The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

I decided to read this book after reading about it in my favorite magazine, Entertainment Weekly. The never ending praise by this magazine, and also the fact that the book was very obviously displayed in every bookstore I walked into, made me buy it.

I knew right from the start that this book would be a challenge. However, I enjoyed it and I'm glad I gave it a try.

My review for this book will come in three parts.

1. The beginning. The beginning of any book is without a doubt the most important part of it. Every book needs to have an attention-grabbing opening. Without that, an average reader could easily get bored or disinterested and move onto something more exciting. I came thisclose to giving up before the story got under way. Why? Because of the mumbo jumbo. I have no interest in the stock market or economics, and so when this book started out with some long explanations about some financial scandal, I had half a mind to give up right then and there.

2. The middle. This is the bulk of the book, and the only reason why I stuck with it. Once the story got going (and it took a little too long for my taste) I decided that I really wanted to see what happened. The character of Mikael Blomkvist didn't interest me too much, but the story he was investigating did. I found myself pulled in by the murder mystery that the book was trying to solve. I also became very intrigued by the idea of Lisbeth Salander. True to my expectations, she was as bad-ass as everything I had heard about her, and naturally that made her my favorite character.

3. The ending. Besides the part where the main mystery of Harriet Vanger's murder was solved, I skim-read the end. It was more mumbo jumbo, and a whole lot of something I didn't feel like reading. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the very last page, and the incredible cliff-hanger that was presented. Is it enough for me to read the sequel? Maybe.

Overall: This book is not for everybody. If you think you can handle a book with a lot of backstory, I'd say go for it. I also have to add that there are some very graphic sexual abuse scenes, so this is not a story for a young reader. The best person to read this would be an adult with an open mind, and a desire to read an interesting and different story.

In My Mailbox: Week 3

Information about In My Mailbox can be found here on The Story Siren's blog!
Once again, no literal mailbox books. I did take a wonderful trip into the great city of Chicago with some good friends, and of course we stopped at a couple of bookstores. =]

1. Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Why?
It was on sale. And it looks cute. :)







2. 501 Spanish Verbs

Why?
Going to study some Spanish in college... this was the most helpful book that my high school teacher had in her classroom, so I knew I had to get one for my dorm room.






3. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Why?
It looks absolutely amazing, and as an added bonus: the sequel is being released today. =]







4. Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

Why?
After reading Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart last year, I really want to read more African American novels. This is part of my grand plan to expand my literature to something outside of YA fiction.






Now, as a side note, I apologize for the lack of reading and reviewing lately. I've been in the process of moving, and then on top of that I just got my wisdom teeth pulled. Basically: it's been pretty stressful. Thanks for sticking through it with me!

Jane

Buy a Book, Win a Prize: This Giveaway is Amazing!

I am proud to be part of an amazing giveaway over at Shooting Stars Mag. Here's the gist of it:

1. Pre-order Trance and send the receipt to Lauren.
2. Choose a prize from a fantastic list of awesome prizes!

Simple, huh?!

Now, a little about the book to buy:

Ashlyn Greenfield has always known when bad things are going to happen. Each time that familiar tingling at the back of her neck begins, she knows what's to come: a trance. She's pulled in, blindsided, an unwilling witness to a horrible upcoming event. But she's never been able to stop it: not even when the vision was of her mother's fatal car accident. When soulful Jake enters Ashlyn's life, she begins having trances about another car accident. And as her trances escalate, one thing becomes clear: it's up to her to save Jake from near-certain death.

Personally, I gotta say that this contest is totally worth it. This book sounds amazing!

However, the contest ends when all the prizes are gone, so you have to enter fast! Also, contest is open to US residents only!

Visit the original blog post for full details and to enter.
You can also visit Linda Gerber's site here.

And last but not least, the full prize list. Feel free to peruse through the different blogs on the list... they are all amazing and worth the time to look at!

1. Eleni: finished copy of The Alpha Bet by Stephanie Hale and 5 Secret Society tattoos by Tom Dolby
http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/

2. Tina: Hourglass by Claudia Gray
http://www.fantasticbookreview.blogspot.com/

3. James: Prize Pack 1- Just One Wish by Janette Rallison, Triple Shot Bettys in Love by Jody Gehrman, Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag
www.bookchicclub.blogspot.com

4. James: Prize Pack 2- Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Allison Goodman, Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray, You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay
www.bookchicclub.com

5. Lauren: ARC of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

6. Sammi: 2 packs of soft lips (2 tubes in each)
http://www.wordsearchpuzzledreams.com/

7. Jessica: $10 gift card to Barnes N Noble
http://www.jessicascoupons.com/

8. Kelsey: Swag Pack
http://thebookscout.blogspot.com/

9. Jane: $25 gift card to Amazon
http://janestoryblog.blogspot.com

10. Candace: Package of swag from various authors
http://candacesreadingblog.blogspot.com/

11. Brent: ARC of Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
http://naughtybookkitties.blogspot.com/

12. Kit: ARC of The Gift By: James Patterson
http://www.readingteen.net/

13. Kit: signed copy of Raised By Wolves By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
http://www.readingteen.net

14. Jessica: Paperback copy of Linger (from The Book Depository)
http://totalbookaholic.blogspot.com/

15. Jessica: The Body Finder signed bookmark & 2 The Body Finder stickers
http://totalbookaholic.blogspot.com/

16. Jessica: Forgive my Fins bookmark & Forgive my Fins tattoo
http://totalbookaholic.blogspot.com/

17. Alicia: signed hardcover of Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison
http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

Now, go enter! You know you want to!

Jane

Waiting on Wednesday: 7/21/10

Waiting on Wednesday originated here. =]

My pick:

The Replacement
by Brenna Yovanoff
Release Date: September 21, 2010

Summary:

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a ReplacementÑleft in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when TateÕs baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Edward Scissorhands meets The Catcher in the Rye in this wildly imaginative and frighteningly beautiful horror novel about an unusual boy and his search for a place to belong.

Why?

Everything about this book is drawing me in. The cover captured my interest, and not for my normal reasons. The cover is so gruesome and eerie- it's not bright or sunny at all, but instead of being disgusted I am completely riveted. And the summary makes me want to read this book so bad.

Jane

PS. Has anyone seen/written a review for this book? If so, I would be sooo grateful if you could post a link in the comments. I really really want to hear more!

It's Kind of Funny Story Trailer

Found this yesterday, and it kind of intrigued me.



I've had the book for quite awhile, but one of my friends read it and said it wasn't as good as she thought it would be, so I've been kind of weary for awhile now.

Has anyone read it? Any thoughts/opinions?

Jane

P.S. No IMM post this week, simply because there are no new books to report. However, if you check out The Story Siren's blog, you will find links to tons of IMM posts that will probably interest you.

Blogger Buzz: Katie's Book Blog

I realize that this idea probably isn't very original or new, but I wanted to get to know a few of the bloggers that I have and will come in contact with. I decided the best way to do this would be by interviewing them, so that way anybody who reads my blog can learn about other bloggers as well!
Here's my first interview!
Name: Katie
Blog: Katie's Book Blog
URL: www.katiesbookblog.com
Blogging for the past: 1 year, 5 months or so
Short bio: I am a college student who loves to read anything YA (and some paranormal romance!). I also love music, movies, and macaroni and cheese. =]
1-Why did I start my blog?

I started my blog to share my love of YA books and just to get my thoughts out there. My friends read but not like I do. It's hard to talk to them about books because they don't necessarily want to listen. I found a place where people want to listen on my blog.

2-What is my favorite book from the past year and why?

This is the hardest question for me to answer. I honestly don't know what my favorite book from the past year is. I'm torn between The Body Finder, Hex Hall, and Before I Fall. And none of those books have anything in common except amazing writing. I guess the reason I loved them so much was because they were so easy to get into and I loved the characters. Characters are my favorite part of a book and if I don't like them, I don't like the book. When there are amazing characters in books, like in these three, I fall in love with the book. =]

3-If I could meet any author who would it be?

This is another hard one. I would choose either JK Rowling or Gail Carson Levine. Those authors really got me reading. Harry Potter and Ella Enchanted were my favorite books when I was younger and I read them over and over again. There was one point in my life where I kind of gave up reading but I still had to read the new Harry Potter when it came out. Once I read it, I fell in love with reading again. If it wasn't for those books I don't know that I would even have a blog. I probably wouldn't even read. So those authors mean a lot to me. I would love to meet either one of them. Or both!

4-What is my favorite meme?

Waiting on Wednesday. I find out about some awesome books through WOW posts. I sometimes have trouble finding new books online so I go to those posts. Everybody usually has a different pick so it's a great way to spread the word.

5-Can I give any advice to new/aspiring bloggers?

Talk to other bloggers. Comment on other blogs. Use twitter and facebook. There are so many things I could say. There weren't nearly as many bloggers when I started my blog so I pretty much went in blind. I had no clue what I was doing. As more blogs were started, I noticed what they were doing. You have to put yourself out there.

6-What has been my favorite blogging moment/experience?

That would be the first time an author commented on my blog. I did'nt even know authors read my blog and then one of them commented. I ran out to the living room to tell my mom. Yes I am 18 but I had to go share that with my mom and dad. Even now I still get excited every time an author comments or follows my blog.

7-How do I manage time between real life and blogging?

It's hard. The summer is the easiest time for me to blog because I don't have school but it's still hard because I do have other things to do. When I am in school I don't always get to post as much as I would like but I always make time for my blog even if it means getting a little less sleep. If nothing else I schedule a ton of posts when I have free time. I don't think I will ever be too busy for my blog!

8-Do my real life friends/family/teachers/etc. know about your blog?

Only some of them. For the longest time I didn't wany anybody to know about it. I wouldn't even tell my parents. Eventually I realized that I didn't care what people thought about it so I told my close friends. They thought it was awesome. The only teacher that I have told was my Lit professor last semester because it turned out she loved YA books. Now I don't really care who knows. If I meet someone who is interested in YA, I tell them but it's not something I advertise. =]

9-Has blogging helped you in any indirect way?

Blogging has helped me become a little more outgoing. I am a very shy person, even on the internet. I realized that being shy wasn't going to help me with my blog so I got over my fear of talking to people that I don't know. I talk to lots of bloggers now that I have never met in person but they are some of the nicest people I know. They also helped convince me to come out of my shell a bit in real life and because of that I have made some new friends. So yes blogging has helped me.

10-Where do I see my blog in the future?

Better than it is now. I don't have any plans to stop blogging and I just want to improve. I like my blog the way it is but there is always room for improvement. I can't see what it will be like in the future but I know it will be there and updated regularly. Blogging is one of my favorite things to do and I won't stop until I'm forced to.

---

Thanks for participating, Katie! And just so everyone knows, I love Katie's blog, and I'm glad she's planning on keeping it going for quite awhile.

Also, I'm hoping to make Blogger Buzz into a regular feature on my blog. If anyone else is interested in participating, just shoot me an email at janestoryblog@hotmail.com and let me know. I'd be happy to work with anyone who's interested!

Jane

Contest: Going too Far

I posted in my IMM post on Monday that I bought a copy of Going too Far. I also mentioned that I already had a copy. So, what am I going to do with my second copy???

I'm going to give it away, of course!

Entering this contest is pretty simple.

1. Comment this post. Any comment will do, but if you tell me something interesting and book related you will get an extra entry. =] Also, leave some way of me contacting you. Email or URL are both acceptable.

For even more extra entries:

2. Follow my blog. Easy enough, huh?

3. Post about it. Share the word. As long as you post it somewhere that other people can see it, you'll get this extra entry.

So that's it. I do have a few rules, however.

1. Please, only one comment per person. Leave all your entries in one comment, it will be easier that way.

2. US residents only.

Now that I got all that said, I wish you all the very best of luck! The contest will end on Saturday July 31st. That gives ya'll two weeks (and one day) to enter!

Book Blogger Hop

RIGHT THIS INSTANT, WHAT BOOK ARE YOU DYING TO GET YOUR HANDS ON (PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE)?



I'm going to be unoriginal and agree with Crazy for Books and say Mockingjay would be the must-have book of the moment. That series is amazing!

Jane

Interview with Danielle Joseph

Danielle Joseph was kind enough to answer a few questions. I wasn't very original with the questions... a lot of them are the same ones I used with my interview with Elizabeth Scott. However, Danielle's answers are great and I would definitely recommend taking the time to read through them.

I'd also recommend checking out her books! I've only read Shrinking Violet (review here) and I loved it, and I definitely plan on reading Indigo Blues as soon as I can get my greedy hands on it!

Now, onto the interview!

On other authors:

1. If you could compare your writing to any other author’s, who would you compare it to and why?

Hmm, this is not an easy question. Readers that enjoy Shrinking Violet and Indigo Blues might enjoy Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman, My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman or Fancy White Trash by Marjetta Geerling.

2. Who are some authors that you look up to or admire?

There are so many authors that I admire but as a kid I was a huge Judy Blume fan. I also loved Beverly Cleary and Robert Cormier. One of my favorite books is Born Blue by Han Nolan.

3. If you could talk to any author, living or dead, who would it be and what would be one question that you ask him or her?

One author that I would love to talk to is Toni Morrison. I think she is an amazing writer and would love to know more about her personal writing process.

On your books/characters:

4. Music is a big part of Shrinking Violet. How has music impacted your own personal life?

Music is a huge part of my life just like Tere in Shrinking Violet. As a teen I was forever making mixed tapes. I made party mixes, mixes for when you're sad, mixes that were for deep thinking, if there was an excuse to make a mix, I made it!

5. Are any of your characters’ more funny/embarrassing experiences related to things that have happened in your own life?

Oh, good question! I really had to think about this one, but actually I would have to say no. I do have tons of embarrassing stories filed away so I will have to pull them out sometime.

6. Is there any particular character that you share a special bond with?

In Shrinking Violet I am definitely rooting for Tere and if I were in school with her, I'd also have a crush on Gavin.

On writing:

7. Is there a type of book that you’ve always wanted to write, but never had the guts to do?

Well, there are book ideas that I want to get too but haven't had time yet. I've wanted to write a historical YA novel and will eventually get to that. Writing an adult novel definitely seems more daunting to me, but I'll get to that someday too.

8. What is your favorite part about being a published writer?

As corny as it may sound, my favorite part is hearing from readers, young and old. Books mean a lot to me so I'm so happy when people enjoy my books and get something out of them.

9. Has writing always been your dream profession? (If yes, how was that dream realized? If no, what was your previous dream and why hasn’t it been fulfilled?)

Yes, I have wanted to be an author since I was six. There were other professions that I thought about like being an ice skater, lawyer, DJ and an actor but I always came back to writing.

Thanks to Danielle Joseph for this awesome interview! Please visit Danielle Joseph's website, or click on the book covers in this post for links to specific books. :) [[I hope the book cover link thing works... if it doesn't, just let me know and I'll fix it!]]

Waiting on Wednesday: 7/14/10

Waiting on Wednesday originated here. =]

My pick:

Grace
by Elizabeth Scott
Release Date: September 16, 2010

Summary:

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

Told in spare, powerful prose by acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after theyÕve reached the final page.

Why?
Elizabeth Scott is an amazing author, and I will be eagerly awaiting every novel she ever writes until the day I die. End of story. Thank you.

Jane