Be back next week. :)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Saturday, June 15, 2013
How to get cheap books.
So, here is the deal: I hate paying full price for books, but at the same time, I don't do Amazon. I try my best to support my local stores.
I buy all my comic books at my local comic book store, it is called Nuclear Comics, and you should definitely check it out if you are in the Orange County area.
When it comes to regular books though, it starts to get tricky. My local book shops are just barely there and the ones I like are just SO expensive. So, I try to do sales as much as I can and also buy used.
Here is where this post really begins. The bulk of the books I buy are from library book stores.
You see, I have no patience for the library sales, but the actual little stores still have a lot of stuff for little money.
My favorites are the stores at the Newport Beach Library and the Dana Point Library. They are awesome, the ladies that work there are lovely and most of the books are $1.
You can't go wrong with that. It is great for classics and out of print books. They also have really cool editions.
I got the whole pile that you see below for a little less than $7.
That is it, I rest my case. Now, go support your local libraries, even if you are not into borrowing books.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
haul : recent purchase.
Which is also my TBR,
so reviews should be coming soon.
Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen
Book number 10 in the Rizzoli & Isles series. The series started slow, first couple books are not so fast paced. But now, I can not stop reading them!
It is pretty diferent from the TV show, but it is still the same feeling.
Second book in Bardugo's The Grisha series. The first book was amazing! (Review for it here.) The ending was satisfying, but still left room for a series.
I am SO curious to see how this one is going to continue! The world building is so interesting, I want to see what else Bardugo does with it.
The Prophet by Amanda Stevens
I am not sure about this, I really like the thriller, mysterious aspect of it. But I really have no idea where the story is going. The fact that Amelia restores cemeteries is just creepy enough to make it work.
This is the third and final in the Graveyard Queen series and I just hope the writing is as beautiful as in the previous ones.
Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
So, post apocalyptic in New Orleans. I love that city, lived there, meet the husband there. Suffice to say I'll pretty much read anything set there.
The novel I dream about writing is set there. I could go on..
Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1) by Richelle Mead
All I need to say is: Richelle Mead.
I just finished Georgina Kincaid series, which I might do a review of the whole thing. I loved every minute of it, FYI.
So, I will probably love it. Also will review it for sure!
All I need to say is: Richelle Mead.
I just finished Georgina Kincaid series, which I might do a review of the whole thing. I loved every minute of it, FYI.
So, I will probably love it. Also will review it for sure!
re·view : Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
4.5 Stars.
syn·op·sis
A gleeful and exhilarating tale of global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, high-tech data visualization, young love, rollicking adventure, and the secret to eternal life—mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.
With irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan has crafted a literary adventure story for the twenty-first century, evoking both the fairy-tale charm of Haruki Murakami and the enthusiastic novel-of-ideas wizardry of Neal Stephenson or a young Umberto Eco, but with a unique and feisty sensibility that’s rare to the world of literary fiction. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave, a modern-day cabinet of wonders ready to give a jolt of energy to every curious reader, no matter the time of day.
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.
With irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan has crafted a literary adventure story for the twenty-first century, evoking both the fairy-tale charm of Haruki Murakami and the enthusiastic novel-of-ideas wizardry of Neal Stephenson or a young Umberto Eco, but with a unique and feisty sensibility that’s rare to the world of literary fiction. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave, a modern-day cabinet of wonders ready to give a jolt of energy to every curious reader, no matter the time of day.
re·view
I didn't exactly know what I was getting in to when I picked up this book.
Some people in real life loved it and told me I had to read it. I promptly ignore the advice and kept going with my TBR pile. Little while later I saw some buzz going on around it, and again, ignore it.
You see, all I knew about this one was that it had a cool cover that glows in the dark (witch is awesome, by the way) and that it was a book about books. You know, as the cover implies..
I just didn't know, I kept going back and forth about buying it. But let me tell you, only thing I regret about getting this one is how long it took me to bit the bullet. It was SO good!
The plot is so much more than just a book about a weird library. I would say is more like a mystery novel with a pinch of conspiracy that is set around books. For awhile all I could think of was how it remind me of something Sorcerer Stone-y or Nicholas Flamel -y.
I would say the best way of going in to this book is really not knowing much of it before you start reading. Also, a quality I really admire in books, is so smart and witty without being preachy or pretentious!
The writing really puts you in the middle of that world, shelfs, leather and people. I really don't know how to explain, it has a quest, dusty feeling to it. I loved how the plot evolved and how everything fit together in the end.
“Walking the stacks in a library, dragging your fingers across the spines -- it's hard not to feel the presence of sleeping spirits.”
Really, isn't that beautiful?
If there is one thing to say about this though, is go in to this book with an open mind and try to face it as a fantasy novel from the beginning. As the characters described, try to see is as an D&D quest. I would say is the best way to go in that world.
I say that because everything is a little too convenient sometimes, ok most times. Our protagonist seems to have all the resources in the world, and I mean ALL of them.
For some people that might be bad, but in the context of the book, I really didn't have a problem with it.
The only thing about this one I really didn't love were the characters. I mean, sometimes, it seems like their only job is to be there when Clay needs a favor.
When the author try to give them a little more dimension, like with Clay's best friend Niel, he just came out as the bank, he payed for everything Clay needed and when he actually did something where his credit card wasn't required, he just came out as the ex-chubby kid that now, to be accepted, drinks tons of kale juice, avoids pizza and worked out. Not exactly deep.
I love Mr. Penumbra though, can he please open an library conveniently located at walking distance and hire me?
“He paused, then added, "Some of them are working very hard indeed."
"What are they doing?"
"My boy!" he said, eyebrows raised. As if nothing could be more obvious: "They are reading.”
I would recommend this one to anyone geeky, book loving, mystery oriented people out there.
Some people in real life loved it and told me I had to read it. I promptly ignore the advice and kept going with my TBR pile. Little while later I saw some buzz going on around it, and again, ignore it.
You see, all I knew about this one was that it had a cool cover that glows in the dark (witch is awesome, by the way) and that it was a book about books. You know, as the cover implies..
I just didn't know, I kept going back and forth about buying it. But let me tell you, only thing I regret about getting this one is how long it took me to bit the bullet. It was SO good!
The plot is so much more than just a book about a weird library. I would say is more like a mystery novel with a pinch of conspiracy that is set around books. For awhile all I could think of was how it remind me of something Sorcerer Stone-y or Nicholas Flamel -y.
I would say the best way of going in to this book is really not knowing much of it before you start reading. Also, a quality I really admire in books, is so smart and witty without being preachy or pretentious!
The writing really puts you in the middle of that world, shelfs, leather and people. I really don't know how to explain, it has a quest, dusty feeling to it. I loved how the plot evolved and how everything fit together in the end.
“Walking the stacks in a library, dragging your fingers across the spines -- it's hard not to feel the presence of sleeping spirits.”
Really, isn't that beautiful?
If there is one thing to say about this though, is go in to this book with an open mind and try to face it as a fantasy novel from the beginning. As the characters described, try to see is as an D&D quest. I would say is the best way to go in that world.
I say that because everything is a little too convenient sometimes, ok most times. Our protagonist seems to have all the resources in the world, and I mean ALL of them.
For some people that might be bad, but in the context of the book, I really didn't have a problem with it.
The only thing about this one I really didn't love were the characters. I mean, sometimes, it seems like their only job is to be there when Clay needs a favor.
When the author try to give them a little more dimension, like with Clay's best friend Niel, he just came out as the bank, he payed for everything Clay needed and when he actually did something where his credit card wasn't required, he just came out as the ex-chubby kid that now, to be accepted, drinks tons of kale juice, avoids pizza and worked out. Not exactly deep.
I love Mr. Penumbra though, can he please open an library conveniently located at walking distance and hire me?
“He paused, then added, "Some of them are working very hard indeed."
"What are they doing?"
"My boy!" he said, eyebrows raised. As if nothing could be more obvious: "They are reading.”
I would recommend this one to anyone geeky, book loving, mystery oriented people out there.
" He nodded at me and gave me a week wave.
'what do you seek in these shelves?' ”
Cast for Vampire Academy Movie
Cast for Vampire Academy Movie
Books by Richelle Mead
Book by book review of the series coming soon. :)
SO exited! Can't wait for this one!
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Letter to Jo Rowling
I was born in a family that loves to read, the first books came when I couldn't even grasp the whole concept of walking. I don't mean the books that people read to me, but when I started to pretend that I was reading. You see, I loved the little Disney books that came with cassette tapes, I used to spend hours alternating between barbie dolls and those.
I like to think that that was the time when I started to make my own stories, with a little help from Ariel and Aladdin, but who is to blame?
After those stories were burn in to my brain and not as interesting, reading turned to something very foreign to me, I don't know exactly what happened, I guess it was just life.
I still loved the idea of books, but I couldn't identify with them anymore, time passed and I just forgot about them.
Thats when Harry arrived in my life, I was eleven and he thought me how to believe in magic. Better yet, he thought me that it was ok to believe in magic.
He was with me when I had my first heart break, witch was so hard, but i can't imagine how it would be do go though without those books on my nightstand.
Then I started adventuring in other shelfs and soon enough I had my own little library at home.
I made friends in the lines of the bookstores, I took my english classes seriously just to make sure I would me able to read the books as soon as they came out.
I read the last book when going away to college. I had law school in front of me and for the first time I was by myself. Except I realized that I wasn't, because once again that world, somehow, made me closer to my own world. Suddenly I had friends again, showing up at two in the morning and emptying my fridge.
By the time I closed the 7th book, I realized how scared I was that that part of my life was over, only it wasn't. I know that you created Harry, but he is part of me and that will never be over.
After some unfortunate events and a lot of wonderful ones, I met the love of my life. He lives in the United Estates and I'm Brazilian. We meet because I moved to the States for work
Everything was going so well, then I got back to Brazil, and we found out that my mom had breast cancer. I still think that those histories were the only thing that kept me sane, helped me to be there for my mom. She too is a huge fan and the books were something we shared. There was surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, we were so scared. Fortunately my mom has been cancer free for two years now.
When the fear passed, I told my, then boyfriend, I would move in with him. We are yang, in love, so I swallowed my fear and packed a bag.
He asked me what I wanted to make me feel at home, it was also my birthday at the time. I told him I would like a Harry Potter box set.
By the time I got to the airport I had forgotten about the whole gift thing. He picked me up and we went home, you see, after 20 hours between flights and airports, all I wanted was a shower and a nap. We got home and there was an empty bookshelf with just the box set on it. He kept insisting for me to take a look and the books, so I took them out of the shelf and thats when I saw the box with a ring inside. Thats how he asked me if I would be his wife.
We are married now, living in California and my family is so far away. I always miss them, but sometimes is so hard I can't breathe… that's when that box set is handy, because all I need is coffee and a few hours reading.
Better than that only if I could see them in person, apparition would be very useful now.
Thank you.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
re·view : The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) by Rick Yancey
4.5 Stars.
syn·op·sis
The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
re·view
The reader is thrown head first in this world. Yancey just starts the reader up in a stream of consciousness. And that is how we meet Cassie.
Cassie already survived four waves, which an alien attack. First wave, the power goes down, second, water goes up and wipes up the coasts, third is a plague and fourth is aliens that looks just like people hunting humans.
Since we start off at the fourth wave, and is up to you to read the book and figure out what is the fifth, we learn what happened before tough her memories.
characters : Cassie is a normal teenage girl with all the "first world problems"(her hair is too curly, the boy she has a crush on doesn't know she exists..) and because of that I saw people saying that she turned in to a badass with an M16 too fast. My response to that is, what would you do when all the people you know are either dead or being hunted? Is an either/or situation. Either you run or you fight. You learn.
Sure she still has her moments, breaks down, cries and that makes her more realistic.
I love Zombie, I think his struggle is almost palpable, won't say anything else, because you know, spoilers.
Now Evan, I have to say I love the character, I don't necessarily like him as a person. Every time I read stuff about him, the hair on the back of my neck went up. Too fishy for my taste.
My favorite was Bear, always there observing.. kinda like Wilson in Castaway.. love, love, love!
The pacing is good and I love how the author wove the story together, how he presents questions and by the end of the book, they are answered. The plot line is just so well constructed.
Also, the dialog.. snarky, witty, funny.. oooh.. favorite thing in books, and done so well! Se how I can't write complete sentences anymore? Feelings, that is why.
The only thing I didn't like, is the way Yancey whote the girl in love, sure there were good moments and the dialog was awesome. The problem is when we are in Cassie's head, I can only describe is as awkward.. there was flinching and double takes..
Overall, I SO recomend it!!
Go read it, trust me. :)
Cassie already survived four waves, which an alien attack. First wave, the power goes down, second, water goes up and wipes up the coasts, third is a plague and fourth is aliens that looks just like people hunting humans.
Since we start off at the fourth wave, and is up to you to read the book and figure out what is the fifth, we learn what happened before tough her memories.
characters : Cassie is a normal teenage girl with all the "first world problems"(her hair is too curly, the boy she has a crush on doesn't know she exists..) and because of that I saw people saying that she turned in to a badass with an M16 too fast. My response to that is, what would you do when all the people you know are either dead or being hunted? Is an either/or situation. Either you run or you fight. You learn.
Sure she still has her moments, breaks down, cries and that makes her more realistic.
I love Zombie, I think his struggle is almost palpable, won't say anything else, because you know, spoilers.
Now Evan, I have to say I love the character, I don't necessarily like him as a person. Every time I read stuff about him, the hair on the back of my neck went up. Too fishy for my taste.
My favorite was Bear, always there observing.. kinda like Wilson in Castaway.. love, love, love!
The pacing is good and I love how the author wove the story together, how he presents questions and by the end of the book, they are answered. The plot line is just so well constructed.
Also, the dialog.. snarky, witty, funny.. oooh.. favorite thing in books, and done so well! Se how I can't write complete sentences anymore? Feelings, that is why.
The only thing I didn't like, is the way Yancey whote the girl in love, sure there were good moments and the dialog was awesome. The problem is when we are in Cassie's head, I can only describe is as awkward.. there was flinching and double takes..
Overall, I SO recomend it!!
Go read it, trust me. :)
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