Not Enough Bookshelves: March 2009

Description: In Mary’s world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

I adored this book. It’s beautifully written, with wonderful characters and it is incredibly haunting. I was thinking about Mary and her world long after I finished it.

It’s also action packed. Just when you think nothing else bad can possibly happen it does. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t even notice our plane landing (which I hate) I was so wrapped up in the story.

The unconsecrated (or zombies) are truly terrifying but I found the Sisterhood and their immense power over the village just as frightening. No one questions the Sisterhoods word and no one is allowed to know their secrets. When Mary tries she finds out what happens to dissenters.

Mary is what makes the book truly special. She is such a wonderful character, strong, resilient, hopeful and forever questing. At one, heart breaking, point in the book she says,

“He was everything. Why couldn’t I see that he was everything?”

I think in that moment she means but it isn’t really true. Mary is always striving for something more, she’s never content with what is. Which makes her interesting as a character and very, very human.

If you’ve read The Forest of Hands and Teeth let me know. I’d love to know what you thought. If you haven’t you should.

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

* Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

She looked up at his amused face, and he whispered, “Do you think all the stories about me are true?”

“If the stories are true then you are a very interesting person.”

The Luxe by Anne Godbersen

For more teasers go here

For those of you who haven’t read my many posts about this fabulous series, it’s the fourth and final installment in Diana Peterfreund Secret Society Girl series.

I can not wait to start reading. I love this story so much. If you haven’t read it go out now and buy the first three and then you’ll be all ready for the release on the 19th May.

Thanks Diana for sending it my way. You’ve made my day!

Edited

I here by confess:
I loved it!

A better review will follow.

I read some fabulous books during our trip to the Uk. I made the most of my reading time, as come June I think it may be slightly curtailed by the arrival of the baby.

Anyway here’s what I read. Proper reviews to follow, hopefully!

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. I loved this. It’s one of my favouirte books now and I was so excited when I realized she also wrote Jellicoe Road. Which was waiting for me at the library on my return.

The Forest of Hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan So very good even though it scared me to death.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. Perfect plane book.

Fade by Lisa McMann Not sure why I love this series so much, it’s so not me but I do, I’m addicted and can’t wait for Gone.

What to expect the first year by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway. Scarier than a zombie apocalypse – I kid you not!

Evernight by Claudia Gray

I thought it was going to be a Twilight want to be, it so isn’t! Keep reading, everything goes crazy after page 139 – loved it and immediately ordered Stargazer.

Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli

I adored Will, he is a sweetheart and I loved his over analysis and run through of every possible outcome to his actions. His little sister and love interest spoilt it for me though, both were highly annoying.

Red The Next Generation of American Writers–Teenage Girls–On What Fires Up Their Lives Today Edited by Amy Goldwasser

If you have a teenage girl, are a teenage girl, were a teenage girl, are writing about teenage girls read it! Powerful and beautiful and heartbreaking and uplifting. I really thought I remembered quite clearly what it was like to be a teenager but this book reminded me how fragile and resilient you are during those years.

The Princess Diaries – Meg Cabott

I think everyone has heard of these. Meg Cabott always makes me laugh out loud.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Such a sweet book, Bryce and Juli are so lovable in their own ways. It’s more than just a first love story though, it’s about finding out who you are and who you want to be, looking at things differently, growing up, the consequences of your actions or lack of actions and finding out what’s really important.

Wake by Lisa McMann

Not my usual read at all, the writing is spare and sentences are fragmented but I LOVED it. I’m desperate to get my hands on Fade.

Have a great Sunday

“Stop it,” she falters instead, “just stop it. It was . . .it was all so long ago and we were just children and -“
“No we weren’t.”
“yes, we were.”
“We weren’t. But I’m not going to argue the toss with you about that. We’re not children now, are we?” He grins at her as he releases a cloud of smoke. “the point is that you know it’s true. It’s only ever been you and you know it’s only ever been me.”

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox – Maggie O’Farrell

The Truth about Forever – Sarah Dessen

That was the Goth stage, where I decided I’d never get the girl of my dreams because of my scars. Not to mention the hairstyle.

But then she slammed a door handle into my gut. And when a girl does that to a boy, it means she likes him. . . so that made me feel better. Because she didn’t care what people thought if she spoke to me. Before I changed.

Wake by Lisa McMann

* Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

When I look out the window, I swear sometimes I see a shadow running into the forest. And the squirrels – you’ve seen them, right? How they’re dying?

Evernight – Claudia Gray

For more teasers go here

“Here’s the thing, Cal. And I need you to really hear me. No Miss Smarty-pants, okay?” I nodded, not taking my eyes off his. “This. Us. This is the real deal. If we take care of this, it could be the forever kind of deal.”

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

“No,” he said, “memory’s a poor thing to have. It’s your own real hair and mouth and arms and eyes and hands that I want. I didn’t know I could ever love anything so much. Oh Lyra, I wish this night would never end! If only we could stay here like this, and the world could stop turning, and everyone else could fall into a sleep . . .”
“Everyone except us! And you and I could live here forever and just love each other.”
“I will love you for ever, whatever happens. Till I die and after I die, and when I find my way out of the land of the dead I’ll drift about for ever, all my atoms, till I find you again. . .”
“I’ll be looking for you, Will, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again we’ll cling together so tight that nothing and no one’ll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you . . .”

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

Favourite this month was definitely The Gemma Doyle Trilogy and A Great and Terrible Beauty in particular. Favourite cover was Need.

I also managed to review seven of them (well I cheated slightly by reviewing the three Gemma Doyle books in one but still good for me)

Need – Carrie Jones

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy – Libba Bray

Reading Like a Writer – Francine Prose

The Inkheart Trilogy – Cornelia Funke

Hope March is as good.

“I know you don’t want this, Katsa. But I can’t help myself. The moment you came barreling into my life I was lost. I’m afraid to tell you what I wish for, for fear you’ll…oh, I don’t know, throw me into the fire. Or more likely, refuse me. Or worst of all, despise me,” he said, his voice breaking and his eyes dropping from her face. His face dropping into his hands. “I love you, “he said. “You’re more dear to my heart than I ever knew anyone could be. And I’ve made you cry; and there I’ll stop.”

Gracling by Kristin Cashore

One of my favorite Weekly Geeks last year was: A Quote a Day. This will have you pulling books off your shelves and Googling for your favorites. It also means a post a day for the next week – or as many as you can do. Quoth Dewey:

Signing Mr Linky this week means you’re committing to posting a quote each day for a full week, starting on the day you sign up. You can postdate your quote posts so they appear automatically if you can’t get to your blog each day.

I collect quotes from my favourite books, on goodreads and in notebooks and in word documents and I just restarted my quote of the week here. I have them scribbled everywhere. So I adore this weeks theme.

I’ve been loving Ana at Young Adult Romance Reviews hot moments series. So (to completely steal her idea) I thought I’d pick romantic quotes all this week.

To start off, a quote from one of my favourite books of 2008. The romance isn’t the main story and it’s not exactly traditional either but I do think this bit is very romantic. Enjoy!

He takes Iris’s hand. He lifts it. He places it slowly, very slowly, on his chest. Just above his heart. Iris can feel is jumping and jumping, as if it wants to be free. She keeps her eyes fixed on the screen.
“That’s my heart,” Alex says, without moving his eyes from the television. He has kept his hand over Iris’s, pressing it down onto his chest. His voice is even, conversational. “But it’s yours, really.”

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox – Maggie O’Farrell

For more Weekly Geek quotes or to join in go here.

We’ve all seen the lists, we’ve all thought, “I should really read that someday,” but for all of us, there are still books on “The List” that we haven’t actually gotten around to reading. Even though we know they’re fabulous. Even though we know that we’ll like them. Or that we’ll learn from them. Or just that they’re supposed to be worthy. We just … haven’t gotten around to them yet.

What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?

I have two

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

No idea why I have still failed to read this. Am I the only person in the world?

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Which I do finally have on order from the library, whether I read it is another matter!

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

* Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

Primal fear uncoiled in her belly, and for the second time that night, she backed away without looking. Her heel sliced open on the edge of a mussel shell.

Love Struck by Melissa Marr
From Love is Hell

For more Teasers go here.