Nothing improves a bleak week more than shiny new books hitting the mailbox.  Monday was a very stressful day; the surgeon was running behind schedule, and my dad’s surgery was four hours late.  Talk about playing havoc on your nerves! And the poor guy couldn’t eat or drink anything!  Everything went fine once the show got on the road, and he should be back home again any day now.

Today is my youngest niece’s birthday, so here’s a shout out to her – Happy Birthday, Elly!  You can’t read the blog yet, so I’ll tell everyone else about your presents!  You are going to get two big Totally Me! jewelry kits, the Leap Frog Interactive US Map, and a Harumika style studio!  Yay!  Your parents are going to have a wonderful time cleaning up all of the beautiful messes you are going to make!  Heehee!  See you later today!

I received some awesome reads this week, and I can hardly wait to get started on them.  I am so glad Monday is a holiday!  Other than running out for a quick bite to eat, I am doing nothing all day but READING!  Sorry, Dean!  You are just going to have to watch football all day!

Twin Spica Vol 3 by Kou Yaginuma

Orange Planet Vol 3/4/5 by Haruka Fukushima

Shiki Tsukai Vol 7/8 by To-Ru Zekuu & Yuna Takanagi

Fairy Tail Vol 12 by Hiro Mashima

Kieli Vol 3 Novel by Yukakio Kabei

Cat Paradise Vol 5 by Yuji Iwahara

Tena on S-Sting Vol 4 by Sesuna Mikabe

Bamboo Blade Vol 6 by Masahiro Totskuka & Aguri Igarashi

One Fine Day Vol 3 by Sirial

Legend Vol 9 by Kara & Woo SooJung

With the Light Vol 7 by Keiko Tobe

My Girlfriend’s a Geek Vol 1 Novel by Pentabu

Laon Vol 3 by YoungBin Kim & Hyun You

Kobato Vol 3 by CLAMP

The Limit by Kristen Landon

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Cleopatra Rules! by Vicky Alvear Shecter

A great big thanks to Vertical, Yen Press, Del Rey, Simon & Schuster, & Boyds Mills Press

Bought:

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

House of Five Leaves Vol 1 by Natsume Ono

What did you get?  Leave a link so I can see!

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted at Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It’s a way to share your wishlist with the rest of the blogsphere. The books can be old, new or forthcoming, but my lists will be limited to already released titles. If you would like to join in and post your wishlist,  click here for more information.

She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens looks interesting, but I am not sure that smelling dead things is such a good ability to have…

From Amazon:

It’s the beginning of senior year and Yuki’s psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn’t glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.
SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki’s friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

I just love the cover for Resenting the Hero by Moira J. Moore, and I want to see what it’s all about!

From Amazon:

In a realm beset by natural disasters, only the bonded Pairs–Source and Shield–make the land habitable and keep the citizenry safe. But can Dunleavy Mallorough and Lord Shintaro Karish put aside their differences to defeat something even more unnatural than their reluctant affections for each other?

I love the cover for Pure Dead Magic by Debi Glori, too!  What is causing those frightened expressions?

From Amazon:

Things are not right at the Strega-Borgia castle. Signor Luciano Strega-Borgia has been kidnapped. Signora Baci Strega-Borgia is struggling with her spells at the Advanced Witchcraft Institute.Titus and Pandora don’t like their suspiciously cheerful and fearless new nanny. Baby Damp has been accidentally shrunk, e-mailed, and lost on the World Wide Web. And to top it off, there’s a gangster in a bunny suit lurking about. . . .
This seriously over-the-top, gothic romp is sure to have readers clamoring for the next Strega-Borgia adventure.

What on your wishlist?

It’s Friday! Time to discover new blogs to follow!   Blog Hop is a meme held every weekend and it is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books.  It’s a great way to find book blogs that you might now know about.

Parajunkee is hosting Follow Friday, which is another fun way to meet new bloggers.  Check out Parajunkee’s blog here.

If you are visiting from the Blog Hop, please leave a comment so I can stop by your blog to say hi!

Question of the week:

Sarah @ SarahReadsTooMuch

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Oh, no! The sad truth is revealed, yet again, about my shallow book buying habits. Yes, yes, yes! Darn it, yes!  I will judge a book based on the cover! Paranormalcy – beautiful cover!  I pre-ordered it! I hardly ever pre-order main stream books, though I pre-order all of my manga.  Hush Hush?  Yeah, cover sold me on that one, too.  There is just something so appealing about a book with a gorgeous cover that I can’t resist!

Title: Genghis Khan

Author: Demi

Publisher:  Marshall Cavendish

ISBN: 978-0761455479

May Contain Spoilers

I was not sure what to expect when I checked this out from the library.  I love biographies, especially ones about warriors.  Alexander the Great, Crazy Horse, Hannibal – I’m interested in learning more about of them, and have read many, many pages about their exploits.  I have always been intrigued by Genghis Khan and his horde of Mongols, mainly for one reason; they were consummate equestrians.

I tripped across this book on Amazon, and put in a request at the library.  The combination of full-color artwork and spare, yet compelling text made this an interesting read.  Demi’s illustrations are more whimsical in nature, even during battle scenes.  The visual component of the story was very effective, with one minor quibble.  Gold foil is used without restraint throughout the book, and I thought it obscured the art.  All of that shiny metallic paper got obnoxious after about 3 pages.

Genghis Khan is a very short read, but the stunning visuals give the story an added kick.  Based on both historical fact and folklore, the life of Temujin, the boy who would grow up to become one of the most skilled leaders in history, is rich with action and political intrigue. 

Grade:  B-

Review copy obtained from the library

Title: The Education of Bet

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

ISBN: 978-0547223087

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

When Will and Bet were four, tragic circumstances brought them to the same house, to be raised by a wealthy gentleman as brother and sister. Now sixteen, they’ve both enjoyed a privileged upbringing thus far. But not all is well in their household. Because she’s a girl, Bet’s world is contained within the walls of their grand home, her education limited to the rudiments of reading, writing, arithmetic, and sewing. Will’s world is much larger. He is allowed—forced, in his case—to go to school. Neither is happy.

So Bet comes up with a plan and persuades Will to give it a try: They’ll switch places. She’ll go to school as Will. Will can live as he chooses. But once Bet gets to school, she soon realizes living as a boy is going to be much more difficult than she imagined.

After finishing The Education of Bet, I found myself so thankful that I didn’t grow up in nineteenth-century England.  Ugh! What torture that would have been!  Like Bet, I would have longed for more out of life than waiting on the men hand and foot.  Bet proves herself to be a very clever young woman, who will risk anything to have the one thing denied her; an education.

Though I found parts of the plot highly improbable, I donned my rose-colored blinkers and chose to just roll with story developments without questioning most of them.  While I still have a problem with Bet sharing a dorm room with a testosterone riddled teenaged guy, I will just compare this to similar rooming arrangements in several manga series I have enjoyed, including Hana Kimi.  What is fiction without the suspension of disbelief, anyway?

Bet is beside herself with frustration.  She wants to go to school, but she can’t because she’s a girl.  Her close friend, Will, wants to be a soldier, but he can’t.  Why?  He has to go to school.  Their elderly guardian is aghast that Will is constantly tossed out of the finest boarding schools in England, and he is determined that the lad will be educated.  Or he’s going to die trying!  Sounds like the perfect setup for a little gender bending, huh?

Bet is such a cool character.  She is overcome by a furious desire to learn.  To read.  To understand the world around her.  She gnashes her teeth in frustration when she is confined to the house and denied the knowledge she seeks.  Bet leads very complicated life, and that’s before the idea of swapping places with Will ever entered her mind.  The orphaned child of a servant, she doesn’t know who her father is, and only her guardian’s charity has kept a roof over her head.  There is a very confusing place for her in the household; she’s not quite a servant, but she’s not part of the family, either.  Class distinctions are blurred, but they still exist.  Bet will never belong in either world.

Once she gets to school, she is in for a shock.  The learning environment is nothing like she expected, and trying to fit in with a bunch of rough and tumble young men is much more challenging than she thought.  There’s the bullying, and the taunting, and the fear of never being able to fit in here, either.  Even when she thinks she’s made a friend, they turn around and betray her.  I don’t think she wanted an education in interpersonal relationships, but this is first and foremost what Bet receives.

Her daily struggle to follow her dreams, no matter the cost, kept me glued to the book.  It did start a bit slowly, but once she arrives at school, it was difficult to put down.  Bet finds help in unexpected places,  which helps to fuel her unfaltering drive to achieve her goals.  She even finds herself falling in love with a classmate, and fights to keep her growing attraction to him her deepest, darkest secret.

With its fun characters and determined heroine, The Education of Bet is a satisfying, though unlikely, read. It was refreshing reading about a boarding school that wasn’t filled to the rafters with a bunch of vampires, witches, and werewolves.  Non-magical kids can be interesting, too!

Grade: B+

Review copy purchased from Amazon

Title: Honey Hunt Vol 5

Author: Miki Aihara

Publisher:  Viz

ISBN: 978-1421535074

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Find the courage to become a star!

As Yura’s friends gather to celebrate the premiere of the first episode of her TV show, she’s nowhere to be seen. Having taken up Q-ta’s offer of a hot springs vacation, Yura finds herself alone with him in a luxurious hotel room. Is she prepared to go all the way with Q-ta, or will her manager Mizorogi spoil the fun once again…?

Ah, Miki Aihara, why do I find your stories so irresistible?  Your characters don’t have noses, and your heroines have the mental fortitude of small sponges.  Somehow, though, almost against my will, I get sucked into your books and I can’t put them down.  I may get irritated (read: I do get irritated) at how Yura lets everyone push her around, but I can’t help but feel sorry for her.  She is so unsure of herself, and in this volume we get a glimpse into why she is so shy.  It’s made her even more sympathetic for me, but I wonder how she is going to survive the backstabbing world of show biz when she has yet to develop critical life skills to help her deal with other people and their abrasive personalities.

Yura’s mother is a complete and utter wench.  She has always been a selfish witch, and it is obvious that she will always be incapable of loving anyone other than herself.  She made Yura’s childhood a barren wasteland of loveless rejection.  How pathetic Yukari is, that she was so insanely jealous of her own daughter.  Yura has been nothing but a pawn to manipulate Onozuka from the day she was born.  Ugh! I can’t stand the woman!  Cutting her panels from the book and burning them wouldn’t clean the taint of her selfishness.  Ick!  I am looking forward to when Yura’s star does shine brighter than Yukari’s!

Though I often find the lead irritatingly passive, and the men in her life controlling buttheads, I just can’t stop reading Honey Hunt!  

Grade:  B

Review copy provided by publisher

Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

I give the most awkward hugs in the world. I also write books. You should probably opt for one of my books over one of my hugs.

Can you tell us a little about your book, Paranormalcy?

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

I wondered what one would do if the goal was to neutralize vampires without killing them, which led me to the idea for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. Evie, the main character, started talking to me and then I thought, why on earth would a sixteen-year-old work for a covert, international government organization? The rest of the plot just sort of fell into place!

What have you learned about yourself through your characters?

Apparently I have issues with emotional isolation. Who knew? Thank heavens writing is cheaper than therapy.

Why do you think paranormal books are so popular?  What do you find most appealing about them?

I think that they function as a metaphor for our challenges in connecting with and understanding other people. Plus there’s the whole OHMYGOSHVAMPIRESAREHAWT aspect that comes into play. (For the record, I don’t think vampires are hawt. I prefer yetis, myself. Or werepugs.)

What appeals most to me is how much fun you can have with paranormal stories. You aren’t limited by the real world, so you can have these fantastic, ridiculous plots with normal, relatable characters. It’s the best of both worlds.

What’s the most gratifying aspect of having your book published?

Last night I showed the finished book to my mom and she cried. I’ve always secretly been a bully, so pretty much my goal in life is to make people cry and this seemed easier than mocking or punching them.

Okay, seriously, it’s just amazing that people are interested in the stories I have to tell. And seeing my kids (who are quite young) talk about Evie and my books makes me so happy. Now I won’t be lying when I tell them they can make their dreams come true!

I’m gonna keep lying to them about the tooth fairy, though.

Who was your biggest supporter while you were working on the book?

My friend and critique partner, Natalie Whipple. She’s always been my greatest cheerleader, egging me on to write more, more, more. I don’t know that I would have written it without her. So what I’m saying is, if you hate it, please send all complaints to her. My husband has also been unfailingly supportive, which is a good thing, because he has to share me with Word a lot.

If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, what would it be?

I always, always loved reading. I can’t remember a time when it hasn’t been a part of my life!

What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

I waste a lot of time online (as is evident if you follow me on twitter or my blog), I love reading, and I like playing with my kids and hanging out with my husband. I have a super cool family—they are ridiculous and hilarious and wonderful. Yes, I’m probably the luckiest girl in the world.

Thanks!

You can learn more about Kiersten by visiting her website here, or if you are into cyber stalking, click follow on her Twitter account.  If you haven’t already purchased Paranormalcy, run out to your favorite bookseller right now and pick up a copy!  Or just click the handy widget below and have it delivered to your doorstep.

Title: The Diary of a Killer Cat

Author: Anne Fine

Illustrations: Steve Cox

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux

ISBN: 978-0374317799

May Contain Spoilers

Tuffy is an unrepentant murderer.  The little bird had it coming, what with landing in his mouth and all.  Besides, he’s a cat!  What does his girl, Ellie, expect?  The pathetic tree-hugger would have him holding hands with all of the neighborhood dogs! Doesn’t she understand?  He’s a cat!

This short book for younger readers has a ton of personality.  Too bad I didn’t really like the personality.  Tuffy is all cat, and he is not going to adjust his feline behavior to make any humans happy.  When he starts bringing home dead critters, his people start having fits.  He’s a murderer!  A killer of innocent little birds and mice!  Tuffy can’t understand what all of the fuss is about, and soon he is on the outs with Ellie and her family.

Told in first person from Tuffy’s point of view, this is a pretty funny book.  I just couldn’t relate to Tuffy.  He is tough talking and streetwise, and he is every bit a cat.  He doesn’t care about anything but what he wants; he’s self-indulgent, and he’s a smart-aleck.  I don’t know why I didn’t connect better with this book.  Maybe I found the dead bunny episode morbid?  I’m not sure, but I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I was hoping I would.  

Grade: C+

Review copy obtained from the library

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill atBreaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

I loved Ender’s Game, and was even more impressed with Speaker for the Dead.  I loved all of the Ender books, so I am looking forward to reading more by Car. This is a must buy.

From Amazon:

A powerful secret. A dangerous path.

Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg’s strange talent for seeing the paths of people’s pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him–secrets about Rigg’s own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain.

Rigg’s birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent…or forfeit control of his destiny.

Zombies, zombies, zombies!  I am curious to see what Carole Nelson Douglas does with Silver Zombie, and the cover just grabs my attention.

From  Amazon: 

Zombies and Witches and Vamps . . . Oh, My!

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—at least that’s Delilah Street’s hope. With Sin City’s vampire and werewolf mobs wanting to cash in her chips once and for all, she’s retreating with her partner Ric Montoya and half-wolfhound Quicksilver to her Kansas birthplace. Unfortunately, when it comes to finding trouble, there’s no place like home. . . .

It doesn’t take long before Delilah realizes she’s not in Vegas anymore. Zombie cowboys and spectral cattle drives are kicking up dust, the local weather girls are total witches who forecast perfect storms, and some Hollywood fanatic is recasting zombies as the greatest stars of the silver screen. And speaking of silver, Delilah’s special affinity for the all-purpose monster-repellent leads her posse straight down a silver brick road—and into a notso- fun house of mirrors—putting her face-to-face with her dicey past and a mystery woman named Lilith, who’s a real dead ringer for Delilah. The key word being dead.

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz looks to be right up my alley.  I love re-imagined fairy tales!

From Amazon:

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.

Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

What are you waiting on??

Title: The Wallflower Vol 17

Author: Tomoko Hayakawa

Publisher:  Del Rey

ISBN:  978-0345506597

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

UNEXPECTED ROOMIES

Just when Sunako and the four hottest guys in Japan had finally gotten used to living together, their landlady springs a shocking surprise: She’s going to remodel the mansion and they’ll be temporarily relocated to a luxury hotel. Now Sunako and the guys are living it up in a gorgeous five-star pleasure palace–exactly the type of place Sunako can’t stand. To make matters worse, the landlady has reserved a special suite just for Sunako and Kyohei. Unable to cope, Sunako flees in terror, and Kyohei follows. Now Sunako and Kyohei are hiding out together in a tiny studio apartment. Wait a sec. It’s almost like they’re . . . shacking up!

I find that I enjoy this series best if I leave very wide gaps of time between reading each volume.  There isn’t much in the way of character development, and you don’t even have to read them in order.  The chapters are fairly episodic, so jumping around in the series doesn’t have that much impact on understanding and enjoying the story.  This particular volume was hiding under the bed, and it’s been almost a year since I read the previous installment, but I was able to quickly get back into Sunako’s very, very odd world again.

The mansion is being remodeled, and Sunako and Kyohei are renting a dumpy apartment instead of a staying at a five-star hotel with the rest of the gang.  Sunako despairs at their lack of funds; she can’t even afford chocolate!  When she accepts a high paying job in the red-light district, she thinks she’s accepting an evening cleaning position.  She doesn’t realize that the job is actually for a hostess!

I enjoyed this volume, as Sunako polishes and cleans her way to notoriety, selfishly uses the guys to finish off her collection of gachapon figures, and tries to convince Takenaga to leave his family’s home and come back to the mansion.  The chapters are presented with high energy and lots of humor.  Hayakawa’s art is hit or miss with me, but I thought the illustrations this time around very solid, except for the shirtless scenes, where the guys look like they are anorexic. 

Despite the lack of character development, The Wallflower is a fun series.  Sunako’s bizarre behavior is always good for a laugh, but I don’t think I could stomach a steady diet of the title.

Grade: B-

Review copy provided by publisher