Monthly Archives: October 2012

Shayne Leighton: Of Light and Darkness

Book review October 30, 2012 1 Comment

OK, I can forgive this novel everything I found a bit lacking in it (there weren’t that many things either) because Shayne Leighton is 21 years old.

For anyone writing an interesting, original novel at that age, I really feel I have no argument as to the quality of the story and the dialogues.

Besides, even though several times while reading it I wanted to pick up something else, each time I went to check if I can continue reading this story, I got pulled into it. So, basically, Shayne is a very good story-teller.

The thing I wanted to read more of was the background of the society where the reader finds herself.

There is nothing on that subject which is something I really missed. But if I got it right, this is only book one so there might be an explanation in the next one.

The story revolves around vampire Valek who saved a baby girl in Prague and he raises her as her daughter even though she is no vampire but a human child (although I’m not so sure about that). The story begins with Lottie being old enough to fall in love with the eternally young looking vampire (she’s 20) and there is a fae who wants her for himself and here the plot thickens in previously unguessed ways.

There are parts of the story where reality feels as disjointed as in Alice in Wonderland, then we have the feelings of forsaken (or lost) love in the manner of the young, and some rather romantically pathetic feelings. Coupled with dialogue. 😀

But generally speaking, it was an interesting and unconventional read.

One thing I couldn’t really understand is why the vampires in this novel kill their victims when it becomes obvious later on they can drink without doing so? Is it that they don’t want to leave witnesses? Because it seems these vampires have no hypnotic skills so everyone would remember being bitten…

Welcome! :)

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts October 28, 2012 Comments: 22

Here it goes.

This is my first post here, on WordPress and my new site. I sincerely hope this novelty brings a  much needed writing momentum to my life as I sorely need it.

Well, I feel the need, I just don’t feel I need to fulfill it. 😉

So, a big welcome to everyone and here is some champagne for all of us.

 

Temple Mathews: The New Kid

Book review October 26, 2012 1 Comment

Honestly, this is getting worrying – I don’t seem to read anything much aside from YA. I just wish I would read a blurb that sounded interesting and it didn’t belong to a YA novel.
I wonder what does that say about me?

And is it only me who thinks blurbs are a very good way to make you not want to read a certain book?

Ok, on to the novel in question. It is the first in series and I plan on reading on. And I read it without interrupting it with something else. 🙂

I wasn’t terribly pleased with being immersed into Will’s life without any background, just having to take it all for granted but it all got explained during the story.
These days I’m reading some strange, new stories in the YA world. Not that I mind, that is probably why I can finish them without interruption.
Anyway, Will fights demons and discovers too late why that wasn’t such a great thing to do. The interesting thing though is at one point you are not sure who is doing what for what purpose and I mean that in a good way – there is just no guessing the reasoning behind some of the actions and who might turn out to be a good guy. Or who is truly evil.

So, the whole story is very action-packed, which is also why I wanted some background on the 16-year old who can do all that. And Will is a strange kind of a super-hero and a genius to boot. 😉

One thing I noticed lately, coming up often in the novels I read, is the abrupt change of voices who are telling the story, so you need to pay attention when it switches without any previous warning.

What I was left wondering after reading this book is how come the author made the people of that little town almost all lean to the evil side and choose evil? Does it really seem like such an easy choice to most people?

My ebook came courtesy of Netgalley.

Autumn sale!

World of Perfume October 20, 2012 Comments: 2

I decided it’s about time I cleared my perfume collection by letting go of some of the perfumes I keep for sentimental purposes and never wear and also the time to decrease the contents of some of my bottles as by the rate I’m going, I will never use them up and the most probable thing that would happen to those perfumes is they will become unwearable.

So here is the list:

Nikki de Saint-Phalle, edt, 50/59ml – 25$

4711 Tosca, 190/200ml, splash bottle – 60$

Guerlain Mitsouko, 70/75ml, edp, – 50$

Carolina Herrera by Carolina Herrera, 40/50ml – 20$

Thierry Mugler Angel Liqueur de Parfum, 34/35 ml, – 50$

Christian Dior Dolce Vita Deodorant Parfume, 60/100ml – 25$

Clarins Eau Dynamisante 90/100ml, without box,  45$

Dior Diorella  35/50ml, edt, without box – 30$
Bulgari Omnia, 50/65ml, – 40$

MAC, MV1, 17/20ml – 40$

Estee Lauder, Bronze Goddess, edt, 15ml – 10$

Parfum d’Empire, Wazamba, 10/50ml – 10$

Set of 4  decants of 4,5 ml :Santa Maria Novella Melograno, Maria Candida Gentile Exultat Sideris, Cinabre, – 30$

Malak, Rose, edt, 4ml decant, 5$

L’Artisan Parfumeur, Navegar, 10ml decant – 20$

Serge Lutens, Rousse, 10ml decant – 30$

Nez a Neez, Bal Musque, 10ml decant – 20$

Balmain, La Mome, 10 ml decant – 10$

L’Artisan Parfumeur, Cote d’Amour, 10ml decant – 10$

L’Artisan Parfumeur, Piment Brulant, 10ml decant – 20$

The shipping will depend on the size of the package, between 3-15$ for bigger bottles.

A place where summer still lives…

Perfume thoughts October 15, 2012 Comments: 12

This weekend I went to Split to attend a friend’s wedding.

As I went there with my girlfriends, of course I had the best of times. I was also lucky enough to enjoy a couple of days of summer as Split is located on the Adriatic coast, south enough to still enjoy warm days when the temperatures are over 20 degrees Celsius and the sea is as well (around 22).

Of course I took a swim while I was there – I can’t believe I could actually enjoy a swim in the middle of October and that the sea and air were warm enough for it to be an enjoyable experience. 🙂 (actually, it was rather hot in the sun)

Here are some of the photos I took:

Split Riva
 

View from Kaštel Stari
 

View from Kaštel Stari

From the beach

I’m back in Zagreb and even if I wasn’t aware the summer is long gone here (the cold is a good sign), my morning choices of what perfume to apply would be a good indication – vanillas are somehow on the top of the pile. 🙂

Kresley Cole: Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles,1)

World of Books October 9, 2012 Comments: 3

As you could have noticed by now, I’m a huge Kresley Cole fan and I read most of the Immortals After Dark books more than once. 🙂
I also enjoy YA novels so after reading the excerpt from the Poison Princess some months ago, I was very much looking forward to the book.

Now, even though I enjoy YA genre, I often find those books a bit lacking.  Not that they are bad and I stop reading them, it’s just they aren’t as good as they could be – the characters and the story don’t always come together seamlessly.

So, I started reading the Poison Princess and getting into the story and characters and I thought I detected some flaws in the storyline which could be explained in only one way. I knew what explanation that would be for me but I admit (and I apologize to Ms. Cole now) I had my doubts whether the story will oan out as I thought it should following the line.
I should have known better than to doubt Kresley Cole’s style of writing and forming a story. 🙂 It did end the only way I imagined it could.
OK, now I sound like I predicted the story’s end which I didn’t. I just thought that most of the story couldn’t be explained well enough unless there was a reason for that type of story-telling. And I was right.

I don’t want to into details of the story, anyone enjoying Ms. Cole’s books won’t thank me for it.
I did have some issues with Evie’s naivete and ensuing stubborness but she worked through it so I was satisified in the end.
I should add that anyone who liked Hunger Games might like this one as well as there are some touching points to the story.

But basically, it’s one of the better YA novels I read in a while (I’m not counting HP here) and Kresley Cole didn’t disappoint by trying her hand in this genre.
Luckily, there are more books in the Arcana Chronicles to come. Unluckily, not soon enough.

P.S. I have to add, my boyfriend would agree with everything said about Ducatis in the novel. 🙂