Sunday Salon

This week has been a week of celebrations here in Casa Vasquez.  My daughter had a basketball game on Thursday, and they kicked some butt.  She made a beautiful lay-up from a fast break, really it was awesome.  Yesterday was my son's UIL Art Smart competition and he took 1st place.  YEAH!  He totally deserved it, he really studied hard. I am so proud of him :) Great family week!

Now on to books, I'm currently reading Juliet by Anne Fortier.  I haven't made great progress but i've haven't really been in the reading mood lately.  I'm kind of feeling the urge to pick up a book, so hopefully I will be getting some major reading done today. I've also come to some decisions regarding challenges for 2011, I will be not be joining them, but instead will be doing personal goals.  I've made personal reading goals, some coming from challenges, some I made up on my own, and I will try to meet them throughout the year.  My main goal for 2011 is less stress, so I thought that doing this instead of challenges ties in more with my less stress goal.  What do you think?

Have a great Sunday, and week ahead!!

On My Wishlist (2)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click HERE.

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
 
From Goodreads:
 
Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run.



Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died.


With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she's forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.


I just recently heard about Rosebush, and it seems very interesting.  Looking forward to reading it.

Blood Harvest by S.J. Bolton

From Goodreads: 


The Fletchers' beautiful new house is everything they dreamed it would be. Built between two churches in Heptonclough, a small village on the moors that time forgot, it ought to be paradise for this young family of five, but they barely have a chance to settle in before they find that they’re anything but welcome. Someone seems to be trying to drive them away--at first with silly pranks but then with threats that become increasingly dangerous, especially to the oldest child, ten-year-old Tom Fletcher, who begins to believe that someone is always watching him.


The adults in Tom’s life are trying to help, including his parents; the vicar next door, younger and more dashing than you’d expect a vicar to be; and a therapist, Evi Oliver, who believes him more than she wants to. But there are other clues that something isn’t quite right in Heptonclough, including the mysterious accidental deaths of three toddlers over the last ten years. It is not until Tom’s siblings, two-year-old Milly and five-year-old Joe Fletcher, go missing in turn that the little village’s evil secret turns the Fletchers’ dreams into a nightmare.


With Sacrifice, Awakening, and now Blood Harvest, S. J. Bolton displays time and time again her remarkable talent as a beguiling storyteller, a master of thrills, and the mistress of her own brand of modern Gothic tale.

I love a good gothic creepy tale, this seems to be a perfect fit.

Super in the City by Daphne Uviller

Super in the City

Author:  Daphne Uviller

Genre:  Chick Lit

Publisher:  Bantam

Date Published:  January 27th 2009

From Goodreads:

In this off-the-beaten-sidewalk debut, native New Yorker Daphne Uviller reveals the secrets of a sexy, story-filled Big Apple, where a mystery lurks behind every apartment door—and a savvy but slightly lost young woman unexpectedly finds herself holding the keys.

In a city brimming with opportunities for heroism, twenty-seven-year-old Zephyr Zuckerman has often fantasized about committing acts of bravery that would make front-page news. Now she may get her big break—though it may require plunging a few toilets. When the superintendent of her parents’ Greenwich Village brownstone is led away in handcuffs, unemployed Zephyr takes over his post and unleashes her inner sleuth: discovering titillating secrets about her tenants—from a smoky-voiced Frenchwoman who entertains throngs of unsavory visitors to a moody musician who just has to be hiding something—and realizing that her new reality is far more intriguing than her imagination.

Soon Zephyr has sussed out wrongs that stretch from losers on the Internet to art fraud and an international crime ring. The mob thinks she’s in the FBI, and the FBI thinks she’s in the mob—a predicament she needs to clear up fast. But perhaps not before the cute, surly exterminator helps her solve the mystery of what to do with the rest of her life....

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I picked this up at a UBS for a buck, freaking awesome. Super in the City is a great entertaining chick lit mystery, light on the mystery, heavy on the chick lit.

The best part of Super in the City is Zephyr, the feisty over imaginative female protagonist. 27 yr. old Zephyr becomes the super of her parent’s apartment building after James, the old super is lead away in handcuffs. While being the super she starts noticing some strange things going on in the building, and seriously what is the deal with James, who she thought was British, but she couldn’t mistake the Brooklyn accent coming out of him while being lead away in handcuffs. Mixed into the mystery of the going and comings of some tenants is the female friendships she has with the Sterling Seven, the girl friends she’s had since school. Together the Sterling Seven talk men especially Zephyrs new crush, the buildings exterminator.

Author Daphne Uviller is a native New Yorker, who also was the Super to her parents building, so she definitely wrote what she knows, and it shows. The writing and story flowed and I quickly got sucked into the life of Zephyr, the tenants, and The Sterling Seven. There is a little of everything in Super in the City. I was happy to find out that there is a sequel coming out August 2011, Hotel No Tell.

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction

Author:  Simone Elkeles

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher:  Walker and Company

Date Published:  April 27th 2010

From Goodreads:

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

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I really didn’t know what to expect from Rules of Attraction, because I wasn’t a huge fan of Perfect Chemistry, so I did open up this book with some trepidation, in the end though I liked it way more than Perfect Chemistry.

Rules of Attraction is the second book in Simone Elkeles Perfect Chemistry series following the middle Fuentes boy, Carlos. After getting in trouble in Mexico, Carlos’s mom sends Carlos to live with Alex who is currently going to school in Colorado. Carlos arrives in Colorado with a huge attitude problem, and acting very similar to the way older brother Alex was before he grew up, and changed his ways. Soon after being there he gets in trouble and finds himself living with the Westfords. It’s either jail or them, anyways Kiara who butts head with from the beginning so happens to be a Westford, commence sexual tension, and drama. Kiara is as straight laced as they come, and Carlos following his brothers footprints is in a gang back in Mexico. Just because you leave Mexico doesn’t mean your ties to the gangs go away.

Like I mentioned before I really enjoyed Carlos’s story much more than Alex’s, and Carlos’s romance with Kiara was also better than Alex’s, in my opinion. First off, one of my problems in Perfect Chemistry was the overuse of words like mamacita and the such, being Hispanic (Mexican descent) it was corny to me, and not as popular as Ms. Elkeles likes to believe, but in Rules of Attraction it is definitely toned down, very toned down. There still is a quite a bit of Spanish words mixed in with English, but hey there Mexican, I get it. Carlos also didn’t come off as a wannabe hardcore gangster, like the way I felt the character of Alex was written. Carlos was just easier to digest, in fact I enjoyed his character.

The relationship between Kiara and Carlos worked for me because I like both characters. Kiara is someone who is hard to not like, unlike Alex’s female protagonist Brittany. She tried to be helpful, and nice to Carlos, it was Carlos who wasn’t buying it. I really liked how Carlos stirred some emotion out of her, and took her out of her controlled life. I was really rooting for them.

There being three Fuentes brothers I know one more book is left in the Perfect Chemistry series, so if Rules of Attraction is any indication I should like the next book even more. Great YA romance with real life situations make this a good escape on a lazy day.

DNFs and Ratings

Recently I adapted the 50 page rule I hear so many people do when picking up a new book. The pages vary from person to person, but basically it’s the page we stop and stamp a big DNF (Did Not Finish) on a book, because we just couldn’t get into the plot/characters etc. I’m a DNF skimmer, when I give up on a book I skim the rest. I have a review policy of not reviewing books I did not finish, only because how can I review something I didn’t read, but I wander if maybe I should do something like a mini review, basically saying “Hey, I didn’t finish this one, because….” . I wonder what other bloggers take are on the DNF. Do you slug on even if you are bored, or annoyed with the story? Do you give popular books more of a chance than a obscure book? Do you have a page rule, and what page do you think is enough to have honestly given a book a chance? Do you review DNF, and if you do, how do review it?

I have a fascination with what people are marking as DNF. I see a post about a book someone gave up on, and immediately have to go to Goodreads to read the synopse, and see what the rating is, and read other reviews. Most of the time I want to read it even more. I guess it’s a shining example of ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity”. Am I the only one out there who does that? Which brings me the question, how much does a book rating factor into your decision to read a book? Have you ever been excited about a new release only to see the ratings poor, then lose interest in reading it? How much of your book buying decisions are based on blogger reviews, and are there certain bloggers who tend to have more clout?

I recently put aside Crescendo, and mentally stamped it with a DNF. This series is a very popular series right now, and though the story is good, I simply do not like the characters. I tried to give it more than 50 pages, and finally gave up around 120. As I said before I don’t review books I didn’t finish but I have so many things that I want to say about this series that I wanted to ask what is everyones take on a DNF book?

Sunday Salon

This week I had time to focus on book blogging and the book blogging community.  I did some stuff to my blog, plus thought a lot about what I want out of blogging.  First, I added a Contact Me button on the top right side.  I was trying to make it easier on anyone who wanted to email me, basically I'm saying emailing is encouraged here, infact I would totally be siked if anyone wanted to email to talk books.  Have I ever mentioned none of my friends or family read, and when I say no one I mean NO ONE.  I have no one to talk books too, but all you wonderful people online.  Thank You!!  Secondly, I added a twitter feed.  I've had a twitter account for awhile now, but never really used it, but i'll get into that in a little bit.  I also added intense debate, I know some people don't like it, but I was really wanting something that would make it easier for me to respond to comments.  I hope no one will be put off by the new comment system.  If you simply cannot stand intense debate, please let me know.  I have no problem taking it off, my main reason for blogging is to communicate with other obsessed bookies like me. ;)

As I mentioned I also did a lot of thinking about why I blog about books, and the book blogging community in general.  Blogging about books make me happy, period.  I haven't had so much fun doing something that's put a smile on a face than starting Coffee, Books and Laundry.  Reflecting I realize that though I love the community, I don't really feel like I'm a part of it.  Yes, I have a book blog, but I feel somewhat of a recluse in my little corner here, that is why I decided to get back on twitter.. I want to make friends!  It's kind of hard simply because though I have had my blog for over a year other than a few people I haven't made any friendships, and its kind of like being the new kid on the block.  I'm on the outside looking in. If anyone wants to be a follower just click on the follow me link above my twitter feed on the left, also leave your twitter name so I can follow!

BEA post are back on my google reader!  I really want to go, and my DH said if "there's a will, there's a way".  I have tons of questions, if anyone went last year and can give me a heads up please contact me.

Have a great Sunday, and week ahead!

On My Wishlist (1)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click HERE.

From Goodreads:

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

I've been reading such great reviews on this one for awhile now, and now it is the number 1 book I must get my hands on. 

From Goodreads:

Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

Easy peasy, I love flappers.  I've always been fascinated with them, they were such trendsetters, and so independent.

From Goodreads:

Tilly Farmer is thirty-two years old and has the perfect life she always dreamed of: married to her high school sweetheart, working as a guidance counselor in her hometown, trying for a baby. Perfect.

In fact, on the surface you might never know how tough things used to be. At seventeen, Tilly lost her mother to cancer, her father drowned his grief in alcohol, and she played parent to her two younger sisters more often than being a kid herself. Still Tilly never let tragedy overtake her belief that hard work and good cheer could solve any problem. Of course she’s also spent a lifetime plastering a smile on her face and putting everyone else’s problems ahead of her own.

But that relentless happiness has served her well—her sisters are grown and content, her dad is ten years sober, and she’s helping her students achieve all their dreams while she and her husband, Tyler, start a family. A perfect life indeed.

Then one sweltering afternoon at the local fair, everything changes. Tilly wanders into the fortune teller’s tent and is greeted by an old childhood friend, now a psychic, who offers her more than just a reading. “I’m giving you the gift of clarity,” her friend says. “It’s what I always thought you needed.” And soon enough, Tilly starts seeing things: her father relapsing, staggering out of a bar with his car keys in hand; Tyler uprooting their happy, stable life, a packed U-Haul in their driveway; and even more disturbing, these visions start coming true. Suddenly Tilly’s perfect life, so meticulously mapped out, seems to be crumbling around her. And she’s not sure what’s more frightening: that she’s begun to see the future or what the future holds . . .

As Tilly furiously races to keep up with—and hopefully change—her destiny, she faces the question: Which is the life she wants? The one she’s carefully nursed for decades, or the one she never considered possible?

This one has been on my WL for awhile now, and I still haven't read it.  I really enjoy Ms. Scotch's books, I'm confident that I will enjoy anything by her.