I absolutely adored this book. I haven't read the Mortal Instruments Series, but that didn't take anything away from this one since it is the first inI absolutely adored this book. I haven't read the Mortal Instruments Series, but that didn't take anything away from this one since it is the first in a series of prequels. The characters were brilliant. I need to go out and get her other books.
THE VERDICT: You might as well go and pre-order this one now because, trust me, you’re going to want it. I can’t wait to read this one again and really catch all of the little details. I am so excited to see who Tessa decides between: Will, Jem or neither, but most importantly, I cannot wait to see Tessa grow and come to terms with all of the life changing events that occurred during Clockwork Angel. Tessa steals the show for me and has the potential to become one of my favorite literary characters. It is going to be a long wait until the next one comes out (especially with that cliffhanger at the end of the epilogue… I suppose I’ll have to start the Mortal Instruments series to keep me occupied.
Unfortunately, I feel that Kabani rehashed the basics of social media without providing much, if any, new insight. “The Zen of Social Media” seemed liUnfortunately, I feel that Kabani rehashed the basics of social media without providing much, if any, new insight. “The Zen of Social Media” seemed like more of a instruction manual for creating profiles on social networks instead of a marketing guide. Many of the ideas throughout the book relied on common sense. For example, it is common sense for a brand to post regular updates on social networking sites. It would have been a better reading experience if Kabani had gone as far as explaining the types of updates people seem to respond to and bring a bit more of a human aspect into it.
To me, the highlight of “The Zen of Social Media” was the workbook provided online. It is a nice workbook that gets the user thinking critically about what they want to achieve by using social media. The workbook gives tasks such as, “How will you measure your social media marketing efforts?” and “List three goals you want to accomplish using social media marketing.” While the workbook does not provide the sought after analysis and case studies, it does get the user to take a step back and think about their motives for using social media, which is always useful. I feel as if “The Zen of Social Media” would have been more effective as a whole if it was set up more like the workbook.
Despite its flaws, “The Zen of Social Media” has only enhanced my interest in working with social media from a marketing standpoint. The constant changing creates an always evolving workplace. Although I have been critical about “The Zen of Social Media,” there are some nuggets of helpful information in there. There is one passage that I wish had been focused on more throughout the book: “So much of social media is about building relationships and leveraging word of mouth. Sometimes a consumer has to hear about you ten times before he or she will buy” (p. 141-142). I do not think the goal here is to get people to post the same message ten times on different social networking sites. I am afraid that novice people who are looking to “The Zen of Social Media” for guidance may just take exactly that away from this book. I think Kabani has some really good ideas, they just were not executed very well. Perhaps it would have been more effective in an online only version that could be updated regularly. The three main points Kabani wanted the readers to focus on were: Strategize first, be human, and have patience. Overall, I wish these aspects were weaved more thoroughly throughout the book. If “The Zen of Social Media” had focused on these aspects, like I think the goal was, it could have been great....more
The cover definitely depicts what is going on in the story, which is always a plus. I like that Alex has his “cool kid glasses” on! He would probably The cover definitely depicts what is going on in the story, which is always a plus. I like that Alex has his “cool kid glasses” on! He would probably scoff at me using that term now, but I couldn’t help myself.
It was refreshing to get a different kind of main character here. 1. Alex is a boy, which is sometimes lacking in YA fiction. 2. Alex is blind, which is definitely lacking in YA fiction. I’m not sure that I’ve ever heard of another YA book with a blind protagonist. Correct me if I’m wrong, please.
Another interesting aspect of this book was that the author included a rune and corresponding prophecy at the beginning of each chapter. They acted as kind of a teaser for what was to come and it was fun to try to figure them out. For a minute, I felt like Hermione deciphering the runes in The Tales of Beedle the Bard during Deathly Hallows.
I like how Alex comes into his gifts. It’s sort of a build up and it was fun to see him make the decisions about what to do with the things he saw. I also appreciated that romance wasn’t the main aspect of this book. Sure, it was in there, but it wasn’t the focus. Maybe this has something to do with the main character being male. Thinking back on my other YA reads with male protagonists, I don’t think their main focus is romance either. I’ll have to find more of these.
I really applaud Emlyn Chand for choosing to have a blind character. It could have been really awkward to read about, but Chand knew all of the right descriptive words to use. I’m excited for the next one!...more
Really I would rate this about a 3.75, so I never know how to do that here on Goodreads. Maybe sometime I will change the stars to a 4. (I'm not very Really I would rate this about a 3.75, so I never know how to do that here on Goodreads. Maybe sometime I will change the stars to a 4. (I'm not very good at rating things, but I do have a review if you want to read on...)
I really enjoyed the futuristic elements of this book. It was so entertaining to dive into the world Ami Blackwelder created. It’s fun to imagine if any of these things will actually be possible in 2060--which I could potentially see at 73 years old. I loved imagining all of the touch screens and holograms that popped out of watches, etc. My favorite aspect was the little robots that came to your table at a restaurant and you entered your order there. Very fun to picture.
At the beginning of the novel, it was a little hard to differentiate between characters because there were so many and most of them had unusual names. The pictures in the back of the book did help with this though. After about a third of the way in, it was easier to follow. It did take me a bit longer than usual to get into the story, but I feel that Ami really picked it up in the last 2/3rd’s of the book. I really liked some of the secondary characters (especially Diamond and David). I can’t imagine thinking you’re one person until nineteen years old and then finding out you have a brand new identity. Blackwelder really allowed me to imagine I was April and think about how I might handle the situation. It’s brilliant how we discover April’s new world with her.
The themes of betrayal and prejudice are key factors in this book. Humans betray each other, humans and hybrids betray each other and you can really argue that some of the hybrids betray each other as well. It’s interesting to see how prejudice occurs on both sides of the battle. Humans have their form of it and the hybrids have another form.
Over all, there are a few grammatical and editing issues, but I was able to get by those and enjoy the story. Sometimes Ami can get a little bit over descriptive, but it is really an enjoyable read. I hear a prequel and a sequel are in the works which should be very entertaining. It will be interesting to see how exactly the world came to be the way it is in The Hunted of 2060 and what will happen to the world after. I think it will be really fun to see if one of these books is from the “hunters” point of view, especially the prequel. What were their reactions when these aliens came to Earth? How did they come to the conclusions that the aliens were evil? Very fascinating stuff.
These books started out as comic books... which is way cool.
This is a really fun, fantasy read. Right from the beginning, the book tells you that, “ThThese books started out as comic books... which is way cool.
This is a really fun, fantasy read. Right from the beginning, the book tells you that, “This story begins with a stranger. A self-proclaimed coward. A mere boy from a different world--who united the hearts of nations by accident.” (Location 52) This is a classic underdog story and I cannot wait to see where Wendell ends up. Wendell is actually a really funny character. He is self-deprecating, awkward, and some of his inner (and spoken) dialogue is hilarious. When he thinks something is about to eat him, the only comeback he can come up with is, “I...hope you get heartburn!” (Location 355) This is my kind of guy. He may think it was a lame retort, but I found it pretty funny. It shows his innocence and good-nature. If heartburn is the worst thing he can think of in a threatening situation, you know he must be pretty good. You can even find a “Lord of the Rings” reference from Wendell in this book.
The first chapter was slightly confusing, but once Wendell was introduced, I was hooked. There is even a nice little pronunciation guide in the back of the book. We don’t see a lot of the villain in this portion of the story, but we do learn a bit about him. He is very cunning and, “his influence grows in ways we can only measure by destruction and death.” (Location 135) Quite a picture, isn’t it? The villain is so elusive that you can only tell how powerful he is becoming from the amount of destruction and death around.
Some of my favorite parts of this book were the beginning segments of each chapter. They stepped out of the story a bit and were somewhat aimed at teaching a lesson. They were presented in a narrator voice. Two of my favorites were about every gift having a price and the universe presenting everyone with an opportunity to rise to their potential. It’s kind of a nice thought, that even though the choice isn’t easy, everyone gets a chance. We all want to be important and Prelude to a Hero really showcases that. Wendell feels as if he has been overshadowed his entire life. I’m sure we can all relate to this. Who hasn’t felt under-appreciated at some point? I was definitely able to relate to the characters in this book. I really enjoyed it. A nice, quick read that had me interested in the sequel!...more
Clare has the talent of making you trust a person completely and then turning the whole story around on you. It is amazing. She draws me in and then plucks at my heartstrings. It is a testament to how delightful this book is that I was on vacation in Boston and all I wanted to do was get back to the room so I could read. Jace is the quintessential bad boy with a past--how could you not love him? One of my favorite things about Clare's writing is she draws me in with the characters and then the plot. Obviously the story is fantastic, but it would be nothing without the strong characters to support it. ...more
Dead Until Dark is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (which the television show True Blood is based off of). Sookie is a waitress who canDead Until Dark is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (which the television show True Blood is based off of). Sookie is a waitress who can read minds. This makes life tough for her (would you really want to know what everyone was thinking at all times?). She then meets Bill Compton (our Director’s favorite!) who just happens to be a vampire. In the Sookie Stackhouse world, vampires have “come out of the coffin” and made their presence known to the world. The little town of Bon Temps, Louisiana is shaken up by a string of murders. If you like a little bit of mystery and a little bit of vampires, then this book series is for you!...more
“The Big Book of Social Media” is divided into topic-based sections, with each section containing a few case studies, stories, or essays. A theme that“The Big Book of Social Media” is divided into topic-based sections, with each section containing a few case studies, stories, or essays. A theme that was weaved throughout “The Big Book of Social Media” was the emphasis on companies developing a plan before jumping into social media. While some case studies were better than others, the overall book would be a good addition for anyone looking for real-world stories about people using social media for businesses as different as government to publishing. It was nice to be able to read about social media usage in different fields of work. However, at times, some of the chapters could seem as if they were a little bit of a sales promotion. Sometimes the authors seemed to be touting their business capabilities instead of showcasing how they are using social media and explaining why those methods were successful.
The sections in “The Big Book of Social Media” were organized in a way that was very easy to understand. The writing was not too technical, so any audience should be able to appreciate it. This book would be especially beneficial for people who are novices with social media and have had a hard time understanding other guides. Throughout the book, URLs are provided so the reader can easily reference the things that are being talked about online. Even non-novices should be able to appreciate “The Big Book of Social Media,” especially when the book delves into the analytics. Reading this book should allow companies and individuals to really think about what they want to do with social media.
Readers of “The Big Book of Social Media” are asked to visit www.TheBestofSocial.com to continue the conversation about the book and share their own social stories. On the website, readers can ask the authors questions, interact in live webinars, and find resources for learning. Social media links are also provided after each chapter so the reader knows how to get in contact with each individual author, which was a nice touch....more
*May contain a few small spoilers from Pretties...I will mark them. Spoilers from Uglies are fair game*
My Review: I love the cover on this one too. Th*May contain a few small spoilers from Pretties...I will mark them. Spoilers from Uglies are fair game*
My Review: I love the cover on this one too. The twinkle in the girl’s eye draws me in. The tagline for this one is, “What happens when perfection isn’t good enough?” This leads us to believe that life isn’t as good for the “pretties” as the pre-16 year olds are lead to believe.
Once again, I really appreciated that Westerfeld addressed issues that are relevant to teens without being overly preachy. Superficiality is one of the main ones, but questioning authority and even questioning who you are is present throughout the book. *SPOILERS from Pretties* It becomes aware that even the pretties face societal issues when Peris makes the decision to go back to New Pretty Town instead of heading out into the wilderness and roughing it. He prefers to be blissfully unaware of the lesions on his brain and what they do. *END SPOILERS*
It was fun to see how the pretties live. I was overly intrigued with how and why the new pretties decided to alter their bodies for each new party or just because they felt like it. They get tattoos, put gems in their eyes and dye their skin. It is interesting that essentially these new pretties are perfect, yet they are still altering themselves to keep up with each new fad. It reminded me of the people who are addicted to plastic surgery. Tally even mentions that they are supposed to limit themselves to one transformation per week (I believe). Also, the pretties (especially in Tally’s group) will starve themselves, do dangerous stunts and even some cut themselves all to feel the rush and coherence it gives them. This just screams teen behavior and is mostly dangerous behavior. The parallels to our world are often striking and thought provoking in this series.
I like the cover for this movie-tie-in edition! I usually am not too much of a fan of when they change the covers for movies, but this one is pretty gI like the cover for this movie-tie-in edition! I usually am not too much of a fan of when they change the covers for movies, but this one is pretty good. I do like the original more, but Bookperk was offering a deal for this one and a cute lipstick that I couldn’t pass up.
This was the first time I have read a fairy tale retelling and I am really excited to read some more. It was fun to see the story I grew up with morphed into the modern world. My favorite part of the book was the chatroom sequences! I loved the glimpse at all of the characters from the fairy tales we know and love. Kyle Kingsbury (aka “Adrian”) was funny as the beast and I found myself starting to like him as a character. I love how we see Kyle’s whole transformation from start to finish.
This may be a first (and last) for me, but I think I actually enjoyed the movie more than the book! I know, I know, that never happens. I liked the transformation of the beast (looks wise) in the movie more than the book. I enjoyed both of them, but maybe the visual edge of the movie prevailed. Can I also say that Neil Patrick Harris as the tutor was amazing? His role was fantastic. I also loved Miss Olsen as Kendra. No more “Full House” for her!
I like how the cover to this one is creepy. Basements are quite scary, aren’t they? The idea of plunging yourself into darkness below the Earth’s surfI like how the cover to this one is creepy. Basements are quite scary, aren’t they? The idea of plunging yourself into darkness below the Earth’s surface. Scary.
I loved the twist on zombies in this one. It was interesting that they have the ability to transfer their souls into another body once their own has wasted away [looking like an actual zombie]. They also could think, emote and feel unlike many other zombies. This was a nice, quick read with likable characters and a nice plot. The end of each chapter kept me wanting to read more.
There were moments that involved bugs in this book that had my skin crawling. The detail that went into the bug attacks irked me, but they were so well done. The thought of what’s behind Adrien’s sunglasses [you will understand when you read the book] also was kind of terrifying.
Overall, it was a fairly suspenseful read with some good characters. I thought there could be a chapter or two more tacked onto the end so the readers really get an idea of the aftermath of what occurred during the story. I would definitely check out another book by A.J. Whitten in the future. Sidenote: I also love how A.J. Whitten is the pen-name for a mother and teenage daughter team. That is just so cool.
Thanks to NetGalley, A.J. Whitten, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Press and Graphia Books for this galley!
"Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern Day Woman" is fabulous and provides you with amazing recipes. Whether you are in a hurry or hanging "Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern Day Woman" is fabulous and provides you with amazing recipes. Whether you are in a hurry or hanging around the house, these recipes will work for you! You get to know four women and follow them on a journey to better lifestyles! This is NOT a diet book---it is a book to encourage you to lead a healthier lifestyle. Shelly is not at all a fan of diets and we all know that they don't work! Shelly has a way of really connecting with the readers.
I also recommend checking out "College Lifestyles" (http://collegelifestyles.org) to elaborate further on the subjects you see in the book! You can find everything from fashion to etiquette to everyday life advice. I strongly recommend checking out both the book and the website. They are great tools for every woman to have (I'm pretty sure the men in our lives won't complain about the recipes either!)....more
This is some major cover love. The cover caught my attention right away and I really like the choice for the title. It is a main part of the book and This is some major cover love. The cover caught my attention right away and I really like the choice for the title. It is a main part of the book and I smiled every time I saw “The Lipstick Laws” referenced in the story.
The Lipstick Laws was a lot like the movie, “Mean Girls,” but it was still fresh and entertaining. This is a classic story of an outsider wanting to be popular, but once they become part of the group they realize that it isn’t all that it seems to be. April has some really funny inner-dialogue and she made me laugh on more than one occasion. She’s totally a normal girl just trying to get by. She has confidence issues and is sucked into bad situations on more than one occasion, but she is trying to do the right thing. April sometimes becomes a mean girl herself, but I think a lot of teenagers go through that.
This was a nice break from paranormal and dystopian reads for me. It was fun to get back into “the real world” and read about characters without any special abilities. These are all high school kids and the situations they are put into real, if not maybe a bit exaggerated.
I think this will be a nice read for the upcoming summer months. It was quick and quite enjoyable. I especially think high school girls will love this one. I had “Mean Girls” when I was in high school and The Lipstick Laws is the “Mean Girls” of this generation!
I’ll leave this one with being really glad that my high school experience was not like this.
Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for this e-galley!
"The smaller the town, the bigger the secrets." Ohh, scandalous. I like this cover. What I like even more is that it is significant to the book. Does "The smaller the town, the bigger the secrets." Ohh, scandalous. I like this cover. What I like even more is that it is significant to the book. Does anyone else get annoyed when covers have nothing to do with the book?
This was a very quick read. 233 pages isn’t a lot to begin with and the story was very easy to get drawn into. I didn’t find the story necessarily “scary,” but that doesn’t make this a bad paranormal book. I liked how a lot of reality was present throughout the book and that is wasn’t all paranormal. The characters build relationships and participate in activities just as any normal teenager would do.
The characters seemed very real in this story and I feel like most of the time they had normal reactions to the circumstances around them. They are unsure of themselves and are trying to figure life out. I don’t always see that in YA books. I really liked the segments that were narrated by the “paranormal entity.” I even found them a little creepy at times, which takes a bit.
I also really appreciate the fact that this was a standalone book! It seems as if all new books are part of a series these days and it was nice to read a book and leave those characters behind.
I love the font used for “Demoni Vankil.” It looks like it is scratched into the book. I also like how it looks like a leather bound book. Am I the onI love the font used for “Demoni Vankil.” It looks like it is scratched into the book. I also like how it looks like a leather bound book. Am I the only one who wishes that books were still made that way--with the fancy ribbon bookmark? Yeah? Probably.
I read Prelude to a Hero back in June and was very happy to be brought back into the world with Hobin Luckyfeller’s Fieldguide: Demoni Vankil. Although the characters were different, they were just as charming and I connected with them instantly. This book is set after Prelude to a Hero and is looking back on the events that happened before, during and after.
Hobin Luckyfeller discovered a series of 14 letters that date back 700 years. During those 700 years, the accuracy of the events have gotten a little muddy and Hobin is delighted to be able to get a glimpse into the past (as was I).
Hobin was a great lead character. I loved trying to figure out the mystery and going through Eamon’s letters with him. After reading each letter, Hobin would share his thoughts and questions--I was pleased to see that I shared a lot of those thoughts and questions with him!
I loved how each of the characters had distinct personalities. I felt like I really got to know Eamon through his letters and was racing through the book to see how his story ended. I’m fairly certain that I read this in one sitting if that is telling you anything.
This book has all of the qualities of a great mystery and a great fantasy molded together into a wonderful story. As a mystery and fantasy junkie, I couldn’t be more thrilled that those genres were combined!
Thanks to Jaime Buckley for this review copy--I can’t wait to venture into this world again!...more
This book is just okay to me. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it a lot, but it is just not my favorite of the series (as well as the next one with QThis book is just okay to me. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it a lot, but it is just not my favorite of the series (as well as the next one with Quinn, ugh.). I just felt that this one jumped around a lot and the main story wasn't really as interesting as the others. I did think it got better at the end of the book with the Weres!...more
I watched this movie a long time ago and really enjoyed it. I have been waiting to read the book and I finally got around to it. I think this is such I watched this movie a long time ago and really enjoyed it. I have been waiting to read the book and I finally got around to it. I think this is such a cute book :) It surprised me how different the endings in the movie and the book are and I think I enjoyed them both. It is a very quick read and I think that it is well worth the time! ...more
