Visual Stimulation

This meme was created for Between the Pages and inspired by all the other lovely blogs out there who do something similar. This is by no means an attack on the author.

We've all heard the saying 'don't judge a book by its cover', but really, let's be honest, it's the first thing we see and pretty important in marketing a book.
So in other words I will feature the good, the ones that make me go "AAAH, what is that thing burning a hole in my retina???" (aka, the bad) and the funny or ridiculous.

And I'd like to start this whole thing with one that had an unfortunate combination of cover and title:

I know, mind in the gutter and all that, but it made me snort when I first saw it. I don't really need to explain this, do I? (All right: I pictured the scene with the man saying the title)

What do you think? Anyone planning on reading this and if so, PLEASE let me know how it is aside from the in my opinion unfortunate cover?

Review of Hades: Lord of The Dead by George O'Connor

Title/Author: Hades: Lord of the Dead (Olympians #4) by George O'Connor
Publisher/Date published: First Second, January 31st 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

This time I'm not putting up a summary cause I assume you are all familiar with the Hades & Persephone myth (see me assuming things!).

When I requested this I hadn't realised this would be a graphic novel. And really, I pretty much never read graphic novels, but after this one, I'm beginning to think that maybe I should! Because they are a lot of fun!

And you know what they say 'a picture is worth a thousand words' and if you have a good artist involved in said pictures that's absolutely true! I loved that it wasn't hinted at that Demeter got angry: you SAW the rage in her eyes! It's always showing and not telling which makes me happy.

Also, I breezed right through this in about half an hour which makes it the perfect short read! I really liked that George O'Connor put his own little twist into the story, one I haven't seen before. I'm a big fan of Greek mythology and the information at the end of the novel adds that little extra something for me!

My rating: 3,5 stars

I'm graduating today!!

You guys, I'm graduating in a little over 3 hours from now!

...


THIS IS INSANELY EXCITING AND SCARY AT THE SAME TIME!!!

This is also the moment I've been working my butt off for since September 2005 and I'm glad I'll be able to share it with my loved ones!
There's one person I really would have loved to be there as well, but she died 3,5 years ago: my grandmother. And just writing this almost makes me cry on my happy day. I know she would have been so proud of me and she's always been my only grandparent, I'm really going to miss her today.

It feels really weird that after all this work over the last 6,5 years, all that's left for me to do is straighten my apartment up a bit and then put on my pretty dress and smile for the camera! And after go out to dinner with my parents, brother, his girlfriend and my boyfriend to celebrate :)

So, because it's supposed to be my happy day, I'm going to leave you with two silly videos that always manage to put a smile on my face:



'His navigation skills are totally crap' :D



LLAMA, LLAMA, DUCK! :D

Seriously, I hope after watching that again I don't mess up and say 'llama' instead of I promise later on ;)

Review of Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title/Author: Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin
Publisher/Date published: Greenwillow Books, April 24th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: "Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up... and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club — in the depths of her own despair — Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her."

I think this is the first steampunk novel I have ever loved. I have enjoyed The Girl in the Steel Corset very much, but I LOVED Masque of the Red Death! I knew it wasn't time to give up on the genre yet!

Masque of the Red Death is dark and wonderful and it sweeps you up and drops you down 320 pages later. It's incredible and I was definitely not amused when it was time to cook dinner and I had to put it aside for a while. I absolutely adored that nothing was black and white and if I'd been Araby I would have been floundering around figuring out who to trust and what to do.

And you guys, there's a love triangle and I didn't hate it! There, I said it. In my opinion it was really well done and I found myself rooting for one guy, then the other and back again... It was an emotional rollercoaster and even though it seems like she's making a choice at the end of Masque of the Red Death, I'm curious to see what will actually happen and who will hold her heart in the end.

I really loved Araby, she's a complicated girl and very flawed, as are all the other characters (LOVED that) and my heart broke for her grief over her brother's death and the vow she made him. I loved Will (though he may have broken my heart just a little) and Elliott and Araby's family and Will's little brother and sister (SO CUTE) and April, Araby's best friend! It always gives me a happy when I can love not only the main characters, but several of the others as well!

I must admit that I've never read any of Edgar Allen Poe's work, but I'm curious to check it out after reading this book! I love when a book makes me want to read other books and it's not just the sequel!

Also, the song 'We Are Young' by Fun ft. Janelle Monae reminds me of this novel SO MUCH it's scary. I love that song!



What do you think? Yes? No?

There's some crazy going around and evil leaders and lots and lots of people dying. The last couple of chapters had me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen and how Bethany Griffin would tie this one up! I'm glad to say it didn't feel like a cliffhanger, but it did leave me wanting the next book ASAP. I loved that we already got some answers and I'm hoping the sequel will tell me everything else I want to know, cause this world is endlessly fascinating!

It was fabulous and dark and twisty and I just want more! What are you all waiting for? It's out tomorrow, go plan how to get your hands on it ASAP!

My rating: 5 stars

Dewey's Read-a-Thon: End of the Thon

So final update, I've been doing pretty well this morning and manages to finish one book: Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep. I really enjoyed it! But I'm a mythology geek, so it was pretty much a given :)

And now it's done, I'm going to continue reading today, as I didn't fully participate and well, I don't really have much else going on this Sunday. YAY READING!

To everyone who fully participated: you rock! I hope you get to rest somewhat today and I'm already looking forward to the next read-a-thon in October in which I hopefully will be able to join in more!

And:

Dewey's Read-a-Thon Mini Challenge: Impromptu Dance Party

So, I've been doing pretty well since 6.30AM, I only took a break to drive my boyfriend to the train station and other than that I've been reading, though my parents are watching TV and it's really distracting...

Also, look at my reading buddy:

Cute right? :) And very warm and cuddly :D

So it's time for the mini challenge, I REALLY wanted to say I'd rock out to Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, but our lovely host April @ Good Books and Good Wine already picked her, so I'm gonna do something else:



OR



How are you all holding up? Still going strong? What do you dance to when you (think) noone's watching? :)

Dewey's Read-a-Thon Update

So I tried waking myself up at 5AM (don't ask, I can sometimes) and it sorta worked, only I fell asleep dreaming that I was reading instead of actually reading... But I succeeded at 6.30AM and have been reading since with only a little break to take a shower :)

I'm halfway through Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep and I'm liking it so far. I wanted to start Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris, but for some reason I hadn't downloaded it to my eReader yet and well, I didn't feel like getting up and actually doing it.

Also, I kinda wanna just read this whole Sunday to make up for not participating yesterday, we'll see how it goes.

Go all of you still participating!!