Book News Night #3: October New Releases! Pt. 2 and J.K. Rowling Live Webcast

Every week, on a random night, I will report the latest newsworthy items in the world of books with some thoughts from myself.

We are at the third Book News Night, and I'm continuing the list for October New Releases! There are just so many good reads this October!

And stay tune till the end of this post, because there's news on the one and only 

J.K. Rowling, and also a surprise for you guys!

1. Crewel (Crewel World, #1) by Gennifer Albin: October 16th, 2012

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

I was so lucky to receive a review copy of this book, and can't wait to start reading! The synopsis and the anticipated world-building sounds amazing. But I'll try to not let my hopes up too high just in case.

Get this book on Amazon |  Amazon Kindle | Book Depository | Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Love Comes Later Blog Tour: Excerpt and Giveaway!

I'm proud to present to you the Love Comes Later Blog Tour, hosted by Novel Publicity! 
The tour features two books from Arabian author Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar. 

Please enjoy this excerpt from Love Comes Later, a heart-breaking multicultural romance by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this book tour, including a Kindle Fire, $550 in Amazon gift cards, 5 autographed copies of Love Comes Later, and 5 copies of its companion, From Dunes to Dior

Abdulla’s mind wasn’t on Fatima, or on his uncles or cousins. Not even when he drove through the wrought iron entry gate, oblivious to the sprawl of family cars parked haphazardly in the shared courtyard, did he give them a thought. Despite the holy season, his mind was still hard at work. Mentally, he clicked through a final checklist for tomorrow’s meetings. I can squeeze in a few more hours if Fatima is nauseous and sleeps in tomorrow, he thought, rubbing his chin. Instead of the stubble he had anticipated, his whiskers were turning soft. A trim was yet another thing he didn’t have time for these days, though longer beards were out of fashion according to his younger brother Saad, who had been trying to grow one for years. Beard length. Just another change to keep up with...

Top Ten Tuesday #2: REWIND! Top Ten Books Katie Finds Most Intimidating

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

It's nice getting to catch up with all the old TTTs that I've missed! There were so many great ones, so I randomized them and got this one - here goes:

1. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Just like any classics, there are people who love this book and people who just don't even care. As for me, I'm just struck by its sheer size. If this is not intimidating, I don't know what is.

2. The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
The first time I heard of this book is when my aunt, knowing I love fantasies, got me a book 300 pages long called New Threads in the Pattern. And when I found out it's actually the SECOND part of the SECOND book of the series, I was stunned. The series started in 1990 (that's before I was even born!) and - guess what - still haven't ended: its 14th-and-last book is set to be published in 2013. And the reason it has 2 authors is because Robert Jordan died when he was writing the 11th book.
Wow. At least I know what to read when I'm absolutely desperate for books.

Stacking the Shelves and Showcase Sunday #1

Stacking the Shelves and Showcase Sunday are weekly memes hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Books, Biscuits, and Tea respectively.

I've got a lot of books this week! Yay!

In the (e)mail:

Love Comes Later and From Dunes to Dior by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar 
Thanks, Novel Publicity!

I'm reading Love Comes Later right now for an upcoming blog tour! Will probably get to From Dunes to Dior if I have enough time, as I love learning about other cultures!

From the Review Pile #1: Jellicle Girl by Stevie Mikayne

From the Review Pile is a weekly meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page.

Featured this week: Jellicle Girl by Stevie Mikayne

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 234

Publisher: Evolved Publishing

Publication Date: Aug 15, 2012

Website: Stevie Mikayne | Jellicle Girl on Goodreads

My copy of this book is provided by Books, Biscuits, and Tea - thank you!

Synopsis via Goodreads: 


When Beth met Jackie, she was fifteen and shy, living in the shadow of her mother: talented artist Heather Sarandon. Jackie—wilful, cheeky and confident, made Beth see things in herself that she'd never imagined, and do things she never thought she would. As memories of Beth's last night with Jackie grow more like waking nightmares, Beth does everything she can to forget the girl who was so much more than a friend...

Book News Night #2: October New Releases!

Every week, on a random night, I will report the latest newsworthy items in the world of books with some thoughts from myself.

It's the second Book News Night! To tell you the truth, I never expected to return to this feature so soon, but with October coming, book releases are getting me so excited and I can't wait to share with you the most anticipated on my list!

1. Skinny by Donna Cooner: October 1st, 2012.

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

I sense some potential for this book to be inspirational!

Get this book on Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes and Noble Nook
Also, if you think the odds are in your favor, enter to win a free signed copy of Skinny on Free Book Friday!

Top Ten Tuesday #1: "Older" Books Katie Doesn't Want People To Forget About

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

My first reaction when I read this week's topic is: How should I define "Older"? For this blog, my interpretation would be any book that has been backlisted or have been published for a while ago but still worth reading!

1. The Harry Potter series (1997 - 2007) by J.K. Rowling

This is the one series that I can (and will never) be able to bear forgetting. I read the first book when I was 5 years old - and I got hooked. Not only on Harry Potter, but on reading itself. And it's not just me, but a whole generation! It's not the first (and certainly not the last) of its genre, but it's done something wonderful and... magical. Nothing can put my gratitude for Harry Potter better than the word of the one and only J.K. Rowling: "To Harry Potter! The Boy Who Live!"