Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday Finds (April 30, 2010)

My book finds for the week!


199 Reasons to be Thankful compiled by Janice Hanna

Got to know of this book from Alice's post. Hope to get this book so I will be constantly reminded of the many things in life to be thankful for.

A Room With a View by E.M. Forster

Check out Nymeth's review of this classic. I've studied Forster's other book which is A Passage to India for my English class. My lecturer even showed the movie in class. Unfortunately we only managed to watch half of it!!! I'm so gonna go to the library to borrow the DVD.

Movies watched in the past two weeks


Date Night (2010)
Starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell

About this couple, Phil and Claire Foster from New Jersey who are worried about the mundaneness of their marriage. They get even more worried after knowing that their best friends, also a married couple, are splitting up. To spice things up, they decide to have dinner at a trendy restaurant in Manhattan. Since they did not make a table reservation, they decided to 'steal' a table which was earlier reserved by the 'Tripplehorns'. Little did they know that the Tripplehorns are wanted by a gang of mobsters!

So instead of a romantic dinner, they spend the night running away from corrupted policemen and trying to find the flash drive which holds important pictures. Knowing that the main actors are funny people Tina Fey and Steve Carell, you can expect a few laughs here and there. Oh, and watch out for the appearance of the Amazon Kindle too!


Clash of the Titans (2010)
Starring Sam Worthington, Mads Mikkelsen, Alexa Davalos, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson

This movie reminded me of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief where there's a demigod involved. Anyway, this is a remake of the 1981 film version of the same name. So the people are unhappy with the gods and being rebellious. Then this demigod guy named Perseus is determined to fight with the people against the gods who are believed to be manipulating their lives. Perseus' reason for fighting the gods is because they killed his adopted family. Even though he finds out that his father is the great Zeus, he still doesn't care to stop the fight.

I fell asleep during parts of the movie.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway

I love Tim Burton's movies. I love the film score in his movies especially in Edward Scissorhands. The actress playing Alice in this movie is fantastic. She's certainly a defiant 19-year-old Alice who doesn't quite remember her first trip to Wonderland. On her second trip there, she meets the same characters like before: the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Mad Hatter, and the Red Queen. Ooh, I enjoyed watching Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. She's brilliantly evil!

The costumes worn by Alice, wow, simply fab. Do check out the scene where the Mad Hatter makes a tiny dress for her. He sure has style. :)

When in Rome (2010)
Starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel

Just watching this movie for Josh is enough even though the plot is a little bit weak. Art curator Beth is not lucky in love. Her younger sister's getting married before her. So she goes to Rome to attend her sister's wedding. Drunk and miserable, she climbs in the fountain of love and picks up five coins. Voila, the guys who threw the coins in the fountain are then fixated on Beth and keep declaring their undying love for her.

Among them is Nick (played by Josh). But Beth believes that Nick was just one of the guys under the spell. Even though she has feelings for Nick, she has to either return the coins to the fountain or give them back to their rightful owners. Quite a funny movie. Ending could be unpredictable.

Shutter Island (2010)
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams

What an eerie island! I knew the ending so it was fun following the movie and finding out how it ended the way it ended. U.S. Marshal, Teddy and his new partner, Chuck set off to a mental hospital on Shutter Island to investigate the case of a missing patient. But as the investigations go deeper, the questions getting difficult, the hospital staff being uncooperative, it's a tough task for Teddy and his partner. Besides, Teddy has his own inner sufferings to deal with too.

Watch out for some gory scenes!

The Crazies (2010)
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson, Danielle Panabaker

Definitely not for the faint-hearted but perfect for thrill-seekers. I really have to credit the excellent timing of the sound effects in this movie. Most of the time I found myself hiding my eyes behind my hands. I even considered covering my ears too but then I wouldn't be able to listen to what's being said.

The folks in Iowa are drinking water which have been contaminated by toxins. The side effects? They go stark crazy. But their kind of madness does not limit them to sitting around and rambling nonsense. They go on killing sprees! Scary huh? The disease has become so serious that the military team ambushed the town and tied up those who were suspected of being sick. But town sheriff David cannot rest until he has rescued his doctor wife, Judy who has a fever and thus, taken away by the soldiers to be quarantined.

A pretty exciting movie and get ready to jump or scream at certain scenes. It's a terrifying ride with the crazies.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

BTT: Restrictions

It's been a while since I took part in the weekly Booking Through Thursday. It's time to get back at it again! :) So here is this week's question:

God* comes to you and tells you that, from this day forward, you may only read ONE type of book–one genre–period, but you get to choose what it is. Classics, Science-Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Cookbooks, History, Business … you can choose, but you only get ONE.
What genre do you pick, and why?

*Whether you believe in God or not, pretend for the purposes of this discussion that He is real.

My answer:

Man, this is a tough one. I sure do read a variety but more towards fiction, young adult and those books with good humour in them. Yup, I like a book that can make me laugh out loud, in a good way. So I'll guess I'll pick those kind of books.

But I don't think God would want to limit my reading varieties though. ;)

Check out the other answers here.

New award for this blog!

I'm proud to receive the One Lovely Blog Award from both Mizz Yasmin of iRead n iReview and Nishita of Nishita's Rants and Raves.


The rules are:
  • Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
  • Pass the award to your favourite bloggers.
  • Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
So now I'm going to pass the award on to blogs that I like!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Win books from Today's Adventure!



In conjunction with her first blogoversary, NotNessie from Today's Adventure is holding a Blogoversary Giveaway where there will be five winners. She has two prize piles of books for winners to choose from. They can also choose books from The Book Depository.

It is open worldwide and contest ends April 30, 2010.

Mini review: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really wanted to find out what the hype was all about when it came to this book. It was banned due to the offensive language found inside and yeah, almost every page had offensive language or words that were deemed offensive.

Well, it certainly was a great experience reading this book. Holden Caulfield is an extraordinary character. I already knew the ending and read on to see how it went.

Holden is a depressed kid who only sees the pretentious side of everybody and everything. Therefore, he uses the word 'phony' loads of times. He also kept saying many things depressed him.

It's told from the first person point of view. It's also not like any book I've read. Some might call it a depressing book since the protagonist is so pessimistic and all. But I would definitely recommend this book to everyone as it is really thought-provoking.

Full review here

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Two contests at The Book Resort

Alright, I just came across TWO book giveaways held by the awesome Diane from The Book Resort. So the books to be won are:


Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Deadline: May 31, 2010

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer
Deadline: June 30, 2010

Both contests are open to her followers worldwide. Click on the titles to visit her site.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

The reading journal a book lover should have

A reading journal is what I need and my prayers have been answered. Sourcebooks have sent me this book for review which you can check out at my other blog. :) Below is the press release for the book.

Read, Remember, Recommend by Rachelle Rogers Knight
New and Improved Interactive Reading Journal Helps Book Lovers Organize their Favorite and Future Literary Experiences

It is late at night and you have just finished another great book. What a feeling! The characters, themes and fascinating settings are still fresh in your imagination. Questions and thoughts swirl into your mind. Does this author have another book? Which member of my book club would enjoy this story? What am I going to read next!

Book lovers, also known as bibliophiles, are looking for a one stop shop to keep track of their reading and they can find it with Read, Remember, Recommend: A Reading Journal for Book Lovers (Sourcebooks, 9781402237188, April 2010) by Rachelle Rogers Knight. A self-published hit, RRR is the ultimate organizing resource for book lovers.

The journal features 60 cross-referenced lists of literary awards and notable picks, including Pulitzer, National Book Award, and 100 Best Books of the Century. RRR also offers more than 2,500 suggestions to help readers discover great literature and new authors. Users can record books read, jot down thoughts and ideas, and keep track of recommendations, books borrowed and loaned, and book club history.

Unlike anything on the market, Read, Remember, Recommend keeps readers coming back to bookstores to purchase recommended books and urges users to spread their joy to other book lovers.

Rachelle Rogers Knight is a passionate reader who has enjoyed books her entire life. Rachelle self-published Read, Remember, Recommend and Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens in 2007, and earned the Bronze Medal for “Independent Publisher of the Year” from Independent Publisher Online Magazine in 2008. Sourcebooks, Inc. is releasing new and improved editions of the self-published hit this April. She recently re-launched her website www.bibiliobabe.com, an amazing blog and resource for book lovers.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Stumbled on new blogs + new giveaways!

Extreme Reader from Extreme Reader Book Reviews is holding a Mega Swag and More Giveaway! Really, she has tons of goodies and books to give away. Don't forget to stop by her blog to check out the various prize packs. Open worldwide. Contest ends May 01, 2010.

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Stella from Ex Libris is celebrating her 50 Followers by holding a 'Pick Your Genre Giveaway'. Open worldwide and the contest ends on May 02, 2010.

Among the books that you can win are Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione, The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke and Déjá Dead by Kathy Reichs. Go over to her blog for further details and of course, to join in the giveaway fun! Good luck!

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The Bloody Bookaholic (cool name! I love the sound of it) is giving away 28 books (super-cool!) for seven winners.

The awesome thing is that it's open worldwide and you have until May 14, 2010 to enter! So gonna cross my fingers and toes for this. :) Good luck to those joining!

Friday, April 16, 2010

In My Mailbox (April 12, 2010)

Folks, I've been busy recently with my assignments and final year projects. Now I have to prepare for two exams! Hmph. I guess I can fully concentrate on blogging and reading after my final paper which is on April 29, 2010. :)

Anyway, the books didn't stop coming though. The first one, Read, Remember, Recommend by Rachelle Rogers Knight was sent to me for review from Sourcebooks. I think that it's a really cool and handy book journal (my first one too!) and please look out for my review of it.



The next book I received was The Queen's Dollmaker by Christine Trent. I was lucky to win it from a contest held by Enchanted by Josephine.



It's incredibly exciting to win stuff especially books isn't it? :) Recently I was one of the winners for Storywings' contest. Unfortunately, I was so caught up with schoolwork that I didn't check my e-mail for a week and missed responding within 48 hours. :( That was quite a sad occasion. Now I'll be sure to check my e-mail every couple of days no matter how busy I am! Definitely an important lesson to be learnt. :)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Major giveaway from the Bibliofreak

Bibliofreak from Bibliofreakblog is giving away 21 books! Among them are:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (paperback)
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester (paperback)
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott (paperback)
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (paperback)
Nibble & Kuhn by David Schmahmann (ARC)
Flight by Sherman Alexie (paperback)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (paperback)
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos (paperback)
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño (paperback)
Seal Intestine Raincoat by Rosie Chard (paperback)
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (paperback)
Everything Sucks by Hannah Friedman (paperback)

Contest is open worldwide and ends on April 30, 2010. Go over to the blog for further details.
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