Recommendation of the Month!!

I know I have been M.I.A. lately, mainly due to me slacking off and being completely uninspired. I haven't read much lately to be honest, but today, a friend of mine reminded me of a good book that I have already read but have yet to recommend to you.

If you are a fantasy reader and fan like I am, you have to try The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. The first book in the series is The Name of the Wind, and it is simply fantastic. I can't tell you what it's about since I don't want to spoil too much, but it's just one of those books you can not help but adore. It is wonderfully crafted by the author; its characters and settings so rich it'd be hard to tear yourself away from them.

Simply put, these novels make up one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. It has everything that I love about books and reading, and if you like the said genre, try it out. If you don't trust me, I hope the thousands of 5-star reviews will encourage you even more! Happy reading!

Book Recommendation of the Week

This is a regular feature here on the blog where I will basically recommend ONE specific book that I have read, and loved. It could be something I recently just read, or a one from five years ago. Doesn't matter when; if I feel as if a lot of people might like it as much as I do, then I'll recommend it! This week.. I recommend..

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult - contemporary
When I Read It: 2010
Synopsis: What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

Initial impression: I hoped it would be good, since everyone was raving about it, and when I started to read it, I thought, "Okay, I've read about this before." But as I continued to read, I realized there was so much more depth to it than I originally expected. Yes, the plot may sound like it's been done before, but this book definitely surprised me and blew me away. It was so much better than I could have ever expected, and may be one of my favorite books this 2010!

Why I Loved It: Basically, it's a great story, it's wonderfully written, and it has a strong and lasting message.

Why you might like it: For the same reasons why I did. Also, I recommended this book to my friends, cousins, and some relatives. So far, everyone loved it; including the "non-readers." Book bloggers rave about it as well, making it one of the most talked about books so far this year. That must mean something, right? ;)

My official review for this book can be found here.
My interview with the author, Lauren Oliver, can be found here.

And if you're one of the ones that fell in love with this book as well, watch out for the author's second book called Delirium coming 2011 of February (If I'm not mistaken)

Book Recommendation of the Week

This is a regular feature here on the blog where I will basically recommend ONE specific book that I have read, and loved. It could be something I recently just read, or a one from five years ago. Doesn't matter when; if I feel as if a lot of people might like it as much as I do, then I'll recommend it! This week.. I recommend..

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Genre: Young Adult - dystopian
When I Read It: 2010
Synopsis: Thomas wakes up in a strange lift, without any recollection whatsoever All her remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, he finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark. Everything should be running normal, but then a girl arrives in the lift -- the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. With this occasion, the Gladers realize that it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable. And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

Recommended if: you like the dystopian subgenre and if you're looking for something original and exciting to read.

Why I Loved It: My official review for this book can be found here.

Book Recommendation of the Week

This is a weekly feature here on the blog where I will basically recommend ONE specific book that I have read, and loved. It could be something I recently just read, or a one from five years ago. Doesn't matter when; if I feel as if a lot of people might like it as much as I do, then I'll recommend it! This week.. I recommend..

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Genre: Thriller/Suspense - mystery
When I Read It: 2008

Synopsis: A serial killer is on the loose in Boston. The victims are killed in a particularly nasty way: cut with a scalpel on the stomach, the intestines and uterus removed, and then the throat slashed. The killer obviously has medical knowledge and has been dubbed "the Surgeon" by the media. Detective Thomas Moore and his partner Rizzoli of the Boston Homicide Unit have discovered something that makes this case even more chilling. Years ago in Savannah a serial killer murdered in exactly the same way. He was finally stopped by his last victim, who shot him as he tried to cut her. That last victim is Dr. Catherine Cordell, who now works as a cardiac surgeon at one of Boston's prestigious hospitals. As the murders continue, it becomes obvious that the killer is drawing closer and closer to Dr. Cordell, who is becoming so frightened that she is virtually unable to function. But she is the only person who can help the police catch this copycat killer. Or is it a copycat? To complicate matters even further, Detective Moore, often referred to as Saint Thomas as he continues to mourn the loss of his wife, is getting emotionally involved with the doctor.

Recommended if: 1) you like the genre, 2) you actually like being scared a bit, and 3) if you're like me. I'm obsessed with mystery/thrillers and suspense, but I don't actually read as much. So when I do read them, I want to be wow-ed. This one definitely did that for me.

Ages: Mature readers 15+ and adults. This is a violent and mature book, so judge for yourself if you would enjoy something like this despite the sometimes difficult-to-read themes and topics.

Why I Loved It: Because it is extremely well-written! I can not stress that enough. It's what nightmares are made of, at least to me. Plus, it's everything that you would expect from a mystery/suspense/thriller; exciting, scary, and nerve racking all at the same time! When I first read this book, I was so nervous all throughout, and even when I was finished with it, I still kept thinking about it. It's just so creative, and masterfully crafted.

Book Recommendation of the Week

This is a weekly feature here on the blog where I will basically recommend ONE specific book that I have read, and loved. It could be something I recently just read, or a one from five years ago. Doesn't matter when; if I feel as if a lot of people might like it as much as I do, then I'll recommend it! This week.. I recommend.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Genre: General/Literary Fiction
When I Read It: 2008

Synopsis: The Thirteenth Tale is a story about two women. One is a famous author who’s ill and whose life is soon coming to an end. Another is a young bookworm and bibliophile of a girl who lives a normal, simple life in her father’s book shop. The famous author is notorious for giving false statements, made up stories, and lies to people who have interviewed her. But for some mysterious reason, she decides to write to the girl telling her that after many years of lies, she is now ready to tell the truth; the real story of her life, for the first time.

Why I think you will Like it: This book will remind you how much you love words, books, and reading. It will remind you of its meaning in your life, and of your love and appreciation for it.

Why I fell in Love with It: This is actually one of my favorite books of all-time, so the reasons why I love this novel are quite a lot and I simply can not name all of them. Basically though, I love everything about it! The entire story, the characters, the twists and turns. The poetic writing, the overall Gothic-like ambiance, the Jane Eyre appeal, the lovely quotes. It's just so beautifully written and wonderfully told, and I simply like the fact that it's a "bookish book for bookish people."

Favorite Quote 1: "There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic."

Favorite Quote 2: "I never read without making sure I am in a secure position. I have been like this ever since the age of seven when, sitting on a high wall and reading The Water Babies, I was so seduced by the descriptions of underwater life that I unconsciously relaxed my muscles. Instead of being held buoyant by the water that so vividly surrounded me in my mind, I plummeted to the ground and knocked myself out. I can still feel the scar under my fringe now. Reading can be dangerous."

Book Recommendation of the Week

This is a weekly feature here on the blog where I will recommend ONE specific book that I have read, and loved. It could be something I recently just read, or a one from five years ago. Doesn't matter when; if I feel as if a lot of people might like it as much as I do, then I'll recommend it! Last week, I recommended The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. For the second week, I recommend..

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

Genre: General/Literary Fiction

When I Read It: 2008

Synopsis: Beginning in Paris on the eve of the Nazi occupation in 1940. Suite Française tells the remarkable story of men and women thrown together in circumstances beyond their control. As Parisians flee the city, human folly surfaces in every imaginable way: a wealthy mother searches for sweets in a town without food; a couple is terrified at the thought of losing their jobs, even as their world begins to fall apart. Moving on to a provincial village now occupied by German soldiers, the locals must learn to coexist with the enemy—in their town, their homes, even in their hearts.

Recommended if:
1) you enjoy reading about fictional stories based on facts and history.
2) you want a beautifully-written, moving, and thought-provoking story. This is quite a sad book, but it's a good one.

Ages:
For mature YA readers and adults. Generally, 15+ would be good.

Why I Loved It:
Suite Francaise is genuinely real, believable, and relevant. It captures the very essence of humanity -- the loss, triumphs, successes, failures, pain -- during a difficult time. It's heartbreaking but a really good story. And it's just so beautifully written. It's so vividly drawn, and every prose is as painfully lovely as the story itself. The characters are memorable, and the overall feel of the book is definitely unforgettable for me.

Quote from the book: "Important events - whether serious, happy or unfortunate - do not change a man's soul, they merely bring it into relief, just as a strong gust of wind reveals the true shape of a tree when it blows off all its leaves. Such events highlight what is hidden in the shadows, they nudge the spirit towards a place where it can flourish."

Quote from the author: "I must create something great and stop wondering if there's any point." - Irene Nemirovsky

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Have you read this before? And if you have, did you love it as much as I did? Maybe it's on your TBR list, waiting to be read. And if you could recommend one book for this week, what would it be?

Book Recommendation of the Week

I decided to do this possible weekly feature here on the blog where I will basically recommend ONE specific book that I have read, and loved. It could be something I recently just read, or a one from five years ago. Doesn't matter when; if I feel as if a lot of people might like it as much as I do, then I'll recommend it! For the very first week, I recommend..

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

Genre: Fantasy/Fiction
When I Read It: 2008

Synopsis: High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own -- populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.

Recommended if: you like stories about dark and strange things, and creepy fairy tale re-tellings. It's not for everyone for sure, but I think you should try it out and see if this is your kind of book. If it is, you might end up loving it as much as I do.

Ages: It says it's for children, but it has some rather disturbing characters and scenarios, and I can not imagine anyone younger than 13 reading it. So I think this is for 13+, mature YA readers, and adults.

Why I Loved It: It's a unique and original story; twisted and strange, creepy and mysterious. It is wonderfully written, beautifully told, with memorable and likable characters.

The author says: "If like me, you were formed by books, then you may see a little of yourself within its pages for, as the dedication states, just as in every child waits the adult that will be, so too in every adult lies the child that was."

Have you read this before? What did you think of it?