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Sunday, May 8, 2011

The Amanda Project Contest!

Hi guys! Michele from Plum Willow (a really cool website that lets you share your outfit creations with other fashionistas and shop) contacted me so I can let you guys know about an awesome contest!

You might remember that I reviewed The Amanda Project by Stella Lennon a while back, and the winners of the contest will receive an autographed copy of the latest Amanda Project novel and also a $50 gift card to their favorite store on Plum Willow!

For more contest details on how to enter, click here.


Friday, May 6, 2011

Back in Action!

Hey guys! :D

So as you can tell from the title, I'm back! No more school for me... at least for a few months :P. Thank you to everyone that stuck with BAM Book Reviews during the dreadful school year, we really appreciate it! For the summer: I'll be reading all of the books in my review pile plus a few that I've bought over the past few years.

Also, in a few weeks I'll be in NYC for BEA! :) SO excited. Leave a comment telling me if you'll be there so we can meet up and take pictures! I'll be rooming with the lovely Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic and the also lovely Lexie from Poisoned Rationality. I'll be taking a ton of pictures and will try my best to get as many books to giveaway to you guys!

Other things I'll be doing this summer:

  • Going on vacation to Mexico. I am super pumped for this, especially for the plane! I've never been on one and I love heights so I'm assuming I'm going to enjoy it. Oh yeah, Mexico will be fun, too.
  • Moving into my very own apartment! No more dorm rooms, hallelujah! I'll make sure to post pictures, not like anyone cares, but it'll be pretty cool to document such a sweet experience.
  • Also, like I said above, I'll be going to BEA. This is probably the most exciting experience of my life. I've never been to BEA and I do plan on moving to NYC after college so it'll be pretty amazing to see what it's like to live there for a week.
I think that's all I really have to say as of now but I am super excited to get back in the habit of reading and also checking my favorite blogs!




Monday, March 21, 2011

The Scarlet Letter (Readable Classics) by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Wayne Josephson

Publisher: Readable Classics

Source: Author

Edition: Paperback

# of Pages: 210

Rating:



Readable Classics gently edits the great works of literature, retaining their essence and spirit, and making them more enjoyable and less frustrating for modern readers.

Puritan Boston, 1600's -- Beautiful, defiant Hester Prynne commits adultery, refuses to name the father of her illegitimate child, and is condemned to wear a scarlet A on her breast for the rest of her life. She becomes the first true heroine of American fiction.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 masterpiece was the first American novel to explore the moral struggle with sin, guilt, and pride; the conflict between the heart and the mind; and the deadly consequences of not being able to forgive ours
elves and others.

Miss me? It's been a while since I've reviewed a book and it's funny because I'm not actually reading this book just for pleasure, it's for school too. That shows how much time I have... This is a hard book to review because I'm not just reviewing one author's work, I'm reviewing another's work also.

I enjoyed The Scarlet Letter although I got bored at times. It was mysterious, yet somewhat predictable. Romantic... yet lacking. I really wish they could have showed the romance that happened before the prosecution.

As for Wayne Josephson, he did a great job making the book an easier read. This is the first book I've read for a literature class that I didn't fall asleep reading! If Readable Classics has another book that I'll need to read for a literature class, I'm definitely going to have to grab it!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater


Published: August 2009 by Scholastic Press

Source: Received for review

Edition: Hardcover

Number of pages:
392

Rating:





For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.



At first, I was totally excited to read Shiver because I had heard and read so many good things about the book. I had presumed that the book was going to be excellent and although it was good, it definitely wasn't excellent.

The characters in the book are very likeable and charismatic but I didn't particularly like Grace. I thought that her love was rushed and that Grace was more in love with the idea of her wolf than with Sam himself but that's just my opinion. I also didn't like how Grace's world completely revolved around Sam after she had met him in person. She didn't care about her school life or her friends, all she wanted to do was to be with Sam. I like main characters who have strong backbones and can be independant, not lovestruck girls like Grace who only think of their significant other. Aside from that, I thought that they did have good chemistry and Sam's perspective of the story was great to read.

I also thought that the book didn't exactly have a plot. Sure, there were a few unsolved mysteries and it was about Grace and Sam's love but other than that, I felt like there was nothing leading to an exciting ending or any big twists in the storyline. My opinion probably differs from a lot of other reviewers but for me, the development of the book wasn't interesting or exciting enough. The beginning was intriguing and the end was great but the middle wasn't very good.

Now that all that has been said, I can say that after all I did enjoy the book as a whole. I thought that it was very well written and captivating at some points. There were a few good twists in the book and I particularly liked the ending. I wanted to start reading Linger right away. I probably made it seem like I didn't enjoy the book but I did. It wasn't a great book but it was pretty good and I recommend it to those who love werewolves, teen love and a cute, simple read. Oh and the cover is beautiful!



Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Demon King (Seven Realms, #1) by Cinda Williams Chima


Publisher: Hyperion, October 6th 2009

Source: Received for review

Edition: Hardcover

# of pages: 512

Rating:




Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell. For as long as Han can remember, he’s worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They’re clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he’s never been able to get them off.

While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father’s family at Demonai camp – riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.

Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.



Wow this book was really really great! Cinda created an awesome world filled with magic, wizardry, betrayals, deaths and romance all wrapped in one action packed book. I had read reviews of the book and had definitely heard good things about it but I really didn't know what to expect upon starting it. I usually don't like books with medieval themes, such as the kings and queens ruling sort of thing but to be honest, The Demon King was not politically boring at all. I absolutely loved the storyline revolving around the queens of Hanalea and the whole Queendom of the novel.

The characters in the book are so kick ass and unforgettable. Han, the main character, has a very raw personality and I absolutely loved reading his story and what he did to survive as an "ex-thief" in the poor side of his town. His background is mysteriously unknown and the silver cuffs around his wrists make you wonder what had happened to him in the past and as you read, the truth surfaces. The other main character, Princess Raisa, was also so very awesome. I loved reading from her perspective and I found myself really getting into her tangled love life with two very handsome and dangerous men ;)

Although the book was amazing, I found the beginning of the book wasn't as gripping as I would have liked and it took me a while to really get into the story but aside from that I thought that the book was original, suspenseful, gripping and eventful. I couldn't of asked for a better storyline and cast of characters. I recommend this book to everybody, you seriously need to read this series. It's freaking awesome! Stay tuned for my review of the second book in the series, The Exiled Queen.

Monday, February 7, 2011

The Pace by Shelena Shorts


Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing, August 2009

Source: Received for review from author

Edition: Paperback

# of pages: 302

Rating:





Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time. Intensely fascinating and rich with determination, The Pace brings together romance, mystery, and suspense in a compelling bond that is sure to have readers asking for more.



First of all, I want to apologize for my lack of reviews on the blog and for all the book reviews that are now long overdue. I feel terrible but unfortunately school and such has taken over. Though, as of now, I'm going to try to and write more reviews. Starting with The Pace by Shelena Shorts :)

This book was pretty interesting right away and I liked Sophie a lot as the main character, there was just something different about her. Weston was also somewhat different from other male characters I've read about and I loved how he wasn't a vampire, werewolf, fairy, ghost or any other average supernatural creature. Shelena pretty much invented her own twist of a paranormal creature and I liked how Weston actually had a few weaknesses. I also thought that the chemistry between the two was well described and written.

As a whole the book was very good and I loved the flashbacks and the twists throughout the book. There were several parts in the book that surprised me and as the story went on, more and more things started to unravel and finally at the end Shelena finishes with a huge cliffhanger! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the good cliffhanger here and there but only when I can go out and buy the next book right away to figure out what happens. Unfortunately, the second book in the series isn't available in Canada yet, I think, so I'll have to wait for it!

Some things I didn't like about the book were that some parts of Sophie's and Wes' relationship felt rushed but I can understand why. I know that a lot of people have said that this book reminds them of the Twilight saga and it in fact did remind of me of the books too but I still enjoyed it and in all honesty, almost all books are similar these days.

To conclude, I recommend this book to all you teens who are in need of a fast-paced, heart pumping good read with a thrilling storyline.





Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.


Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) by Charlaine Harris

*May contain small spoilers if you haven't read the entire series

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board


I've read the entire Sookie Stackhouse series AND I watch/am an avid fan of True Blood so I'm really excited for when the 11th book in the series is coming out!! The date is supposedly around May 3rd 2011 :)

Monday, January 17, 2011

Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4) by Sara Shepard

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Bought (Barnes & Noble)

# of Pages: 352

Rating:



Four pretty little liars' charmed lives have turned into living nightmares.


Emily's been shipped off to Iowa to live with her überconservative cousins. Aria's boyfriend is behind bars—because of her. Spencer's afraid she was involved in Ali's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse: She's clinging to life in the hospital because she knew too much.


If these girls don't start listening to me, Hanna's going to look like the lucky one.



Once again, Sara Shepard has written another fantastic addition to this series! This was probably the most intense book of the four that I've read so far. It had me guessing at the end of each chapter and most of the time I was wrong with my predictions :P


I won't say what, but you do get some important information from this book! I'm kind of nervous for the next book (Wicked) because I almost feel like there isn't much left to the series other than to find out one other answer :P But I'm sure they'll give us more secrets and hopefully more mystery also!