K-ON! by kakifly

Pages (Paperback): 128 pages

Publisher: Yen Press

Released: November 30, 2010

Description: In an effort to save their high school's memberless pop music club, four high school girls sign up for the after-school jam session. They may have rescued the club, but it's going to take some work for them to crank out any music. Yui Hirasawa loves pop, but she's never played and instrument or read music before. With the help of the other club members, Yui learns everything she needs to know to become and excellent lead guitar player. But the real test of her rock star potential is yet to come. What will her fellow students say when the pop music club performs at the school festival?!

Review: I've heard a lot about this manga, and anime, but never really took an interest in it. Then, I came across the manga and decided to take a read, just to see what the hoopla was all about. I'm glad I did, because K-ON! takes an incredibly simple concept and makes it charming and fun to read. As you read it, you want to root for the girls to succeed and be friends forever. I enjoyed it.

Grade: 9 lines out of 10

Pet Shop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino

Pages (Paperback): 200 pages for book 1

Publisher: TokyoPop

Released: June 17, 2003

Note: This is a review of the entire series and not just the first volume, even though the information above is for the first book.

Description: A smoke-filled alley in Chinatown harbors Count D's Pet Shop. The pets sold here aren't your everyday variety and the Count prides himself on selling Love and Dreams in the form of magical creatures that come with an exclusive contract. But buyers beware. If the contract is broken the Count cannot be held accountable for whatever may happen. A fascinating and macabre look into the very soul of human nature.

Review: I absolutely loved this manga. The artwork is good. The plot, while sometimes repetitive in the earlier stories, still leaves you wondering what will happen to the owners who break their contract. Count D is clearly the star of the show. He's funny, charming, but cold at the same time. As the series progresses, he does loosen up a bit, thanks to police buddy Leon. I loved it!

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10

Zombie Britannica by Thomas Emson

Pages (Paperback): 350 pages

Publisher: Snowbooks

Released: August 1, 2010

Description: Cassie's day as a guide at Westminster Abbey begins badly when zombies storm into the building and eat the tourists. Carrie escapes - but finds London choked with the undead. She has no idea where they came from, no idea how to stop them - all she knows is she has to race through dangerous, gore-soaked streets and find her daughter. And her day doesn't get any better...

Review: This is the fourth book I've read by Emson, there werewolves are gone, the vampires have vanished. The big bad supernatural creature haunting the UK are zombies. I do love zombies, but this book lacked the same hard hitting intensity as the previous books. Yes it was graphic and fast paced, but for some reason it didn't translate here as well as it did with his previous books.

Grade: 7 lines out of 10

Similar Covers

I came across Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum and it reminded me of another book. If you look at the cover, you'll be able to tell too.

I love the blue hues, but when I first saw the cover it reminded me of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

Somewhat similiar, I'm sure I've seen ano ther book that looks like Amaryllis in Blueberry, but at this time I can't remember what the name is. That's going to actually bug me now, because I know the book, but can't remember it. It will come to be eventually though.

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Pages (Hardcover): 304 pages

Publisher: Razorbill

Released: September 30, 2010

Description: Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

His son, that's who.

Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.

Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City: a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.

Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?

Review: There are many good things about the novel; the discrimination, the fairy tale elements, and the world. However, there is a problem with pacing. Henry's surroundings moved too quickly and the characters come in and out, which made me not really care for them. I wanted to know more, but due to the pacing, everything felt rushed and once I got into it, the scene changed.

Grade: 5.5 lines out of 10

A big thanks to Penguin Canada for providing me with a review copy of Dust City!

This is incredibly random, but every time I try to type fairy tale it comes out as fairy tail....the manga by Mashima-san.

Winners of Testimony!

The 5 lucky winners of Testimony by Anita Shreve are:

marjorie
jhs
moridin
sarahem
3 boys and an old lady

An email has been sent, if you don't reply back to me within 48 hours, the prize will go on the next person!

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Pages (Paperback): 304 pages

Publisher: Vintage

Released: March 14, 2006

Description: Kathy, Ruth and Tommy were pupils at Hailsham - an idyllic establishment situated deep in the English countryside. The children there were tenderly sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe they were special, and that their personal welfare was crucial. But for what reason were they really there? It is only years later that Kathy, now aged 31, finally allows herself to yield to the pull of memory. What unfolds is the haunting story of how Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, slowly come to face the truth about their seemingly happy childhoods - and about their futures. Never Let Me Go is a uniquely moving novel, charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of our lives.

Review: For the most part, this book was enjoyable. I liked learning about Hailsham and what how the kids were growing up. Seeing as it was a very structured but sheltered environment. The reason for Hailsham is known early on and it makes the ending somewhat lackluster during the talk with Miss Emily and Madame. The book is written well, but it was a little too long then it needed to be.

Grade: 6 lines out of 10

The movie, Never Let Me Go, is coming out soon and if you plan on reading the book I would stay away from the trailer. It kind of spoils the entire thing.

Eon by Alison Goodman

Pages (Paperback): 544 pages

Publisher: Firebird; Reprint edition

Released: August 31, 2010

Description: Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

Review: Eon isn't a new story, and yet, the plot, the Asian setting, and the characters were refreshing and fun to read. Eon's struggles were my favourite part, but also the most frustrating. I wanted her to open her eyes, but then again her situation kind of made that hard to do. The book does end in a critical moment, so you'll have to read Eona to find out what happens next. I can't wait!

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing this book for review.

Testimony Giveaway!

~Giveaway is closed~

What do you get when you mix 5 Line Reviews, 5 copies of Testimony by Anita Shreve, and 5 lucky readers? You get my first giveaway hosted here and three 5s. ^_^

Description: At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

If you read my review, you'd know that I did enjoy this book, so I hope you guys do too! If you would like a chance to win Testimony by Anita Shreve, then all you have to do is the follow the rules below!

Rules:

1. Giveaway is open to those living in Canada and the US, no P.O. Box address please!
2. Giveaway will end on September 17 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced the follow day.
3. To enter, please leave your name and email address.
4. For an extra entry, let me know what you'd do if someone caught doing something wrong on tape.


A big thanks to Hachette Books for letting me host this giveaway!

Testimony by Anita Shreve

Pages (Mass Market Paperback): 352 pages

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; Reprint edition

Released: Aug 31, 2010

Description: At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

Review: Testimony is a book that I wanted to read for awhile now. Even though, I didn't like the twist about the unnamed boy and I hated what Sienna, the girl in the video, did, I did enjoy premise and the writing style. Each chapter was told by a different character, which was nice since it helped show how something like this can affect a multitude of people in complete different ways.

Grade: 7.5 lines out of 10

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Pages (Hardcover): 608 pages

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Released: May 31, 2008

Description: Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

Review: I'm incredibly disappointed by New Moon. I liked Twilight and even though I thought Bella was a horrible friend, it was a good book for the most part. In New Moon, Bella continues to be a horrible friend. Horrible! For some reason it seems like if you are human, Bella won't give you the time of day and it's frustrating to read.

Grade: 4 lines out of 10

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* 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!

-

My teaser is from Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

He’d said they’d be best friends again, once she was pretty. But the way he’d looked at her face . . . maybe that was why they separated uglies from pretties.

~ Taken from page 25 of Uglies

So what is your teaser this week?

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Pages (Hardcover): 400 pages

Publisher: Dial Books

Released: September 7, 2010

Description: Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself.

Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Phoebe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

Review: I'm torn. On one hand, I enjoyed my time reading this. I thought Mallory was an excellent character, she's sympathetic, relateable, and you want to root for her, but don't at the same time. The relationship between Phoebe and Ryland, while it reminded me of an abusive relationship, was interesting as well. AND! Nantucket is in this book. On the other hand, Phoebe, the main character, is...

Grade: 7.5 lines out of 10

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing this book for review.

Uzumaki by Ito Junji

Pages (Paperback): 208 pages

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 2 edition

Released: October 16, 2007

Note: I'll be reviewing the entire series, which span between 3 books, but I'll be only posting the first book here.

Description: Koruzo-Cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but by a pattern: uzumaki, the spiral, the hypnotic secret shape of the world. It manifests itself in small ways: seashells, ferns, whirlpools in water, whirlwinds in air. And in large ways: the spiral marks on people's bodies, the insane obsessions of Shuichi's father, the voice from the cochlea in your inner ear. As the madness spreads, the inhabitants of Koruzo-Cho are pulled ever deeper, as if into a whirlpool from which there is no return...

Review: This is the third or fourth story I've read by Ito-san and what I love about his work is that he takes such a simple concept and makes it into something strange and horrifying. The artwork is detailed and crisp, and I loved seeing how different people were effected by the spirals. I don't think I'll ever look at spirals in the same way again.Great story and a great manga writer/artist. Read this!

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

A Room Swept White by Sophie Hannah

Pages (Paperback): 448 pages

Publisher: Penguin Canada

Released: August 24, 2010

Description: International bestselling author Sophie Hannah creates a brilliantly sinister atmosphere in this psychologically and socially acute novel that explores the bond between mothers and their babies, the tragedies of crib death and infanticide, and the effect of incompetent pathologists.

Documentary producer Fliss Benson receives an anonymous card at work. The card has 16 numbers on it, arranged in four rows of four--numbers that mean nothing to her. On the same day, Fliss finds out she's going to be working on a documentary about miscarriages of justice involving crib-death mothers wrongly accused of murder. The documentary will focus on three women: Helen Yardley, Sarah Jaggard, and Rachel Hind.

All three women are now free, and the doctor who did her best to send them to prison for life, child protection zealot Dr Judith Duffy, is under investigation for misconduct. For reasons she has shared with nobody, Fliss has decided that this is her last project.

And then Helen Yardley is found dead at her home, and in her pocket is a card with 16 numbers on it, arranged in four rows of four...

Review: A story about infanticide and women who were wrongly accused of killing their children is a fascinating thing to read about and for the most part it is. The news articles, interviews, book excerpts really added to the seriousness of the situation and I loved reading them. My only complaint is Fliss, and how her sections were written in first person, when almost everything else was in third.

Grade: 8 lines out of 10

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing this book for review.

Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino

Pages (Paperback): 544 pages

Publisher: Vintage

Released: February 12, 2008

Description: Life at the prestigious Q High School for Girls in Tokyo exists on a precise social axis: a world of insiders and outsiders, of haves and have-nots. Beautiful Yuriko and her unpopular, unnamed sister exist in different spheres; the hopelessly awkward Kazue Sato floats around among them, trying to fit in. Years later, Yuriko and Kazue are dead — both have become prostitutes and both have been brutally murdered.

Natsuo Kirino, celebrated author of Out, seamlessly weaves together the stories of these women’s struggles within the conventions and restrictions of Japanese society. At once a psychological investigation of the pressures facing Japanese women and a classic work of noir fiction, Grotesque is a brilliantly twisted novel of ambition, desire, beauty, cruelty, and identity by one of our most electrifying writers.

Review: Let me start by saying that this book is not for everyone. The plot, while interesting, is filled with really horrible characters that you will hate. There is one character that seems likeable at first, but once you hear their story you'll hate them the most. The book is filled with such horrible, pathetic, disgusting characters, and yet I loved the book for this reason. This is a fantastic book!

Grade: 9 lines out of 10

My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff

Pages (Hardcover): 240 pages

Publisher: Twelve

Released: February 26, 2009

Description: MY LITTLE RED BOOK is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today's teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative. Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she'll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings.

Ultimately, MY LITTLE READ BOOK is more than a collection of stories. It is a call for a change in attitude, for a new way of seeing periods. In a time when the taboo around menstruation seems to be one of the few left standing, it makes a difficult subject easier to talk about, and helps girls feel proud instead of embarrassed or ashamed. By revealing what it feels like to undergo this experience first hand, and giving women the chance to explain their feelings in their own words, it aims to provide support, entertainment, and a starting point for discussion for mothers and daughters everywhere. It is a book every girl should have. Period.

Review: Whether you wanted it, or not (I didn't) almost every girl remembers her first period. First periods are fun, so It's interesting to see how normal people dealt with it, seeing as how I denied mined. My main problem is that I couldn't read this book all in one go. I have to read some here, put it down, then come back to it later. Reading too much was a little to heavy for me. (pun very much intended)

Grade: 8.5 lines out of 10

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* 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!

-

So my teaser this week is from the book, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's been on my bookshelf for awhile now, but I never picked it up. So I'm reading it now.

A part of me wanted badly to tell him what was going on, and I suppose I knew that to do anything else would be to betray the trust we'd built up since the moment I'd reminded him about his polo shirt. And for me to strap up his arm in a splint would have meant my becoming one of the main perpetrators of the joke.

~ Taken from page 78 of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

So what is your teaser this week?

Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki

Pages (Paperback): 288 pages

Publisher: Del Rey

Released: May 1, 2007

Description: They arrive in silence and darkness. They descend from the skies. They have a hunger for human flesh. They are everywhere. They are parasites, alien creatures who must invade–and take control of–a human host to survive. And once they have infected their victims, they can assume any deadly form they choose: monsters with giant teeth, winged demons, creatures with blades for hands. But most have chosen to conceal their lethal purpose behind ordinary human faces. So no one knows their secret–except an ordinary high school student. Shin is battling for control of his own body against an alien parasite, but can he find a way to warn humanity of the horrors to come?

Review: When I first heard about this manga, I wasn't sure what to think. As I continued reading, it blew my mind. The story, characters, and message, are beautifully done. This manga is gory, so if you are not a fan of gore or you are young, I wouldn't recommend this to you. However, if you do pick this up, you'll not regret it. It's not only enjoyable, but thought-provoking as well. It's a great manga!

Grade: 9.5 lines out of 10

Friday Finds

Friday Finds is a weekly meme where you post the latest books you've recently discovered. This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

I've found quite a lot of books this week, but I'll only post six. ^_^

Sister's Red by Jackson Pearce:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

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Clarity by Kim Harrington

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?

This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

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Entwined by Heather Dixon

Azalea and her younger sisters dance in the mysterious silver forest every night, escaping from the sadness of the palace and their father’s grief. What they don’t understand—although as time passes they begin to get an inkling of the danger they are in—is that the mysterious and dashing Keeper is tightening his snare with deadly purpose. Luckily, Azalea is brave and steadfast. Luckily, a handsome young army captain also has his eye on Azalea. . . .

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The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah

Sally Thorning is watching the news with her husband when she hears an unexpected name-Mark Bretherick. It's a name she shouldn't know, but last year Sally treated herself to a secret vacation-away from her hectic family life-and met a man. After their brief affair, the two planned to never meet again. But now, Mark's wife and daughter are dead-and the safety of Sally's own family is in doubt.

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Dead Detective by William Heffernan

Harry Doyle was murdered as a ten-year-old child and brought back to life by two Tampa cops. Twenty years later he has dedicated his life to putting killers behind bars as a homicide detective who has the unwanted ability to hear the postmortem whispers of murder victims. Dubbed "The Dead Detective" by his fellow cops, Doyle now faces his most difficult case - a beautiful murder victim who was a notorious child molester. It is a case that will shake Harry to his very core.

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The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day…a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda?

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*phew* That's some of the books I found this week, how about you? What did you find this week?