Saturday, September 19, 2009

Awards! #2


Yay, I got another fresh batch of awards from other fabulous bloggers! Some of these are not so fresh - I feel bad and apologize for taking me so long to post about these awards and assign them to other bloggers. But here they are now, as well as my nominees!

Awarded by Jessica. My nominees are:


Awarded by Cynthia and Ryan. I have already nominated people for this award.

Awarded by BrownGirl. I have already nominated people for this award.

Awarded by Alyssa, Jake & Gregory. My nominees are:


Awarded by Ryan. My nominee is:


Awarded by Ceri. My nominee is:


Thank you to all the wonderful, talented book bloggers who have awarded me. I look forward to more reviews, debates, giveaways and other book-related fun!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Review: The Diary by Eileen Goudge


Good romance reads will never go out of style. Books that feature star-crossed lovers battling the world that doesn't understand them will always strike a chord with the audience - both with those who have experienced unparalleled stings of love and/or lust, or those who wish they could go through all this. Either way, The Diary is a book to recommend to those around you who need a little romance in their life.

The Diary tells the story of two women who find their dying mother's diary and uncover a big secret. It turns out that the love of their mother's life was not their father, but instead a footloose, charismatic young man. By reading the diary, the sisters slowly bond and realize that although every child keeps some secrets from their parents, it is usually the other way around as well.
The diary is essentially a beach read. It doesn't take long to finish it, and since it is always emotional, always in medias res, it does not take long to get into it. The lady and the tramp story is reminiscent of some other popular ones (namely, The Notebook), but Goudge also flirts with themes of maternity, small-town mentality and the passing of time, although she never diverts the reader's full attention away from the central romance. All in all, The Diary is everything it should be - a light, entertaining book that will strike a chord with all you hopeless romantics. It is a great novel in its niche.

RATING: 4/5

Big thanks to Eileen Goudge for sending me an inscribed copy of The Diary.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Wish List Wednesdays #2


Wish List Wednesdays is hosted by Jennay at My Tea Time is Book Time. It's a weekly meme and anyone can join in!!! All you have to do is list a few of the books on your wish list (and all book lovers have one of those...right?). Come and share, so other readers can add more books to their growing wish list!

As can be seen in the picture on the right, Peter Schafer's drama Equus is at the very top of my wish list right now! I have heard so many great stuff about it, and am planning on seeing the film sometime soon. Of course, I didn't have the chance to see the Broadway performance starring Daniel Radcliffe, but I would give anything if I could just have this book in my hands right now!

For other items on my wish list, feel free to check out my Amazon wish list!

And what book are you craving?

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Meme: Me and My Reading Habits


Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

Whereas tea and coffee are my beverages of choice when it comes to reading, I also like to snack from time to time. Fruit is the best solution, because it never leaves you too thirsty, meaning you don't need to take a break in your reading so you could go get a glass of water.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I would never do it. However, I have been in situations where I had a library book with notes in it, and I felt as if I was having a conversation with whoever it was that had read the book before me. Sometimes I felt he or she had great insight, and sometimes I just hated them. :)

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

Bookmarks all the way! Dog-ears are okay I guess, if you really can't find anything to put in the book, but I find it too much fun to collect bookmarks! I always buy a bookmark as a souvenir wherever I go!

Laying the book flat open?

Sure, I've done it.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Fiction, but I also love memoirs of certain interesting people.

Hard copy or audiobooks?

Hard copy. I cannot stand audiobooks.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

Sure I'm able to put the book down, but I hate doing it in the middle of a chapter!

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

Not really. It would just damage my reading experience. Chances are, it's not too important, and even if it is, you can usually figure it out from context.

What are you currently reading?

Two books. Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, and The Diary by Eileen Goudge.

What is the last book you bought?

Probably The Fire by Katherine Neville.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

I usually have to read more books at the time, since I have required reading for university, but I also read books for pleasure.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

Not really. I am just happy whenever I find the time!

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

I prefer books that have literary merit. Usually, series books don't, since they are too concerned with plot, cliff-hangers, etc. That said, I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and there are certain other series books I just adore.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

Yes. Michael Cunningham is my all-time favorite author, hands down.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

I don't. I love my books to be a hot mess!

Teaser Tuesday #3


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MiZB at Should Be Reading.

Here are her instructions:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

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

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

Here is my teaser this week...

The Diary by Eileen Goudge (soon to be reviewed):

"So that story she used to tell us about Dad being the one to rescue her was all a lie?" Emily frowned down at the diary, from which Sarah had been reading aloud, as if it had offended her.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Ms. Taken Identity by Dan Begley Giveaway - WINNERS!


Wow, what a turnout! Seems like the talented Dan Begley really is on the road to become a bestselling novelist. His lad lit debut Ms. Taken Identity is in stores now, but these two people were lucky enough to each win a copy (drawn by means of randomizer.org)!

Congratulations to Michelle and Neas Nuttiness!

The winners are required to respond to their email in the next 48 hours. In case this doesn't happen, someone else will be drawn.

Big thanks to Dan Begley for making this giveaway possible!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Booking Through Thursday #2

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly book meme that changes every week (you can find them all here).

This week's question: What's the most informative book you've read recently?

Although many wouldn't agree with me, I find chick lit books very informative. I believe there is always a reason why some book sell well, whereas others don't. The reason why chick lit books are flying off the shelfs surely has to do with sociology, as well as with different target audiences. For example, a lot of chick lit books have lately depicted women dealing with poor economical climate. Also, the focus from earlier chick lit books has been changed - today, it's not about getting a man, it's about focusing on yourself while occasionally going for romance. To cut the long story short, the most informative book I read recently was Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle, since it offered a peek into the competitive, scary life of female career builders, what women have to sacrifice in order to have a career, as well as the difficulties women have when it comes to business. Read my review of Lipstick Jungle here.