Category: Challenges (past)

Wicked Lovely Review

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Wicked Lovely Desert Tales Sanctuary Vol 1
AUTHOR: Melissa Marr
PUB DATE: April 2009
PUBLISHE: Harper Collins
PAGES: 176
SOURCE: Library Books

ABOUT THE BOOK
This first volume in a manga trilogy features characters from the novel Wicked Lovely (HarperTeen, 2007).

Discover Melissa Marr’s mesmerizing world of Faerie . . .

The desert is far away from the schemes of the Faerie Courts—and that’s how Rika likes it. Once a mortal and now a faery, Rika seeks isolation and revels in her ability to appear invisible to humans. Then, she meets him. Artistic and kind, Jayce is the last person Rika wants to hide from.

But change is coming, challenging Rika’s freedom and her new romance, as her past pursues her, even into the heart of the desert. . . . (HarperCollins website)

MY THOUGHTS
I have heard of Melissa Marr but have never read any of her books. She is the author of the Wicked Lovely series.

I thought that this would be a great introduction to reading her work but I quickly realized that I really should read the Wicked Lovely series because for some reason I felt lost. Perhaps its knowing that the mangas are based on the books.

I loved the illustrations in the book. They were very well done thanks to Xian Nu Studio.

If you have read the Wicked Lovely series then I am sure you will love this book.

Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Volume 2: Challenge is already out and in the stores.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Dokebi Bride Review

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Dokebi Bride Vol 1
AUTHOR: Marley
PUB DATE: March 2006
PUBLISHER: Diamond Comic Distributors, Incorporated
PAGES: 184
SOURCE: Library Book

ABOUT THE BOOK
Korea”s most talked-about series in 2005! Born into a shaman family, Sunbi has inherited the power to see and communicate with spirits just like her grandmother, a notable shaman and savior of their little fishing village in the South Sea. Early on, she sees things like an imposter shaman being thrashed by a dragon of the deep, and doesn”t understand that none of her schoolmates can see such things. Her powers make her the amorous target of hedonistic demons even as a child. Long shielded from the reality of her power, she finally learns the secret of her mother”s death, and why her grandmother was never able to leave their village. Enter Sunbi”s world in this mind-boggling psychological chiller!

MY THOUGHTS
Right now there is seven books in this series that are out. I didn’t get to borrow all of them because my library doesn’t have them yet. I will probably wait until they get them or if I happen to find them at a second hand bookstore.

I have to say that this wasn’t a favorite manga to read. Not sure why but it just didn’t grab me like the previous ones I read. The illustrations in the book are very well done and loved looking at them.

Sunbi is borned into a shaman family and she has the power to see and to communicate with the spirit world. She takes after her grandmother in that regards because her grandmother has that power as well. Her grandmother is very well respected in the community. Sunbi discovers what really happened to her mother.

I really love the covers of this book.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

The Dreaming Reviews

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: The Dreaming Vol 1
AUTHOR: Queenie Chan
PUB DATE: December 2005
PAGES: 192
PUBLISHER:TokyoPop
SOURCE: Library Book

ABOUT THE BOOK
When twin sisters Amber and Jeanie are accepted into an exclusive Australian boarding school, their future looks bright. But the school’s halls harbor a terrible secret: students have been known to wander into the surrounding bushlands and vanish…without a trace! No one knows where they went–or why. But as Amber and Jeanie are about to learn, the key to the school’s dark past may lie in the world of their dreams.

MY THOUGHTS
I have to say I am not really sure how manga’s are suppose to be reviewed as this is the first time I am reviewing one. So if anyone can tell me that would be great.

I always heard about mangas but never bought or read them until I borrowed one for Michael and ever since then I have been reading them. They are great quick reads in between regular books.

This is the first volume of a three-book manga series that came out in 2005. I am really happy that I was able to borrow all three from the library because once I read the first one I had to find out what happened in the second manga.

We are introduce to identical twin sisters named Jeanie and Amber. We find out that there parents sent then to a boarding school on the edge of the Australian bush, called Greenwich Private College. The school has a deep dark secret. Students go missing and are never to be found, teachers are tight lipped about what goes on, rooms are sealed off and there is weird paintings on display at the school.

What was really enjoyable about the story was that they mystery was built up and you couldn’t put the book down because you had to find out what was going on or what would happen next.


TITLE: The Dreaming Vol 2
AUTHOR: Queenie Chan
PUB DATE: October 2006
PAGES: 192
PUBLISHER:TokyoPop
SOURCE: Library Book

ABOUT THE BOOK
Greenwich Private College grinds to a complete halt after the discovery of Millie’s body. As gloom and despair sets in, most of the students leave the school. But Jeanie’s curiosity keeps her on campus, and when she’s led down the path of the Greenwich’s dark history, has she awakened a ghostly curse?

MY THOUGHTS
I am so happy that I was able to get this book when I picked up the first one because the first one ended and I had to read what happened.

Amber appears to be getting worse and Jeannie is worried about her. A fellow student, Millie, has gone missing and there is no sign of her. They form a seach party to look for Millie, will they find her?

The second volume starts to dig deeper into what is going on and makes you want to read and not put the book down and that was me. You can see there is more the story then what is being told. Will Jeannie be able to find out what is happening at this school before its too late?

TITLE: The Dreaming Vol 3
AUTHOR: Queenie Chan
PUB DATE: December 2007
PAGES: 192
PUBLISHER:TokyoPop
SOURCE: Library Book

ABOUT THE BOOK
Where did the ghostly girls come from? And what do they want? Before the students know it, the missing girls enter the school, where Amber spots Millie, who speaks to her almost as if to warn her of something. Is there more to this supernatural mystery than just the school itself? The answers to why these girls have come back and what caused their death are revealed in this haunting series finale.

MY THOUGHTS
I can’t believe that the series is finished. I have to say that I was really happy to have actually read them all in one sitting and to have read them. I think this was a great manga series to read.

In this book the dead girls are returning to school and no one knows where they came from. Jeannie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. With a little help from Miss Anu they start to put the clues to the puzzle together. Will they figure out what is going on before its too late?

I have to say that all the illustrations in the three books was beautiful.

You can see Queenie Chan’s offical site here.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

WOW! New York City Review

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: WOW! NEW YORK CITY, imagine a city built with a paper clip
AUTHOR: Puck
ART: Rey David Rojas
PUB DATE: April 2010
PUBLISHER: DUO Press
PAGES: 32
SOURCE: contest win from Julie at Booking Mama

ABOUT THE BOOK
New York City has never been more whimsical than in this visual narrative that uses wire-art sculptures to explore the Big Apple. Everything starts with a paper clip that unfolds to create some of New York’s most famous symbols, including the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Empire State Building. A lively text accompanies the striking visuals, and six pages of information chronicle everything needed to know about the included attractions and landmarks.

OUR THOUGHTS
We LOVED this book. The imagination that went into this book is fantastic. Who would have thought you could do this with a paper clip? Reading this book you will never look at paper clips the same way again.

Although the only down fall about the book is that Michael wants me to visit all those things while I am in NYC. I told him a few things that I will try to get to are the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge. I am planning on visiting Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and perhaps riding a subway.

I am sure I will see tons of taxis and fire trucks as well as hot dog stands and pretzel stands. Any recommendations on where the best ones are?

Another great thing about the book is the fact sheet. Did you know that 12,000 taxis cruise the city every day? Did you know that the FDNY gets 500,000 emergency calls a year? Or that the Empire State Building has 6,500 windows?

I think this is a great book to give someone who is either going to visit NYC or has visited NYC.

If you would like a glimpse into the book look HERE

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

We Hear The Dead Review

Posted on by Cindy

TITLE: We Hear the Dead
AUTHOR: Dianne K. Salerni
PUB DATE: May 2010
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire
PAGE: 428

ABOUT THE BOOK
Maggie:
I began the deception when I was too young to know right from wrong. Only with the passing of time did I come to understand the consequences of my actions.

Kate:
I do not believe that I have ever intentionally deceived anyone. Maggie has a different understanding of the events that have happened. To her the spirits were always a game. For me they were my life’s calling. I have no regrets.

It starts as a harmless prank…then one lie quickly grows into another. Soon Kate and Maggie Fox are swept into a dizzying flurry of national attention for their abilities to communicate with the dead. But living a lie is sometimes too much to handle, even if you have the best intentions. Based on a true story, We Hear the Dead reveals how secrets and lies can sometimes lead you to what’s real and what’s right. And how sometimes talking with the dead is easier than talking with the people around you.

MY THOUGHTS
Another huge thank you goes out to Paul from Sourcebooks for sending me an Advance Readers Copy of this book.

This is Dianne’s debute novel and I have to say that I am looking forward to her upcoming books if they are anything like this.

I love the cover don’t you? Just something about the cover jumps out at you. If I saw this book in the store I would definitely buy it for that purpose.

What I discovered before reading this book is that its a true story of Kate and Maggie Fox. You can check out this site We Hear The Dead. They basically started the Spiritualist craze in the 1840’s. You can goggle them to read more about them.

For now this is a mini review because I haven’t quite finished the book and I am really surprised as this is the first time I didn’t have the book finished by the time I had a scheduled review for it. As I started to read it I became curious about the Fox sisters that I have been goggling left and right to read more about them and quickly became distracted and let the book slip.

The book so far is more about Maggie then Kate. We Hear The Dead is told from their view points. The girls cousin is coming to visit and the girls aren’t happy and try to come up with a way to get her to leave so they make up a pretty harmless prank but it quickly gets out of hand and out of control.

The story of the Fox sisters will truly grip you and keep you reading and wanting more and not wanting the story to end.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Picture The Dead Review

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Picture The Dead
AUTHOR: Adele Griffin
ILLUSTRATOR: Lisa Brown
PUB DATE: May 2010
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire
PAGES: 272 (Hardcover)

ABOUT THE BOOK
A ghost will find his way home.

Jennie Lovell’s life is the very picture of love and loss. First she is orphaned and forced to live at the mercy of her stingy, indifferent relatives. Then her fiancé falls on the battlefield, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Jennie struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, but is haunted by a mysterious figure that refuses to let her bury the past.

When Jennie forms an unlikely alliance with a spirit photographer, she begins to uncover secrets about the man she thought she loved. With her sanity on edge and her life in the balance, can Jennie expose the chilling truth before someone—or something—stops her?

Against the brutal, vivid backdrop of the American Civil War, Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown have created a spellbinding mystery where the living cannot always be trusted and death is not always the end.

MY THOUGHTS
I have to send a huge thank you to Paul from Sourcebooks Fire for sending me an advance copy of Picture The Dead to read. I really enjoyed reading this.

I was pleasantly surprised when I started to read it because I normally don’t read books that take place in this time period. The time period was the during the civil war. History wasn’t my favorite subject when I was in school and since then have shyed away from those kinds of subjects and genres, but that could change.

Before I started the book I decided that I would read the press release that came with the book and they say:
“Picture the Dead, a mystery novel (with extensive graphic elements)”. Which I have to say is very true. I liked how the mystery was built up and it happened gradually.

Jennie is an orphan who is living with her aunt and uncle. She had a brother, Toby but lost him in the civil war. You can see she is trying to fit into this extended family but it seems like her aunt and uncle are anything but nice to her. She fits in more with the hired help then she does with them.

Jennie is engaged to her cousin Will. He is now fighting in the civil war but Jennie fears he is dead because Quinn, Will’s brother returns home wounded physically, mentally and emotionally.

When the family goes to get a family portrait done, Jennie is over come and faints. Its only when she goes back to pick up the portrait that Geist has something to tell and show her? Will she believe what she sees?

Jennie knows only what she is told such as that the army says Will died honorable in battle but Quinn tells her differently and that he died a violent death in prison camp. She quickly begins to realize that perhaps she isn’t being told the truth and doubts everyone. Will she be able to solve the mystery of what really happened to Will?

It took me awhile to get into the book but once I did I really enjoyed reading it and I have to say that I loved all the illustrations that Lisa Brown did in the book. At the starting/finishing of the chapters she drew quite a few illustrations to go with the story. I think that element tied in perfectly with the story. I would have loved to have been able to read some of the letters that were on those pages.

This is the first time I have heard of Adele Griffin and read her book but I found out that she is the author of several books called Rainy Season, Witch Twins, Vampire Island, Sons of Liberty and Where I want to be. Which I am curious to look for and read.

Lisa Brown is also a best selling author and illustrator of books such as How to be, Sometimes and the board book series called Baby Be of Use.


I just wanted to share the cover of the Advance Readers Copy that I got and I have to say that that one is my favorite.

What do you think?

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Hailey Twitch is not a Snitch Review

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Hailey Twitch is not a Snitch
AUTHOR: Lauren Barnholdt
ILLUSTRATOR: Suzanne Beaky
PUB DATE: May 2010
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks/Jabberwacky
PAGES: 160

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Seven-year-old Hailey Twitch knows three things for sure: who she’s the boss of, how to throw a tantrum, and above all, how to get exactly what she wants. But all that changes when Hailey gets paired up with annoying Addie Jokobeck on the class project. No matter what Hailey does, she can’t seem to change her teacher’s mind.

At home, a cranky Hailey is feeling sorry for herself when – poof! — Maybelle, a magic sprite, comes flying out of Hailey’s dollhouse. Maybelle’s on probation with the Department of Magic, and on a special mission to get Hailey to have fun.

The only problem? The invisible Maybelle starts causing a lot of trouble, and when Hailey’s teacher wants to know who’s to blame, Hailey takes responsibility. After all, Hailey Twitch is not a snitch! Now if only Hailey can convince the Department of Magic that Maybelle has reformed.

Please note that the book cover and about the book was taken from the press release I was sent.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have to send a huge thank you to Carrie from Sourcebooks for contacting me about this book and for sending it to me to read and review.

I am really happy to tell you that Hailey Twitch is not a Snitch is being released today. If you have a child who loves chapter books then I highly recommend this. Amazon has it rated for children 4-8. Not sure if that is the right age group since its a long book.

I heard about Lauren Barnholdt last year and I bought a few of her books. I ended up pushing them further down on my TBR pile because they were books I bought and figured I could read and review them later but after reading this one I am curious to read her so I am probably going to bring Two-Way Street with me to NY.

I have to say that I loved Hailey Twitch is not a snitch. Hailey is seven years old and in grade 2. One day in class, the teacher has a special project for the kids. They will be studying a place and they have to present a food from that area and dress in a custom. Its part of Diversity Week.

Hailey is really excited and is eyeing her potential partner Antonio but her bubble is quickly popped when the teacher says your partners will be the person you sit next too. Her partner is Addie and Hailey doesn’t really like her because she is boring and not fun. So Hailey goes home upset.

Alone in her room she wishes she was a princess so that she can buy her way out of being Addie’s partner. Suddenly something flies out of the doll castle. Hailey is shocked. She discovers she has a spirit and that only Hailey can see her. Her name is Maybelle. Maybelle wants to learn how to be fun.

Maybelle is trying to bond with Hailey will trying to impress the Department of Magic. Unfortunately it seems like Maybelle is causing more problems then expected as she is following the rules and trying to keep Hailey from doing bad things. Hailey is getting into trouble at school, at home and with Addie. Maybelle is trying to help Hailey but everything she does just doesn’t work. Hailey is your typical kid trying to push the buttons to see how far she can go.

I had to laugh when Hailey came up with the idea to make braces out of paper clips. They have paper clips, super glue and a wrench. Now we all know what super glues does. Needless to say the girls ditch the super glue idea and use denture cream instead. When Addie’s mother comes into the bathroom she almost dies. The girls have made a mess of the bathroom and ruined her towels. I could just picture this and funny enough Suzanne did a great job in illustrating this for me.

This book was a quick and fun read and I am dying to read the next book to find out what happens because Hailey Twitch is not a snitch ended like this:

“No time for small talk,” he says. Then he pushes up his glasses and looks at me kind of seriously. “We need,” he says “to talk about Maybelle. And it is very important.” Yikes….

Is that not a cliff hanger? Hmm what is so important?

UPCOMING BOOK:
The next book in the series is called Hailey Twitch Saves the Play and the release date is November 2010.

You can check out Lauren’s site Here

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.