Countdown: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Just 10 more days...TEN!!!!  I have been anticipating this book from the moment I found out about it back sometime in 2009.  I loved The Mortal Instruments, but there is something about The Infernal Devices that makes me think I will love it even more.  I instantly fell in love with the idea of placing modern stem-punk fiction in the Victorian Era.  To me the Victorian Era symbolizes romance with new independence.  Perhaps we will see a softer edge in pages form Clare's new book, Clockwork Angel, or will she emphasize the hardship of the time with her grunge appeal?  Whatever she does I am sure it is going to be brilliant!

Teaser Tuesday: August 17

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 My Teaser:

"She felt blood rush to her face, hoped that he couldn't see her blush in the half light.  For an interminable moment his only response with the click-click of his heels on the marble floor, then-" ~ Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor pg. 95

Flecks Of Gold by Alicia Buck

Despite what Mary Margaret Underwood thinks, she isn't your average high school student standing 5'10" with tiger gold eyes and a talent for going unnoticed.  But when one more of her mom's bad breakups force them to flee town and start over Mary senses something different about this place, particularly one of her new classmates, Kelson.  Well Mary's intuition proves right when her mom is suddenly kidnapped by Kelson in a flash of blue.  Running on pure adrenaline Mary instinctively performs magic she, until moments before, never believed existed.  Following after her mom to a world she knows nothing of.

Flecks of Gold is the  book review, books, Flecks of Gold, Young-Adultfirst novel from the pen of Alicia Buck, and after reading it I am certain she struck gold with this debut.  Magic, adventure, and even a little romance fill the pages to create this imaginatively original coming of age tale.  Buck placed a fresh outlook on the concept of magic, making its existence believable by portraying its elements similar to molecular structure. 

Flecks of Gold was so fun to read, not to mention captivating.  My one complaint was that Mary often didn't seem to pick up on things that were obvious to me as a reader.  Apparently she did, but she doesn't let the reader didn't know this until much later in the book.  Maybe the mentions were removed during the editing process?  Despite that I found myself not wanting to put the book down and flew though it in two days.  Now I have been left wanting more.  I can't wait to see what is yet to come from the creative mind of Alicia Buck.

*You can buy Flecks of Gold by Alicia Buck online at Amazon.com*

Countdown: Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Is anyone else as excited for Lisa Desrochers debut novel, Personal Demons, as I am?  Because if you are I commend you on restraining yourself from hunting down an ARC and stealing it from its rightful owner.  Which brings me to the purpose of this post...to provide the link where you could win your very own Personal Demons ARC!  Go here to Lisa's site for your chance to win an advanced reader copy of Personal Demons.  But for those of your who just can't take the chance at winning feel free to pre-order Personal Demons on Amazon.

A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn

A Kiss in Time is the second Alex Flinn book I have read this year (or ever), and I have to say it was my favorite of the two.  We all know the classic story of Sleeping Beauty, however A Kiss In Time is anything but classic.  Told from alternating points of view Alex Flinn was able to convincingly re-imagine this classic fairy tale into modern times.  Often making me question if such a story could actually happen, but I guess it isn't likely anyone could sleep 300 years without aging a day.

Princess Talia of Euphrasia is of course the sleeping beauty in this tale, never letting the reader forget that fact.  Talia starts off a bratty, spoiled, yet sheltered girl, and by the end of part one I was glad she pricked her finger on a spindle.  Harsh, maybe...but sleeping for 300 years did the girl good.  Even though she had been "frozen" at the age of 16, upon awakening at age 316, Talia realized it was time to grow up a little.  Her attitude transitioned at a natural pace, as did my adoration of her character.  In the end Talia's blunt thoughts, that she eventually learned should not always be voiced, are what kept me wanting to read on.

When we first meet Jaek O'Neill he is a pretty far cry from prince charming, but can you blame him?  After all he is a seventeen year old boy the 21st century.  Jaek's two biggest joys in life are partying and pissing off his seemingly distant parents.  It is in this frame of mind that he stumbles upon the beautiful Talia and awakens her with a kiss.  At first Jack's point of view was exactly as I would expect from a boy his age, but as the story evolved he's thoughts grew more honest in the purpose behind his actions.  For this reason (and some spoiler ones) Jack became my favorite character.  Weather I was reading his point of view or Talia's I was always delighted to read about Jack.

I would give A Kiss In Time 4 out of 5 stars.  I loved being in the world Alex Flinn has created, but I wish I could have gotten to know it better.  Occasionally a character would enter the story not fully developed, or without apparent purpose. and some sub-plots seemed to just stop.  These reasons account for the deducted star.  Despite all of that I truly enjoyed reading A Kiss In Time and found myself not wanting to put in down.  It is definitely a book I will be recommending to friends and family.

A Place For Recommendations

Hello Fellow Book Worms...

Hello fellow book worms I'm Broklyn, or B according to those near and dear.  That is how I came up with my blog title: The Book B.  A blog that has been in the making since my infancy might I add.  I admit in my full 20 plus year blogging about books didn't really cross my mind until recently, but I always enjoyed discussing books, recommending books, and theorizing about books.  When I say always...I mean always. As a baby I slept with books not stuffed animals.  Crying, because I had yet to learn to speak, until my Mother had selected the desired reads.  With a different lineup every night.  It was no surprise that boop (book) was my first word.  My room, as well as an in home office, is full of books: new, old, finished, abandoned, you name it.  This love of books is what I want to share with whoever is willing to listen...So here it goes.