Updates

Inca o postare in romana; oricum, trebuie sa-mi revin si sa ma apuc de recenzii. Poate chiar in seara asta, daca termin cartea pe care o citesc (The Dust of 100 Dogs - A.S. King)

In primul rand, Simona organizeaza un concurs de Dragobete; in ultima vreme m-am inscris cam pe oriunde am dat de Uratii de Scott Westerfeld, pentru ca mor sa o citesc, si m-am saturat de kindle-uri.

Am lasat-o moale rau cu cititul, si nu pot sa zic ca am avut treaba la scoala, pur si simplu imi e cateodata prea lene. In curand o sa postez primul meu "In My Mailbox". A, si inca trebuie sa-i trimit Simonei cartea, am primit deja de la ea Pretul Sangelui.

Goth and the Ghost

Iata ca cei de la Leda ne mai fac o surpriza, acum puteti precomanda Naluca si Naucul (Goth and the Ghost), si aveti 25% reducere si livrarea gratuita. Cartea apare pe 1 martie, iar pretul intreg va fi 39,90.

Precomandati aici.

Book Review: Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (5/5 stars)

"Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.
Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all."

-summary taken from goodreads- 

My Thoughts:

I've heard about the Infernal Devices and the Mortal Instruments for a really long time before they were finally published here. At one point I was desperate because I couldn't read them (of course that was before I got myself a free kindle off Amazon and I realized I could read books in digital format as well), and then I went to a Book Fest and I saw it, and I didn't leave the place without it.

The Infernal Devices caught my attention more than the other series, mainly because it's set in a Victorian England, which is one of my favourite periods in time. I though the story was special, of course there are lots of paranormal books out there that include vampires and wizards and werewolves, but non were as good as this one. I loved the humour, especially Will's, it gave the book just that little something it needed to get to five stars.

Now, for the characters, I plan on naming the new golden trio, because that's what they remind me of. Of course, based on that I also have a theory that I could share with whoever asks, just so I won't spoil the book. Tessa, I really liked her, and for those of you who know me, you know I'm a big fan of non-perfect characters. Just like her. I like that she's not that type of heroine that just does everything by herself, that proudly defeats the evil and shares a bit of fame with her friends. No, Cassandra Clare gave every member of "the trio" a special attribute, at least that's what I think, so together they'd be probably unbeatable. I think Tessa has the tactics, Jem the logic on how to put everything in action, and Will is the fighter. I like these kind of characters, that you just want to know more about every one of them. Will's humour knocks me out every time, I couldn't turn the page without reading his lines three or four times just so I'd get a good laugh.

I think this book should be a mind opener for the writing style, the scenery, the characters, for the books that are to come, so this way we all win. I can't wait for Clockwork Prince, even though I've got it on kindle, I still want to hold it in my hand while reading, and that's good, because in my last post I've announced that it's going to be out soon. Maybe I'll get a chance to buy her other series as well, I don't know, it doesn't attract me as much, but I'll probably give it a try.

Romanian lovin' (2)

Siii, m-am intors in propria-mi limba. Cel mai probabil majoritatea au auzit deja, dar s-a anuntat Printul Mecanic, ceea ce inseamna ca mai avem putin si vom putea pune mana pe el. Si au dar vai ce gelosi vor fi amicii din alte tari cand for afla ce surprize ne-au pregatit cei de la Leda in carte.

PRINŢUL MECANIC, cartea a doua din seria DISPOZITIVE INFERNALE de Cassandra Clare
Nu rata continuarea bestsellerului New York Times
ÎNGERUL MECANIC!

În Anglia victoriană, aventurile celor trei prieteni – Tessa, Will şi Jem – continuă! Ei descoperă de ce sumbrul Mortmain – căruia tatăl său, John Shade, îi hărăzise încă de mic copil un viitor strălucit – îi urăşte pe vânătorii de umbre. Totodată, relaţiile dintre cei trei se complică, iar Tessa este pusă în situaţia de a face o alegere delicată. Will îi dezvăluie Tessei un secret dureros, dar pare să fie prea târziu…
Tessa Gray şi-a găsit în sfârşit locul, alături de vânătorii de umbre. Dar liniştea se dovedeşte a fi trecătoare când forţe întunecate din Conclav plănuiesc s-o înlăture de la conducerea Institutului pe Charlotte, protectoarea ei. Dacă se va întâmpla acest lucru, Tessa va ajunge pe străzi, pradă uşoară pentru misteriosul Magistru, care urmăreşte să se folosească de puterile ei în scopuri nu tocmai nobile.
Cu ajutorul lui Will şi Jem, Tessa descoperă că războiul purtat de Magistru împotriva vânătorilor de umbre este cât se poate de personal. El îi învinuieşte pentru o tragedie petrecută cu mult timp în urmă, din pricina căreia, susţine el, viaţa îi fusese distrusă. Pentru a descoperi secretele trecutului, cei trei prieteni călătoresc din Yorkshire-ul învăluit în ceaţă spre un conac de care sunt legate poveşti cumplite; din cartierele sărăcăcioase ale Londrei spre o sală de bal fermecătoare, unde Tessa descoperă că adevărul despre originile ei este mult mai sinistru decât îşi închipuise vreodată. Când se întâlnesc cu un demon mecanic, care-i transmite lui Will un avertisment, aceştia înţeleg că Magistrul le ştie fiecare mişcare – şi că unul dintre apropiaţii lor i-a trădat.
Tessa realizează că inima îi bate din ce în ce mai tare pentru Jem, însă dorinţa de a fi cu Will, în pofida stărilor lui sumbre, continuă să o tulbure. Dar ceva se schimbă în Will – zidul pe care băiatul şi-l construise în jurul lui începe să se năruie. Oare, dacă-l vor găsi pe Magistru, Will va putea să se elibereze de secretele sale şi să-i ofere Tessei răspunsurile legate de originea şi de menirea ei?
În vreme ce căutarea Magistrului, dar şi a adevărului, îi pune pe cei trei prieteni în situaţii primejdioase, Tessa înţelege că, atunci când amesteci dragostea cu minciunile, poţi corupe chiar şi cea mai curată inimă.

Iar pentru fanii seriei, o SURPRIZĂ! – în exclusivitate în paginile acestei ediţii, trei texte inedite:
Dedicaţia lui Will pentru Tessa pe un exemplar din Poveste despre două oraşe, de Charles Dickens.
Epistola scrisă de Will pentru familia lui, la împlinirea vârstei de şaptesprezece ani, dar pe care nu o va expedia niciodată.
Scurtă relatare a primei întâlniri dintre Jem şi Tessa.


De asta merita sa astepti o carte. Pentru ca atunci cand vine, vine cu mult mai multe surprize. In curand voi posta si recenzia Ingerului Mecanic, sper ca in seara asta sau maine dimineata. De asemenea maine dimineata trebuie sa pun Gossip Girl la posta, pentru Simona, cu care am facut schimb de carti, si sa ma duc sa-mi ridic Pretul Sangelui. De asemenea in curand o sa urc si primul meu "In my mailbox", sau ceva-n genul. 


SURSA

Book Review: 13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (4/5 stars)

"When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel."

-summary taken from goodreads-

My Thoughts:

13 Little Blue Envelopes is a quick, funny and a little romantic read, I would recommend to everybody. It takes you to a fun trip around Europe.

I've liked this book from the very first page. The idea was very unique and very well written. I liked the way Maureen Johnson describes people or places, or just the way she writes, this is the first book written by her I've read, and so far I like her.

Ginny seemed to me like that one girl that is scared by almost everything, although, I think it was hard for her to take everything in. She is pretty intelligent I have to say, but she still learns a lot of the things she knows, in the countries she visits. As a tourist, she's a little clueless so I guess she never searched or read anything about Europe before, but didn't really bug me. What bugged me about her was the fact that she couldn't decide on certain things, and yes, I understand she may be too young to take some decisions, but that's just what I think. I liked Ginny, maybe not as much as I wish I did, but I still liked her.

Overall, the story is worth reading, there are passages that made me laugh, there are passages that made me cry, and somehow I wished this story never stopped. I'm looking forward to the sequel "The Last Little Blue Envelope" and I hope it's going to be published in Romania as well.

Last advice: Read it ! :)

tag#2

I stole another tag off the internet. :D Everyone's invited to do it.

1. Least favorite book cover?
  I can't stand this the font just doesn't go with the picture, and I can't say I like it either. The Romanian version is worse.

2. What are some weird things you do while reading?
  I don't think I do anything weird while reading.. I do bite and pick at my lips a lot, but I don't see that weird.

3. Where is the oddest place you have ever read a book?
  At a wedding.

4. If you could meet any author from history, who would it be?
  Alexandre Dumas

5. What is the worst book you have ever read?
  Ion - Liviu Rebreanu (Romanian.. yeah..)

6. What books did you love when you were younger?
  Usually fairy tales or fables.

7. Which books would you like to see turned into a movie/not turned into a movie?
  I don't really like when books and turned into movies, or I liked it until all the young actors turned out to be crap.

8. What is your book challenge for this year?
  The Goodreads 2012 reading challenge, the European reading challenge and the Book2Movie reading challenge. I have to get started on the last 2, because I've only read a little from Les Enfants de la liberte by Marc Levy for the European one, and I have to finish Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice AND watch the movie for the last one. I slacked, a lot.

9. Do you take notes?
  In my head, yea.

10. Do you like music/silence while reading?
  Silence, and this will sound weird but I like to imagine I'm hearing what's happening into the book.

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (5/5 stars)

"Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind."

-summary taken from goodreads-

My Thoughts:

This is the first John Green book I've ever read. I'm not proud, actually I'm feeling a little ashamed because I've read this one first. I think I should have read his early works first, or read his books in chronological order because that way I could've seen him develop his writing. However, I'm sure his other books are just as great and I didn't miss anything, but more on that later.

Usually I don't read books I know I'm gonna cry to, but this one just got me so curious I couldn't ignore it anymore. From the very first page, I couldn't stop reading (I think it took me almost 8-9 hours to finish it). The story, as simple as it looks, is actually very complex to me. Every little detail is crafted in a particular way, every little thing in this book was written to the last detail. 

My favourite character from this book is Augustus. I know Hazel is the main character, and I should like her better, because it's her life, her life-changing decisions, but actually I've felt more drawn to Augustus than to Hazel. He has that thing that makes you like him even if he were a jerk. I also like the fact that he doesn't change much through the story, because he's the one who changes people, and I always like that in characters, because that means they've always known what they wanted from life, and they were on the right track from the whole beginning. That doesn't make any sense, but you'll see it eventually. 

Hazel was ok, I guess. I didn't like her as much as I thought I did in the beginning of the book. She's that type of girl that just knows everything and should be allowed to do anything, especially because of her condition. Also, there's a part in the book that made me.. don't like her at all, but only in that part, but I'm not going to say which part because that would ruin the fun for you guys.

Anyway, I've liked this book a lot, apart from that, it made me cry like a baby. It's a sad story, but it deserves to be read.