for me, naturally. While I enjoyed reading about the Noah's Arc (The Stowaway), a brave and possibly delusional woman (dystopian The Survivor), a tourist ship hijacked by terrorists (The Visitors), the role of art in forming history (The Shipwreck) and the plights of a religious zealot going on a ridiculous pilgrimage (The Mountain), I've also found certain parts dull and uninteresting. And that's okay - just like any other history, there are periods and events that spark your interest more than others. Not liking certain chapters is not enough for me to knock off any points from this book. After all, it is not hard to admire Barnes' mastery.

This is literary fiction that is bursting at the seams with imagery, symbols and fabulous thoughts. However, it is also easy and fun to read, as well as highly entertaining and witty. Go read this book ASAP. Otherwise, you're really missing out.

RATING: 5/5

Book Blogger Hop #1

2011-02-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to be participating in this fabulous Hop for the very first time! This week's question is:

What are you reading now and why?

The book I am reading at the moment is Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games. The fact that I'm reading this book is a testimony to the power of book blogs - I would never pick it out based on its cover, nor would the blurb interest me enough. But people raved about it, so I decided to try it. And I am LOVING IT! I read about 100 pages last night and it kept me up until 3.30AM - after which I think I dreamed something scary from the novel. No, it's not for the faint of heart, but it's one of the best YA books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Make sure you pick it up ASAP!

Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2011-02-03T05:57:00.001-08:00

There is rarely a book that shakes the blogosphere as much as Hush, Hush did. Starting with the gorgeous cover, then followed by the information that the Edward Cullen of Fitzpatrick's universe is a fallen angel (!), it really does not come as a surprise that this book has done so well.

And now, after reading it, I cannot wait to get my hands on Crescendo, the sequel, not because I loved the book. Rather, it felt like a big trailer that helps establish the author's mythology before the story kicks in. And I am sorry to say, the story and the characters in Hush, Hush were paper-thin.

Nora Grey, the protagonist of Hush, Hush was one of the most idiotic characters I've recently read in YA fiction. If Hush, Hush were a horror movie, Nora would be the first one to grab a banana as a weapon and run upstairs instead of get out of the house. I felt like the majority of the book was spent on Nora contemplating how dangerous most of her options seem and then choosing on the most dangerous one. Usually, this would be attributed to the passion and electricity between her and Patch, the bad boy angel. Too bad I never felt this electricity myself. Nora didn't work for me at all and I would rather see Vee, her best friend and a far more intriguing character, as the protagonist.

On the other hand, Patch is one hot tamale. Although his mystery doesn't quite kick in until halfway into the book (the readers, unlike Nora, are aware of the book cover, which is a spoiler in itself), he is a bona fide bad boy. It was really refreshing to have a character like this - teen love is often insecure and scary, so it seemed fitting. I don't know anyone who had a Bella/Edward sort of relationship in their teens, unless they are suffering from the Benjamin Button syndrome. So, when it comes to Patch, I give a big thumbs up to Becca Fitzpatrick.

Finally, the story itself. It was definitely intriguing and creepy at times. It's a book you read in record time, and forget even faster. The whole guy in a ski mask mystery worked fabulously, but I had huge problems with the mythology of Fitzpatrick's universe. The whole angel hoopla was incredibly confusing for me and ultimately, I found that I didn't exactly care how the plot was going to turn out.

So, it's a mixed bag. I guess I am getting a bit too old for YA novels that are written without any other audience in mind. Hush, Hush was a nice diversion, but nothing else. I do believe Crescendo will be better - now that all the necessary introductions are over and done with, there is actually chance for a good plot to emerge. I hope.

RATING: 3/5

Interview + Giveaway: Tina Donahue

2011-02-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

Today, we welcome author Tina Donahue to Nikola's Book Blog to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Yearning! In the interview, we talk about ebooks, pet peeves and, believe it or not, privacy! Welcome, Tina!

You write for many different publishers - Kensington, Ellora's Cave, Samhain... Does this mean that you are an eclectic writer?

Never thought of myself that way. Although I write in many subgenres, I am a romance writer, first and foremost. And the reason I write for many publishers is because it’s the best way to get my work out to fans in a steady and quick fashion. With print publishing, the journey from contract to publication could take a year or longer. It’s faster with ebooks. Therefore, I always have something out for publication whether it’s print or digital.

Are there any romance cliches or stereotypes that bug you?

I guess my biggest peeve is misunderstandings, rather than complications, in plots. In every romance, it’s necessary to keep the hero/heroine apart (at least for a time) to build sexual tension. What’s keeping them apart should be a complication. For example, he’d hurt her deeply in the past and she’s afraid to trust him again, even though he said he’s changed. Or he lost his wife/girlfriend in a tragic accident that he feels responsible for (even though he’s not) and now he feels guilty for liking her, so he’s pulling back.

A misunderstanding, on the other hand, is something you or I would consider silly. Something that could be cleared up easily between the couple if they simply talked about it.

One of your earlier hit novels, Close to Perfect, uses tabloids and the paparazzi to drive the plot. Do you think a person's privacy has been compromised by the modern age?

Absolutely. And it’s gotten worse with social networking sites. It used to be that only celebrities and politicians had their most embarrassing moments broadcast for the world to see and comment on. Now, cyber-bullying is a reality for many teens. And adults may find photos of themselves on YouTube, Facebook, etc. without having given permission for those pictures to be used.

I love the sexy covers of your books. How did these come about? Did you have any input when it came to the visual representation of your stories?

My publishers have cover artists who come up with the wonderful art you see. For my ebooks, the publishers provide a cover art form, asking for the hero/heroine’s ages, physical descriptions, a brief synopsis of the story (to get its flavor) and what I, as the author, would most like to see on the cover.

Congratulations on releasing The Yearning! What's next for Tina Donahue?

I have another paranormal coming out in October. This one will be the start of a series, my very first. I’m also currently working on another contemporary erotic romance on the lines of Sensual Stranger, Lush Velvet Nights and Adored, my other works.

Since Tina is uber-cool, she has an awesome (international!) giveaway in store for all the readers. In order to celebrate the release of The Yearning, one lucky commenter will get to choose one of the following books:

1. Lush Velvet Nights (ebook)

2. Adored (ebook)

3. Deep, Dark, Delicious (ebook)

4. In His Arms (ebook)

5. Bad Boys with Red Roses (trade paperback)

6. Take My Breath Away (trade paperback)

Winners will be chosen at random. Winner in continental US has his/her choice of one of the six. Winner outside the continental US wins one of the ebooks. In order to enter, leave a comment with your email. 18+ only.

WIN BONUS ENTRIES:

+2 for following my blog

+2 for tweeting about it (leave the link!)

+2 for linking to it

+4 for blogging about it

+4 for visiting Tina's site and coming back with

the cover you find sexiest!

The giveaway ends February 16th. Good luck!

Teaser Tuesday #7

2011-01-31T09:24:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by MizB at ShouldBeReading.

Here are her instructions:

Grab your current read, turn it to a random page and share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.

One of my favorite celebrities, Kristin Chenoweth (best known as Glinda from the fabulous musical Wicked), has an autobiography. And I love autobiographies. And since I also love Kristin, I think that reading her autobiography is a sure hit for me. Only, I'm not reading it - I'm listening to it. And guess who narrates the audiobook? The diva herself! Do you see how magical this experience is for me?

And just because I am an awe of Kristin Chenoweth (and I think EVERYONE should be), here's a little excerpt from the intro of her hilarious autobiography, A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love and Faith in Stages. About to perform at the Oscars, Kristin has an epiphany:

A great song. A magical night. Gown by Armani and travel by hunk-o-vator. I am in grave danger of thinking it doesn't get any better than this when someone tells me, "George Clooney is on the front row." I don't ask who else is on the front row. Is there anyone else?

George Clooney needs to know that he and I are perfect for each other. We would be instantly matched on eHarmony.com. I can already see us in that ad campaign, oozing adorable, giddily telling the story of our first kiss. Happily ever after, cue Chaka Khan, roll credits. He is my Mr. Right. The problem is, I'm still in love with Mr. Writer, a man who is more likely to show up in a "Falls on Ass" video than an "Everlasting Love" commercial. Truth be told, eHarmony would not encourage me to share so much as a cab uptown with this guy. But of course this is precisely what makes him irresistible.

Book to Movie Review: Coraline

2011-01-30T04:32:00.000-08:00

I am so late for the party when it comes to Coraline. As I am not a big fan of animated flicks (I wait for a rather special one to come out and then possibly see it, rather than go see every Pixar/Dreamworks animation at the movies), so it wasn't until last night that I've seen this stop-motion movie. My animation-obsessed boyfriend practically tied me down in front of the TV and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Thus, the review.

Coraline was originally a book by Neil Gaiman. A dark, sinister horror book for children, which gave me the creeps when I was in elementary school. Obviously, I cannot remember the details anymore, but I know that it was well-written, scary and intense, and I loved it. Coraline is a lonely girl, moving to a new house with her detached parents, only to find out a secret door to the parallel universe where everything is peachy, apart from the fact that on the other side, people have buttons instead of eyes. And if Caroline should stay, she needs some buttons as well.

First of all, the stop-motion animation in itself is not enough for me to go, "ZOMFGBBQ". I enjoyed the animation, though I thought that it was a bit patchy at times and also lingered on big scenes, which constantly screwed up the flow of the movie. You know, there is something fabulous Coraline walks into and the next five minutes is a repetition of what you have already seen. This is a small bone to pick, however. The scenes all look wonderful and I bet watching Coraline in 3-D must have been a thrill.

My favorite part of the movie were the voice talents. Coraline is voiced by the freakishly talented Dakota Fanning, who provides lots of character and spunk. The two aged actresses are hilariously voiced by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, the brilliant British comedic duo. And finally, there is the award-deserving voice performance by Teri Hatcher, who I adore, as Coraline's mother/parallel mother/villain. Hatcher made the movie for me and I can only imagine how kids might be frightened by her character(s).

All in all, Coraline is a fabulous way to spend an hour and a half, especially if you are constantly nagged to watch animated flicks (you can do WAY worse, trust me). This one caters to the adult set, maybe even more than to the kids. It's deliciously creepy and exciting, but is innocent enough for kids to watch it.

RATING: 4/5

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

2011-01-22T16:43:00.000-08:00

Now, this is what I'd call a delightful, funny and intriguing YA novel. I picked this up only after so many of my fellow bloggers raved about it and I must say, I read it in record time. And before I forget, if you've read Hex Hall (or are reading it now), visit the author's blog here. Rachel is such a hilarious person and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her blog as a sort of companion to the book. My favorite post? Romance Novels in LOLKat Speak. Yup, that's how cool she is.

And now with the sequel of Hex Hall approaching, it's the perfect time to read it!

The novel is a (yet another) spin on the boarding-school-magic-mystery thing. The protagonist is Sophie Mercer, a 16-year old witch who is one of the rare magical people living outside the world of magic. When she makes a spectacle of herself at her high school prom, she is forced to move into Hex Hall, a reform school populated by shifters, fairies and other witches. Sophie's roommate is Jenna, a vampire and a social outcast. The antagonist is Elodie, a beautiful witch with a beautiful boyfriend - who of course, Sophie has her eye on.

This fast-paced book would (genre-wise) be most easily qualified as a mystery - there are strange deaths of Sophie's peers happening around her and she if forced to uncover secrets about both the magical world and herself. Yet, the mystery part of the book is the weakest. I was not satisfied with the story's resolution - it wrapped up too quickly and confusingly, leaving (intentionally) a question or two unanswered. I wish the events were laid out more slowly. This would inevitably result in a longer book, but I think that it would be beneficial.

Hawkins is strongest when it comes to dialogue. Her naturally spunky personna, so evident on her blog (seriously, it's awesome!) is translated to the book and Sophie is one hell of a character. Bright and funny, she holds this book together. Archer, the love interest is brilliantly written, with mystery to him as well. I am very, very interested to read more about the mysterious grounds keeper. The other characters may seem a bit bland. I found Elodie particularly problematic. Essentially a stock character, she is given some dimension (the usual no-one-is-that-bad-when-you-get-to-know-them kind of thing), but in this case I found it distracting. Another thing I really enjoyed about the book is that Hawkins does not insist we grasp her entire mythology right away. Rather, we find out about it more as we go - kind of like Charlaine Harris, rather than J. K. Rowling.

Overall, I recommend Hex Hall as light reading and a great YA debut novel. I am looking forward to reading Demonglass as soon as it comes out and am hoping that the next two books will bring more dimension and perspective to Hawkins' world (and, more particularly, Archer. I'm a fanboy, deal with it).

Oh, and by the way, there is a gay character. It's the magical realism of the book - a gay character no one has a problem with. Rachel, I love your vision of the world.

RATING: 4/5

Review: The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

2011-01-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

I hate reading J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. I find the book disturbing, depressing and it affects my mood so much, I actually need some time to recompose myself after spending time with it. Finally, it scares me. At the same time, I love it so much. I find it masterfully written, eye-opening and completely fascinating. It's probably one of my favorite books ever.

I remember my first time reading The Catcher in the Rye when I was in high school. I didn't think much about it then - it was an easy-to-read book everyone was has already read and I felt it was my duty to read it. Holden Caulfield was someone I couldn't understand (his motivations were not at all understandable back then), but at as any other teenager, I understood the feelings of sadness, rebellion, as well as other growing pains. I just figured Holden had it particularly difficult.

Now that I've read the book again for college, as well as loads of secondary literature, I am in awe. The Cather in the Rye is a masterpiece. So much so, that to tackle the book's themes and try and write a regular review, I think it would be impossible. It has to be read. What I liked best is how unpretentious it is. It twists you around and makes your head explode, but it's no Ulysses. It is enjoyable and digestable and, although really disturbing, ultimately it gets very sweet.

This is a lousy review. I guess it's the book. It's so good, that whatever I try to write about it, I feel like it's trivialized. Let's leave it at this and let me know if you loved it too!

RATING: 5/5

Review: Bought for the Greek's Bed by Julia James

2011-01-09T06:38:00.000-08:00

After being introduced to the romance genre during the past year or so (and reading the fabulous m/m romance Sticks and Stones), I've been craving more romance novels of different genres. I like the idea of various specific categories and authors fitting into those while still being true to their voice and inspiration. It must be hard and I bet not everyone can do it.

Julia James failed for me. Her novel Bought for the Greek's Bed is too corny (the title is a good indicator), too convoluted, too unoriginal. It's a story of Vicky, a regular Londoner who goes to visit her super-wealthy uncle in Greece, where she agrees to marry Theo Theakis for some business reason or another. Obviously, he's quite a catch, but Vicky decides not to fall in love and after a series of events that don't make more sense now what I think about them in retrospect, they part and are obviously reunited in the end.

Was this painful to read! There are certain phrases repeated throughout the book's 300 pages and not one original idea was introduced in the book. It's basically like you took the worst romance cliches and sewed them up together into this book. The heroine is an idiot - if she were in a horror movie, I'm sure she would be the first to run to the attic or some other dead end. And the hero is so two-dimensional that it is almost ridiculous. It's not hard to feel hot for him, but it's basically like feeling hot for an Action Man.

No, I was not happy with this book. And I would love to know how many copies it sold. I guess the steamy cover, along with the Harlequin logo on top, must sell a fair number of copies. If so, Julia James must be pretty happy. At least someone is.

RATING: 1/5

Giveaway Winners

2011-01-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

It's time to pick the giveaway winners for Roxanne St. Claire's Edge of Sight, as well as Boy Culture, Coffee Date and Is It Just Me? - I'm a bit late, I know, but the awards are really worth it!

Edge of Sight Winner:

Lesley!

(that was a LOT of extra entries, I'm not surprised ;)

DVD Winners:

Shooting Stars Mag!

Ryan G!

~~Leah Petersen~~ (no email reply)

Tapestry!

Winners, you have been sent emails, please respond with your addresses ASAP. Thanks for entering, everybody and keep an eye out for the new contests coming soon! xoxo

Review: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

2010-11-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

It's been about a week (hopefully not more!) that I've read Kazuo Ishiguro's widely talked about novel Never Let Me Go. My own experience with Mr Ishiguro has not been a completely successful one. On my postmodernist college course, we've dealt with The Remains of the Day extensively. I even wrote a paper about it, but it wasn't the most exciting (or interesting) book to read. Stylistically, it was amazing. On a more personal level, not by a long shot. So imagine my surprise when my next Ishiguro read turned out to be possibly the best book I've read in 2010!

The protagonist and narrator of the story is a girl named Kathy. Kathy relates the story of her childhood in the school named Hailsham, of her formative years spent on a farm after graduation, and of her (young) adult years spent working as a sort of nurse. Reading the book, there is an uncomfortable feeling. Although the book feels very human and real, Ishiguro's England doesn't quite seem like the England we know, and although the twist is really quite predictable and not at all shocking (nor should it be!), it is still a chilling story that bears more meaning than it might seem. (very mild spoilers ahead)

You see, Kathy (along with her two friends, the fiery Ruth and the absent-minded Tommy) is a clone, her life designed only to be spent living healthily and caring for other people of her "kind" until she becomes a donor and ultimately completes. Ishiguro intentionally doesn't go into detailed explanation of what all this means, however, it's more than enough. I liked how the book, although it may seem a bit futuristic, is really very much grounded and more concerned with emotions and allegorical social criticism than its own universe. It is surprisingly human and sad, a sort of warning that sounds very nostalgic. Kathy is a very unreliable narrator, which is a big part of the book's charm - the character's are so naive and clueless as to what is going on with and around them, that they often provoke the saddest of emotions.

To simplify, it is a book about all of us - about first love, adolescence and growing up - set in a world which doesn't value its people and where feelings always have to bow down before function.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book for some wonderful, warm (and not at all pretentious!) Christmas reading, especially with the movie coming out soon. It is maybe the best book I read this year and one I'd love to hear some feedback on.

RATING: 5/5

Giveaway: TLA Releasing DVDs

2010-11-27T05:33:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed in my sidebar, I am participating in the 2010 GLBT Reading Challenge, that explores and celebrates the GLBT culture in art. The November mini-challenge has to do with watching a queer-themed movie and I decided I should do a guest post on their blog. In the post (click here to check it out), I talk about what makes a movie queer and the difference between Queer as Folk and Brokeback Mountain. I think you'll like what I have to say.

It is now my honor to have my email answered by Mike from TLAVideos, the biggest online retailer dedicated to gay cinema. Mike is really cool and has offered three romantic titles for a giveaway on my blog Boy Culture, Coffee Date and the hot new release, Is It Just Me? What are you waiting for? The rules are below and the DVDs are waiting!

Giveaway rules:

US only

Giveaway ends December 11th

Enter by commenting and leaving your EMAIL

18+ only (as the movies are unrated)

Bonus entries:

+2 for following (old and new followers)

+2 for leaving a link in your sidebar (+4 if you leave a graphic)

+2 for tweeting about the contest

+4 for blogging about the contest

+4 for visiting TLA and coming back with a title that seems interesting to you.

GOOD LUCK!

Book to Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One

2010-11-17T14:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I got this amazing opportunity to attend the press screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I am a movie and theatre reviewer for a local website and my editor was so anxious for me to go, then come back and write my review. And now that I've done it, I wanted to share some of the excitement with you - in advance of the big premiere tomorrow. Don't worry, no spoilers here.

The first thing that comes to mind is how truthful to the book this movie is. It almost reminds me of The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets, which were almost annoyingly by-the-book. I guess splitting the book into two movies allows for more details to be shown. However, I am not completely satisfied with the splitting - it leaves us without a proper ending of Part One and although the movie is more than exciting, the final product has absolutely no resolution. Although the final scene is art in itself, it seems almost arbitrary, as it could have happened anytime in the past two and a half hours. Not to mention, there are seemingly endless scene that could easily have been cut.

I was really happy that the movie was not released in 3D. I believe 3D just keeps reminding you you're at the movies and that you're supposed to scream and laugh (kind of like a theme park). And trust me, although the action sequences are jaw-dropping, this movie is much too poignant and emotional to be seen as light entertainment. Unfortunately, Part Two will be released in 3D, which I hope will not interfere with the movie's emotional tone. And here's a big surprise: there's an animated bit in the movie. Now, I'm not going to tell you what, but it is beautiful and creative and I was really happy (although shocked at first).

The actors are all amazing, of course, but no one more than Emma Watson, who's really grown into a strong actress. The opening scene of the movie is all about her, as Hermione casts Obliviate on her parents, and it instantly got me to start crying. Rupert Grint is fun as usual, though he does get a dramatic moment or two. Daniel Radcliffe is also good, though the weakest of the three. Anyway, Part Two will be his chance to shine. There is also a (surprisingly graphic) nude scene involving two of the main characters, though that's another surprise I won't ruin. And don't worry, it's all in good taste.

All in all, though not my favorite movie of the bunch, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a fabulous piece of movie-making and a satisfying beginning of the end of my childhood. Make sure you bring tissues, as well as a friend to clutch to when things get especially tough. That Nagini sure gave me a heart attack!

RATING: 4/5

Literary Blog Hop #1

2010-11-14T05:01:00.001-08:00

This blog hop is open to those bloggers with substantial number of reviews and post featuring literary fiction. This week's question comes from Debbie Nance at Readerbuzz.

What is the most difficult literary work you've ever read? What made it so difficult?

I gave this question a lot of thought. I am a student of English literature, so naturally, I kept thinking in those terms. Beowulf? The Canterbury Tales? Shakespeare? Not really. Although these weren't exactly easy, I find it's easier to read a book once you know its literary context.

However, I remember struggling with a book that was required reading in my high school - Homer's Illiad. Of course I never finished it (I never even read more than a couple of dozen pages), but it's funny how I tried to read it so many times, that I now know the first few lines by heart (in Serbian, of course). Another hard read was Ulysses by James Joyce, and only because I started reading an edition with no footnotes and explanations. Which is suicidal. But it is a great book and I love it.

The Literary Blog Hop can be found here.

Interview & Giveaway: Roxanne St. Claire

2010-11-13T04:44:00.000-08:00

Fellow book bloggers and readers, it is my honor to welcome Roxanne St. Claire on my blog today. Roxanne has written everything from chick lit to category romance to suspense - and she has just recently launched her new trilogy, Guardian Angelos with the first novel entitled Edge of Sight. Let's welcome this New York Times bestselling author to Nikola's Book Blog!

Thanks for having me here at your blog.

Is it exciting to be launching a new series? What are your ambitions with the Guardian Angelos?

Of course it's exciting to launch a new series, and daunting, too. After eight books and two novellas under the Bullet Catchers umbrella (my previous series), it's a little scary to create an all-new cast of characters and put them in compelling, unforgettable situations. I've written the first three books in the series, and found they were grittier, more emotional and tougher than I'd expected, but I loved the challenge.

My ambitions are to continue the series. Publishing is a grueling, difficult business and genres are cyclical. I hope that Guardian Angelinos has lit a chord with readers who love "romantic suspense" - a fast-paced, sexy, emotionally charged story that follows a stand-alone adventure within a bigger world.

Not only are you a prolific writer, but you've written romance, chick lit and suspense! That's amazing! What's your favorite genre to write?

I love to write whatever I'm writing at the moment. I have recently sold my first Young Adult novel, which will come out in hardcover from Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House, in 2012. So right now, I'm loving the fresh, unexpected, pure stories that appeal to teen readers. I'm so excited that this book has been optioned for a feature film, and hope to write many more for younger readers.

When we were talking about this interview, you described my blog as "eclectic". If I were invited over for coffee at your place, how do you think I would describe your bookshelves?

A mess! I stash and stuff and rarely reorganize. My bookshelves have everything from classic to trash. I love Bronte (both of them!) and Austen, spent my teen years devouring hardcore mainstream commercial fiction (Sydney Sheldon, Judith Krantz, Jacqueline Susann) and then moved into the romance genre that I love and write - Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown and Debbie Macomber. I have at least a hundred Young Adult novels, rows of Harlequin category and my share of literary works as well. We're both eclectic!

One of the hot topics in the book bloggers' community is piracy. Do you have any experience with book piracy and what are your thoughts?

I just don't know what to say about this. I don't understand it, I don't appreciate it and I certainly don't condone it. Book piracy takes bread off my table, gas out of my car and tuition from my son's college funds. It's stealing what an author has a right to be paid for. I sweat, bleed and struggle to write the best books I possibly can and someone believes it's perfectly okay to take my work and enjoy it without any compensation to me. I realize there are geographical restrictions on books that I have no control over. I also believe these will be changing over time, and readers in other countries will have access to e-books on an international basis, with appropriate compensation for the publishers and editors. In the meantime, please go to the library, buy a used book, borrow from a friend or seek out the zillions of free reads on the internet. But don't download a stolen book.

The next chapter of the Guardian Angelions is set to be published in March 2011. Are you working on the book or is it almost done? Also, what should we expect?

The next two books are "in the can" as they say - completed, revised, copyedited and on their way to production. They'll be released back to back in March and April. First up is Shiver of Fear, a thriller set in Northern Ireland where Marc Rossi is sent to track down a woman on a secret mission and finds her far more attractive and dangerous than he expects. That will be followed immediately by Face of Danger, the story of Vivi Angelino, who bucks the FBI to step into the shoes of an Oscar-winning actress as a body double and becomes the target of a serial killer. I hope readers love these and all of my books!

Thanks for the interview, Roxanne!

Thanks for inviting me!

Roxanne is very cool and has offered one copy of Edge of Sight to one lucky winner. The rules are as follows:

US/Canada only

Giveaway ends ~~November 27th~~ Extended until December 4th!

Enter by commenting and LEAVING YOUR EMAIL.

Bonus entries:

+2 for following (old and new followers)

+2 for leaving a link in your sidebar (+4 if you leave a graphic!)

+2 for tweeting about the contest (leave the link!)

+4 for blogging about the contest

+4 for visiting Roxanne's website and coming back with a title you'd love to read, other than the Guardian Angelinos series

Good luck!

#amazonfail

2010-11-11T03:03:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Amanda, who posted about this last night, I too have been observing the Amazon controversy. And I am outraged - though not in the sense everyone else is. If you don't know what's been going on, here's a short version for you: Amazon was peddling a book entitled The Pedophiles Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child Lover's Code of Conduct by Phillips Greaves. Here's what was in the product description:

"This is my attempt to make pedophile situations safer for those juveniles that find themselves involved in them, by establishing certain rules for these adults to follow. I hope to achieve this by appealing to the better nature of pedosexuals, with hope that their doing so will result in less hatred and perhaps liter sentences should the ever be caught."

The whole nation outraged, people started boycotting Amazon via Twitter (hashtag #amazonfail), Facebook (groups such as Boycott Amazon for Selling Pedophile Guide) and finally Amazon itself, via reviews. At the same time, defenders (of sorts) have spoken, with comments mocking the protester's shock ("It eliminates the need for candy and a van", says a commenter on Facebook). Finally, the book was pulled.

Here comes the part where I tell you what I think, but not before I make it perfectly clear that I am not a pedophile and do not condone pedophiles. In fact, I think it's cowardly and disgusting. I'm all for whatever two consensual adults wanna do together, even if it seems disgusting to me. However, pedophilia, rape, necrophilia and other situations where it's not consensual and/or not between two adults are not okay.

That being said, I think that this is most likely much ado about nothing. First of all, I couldn't find any information about this book, and I've looked. Nothing! No synopsis, no reviews. Sure, it's entitled A Pedophiles Guide, but that does not mean anything. Is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy really what it says in the title? Perhaps this is a big case of judging the book by its cover. Secondly, there is the issue of the author - the name is obviously a pseudonym, Google is no help, and the only thing we know about him is what he posted (quoted above). And this could very well be a marketing trick.

Finally, the issue of censorship. After Amazon pulled the book, I am a bit disappointed. Does this mean that now all the books by Marquis de Sade (especially 120 Days of Sodom) will be pulled as well? And then the movie version? And what about A Single Man and Lolita? If these books and movies get pulled, that will be the biggest #amazonfail of them all.

Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

2010-11-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

Right, so here's the deal: My blog's been on the long 2-month or so hiatus, I may have lost some followers and I failed to keep up with the giveaways I was hosting (this is being fixed). But now I'm back. Like, Mariah Carey back. My incredible humor aside, I am happy to be back at something that is so fulfilling. I knew this to be true after my last post - and all the lovely, heartfelt comments by my fellow bloggers. You guys are my friends, although I don't know you. I'm grateful for each and every one of you.

Now, on to the review. I finally read Breakfast at Tiffany's, a book that is as iconic as the movie that was based on it. It's a story about a young writer reminiscing of the year he moved to New York and met Holly Golightly, a girl who would change his life. This is in fact a novella - it could easily be read in one sitting (though I savored each and every word, so it took me a bit more) and it is incredibly easy to digest. However, the things that are kept under its witty exterior are far more interesting than the plot itself.

Holly Golightly, the object of our narrator's affection, can be easily described as a gold-digger. Yet, she is also innocent and naive and sweet. She is a mystery, we are not certain about her past and much less about her future. However, she is the ideal of change and of the American Dream. Making your dreams come true, no matter how much you have to suffer for them, is the driving force behind this character. And since her dreams are as far-fetched as having breakfast at Tiffany's, the plights are never-ending.

I actually preferred Breakfast in its paper form, as opposed to the movie. There is no romance in the book (in fact, the nameless character of the narrator is implicitly gay), yet the relationship between him and Miss Golightly is far more believable. Also, the plot is not burdened with the romantic context, therefore it's much more real and to the point.

I guess I'm not completely smitten with this book. While it was generally pleasant and inspiring, I thought it lacked a final punch, sort of like a firm conclusion to the story. Nevertheless, it's a contemporary classic that is a joy to experience.

RATING: 4/5

When Life Takes Over

2010-09-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

Dear readers, authors and fellow bloggers,

This is just a short note from me to explain why my blog has experienced a hiatus of sorts for the past month or so. It has been an incredibly difficult time for me and it's been increasingly hard for me to keep up with reading, reviewing, etc.

This September, my relationship of 15 or so months of incredible love and emotion reached its conclusion. Naturally, this leaves a huge stain on one's emotions and I ~~was~~ am still very emotional and sad about it. It also was a very strenuous time in school, with six exams I have to pass and very little time to do it.

I am very aware that this sort of post can seem unprofessional. The truth is, I'm not a professional blogger. I don't make any money off of this. And when I (as I'm sure many other bloggers do) review a book, it's because our passion for the industry, for the authors and for the written word.

So I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for the month of September - the reviews I failed to write, the giveaways I failed to wrap up (and which I'm going to do very soon, the best way I can) and the posts I failed to comment.

This blog is my baby, but I had to temporarily abandon it. Life took over. And I'm happy to continue balancing everything the best I can.

Thank you everybody. Just following your blogs in my Google Reader and reading your books is making my world a better place.

xoxo

Nikola.

Giveaway Winners Galore!

2010-09-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

Finally, here are the winners for the giveaways that were just standing there on my blog for a very long time. I hope the winners are happy to receive the books and that I will see those reviews up soon! :)

Kiss of the Rose goes to:

Stacey

The Human Bobby goes to:

Aik

His Last Letter goes to:

The Book Pixie and Spring

Thanks for entering, everybody! I have the next giveaway in store, and it is going to be epic! Think a celebrity author, whose book has been made into a cult TV show and who has recently published her first YA book... If anyone can guess, well, let's just say I'll keep that in mind. And you'll want to win that signed copy, trust me!

Guest Post + Giveaway: Jeane Westin

2010-09-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

I am sure everyone here will agree that there is nothing worse than a month full of exams - well, at least it's in the top 10. This is how it's been for me lately, and I'm very sorry I had to hit the pause button with the blog lately.

Today, I hope to make up for this by introducing historical fiction author Jeane Westin to the blog, who has prepared a guest post concerning her book His Last Letter. Please give a warm welcome for Jeane!

Hello Nikola, I'm so happy to hear from you and know you have an interest in England's Queen Elizabeth I and my book His Last Letter:Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester. The book is a novel about Elizabeth's lifelong love, Robert Dudley as I imagined it. Their story started when they were children of eight years and continued until her death nearly 70 year later. Although she was called, and called herself, the Virgin Queen, their long, romantic relationship raise doubts and I decided to imagine that theirs had been more than a deep friendship, although it was always that.

They were playmates first, impetuous companions as adults and the center of each others' lives for decades. Astute to the dangers of choosing any one man, the Virgin Queen could never give Dudley what he wanted most, to be her husband and England's king, she insisted that he stay close by her side. Possessive and jealous, they survived quarrels, his two disastrous marriages to other women, her constant flirtations and political machinations with foreign princes. Yet still, there is no written evidence that confirms the depth of the love between Elizabeth and her "sweet Robin".

But was there such evidence? At the moment of her greatest victory over the Spanish Armada, Elizabeth receives news of Robin's death along with his last letter to her. Elizabeth kept one page of that letter inscribed in her hand His Last Letter in a locked treasures box by her side until the day she died and that page survives in the UK files to this day.

His Last Letter asks: what if there were a second page to Robin's passionate missive, a page confirming the passionate love affair Elizabeth and Robin engaged in for decades, and a page that the Queen had to destroy?

Upon receiving the letter and overcome with grief, the Queen locks herself in her rooms for three long days, refuses all food, water and comfort and lets Robin's letter transport her back to their last years together, the most dangerous of her rule, as well as to the most passionate moments of their affair. Elizabeth loved Robin until her very last breath, but as queen she loved the throne and her independence more...and that love ultimately forces her to burn the second page of sweet Robin's missive, breaking her woman's heart for good.

Doesn't that sound intriguing? And, since Jeane rules, she has offered two copies of her book to two lucky winners! Here are the giveaway rules:

-US only
-the giveaway ends September 9th
-make sure you leave your email in the comment (no email, no entry!)
-two winners

BONUS ENTRIES:
+2 for following (old and new followers)
+2 for leaving the link in your sidebar (+4 if you leave a graphic!)
+2 for tweeting about this (leave a link!)
+4 for blogging about this

Good luck!

Special thanks to Kaitlyn Kennedy for making this giveaway possible.

Interview & Giveaway: Gabe Rotter

2010-08-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today we welcome Gabe Rotter, whose sophomore novel The Human Bobby is out today for an interview and a giveaway. Welcome, Gabe!

Thank you for featuring The Human Bobby on your blog!

The book seems heavier in tone than your previous, Duck Duck Wally. Is this a good observation?

Yes, The Human Bobby is certainly much darker than Duck Duck Wally, which had a decidedly sillier tone. I wanted to attempt to write something in similar voice to my first book, but that went on a completely different place. But at their core I think they could both be said to be about the unraveling of a man, which is a theme I'm very interested in writing about.

Where did The Human Bobby come from?

I've always been completely fascinated by homeless people. I look at them and I desperately want to know their back-stories. How does one get to that point? What was their childhood like? Did they ever have a normal life? A spouse? Children? What are they like in their moments of clarity?

What would you say the most rewarding part of getting your book published is - seeing it on the shelf at your local bookstore, doing a book signing or receiving fan mail?

I think those are definitely three of the best things about it! Seeing it at a book store or in a library is always a thrill. Book signings are completely awesome. I think getting fan mail is probably the most rewarding. There's nothing cooler than when someone enjoys your book so much that they take the time to write you a note about it. That always makes my day and makes it worth all the hard work.

What's your focus group when it comes to readers of The Human Bobby? What's the emotion you're trying to provoke in your readers?

My focus group consists of my wife, my father and a few of my closest friends and family. In this book, the emotion I was trying to provoke was surprise. I was very taken by the idea of writing through the POV of an unreliable narrator. Someone you come to trust but whose perspective you are forced to question at some point during the story.

Would it be okay to say that The Human Bobby is a story about the state of the modern man?

I think with the state of the world economy, natural and man-made disasters, wars, etc. that most people today have a sort of tenuous grasp on their possessions, because the reality is that most of us could lose everything very easily. One of the themes of The Human Bobby is, "What are we?" - in other words, are we the things we own? Is that what defines us? The house we live in? The car we drive? Is it the people we love that makes us who we are? Once these things are taken from us, who are we?

One copy of The Human Bobby has generously been offered for a giveaway. Here are the giveaway rules:

-US/Canada only

-the giveaway ends August 31st

-make sure you leave your email in the comment (no email, no entry!)

-one winner

BONUS ENTRIES:

+2 for following (old and new followers)

+2 for leaving the link in your sidebar (+4 if you leave a graphic!)

+2 for tweeting about this (leave a link!)

+4 for blogging about this

Good luck!

Review: Necessary Madness by Lisabet Sarai

2010-08-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

"Necessary Madness" is Lisabet Sarai's first gay novel - and one could never guess! An established romance/erotica author, she has written a somewhat paranormal thriller with an abundance of romantic and sexual situations that are sure to get your blood flowing faster.

The protagonist, Kyle, is a homeless man with a curse - he is haunted by visions of future deaths and he is unable to do anything about them. After a particularly intense vision, he ends up in the hospital, where he is interrogated by Rob, a handsome policemen. Rob offers a spare room until Kyle can get back on his feet and it is not soon before they start a passionate relationship. However, Rob's ghosts of the past are threatening to compromise their relationship - as well as a mysterious man from Kyle's visions.

There are two things that should be talked about when it comes to this book. The plot and the sex scenes. Plot-wise, the book is a tight, solid thriller. Although I would have preferred to find about a little more about the antagonist's background, the cast of characters is a solid, interesting bunch. On the other hand, the sex scenes are always explicit and arousing - Sarai knows her way with words and I'm certain veteran erotica readers will enjoy Necessary Madness immensely (on the other hand, less experienced readers are certain to blush throughout). Another thing I loved about the book was that the paranormal element wasn't overused - it is there and crucial to the story, but the two lovers are human.

What I had a minor problem with was the way the plot and the sex were combined. There are fantastic instances where sex itself is a major plot device (the chilling finale is a great example of this). On the other hand, it sometimes feels like filler - as well as the reason for Rob and Kyle's romantic co-dependence. This is a small bone to pick, especially when the sex scenes are written so deliciously. Luckily, there is room to extend the story to a second book and I sincerely hope this will happen.

RATING: 4/5

This book counts towards my GLBT challenge.

Interview & Giveaway: Kate Pearce

2010-08-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

Today I have a very special treat for you - a mix of the Tudors, vampires and romance. That's right - please welcome the prolific romance author Kate Pearce, here to talk about her latest novel, Kiss of the Rose, the first in the upcoming (and I'm sure, bestselling) Tudor Vampire Chronicles. It seems like Henry VIII will never go out of style!

Henry VIII is a pretty popular guy nowadays, don't you think? The Tudors are everywhere, so tell us what your particular reason was to use him in your novel. And where do the vampires fit in?

I studied Tudor politics as part of my degree and I've always enjoyed reading novels about them so when my agent suggested I try and write Tudor Vampires, it all seemed to click! As my starting point, I used the notion that the Tudors came to power unexpectedly and that it would've been a great opportunity for them to win the crown with some paranormal help. In my mind, this resulted in an alliance with the Druids. The Tudor family are from Wales and I reckoned the young Henry VII might well have been exposed to some pagan religion as well as Christianity. In my paranormal world the Vampires are an offshoot of the Druids, so there is a natural enmity between them which leads to all sorts of problems over the centuries.

Did the book require a lot of research?

Yes it did. But then as a history major I love to research and know how to do it competently. For example, the costume book I consulted had about 6oo pages of text in it which proved a little time consuming! And after all the research only a tiny proportion of the history ended up in the book because it is primarily a paranormal romance.

Tell us a little bit about the heroine.

Rosalind Llewellyn is an anomaly in her own time, the first woman to be born with the mark of Awen which means she is entitled to train as a Vampire slayer - a most unladylike thing to do. She is very strong and a great match for the arrogant hero, Christopher Ellis who begins by underestimating her and ends up respecting and loving her.

How is this book different than your other titles - and there are many of them!

I've written a few, haven't I?! My books for Kensington Aphrodisia, Ellora's Cave and Virgin Black Lace 'Cheek' are all classed as erotic romance and brought out as e-books or trade-size paperbacks. Kiss of the Rose is different because it is a paranormal, historical romance in mass market format. I like to write different things and this was a new challenge for me.

Tell us about your writing routine. Also, what's next in store for Kate Pearce?

I write about 4 hours a day when the kids are in school and the house is relatively quiet. Along with writing new stuff I also have to deal with edits, copy edits, galleys, blog writing, promotion, etc. This means it gets very busy sometimes. I try and write a minimum of 2000 words a day to keep on my tight deadline schedule.

Coming up next is a novella in a Kensington Brava anthology called "Lords of Passion" with Virginia Henley and Maggie Robinson, which comes out in early December and then next year I have 2 books out around February, 2011 Simply Forbidden from Kensington Aphrodisia which is the 6th book in my Regency erotic romance House of Pleasure series, and Blood of the Rose, part two of the Tudor Vampire Chronicles which centers around Anne Boleyn.

Brace yourselves - Kate has generously offered to give away a copy of Kiss of the Rose to one lucky winner. Read it before it's all over the blogosphere! Here are the giveaway rules:

-the contest ends August 25th.
-there will be one winner.
-make sure you leave your email in the comment - no email, no entry!
-the giveaway is open internationally! (Kate rules!)

BONUS ENTRIES:
+2 for following (old and new followers)
+2 for leaving the link in your sidebar (+4 for leaving a graphic)
+2 for tweeting about this (leave a link!)
+4 for blogging about this
+4 for visiting Kate's website and coming back with the title that you find most interesting

This giveaway has been advertised on Giveaway Scout.

Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

2010-08-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

I may be the last person on earth to read Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark - but I'm definitely not the last person to fall in love with True Blood, the racy HBO show based on the book. In fact, I consider myself a huge fan. So I was beyond excited to read the book that started it all when I bought my paperback copy in Dubrovnik. And I enjoyed it immensely.

Set in the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, the story revolves around a telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. The vampires have just recently come out of the coffin and Sookie is excited to meet one. The vampire in question is the mysterious Bill Compton, but when Bon Temps is struck by a tragedy - which soon escalates into a killing spree - Sookie fears she might be in danger.

As a writer, Harris writes with assurance, so I ultimately forgave her the shameless 1st person POV - even when it came to the corniest sentences. She utilizes the mysterious and dark Louisiana atmosphere to the maximum, and in the context of the story, it works out perfectly. The story itself is a perfectly balanced detective story that is never too obvious (unless you've seen the first season of the TV show). However, there are enough surprises in the book to keep you reading, even if you did.

I loved how vampires are sometimes used allegorically to represent real-life minority groups. It's very cool to see them represent people of a different race or sexual orientation. However, I didn't like how in the end, the book ends very lightly, when I feel like it could have packed more impact. However, it is an excellent mystery book and the basis for a fantastic TV show. I can't wait to read book two!

RATING: 4/5

This book counts toward my GLBT challenge.

100th Post! 200 followers! Blogoversary!

2010-08-09T02:09:00.000-07:00

Dear readers, reviewers, followers, commenters, authors, publishers, etc.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for helping me make it to 100 posts, or in other words, 200 followers! Or, if you're into dates, one year of blogging!

Starting this blog, I never knew this might happen. Let's go back in time - I've always loved reading and browsing the internet one day, I stumbled upon a number of book blogs and was highly impressed by this fabulous community. So, on Monday, August 10 2009, I created my very own book blog, entitled Nikola's Book Blog. Simple, huh?

The very first book review I posted was on Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal. Since then, I tracked my reading habits and reading choices, learning that I in fact had very diverse taste in books - I love literary fiction, but I also love to relax with chick flick or thrillers or even a romance or two.

The community part of book blogging was always so vital and this is why I would like to thank some fellow book bloggers. Amanda of the Zen Leaf, thank you for being one of the first people to visit my blog and comment on it. Also, thank you for always being up for a chat, for creating the GLBT challenge (this one I am so grateful for!) and for your amazing posts - I love your mixture of personal thoughts and general info on books. Also, Sheila of Book Journey - thanks for being one of the first blogs I stumbled upon and also the one I still visit almost every day. You have such a great track record with your posts and reviews and I love that you are addicted to coffee and Gilmore Girls. I am too. Ryan of Wordsmithonia for being a great friend and a regular visitor. Melissa of Mel's World for being so sweet. Wendy of ItsJustMe for being so loyal. Brent of The Naughty Book Kitties for doing an interview with me. I'd love to meet all of you in person one day!

Another thing I got into since I started blogging was the book industry - I feel like I've learnt so much! This is why I try and feature authors on my blog as often as possible - interviews, giveaways, etc. The first one was Katherine Neville - one of my favorite authors and I remember I was shaking when I sent her the email. However, her publicist Lisa Barnes was super sweet and so my first giveaway was very high-profile! After her, I hosted M. D Griffith, Suzanne Selfors, Ben H. Winters, David H. Burton, Dan Begley, Lisabet Sarai... Thanks to all these authors for trusting in me.

So there you have it. 100 posts, 200 followers and my blog turns one tomorrow! After a year, I don't feel much smarter, just a bit more informed. So tell me - what is it you like and what is it you'd like changed. Questions, comments, concerns.

xoxo

Nikola

Interview: Kate Emerson

2010-08-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Kate Emerson, the bestselling author of the Secrets of the Tudor Court series of historical novels. With the third installment, By Royal Decree, coming out in December (have you seen the gorgeous cover?), Kate has stopped by to answer a few questions about historical fiction, the Tudors and herself.

Why the Tudor Court? Do you find it more fascinating than some other period of British history and why?

I've always been interested in this period of history. I can remember reading a juvenile biography of Queen Elizabeth I when I was only ten years old. The Tudors and everything that surrounded them were bigger than life, making a wonderful backdrop for the individual stories of courtiers who served them. Before this series, I wrote mysteries set in the early Elizabethan era (Face Down in the Marrow Bone Pie, etc) under my real name, Kathy Lynn Emerson. The Secrets of the Tudor Court series is written as Kate Emerson to let readers know that, although there are always elements of intrigue in the books, they are not mystery novels. The secrets have to do with spies, treasonous plots, and the personal mistakes that haunt characters' pasts.

How extensive is the research you do for a novel? Does it take a lot of time and energy?

I've been researching the era, one way or another, for over forty years, so I have a huge library and many file folders full of notes on all aspects of life in Tudor times. For each individual novel, I have to do specific research into the lives of the real people I intend to use as characters and into any specialized areas (for example, how to play tennis and how "disguisings" were prepared and performed for The Pleasure Palace and how travel to and from Calais was accomplished for Between Two Queens). It is time-consuming, but also fascinating---what I term "painless research."

How would you characterize your heroines?

Jane Popyncourt in The Pleasure Palace, Nan Bassett in Between Two Queens, and Bess Brooke in By Royal Decree were all real people who had a connection to the court of Henry VIII and a personal connection to Henry himself. Women in those days were considered to be the property of fathers, husbands, or guardians and did not have a great deal of freedom, but they could work behind the scenes to achieve their goals. All three women were all trapped, in one way or another, by the politics and intrigue of life at court, but they were all survivors. In my fictionalized accounts of their lives, I try to make the choices history tells us they made understandable to modern readers.

What do you think about the ever-growing genre of historical fiction? Is there anything that bothers you?

I'm frequently frustrated by the tendency some novelists have to change history, especially when what really happened would, in my opinion, have made an even better story. Historical movies and television series are the worst offenders, since they don't hesitate to, for example, combine two sisters into one character and then marry that character to someone neither sister wed in real life.

Could you at least hint at what you’re writing next?

I'm just starting work on the 4th Secrets of the Tudor Court entry. This one will focus on Anne Stafford, Lady Hastings, younger sister of the Duke of Buckingham who was executed by Henry VIII in 1521. As I work on the novels, I also add entries to and expand the existing entries in my Who's Who of Tudor Women, which can be found online at my website.

Thanks for stopping by Kate! I'm sure we will see more of you by December. Good luck with the upcoming book!

Booking Through Thursday #2

2010-08-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme. Questions and links to other participants can be found here.

What is the first book you remember reading? What about the first that really made you love to read?

Tough question - ever since I could read (which I taught myself), I was constantly reading something. However, I do remember certain books that surely cemented my love for reading. I believe the earliest example is Enid Blyton's Five on Kirrin Island Again, which is the sixth book in a fantastic children's series. I remember being totally engrossed and excited about the plot.

Other two books that I remember loving were Dickens' David Copperfield and Emil and the Detectives, a mystery book by the German author Erich Kastner. The reason I loved David Copperfield was probably because I felt like I understood the gist of the story, though I was too young to appreciate its many layers. Dickens continues to be an author I respect, especially his novel The Great Expectations. On the other hand, I found Emil completely fascinating because of the well-written personalities of the boys in question and in my head, this created an image of what sort of friends I myself would like to have.

Review: A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood

2010-08-03T07:59:00.001-07:00

Today's review is of a very special book which grew on me more and more with each page and ended up becoming one of my favorite books of all time. Christopher Isherwood's A Single Man is an intelligent, well-written novel of a day in the life of George, a gay man who has recently become single again, after the death of his long-time lover.

Like all the best books, it's hard to say what this book is about. It could be argued that it's about George dealing with his loss, but it's about a lot more than that. Isherwood writes about relationships - romantic or friendly - and how sometimes not even this is enough. He writes about forbidden pleasures - as if being gay in the 60's is not enough, George starts developing a risky friendship with one of his students. The gay history of Los Angeles is explained from time to time, but only when it has to do with George's thoughts and actions.

George is a fascinating character, alienated from everyone around him by his very existence. A gay Brit living in Los Angeles and working as a university lit teacher (lit seems to interest no one) makes his identity more than a little blurry. His best friend Charlotte, another fascinating character, is a straight woman without a husband who drinks her nights away and dreams of going back to London (somehow, one doesn't necessarily feel either Charlotte or George would be better off there). And then, with the sudden death of his life partner, George has one last chance to recuperate and move on. And we all know it's not that easy.

If you liked the book, make sure you see the movie adaptation, directed by Tom Ford. It's divine.

RATING: 5/5

This review counts toward the GLBT challenge.

Giveaway Winners: Notepad/Bookmark and Lisabet Sarai E-book

2010-08-02T09:23:00.001-07:00

After traveling to Dubrovnik (seriously, one of the most beautiful places I've ever traveled to) and the magical Greek island of Zakynthos, it's time to announce the winners of the two fabulous giveaways I've hosted.

First, here are the winners of Lark's lovely creations. Make sure you visit her store here for many other beautiful and unique hand-made beauties.

***The notepad goes to JUDYLYNN***

***The bookmark goes to ADDICTED BOOK READER***

And now, here is the winner of the Lisabet Sarai giveaway. Make sure you visit this author's website here - her books will surely get your blood flowing faster!

***The e-book goes to SHERRY***

To all the winners - you have been emailed and I ask to please reply ASAP with your postal addresses so the prizes get sent out as soon as possible. Sherry, make sure you tell me which book you'd like to receive.

To the people that didn't make it - in a little while, there will be an impressive giveaway on the blog, so keep reading. Here's a little hint - two authors of gay fiction who share the same name and write their books together. If you know who this might be, leave a comment. The first one to get it right gets 3 extra entries for when the giveaway is ready!

Interview and Miscellaneous Stuff

2010-07-13T00:51:00.001-07:00

A week or so ago, another book blogger Brent, of Naughty Book Kitties, asked me to do a blogger interview with him. I did, and today I am featured on his blog. Thanks, Brent!

Check out the interview here.

I am going to Dubrovnik for (almost) a week, then come back home for a day (I'll try and post - after all, I always get quite a lot of reading done on the seaside), and then I'm going to Zakynthos, a fabulous Greek island - that's actually it on the picture above.

Until then, please take part in my giveaways and go check out what I have to say on book blogging.

xoxo

Nikola

Interview & Giveaway: Lisabet Sarai

2010-07-10T10:05:00.001-07:00

Please give a warm welcome to Lisabet Sarai, a successful romance author, who is here to talk about writing steamy fiction, what bothers her when it comes to romance fiction and finally, about her latest book, Necessary Madness. Welcome, Lisabet!

Thanks for inviting me to chat on your blog, Nikola!

Let's get straight to the point - how does one get into writing steamy fiction?

I don't think there's a single answer here. I've always loved to write (I penned my first short story at six and my first poem at seven), and I've always been fascinated by sex. I was a shy nerd during high school and college but "blossomed", sexually speaking, when I was in grad school. Making up for

lost time, you might say! My first erotic stories were fantasies written for a lover.

I was inspired to write my first novel, Raw Silk, after reading Portia da Costa's Black Lace classic Gemini Heat. I loved its diversity and intelligence. Then I thought, "With my imagination, I'll bet I could write something like that." So I did! I now realize how incredibly lucky I was to have my first submission accepted by a top publisher.

The romance market is huge right now. What sets your books apart?

Well, for one thing, I don't tend to write real alpha heros. I'm more interested in nuanced characters who might not look like Greek gods but who have brains instead.

I tend to take genres and twist them into possibly unrecognizable forms. For example, I wrote a shape shifter romance (Serpent's Kiss) but the shifter isn't a were-wolf, were-cat, were-stallion, etc. He's the reincarnation of the Mayan god Quetzlcoatl, who takes the form of a half-bird, half-snake. My paranormal books tend to be minimalist in their allocation of power, rather

than playing off rival races of super-creatures. And I write BDSM that's simultaneously extreme (by romance standards) and intensely emotional.

Compared to many romance authors, I pay a great deal of attention to setting. All my books are set in real places: Bangkok, Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Worcester, Guatemala. With the exception of Guatmala, these are all places I know well. I feel that a rich sense of place helps better define my characters.

Your latest book, Necessary Madness, is your first full-length gay romance. What was it like writing it?

I really enjoyed writing the book. I felt a deep connection with both Kyle and Rob, but particularly with Kyle because of his experiences with the psychiatric establishment. I spent nearly three months in a psychiatric institution when I was in my late teens, and I drew on those memories to bring Kyle's anguish to life.

As far as the sex scenes are concerned, I believe that desire is a universal experience, so I don't have any problem writing about relationships between two men (or two women for that matter). My perspective is more or less pansexual. I'm obviously concerned about whether I've accurately portrayed the dynamics of gay sex. I've read quite a bit of gay erotica, written by men, so I'm hoping that I'm more or less in the ballpark.

What's the hardest thing when it comes to writing a romance?

I think the most difficult aspect is convincingly portraying the powerful emotional connection between the lovers. Real romance isn't about fun and flings. It's about a spiritual bond that goes far beyond the physical, even though it is expressed in the material world. As Joni Mitchell wrote:

I remember that time you told me

Love is touching souls

Surely you've touched mine

'Cause part of you pours out of me

In these lines from time to time.

Touching souls. Conveying that mystical dimension of love is tough to do well --at least for me.

Is there anything that bugs you about romances?

They're too predictable. Because you know that the ending will be happy, it's difficult to create convincing suspense in a romance. I prefer to read, and write, stories with more ambiguous conclusions. My erotic thriller Exposure is a good example. It doesn't have an unhappy ending--you just don't know what the main character will decide to do.

Romance these days also has an unfortunate me-too quality about it. Vampire books are popular, so everyone writes a vampire book and after a while, they all sound the same. Originality does not seem to be highly prized. Now M/M romance is

the latest hot fad. My M/M work sells much better than my heterosexual work, but I really don't want to confine myself to writing one genre. I enjoy variety in both my reading (as you obviously do!) and my writing.

What's the process like when it comes to hot covers?

Usually the publisher will ask you to submit ideas for the cover, with a questionaire that covers things like the appearance of the characters, the setting, the tone, and so on. Very often the author will get to see the initial draft of a cover and have the chance to request changes. That happened with my latest cover, for my upcoming (in August) vampire menage Fire in the Blood. In the first version of the cover, two of the characters were perfect but I thought that the third looked kind of like a zombie! (He isn't.) I requested a change and the final version is far better.

Necessary Madness was an interesting deviation. I had found photos that I used to build my mental images of Kyle and Rob. The artist agreed to use them on the cover, a rather unusual situation. My favorite cover, I think, is Raw Silk. I love Exposure, too. The former was designed by Ann Cain, who is also responsible for the graphic design of my website. The latter was done by Stella Price, who's also a romance author.

What's next in store for Lisabet Sarai?

Well, despite my comments above about not wanting to be typecast as writing only M/M, I'm currently at work on a M/M science fiction tale. It's a dystopic tale of the near future, set after a devastating plague that is blamed on the gay community. It's fairly political, as you might guess. I don't want to say any more, though.

Since you've given me this forum, I'd also like to mention that I'm the series editor for the Coming Together Presents series of single-author charitable erotica. We've already published two volumes, by M.Christian and Remittance Girl. I'm currently working on two more, which I

hope will be out by the end of the year. The first two books support Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, respectively. As an erotic author, I'm proud to work for the benefit of responsible sex education, women's rights, and free speech.

That is so great! Lisabet, thank you so much for this chat and the very best of luck with Necessary Madness!

Lisabet has graciously offered a choice of two e-books to be given away to one lucky person. The winner will get to choose between the contemporary M/F novel Getaway Girl and the M/M Tomorrow's Gifts.

Giveaway rules are as follows:

-ends July 25th

-open INTERNATIONALLY

+1 for tweeting about this contest

+2 for following my blog (old and new followers)

+2 for adding the link to the sidebar

+4 for posting about it

+4 for visiting Lisabet's site and coming back with the title that you found most titillating!

Book Goodies Giveaway #1

2010-07-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of the website Etsy.com? It's a fantastic online store of many unique hand-crafted items, created by many talented individuals. There are many book-related things to find on there and I am going to try and feature some of the artists (because that's what they are!) on my blog.

Today's spotlight is on the art by Lark, of "larkscountryheart" (click here to visit her store). She has generously offered two prizes for our giveaway today. The 1st prize is the beautiful hand-made notepad/pen set, pictured above. The 2nd prize is the unique chain and charm bookmark, featured on the other picture.

Giveaway rules:

Open to US residents only.
The giveaway ends on July 16th.
There will be two randomly chosen winners.
You can obtain bonus entries by doing the following:

+2 for following my blog (old and new followers)

+1 for tweeting about the contest (leave the link!)

+2 for adding the link to the sidebar

+4 for blogging about this

+4 for visiting Lark's store and leaving a link in the comment about what item caught your eye

Those are pretty great odds for winning, right?

Good luck and big thanks to Lark for trusting me with this giveaway!

Review: The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

2010-07-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Being a major fan of both the literary and the TV version of Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City, reading a book about the protagonist's teen years and background can be more than a little terrifying. What if it's completely different than what I imagined? Worse, what if it plain sucks? Could it affect my love for the character and the story?

Because honestly, Carrie Bradshaw is an icon. Even if you haven't read Sex and the City, the book, you've definitely seen Sex and the City, the TV show (or the inferior movies). Although there are obvious differences between the two Carries in the show and in the book (Bushnell's Carrie is a bona fide bitch, whereas Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie is rather lovable), both are driven by this extraordinary character. A single 30-something New York columnist, who made her way up battling the odds and the many men in her life.

Enter The Carrie Diaries, a basically YA book that is about Carrie's teen years. In it, she falls in love, betrays and gets betrayed, makes her first best gay friend and dreams of moving to New York. And it's great. So many details about Carrie's past are in this book - and since Carrie is a sample of an entire generation of women, it's actually details about many empowered women of the late '70s. Carrie is raised by a single father and this provides Bushnell with an opportunity to use Carrie's strong mother as a symbol of feminism, which works very well in the book. It is also fun to compare Carrie's teen friends with the ones we know she will eventually make.

All in all, Candace Bushnell has revisited Carrie's past and has done it well. I imagine the book will be spoiled by a movie or a TV show soon enough, but fans of Bushnell's universe will cherish this book on its own. Watch out for that infamously magnificent last page, it almost made me cry!

RATING: 5/5

Review: Amsterdam by Ian McEwan

2010-06-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

Ian McEwan is one of those writers I've always been dying to read, and for a good reason. I've seen two movie adaptations of his novels and loved both - the beautifully shot Atonement and the trippy The Comfort of Strangers. Both movies suggested that this was an author who, in true postmodernist fashion, likes stirring things up, mainly when it comes to mixing the traditional writing sensibilities and the broken 21st century mentality of his characters.

Then came Amsterdam, which I hear is not one of McEwan's best, and it's only like 200 pages long and incredibly easy to read. I loved it to pieces. If I had to retell it, I'd probably say it's about two old friends grieving after the death of their ex lover Molly. Then they are left to cope with the modern world and acknowledge their own moral and spiritual degradation, until the only solution is something that can be performed legally only in Amsterdam.

A totally modern book, Amsterdam still has a classical feel to it. It's British to its very core, yet it undermines everything that has been the staple of the British lifestyle. Still, it's not a satirical novel - more like a very pessimistic vision of the world, where it's still up to the people to fix what needs to be fixed, but the question is whether they will be able to do it.

RATING: 5/5

Teaser Tuesday #6

2010-05-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are her instructions:
Grab your current read, turn it to a random page and share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My new favorite class in school is Postmodernism in English Literature, because it features many authors I've always wanted to read anyway. One of them is Ian McEwan, who I've never read before, but enjoyed two film adaptations of his books immensely (Atonement and The Comfort of Strangers). My first Ian McEwan novel is Amsterdam, and it's fantastic so far. Here's the very beginning:

Two former lovers of Molly Lane stood waiting outside the crematorium chapel with their backs to the February chill. It had all been said before, but they said it again.
"She never knew what hit her."
"When she did it was too late."
"Rapid onset."
"Poor Molly."
"Mmm."

Giveaway Winners - The Second Coming

2010-05-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

Finally, I am posting the list of winners of David H. Burton's debut novel, The Second Coming! The winners will be contacted by David himself with information on where to download their ebooks. I am looking forward to reading your reviews! And the winners are...

Ryan G
Dr Bill Smith
Samantha
cpullum

Congratulations! Watch this space for another giveaway soon!

Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

2010-05-16T04:49:00.000-07:00

Again, I've been a bad blogger. School got the best of me and so my personal life (including this blog) suffered. Never worry, for I am never really gone! Now it's time to blog about books I've read in the meantime, comment on your reviews and do a vlog (look for one in a couple of days).

To kick off what I hope will be the greatest comeback since Mariah Carey, I am reviewing Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey. Jessica is an ordinary girl with a mysterious past - adopted from Romania when she was still a baby, she only knows of her American parents, while her Romanian heritage is a mystery. Enter Lucius Vladescu, a "foreign exchange student" from Romania, with the craziest idea: Jessica is to move to Romania, marry him and live as the greatest vampire queen the Balkans have ever seen.

Jessica's Guide is not to be confused with any recent YA vampire books (especially not the saga-I-shall-not-name). The approach here is much lighter, reminiscent of MaryJanice Davidson's Queen Betsy series. A chick lit in its core, the novel stumbles through multiple twists and turns and manages to come off as humorous and fun, if a little trivial. Lucius is a great character and it is through him that Fantaskey manages to sneak a little satire into the story. His perception of American culture is often funny and rings true. Jessica is spunky (of course!), but she also has her moments of humor.

All in all, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is a good choice for people who would like to try out a different approach to vampires. Edgy and fun, it still has an emotional scene or two, and an ending that is so mythical, it manages to wipe out almost every misstep in the books 350 pages.

RATING: 4/5

Thanks to Beth Fantaskey for providing me with a review copy of the book.

Interview and Giveaway: The Second Coming by David H. Burton

2010-04-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have recently been contacted by a self-published author David H. Burton, who is hard at work promoting his debut novel, The Second Coming (see trailer here). It's my pleasure to announce this interview, as well as host a giveaway of the book. Welcome, David!

Please tell us a little bit about your debut novel, The Second Coming.

Well, it's hard to categorize other than: paranormal/fantasy/horror. It's not for those who are sensitive about their religious beliefs, as it will likely offend.

The religious context of the novel is very delicate. Where did this come from?

From my past where I was immersed in it. In my early years, I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness. Later, after my father was excommunicated and became a born-again Christian, I was brought up in a nondenominational congregation. I've never seen so much judgment and hypocrisy, which I have very little tolerance for. For instance, people will use various biblical passages to justify their own bigotry and skip the passages that don't suit them. As for my book, I decided that if others can pick and choose passages to suit their own purposes, why can't I? The Old Testament God is jealous, pompous and blood-thirsty, so it was easy to "demonize" him.

You mention on your blog that you are a person of "queer persuasion".

In other words, gay. I live with my same-sex partner near Toronto. We have three boys, brothers that we adopted two years ago. We're lucky to have them. I often blog about adoption, particularly older child adoption. Our children were truly the greatest thing that ever happened to us. And being gay has had an influence on my writing, as well. A couple of the main characters in the book are queer, and I have a children's fantasy novel finishing up that will include two dads. Sometimes you write what you know.

Your blog is used for both promotional purposes, as well as a personal blog. How important do you think it is to communicate with one's readers?

Extremely important, especially in today's connected world. I like being able to share both my experiences as a writer and as a human being with others. And I love hearing from readers! I think that, moving forward, authors will be more connected with their readers and that's a great place to be. It allows us to get feedback directly about what they like and don't like about a book. It might even help shape a series, for instance, which is very exciting (and a little scary!).

Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing?

I often write on the commuter train - that's as close to a ritual as I can get. It seems to be the only time I have to sit and be creative. Basically, I just need uninterrupted time and music. I like dark, Gothic music like Evanescence when I write. The Open Door album is perfect for writing this particular series. It's dark, tragic and brings out one's anguish. It may sound weird, but it really works.

What's next on your agenda as a writer?

I'm currently working on the next novel (tentatively titled The Blood of Isis). I'm self-published so I also have to spend considerable time peddling my book. I'm hoping a traditional publisher will pick it up at some point. Also, I've mentioned I'm working on a steampunk fantasy novel for children. There aren't enough boy books out there! I hope it will be ready soon.

What book is on your night stand at the moment? Could you share some authors whose works have influenced you?

George R.R. Martin, both on my night stand and as an influence. When I first read his novel A Game of Thrones, I was aghast that he killed off one of my favorite characters. That was a huge influence on me, realizing I shouldn't be afraid to kill off a character. I also realized I didn't need to use traditional fantasy settings, nor the dichotomy of good pitted against evil. Some people can do evil things, despite their good intentions, and vice-versa.

I also love Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Margaret Weis, Mark Anthony, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert J. Sawyer and Dan Brown, to name a few.

Finally, are there any literary trends you particularly like or dislike?

I hear angels are the new vampires. I suppose my angels are not what you'd expect. Sadly, publishing houses latch onto some trends and flog them to death. Right now the focus seems to be on urban fantasy and it's killing the authors who write something different. I don't follow trends as a writer or a reader and I think the vampire/werewolf thing is way overdone.

David has generously offered 5 E-book copies of his novel for a giveaway, in the format of your choice.

The giveaway is open to all and will end on April 28th. Leave a comment to enter. Extra entries are as follows:

+2 for following (never too late to start)
+2 for tweeting about the contest (leave a link!)
+2 for linking to the contest, sidebar is okay (+4 for using a picture!)

The giveaway is now closed.

Review: Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

2010-04-12T16:10:00.001-07:00

Dan Brown's books are great if you're looking for a page-turning read. They are provocative, move along rapidly and often give readers the illusion that they are actually learning something (which is exactly what it is, an illusion). However, make sure you take breaks between Brown's books - his writing stile tends to get repetitive and you can almost identify the twists and turns as soon as you read the first pages.

Digital Fortress tells the story of a sexy, young cryptographer Susan Fletcher. Susan works for the National Security Agency, an organization that deals with preventing acts of terrorism and crime by decoding digital information. One day, she is stunned to find out about the latest code, nicknamed Digital Fortress, which seems unbreakable. The code presents a threat to worldwide peace, and it is up to Susan and a number of Brown's other characters to stop it from leaking.

This is an exciting thriller, of course. The titillating dilemma it introduces is whether affairs of the state are more important than people's privacy (this is a real-world issue, read more about it here). However, Brown doesn't linger too much on these philosophical issues. Rather, he is more interested in writing a complex story, where everyone may be a hypocrite and where betrayal lurks around every corner.

I wish the author paid more attention to his characters, as well as his moral contemplations. This way, everything plays out exactly the way you expect it to (and even if you don't, it is still far from shocking) and although all the loose ends are pretty much tied up in the finale, the book leaves you a bit hollow. The motivations of certain characters are forgotten halfway through the novel and the plot seems really too convoluted at times. This is especially evident in the epilogue, which may make some readers cringe.

All in all, Brown is great if you want to read about a potentially-devastating conspiracy, but he is all too eager to jump in on the action. However, he should receive credit for writing a book on algorithms, binary codes and all other sorts of techie stuff and still make it accessible to the general public.

RATING: 3/5

April Read-a-Thon 2010 - Recap

2010-04-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

To recap the April Read-a-Thon 2010, I am immensely glad I had signed up! Although my plans on reading kept being interrupted (plus, the time zone thing got a little funky), I ended up reading for a couple of hours and enjoying the adrenaline that was the Read-a-Thon!

I was only reading one book (didn't finish it), Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. In total, I went through 203 pages in 3 hours and 40 minutes. Not bad, considering I was very tired for most of this time, as well as that the font is INCREDIBLY small in my copy of the book.

I especially wanted to thank the cheerleaders for leaving so many comments on my blog and for keeping the excitement of the Read-a-Thon. Finally, a special thanks to all my book bloggers, whose company I constantly feel grateful for.

April Read-a-Thon 2010 - How I'm Doing

2010-04-10T15:14:00.001-07:00

12:15 AM
This is it, book bloggers and blogettes! I am about to start my Read-a-Thon reading! The plan is as follows: It is 12:15 AM here, and I plan to start reading by 12:30. By then, I'm gonna check out the Read-a-Thon page, update my Twitter and perhaps visit a few blogs. Then when I get tired, I'll update this blog post and go to sleep. As soon as I wake up, I am going to make myself a cup of coffee and continue until 3 PM, which is when the Read-a-Thon ends in this timezone. Many thanks for the wonderful cheerleaders and their comment love!

UPDATE #1

Reading Time: 2h10min (12.30am-2.40am)
Book Read: Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (still reading)
No. of Pages Read: 131

I now plan to get a good night's sleep and continue reading in the morning.

Special thanks to all the fantastic cheerleaders and commenters! I'll get back to you ASAP.

UPDATE #2

Reading Time: 1h30min (1:30pm-3:00pm)
Book Read: Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (still reading)
No. of Pages Read: 72

The April 2010 Read-a-Thon is now over! Thank you to the people who organized it, as well as everyone who's been cheering me on. I'll visit your blogs in the near future and thank everyone individually. I'm going to go eat now and then post a Read-a-Thon recap post!

April Read-a-Thon 2010 - Signed Up!

2010-04-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! I have just applied to participate in my very first Read-a-Thon! The Read-a-Thon starts at 3 PM here and I am hoping I will manage to read at least for some 5-6 hours. I have an exam tomorrow at 1 PM, so I doubt I'll be able to start right away, but where there's a will, there's a way!

Here's some of the books I might read tomorrow:

Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
Without You by Anthony Rapp
Ryland's Sacrifice by Kim Dare
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Starting Over by Tony Parsons

Obviously, this is more than I can actually read tomorrow, but I am proud of how diverse this list is, just in case I'm in the mood for any particular genre.

As for updating my progress, I'm definitely going to take the time to write at least one blog post. However, I am still not sure how I'm going to go about doing this, so for now, I think Twitter is the best way to go. If I'm not following you, make sure you let me know and I'll start (there is a Twitter button in the sidebar). We need to be a big happy family tomorrow!

Review: An Unfinished Score by Elise Blackwell

2010-04-06T05:17:00.001-07:00

It was a great honor for me to receive an ARC from such an accomplished author. Elise Blackwell's past triumphs include many short stories, cultural criticisms, as well as three novels: Hunger, The Unnatural History of Cypress Parish and Grub. An Unfinished Score is her latest novel, but hopefully not the last.

The novel tells the story of a viola player named Suzanne who hears the news that her lover is dead. Dealing with her grief takes a toll on her, especially as she has to hide it from her husband Ben and best friend Petra, who lives with them, along with her deaf daughter Adele. Soon enough, Suzanne gets a call from her lover's widow who is not without secrets of her own and Suzanne's world slowly starts unraveling.

Elise Blackwell's fourth novel is a slow, contemplative read that manages to penetrate the very basic of our thoughts and ideas with her sharp prose. Painful subjects such as infidelity and relevance are brought in focus, while traditionally accepted values are scrutinized, sometimes with devastating effects. Is music really that similar to love, when one knows one is always perfectly orchestrated and the other always unpredictable? Can art really provide comfort? And how can one ever blame someone else for anything, if humans seem inherently vicious?

An Unfinished Score is a literary tour-de-force, one I am happy I've read and one I'm happy to recommend.

RATING: 5/5

The Art of Reading More

2010-04-05T03:08:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been returning to one blog post written by Sheila over on her blog (link below), and keep reading the comments. The truth is, I am envious of many bloggers on here who somehow manage to read like 40 (!) books a month. I am ecstatic if I manage to read 10! Or even 5! With so many obligations (in my case: college, studying, tutoring, writing, socializing/going out) it's sometimes downright impossible to find time to read!

So, here's a couple of tips I've accumulated from many "helpful" sites (again, links below). Please tell me what you think of those and if you do some of that stuff or you don't, or what you do better or worse... You know, just share your thoughts. :)

Turn off the television.
Use your library more.
Learn more about a book before you read it.
Carry a book everywhere you go.
Keep a list.

My thoughts: I do most of these things, but there are obvious problems with these tips. First of all, I consider TV and movies art as much as books, so I want to try and have both. Also, if I use my library more, my TBR pile will just be HUGE! Do I want that? Finally, the "keep the book in your bag and read it on the bus" only works for lighter reads. I can't read literary fiction on the bus! :)

Also, one more thing: I found that the slower you read, the less books you review. Thus, one must artificially fill the blog with things like memes, teasers, etc. And in my experience, I would say that makes one lose its readers. Any thoughts?

Tips found here, here and here. Sheila's original post is here.
Photograph by fhrankee.

Awards #3

2010-03-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

I love getting awards, and I think it's such a great concept. To stop and blog about some of the million blogs we read every day and appreciate them with a cute little graphic. I have just seen I've won a Beautiful Blogger Award (one I don't think I've won before) from Book Junkie, a wonderful blogger who herself has indeed deserved this award. Make sure you check her blog out!

Now, here's the rules: I am to list 7 things you might not now about me and then pass it onto 15 other bloggers and notify them of it. Here goes.

7 Things You Might Not Have Known About Me

I love TV shows and am always following at least one. My heart belongs to Sex and the City and Queer as Folk, but also Desperate Housewives, True Blood, Gilmore Girls, Brothers & Sisters, ALIAS, and many more!
I am a bona fide movie buff. My interests are endless, and some of my favorite movies include RENT, Amelie, Atonement, Love and Other Disasters, Dangerous Liaisons and many I can't recall right now.
I need coffee. Every day.
I am able to surf book blogs 24/7.
I hate intolerance, ignorance and judging.
If I see new comments on my blog in the morning, it kinda makes my day.
My favorite music includes Madonna, Rufus Wainwright, Scissor Sisters, Idina Menzel and Lady Gaga.
I sometimes judge blogs by their design. So sue me.
I've never participated in a readathon, but I hope to do it this year.
I love traveling, and there is a pretty good chance I'll spend my next school year in America. Wanna meet up?

Now's the time to nominate fantastic blogs for this prestigious award (in no particular order). And the award goes to...

Of course, there's many others I've failed to mention, but as soon as I get another award, I'll let you know about them as well. 15 wasn't too much at all, which was definitely not my first thought reading the award rules. Again, thanks for reading and thanks for writing such beautiful blogs!

Wish List Wednesdays #4

2010-03-31T02:02:00.000-07:00

The latest book that has made its appearance on my wish list was Ian McEwan' The Comfort of Strangers. I have recently seen the film (starring Rupert Everett, Natasha Richardson, Helen Mirren and Christopher Walken) and found it contemplative and cathartic. I would love to get to read this book, and also Ian McEwan's other books (Atonement, for example).

As their holiday unfolds, Colin and Maria are locked into their own intimacy. They groom themselves meticulously, as though someone is waiting for them who cares deeply about how they appear. When they meet a man with a disturbing story to tell, they become drawn into a fantasy of violence and obsession.

What's on your wishlist?

Win a Sony PRS600

2010-03-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

This post is to let you know that the amazing book blogger Diane is celebrating her first blogoversary, over at her blog The Book Resort. In order to celebrate, she is giving away one amazing SONY PRS600 E-Reader! You can enter the giveaway here.

In My Mailbox #3

2010-03-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

Since I have not posted about my new books in a while, I thought maybe I should post about a selection of them - all these books I'm excited to read and can't wait to review. Coming soon to the blog near you!

Tony Parsons is an author I always liked and I've read most of his novels (Man and Boy is exceptional!). Starting Over (what you see in the picture is a Serbian translation) sounds fantastic and I was so glad when someone got me this. Don't you love it when people nail the presents they get you?

The second book you see in the picture is the ARC of Elise Blackwell's upcoming book, An Unfinished Score. I was proud to receive an ARC from such an acclaimed author. I am in the process of reading it and I love it! Review coming very soon.

Then, we have Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, another review copy. This one I'm gonna review soon as well, since it's been a while since I received it. I don't want the author to think I forgot about her!

Richard Ellmann's biography of the one and only Oscar Wilde was a present from a very dear friend. It is one of those books you simply cannot wait to sink your teeth in, but keep waiting for the perfect moment. I do not want to rush this book, instead I want to read it at a slow pace when I have less obligations.

Finally, here we have Without you: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Musical RENT. Any good friend of mine knows of my love for the musical RENT, and here is a memoir by Anthony Rapp, one of the original Broadway actors. This is another one I cannot wait to read.

What's in your mailbox?

Book to Movie Review: New Moon

2010-03-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

If you remember my review on the Twilight saga's second installment, New Moon, then you may expect how I felt before seeing this movie. I expected a disaster, of course, but some small part of me actually hoped that it was either Robert Pattinson or Catherine Hardwicke, who added much needed depth to the first movie adaptation, would save this one.

Unfortunately, Robbie is gone for the majority of the movie, and the movie itself is directed by probably my most loathed director, Chris Weitz. Mr. Weitz is responsible for his adaptation of Philip Pullman's epic book Northern Lights (aka The Golden Compass in America), the result of which was a complete travesty. Here, he manages to not only disregard the fact that the paper thin story of New Moon could be improved greatly on screen, but he completely runs the film into the ground.

As for the (non-existent) plot: Edward is no longer the cool, smart vamp-boy he was in the first installment - rather, he is an immature wuss. After he leaves Bella with a ridiculous excuse (and after we see she is stupid enough to buy it), Bella gets friendly with the young, steroid-popping Native American. His name is Jacob and he is a werewolf. He also supplies Bella with means of getting into situations of mortal danger, 'cause that's when visions of Edward start happening. Nothing much happens for a really long time, until Bella finally goes to Italy (?!), gets to meet a far superior actress in the form of Dakota Fanning and kinda save Edward's life (what happened there is still a bit unclear to me). That's it, folks.

Let's get done with the good points already, so I can keep on trashing this film as much as it deserves. Robert Pattinson really is a good actor. Ashley Greene (who plays Alice) is really kinda cool. OK, I'm done.

When it comes to the bad stuff, special effects are really substandard. It's hard to believe that New Moon came out in 2009. The visions Bella has of Edward are best described as holograms and the werewolves are probably the worst CGI creatures I have seen lately. After finally getting an appropriate idea of what a werewolf should look like in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, it's sad to see we're back at the start.

I am sure people who loved the book will love this film, but seriously, it might be damaging to one's IQ. Hardwicke's version of Twilight was all about subtlety, sneaking up on the viewer and tapping into his long-forgotten ideas of innocence and romance. Here, no reference is uttered less than three times, so the silly audience can get it (Romeo & Juliet, anyone?). Unlike Twilight, New Moon taps into a viewer's love for cineplexes. I'm actually surprised it's not in 3D.

RATING: 2/5

Review: Rage - Gay Crusader

2010-03-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

I don't have much reading experience when it comes to graphic novels, so I was excited to read this one as part of my LGBT Reading Challenge. This month's mini challenge is to read a graphic novel containing GLBT themes, so I picked Rage - Gay Crusader.

Rage is a spin off comic book from the hit TV show Queer as Folk. Its plot alludes to some first season plot points and the characters are drawn based on their TV counterparts. The comic book actually plays an important part in the show, so it was fun to actually get to read it.

Rage is a superhero, living with his faithful sidekick in the city of Gayopolis (one of the many campy details featured in the book). His good looks often help him solve problems on the streets, which is not surprising, since he is based on the actor Gale Harold, who plays the show's protagonist. There is not much to the story, really - he saves a teen from a brutal gay bashing and then beds him. However, the imagery was simply beautiful. Black and white, detailed, nostalgic of the show.

There is not really much to say about this, but I am sure this mini graphic novel will be enjoyed even by people who never watched the show (shame on you!). All in all, it is a fun little graphic novel that doesn't take itself too seriously. Recommended.

This book counts toward my GLBT challenge.

Review: Desperate Housewives - Behind Closed Doors

2010-03-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

Back in 2004, one show came out of nowhere, only to become the most talked about thing on television, almost singlehandedly putting the ABC network back on the radar. The hit show was Desperate Housewives, which is now still going strong, currently in its six season.

Behind Closed Doors is a companion coffee-table book to the first season of the show. It takes a look back on the conception of this cult phenomenon, the five actresses whose careers were salvaged by their roles as housewives and finally, the many characters, plots and every minor detail imaginable, as long as it deals with the lives of Bree, Lynette, Susan and Gabby.

The first thing that pops off the page is how impeccably the book is designed. There are plenty of high quality pictures both from the show and from behind the scenes, the treasure throve of information this book provides is organized clearly and aesthetically - it's really a book to put on your favorite coffee table. The best part is probably the styles of each housewives - how they're dressed for the show, why they're dressed like that and finally, how the wardrobe reflects the characters. There is also a very interesting and detailed insight into each episode of the first season.

Obviously, this book will be bought exclusively by the people who already love the show. However, it can also be useful to anyone who is has come late to the party that is Desperate Housewives. I highly recommend this book.

RATING: 5/5

Sing Me to Sleep Giveaway Winners

2010-03-16T03:50:00.000-07:00

Again, it's been a while. I feel like a very, very bad blogger. My immune system is really fighting to get better and again, I've been sick... So I am sorry to everyone who was anticipating the results of the Sing Me to Sleep giveaway!

So, here's the winner! Congratulations to ~~Kelly~~ Amanda!

And of course, do not forget to visit the author's site!

Review: Sticks and Stones by Jamie Craig

2010-02-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

When I posted the teaser for the romance novel Sticks and Stones, I mentioned that it was my first romance ever. This is not exactly true - a couple of weeks ago I tried reading another one. Unfortunately, it was bad beyond belief. It was the first time I quit reading a book without feeling the least bit guilty. In fact, it was a huge relief. Therefore, it should come as no surprise I approached Sticks and Stones with caution. I was in for another surprise when I realized this was not only a perfectly enjoyable read, but also one I would have no trouble recommending to other romance lovers.

The name Jamie Craig found on the cover of the novel is in fact a pseudonym acclaimed romance writers Vivien Dean and Pepper Espinoza use when writing together. Sticks and Stones is set in the golden age of Hollywood musical theater, subtly evoking the era of manly tap dancers and dreamy singers. Paul Dunham is both. MGM's biggest star, he is furious to find out the British newcomer Jack Wells is set to be his co-star in the upcoming musical blockbuster. On the other hand, Jack is thrilled to have an opportunity to dance next to a man he has not only respected throughout his career, but who he has always had a crush on as well. Many conflicts and problems come their way, but it is not long before Paul admits to himself that maybe his being prejudiced towards Jack was a defense mechanism - and that maybe he should simply give in.

The reason why Sticks and Stones works is because it actually has a good plot, believable characters and an obviously well-researched setting. Although the frank depictions of sex in the book make Candace Bushnell look like a schoolgirl, it is the many tribulations Jack and Paul face that really rings a special bell. The constant bickering, unwillingness to admit one's emotions and many misunderstandings are all contributing factors to making these characters seem worth believing in. Yes, it is an erotic romance, but if you took away the steamy scenes, you would still be left with a gripping, fun read.

There are a of couple things in Sticks and Stones that do not really work, such as the characters of Paul's manager Marty, his wife Lilah and finally Don, Paul's one night stand - all potentially interesting characters (especially Lilah) that are unfortunately used merely as plot devices. However, this is a small bone to pick. All in all, this is a satisfying, interesting, often arousing romance that takes extra steps to make sure everything (even the sex!) helps tell the story of these two men and their hectic relationship. It stays clear of the pulp fiction category, and for this, it should be given a chance.

RATING: 4/5

This review counts toward the GLBT challenge and the Romance Week 2010 challenge.

Teaser Tuesday #5

2010-02-09T03:29:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are her instructions:
Grab your current read, turn it to a random page and share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Sticks and Stones by Jamie Craig. This is my first full on romance ever (and a gay one at that!) and it's not half bad. Look for the review one of these days. This book will also contribute to the two challenges you see on the right, the LGBT challenge and the Valentine's Day one.

Paul shoved Jack away with enough force to send him stumbling back to the wall. “Since you don’t understand when you’re not wanted, Philip will help you find your way off my property.” He sincerely doubted Philip was a Boy Scout, ready to lead the way with his trusty compass.

Giveaway: Sing Me to Sleep

2010-02-07T16:05:00.001-08:00

You've read about this book all over this blogosphere and desperately want to see what it's about? Here's your chance! One lucky winner will get this book from the author herself, which is very exciting news, especially since this giveaway is international! Here are a few rules and also some helpful tips on how you can increase your chance to win a signed (!) copy of Angela Morrison's Sing Me to Sleep.

The giveaway is international!
The giveaway is open to February 22nd.
Please, do not forget to leave your email in your comment! No email, no entry.

You can get extra entries for doing one or more of the following:

+4 if you blog about this giveaway
+2 if you leave the link to the giveaway on your blog's sidebar (+4 if you use a graphic)
+2 for following (never too late to start!)
+2 for tweeting about the contest (leave your Twitter ID)

The winners will be chosen randomly and then notified by email.

Special thanks to Angela Morrison for making this fantastic giveaway possible!

Review: Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

2010-02-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

Angela Morrison's sophomore novel Sing Me to Sleep is not a hard book to read. The pages turn smoothly, the story is believable enough and there is enough universality in these teen characters to strike a chord with most readers. And I am happy to finally get to review this book after taking control of my life again, after so many exams, obligations and other nasty stuff.

One thing I loved about Morrison's writing is that she is not afraid to take the extra step and show us how high school indeed can be gruesome and harsh. The protagonist of the book, Beth aka "The Beast" is forced to live with constant ridicule, as well as insults and attacks (both verbal and physical). Some of the scenes in Sing Me to Sleep shocked me with their honesty and brutality, and even though I didn't always care for the more romantic side of the story, it was how genuine the book was that made me rate it positively.

There is a huge story about a love triangle, a singing competition and more YA stuff that are mostly okay, but it is the realistic portrayal of characters that wins the prize. Beth is insecure, but not an idiot. She is fully aware of the world around her, and even though she is in desperate need of an attitude makeover (neatly connected with her physical makeover), we never really lose faith in her. The hunk named Derek is also not a typical, boring romantic interest. Not only does he sing in choir, he also has a secret or two, and it is exactly these details that make us care about these characters.

I could name a couple of things that do not exactly work in the book, mainly the poetic attempts scattered throughout the book, or many unnecessary narrative detours (we don't really have to know how singing in choir works in such detail), but it is refreshing to find a YA book that doesn't rely on vampires and werewolves for its thrills. Sing Me to Sleep is a fun, clever little book that, while it's certainly no classic, is also far heavier and thought-provoking than your regular beach read.

REVIEW: 3/5

Review: Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

2010-01-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my first unfinished book review. I know some of you Twilight-heads (does this expression even exist?) will not enjoy this, but I was unable to get through the third installment in Stephanie Meyer's uber-popular Twilight saga. And that isn't to say I haven't tried. I carried that book around for weeks in my bag, which is a huge effort if I do say so myself, since the book is so huge. I tried reading it for periods of varying length - nothing. And here's why.

If there is a lesson Meyer should learn from more experienced (and acclaimed!) authors, is that withholding information is not a good thing. Sure, there's a lot we didn't know about Snape or Dumbledore until The Deathly Hallows, but the journey has never been tedious and pointless. Even more importantly, the Harry Potter books (and I know these are not the only books Twilight can be compared to, but are probably the most popular fantasy books ever written) always felt planned inside and out. The author always seemed to know exactly where she was going with this or that, and not one character or plot point was included without a reason.

Eclipse starts pretty much where New Moon left off. Now, if you, like me, felt that New Moon was uneventful and unnecessary, prepare for more of that this time around. Bella and Edward are madly in love (of course), there are incredibly non-interesting flashbacks to the pasts of most major characters and a danger lurking in behind that is as dangerous as it is dull. The problem is we never know what the hell is going on. Being put in Bella's point of view is a rather dismal affair, since no one seems to care to explain to her what everything that is going on in the book actually means, to the point that one inevitably stops caring at one point.

Secondly, the series' most interesting character, Edward, is ridiculously underused this time around. It seems like somewhere along writing New Moon, Stephenie suddenly decided to switch to Team Jacob, making her male protagonist an incredible bore. Edward is only interested in marrying Bella, he is so concerned about her safety and what not, he doesn't even respond to her frequent attacks of horniness, he becomes a silent know-it-all and finally, he pales in comparison to Bella's other suitor, the bad-boy werewolf Jacob, who even kisses her sloppily at one point. And if you think this might be just the exposition of the novel, you're wrong. This is what's going on for more than half of this overlong affair.

If you write a popular, thrilling and fun debut novel such as Twilight, you might think again before you choose to clumsily build upon a story that was so effective and almost stand-alone. New Moon had its moments, but it was mostly a way to introduce a new plot development for the third book. And now that the third book has arrived, I just wish none of it had ever happened.

RATING: 2/5

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T09:35:00.000-08:00

Keeping a blog is a contemplative thing. Very introspective if you do it honestly, and if you go back and read your past posts, it is easy to see how easily people change or maybe even go different directions, even though they never knew they were making a decision.

Of course, we are book bloggers and although the manifestation of our feelings and identity, always evident through our book reviews and interactions with fellow bloggers, is different than those who simply type about their day-to-day life, the essence is still the same. We write about what matters, and after reading so many books and interpeting so many ideas, we know that something matters only if we see it that way. We embrace the subjective, the abstract, but in turn get an amazing view into ourselves, because the books we read are who we are inside.

This is why I would like to thank each and every single one of my fellow book bloggers. Thank you for writing such wonderful posts and making me want to write as well. Thank you for reading all those wonderful books, thus making me want to read them. Most of all, thank you for being open, honest and supportive. We are making each other's words matter and thus liberating ourselves enough to spot what's right and wrong with the world we live in.

I wish you all the best in 2010, in terms of health, wealth or any other way you define happiness.

xoxo
-Nikola

Giveaway Winner - P&P&Z/S&S&SM

2009-12-26T08:39:00.000-08:00

After a long, long delay, I am lett ing you know the winners of the contest. These three people will win a set of both books, sent to them by the publisher. I hope they will love the books and I'm looking forward to the reviews! And the winners are...

Ryan G

brizmus

Trisha

Congratulations! xoxo

Many thanks to Melissa Monachello, without whom this giveaway wouldn't be possible!

In My Mailbox #2

2009-12-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

Finally, a new blog post, and a new vlog! Hope you like it! Here are the books I mention in it:

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

Blog Back Soon

2009-12-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Dear bloggers,

Sorry for not posting in a while. I know it's really bad, and that I even had a giveaway going that doesn't have the winners yet, but don't worry, it's about to change. I've had a lot of trouble with my ISP, as well as school work, but I expect to write a post/do a vlog tomorrow and then go from there.

Thanks for generally reading my blog, and sorry about this.

xoxo

Nikola

Review: Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

2009-11-24T01:48:00.000-08:00

When you meet the man of your dreams on girls night out, it's hardly perfect timing!

In this fresh and funny contemporary romance by bestselling author Jill Mansell, Poppy Dunbar's whole life gets turned upside down after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger...

Never a troublemaker, Poppy had always been content with the way things were supposed to be done—which included marrying predictable Rob McBride. But that was before she met Tom Kennedy the night before her wedding. Could she really be falling in love with a stranger?
Unable to forget Tom, or go through with the wedding, Poppy runs off to London. Her new life and colorful friends are anything but predictable. Misunderstandings, family secrets, and jealous quarrels ensue, but can Poppy stop running long enough to figure out what—or, rather, who—is in her heart?

Reading Perfect Timing, I kept thinking how come this book wasn't available on the American market sooner. It is a by numbers chick lit book that still sports enough surprises and good-natured humor to be distinguished from the overcrowded market. The best part of the book are the characters - Poppy being the girl next door everyone knows, Caspar being the hunky artistic type, and Tom... Well, I'm not giving that one away!

Although sometimes the book feels crowded with characters, I must mention Ms. Mansell's ability to create believable characters and put them in believable situations. Although the book lacks the social commentary of, for example, Candace Bushnell's books, or may not feel fresh at all times, it is still a great book to curl up with when it's raining cats and dogs outside and you want to be transported to a world with happy ends.

RATING: 4/5

Book to Movie Review: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

2009-11-20T01:40:00.000-08:00

Two installments of the hilarious Georgia Nicolson book series, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging and It's OK, I'm Wearing Really Big Knickers, have now been adapted into a movie starring a bunch of unknown British actors, and a relatively funny cat. The good news? Although it's flawed, the movie couldn't really be deemed bad. The bad news (and something most book bloggers are generally interested in) is that it doesn't come within a mile of the books' spirit, humor and heart.

The protagonist is Georgia Nicolson (Georgia Groome), a 14-year-old girl with serious self-esteem issues. Her nose is the size of Jupiter, her parents are annoying... You get the idea. Her best friend is Jas (played by the charismatic Eleanor Tomlinson), with whom Georgia thinks up a genius plan on how to seduce the two new boys in school, played by two anonymous hotties. Of course, the plan backfires, and Georgie has to learn the lesson of... Boring.

The biggest problem with the film is the way they dumbed down (and sexed-down) the books so it could appeal to the tween crowd, at once evident from the title. You know you're in for a problem when you see the Nickelodeon logo at the beginning of the film. These characters are the High School Musical version of the original characters, and it just doesn't work.

That said, the movie is rather enjoyable once you forget about your expectations. There is a cutesy feeling going through the entire movie, and some of the performances are very naturalistic and measured. My favorite, however, was Angus, who may not deserve a pussy-flick of his own just yet, but who definitely shined in this one. Not a perfect adaptation, but not as horrible a disappointment as The Golden Compass was, this one's a good rental.

RATING: 3/5

Giveaway: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies/Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

2009-11-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

Finally, the giveaway I've been so excited to host, but good things are worth the wait, right? Welcome to the biggest contest on Nikola's Book Blog yet, where three (3) lucky winners will be walking away with a combo of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters! That's right, this is your chance to win two of the most talked-about books of 2009!

Giveaway rules:

1. The giveaway is open to America, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

2. The giveaway will have three (3) winners, each winning a copy of each book.

3. The giveaway will close on December 2nd.

4. In order to enter, please leave a comment and make sure you leave an email address. No email address, no entry!

5. The winners will be notified by email, as well as advertised on the blog.

6. The giveaway is open to followers only.

7. Special entries are awarded on the following basis:

+2 for tweeting, facebooking, leaving the link in the sidebar, etc. (leave a link!)

+5 for linking to the contest using the image above

Big thanks to Melissa Monachello for making this giveaway possible!

Teaser Tuesdays #4

2009-11-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another Teaser Tuesday! I absolutely love this meme, and am excited to post another sport after a while! The meme is hosted by the person behind Should Be Reading. The idea is to grab your current read, turn to a random page (although I prefer to turn to the page I'm on) and share two "teaser sentences" with the crowd. Spoilers aren't cool. Here we go~

Caspar realized he couldn't look at the photographs any more. He shoveled them back into the envelope, wondering if Poppy had used his camera on purpose to make her point.

-Jill Mansel, Perfect Timing