After the diaster that was Twilight, it was refreshing to read a teen Vampire novel that got it right. Glass Houses is the story of a sixteen (nearly seventeen!) year old girl who fast-tracker her way to first year college, only to be stuck in the town of Morganville so her parents can keep her as close as they can to home (one assumes that they live less than an hour away, but it's never really specified) and on the hitlist of the school's bitch-queen. After a violent attack in her dorm, Claire is forced to look for other accomidations and ends up living in the Glass House, an old "Gone with the Wind meets The Munsters"-looking place with a trio of mysterious characters who don't seem to be faring through life much better than she is.
Through her new roommates she learns the truth about Morganville--that it is 1) run by Vampires, and 2) yes, Vampires really exist.
Things go downhill for her from there.
I loved it.
And as it ends with a cliffhanger, I'm off to start on the second one... man am I ever glad I bought them both at the same time.
4 out of 5 stars
Showing posts with label 100 in 100. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 100 in 100. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
003 - Tribute // Nora Roberts
I have a confession to make. I have a slight romance novel addiction. Which is strange considering I spend most of my time mentally planning for a zombie-Apocalypse. I like to think that I have range. But since I've been cultivating this romance novel addiction since my mid-teens, I have also developed a love for Nora Roberts , the most prolific romance novelist in modern times--and quite possibly of all time (I'm not sure...I don't do research well).
So, long story short, when my friend with the bookstore offered me a copy of one of Nora's newest titles, Tribute, I wasn't about to say no. And, like most of her novels, I enjoyed it. It was less of a romance--though that is always present in her stories--and more of a cross between a renovation show on HGTV and a classic film. Halfway though I got the overwhelming urge to watch old movies--which I did...which is partly why this book took me more than a day. I'll have to make up for it later.
It features Cilla, the granddaughter of a classic Hollywood movie star who scandalously committed suicide before Cilla was even born. Cilla, a former child star, has filled her life with her new career--flipping houses--and her goal to rejuvenate her grandmother's old country home with new life. Her love interest is her new neighbor Ford, a graphic novelist and all around lovable nerd. I loved the dynamic between the two of them--she was the one wielding the power tools while he was the one mending her shattered outlook on life. It was very sweet.
It took a little while to get in to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Three and a half out of Five stars
So, long story short, when my friend with the bookstore offered me a copy of one of Nora's newest titles, Tribute, I wasn't about to say no. And, like most of her novels, I enjoyed it. It was less of a romance--though that is always present in her stories--and more of a cross between a renovation show on HGTV and a classic film. Halfway though I got the overwhelming urge to watch old movies--which I did...which is partly why this book took me more than a day. I'll have to make up for it later.
It features Cilla, the granddaughter of a classic Hollywood movie star who scandalously committed suicide before Cilla was even born. Cilla, a former child star, has filled her life with her new career--flipping houses--and her goal to rejuvenate her grandmother's old country home with new life. Her love interest is her new neighbor Ford, a graphic novelist and all around lovable nerd. I loved the dynamic between the two of them--she was the one wielding the power tools while he was the one mending her shattered outlook on life. It was very sweet.
It took a little while to get in to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Three and a half out of Five stars
Saturday, March 14, 2009
002 - I Love You, Beth Cooper // Larry Doyle
Whew! I didn't think I'd make it today, and wouldn't that be humiliting? Failing on day 2 of 100. I think my problem was that I tried to force myself to stick to a book that I'd chosen in advance, instead of just going with what my mood was looking for.
I began today with the full intention of reading Night Watch, a thick vampire war tome, and instead I ended up with I Love You, Beth Cooper, a hilarious comedy about a high-school valadictorian who, instead of going with his original speech, stands up in front of his entire graduating class and proclaims his love for the head cheerleader, who only kinda-sorta knows who he is, dispite having been seated in front of him for countless classes, spanning back over a decade.
I loved it. I sat in my empty apartment and giggled to myself as I read. It was great. The pictures kinda freaked me out though. If you see the book, you'll know what I mean.
Four out of Five stars.
I began today with the full intention of reading Night Watch, a thick vampire war tome, and instead I ended up with I Love You, Beth Cooper, a hilarious comedy about a high-school valadictorian who, instead of going with his original speech, stands up in front of his entire graduating class and proclaims his love for the head cheerleader, who only kinda-sorta knows who he is, dispite having been seated in front of him for countless classes, spanning back over a decade.
I loved it. I sat in my empty apartment and giggled to myself as I read. It was great. The pictures kinda freaked me out though. If you see the book, you'll know what I mean.
Four out of Five stars.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
001 - Wicked Game // Jeri Smith-Ready
Wicked Game // Jeri Smith-Ready
My first book in my goal to read 100 books in 100 days (starting on Friday the 13th...I may be jinxing myself here) is Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready. Radio station vampires... I thought it a good choice as I'm going out with a friend of mine tonight to see Pontypool which has radio station zombies.
We'll see how it turns out....
DAY ONE
Success! Day 1 complete. Done and done.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Sexy vampires working in a radio station. The author had a unique history going on for the vampires in her world. Instead of adapting, they are more or less stuck in their own era, the one in which they were turned, and when things pushed too hard against the views and habits and knowledge they carried with them, things would go badly for them. Only the strongest vampires actually survived for ages. The radio station in the novel is a way for a small group of vampires to maintain the link to their own eras, so that they could survive.
The main character is a con artist, trying to reform her ways, which is refreshing. She's strong, which is always good, and the fact that she has a hot vampire lusting after her doesn't hurt either.
One of my favourite things in the book was how the author delved into the death of vampires. She brought forth a method of vampire death that I've never heard of or thought about before, but I was able to picture it vividly, and it gave me chills. Very creative. Very possible (in vampire lore, anyway) and very disturbing.
The second book in this series is coming out in a few months, and I for one intend to check it out.
Three and a half stars out of five.
My first book in my goal to read 100 books in 100 days (starting on Friday the 13th...I may be jinxing myself here) is Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready. Radio station vampires... I thought it a good choice as I'm going out with a friend of mine tonight to see Pontypool which has radio station zombies.
We'll see how it turns out....
DAY ONE
Success! Day 1 complete. Done and done.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Sexy vampires working in a radio station. The author had a unique history going on for the vampires in her world. Instead of adapting, they are more or less stuck in their own era, the one in which they were turned, and when things pushed too hard against the views and habits and knowledge they carried with them, things would go badly for them. Only the strongest vampires actually survived for ages. The radio station in the novel is a way for a small group of vampires to maintain the link to their own eras, so that they could survive.
The main character is a con artist, trying to reform her ways, which is refreshing. She's strong, which is always good, and the fact that she has a hot vampire lusting after her doesn't hurt either.
One of my favourite things in the book was how the author delved into the death of vampires. She brought forth a method of vampire death that I've never heard of or thought about before, but I was able to picture it vividly, and it gave me chills. Very creative. Very possible (in vampire lore, anyway) and very disturbing.
The second book in this series is coming out in a few months, and I for one intend to check it out.
Three and a half stars out of five.
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