Contest Reminder

Contest Closed

Just a quick reminder that your chance to win 1 of 5 amazing books expires Saturday November 21st, so if you've yet to enter, do so now! Unless, that is, you don't want to win one of the following1:
World War Z by Max Brooks
Den of Shadows by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
The Looking Glass Wars By Frank Beddor
Terrier by Tamora Pierce
Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow


Interested? Good! Then click HERE to enter2!


Good luck!
Zombie Girrrl


footnotes__________________________________________
1 The three titles without links haven't been reviewed on my blog for some strange reason, but I assure you that they are Five Zombie reads!
2 Don't freak out, but you will be sent to anoter blog when you click this link! The contest is in conjuction with The Park Avenue Princess' Saturday Spotlight meme. You can read an interview with yours truly and then sign up for my contest at the end of the post!

My Take On Dramarama by E. Lockhart

Two theater-mad, self-invented
fabulositon Ohio teenagers.
One boy, one girl.
One gay, one straight.
One black, one white.
And SUMMER DRAMA CAMP.
It's a season of hormones,
gold lame,
hissy fits,
jazz hands,
song and dance,
true love,
and unitards
that will determine their future
—and test their friendship.

Talk about two very different takes on a book!
After reading Dramarama and being slightly less than thrilled, Orchid lent it to me with the warning that I shouldn't expect too much. It was too glittery and the characters were all too dramatic1.

ZG: Glitter, you say? [feigns disinterest]

Orchid: Yes, glitter.

ZG: How much glitter? You know, for curiousities sake. [plays coy]

Orchid: Gobs of it. [suspecion creeps into voice]

ZG: *heavy sigh* I guess I could give it a shot. [rolls eye as though granting a huge favor]

I was not disappointed.

This book is definitely in a league of its own as far as I'm concerned. I've never read a book about the theater and Broadway before, and the only apt term for what I found in Dramarama is "Fabulous!" E. Lockhart dropped showtunes titles and Broadway stars like breadcrumbs, but I never felt out of the loop or uninformed. It wasn't forced, it just was. I danced around my room for a few days after reading this, the theater vibe was that contagious.

The whole story was not about glitter and gold lame2, however. It was about friendship, expressing yourself, accepting who you are, and finding where you fit. Demi and Saydie's friendship was fun to read about because they were both so encouraging and flambouyant. I loved the songs and dance reutines they put together to survive their fabulacking Ohio town.

But my favorite thing was this wasn't your typical chicklit. Everything wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. If it were, I wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. I've found that while most chicklit books are like a box of perfect bonbons with creamy centers and zero calories, E.'s are more realistic and thus more enjoyable4. Her books are like that same box of chocolates, but now you're eating them with the knowledge that the average chocolate bar has 3 to 8 insect legs in it3. They're fun and sorta outrageous, but still realistic. And I love the ending! It allowed your mind to wander down the path of time and imagine what would have become of Demi and Saydie after The End.

Ratings! I'd rate Dramarama PG13, but only mildly so. There was a little kissing, but nothing too much, and no hanky panky. Yay!

I give Dramarama...

Three Zombies!

I will definitely be looking into E.'s other books after this. A little birdy told me that The Boyfriend List would be right up my alley...

Happy reading,

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes____________________________________

1 For Orchid's full review, click here.

2 Pronouced "la-may"

3 Is it wrong that this doesn't temper my love of choclate in the slightest?

4 Case in point, The Disreutable History of Franky Landeau-Banks. I loved that book because it had a tinge of reality and everything wasn't hokey pokey all the time.

***I am not recieving compensation for this review. All opinions expressed above are those of the author of this blog alone. The above reviewed book was acquired from my library. Individual results may vary.***

Weekly Book Roundup (Nov #2)

It's that time again, time for me to share what I've acrued this week1!

IMM:
This week something wonderful came in my mailbox; a 6lb box of books, swag, and Halloween goodies from Katie of Katies Book Blog. It was like a slightly belated birthday present, and I tore into it with the zeal of a five year old! Inside was the following:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (ARC)
Never Cry Werewolf by *** (ARC)
Devil's Kiss by *** (ARC)
Snap by Carol Snow (ARC)
Danial X by James Patterson (PB)
The Dark Devine nail polish and soundtrack2
Hush, Hush book plate sgined by Becca Fitzpatrick3
various bookmarks including one for Meridian signed by Amber Kizer
2 Oh. My. Gods. buttons4
You Are So Undead to Me t-shirt5
a foot-long pumpkin pen
a ghost lamp
2 glow-in-the-dark wrist bands
2 mini note pads
a bouquet of Blow Pops
a pumpkin Pez despenser
1 pair fuzzy purple socks6
And... I think that's it!

Major thanks go out to Katie for having such an awesome Halloween bonanza! BTW, she's having another awesome contest as we speak! She's giving away Need by Carrie Jones! The contest ends Nov 20, and there's a link on my sidebar. -->

In Other News:
The results are in, and 43% of you had it right! I am now 22 years old! Whoo! I don't know what some of you were thinking, 15 to 17?! As if! I remember when the Macarena was invented8!
Thanks to everyone who voted and all well wishers. ^-^

Happy Reading,
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_______________________________________
1 Kudos to The Story Siren for starting and promoting the IMM meme!
2 The nail polish is seriously my favorite shade of purple, and the soundtrack is sooo good! I think I've mentioned before how much I love book soundtracks; it really gives you a feel for where the writer's mind was at, so I now have a pretty good idea (I think) of what happens in The Dark Devine.
3 This went straight into my copy! I squealed when I saw that.
4 The one with the winged shoes now resides on the grey leopard spotted cardigan I got for my birthday.
5 More squealing. I'm currently reading this book, so now I can read and wear it!
6 These made me giggle. They're really handy, though, because my feet are like ice cubes. They're like corpsickles. ^-^
7 Not sure I should be bragging about that...

My Take On Soulless by Gail Carriger

First off, this is not technically a YA book. I've seen it circulating the YA blogosphere quite a lot, I even won my autographed copy from one, so I was a little surprised to find out it was in fact an adult book. There are a few scenes that more delicate readers1 will have to skim over, so I'm gonna rate this book a strong PG13 for graphic adult situations2. Aside from the occasionaly "scene" this book read very much like a YA book. It was fast paced with excellent characters, just the right amount of mystery, and hilarious dialogue. It's an excellent crossover book for adults looking to get into YA or vise versa.

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

As for the book, it was fabulous! I couldn't get enough of Miss Alexia Tarrabotti and her everpresent parasol3! The setting was a lot different from what I usually read, but it was a great change of pace. The characters were vibrant and loveable, I especially loved reading about her flambouyant friend Lord Akeldama. I was always waiting to see what he'd wear next, and I was never dissapointed. Carriger was never sparse with her descriptions of the characters, the world, or the political workings thereof. The story was never slow or bogged down by details, though.

The character interaction was the high point for me. I especially loved Alexia and Lord Maccon's bickering and Alexia's relationship with her best friend, Miss Hisselpenny. They had this snide little thing where Alexia would insult Miss Hisselpenny's taste in headwear and Miss Hisselpenny would then criticise Alexia on her accademic pursuits. It was hilarious!

This book was a riotous introduction into the colorful, magical world of Miss Tarrabotti. It had me laughing out loud in innapropiate locals, but I've never been shy about that sorta thing, so I'd just say, "I'm sorry, but this is a really funny book! You'll have to excuse my laughter because it simply cannot be helped!"

I give Soulless...

Four zombies! This novel of vampires, werewolves, parasols, and steampunk (which is best read with tea4), is high up on my list of recommended reads5, and I eagerly await the release of the second volume in the Parasol Pretectorate Series, Changeless, in May.

Happy reading,

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_________________________________________

1 Such as myself. As I've stated before, I don't like smut in my reads, so when I encounter them I skim over them.

2 Keep in mind, however, that my idea of what's what might be a little more conservative than a-ver-age bear.

3 If you're in the market for more parasol shinanigans, read the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters. It's got a slower pace, but the characters are fairly similar. The main premise is that Peabody is a witty and highly intelligent woman archeologist in a non-steampunk Victorian England, though the story takes place in Egypt. Her and her hot Archealogist husband solve mysteries and fight against grave robbers and such. They're very good. But I digress...

4. That's what Miss Carriger wrote on the inside flap. It was very cool of her. ^-^

5. A totally true claim. I'm lending it to my sisters and I've been dropping strong hints to my aunt that she would enjoy this series very much. So yeah, it's for everyone (over a certain age6).

6. It's my personal opinion that that age is 17.

***I am not recieving compensation for this review. All opinions expressed above are those of the author of this blog alone. Individual results may vary.***

Weekly Book Rounup (Oct #3, #4, & Nov #1)

Sooo much to catch up on! I've been lazy in the IMM department these last few weeks, but no more! Here's what I've gotten for last three weeks1!

Library:
Nothing much to report on this front as I've been trying to shorten my TBR pile. It has gotten rather out of hand of late. I did get Catcher in the Rye a couple weeks ago, though. I love that book! Holden is awesome, and one of my new favorite characters. Expect a full review in the near future.

In My Mailbox:
I won Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll from Velvet in an Easter egg contest she had during Alice in Wonderland Week. She also threw in a box of Chocorooms2 from the Catapillar. Thanks, V! I've set Alice aside to be my Christmas read3.
I also won a Leviathon postcard signed by Scott Westerfeld (!!!) from Celia. Thanks, girl!
From Fatastic Book Review, I won a signed copy of Soulless by Gail Carriger, which came straight from the author! She wrote, "Best read with tea!" inside. So true! Thank you, Tina and Miss Carriger! This book was fantastic and hilarious!
I also won a crisp new copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick from Cindy over at Simple Life and Reading. Thnaks, Cindy!


In Other News:
~Don't forget to enter MY FIRST CONTEST EVER! One lucky winner willl have their choice from five of my all time favorite books!
~Also, Dahlia is celebrating her 1 year blogoversary right now, and there's a copy of Leviathon up for grabs, so be sure to head on over for that!!!
~It lives! My computer is back in action! Turns out it wasn't actually dead, it just had a massive stroke or something and lost all its memory. But fear not! It was backed up on a portable hard drive. I highly recommend you procure one for your computer, they are a God send4.
~It's my birthday (week)!!! Feel free to shower me in praise and well wishes, and don't forget to cast yor vote on my poll! ;)

Happy reading,
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_______________________________________________
1 Kudos to The Story Siren for starting and promoting the IMM meme!
2 Chocoroom-chocoroom-chocoroom! New favorite word! Say it, it's fun!
3 It seems more seasonal than zombies or fallen angels.
4 Que heavenly choir.

Buttons, Buttons, Buttons!

Head on over to Tynga's Blog Design to enter for a chance to win a custom blog button! There's a few requirements: you must follow, you must post, and you must fill out a little thingy, but it's super easy and the prize is awesome! I'd love to have a button for my blog, especially if it's free!

Good luck1!
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_________________________________________
1 But not too much luck, because I do want to win, after all!

My Take On Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.




Ever read a book that so good, it felt unnecessary to write a review? So good, that the whole world must already be aware of it, and to say so would just be redundant? Well, that's how it was with Catching Fire.
I'll admit I was a mite worried that it wouldn't live up to the awesomeness that was The Hunger Games, so I put off reading it for a little while, but I need not have worried. From page one, I was, once again, Katniss. I felt her fear, anxiety, and resentment. I lived her life. Suzanne Collins has a style unlike any other I've read. Reading her books is an intense experience, and her characters and the world she's created are wonderful and, in some instances, frightingly real.
There was less action than the first book initially, but it picked up very quickly, and like a juggernaut, it just kept gathering momentum. The plot was also a lot thicker than the first book, and we were pulled deeper into the instability in the Districts. The old characters were really expanded on and a lot of depth was added, also a bunch of new ones were introduced.
Now, I don't want give too much away, but I will say there was a lot more Gale/Peeta time1. Poor Katniss is stuck between a rock and hard place, in the love department2. On top of that, she's stuck trying to get in the good graces of the hideously evil President Snow in order to ensure the safety of her loved ones, and handle all the pressures that come with being a champion, including a tour of the whole country where she and Peeta witness the instability of the population and the Capitol's hard handed control methods. And, O, the twists this story takes! And the ending? Amazing! I read the last few pages over at least five times before I even thought about setting the book down, it was so... what's a word meaning, "Whoa, dude, I did not see that coming!"? Not "shocking," that's not nearly big enough. If you like an unpredictable thrill ride that really pulls you in, you must, must, must read this series!


I give Catching Fire...
...Five Zombies! I cannot wait to get my greedy little mits on the third installment!

Happy Reading,
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_________________________________________

1 Whooo!

2 Choose you side now, Gentle Reader, because there will definitely be some boy rooting going on! I was on Team Gale in book one, but you really got to delve deeper into the characters in CF, so now I'm torn. Peeta or Gale? Gale or Peeta?

3 Are you reading it yet? No? Well, what are yo waiting for?!

****I won this book in a contest, and am not receiving compensation for this review. Individual results may vary.***