CAMP NANOWRIMO

Are you a wanna be Writer who's been having trouble writing the book you've been dying to write forever? You just can't finish it, can you?

Well then it's best to know about Nanowrimo. Especially Camp Nanowrimo which is coming up in 2 days. It starts on the first of August and ends at the end of the month. It's a month long project where you take upon the challenge to write a 50 000 word novel. It's a branch of the main National Novel Writing Month but is still the very same.

Check it out: http://campnanowrimo.org

Main Site:  http://www.nanowrimo.org/

REVIEW: The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

Name: The Dead I Know

Author: Scot Gardner

Publication Date: May 1^st, 2011

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Format: Paperback

Pages: 216 pages

Rating: 5/5

Blurb: When Aaron gets a job at a funeral home, he surprisingly takes to it. But there are dark secrets hidden in Aaron’s subconscious.

He experiences dangerous bouts of sleepwalking and recurring dreams he can’t explain: a lifeless hand, a lipsticked mouth, a man, a gun... Can he piece the clues together and figure out the truth of his past?

Review: I read this book for a sort of book club run by my school library at the moment and before actually borrowing this book, I discussed it with a couple of younger students and then my school librarians and friends. Most of the younger kids disliked this book, while my friends and the librarians raved about it. At the time, I didn’t think much about it but after reading the book I understand why the book club was split.

This book is heavy, in the sense that is mainly about death and while it has some outrageously funny moments in it, it is definitely written for an older audience. Therefore, I found myself immensely enjoying this book and connecting really well with the characters though we shared next to nothing in common.

I think while this book deals with quite heavy themes, the humour and the way it was used made sure that this book wasn’t completely melancholy without distracting away from the main theme of death.

All in all, I would suggest this book to anyone over the age of about fourteen.  

* This book was part of the Book of the Year awards run by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA). To check out their website please click here

Ely's Update

As a continuation of Chami’s last post, I have decided to tell you about the books that I am currently reading and plan to review in the near future.

As a preface to this first book, I should first tell you about the Book of the Year awards that are run every year by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA). If you would like more details about the awards, then you click on the link here to their website. Anyway, my school library set up a book club that gives everyone from year five to twelve and the teachers to read and discuss these books with some amazing morning tea. Yesterday, we had our second to last meeting and it was also when I decided to borrow ‘The Dead I Know’ by Scot Gardner, and oh my gosh! I have already finished the book and the review should be posted within the week.

Secondly, I’ve got on a little library borrowing spree recently and here are the books I’ve picked up:

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

Shirley by Charlotte Bronte

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This is Shyness by Leanne Hall (This is Shyness #1)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

That’s all from me today. I hope to see you all next time!

x Ely

ON GOING SERIES UPDATE (The Immortals by Alyson Noel)

Dear A Book So Fathomless Fans

It's Chami here with another update of my BookableLife. The Immortal Series by Alyson Noel is a series quite similar to Fallen by Lauren Kate and then it also has its twist of original events. A few years ago, I read the first three books in the series (Evermore, Blue moon and Shadowland) and never continued on with series because i felt like the series didn't deserve my time and only when i got the other books i would continue reading them. So recently, Alyson Noel came to Australia and Ely and I went to see her because we just love any type of author. So we met her and she was extremely nice with an awesome accent. I won her books and decided that i would give them another try after all these years. So i read the first book up to the third book and again decided that this series was okay that it could somehow be worth continuing. I hate not finishing series so I continued on with it and moved on to Dark Flame. That’s when I realised and felt the things I felt years ago. This series was dragging out too long and it was becoming a drag to read. The series didn’t solve their problems quick enough and the pacing got slower. Though this time, I am going to finish it because I can’t leave it hanging.



Xoxo Chami

New Series and Sequels of August 2012

August 1^st

Skylark (The Skylark Trilogy #1) by Meagan Spooner

Goodreads  

August 2^nd

Losing Lila (Lila #2) by Sarah Alderson

Goodreads

August 6^th

Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure (Maximum Ride #8) by James Patterson 

Goodreads

August 7^th

Wake (Watersong #1) by Amanda Hocking

Goodreads 

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads 

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2)  by Kendare Blake

Goodreads 

Glitch (Glitch #1) by Heather Anastasiu

Goodreads 

Rift (Nightshade Prequel #1) by Andrea Cremer 

Goodreads 

Rivals and Retribution (13 to Life #5) by Shannon Delany

Goodreads 

August 8^th

Innocent Darkness (The Aether Chronicles #1) by Suzanne Lazear  

Goodreads 

August 14^th

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Goodreads 

August 20^th

Renegade (Elysium Chronicles #1) by J.A. Souders

Goodreads 

August 21^st

Heaven (Halo #3) by Alexandra Adornetto

Goodreads 

The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies #3) by Pittacus Lore

Goodreads 

August 28^th

Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J. Redwine

Goodreads 

Endshadowed (Nevermore #2) by Kelly Creagh

Goodreads 

Starling (Starling #1) by Lesley Livingston

Goodreads 

Embers and Echoes (Wildefire #2) by Karsten Knight

Goodreads 

Inbetween (Kissed by Death #1) by Tara A. Fuller

Goodreads

Unknown:

The Burning Bush (Habitat #2) by Kenya Wright

Goodreads 

COVER REVEAL

UNREMEMBERED BY JESSICA BRODY COVER REVEAL

BLURB:

“When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating amid the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe. She has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories…period.

Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue comes more questions. Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

Unremembered is a compelling and suspenseful new series set in a world where science knows no boundaries and memories are manipulated—but true love can never be forgotten.”

Amazing isn't it? This is definitely going to go on my reading list.

Other Books by Jessica Brody:
- My Life undecided
- 52 Reasons to Hate my Father
- Love Under Cover
- The Karma Club

Subscribe to Jessica's youtube channel! It has the best book trailers.

My Life Undecided - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg_km4eUvuY&feature=plcp
The Karma Club - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpQK4sLfk1A&feature=plcp
52 Reasons to Hate My Father - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjWYB327yHc&feature=relmfu

REVIEW: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto ( CHAMI )

CHAMI'S REVIEW

Name: Halo – (The Halo Series #1)

Author: Alexandra Adornetto

Publication Date: August 31^st, 2010

Publisher: Harper Collins

Format: Paperback

Pages: 496 pages

Rating: 4/5

Blurb: Three angels are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human. They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, their superhuman powers, and their wings. Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and they are unable to resist their attraction to each other. But the angels’ mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

Review: I remember buying this book and then discovering that the author was from Australia and from my very own town, so I guess that’s what helped me begin with the Angels. I have read several Angel series and I don’t mind them…but they do have their separate clichés that drive me crazy. So I decided to give this one a try.

Alexandra Adornetto’s writing style is lacey and very intricate and I feel like that’s a good and bad factor in this book. She has made it clear that that is her writing style and I hope for her sake, that it is truly her and that she’s not just doing that for the public, so they won’t criticize her in that side…though they will always find a way. But I don’t really mind because I normally skim read long chunks of description if the Author has gone to “Full out” on it…but an author should focus on that less than the story, but I’m not even an Author so just ignore me. So her writing style is a 3 out of 5 for me. She has her way of words but unless it really astounds me, then I won’t really comment on it.

Alexandra can tell a good story and has managed to kick most of the clichés away, but she also has discovered how to cuddle them in the process. Bethany, however, is somehow clichéd in her own part. She can be whiney, annoying and totally dependent on a guy just to survive. At one part of the book, she even goes out of her way to make herself rot to death in her own bed because Xavier does not believe her in matters that contain spoilers. That is not very…comforting that the character can’t withhold her own life without someone else intercepting. Overall, she is quite enjoyable…but unrealistic at times.

Xavier, the boy we know she’s going to fall for is a good interpretation of a high school boy and that is what I wanted to see. He is different to all the other romantic interests in other novels in the sense that he shows more realistic emotions, but I’m not all about realism, I quite like the paranormal.

The Story is Great and I especially like the addition of Jake and him coming in quite late to the novels opening…which Alexandra has successfully transferred. I was surprised by that because I always expected another love interest to come in for the 2^nd book if not mixed into the middle-start 1^st book.

I’ve read Hades and I do really love that book so I can’t wait to post a review. Thanks guys!

Xoxo Chami.

REVIEW: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Title: Halo (Halo #1)

Author: Alexandra Adornetto

Publication Date: August 31^st, 2010

Publisher: Atom

Format: Paperback

Pages: 496 pages

Rating: 3/5

Blurb: Three angels are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human. They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, their superhuman powers, and their wings. Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and they are unable to resist their attraction to each other. But the angels’ mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

Review: When a friend picked this off our school library shelves and begged me to read it, I assumed that it would be like any other angel book in existence but my friend was 100% sure that it wouldn’t be. True to my friend’s word, it isn’t like every other angel book you’ve ever heard/seen/read and due to that, I quite enjoyed it.

Of course, there were moments where I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at what was happening. And while the romance was sweet, at time, I found it unbelievable and maybe even a little dull. The novel could certainly have done with some more action as it led up to the big problem scene and less about Prom.

All in all, Halo was quite enjoyable and I do plan on finding the sequel sometime in the future.

REVIEW: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl (The definitive edition)

Author: Anne Frank

Publication Date: March 30^th, 2000 (First published 1947)

Publisher: Penguin Books

Format: Paperback

Pages: 368 pages

Rating: 5/5

Blurb: Since its publication in 1947, Anne Frank's Diary has been read by tens of millions of people. This Definitive Edition restores substantial material omitted from the original edition, giving us a deeper insight into Anne Frank's world. Her curiosity about her emerging sexuality, the conflicts with her mother, her passion for Peter, a boy whose family hid with hers, and her acute portraits of her fellow prisoners reveal Anne as more human, more vulnerable and more vital than ever.

Review: 

This book honestly changed my life and views on the world more than I thought it possibly could. I wanted to read this book for weeks so when I found it on my local library shelves and took it one- I read the first two hundred pages within the first hour.

I was amazed as to how amazing and heartbreaking it was, as a history student I knew about the Holocaust but reading Anne Frank’s description made it seem even more real and gave a first-hand insight into the thoughts of the Jewish during the war.

Certain diary entries within this had me putting down the book for a while and really thinking about how frightening the whole ordeal would have been for a thirteen year old girl. The situations she faced while being hidden away reflected some of the situations I had personally been in which allowed me to relate to Anne Frank despite the difference between the societies.

I believe that everyone should read this book once in a lifetime, despite the difference in our world compared to that of Anne Frank’s. All in all, Anne Frank was an amazing teenage girl for suffering through everything that she did that ultimately gave us an incredibly moving piece of history.

REVIEW: Winter's Shadow by M.J Hearle

Title: Winter’s Shadow

Author: M.J Hearle

Publication Date: June 1^st 2011

Publisher: Pan Macmillian Australia

Format: Paperback

Pages: 424

Rating: 4.6

Blurb: Blake Duchamp... 

He's all that Winter Adams can think of. Ever since their fateful meeting at Pilgrim's Lament. Ever since he looked at her with those emerald eyes. Ever since he saved her life. 

But Blake isn't all that he seems. There is a strangeness about him, something dark and otherworldly. Something dangerous. In his attic is a secret he would kill to defend, but Winter seems to have a special ability to make him forget his duty. And he is her only protection against the gathering darkness. 

The only problem is, to protect Winter, Blake must risk exposing her to an even greater danger. Himself

Review ( Non Spoiler):

WARNING: This book does not contain Werewolves, Vampires, fairies or other supernatural creatures you do know. If you’re not fine with that, then you should be! It's nice to see a change in the atmosphere around here. Go Australia!

  

At first, you might think this is just another Twilight book. Yes that's what i thought. Well, my librarian did actually say that if you like Twilight, then you would probably like this book. I do like Twilight but I was kind of sick of all those paranormal romance's that included a Plain Jane girl with a totally hot tall and handsome prince charming. I gave it try because I was my friend’s book adviser, as funny as it sounds XD. She only liked to read books like "Hush Hush by Becca Flitzpatrick" so i gave Winter's Shadow a try. Guess what? I Loved it.

Yes, i know, it starts of with every other paranormal romance book, and just when i thought i knew where it was going. BAM, i did not. There are small comparisons that can relate to twilight, but doesn't nearly every novel have some kind of form of that? I don't regret reading it at all. It's a fantastic read that i'm sure paranormal readers will enjoy. Hearle's writing was enjoyable and i had no trouble reading it. There was just enough description to set the scene and mood. I admit, i did get quite cranky when Hearle flitted back and forth through time periods, though the scenes weren't anything stupid at all. So i was utterly fine. I'm looking forward to Winter's Light, the next book in the series.

SPOILERS INCLUDED ( Only Read after completion ) 

Okay okay, it was pretty obvious that CLAUDETTE was stuck upstairs and that meant I realized things more then Plain Jane did over there. Though at the start, i just thought it was actually a monster when Hearle described her as "IT" and that did catch me. Also what caught me was the Skivers, and those, i love.

Interesting on how he came up with his new supernaturals! I love them but i did really wish the guy would not always say, "You should stay away from me! I'm a monster," and the girls reaction would be, "Your not a monster to me!" in a hand to forehead faint call. Why can't it be, "I'm a hot guy but most people think i'm a monster," an the girl, "You are such a Jerk, can't wait to rip your head off." Maybe that's just me? :O oh well though!