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

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

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.

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.

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!

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. :)

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.