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The Artsy Shelf – 10 – Dogs!

Posted by on September 30, 2009 11:56 am in Features | 12 comments

Hey everyone! I feel like it’s been a little while since I did an Artsy Shelf feature, so here we are! Since we did Cats a little while ago, I figured dogs now deserved some of our attention; after all, aren’t they supposed to be man’s best friend?

artsyshelf dog

Even though I like all of these covers, my favorite one is, without a doubt, Apologize, apologize! I think there is a perfect balance between the dogs playing in the water and the one sitting on the beach quietly. This cover makes me want to play in the water, pet a dog, sit on the beach and, also, read the book. It’s a successful cover for me!

Secrets to Happiness is absolutely cute, too! A perfect summer day, if you ask me! I also like the composition of The Art of Racing in the Rain; it makes the dog look more “pensive”, which isn’t a bad thing since, if I remember correctly, the story is narrated by a dog (somebody correct me if I’m wrong!)

Which one is your favorite? And don’t you just want to bring back home those Lost and Found puppy eyes?

Review : Liar

Posted by on September 29, 2009 2:39 am in 4 stars reads | 7 comments

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Pages : 371
Genre : YA
My Rating : 

Remember all those articles and blog posts on Liar‘s first US cover? Well, I’m glad I can say that there is more to Liar than its cover controversy! Liar was a surprising and captivating novel that I had a hard time putting down (ask my clock : I finished reading this one around 3 am last week!)

What it’s about :

From the start, there is one thing Micah will freely admit : she’s a compulsive liar, and so she lies to everyone about everything. When her boyfriend disappears and is then found murdered, Micah decides its time to tell the truth, and only the truth she promises to tell you. The question is : can you believe her?

I’m going to do this spoiler free – and believe me, if you intend to read this book, you should stay away from spoilery reviews too!

There is one huge twist in the middle of the book, and I absolutely didn’t see it coming. It took the book to a very different level! Because of this, I’m guessing that readers will either love or hate the twist, but personally I was really surprised by the originality of it. I couldn’t see it coming, but thinking back about it, I thought it was really clever.

I was really impressed by the complexity of Micah’s character. Even when she reveals some of her biggest secrets, you still don’t know whether you can trust her words, or not. It makes sense to believe her, and at the same time, it doesn’t! Did she lied again? Or is she finally being honest? The author keeps you guessing until the very end. But more than that, you get to learn a lot about who Micah is, and why (well, when she’s telling the truth that is!)

The ending felt a little rushed, and some parts felt a little slow. Other then that, I really enjoyed reading Liar. Unreliable narrators are fascinating, and Micah was no exception!

Filling the Shelf – 9

Posted by on September 27, 2009 11:21 pm in Book talk | 10 comments

“Filling the Shelf” is in fact a “In my mailbox” but with a title that suits my blog. :) Click here to see what others have received in their mailboxes!

fillingshelf9

Oooh look! Only two books this week, and they’re grown up books! Classics, too.

Farenheit 451, by Ray Bradburry : I read this one in French when I was a teen, but it’s so long ago, I barely remember more than the synopsis!  It’s definitely time for a re-read.

1984, by George Orwell : The only thing I read by Orwell was Animal Farm, which I really enjoyed. Then again, it was all those years ago; it’s time for me to know what this classic is about.

My mailbox finally got a little slower this week, compared to the previous ones : what about yours? What exciting book did you get this week? :)

Sunday Salon : on Books and the Influence of blogging

Posted by on September 27, 2009 11:44 am in Book talk | 11 comments

The Sunday Salon.com

Happy Sunday fellow Saloners!

How has your week been?

Mine has been pretty good on the reading side :

Books I read this Week :

  • Extras, by Scott Westerfeld
  • Liar, by Justine Larbalestier
  • Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott

Books I reviewed this Week :

I still read more than I review, and this is why I created The Review Challenge! If like me you have a pile of books on your desk, waiting to be reviewed, come and join! The rules are very simple, too. I have created it for myself first, and I didn’t want to put too much pressure either. Hopefully I’ll be able to start 2010 with no books left to be reviewed!

Also, you know that comic thing I do once in  while? Well, I did it again! And I want to thank you all, because it’s amazing to read your comments on them! Thank you! :D

Today I’ll be reading Life as We Knew It and The Pshysick Book of Deliverance Dane. Both are really great reads! I’ve been kind of lucky with my reading lately – or maybe it’s because I listen to your many amazing reviews.

When I look back on this year’s reading, I can see that I have read a lot less “bad” books than in the previous years (and by bad, I mean books that I didn’t personally appreciated). I could brag about my incredible ability to select the right book at the right time, but the truth is, a lot of it comes from the influence of other readers and bloggers.

Since I started following blogs and communities like Goodreads, I have taken the habit to “investigate” a book before deciding whether I should read it or not. It helps to read reviews and comments, to know whether a book is for me or not. Sometimes a great review will push me to read a book I wouldn’t have read otherwise; sometimes, even a negative review will have the same effect!

And I’m not even gonna start talking about the influence this has had on my TBR pile!

What about you guys? Has blogging influenced what you read? Do you find it easier to pick the right books for you?