Sunday, November 24, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #21: Birthday Edition

I'M BACK! Well I was back a week ago but had to catch up with some other stuff but now I'm OFFICIALLY back to book blogging. Research proposal handed in and exams done and dusted - out of sight, out of mind! For now...

Since my last STS I've gone to quite a few bookish events, gotten a mega haul (I need to stop letting them pile up) AND I TURNED 21 - I actually turned 21 on the 10th of November but exams and all so I didn't get to celebrate until last night. Would you believe that this 21st STS coincides with my 21st birthday? What a coincidence... Scary really. Anyway this STS will include my birthday present (books among other things) and the usual means I have of acquiring books. But I'll also have a recap of some bookish events!

Excuse my face in the photos. You can just ignore it. Just look at the awesome authors kthnx.

October 23 - Sydney Allegiant Book Launch

To celebrate the release of the last book in the Divergent trilogy, HarperCollins Australia hosted the book launch at Dymocks George in Sydney. There was Dauntless cake (cupcakes) and a goody bag with lots of swag inside :) There was also Divergent trivia and I got one of the questions so I won a book pack too! For those of you who have read the book, you'll know it's a tough one. I didn't rate it, and I won't - I really can't give it a rating. All I'll say is, it broke me, I can understand that ending, but it still broke me. If you read the rest of my opinion, I have a review on Goodreads you can see here. 



Book pack I won:

Thank you HarperCollins Australia for the launch and the book pack <3

November 1 - Meeting Jessica Shirvington and Empower

As part of a small blogger event, Keely (myspinonbooks.blogspot.com) and I, thanks to Kim (twogirlsandanovel.blogspot.com) and Hachette Children's Books Australia, got to meet Jessica Shirvington. Ultimate fangirl because I LOVE Jess and all her books. I've been a fan of hers since 2010 when Embrace, the very first Violet Eden Chapters was released. 3 years later and the final book in the series, Empower was released November 12. I was luckily enough to not only meet Jess, get all my books signed but also get a copy of Empower. I finished it that night and it was FABULOUS. Look out for my review coming soon! Theresa (the children's publicist) also gave us a copy of Shaun Tan's Rules of Summer, a lovely picture book which I gave 4/5 to, check out my review here.

There it is, the completed Violet Eden Chapters!

Jess! :D



All the books I have by Jess signed!
The Violet Eden Chapters (Paranormal Angels) in order:



That cover <3

Thank you Hachette Children's Books Australia for the amazing opportunity to meet Jessica Shirvington and these lovely books <3

November 13 - Meeting Samantha Shannon and Bloomsbury haul

Samantha Shannon visited Australia week beginning November 11! I was invited by Bloomsbury Australia to meet her and ohmygosh it was so amazing. Samantha is gorgeous inside and out - she's humble, so sweet and such a genuinely nice person I was so honoured to meet such a young, talented writer! Sonia (the children's publicist) also gave me a few lovely books to enjoy!

She's so pretty *O* and one of the loveliest authors I've ever meet

Yes, yes did tackle hug Samantha <333


From Sonia:

Thank you Bloomsbury Australia for such an awesome night, getting Samantha out to Aus and the lovely books <3

Unsolicited

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia and HarperCollins Australia for these review copies <3 

 Galleys
 

Thanks to Spencer Hill Press, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and CJ Duggan for these eGalleys <3

Requested


Thanks to Hardie Grant Egmont, Allen & Unwin, Simon & Schuster Australia, Random House Australia, HarperCollins Australia and Bloomsbury Australia for these ARCs/review copies <3

E-books Bought



Bought



I have rather OCD tendencies as those of you who know me are familiar with. As such, because the current copies of the Divergent trilogy I own don't match and/or are damaged, I had to get the box set to match. I don't even know if I'll be reading it again after the ending of Allegiant of but whatever you know it looks awesome :D

The Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth (Dystopia):

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan (Middle-Grade Fantasy/Mythology):



Birthday Gifts




The awesome my friends got me. Gifts include Chloe perfume, a necklace, Bose earphones, Chanel soap/stuff, awesome tea stuff from T2 (not pictured, from my colleagues) AN IKEA GIFTCARD TO "help with my book fetish" ANDDD...

 Thank you Shirley (http://shiirleyysbookshelf.blogspot.com.au/) and Lana (https://twitter.com/nomnombanana) for In the Shadow of Blackbirds and Ender's Game and to all my lovely friends and colleagues for the gifts <3

Shirley and Lana also went the extra step and made me the most thoughtful card a booklover can ever receive.


LOOK AT ALL THE BOOK BOYFRIENDS OMG. AIDEN, ASH, CHAOL, DIMITRI, ISAIAH <3

If you managed to read your way through that well, kudos to you, have a cookie *gives cookies*

Thank you for all the gifts, birthday wishes and books!

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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Mini-Review: Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan

Firstly, thanks to Hachette Children's Books Australia for this copy of Rules of Summer <3

Changing it up a little with this review. I pretty much post only YA reviews, but this is one picture book had to review! Shaun Tan is definitely one of my favourite authors and illustrators and his 2013 release, Rules of Summer is a must for everyone.




Date Read: November 20th 2013
Release Date: July 11th 2013
Publisher: Hachette Children's
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy (Children's picture book)
My rating: 

Synopsis:
"Combining humour and surreal fantasy, Shaun Tan pictures a summer in the lives of two boys. Each spread tells of an event and the lesson learned. By turns, these events become darker and more sinister as the boys push their games further and further."

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For both the young and old, and everything in between, Tan's picture books are filled with messages that resonate differently with the different age groups that read it. Rules of Summer is no different. Filled with layered messages, each one sentence page holds varying messages depending on how you perceive it. The wild and wonderful illustrations show a different side to the seemingly innocent life lessons for things children (and adults) may get up to during the summer.

I loved the way the story was presented. Tan's meticulous brush strokes show at times haunting images of what happens when you "leave the back door open overnight" or "eat the last olive at party" (the looks people give you!). These colourful depictions are juxtaposed by the simple statements on the left-hand page with their light pencil scribbles on sepia and grey-toned backgrounds. By doing this, plain versus rich, Tan accentuates his gorgeous pictures and never overdoes the images. Such images also allow the reader to interpret his idea the way they want - oh what is that beautiful utopia where I can access all the things I need if only I could remember my password? The similarity I found with Tan's other books was the increasing bleakness the deeper we delved through the book. I love the idea of needing to overcome the dark before we find the light. 


Like his other masterpieces, Tan doesn't disappoint. This is one picture book I will be perusing time and time again for the different messages and hidden things I'll find each time.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Blog Tour: These Broken Stars (Starbound Trilogy #1) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner


Firstly thanks to Allen & Unwin for this review copy and the blog tour (also thanks to Disney-Hyperion for providing the NetGalley) <3

Eeeeep you guys I am ECSTATIC for this blog tour. I am so excited for you all to read These Broken Stars because it has been one of my favourite books this year, and my #1 debut for 2013. This book touched me in so many ways and it was just stunning. Ok I'll stop now and you can read the rest of my gushing in my review :DDD


Date Read: July 28 to 31 2013
Release Date: November 20th 2013 (Australia)
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Science-Fiction
My rating: 

Synopsis:
"It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets to the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder - would they be better off staying in this place forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds."

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“Sit tight and hope.”

Just look at that beautiful cover. Seriously, let’s just take a moment to really stop and stare at how gorgeous it is. How the thin font is elegant yet simple, the way it accentuates the gorgeous background. Don’t judge a book by its cover they said. Well you know what? THEY’RE WRONG. As soon as I saw the cover for These Broken Stars last year I knew I had to have it. And when I saw it on NetGalley I was on the edge of my seat everyday as I waited for the verdict from DH. I do admit I was scared to start it; I’d inadvertently fallen in love with the book because of the cover and I mean what if I didn’t like it? I had to love it, I just had to, I told myself… Guess what? Kaufman and Spooner DO NOT disappoint AT ALL. Also, that cover is EXACTLY how the characters are described so WIN!

When Tarver and Lilac, two people from completely different classes crash land onto a seemingly deserted planet, they’re forced into survival mode to find help. From that first moment, I was drawn into their story and their journey across a foreign land.

I hated Lilac immediately. Daddy’s little girl to the extreme, she’s snotty and arrogant. I found her insufferable at the beginning – the way she treated people, the way she acted like she was above everybody else. I loved Lilac immensely. Beneath that cold exterior is a different kind of person, one with amazing strength, a will of iron and a selflessness that nobody can see in the way she protects people. Her voice was done extremely well – she has the assumptions of someone who’s been pampered her whole life but also has a lot of smarts and wit. I adored her growth throughout the book and how she retains her character (especially that sassiness) – I felt like she finally grew into herself by the end.

“He can read this place like I read the tiny shifts in a crowd, the back-and-forth of couples and conversation, society executing its slow revolutions around me like the stars in the heavens. Known. Charted. Familiar.”

Tarver is the complete opposite of Lilac. He’s been away from home for such a long time, he earned his title of Major not through money but by fighting on the front lines of intergalactic battles. I enjoyed his continuous snark, it was just plain awesome and one of his defining characteristics. I loved his protectiveness and gentleman-like behaviour without being chauvinistic – there’s a fine line and he never crossed it (although, he does make many assumptions about Lilac because of her class). The best thing about Tarver though? He wasn’t afraid to just feel. So many guys I read in books hide their emotions – especially grief. I mean I know everybody deals differently but it’s ok to cry when you need to. And Tarver? I hurt so much reading his emotions. It felt so much more significant reading helplessness, fear, anger and grief coming from a guy. It was enlightening to know that despite him being a Major and coming out successful in a way, he still felt hopeless in the face of possible death. Maybe it took a while, but I loved how this boy wasn’t afraid to express his emotions. This beautiful boy, he went through so much and by the end I just felt so exhausted (in a good way) from all the feels!

“And then my treacherous lungs contract, and send me gasping for air no matter how I try to stop.”

Instead of talking about the romance like I usually do, I’m going to talk about characterization. It needs a special mention because the way the characters were developed and written was spectacular in TBS. They each felt so real, so relatable in a world unbeknownst to us – I WAS Tarver as he slowed down his pace for the “brat” in those heels, I WAS Lilac as her aching, blistered feet tried to keep up with the Major’s pace. I was them both as I faced the bleak possibility that there was no help. Tarver’s voice was more snippy and snark whilst Lilac’s flowed with the eloquence of class. Each character was so unique, their voice resonated with me even after I finished.

“It’s hard enough dragging this brat through the woods without her breaking an ankle trying to walk in the dark.”

These Broken Stars has been called “Titanic in space”. And that is exactly how I would describe it to be honest. Why? Because both have love stories of epic proportions. When I say epic proportions I don’t mean TBS was just a love story – on the contrary the romance was in the background compared to the more pressing issue of the Icarus crashing and our two protagonists being stuck on a foreign island. But the way the romance was written was epic. What they went through was epic. The romance developed slowly and it was almost painful in the wait. It was beautiful, lovely and filled me up with so many darn feels I cried.

“I try not to shiver at his touch, at the heat of his palm on the chilled skin exposed by my idiotic dress.”

“Her eyes, like reflecting pools, show me the trees, the leaves, the sky.”

That plot. Dat story. Blew me away. Following these two very different people across a planet was one amazing journey. Having lived in a world of technology where everything is automated, everything adjusted to a human’s needs and wants, being on a planet with no technology is a huge challenge. Battling nature and a planet that seems to have a force of its own, Tarver and Lilac faced so many difficulties that set my blood pumping and heart race. The plot was wonderfully executed, suspenseful from crash, to journey, to ending – I never got bored, and it was filled with many twists and turns that left me absolutely breathless and sobbing for more.

“I cannot turn back because there is no back, only the next step, and the one after, and the one after that.”

One snarky Major. One sassy rich girl. A spaceship crash. A foreign planet. Amazing characterisation. Beautifully written. A romance of epic proportions. A helluva plot. Kaufman and Spooner’s debut shines like the infinite stars in the universe.

“Until all that’s left is us.”


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Author Links

Amie's website: http://amiekaufman.com/
Meagan's website: http://www.meaganspooner.com/
Amie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmieKaufman
Meagan's Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeaganSpooner

 Check out the These Broken Stars website: http://www.thesebrokenstars.com/
Want news on Amie and Meagan's latest books? Sign up to their newsletter: http://meaganspooner.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=7d4d8de1795be6151d15ac230&id=8fe91a1c37

Giveaway

Thanks to Allen & Unwin, I have one copy of These Broken Stars up for grabs!

This giveaway is AUSTRALIA ONLY. Winner must reply within 48h of being contacted or another will be selected.


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