Book Review : Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Review

 

I read this freaking book in one sitting, for a straight 8 hours, when I should be revising for my end-of-the-semester tests! I’m crazy!

Alright, over with the mindless ramble. Let’s get on to the review for Throne of Glass!

At first I didn’t really like the author’s writing style because it was somewhat strange and clipped, but I started to adapt to it after a few chapters. Initially, Celaena Sardothien did not appeal to me as the most-feared assassin, because everything was all talk and no show.

The first few chapters were a little boring because pretty much nothing happened except for the initial “ice-breaking sessions”.

However, as the story progresses, I found out that Celaena is much more than meets the eye. Her inner strength, resilience and sharp wits are among the characteristics which I found deeply inspiring, especially after what she has gone through in her life. Adarlan’s Assassin is a soubriquet most fitted for her.

Prince Dorian. I did not have good feelings for this man although he was portrayed as a handsome, debonair heir of the throne mainly because 1) he is a womanizer and 2) his reckless and devil-may-care attitude irks me. His growing relationship with Calaena slowly brings out a different side of him: a soft soul, a man who hates war and destruction and a boy wanting to change his father’s bloodlust ways of conquering foreign nations. And so, I slowly came to understand him and the motives behind his self-indulgence. I quite enjoyed his banter with Calaena, although I’m still not in love with him.

Chaol, on the other hand, is someone who always stands quietly by Celaena’s side, offering her friendship and guidance.  He obviously has some buried feelings for Calaena, but he fears that he might lose his heart to the most notorious killer in the country. Or risk his friendship with Prince Dorian, who has a growing affection towards the girl as well. I might say that he may be a little too dull for my liking, even though he has displayed his courage and loyalty towards those he cared.

Overall, Throne of Glass is an accomplished debut novel; it has action, drama, plot twisters and the unforgettable element of romance. Put it simply, this is a book that teens would immensely enjoy. Fans of Maria V. Snyder and Cassandra Clare, I would heartily recommend you to pick up a copy of Throne of Glass!

Rating:    
Sarah J. Maas lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing YA fantasy novels, she can be found exploring the California coastline.

Book Review: Overnight Sensation by Hal Eisenberg

                           Overnight Sensation by Hal Eisenberg

GRAB THE BOOK! :
Amazon     Barnes &Noble     Smashwords

                             
                                   From Goodreads

Fifteen year old Jonah Levine is practically invisible at Applecrest High. His Facebook page is pathetic, his baseball skills are mediocre at best, and his IQ seems to drop 50 points when talking to girls. However, everything changes when his rock band, Hitstreak becomes the hottest teen sensation in the country.

So why isn't he jumping for joy?

Well, for starters, that hit on the radio wasn't really recorded by his band. In fact, six months ago, he and his friends could barely play a note between them. And now they're about to perform in front of 15,000 screaming fans. What began as a mindless prank had quickly spun out of control, involving his father's secret past as a 70's rocker, a high school bully who wants in on the action, and a powerful, ruthless, media mogul who will stop at nothing to claim the band as his own. Will Jonah prevail? Or will he and his band go down in flames and become the biggest farce in pop music history?

                                   
                                    

"Ever wonder what it's like to be a major rockstar?".. YES!

Overnight Sensation is definitely one of the few books that somehow managed to get me reading the whole book in one sitting. And no, I am not exaggerating. Overnight Sensation is the kind of books which made me feel, think and laugh. I had high expectations for this book that constantly got me waiting to be amazed that I got too busy trying to find that special moment to really enjoy it. I failed....

But once I read it all over again, committing myself to just READ, that's when I saw the beauty of the story written by the Hal.

The thing I loved most about Overnight Sensation would be Hal's way of writing. He has this kind of skills that creeps in little by little that makes a paragraph seems like any other regular paragraphs in the world of books, up until I reach its end and BAM!!

It seems to me that Hal Eisenberg really understand teenagers. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Experiencing' what Jonah Levine (Joman) and his band go through, combined with their sarcasm and banters. To me, the characters are the most important thing in Young Adult contemporary literature, because without them all that's left is the real world. But Overnight Sensation does not have characters.... it has people that you'll empathize with and desperately want to know more about. I totally fell in love with them; their quirks, their humors, their interactions, their passions,.....Hal, well done! 

 It's an overall amazing book and I will heavily recommend it to anyone on Earth that are trying to look for meanings and are interested in a good read.

 - Good!!

Extras

Note of Thanks
Million thanks to Hal Eisenberg for the wonderful signed, paperback copy of Overnight Sensation, and I'm keeping that swag pack! Woohoo!!

Hal Eisenberg is a writer with a background in advertising. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, two boys, a Soft-Coated Wheaton Terrior named Maddie, and McCartney, an African Grey Parrot who just celebrated his thirtieth birthday (LIKE SERIOUSLY?? WHAT?). Visit Hal on the web at: Hal Eisenberg and on the Overnight Sensation Facebook page. 

Solitary by Alexander Gordon Smith

Solitary (Escape From Furnace, #2) by Alexander Gordon Smith 

Buy The Book:

Amazon :: B & N :: The Book Depository :: Boomerang Books
 

Synopsis

Alex tried to escape.
He had a perfect plan.
He was almost free. Even felt the cool, clean air on his face.
Then the dogs came.
Now he’s locked in a place so gruesome—so hellish—that escape doesn’t even matter.
He just wants to survive.

Review

Solitary picks up where the first book ends. To Alex and his gang's dismay and horror, they did not find their way out, but ended up in the same place they were trying so hard to escape.

To punish them for their defiance, the Warden orders them to be locked up in the Solitary for a month. But the most terrible event has yet to come.

What's so special about Smith's books are the horror and vivid imagery that swirl around your mind even long after the story ends. In this installment, Alex displays his resilience even when his mind is near its breaking point. It's almost impossible to escape the hell hole called Furnace, but Alex never give up on 'hope'.

While in total seclusion in the Solitary, Alex and Zee somehow finds a way to communicate with each other to maintain their sanity. When they find an unexpected ally in Simon, their brains go auto-pilot in concocting another daring escape attempt.

Will they succeed? I'm pretty sure the answer is not pretty - but I'm definitely getting my hands on the next book. You'd want to know what happens to Alex and Zee too, don't you?

Rating:

To seek more horrors, visit the Escape From Furnace Website.

About The Author

Alexander Gordon Smith, 32, is best known as the author of the Escape From Furnace Series, made up of Lockdown, Solitary, Death Sentence, Fugitives and Execution.

He also wrote The Inventors – which was runner-up in the national Wow Factor Award – and The Inventors and the City of Stolen Souls, both of which were co-authored by his eleven-year-old brother Jamie. The first novel in his third series, The Fury, will be published in 2012, alongside an as yet untitled book for younger readers. He is the author of two creative writing handbooks, Inspired Creative Writing and Writing Bestselling Children’s Books, a number of screenplays that are currently in development, several non-fiction books and hundreds of short stories and articles.

 

Book Review : New Girl by Paige Harbison

 

New Girl by Paige Harbison 

Paperback, 320 pages

Published January 31st 2012 by HarlequinTeen (first published January 1st 2012) 

Available on Barnes And Noble:

Paperback $9.49

ISBN 0373210426 (ISBN13: 9780373210428)

Synopsis 

 The Queen Bee is missing. Will you be next?

 

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend…but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back...

Review  

First of all, I apologized for the posting this review after quite some time. I have to say that when I got this book one month ago, I was extremely excited, as it was described as "Gossip Girl meets Mallory Towers with a dash of gothic chill thrown in for good measure!"  

However, to my disappointment, it was nothing like gossip girl, but Mallory Towers, yes. Despite all that, I still think that this is a good book to read.  

"The New Girl" whose name is only mentioned at the end of the book, comes to Manderly Academy for her senior year. It has always been her dream to go to a boarding school. And when her parents finally got her in, she was struck to the fact of leaving everything she used to have behind, especially the things she love. Space is limited at Manderly Academy, so she have to take a spot that recently opened up due to the mysterious disappearance of a student named Becca. 

Rebecca or Becca Normandy had been the “it girl” of the school. She dated the hottest guy, was beautiful, rich and could be friend anyone. This reminds me of Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, probably why it is described as Gossip Girl meets Mallory Towers. Unfortunately, like all Queen Bees, Becca was not a very nice person. She was manipulative, cruel, and sough the spotlight at any cost.

The thing that stood out the most about this book was the mystery that surrounded the storyline. If Becca is so popular, why did she go missing? How did she go missing? Could someone have forced Becca to disappear? This definitely kept me hooked while reading the book, wanting to know what happened to the mysterious Becca.

The New Girl has nothing to do with Becca, but she has been under Becca's shadow ever since she reached Manderly Academy. She can't help falling for Becca’s ex-boyfriend, Max and Max's best friend, Johnny seemed to be interested in her.  Max was hot and cold towards her that she was confused about the way he acted.

Switching between Callie and Becca’s points of view makes the story much more interesting and allows the reader a look into Becca’s mind, explaining her motivation for the things she did. This book is a good mystery and would be perfect for an audience of teen girls.

If you're a fan of Mystery and Suspense, I would recommend this book to you. To me, New Girl was one of those books that you'd either love it or hate it. I take no sides and rate it 3/5.
 

Rating:    

About The Author

Paige Harbison grew up on the outskirts of Washington D.C. and is the daughter of New York Times Bestselling author Beth Harbison. Paige is currently working toward her Bachelor's Degree at Towson University in Baltimore, MD. 

Find Her :
twitter: twitter.com/paigeharbison
facebook: facebook.com/paige.harbison
website: www.paigeharbison.com

Upcoming Release: Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent

Shadow Bound by Rachel Vincent

If you live in the dark long enough, you begin to forget the light…

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own.

Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….

Available May 22, 2012 in the US and Canada.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books A Million / Indie Bound

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Our 600 Followers Giveaway was well-received by readers worldwide - we had a total of 3261 entries! Woots!

However, much to our regret, we had to disqualify some of the entries as the participants' did not leave the links to their tweets, facebook shares, blog post links, blog sidebar links etc. And yes, we do verify all the entries because we want to be fair to all the participants.

Without further ado, here are the winners!

Worldwide Winners: 

• Article 5 - Noely Jeleen Balmeo
• The Faerie Ring - Kali Skittles
• Original Sin - Aylin Avalos
• Anna Dressed in Blood - Emman Peregrino Dela Cruz

Malaysian Winners:

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green + Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick - FairyWhispers
• Awesome swag pack - Farah Hanani

Winners, please reply to my e-mail with your FULL NAME, ADDRESS and CONTACT NUMBER within 48 hours. International prizes will be mailed out by Tor Teen while Malaysian prizes will be mailed out by The Bookaholics. Neither the sponsor nor The Bookaholics will be responsible / liable  for any lost, stolen, misdirected, or late mail.

Book Review : Shine by Lauren Myracle

 Shine by Lauren Myracle

Hardcover, 350 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Amulet Books
Available on The Book Depository:
Hardcover $15.52 / Paperback 7.95

Synopsis

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. 

Review

When I started reading this book, I had no idea how much it would grow on me. Shine is a book that deals with broken friendships, mistrusts, sexuality, violence and drugs - but negative vibes aside, this book is very gripping and fast-paced, and you will find yourself quickly transported to the small town of Black Creek, a place where evil lurks.

Cat is a strong character, although she may not know this hidden ability of hers at first. Rage and fury stoke her inner fire, but she later realizes that she has power and control over herself, and that makes her invincible and fearless. Cat is portrayed as a quiet, introverted sixteen-year-old girl, but from the playbacks of her childhood, we glimpse a different side of her - free-spirited, wild and happy. But one day, something terrible happened. And nothing was ever the same again.

Cat's investigation was very engaging - she tried out different methods to find out the perpetrator who beat Patrick up with a baseball bat, tied him to a gas pump, stuffed a fuel nozzle down his throat, and left him to die without a shred of guilt. Every step she took brought her closer to the answer, but at the same time, things were getting more sinister, and her own life may be at stake. However, she was determined to seek justice for Patrick - she felt that she owed him that much after abandoning him years ago.

Shine presents you with a surprise at every turning of the novel and keeps you guessing. Be warned that this is an emotionally intense book; you may get sucked into the novel without your own knowing. I enjoyed this book tremendously, and I'm so glad that I read it.

Rating:  

Warning: This book contains sexuality, profanity, violence and drug abuse. Parental guidance recommended for teens under the age of eighteen.

About The Author 

 

Lauren Myracle is the author of numerous young adult novels. She was born in 1969 in North Carolina. Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from Colorado State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. she has written many novels, including the famous IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.

Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .

 

Book Review : The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter

The Goddess Test (Goddess Test, #1) by Aimee Carter

Paperback, 304 pages

Published April 19th 2011 by Harlequin

Synopsis

EVERY GIRL WHO HAS TAKEN THE TEST HAS DIED.

NOW IT'S KATE'S TURN.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she suceeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

IF SHE FAILS...

Review 

Pros:  

1. It's based on Greek mythology, and the idea of the story itself is charming. 
2. Our heroine is not a wimpy, weak girl; she's loaded with spunk and a strong sense of justice, although sometimes she may think of others too much and blames herself for whatever bad things that happen. 
3. The author's writing has a great flow and the story is suitably paced. I felt myself skimming through the pages without any sense of time.
4. I admired the gorgeous cover and the beautiful font choice more than once. ♥

Cons:

1. I knew something was up with Kate's mom from the beginning of the novel and I suspected her true identity all along. The author made it so obvious that mummy has something to do with the mansion Henry lives in.
2. Kate is a loner who tend to distance herself from everyone. She has zero (mortal) friends. Which is sort of pathetic. She is not a bright person, by the way.
3. The sucky ending. It is incoherent with the rest of the novel. Long story short, it's just plain weird.

Bottomline:

It is true that Aimee Carter's writing style is great, and the storyline is somewhat unique. But, the twist at the end of the story is ridiculous - it feels like the author couldn't come up with enough characters so she just threw in whatever character she could think of and these people were automatically exalted to the status of immortal beings.

Rating:

About The Author

 

Aimée Carter was born and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. Her first novel for young adults, THE GODDESS TEST, was published by Harlequin Teen on April 19th, 2011. The sequel, GODDESS INTERRUPTED, followed in January 2012.  Find her on Twitter at @aimee_carter.

Book Review : Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Published January 3rd 2012 by HarperCollins

International Edition, Paperback

New copy available on:
The Book Depository (Worldwide) $9.75 USD 
Boomerang Books (Australia) $22.49 AUD

Like new second-hand copy available on:
Shop ♥ Books (Malaysia) RM 29.00

Synopsis

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky. 

Review

I've been meaning to read this book for a while - ever since I saw the glowing reviews it bagged from the book-blogging community. It seems everyone is in love with this book - which makes me even excited to read it. In fact, I was already anticipating an unusual greatness even before I started reading it. 

In a way, it is good - the plot is quite fresh and the characters are likeable. I would love to see Perry in real life. I wonder what his glow-in-the-dark eyes look like. However, the concept of the Reverie (the virtual place where Aria lived in) was rather confusing. Somehow I couldn't grasp the idea of most of the things described in that place. And the futuristic terms used by the author did more to distract me rather than lure me into the story.

As opposed to the safe live in the Reverie, danger looms everywhere in the Death Shop - the place where Outsiders live. Aether storms destroy lives and things, cannibals roam the jungles, a constant lacking of food supplies... the list goes on and on. But there is one thing that it has and the Reverie doesn't: a sense of naturalism.

The story drags at certain parts, but most of the time it was interesting enough to keep me reading. I think the best part of the story would be discovering Cinder's secret ability. It was totally cool. Long story short, there are things I love about this book, but there are also certain things I wish the author had changed. However, personal feelings aside, Under The Never Sky is a pretty solid debut, and I'd certainly recommend it to fans of dystopian novels, particularly those who loved Divergent by Veronica Roth. 

Rating:

About The Author 

Veronica Rossi's debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, will be published in over twenty international markets, starting on January 3rd 2012 in the United States. Film rights to the trilogy have been optioned by Warner Bros.

When not writing, she chases after her boys, who make her laugh every day, and who teach her about love that's "a million gazillion times bigger than the ocean." 

Book Review : Torn by Cat Clarke

Torn by Cat Clarke

Paperback, 378 pages

Published December 22nd 2011 by Quercus 

New copy available on:
The Book Depository (Worldwide) $9.46 USD 
Boomerang Books (Australia) $15.29 AUD

Like new second-hand copy available on:
Shop ♥ Books (Malaysia) RM 29.00

Synopsis

Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt.

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares…

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down. Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever...

Review

TORN is a book that deals with guilt. A whole lot of them. Guilt that will gnaw you from inside out. Guilt that makes you feel like a huge stone is slowly crushing you until there's nothing left. There's not a moment that Alice doesn't feel guilty since the "accident" - the one that left Queen of Mean Tara Chambers dead as a doornail.

I've never accidentally done something so terrible as Alice and her friends, but I have definitely done some mistakes in life that I wish I could reverse or make better. I feel connected to Alice in many ways, I can taste her guilt, fear and worry, and her yearning for love from her ex-dead-best friend's brother - and how these feelings crush her soul.

Though there is not much plot in the story as most of them circles around Alice's guilt-ridden self and her attempt to supress the need to tell someone everything, there is an intensity that keeps me reading. Alice feels torn - should she keep her mouth shut and bear the guilt forever or speak the truth and get sentenced to a life in prison?

TORN is a book that is similar to SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson. I did not particular love this book, but neither do I find it boring and monotonous. As I've said before, I'm a plot-driven reader, but I think books like these would be nice to read once in a while.

Rating:

About The Author

 

Cat Clarke was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people. Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.

A Letter to Our Readers

Dear readers,

There is something I haven't told you about. I figured it would be most fair to announce the news here. I'm going to Malacca for matriculation (like SPM, only it's a one-year course) on 27th May 2012 and I'm afraid I won't be able to update this blog anymore. 

I'm not sure whether the campus has a wireless network all around, but it's most probably available in the library. I will bring my laptop there, just in case. I have decided to focus on my studies and shift my attention to textbooks instead of continuing to read YA novels. So, I guess it's a heartbreaking kiss-goodbye to my precious books. I still have loads of unread books right now, and I'm trying to finish reading most of my books before I go to further my studies.

So, in case I'm not able to update this blog in the campus, I hope Naadir, Rylin and Lemuel can continue to keep things running. I'm sincerely pleading you guys, please make sure my baby stays alive while I'm gone. I've been running this blog for God knows how long (3 years?) and I'm unashamed to say that I'm proud of what I've worked hard for. Hopefully it will continue to rise and shine against all odds with the help of my awesome co-bloggers.

Last but not least, please continue to support this blog, and if you have any suggestions to make The Bookaholics a better blog, please let us know. We will greatly appreciate whatever input you offer. Thank you, and God bless!

With ♥, Aik.

 

P/S: Since my sisters are not interested in my books, I'm going to list them for sale on my Facebook page so that they may find a new owner who would cherish them. If you're interested in any of the books, please send me a message on Facebook or e-mail me at aikychien@yahoo.com. Please read the message at the bottom of the album for shipping rates.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE BOOKS AVAILABLE

If you purchase more than RM 50 in a single receipt, you will be eligible to choose a free book of your choice from THIS PAGE. 

 P/S: We hit the big SEVEN! Seven hundred followers! I'm swooning with happiness! 

Book Review : Lucy (Daughters of the Sea, #3) by Kathryn Lasky

Lucy (Daughters of the Sea, #3) by Kathryn Lasky

 Hardcover, 320 pages

Published March 1st 2012 by Scholastic Inc. 

Available on Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Synopsis

A choice between love and survival . . .Lucy's family is excited to spend the summer in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her minister father is pleased to preside over such a prestigious congregation, and his social-climbing wife is ecstatic at the chance to find a rich husband for her daughter.Yet Lucy wants nothing to do with the Bar Harbor social scene; she's simply excited to spend the summer by the sea, watching the waves from her favorite spot on the cliff. Despite having never gone swimming, Lucy feels an intense connection to the ocean, and meets a handsome ship-builder who shows Lucy a world she's never known, yet somehow always longed for.However, her mother will stop at nothing to keep Lucy and the ship builder apart, even if it means throwing Lucy into the arms of a wealthy man with a dangerous secret. Can Lucy break free and embrace her destiny as a daughter of the sea? Or is she doomed to waste away in a gilded cage, slowly dying of a broken heart?

 Review

Lucy is a continuation of the Daughters of The Sea series, but as with the second book, it starts with Lucy's story before Hannah and May eventually get pulled within as well. Lucy is a girl with artistic talents and have a great fascination with the sea - much like her two mer-sisters. Her father is a  minister, and her mother is a vain, snobbish woman whose ultimate goal is to find Lucy the perfect husband. However, Lucy falls for someone else instead - someone who has no social standing, yet shares her love for the sea.

I have mixed feelings for this book. I started reading this with much anticipation, as I hoped things will finally be resolved, whether or not the sisters decide to live on land or in the sea. It started out fine - with Kathryn Lasky's trademark smooth, dreamy writing style, and I was excited to fine out more about Lucy.

However, towards the end of the story, Lasky inserted a plot twist which I totally didn't see coming, but it was rather silly. I mean, the motives were too shallow, and I couldn't see the point behind all the drama and fuss. And the story of the three sisters were never given a decent ending. It just ended. Randomly. I'm wondering if this is one of the author's habits? Leaving readers hanging on a cliffhanger at the end of a book (first / second in a trilogy) is a good thing, but ending your last book just like that? Without any conclusion or further explanation? That's just plain weird.

  

Overall, Lucy is a fairly decent book, though I personally thought that it should have been better. I wished to see the respective conclusions for the sisters' star-crossed romance. Will they forsake their love to embrace their true self or sacrifice their special bond with the sea to unite with their loved ones? And how will Lucy's story end? Curiouser and curiouser!

Rating:

Note of Thanks

A huge THANK YOU to Stephanie from Scholastic Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia for providing this review copy!

About The Author
 

Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her latest book, Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 15: The War of the Ember, was released on November 1, 2008. Guardians of Gahoole: A guide to the Great Tree was released on September 1st, almost a month before projected selling time. She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Book Review : May (Daughters of the Sea, #2) by Kathryn Lasky

May (Daughters of the Sea, #2) by Kathryn Lasky

Hardcover, 310 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Scholastic Inc. 

Available on Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Synopsis

The second book in bestselling author Kathryn Lasky's stunning foray into paranormal romance.

May feels her life drying up. The sea calls to her, but her parents forbid her from swimming. She longs for books, but her mother finds her passion for learning strange. She yearns for independence, but a persistent suitor, Rudd, wants to tame her spirited ways.

Yet after her fifteenth birthday, the urge to break free becomes overpowering and May makes a life-changing discovery. She does not belong on land where girls are meant to be obedient. She is a mermaid--a creature of the sea.

Review

May Plum has been constricted within the confines of the Egg Rock Lighthouse ever since she was born. Her father Edgar "Gar" Plum is a nice man who loves her dearly, but her mother Hepzibah "Zeebah" Plum is the exact opposite. Zeebah suffers from an illness - not only of the body but also of the mind. She is constantly complaining about her illness and always orders May around like a servant because she used to be ordered around by her sick mother and grandmother back when they were alive. Vicious cycle, if you ask me.

May's relationship with Hugh Fitzsimmons, the Harvard student who studies astrology is rather believable, and their observing the constellations together is rather romantic - I can almost imagine the background music starting to play. On the other hand, I find Rudd, the local boy who is obsessive about controlling May and getting his slimy hands on her repulsive. Ugh.

Hannah's story, which was left dangling in the first book, is continued somewhere in the middle of May's, where the sisters finally meet each other and marvel at their resemblance to each other. The plot of this book is so much better than Hannah, and the various elements of this story seems to fit each other perfectly. Overall, it was quite a lovely, charming story. Hopefully the third book will be even better than this one!

Rating:

Note of Thanks

A huge THANK YOU to Stephanie from Scholastic Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia for providing this review copy!

About The Author

Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her latest book, Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 15: The War of the Ember, was released on November 1, 2008. Guardians of Gahoole: A guide to the Great Tree was released on September 1st, almost a month before projected selling time. She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

600 Followers Giveaway, 6 WINNERS!

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The Bookaholics was established in 2009, and it has been accumulating readers little by little, slowly gaining influence over the book-blogging world. The Bookaholics is the brain child of several young bloggers who have a great passion in reading.

Our motto is to spread the news about good books and encourage reading in general. And because of that, we always strive to introduce the best books to our readers.

PART #1: Worldwide
Tor | Forge has been very kind to sponsor four highly-anticipated YA titles for readers worldwide.



There will be four winners, each winner will get one book.

PART #2: Malaysia only



Aik is giving away the above swag to one lucky Malaysian reader. 


Naadir is giving away a copy of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green AND a copy Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick to a lucky winner who has a valid mailing address in Malaysia.

To enter, please fill up the Rafflecopter form below. Entries submitted via comments will not be entertained. Contest ends 15th May, 2012.

Book Review : Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1) by Kathryn Lasky

Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1) by Kathryn Lasky

Hardcover, 310 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Scholastic Inc. 

Available on Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Synopsis

Daughters of the Sea tells the story of 3 mermaid sisters who are separated at birth by a storm and go on to lead three very different lives. Book 1 is about Hannah, who spent her early days in an orphanage and is now a scullery maid in the house of rich, powerful family. She is irresistibly drawn to the sea and through a series of accidents and encounters discovers her true identity. Hannah realizes that she must keep the truth a secret but she also knows that soon she will have to make the choice - to be a creature of the land or the sea.

Review

Hannah is an orphan who was sent to work at the Hawley’s residence as a scullery girl. She felt an unusual bond to the sea, and her feelings were intensified when she went to the Hawley’s summer cottage to prepare the family’s arrival, for it is near the sea. 

The story has its charm, but there is not much suspense in the plot. For a plotwise reader like me, there isn’t much to discover, and I felt slightly disappointed by this notion. The storytelling has a faraway tone to it – it’s boundless, expressive and charming. One thing that I can tell you for sure is that the author did a great job in detailing the Hawley’s eldest daughter – Lila’s madness. She and her cat, Jade make a crazy and somewhat bizzare couple. 

My favourite character in the book would be Harietta “Ettie” Hawley, for she is a likeable young girl who is both free-spirited and lacking of the arrogance usually present in young ladies from noble families. She treats Hannah like a sister, and she even takes Hannah’s side when Lila is against the scullery girl. Ettie reminds me of a dolphin – kind and gentle, but still playful. 

I really love how the author incorporates elements of fantasy in a story set in a real world. Perhaps I would enjoy this book better if it was not ended so abruptly. But still, I realize that this book is only the first in the series, so I would expect a good explanation for this perplexed ending in the second book in the series, May. 

Rating:  

Note of Thanks

A huge THANK YOU to Stephanie from Scholastic Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia for providing this review copy!

About The Author

Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her latest book, Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 15: The War of the Ember, was released on November 1, 2008. Guardians of Gahoole: A guide to the Great Tree was released on September 1st, almost a month before projected selling time. She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Book Review: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Available on The Book Depository / Amazon

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked- and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend- a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isnt easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what- and who- is worth dying for.

Vampires= Sparkles+Romantic+Baseball? Read this book and tell me how you'd like to date a vampire. :)

THE IMMORTAL RULES? EPIC!! Let me tell you this: This book is not just any vampire or dystopian novel. NO! This is a book with the kind of story that will keep you reading all night with the lights on. If there’s a limit to how many times a heart could beat, I’m probably already dead ‘cause this book got me worrying that my heart’s beating way too fast. Even listening to Swift’s Safe and Sound couldn’t calm me down.

First of all, I love how Julie creates the world that is both unique and terrifying at the same time. It’s very well written and the Asian girl,- Allison Sekemoto- as the protagonist, PERFECT!  The actions and choices the cast seems genuine if you’d ask me, and it’s as if the characters are real.

When I read this book, I pictured Daybreakers and the rabids? Oh, that sooo Descent’s creepy creatures. As unpredictable how the story goes as it is, I was glued to my bed, unable to stop reading. I started to love the book right after Allie got attacked by the rabids and were given the choice to either die or become one of the vamps. WOAH!

Last but not least, Julie, finish the second book ASAP alright? ‘Cause I can’t wait to get my hands on it. *Thumbs up*

 - 4.5 stars

Almost perfect!

Extras

Note of Thanks

Thank you Thank you Thank you Mira Ink for the copy of The Immortal Rules!

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn�t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Check her out at http://juliekagawa.blogspot.co.uk/