tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75907629475589949692024-03-21T06:25:43.235-07:00InfiniteJude Henderson ♥http://www.blogger.com/profile/01875882268956750644noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590762947558994969.post-61322116248583650442012-07-12T11:45:00.003-07:002012-07-20T15:15:32.121-07:00Review: The Ghost and the Goth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNc5Aark_fWrjf_k4Dea34jjPM2QJRxB6L0xGgLGEhsqG3awEaCPD-OvtDDCr1eiT936mXJCOewXzN325m-bbssQNP9hR1c5W599yAJeYKWHtnG5iR49kYnRsCc_Wb36bYNeRIsspkncU/s1600/7008041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNc5Aark_fWrjf_k4Dea34jjPM2QJRxB6L0xGgLGEhsqG3awEaCPD-OvtDDCr1eiT936mXJCOewXzN325m-bbssQNP9hR1c5W599yAJeYKWHtnG5iR49kYnRsCc_Wb36bYNeRIsspkncU/s400/7008041.jpg" width="273" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7008041-the-ghost-and-the-goth">The Ghost and the Goth</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3125711.Stacey_Kade">Stacey Kade</a><br />
<b>My rating:</b> 5 of 5 Moons<br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA, Ghost, Paranormal Fiction, Fantasy, Humour<br />
<b>Published:</b> June 29, 2010<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 281<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Hyperion Book CH<br />
<b>Source:</b> Library Loan<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Format:</b> Hardcover</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Purchase At:</b> <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Ghost-Goth-Stacey-Kade/9781423121978" target="_blank">TheBookDepository.com</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Goth-Novels/dp/1423124871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342377283&sr=1-1&keywords=the+ghost+and+the+goth" target="_blank">Amazon.co</a></div>
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<u style="text-align: center;"><strong><br /></strong></u></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<u style="text-align: center;"><strong>Goodreads Summary</strong></u></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad,
Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a
movie star… and newly dead.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it
all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what
everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect,
especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there
anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend
and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you
wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I
can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in
and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s
not good. Where is that freaking white light already?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the
popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to
rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see,
hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough
already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who
shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But
lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an
anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw
me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing
about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my
shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for
psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption
and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How
many weeks until graduation?</div>
</blockquote>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>
<u>My Thoughts</u>
</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><u><br /></u></strong></div>
<br />
Stacey Kade impresses with <u>The Ghost and the Goth</u>, a thriller debut with loads of laughs to spare. This book was overall just a lot of <em>fun</em>
for me! It is pretty decent in terms of pages and perfect in my opinion
because the book is short and very sweet. Kade introduces Alona Dare,
the un-typical cheerleader and newly dead ex-high school student who
hasn't quite managed to, ahem, "pass on." Alona is in need of help, and
the only place it seems that she can get it from is Will Killian, the
resident weirdo/goth kid with a twist. Will sees ghosts...everyone
thinks that he has some weird schizophrenia because of the voices he
hears and seizures he slips into now and again, but Will hears the
undead and they can get pretty annoying. He keeps to himself, taking
into account Alona's death but not really caring until she seeks him
out...Alona needs help moving on, because you know, death gets drab
pretty fast, and Will is the guy for the job. Only, she has a lot of
convincing to do, Will isn't 100% certain that he wants to help her. <br />
<br />
The book starts with a kick and one of the most exciting scenes being
when the reader watches Alona die; I think that with a starting like
that, you could wake anyone up. From then on, the Action never slows
down and as more interesting information about both Will and Alona is
divulged, it becomes apparent that this book is not your typical YA
ghost story. The story is told from both Alona and Will's perspective
and constantly alternating, perfect because you get to experience both
their point of views and the information feels fuller because it isn't
limited. <br />
In terms of characters, they really impressed me. I liked that Will was a
sweetheart and that Alona is a bit of one too. Their emotions were
well-thought out and authentic and I could sympathize with the
situations they went through. <br />
<br />
I laughed a lot while reading this, <strong>
<em><u>The Ghost and the Goth</u> provides a welcomed shot of humour, wit and enough mystery to keep the pages turning.</em>
</strong> Readers should keep an eye out for Kade, I have a feeling that
this author has more brilliance up her sleeve. I can't wait to get my
hands on the sequel!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 Full Moons!</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Jude Henderson ♥http://www.blogger.com/profile/01875882268956750644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590762947558994969.post-77277505732249468772012-07-12T11:45:00.001-07:002012-07-20T20:01:15.355-07:00Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY7QDZ7tBXs25jbcCSCrhT7gzdxABpjNzP9re8eFqyIinLLYGi_97wg67RvCQvA8ieEdzWziWdUit8e0ib-pgYg58CJZ6wGgArKelFHps7HiDdYvqQRoUiKlpyEyMOjZyCPsodH_7INs/s1600/8490112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY7QDZ7tBXs25jbcCSCrhT7gzdxABpjNzP9re8eFqyIinLLYGi_97wg67RvCQvA8ieEdzWziWdUit8e0ib-pgYg58CJZ6wGgArKelFHps7HiDdYvqQRoUiKlpyEyMOjZyCPsodH_7INs/s400/8490112.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8490112-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone">Daughter of Smoke and Bone</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/324620.Laini_Taylor">Laini Taylor</a><br />
<b>My rating:</b> 5 of 5 stars<br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Adventure, Angels & Demons<br />
<b>Published:</b> September 27, 2011<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 417<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Little, Brown & Company<br />
<b>Source:</b> Purchased<br />
<b>Format:</b> Hardcover<br />
<b>Purchase At:</b> <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Daughter-Smoke-Bone-Laini-Taylor/9780316134026" target="_blank">TheBookDepository.com</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Smoke-Bone-Laini-Taylor/dp/031613399X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342717127&sr=1-1&keywords=daughter+of+smoke+and+bone" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong><u>Goodreads Summary</u></strong></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched
there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. <br />
<br />
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. <br />
<br />
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. <br />
<br />
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not
be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks
many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually
grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that
haunts her, and she's about to find out.<br />
<br />
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his
fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood
and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots
drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the
truth about herself?</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>
<u>My Thoughts</u>
</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
WOW. No, really, <strong>WOW!!!</strong> Is this really happening, did I just read a book that superb? Holy smokes, I think I did. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/excited%20running%20gif" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white;"><img alt="brb Pictures, Images and Photos" height="223" src="http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb342/Sleepy-eyed-teen/Gifs/tumblr_lsrrf9M1iW1qba1d0o1_500.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Laini Taylor is extraordinary. My gosh, this woman is a freaking <em>genius</em>!
I think I have an official author crush. Her prose is delectable,
polished as if some fine jewel made for royalty. Guys, she used words I
had no clue the meaning of and occasionally had to <em>look up</em>,
just because I had this urge to soak up as much of her brilliance as
possible. This book cannot be called YA fiction without some hint of
insult because there is no age restriction for a novel this good,
everyone should read it. Everything was so perfect. <br />
<br />
<u>Why You Could Like This Book</u><br />
<br />
If you love starcrossed lovers, your nose should already be ten feet deep into <u>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</u>'s
pages; I do not mean that Romeo and Juliet B.S. but real star-crossed
lovers made of depth, sacrifice and substance, you have got to meet
Akiva and Karou. <s>And Madrigal. How does this work again?</s> I don't
really care how crazy I sound at the moment, because this was brilliant.
There is wit and beauty in every page, Prague has never looked better
to me than in this book. And you know what, <strong>I'm going to visit.</strong>
Maybe a group of friends and I will take a trip and hunt for some
devilishly handsome angels for ourselves! For all intensive purposes,
Tyler Hoechlin<s>Mr. Smokin-Hot-Smokey-Pants</s> will play Akiva. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="200" src="http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1441833006/image.jpg" style="background-color: white;" width="200" /></div>
<em><br /></em><br />
<em>Oh, yes...</em><br />
<em></em><br />
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<i><br /></i><br />
I am going to marry that man someday. Not Tyler, Akiva. Akiva would all
but be my hero if not for one tiny detail...he effs up pretty majorly.
Not that anyone can blame him, what went down was ridiculous, but I feel
a little twinge of sadness because his actions ultimately ruined things
a little between him and Karou. BUT NO SPOILERS! I will give nothing
away, safe to say that this is romance and adventure and history all at
its finest. While reading, I kept thinking how <em>mythic</em> the story
seemed, as if Laini Taylor's imaginings were real and my reading it was
just a recap on the history. She writes with a distinctly poetic flair,
and the reader cannot help but tuck a little into themselves, sip a
little of their warm drink and hang on for the ride. <br />
<br />
The plot isn't anything I would have expected and even if the first few
chapters fail to impress you, keep reading. Keep reading because there
is more to come that is worth seeing. The whole cast of characters;
Brimstone, Kishmish, Zusana, Issa, Twiga, Yasri and even Thiago feel
like something out of an epic. Their relationship with Karou proves as
even more profound when by 3/4 of the novel Laini Taylor lets lose the
mother of all epiphanies and it all comes together. The end is somewhat
the beginning of this story, and I mean that in the best way. It could
be the beginning of interest if the stunning backdrop and side-story did
not capture you before, or it could be the start of a second love if
everything mentioned was already enthralling; I believe that I am of the
second sort, I was already in love, but learning more of Karou and
Akiva made me fall even harder in bliss.<br />
<br />
Akiva is the avenging angel, and dayum does he make it look <em>good</em>. But on second thought, maybe I'll marry Tyler too, it never hurts to have options!<br />
<br />
<u>What You Should Watch Out For</u><br />
<br />
The insta-love aspect is a very tricky one to manage because there
really is more going on than meets the eye. So, my only advice in this
case is to forget about it. Forget that there is any insta-love and take
it just as <em>love</em>, because at the end of the day that is what it
ends up being. On any other occasion I probably would be the one
pointing out that people who just meet cannot be in love...but they
haven't just met. So there, that is the only tidbit of spoiler I am
willing to divulge; Karou and Akiva are meant to be, and I would hate
for anyone to pass up on reading about them just because of some wrong
misconception of an insta-love troupe being in place. <br />
<br />
Other than that? There is graphic violence, deep sensuality and death
within these pages, younger readers should be advised to read with
extreme caution. I was heavily pleased and <u>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</u>
is indeed a new favourite! I'm jumping on the bandwagon and have great
plans to purchase the second book as soon as it releases. <br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 1/2 Moons!</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Jude Henderson ♥http://www.blogger.com/profile/01875882268956750644noreply@blogger.com0