Book Review: Literary Murder by Batya Gur

Author	Batya Gur
Title	Literary Murder
Publisher	Harper
Date of Publication	October 7, 1994
Page Count	368 (my German copy: 480)
ISBN	978-0-060-92548-2
Series	Superintendent Michael Ohajon #2

On a short vacation to the sea with his son, Superintendent Michael Ohajon witnesses the body of a dead scuba diver being pulled out of the sea. The diver turns out to be a lecturer at the Hebrew Literature Institute at Hebrew University in Jerusalem - Ido Duda'i. Back home in Jerusalem, Ohajon helps with the investigation in the lecturer's death, when a second murder victim is found: the head of the institute, Sha'ul Tirosh, a world-reknowned scholar and poet. While investigating the two murders, Ohajon heads back into the world of the university, including its academic talking and the lectures.

To be up front, this book can be boring in some parts for those readers who don't know the basics of studying literature (for example what hermeneutics is). Batya Gur recreated two longer lectures on literature in this mystery and some shorter discussions in conversations between the characters. This, of course, could have been expected in a book set around the world of the lecturers and professors of a literature department at a university. You can of course skip or skim those parts, but I really enjoyed them, as they showed some more distant characters in a new light.

Aside from that, though, the murder mysteries and the characters were so well-developped, it was amazing to read Literary Murder. The characters are really three-dimensional, with different reasons that make them tick. It was hard to keep track of every little detail, which made it impossible (at least for me) to guess who did it up until the very last moment.

On top of that, the setting in Jerusalem was one I have yet to encounter in other mysteries. According to SYKM there are a few more series set in Israel, or Jerusalem, more specifically (do authors know there are other interesting cities in Israel? I'd like to read a series set in Tzfat or maybe Haifa *wink* Batya Gur really brought Jerusalem into my living room and my room at my parents'. It was awesome to almost see the streets of Jerusalem with the old buildings and everything!

In my German copy, the publisher even added some explanations about the Jewish terms, as not everyone might know what "shiva" is. I'm really excited about this series, as it is so different from other murder mysteries / police procedurals I've read in the past, yet, it is similar. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

This review is part of Jen's Detectives Around the World week. For more posts about detectives from all different countries, please click on the picture:

Book Review: My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

Author	Lauren Bjorkman
Title	My Invented Life
Publisher	Henry Holt
Date of Publication	September 29, 2009
Page Count	229
ISBN	978-0-8050-8950-9

Roz and Eva are sisters who are only one year apart - and up until a few months ago, they were not only sisters, but also best friends. But then they fell out with each other, which ended with Eva deleting a folder from her computer desktop titled "Roz - sister and best friend". Roz calls this the PD - the time Post Deletion. Now the sister are enemies of sorts and very, very tense around each other and argue whenever they're talking. When Eva dares Roz to publicly proclaim she is into girls at the beginning of a new school year, Roz accepts right away, thinking it won't be too difficult and might even help others with their coming out, but is she really ready for what will come her way? And who is actually into girls in this cast? And will this affect this year's play the drama club will perform, Shakespeare's As You Like It?

In this young adult novel spiked with Shakespearean curses and even more references Shakespearean language most of the time, we not only meet two sisters and their friends in times of troubles and secrets. We also are thrown into the world of teenagers today who have to deal with their identity and their sexuality.

Roz is a funny, rather clueless girl who stumbles into difficult situations simply because she wants to help. This makes her a likeable character, even if you sometimes feel like telling her to open her eyes. Her sister Eva is someone Roz misses in her life and she does not know what caused the fraction between them, so she tries to figure it out, to go back to normal. To top it of (like the whipped cream on the ice cream, if you'd like), we get Roz's internal view, her daydreams. And then there are of course the other members of the drama club. These characters are something and they throw you right back to high school - there's drama, lies, betrayals and some good acting going on throughout the book.

I really enjoyed that Lauren Bjorkman used this setting everyone involved in high school art clubs knows, to talk about sexual identity, sibling rivalry and friendship. We all need friends, after all! I found Roz' voice to be clear, even if she was not exactly the most straightforward, that's how it is girl and her daydreams spiked things up.

All in all, I was sad to see this story end, but while I would love to visit Roz, Eva and the entire drama club again, I just don't see a good plot. Unless you take Jonathan as the narrator! Actually, I can't wait for 2011 to come, because then I will at least get back with Lauren Bjorkman's beautiful writing, in her second young adult novel Miss Fortune Cookie.

I got this book through International Book Tours, and I'm really glad the girls are doing this for us international book bloggers!

Book Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Author	Ally Carter
Title	I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
Publisher	Hyperion
Date of Publication	March 20, 2007
Page Count	288
ISBN	978-1-423-10004-1
Series	Gallagher Girls #1

Cammie Morgan is a student at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. On the outside, this is a fancy prep school for the daughters of wealthy families - but on the inside, it is a top-secret boarding school for girls training to be spies. Their subjects range from culture & assimiliation and advanced encryption to covert operations. The girls are even learning way more than a handful of languages - with the help of lunch time conversations in Chinese, Japanese and all the other languages the girls are studying. On a covered operations mission, Cammie meets Josh, a local boy, who has no clue she's a Gallagher Girl. This sets off a chain of events - from hands-on investigating to lying to Cammie's mother, the headmistress at Gallagher Academy.

My first YA by Ally Carter blew me off my feet! I expected some sweet "girl-James Bond" novel, but what I got was a group of average girls, different characters. There were some technically versed students as well as girls who loved to go undercover. No girl was like another and especially one "transfer student" was a hoot. I'm not telling you more about her, though. You'll have to read it for yourself!

While ITYILYBTIHTKY (wow, even shortened, it's a loooong title!) starts off without too much action during the first few chapters to properly introduce everyone and everything. After all, we have to take in a lot of information, and with tons of action, it could get lost. But as soon as Ally Carter accomplishs that, she moves to action with covered operations lessons for the girls and she brings the reader right along.

The writing and the story line was never boring and it was such a wonderful experience reading this book, I not only brought it along to a friend for her to read, but also ordered the 2nd in series, Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy, and pre-ordered the 3rd, Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover - in fact, I already read the 2nd and passed it on to my friend.

Did you read I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You? Then please leave a comment soI can link to it!

Book Review: Alphatudes by Michele Wahlder

Author	Michele Wahlder
Title	Alphatudes - The Alphabet of Gratitude
Publisher	Life Possibilities Publishing
Date of Publication	January 15, 2010
Page Count	111
ISBN	978-0-9823645-0-5

I'm still not sure how I'm going to write the review for this one. It is obviously non-fiction, with the purpose to help people realize the positive things in life. I recieved this review copy from Rebecca from The Cadence Group and I'm really glad. Rebecca's mail came at a time when I was really annoyed with life in general and when I read that it was based on the alphabet I decided to read one chapter a day and let it sink. I wanted to take the most out of it, not knowing that the author suggested to read the entire book and then go back to those points the reader would like to improve.

Now, I think the layout is awesome! Each chapter starts with the basic principle, like Joy for J and a short quote about it - all on a double page with the most awesome pictures ever! I in fact missed my train a time or two just because I was so enthralled with the pictures! After this there's one page where Michele Wahlder explains precisely, what she means by the principle before she offers a prayer-like paragraph one can use to focus on it. Now it might sound a bit preachy or religious for those who are not at home with any specific religion, but I can assure you that it does not come across too preachy.

Reading the book helped me realize how I can manipulate myself for the worse, so I really hope I can use the suggestions made by Michele Wahlder. I found it helpful to see the small things in life we can be grateful for and think that we all might not always see the positive in all situations. I will let you know later this year if I could make good use of them - or whether I was too weak, too much of a push-over to go through with it! But I'll keep the book off of my shelves for future references, especially because I took a bunch of notes and have tons of sticky notes to mark pages.

One last thing I should mention: Olivia Newton-John has a song out which those who buy Alphatudes can download for free. You might not know it (yet), but I absolutely love her - ever since I saw Grease and absolutely fell in love with that movie (and her voice)! And for this I have to thank my music teachers who went the extra miles to have a band, an orchestra, two choirs and a few other voluntary groups at my high school. I was a member of our choir from 6th grade on and never left. In fact, I even got the permission to return for another year after I changed schools. And it all started with Grease!

Book Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Please don't forget to check out my giveaway celebrating 50 followers!

Author	Maggie Stiefvater
Title	Shiver
Publisher	Scholastic
Date of Publication	August 1, 2009
Page Count	434
ISBN	978-1-407115-00-9
Series	Shiver

Ever since she was saved from a wolf attack by a yellow-eyed wolf, Grace has been interested in these animals. After a local boy is killed by wolves, everyone is out to kill the pack of wolves, but Grace tries to help them. And when she meets a boy with chilling yellow eyes the summer after, all she wants is try to figure out what it is about the boy that seems so familiar...

A small note up front: This is a review in progress, hurried up to make it qualify for Nicole's THIB 20 Minute Book Club Challenge. I will edit the review in a week or so, so if it sounds a bit rough and "iffy", come back later.

I absolutely love the cover, even though mine is slightly different from the above shown. I have the British version and it is black with a white tree and leaves and one leave (as well as the author's name and the dot on the "i") is in a bright red. It is so beautiful, I find myself looking at it each time I pick up the book. What really amazed me was the wonderful idea of starting each chapter not only with the name of the narrator, but also with the temperature. That way I could keep track of the time throughout the year.

The writing blew me away. I had so much fun and didn't even realize time was flying by. When I was at work, I couldn't wait to get back home again and when I was at the dinner table with my family (I spent the weekend with my family), I rushed back to my book as soon as the table was cleared.

Book Review: Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Please don't forget to check out my giveaway celebrating 50 followers!

Author	P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Title	Betrayed
Publisher	St. Martin's Griffin
Date of Publication	October 2, 2007
Page Count	310
ISBN	978-0-312-36028-3
Series	House of Night

After the excitement in Marked, Zoey sure would have deserved some time to rest and enjoy her life at the House of Night along with her friends, but it is not just that easy for her. Instead, she has to deal with being the new leader of the Dark Daughters and has to come up with new rules and rituals for them, just when death strikes first among the people she knew in her life before she was marked and then even at the House of Night.

With the second installment of the House of Night series, the authors bring back a charming cast of characters with flaws and once again it was hard to take breaks reading it (I am actually already reading the 3rd book).

What made me worry a bit were all the references to actors and their attractiveness. With Nicole Kidman in the first I'm not that worried as she is a good actress, but Matthew McConaughey and Hugh Jackman, who were mentioned in this book, this is a different story. It is true, they both still look really good (especially Hugh Jackman ;-) ), but it could be a problem for future readers. It is not as timeless as I would have wished it to be.

I was amused and annoyed at the same time with Zoey's feelings and thoughts about three boys / men at the same time. She knew it was wrong, yet she acted on all her feelings. Her thoughts about this were:
I wanted Heath.
I needed Erik.
I was intrigued by Loren. (p. 174)
It bothered me especially because it almost seemed as if two - er, three-timing was okay. I think this is a bad example.

The storyline and all the other events made me almost forget this, though, because there were so many other things that happened and new discoveries about certain red-ish people who have been running around in the first book already. And the new people introduced all in all seemed genuine and reliable. In fact, one of the new characters has become a favorite of mine. I'll only give away the initials for now, though: D.M. I hope he's as honest as he seems to be.

Book Review: All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

Please don't forget to check out my giveaway celebrating 50 followers!

Author	Anna Jarzab
Title	All Unquiet Things
Publisher	Delacorte Press
Date of Publication	January 12, 2010
Page Count	337
ISBN	978-0-385-73835-4

Neily was shocked when his ex-girlfriend Carly was found murdered, but when Carly's cousin Audrey wants him to help her find the real murderer. The imperative being "real", as Audrey doesn't believe her father killed her best friend, even though he was convicted. Neily reluctantly joins Audrey in her investigation at Brighton, the school they all attended together, in part because even after a year he still feels guilty for not answering his phone when Carly called the night she was murdered.

Anna Jarzab did a wonderful job with this shocking and heart-breaking mystery, exploring love, loss, family and friendship in just 337 pages. With her wonderful, deep writing and a plot that turned in circles (in a very good way) she created something fresh without the happily-ever-after, the-world-is-perfect ending so many other authors would have used. The story is told in alternating points of view, changing back and forth between Neily and Audrey.

Carly is by no means a sympathetic character at the time of her murder, but her backstory gives a hint of what made her the person she was in the end. Audrey was always a rougher version of the "old Carly", I felt. She had been though a lot in the years before she came to Empire Valley. What made them bond, yet feel different at the same time was that both girls lost their mothers, but while Carly's mom died of cancer, Audrey's mom left her and her Dad to live a different life. Neily is the son of a wealthy IT guy and a nurse who got a divorce. With Carly, his world seemed okay, but once she dumped him for a rich bully and publicly humiliated him, his world took yet another turn for the worse. And this is only a very short rundown of the characters Jarzab created.

I absoltely loved the book and was glad I decided to buy it with all the books already on Mt. TBR. It has been a while since I read such a well-written book by a debut author and I will be holding my breath for the next book written by Anna Jarzab.

Oh yes, and a sentence I wrote down? "How many people are we going to lose before the universe decides we've had enough?" Carly asked me.

Book Review: Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Please don't forget to check out my giveaway celebrating 50 followers!

Author	P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Title	Marked
Publisher	St. Martin's Griffin
Date of Publication	May 1, 2007
Page Count	306
ISBN	978-0-312-36026-9
Series	House of Night

Zoey Redbird really is in for it in this first installment in the House of Night series by mother-daughter-team P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. One encounter changes her life completely and makes the popular 16-year-old a Vampyre fledgling including a saphire-blue crescent on her forehead. After her friends turn their backs on her and her parents react everything but well to Zoey's change, she gets to the House of Night, the boarding school for vampyres, on her own. It is there that she will be trained to be a real vampyre - if she survives the change, that is! But before she reaches her new school, Nyx, the goddess of vampyres, reveals to her that she is the chosen one.

What an adventure! As soon as I started Marked it was over already. I just couldn't put the book down. It takes immense control for me to not grab the next and then the one after that (I have the first four books at home). While the story begins at an unhurried pace, it soon speeds up and you've reached the end before you even realize it.

The best part for me was that the change was not started with the bite of a vampyre, but a slow change after Zoey being marked. And this change does not end in being a vampyre happily-ever-after for every marked fledgling. P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast managed to create an exciting vampyre series that is quite a bit different from the other vampyre books out there I read so far.

In the world Zoey lives, most of the Hollywood actors are vampyres and it is not unusual, because they are stunning and one of the electives at their schools is acting. One scene that made me especially smile was:
"Okay, grab your schedule and let's go. Hey," [Stevie Rae] said as we hurried out of the room and skipped down the stairs, "maybe you'll be the next Nicole Kidman!"
Well, I guess being the next Nicole Kidman wouldn't be bad (not that I plan on marrying and then divorcing a manic short guy). (p. 104)

Book Review: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (graphic novel)

Author	Agatha Christie, Francois Riviere (Editor), Solidor (Illustrator)
Title	Death on the Nile
Publisher	Harper Collins
Date of Publication	July 16, 2007
Page Count	48
ISBN	978-0-00-725058-5
Series	Hercule Poirot / Agatha Christie Comic Strip

I've been a fan of Agatha Christie's mysteries for as long as I know about her mysteries, so I had to get this graphic novel when I saw it in the used book shop! And as soon as I was on the train that day, I started reading it. There was just nothing that could keep me from it - not even my then current book!

In Death on the Nile, Hercule Poirot is in Egypt for a vacation. While he is on a cruise on the Nile, a murder occurs and it is, of course, up to the master investigator to figure out who did it.

The drawings are kind of old school, which fits wonderfully with the story. It brings out the dated, but loveable aspects of Agatha Christie's mysteries as well as those of Hercule Poirot, who is an old-fashioned man and an old-fashioned private investigator.

All in all, Death on the Nile is a great adaptation, and I can't wait to get my hands on the other graphic novels in that series:

• Murder on the Orient Express
  
• The Murder on the Links
  
• The Secret of Chimneys
  
• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
  
• The Man in the Brown Suit
  
• The Big Four
  
• The Mystery of the Blue Train
  
• Peril at End House
  
• Hallowe'en Party
  
• The Secret Adversary
  
• And Then There Were None
  
• Ordeal by Innocence
  
• Endless Night
  
• The Murder at the Vicarage
  
• Murder in Mesopotamia
  
• Cards on the Table
  
• Dumb Witness

Book Review: The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

Author	J.K. Rowling
Title	The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Publisher	Children's High Level Group
Date of Publication	December 4, 2008
Page Count	109
ISBN	978-0-7475-9987-6
Series	Harry Potter

I can't begin to tell you how long I've been craving to read this book! I never got around to buying it, but now I got it for Christmas and couldn't hold back from reading it. Now, J.K. Rowling compiled five fairy tales as told to wizard children: translated by Hermione Granger, commented by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and annoted by J.K. Rowling.

I had a wonderful time reading these fairy tales and Professor Dumbledore's comments, especially because they reminded me in the stories my Mom and Grandma told us when we were kids. The stories were easy to follow and I had finished them rather quickly. The commentary, though, was another story. For Dumbledore's part, J.K. Rowling used a number of words I hadn't heard of before.

What made the book even more fun for me to read where the tidbits I saw while reading Dumbledore's notes. One of these was the name of philosopher Bertrand de Pensées-Profondes - a philosopher with "profound thoughts" as a last name? How cool is that! And later on, in the same commentary on "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump", Rowling mentions a French sorceress, who was convicted of witchcraft (like the main character in the story who turns herself into a rabbit to escape her pursuers), named Lisette de Lapin. And "lapin" happens to be French for rabbit or bunny.

Now while I wouldn't call it a must-read for everyone, fans of Harry Potter while have a good time reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard and when you buy it, you will also be helping the Children's High Level Group (CHLG), founded by J.K. Rowling and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne. The CHLG is a non-governmental organization helping children live in small group homes or families (their own, foster or national adoptive parents) instead of those large institutions that become more and more common.

For more information on the CHLG check out their website!

Book Review: Mass Casualties by Michael Anthony

Author	Michael Anthony
Title	Mass Casualties: A Young Medic's True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq
Publisher	Adams Media
Date of Publication	October 18, 2009
Page Count	256
ISBN	978-1-4405-0183-8

In Mass Casualties: A Young Medic's True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq, Michael Anthony tells his experiences from one year in Iraq as an OR medic. Summarizing this memoir simply is not possible without giving away too many details or leaving question marks hanging in the open, so I won't even attempt to do this.

While I read Mass Casualties, a childhood friend of mine, who is a lot like a big brother to me, was in Afganisthan, so it was both an emotional as well as a though-provoking read for me. Without whitewashing the events or taking a side in the ever-present question of righteousness of the war, Anthony tells it the way he remembers it (with confirmation from his fellow soldiers).

Anthony's experiences in Iraq and with his fellow soldiers are in part shocking, to put it mildly. While I expected some of what I read, I would never have expected it to be just so deceptive, so many orders that don't make much sense from a non-military point of view, and so many events and behaviors non of us would call honorable. But that is what makes this book so good, the honesty with which everything is portrayed.

With Mass Casualties, Michael Anthony wrote a wonderful diary-style memoir about his experiences during his time in Iraq, which I enjoyed reading.

(On a personal note: Any recommendations or ideas how to make my non-fiction / memoir reviews better? I'm very open for suggestion and advice!)

Book Review & Win a Copy: Collision of Evil by John J. LeBeau

Author	John J. LeBeau
Title	Collision of Evil
Publisher	Oceanview
Date of Publication	September 21, 2009
Page Count	323
ISBN	978-1-933515-54-0

The American backpacker Charles Hirter is out hiking in the Bavarian Alps when he is brutally murdered. His brother Robert, a CIA operative flies to Germany to bring his body home and to find out more about the murder. The German detective in charge of the case, Kommissar Franz Waldbaer, faces a hopeless investigation as there are neither clues nor motives nor suspects. Being used to working alone - and also perfectly happy with this - Waldbaer at first seems rather annoyed at Robert Hirter's insistence on joining the investigation, but soon they uncover a truth born in a dark time in history, the Third Reich, that weaves together with a very present threat of radical Islamist terror.

While some may say the general plot idea is nowadays overused, I can only say if it is, I certainly didn't notice that while reading John J. LeBeau's debut novel, Collision of Evil. It is obvious he knows the trade, having worked in CIA operations for numerous years himself, most of them outside the US and in part even in locations that experienced actie terrorism. With this knowledge, LeBeau created a plot that is believeable, maybe even too believeable for those who like to think they're safe right where they are. Throughout the book, I was on the edge of my seat, wondering whether the main characters would find the important clues on time to prevent the looming act of terror from happening.

All in all, there were two minor aspects I didn't like too much. One was the lack of depth in characters, which I am very willing to attribute to this being LeBeau's debut, and the other is the title. In fact, I don't think there was a collision of two evils, rather, I would say it was two evils working together and combined their forces. My experience is that authors don't have much say in titles, which is not always the best of choices.

Adding everything up, I can only say I want to read more of John J. LeBeau's thrillers and I would love to take one of his classes (he is a Professor of Strategy and Security in the College for International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch, Germany).

As a German, I also really have to add this one: His depicting of breakfast in smaller German hotels is great! Here's a short quote to illustrate this a bit. Charles Hirter is still at the hotel, having breakfast at the hotel breakfast room:

He lingered over a cup of strong Tchibo coffee, toyed with the remains of a sunflower seed roll, and leafed idly through the sports section of the International Herald Tribune.

Everyone here knows Tchibo coffee, everyone drank it at one point. And sunflower seed rolls? Whenever I get some rolls, it's got to be sunflower seed rolls, they're the real deal ;-)

And this is how you can win your own, autographed copy:
John J. Le Beau is giving away a signed copy of his book, Collision of Evil, to one lucky tour visitor. Go to his book tour page, enter your name, e-mail address, and this PIN, 4893, for your chance to win. Entries from Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic will be accepted until 12:00 Noon (PT) tomorrow. No purchase is required to enter or to win. The winner (first name only) will be announced on his book tour page next week.

Book Review: The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Author	Jennifer R. Hubbard
Title	The Secret Year
Publisher	Viking
Date of Publication	January 7, 2010
Page Count	192
ISBN	978-0-670-01153-7

Julia and Colt have been secretly seeing each other for a year when Julia dies in a car accident. She is from the Black Mountains, the rich part of town where country club parties are a regular event, while helives in the flats and it is an unusual thing that his brother even attends university. Keeping their relationship a secret - even from Julia's boyfriend - at first was not problem, but when she is dead, he can't even mourn her openly. When he receives Julia's journal made up in letters for him, he relives their year together while simultaneously trying to Especially now that he feels he played a part in her death?

What a debut! Jennifer R. Hubbard created a male lead character I could feel for. His pain, his grief practically jumped out of the pages while reading. While everyone, Julia's friends, her family, her boyfriend Austin, is allowed to openly grieve, Colt can't show his feelings, his loss, so it is all restricted to his thoughts and, to a part that is only visible to the reader, to his actions. He was was head over heels in love with Julia, so losing her shook his world as nothing else in his life did.

Hubbard begins to tell the story of a couple no one would be able to picture together with Colt finding out Julia is dead. He gets a phone call from a good friend, Syd, and from then on, we get to see his feelings, the emotional roller coaster he is in. From the beginning, is thoughts, feelings and actions are visible to us, Colt grew on me throughout the book and I was so very sad to see him go as I closed the book after reading the last page.

With Julia, it was quite different. At first, she is a likeable character, one we only get to know through Colt's eyes, and later through the letters to him she wrote in her personal diary (which she never intended to show Colt). It seems she is overwhelmed with the expectations everyone has for her, her family, her friends, her boyfriend, and maybe even society. She is, after all, the daughter of rich parents, she has to be perfect.

After a while, though, Julia's actions and her behavior seemed a lot like that of a spoiled brat. She might not mind getting somewhat dirty, but only when she wants to. Everything has to go her way, her meetings with Colt (whenever she wants it), them ignoring each other throughout the day when they're at school. It's her way or no way, which is even visible in her diary.

I can't wait to see more of Jennifer R. Hubbard's books on Mt. TBR. And I hope it will be sooner, rather than later.

reviewlets - SEP: LADY BE GOOD; Nalini Singh: VISIONS OF HEAT; Donna Kauffman: THE CINDERELLA RULES

It has been months since I read the following books and I still haven't reviewed a bunch of books, so I'll give you some reviewlets of those I don't remember too well anymore. I'll try to sort them by genre or topic, as good as possible, but I won't promise anything ;-)

Susan Elizabeth Phillips
LADY BE GOOD
414 pages

I have no clue how many times I have read this book already. It has become one of the few reads I'm reading again and again. I just like SEP's writing, the story and the hilarious characters. There's nothing that lifts my mood as good as the women and men in these chick lit/romance novels. In Lady be Good, British Lady Emma Wells-Finch travels to Texas to meet with the only man who might be able to help her ruin her impeccable reputation: Kenny Traveler. Only he has no intention of helping her, as exactly this would probably mean the end of his pro-golfing career. You see, Kenny has a similar problem as Tiger Woods currently has: he has been seeing far too many women. And on top of that, Kenny also has been in a few bar fights, which upset the organizer of the pro-golf tour so much he suspended him from playing. Now these two very opposite characters with there most definitely completely opposite agendas meet (Emma wants to lose her reputation in order to avoid a truly disgusting man who wants to marry her for exactly that reputation and tries to pressure her into complying) and worlds clash.

Nalini Singh
VISIONS OF HEAT
380 pages

I'm sure I'm one of the last people in the world who like were-whatever (what's the correct term again, when it's not just werewolves?) and a little romance plus lots of suspense that started reading Nalini Singh's books. In this installment, Faith Nightstar can predict the future dangerously accurate, but when a murder turns her life upside down. She sees the murders in scary details, but has no clue who the killer could possibly be, so in order to stay safe, in order to not be locked up in a cell, she turns to the only people she thinks might be able to help her.

Donna Kauffman
THE CINDERELLA RULES
462 pages

When Darby Landon's sister asks her to fill in for her and take care of one of their father's client, Darby is in big trouble. She has been as far away from high society as she possibly could for the past years - on her grandfather's farm in a very rural area of Montana. Now she has to go back to Washington and figure out how to act like the societal butterfly her father's client is expecting. For her to be able to pull it off, her sister Pepper even hired the Glass Slipper Inc., a company that is all set on helping people dress right, behave right, etc - like the fairy godmother in Cinderella.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not only because the story was hilarious, but because Kauffman added a mystery, a spy story in the background.

Martin Millar: LONELY WEREWOLF GIRL

Martin Millar
LONELY WEREWOLF GIRL
751 pages
Soft Skull Press
ISBN: 978-0-979-66366-6

Werewolf Kalix MacRinnalch is a fugitive - from her family! After attacking her father, she was banned from her clan and werewolf hunters are out to get her. She finds a hide-out with two young students in London, Moonglow and Daniel, but she can't shake off the past that easily and both Moonglow and Daniel are drawn into the family feud.

I absolutely loved this book! I pretty much raced through the 751 pages (of my German copy) and when I brought it to class with me, I even infected a friend. Millar's characters are hilarious, he knows how to create wonderfully funny scenes that - if read in public - might cause some awkward scenes, because trust me, people are very sensitive when it comes to people laughing very loud in public.

Millar develops the characters very well over the whole 751 pages and it will be a real treat to see what will happen further as we proceed to the second book.

Gareth P. Jones: THE THORNTHWAITE INHERITANCE

Gareth P. Jones
THE THORNTHWAITE INHERITANCE
263 pages
Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978-0-7475-9982-1

Thirteen-year-old twins Lorelli and Ovid Thornthwaite are not your average kids. They live in a huge, creepy mansion, are homeschooled, are heirs to a vast fortune - and for as long as they can remember, they have been trying to kill each other. But on the day of their thirteenth birthday they call a truce and call off all their murderous sibling rivalry. Now if only the attempts at their lives would also stop! But what is behind the trouble - or more exactly, who?

This book was such a great book, I can't gush enough! I absolutely loved the writing, Jones really made me want more and more and I could not put the book down at all. The story kept flying by and before I could look, I was at the end of the story. Lorelli and Ovid are quirky, menacing and somehow sweet at the same time. They take sibling rivalry to the next level, that's for sure, because who could think up an unhinged bicycle seat that incidentally attrackts a bear - just to make sure? And that is only one small view into the world of death traps created by Lorelli and Ovid! The story itself is simply brilliantly twisted and lovingly created.

Yasushi Inoue: MEMOIRS OF THE PRIEST HONKAKU

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any evidence that this one has been translated into English so far, so I'm going to make this a bit different. Well, and another reason would be that I really like the video clips below ;-)

Yasushi Inoue
MEMOIRS OF THE PRIEST HONKAKU
164 pages

In Japan, in the age of Samurai, the famous tea master Sen no Rikyu is ordered to commit suicide by the warlord Hideyoshi. His student, the priest Honkaku, tries to find out what caused the rift between Hideyoshi and Rikyu that led to his master's suicide.

I really enjoyed this novel a lot. It was quiet, but meaningful. It teaches a bit about Japan, about Japan in the late 1500s and early 1600s. In his beautiful writing, Yasushi Inoue re-tells the story of Honkakubo's search for the truth.



This is a scene from Hana Yori Dango - Boys Over Flowers, where two of the major (not main!) characters are having tea. Granted, I'm pretty sure this is in no way similar to the tea ceremonies as they were held in the 1500s and 1600s, the time in which THE BOOK is set, but I think it's a nice scene to get at least an idea about it.

In case you're interested in HYD, here's a short intro on the four boys, called F4:



And another video on HYD, with a summary of the relationship between the two characters in the first video and what happened that lead up to the tea scene:




And one just because I love the character of Hanazawa Rui:

Cassandra Clare: CITY OF BONES

Cassandra Clare
CITY OF BONES
560 pages
McElderry
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5507-8

When Clary Fray sees a boy being stabbed by three other teenagers at a club, she is shocked. Even more so, when the stabbed boy suddenly disappears and no one seems to even have seen the whole incident. After her return home the next day, her mother has disappeared and she is attacked by a giant spider. Barely saved by Jace, one of the teens who stabbed the boy at the club, she realizes there is more than meets the eye of a mortal - much more! And soon Clary is in the middle of a war between good and bad, Shadowhunters (half human, half angel, hunting and killing demons) and secretive demonic forces.

The second time I read City of Bones, I realized so much more about the characters and the plot, so "there's more than meets the eye" fits not only the world depicted in City of Bones, but also Cassandra Clare's writing. There are, in fact, so many details I missed the first time around, I'm already planning in a third reading of the series.

Anyway, back on topic. As you might now from reading my blog, I'm pretty new in the fantasy genre other than vampires and werewolves, so I'm still reluctant, but when I first read the back cover blurb of City of Bones it shouted "buy me", and I haven't regretted it one bit.

Clare wrote a page-turning YA fantasy novel full of twists and turns that should even draw in reluctant readers. Throughout most of the book, I saw the pictures and scenes painted clear and vivid. It was as if the characters and surroundings were jumping out, a bit like watching a movie while reading. This, though, will make it hard for the movie (the movie rights have been sold recently) to measure up with.

And the story? Well, you won’t be able to wait long between reading City of Bones and City of Ashes, as the cliffhanger is unfair, annoying and mean at the same time!

Rating: 4.5/5

my first vlog and summer reading

I can't believe I did that, but apparently, it is true! I did my very first vlog. I had planned this for a while, but was very reluctant. I had to cut and edit it a bit because of its original length, though. Oh, and I apologize up front - I used so many "funs" in that one *sigh* Plus, its a bit grainy and dark and I have a sore throat, so my voice is a bit scratchy...

Anyway, it's totally up to you all whether I'll do another vlog or not, I think. So tell me what you think!




So, I really don't know why my summer reading is always so different from my other reading. I long for quick reads in summer, books that are entertaining and - if possible - can be read within a day or less. Maybe that's because I read some rather hefty books for university? Or because it's summer and with the warm weather my brain doesn't work as fast? Or maybe I'm really just lazy and haven't really tried to find other easy, entertaining reads? And it stops as soon as it is colder again!
Basically, I think my summer reading consists of romance, fantasy and mystery.

Now, I have a challenge for you: Recommend some books for next summer! What books are easy to read that are not necessarily romance novels. I would love to read something else for a change!


The books I'm talking about are:

Janet Evanovich: SMITTEN (234 pages, ISBN: 978-0-06-059887-7)

Jill Shalvis: STORM FRONT (209 pages, ISBN: 978-0-373-79491-1)

Julie James: JUST THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE (296 pages, ISBN: 978-0-425-22420-5) - and I should have blamed the girls of The Book Binge for that author as well!)

Merline Lovelace: A QUESTION OF INTENT (248 pages, ISBN: 0-373-27325-8)

Kristan Higgins: JUST ONE OF THE GUYS (376 pages, ISBN: 978-0-373-77299-5)

Sara Orwig: WYOMING WEDDING (177 pages, ISBN: 978-0-373-76947-6)

Carly Phillips: HOT PROPERTY (478 pages, ISBN: 978-0-373-77333-6)

Jay Asher: THIRTEEN REASONS WHY

Jay Asher
THIRTEEN REASONS WHY
320 pages
Razorbill
ISBN: 978-1-595-14171-2

When Clay Jensen finds a mysterious package addressed to him on his door step when he returns from school, he doesn't know what to think of it, but when he finds 7 cassettes in it and starts to play the first he is shocked. The voice on the tapes belongs to Hannah Baker, his classmate who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah explains, that he is one of thirteen people to get these cassettes to listen to the thirteen reasons why she finally decided to end her life. That night, Clay takes a tour of his hometown to all the places Hannah leads him to, while listening to her story.

As I had mentioned during the read-a-thon, this book was awesome, but also hard to read. All the things that happened to Hannah, that she had to deal with!

Asher took care of getting into the minds of both Hannah and Clay. They are so different, yet they seem to connect so much through the tapes! While Clay is popular, a good student and tries to do everything he can to be allowed to speak at the graduation ceremony. Hannah, on the other hand, is the „new girl“ as her parents moved into town a while ago to be the new owners of a shoe shop. At first, she hung out with the two other new students, but soon things changed.

Over the course of 13 Reasons Why we find out what happened to Hannah and how seemingly innocent actions and words can cause great pain. Actions and words that would not do much to one person can seriously affect another person that already has trouble, pain or has been harmed otherwise in the past.

Asher’s carefully depicted voices of both Hannah and Clay make for a compelling and awesome novel that was hard to put down – and thus a perfect read for the read-a-thon.

Rating: 5/5