Lost Souls (Book One : Burning Sky) by Mel Odom

LOST SOULS
Book One : BURNING SKY
By Mel Odom & Jordan Weisman
Release date : April 27, 2010

In this first book in a new trilogy created by new media genius Jordan Weisman, Nathan Richards is your typical teen, one of the smartest at his school and the son of two famous archeologists, but he fails at everything because he refuses to apply himself. Never knowing his mother, who died on an archeological dig in a Mayan tomb while giving birth to him, Nathan is shocked, when on his thirteenth birthday he receives his birthright from the Mayan god Kukulkan. He is granted the ability to travel the frequencies and interact with the dead—including his mother! Now the fate of the human race rests with Nathan, who must play a game for the world’s survival—all culminating with the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012. Now it is time for Nathan to use his newfound gifts, fulfill his potential, and save the world! (taken from Amazon)

MY THOUGHTS : Ah well, this book didn't work for me... I tried to get into it, really tried, but failed miserably. I found the writing a bit feeble (with many repetitions and what I thought to be narrative problems). I found the plot fuzzy and the main character annoying, which tended to make the story boring for me and not catchy at all. While all the ingredients are here to make an exciting adventure (a mixture of Indiana Jones, ghosts, school life, dreams and teleportation), the book didn't seduce me because I thought the situation was not settled and everything was too disjointed. 

The first part focuses on the frequencies in which Nathan can travel (from a rainforest with wicked birds to a beach where sexy young people play voleyball). The chapters all look the same, and it was impossible for me to cling on to Nathan, who is a selfish boy, which gave me the feeling that he deserved everything that happened to him.

The second part focuses on a criminal investigation, making the story more down-to-earth, but with no suspense and no real evolution. I was also not a huge fan of the narrative construction : some parts are told from Nathan's point of view and some are omniscient, and I found the treatment not clear enough, the change of pronouns being more disturbing than natural.

So, as you can see, I didn't like this book. Now, I guess younger readers might find this story more exciting than I did. The whole thing with the game is also quite interesting (the package comes with a book, gameboard, pieces and dice for the readers to play while reading, unfortunately I didn't have that so I have no idea how it works). I would recommend this book to young readers who are interested in mythology and archeology. Once again, it's not because I didn't enjoy this book that you won't either. :)

Book Blogging Around The World (12) : Zupanja, Croatia

Name : Ivana

Blog : Willing To See Less
City/Country : Zupanja, Croatia

Welcome Ivana !

Tell us a little bit about you.

I’m 22. I’m a student of German and English and single mom to a little boy. My son and college are my main occupations at the moment. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, writing and blogging.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Willing to See Less was created in July 2009 as a polygon to share my thoughts on writing. Within a week, reading took over--not that I complain. I have a very eclectic taste in reading, meaning I will give any book a chance. I read a lot of classics and I have a soft spot for YA literature, so it’s a mix of everything.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world ?

My family immigrated to Flensburg, Germany during the war in Croatia. We have lived there between 1990-1994. I started school there and finished first grade.

What countries have you visited ?

I’ve not been too far from home. Except for Germany, where I’ve lived for several years and which I still visit from time to time, Bosnia and Herzegovina which is just across the river, I’ve seen some of Slovenia, Austria, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Monaco.

What countries would you like to visit ?

So many! I can’t pick out any in particular. Each country has its beauties and wherever you go in the world, there is always something that takes your breath away.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in Croatia ?

Negative-definitely the fact that I don’t get as many ARCs as I would like. Most publishers don’t send ARCs overseas due to ever-increasing costs of shipping. The good thing is that I get to hear about many books I might not have known about otherwise and recommend them further.

What Croatian authors and books would you recommend ?

That’s a tough one, since I read very little Croatian literature lately. One of my all-time favourites is Marija Jurić-Zagorka, veteran of female journalism in this part of Europe. She wrote a large number of historical fiction novels with themes from mostly 17th -18th century Croatian feudal system, always with a paranormal touch to it (witch-hunt, anyone?) Another author I love is Vjenceslav Novak. He also wrote a beautiful “chronistery”-a history of a Croatian and Italian family through the eyes of several generations. Also Ivana Brlić Mažuranić, whose fables all kids in Croatia grew up with.

How many languages do you speak ?

German and English so far. I plan to take a course in Spanish and Italian and learn the basics at least.

Do you read more in English or Croatian ?

English. What for college, what for fun, but seriously, the last time I read a book in Croatian was almost a year ago.

Where do you usually buy your books ?

In Algoritam, a bookstore in Osijek, the town where I study. In my hometown, there’s not even a proper bookstore, just few stationeries that keep some books that I’m really not interested in.

Is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentioning online stores) ?

Depends...we get all the major titles fairly quick. But if a book doesn’t receive the buzz of Twilight or The Lost Symbol, it’s very likely we’ll be pestering the salesman at the bookstore and keep our fingers crossed that someone puts it on the list. Just the other day I saw Hush, Hush and Beautiful Creatures on the shelves. That was pretty fast.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Croatia do you consider disproportionate ?

It’s hard to answer that question without going too deep into political or religious debates. Some that I hear very often are clichés about Croatia as a Balcanic country-often in a negative contest. That would be ill-tempered, conservative, impolite. The recent war just added up to that image. It’s widely discussed whether Croatia is or is not part of the Balcan peninsula. Frankly, I don’t care, as long as no one judges us only by the merits of the prejudice attached to it.

             

                                                                     Sava

Could you tell us a little bit about your life as a German and English Language and Literature student ?

If everything goes well, I should get my bachelor’s degree this fall. It’s a very dense program, literature, grammar and linguistics from both languages all combined. For example, I can’t study only translating. First later I get the choice between teaching, translation or philology. I love it, though sometimes it drives me crazy. The Croatian education system still sags under the remnants of an old scheme, universities are still adapting to the Bologna-system. My generation was the first one to study in those new terms. Most of the time it’s crazy, but I love it and can’t imagine my life without studying.

Quick Q&A

Favorite thing about Croatia : nature

Least favorite thing about Croatia : bad economy

Favorite typically Croatian food : sarma

Favorite place in Zupanja : river

Favorite bookshop : Algoritam

Favorite Croatia author : Anto Gardas

Favorite Croatia singer/band : Opca Opasnost

Favorite book to read while travelling : any

Plane or train : both

Boat or bus : bus!

Bike or feet : feet

I absolutely love summer.
Folk tales are amusing.

Thank you Ivana ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill.

Next week we'll be traveling to England !

Question of the Week :

What is your favorite local dish ?

If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.

French Friday (23)

Hello everyone !

This French Friday might be the last one I write from Paris... Tomorrow we're moving all of our stuff to our new house, but I'll be staying a few more days in Paris to clean the flat, give the keys back and visit the Louvres, which is a thing we've never done during our 6 years in Paris... We just can't leave without having visited it, right ?

Here are a few covers for you this week, pick your favorites !

The Beasts of Clawstone Castle by Eva Ibbotson
French Title : Bienvenue à Griffstone (Welcome to Griffstone)

My thoughts : I love the French covers for this series (I had already posted the cover for the first book here). The French one wins for me !

Soft Targets by Harry Edge

French Title : Cible K (Target K)

My thoughts : I'm not a fan of either of those two. But if I had to choose I'd go for the French one, which is less James Bond-y.

Bindi Babes by Narinder Dhami

French Title : Bindi Babes : Trois Soeurs (Presque Parfaites)
Litteral Translation : Bindi Babes : Three (Almost Perfect) Sisters

Bollywood Babes by Narinder Dhami

French Title : Bindi Babes : Mariage à Bollywood
Litteral Translation : Bindi Babes : Wedding in Bollywood

Bhangra Babes by Narinder Dhami

French Title : Bindi Babes : Soeurs Ennemies

Litteral Translation : Bindi Babes : Sisters Ennemies

My thoughts : I don't like the original ones for some reason. I don't like the font and I find the illustrations too simple. The French covers are not my cup of tea either : the characters creep me out a bit (weird smiles and all).

What do you think?

Happy Friday!

Book Blogging Around The World (11) : Shizuoka, Japan

Name : Adele

Blog : Persnickety Snark
City/Country : Shizuoka, Japan

Welcome Adele !

Tell us a little bit about you.

I am a twenty something year old Australian teacher who has recently relocated to a small village in the Shizuoka prefecture of Japan. I am also a proud twitter addict.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Persnickety Snark started off as a means to collect YA reading material for my school library and has morphed into a labour of love. It’s a place where I can highlight amazing works by Australian authors, develop relationships with other rabid bookworms from across the globe and feel proud to be a reader. It’s also a place where I can give my two cents worth on YA titles without censoring myself.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world ?

Until a month ago I had never left Australian soil. Here’s to big life changes!

What countries have you visited ?

Japan is my first. I only applied for (and received) my passport in November so I have started this travelling business rather late.

What countries would you like to visit ?

Oh boy....the UK, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Prague, China, Egypt...pretty much everywhere that I read about as a child.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in Japan ?

Sourcing English YA books in Japan is pretty difficult, especially as I live in a smaller region. What is available is usually the BIG sellers aka Harry Potter, Twilight and Princess Diaries or classics like Little Women. That would be the biggest negative but some American authors have kindly asked publishers to make an exception and send ARCs to me (the only way it would ever happen) and Book Depository is a godsend.

Positive aspects? Um, I realise that YA blogging isn’t the end all and be all of my life. I can scale it back and people will still drop by regularly. I can have a life, read a lot and blog.

What Japanese authors and books would you recommend ?

To be completely honest, I don’t have anything for you on this question. They are published in Japanese, a language I can sadly not speak much of (seven words at the moment) and definitely cannot read.

How many languages do you speak ?

One. English.

Though there are times where I wish I could speak Elvish or Vulcan.

Where do you usually buy your books ?

Book Depository and Books Kinokuniya in Tokyo.

Is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentioning online stores) ?

As I stated before, it’s pretty tricky...understandably. I am just lucky that there are a few titles around that aren’t Nicholas Sparks or JK Rowling. This week I bought some titles by Laurie Halse Anderson, Diana Wynne Jones and Judy Blundell so there are books out there in Japan, you just need to be strategic in your book hunting approach.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Japan do you consider disproportionate ?

I came to Japan with no real clichés in mind, other than the people would be short. They aren’t tall but they aren’t short either. It’s unlikely that you will see a girl my height (5”11) but I don’t dwarf the population either.

          

Are you becoming a Chopsticks Queen?

Sadly no. Before coming here I had used them a grand total of three times, I believe. I am improving but as a mute grandmother reminded me, while bringing me a fork during a meal...I have a long way to go.

 

Quick Q&A

Favorite thing about Japan : The people.

Least favorite thing about Japan : Fish.

Favorite typically Japanese food : Gyoza

Favorite place in Shizuoka : Village park.

Favorite bookshop : Books Kinokuniya

Favorite Japanese author : NA

Favorite Japanese singer/band : This is a position yet to be filled.

Favorite book to read while travelling : Melina Marchetta’s The Piper’s Son

Plane or train : Train...more leg room.

Boat or bus : Bus...no waves

Bike or feet : Feet...I like to take my time in taking in the scenery and having a think.

Kangaroos are kickboxing fiends.

Yakitoris are juicy.

If you want to read more about Adele's adventures in Japan, do check out her blog A Broad Abroad !

Thank you Adele ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill.

Next week we'll be traveling to Croatia !

Question of the Week :

What is your favorite foreign dish ?

If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.

Book Blogging Around The World (10) : Frankfurt, Germany

Name : Lenore

Blog : Presenting Lenore

City/Country : Frankfurt, Germany

Welcome Lenore !

Tell us a little bit about you and your blog.

I’m an American living in Germany with my German husband and our two Sacred Birman cats, Emmy and Finn (featured on the blog every Tuesday). The blog started out mainly as a way to keep my friends and family updated about life overseas, but it transformed into a book blog nearly 2 years ago after I attended the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna and fell in love with the YA genre enough to want to widely promote it.

             

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world ?

Yes. I grew up in the US and spent 2 years with my family in Greece. I also did exchange programs to Ecuador, Japan and Spain.

What countries have you visited ?

55 and counting! I’ve been to every continent except for Antarctica.

(Wow.)

What countries would you like to visit ?

My wish list includes Bhutan, Chile, Jordan, Montenegro and Madagascar. But I’ll probably next end up visiting Senegal and Kuwait since good friends of mine will be moving there soon.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in Germany ?

It’s great in October during the Frankfurt Book Fair. But from a book blogging perspective, it’s not so hot the rest of the year.

What German authors and books would you recommend ?

I’m just read a book by Uwe Timm. He’s great. The Perfume by Patrick Susskind. Nina Blazon is a hot YA fantasy author in Germany but only one of her books is available in English so far.

               

How many languages do you speak ?

English, Spanish, German.

Do you read more in English or in German ?

English. I barely ever read in German, but I am trying to change that.

Where do you usually buy your books ?

I usually buy them via amazon.com or amazon.de but I’ve been hearing great things about the book depository. I also order some books at my independent English language bookstore here in Frankfurt.

Is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentioning online stores) ?

I can usually order just about anything I want. It may take a little longer to get it, but that’s ok.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about Germany do you consider disproportionate ?

Probably that everyone is on time. My friends are always so, very, late.

How exciting is the Frankfurt Book Fair? Feel free to make us jealous!
While the Frankfurt Book Fair is not as exciting as Book Expo America (way less author presence, unless you’re a fan of German authors), it is pretty amazing to be able to attend such a major book fair in your hometown. It’s such a rush to see all those amazing books all in one place! And if you’re lucky and come the last day, you can also take tons of books home with you.

Tell us about your International Book Blogger Mentor Program.
Sure! As an International Book Blogger, I know how difficult it can be to feel like you are a part of the book blogging community, which seems to have its centre in the US and Canada. Publishers won’t send ARCs to us, most book contests aren’t for us, and it can sometimes be difficult to find the new releases that everyone seems to be raving about. I’ve been lucky in getting books though, and I wanted to share the wealth, and offer a program to help international book bloggers feel more included. That includes help with reviews, moral support, publicity and lots of other things. The first applicants chosen have already been sent their books, and we are on track to have the first feature post in mid-March. I’m very excited about it! For more info, see this post.
 

Quick Q&A

Favorite thing about Germany : Frankfurt Airport – Gateway to the world

Least favorite thing about Germany: Abysmal customer service

Favorite typically German food : Spatzle

Favorite place in Frankfurt : my apartment :)

Favorite bookshop : Hugendubel English Bookshop

Favorite German author : Don’t really have one

Favorite German singer/band : Wolfsheim

Favorite book to read while travelling : A travel guide

Plane or train : Plane

Boat or bus : Neither

Bike or feet : Depends on the distance

Thank you Lenore ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill.

Next week we'll be traveling to Japan!

Question of the Week :

The Tongue Fairy grants you a wish : you can learn one language in 5 seconds.
Which language do you choose to learn and master ?

If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.

Nick of Time (by Ted Bell)

NICK OF TIME
by Ted Bell
Release date : september 2009

The setting is England, 1939, on the eve of war. Nick and his sister, Kate, begin gathering vital information for Winston Churchill as he tries to warn England of the imminent Nazi invasion. But the Nazis become the least of Nick’s problems after he discovers a time machine hidden in a cove. Unfortunately, the evil pirate Captain Billy Blood, who travels through time capturing little children and holding them for ransom, will stop at nothing to possess the priceless machine. With the help of Lord Hawke, whose children have been taken by Blood, Nick must fight the ruthless pirate on land and sea in two different centuries in a desperate attempt to save his home and his family from being utterly destroyed.

MY THOUGHTS : A good war and adventure story. Good and true values are present, which is always nice when not cliché. The story is original and the characters are colorful. Speaking of characters, Kate, the hero's sister, almost steals his place in the story, being much more characterized and imposing. Which is neither a bad thing nor a good thing, it just felt weird and nice at the same time.

All the Second World War theme, with its war material and submarines will appeal to both boys and girls I think. Even if it's more of a boy book, which is a good thing : I don't cross books for boys often, even though I know there are some out there.

There are no inconsistencies and the story is interesting, but somehow I wasn't hooked. The time machine appears after approximately a hundred pages, and that first part seemed to drag on. Of course this part was needed to install the situation and characters, but I felt like it could've been shorter and a bit more dynamic. It started to get better for me when the different groups of people separated through time. The alternative chapters gave a thrilling aspect to the story, which maybe would've fell flat if it wasn't for this construction.

The writing is reminiscent of older war novels, therefore not very modern, which may please some readers but annoy others. I thought it was sometimes difficult to follow the action and I found the descriptions a bit weak. Except from the dialogues, which I liked and found convincing, the whole plot contruction didn't appeal to me. Often very patriotic, the story was sometimes overloaded with pathos and easy tears, which is something that I tend to dislike.

All in all, I would recommend this book for boys who enjoy heroic stories, war adventures and time-travel. The mix works out well, even if it didn't seduce me as much as I would've liked.

French Friday (22)

Hello everyone!

I completely forgot to write my French Friday! Shame on meeee! Things are a bit crazy down here : house-hunting is kind of depressing and stressful, not at all as fun as I had hoped. I can't wait to find our new house...! I'm currently staying at a friend's house and have rehearsals and books to read on top of house-hunting. My blog will therefore probably only feature French Fridays and BBATW in the next few weeks. Reviews will come back as soon as I'm settled !

Since I don't have a lot of time to think, this week's French Friday will remain simple : here are all the French covers I could find of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ! Pick your favorites !

Wish me luck so I can find my own (small version of) Pemberley !

Book Blogging Around The World (9) : New Zealand

Name : Rebecca

Blog : Everything To Do With Books

City/Country : Invercargill and Christchurch, New Zealand 

Welcome Rebecca !

Tell us a little bit about you.

I'm Rebecca, I'm 19 and am a student at University majoring in statistics. I divide my time between both Invercargill and Christchurch. I have two cats, Pan and Harley and I love reading books.

Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Everything to do with books is mostly a book review blog where I review books from Middle Grade, Young Adult and Adult categories. At the moment I'm working on making the blog into more than just book reviews. I've started doing author interviews, reviewing books made into movies and just having fun with anything book related. I've also been trying to feature a lot more books by New Zealand authors because there are a lot of great New Zealand authors out there.

           

             

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world ?

No, I've never lived anywhere but New Zealand.

What countries have you visited ?

Unfortunately, I still have yet to travel overseas to other countries.

What countries would you like to visit ?

I would pretty much love to visit almost all the countries in Europe including Britain. But at the top of my list would be Scotland, Finland, Germany, Iceland and Wales.

According to you, what are the positive and negative aspects of being a book blogger in New Zealand ?

Positives are there aren't many of us from New Zealand so it's really exciting when you find a book blogger from New Zealand.

Negatives are that it takes a long time for a lot of books to be released here and so a lot publishers don't mail books for review to New Zealand.

What New Zealand authors and books would you recommend ?

I would definitely recommend Ken Catran who is a really great author. His Talking to Blue trilogy is one of my favourite of all time. Maurice Gee is another great New Zealand author I especially love his book The Fat Man. And another of my favourites would be David Hill, he writes such a range of books that there seems to be something for everyone.

      

How many languages do you speak ?

Really well, I can only speak english although I'm currently learning German.

Where do you usually buy your books ?

I buy a few books from Borders in Christchurch but lately I've been buying most of my books from Whitcoulls online store they have really cheap paperbacks so it's really good.

Is getting your hands on foreign books tricky or easy (not mentioning online stores) ?

In Invercargill it's almost impossible. Bookstores and the library tend to get in books from New Zealand and Australia more than anything. So the foreign books are popular titles and it's really hard to find so many of the titles that came out last year or this year. In Christchurch however, it is really easy for some titles. The library there is excellent and get their books from overseas publishers. Basically, most books that come out overseas will show up in the library at the same time.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about New Zealand do you consider disproportionate ?

I have heard on several occasions that people think New Zealand is part of Australia, that is definitely not true and to a New Zealander, it's pretty offensive.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas ?

I think it would be really interesting to celebrate Christmas in the winter and having snow as opposed to summer and really high temperatures. So yeah I'd like to have a white Christmas one year.

You told me that you divided your time between two cities (Invercargill and Christchurch) and that both cities were very different. Could you tell us more about that ?
 

Certainly. Invercargill has a population of about 45,000 people and everyone knows someone who knows you. People seem to be really friendly always saying hello to each other in the streets and things like that. Sometimes in town there will be no people around and everything is really quiet. The weather is so different too. Being closer to Antarctica in Invercargill the winds come from the south so they're extra chilly. As for driving, everyone is out for themselves in Invercargill. Also, one big thing about people from Invercargill is that we have really different accents so most of the time you can tell if someone's from Invercargill by the way we say our r's.

Christchurch has a population of about 400,000 so it is huge in comparison and everyone tends to keep to themselves. Everything seems so much busier, there are always people around. Instead of going for day trips everyone seems to stay in their own area within the city. The weather here is hotter on average and the wind can sometimes come from the east and it's full of pollen which tends to make people a little agitated. The drivers in Christchurch are more courteous too.               

Quick Q&A

Favorite thing about New Zealand : Size

Least favorite thing about New Zealand: Isolation

Favorite typically New Zealander food : pavlova

Favorite place in Invercargill: My home

Favorite place in Christchurch : The library

Favorite bookshop : Whitcoulls

Favorite New Zealand author : Ken Catran

Favorite New Zealand singer/band : Zed

Favorite book to read while travelling : Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Plane or train : Plane

Boat or bus : Bus

Bike or feet : Feet

Sheeps are mundane.

I enjoy watching movies starring Sam Neil.

Thank you Rebecca ! It was a pleasure having you up on the hill.

Next week we'll be traveling to Germany !

Question of the Week :

If you could travel in time, what period would you like to visit in your own country ?

If you'd like to be featured, this post is for you.

French Friday (21)

Welcome to this week's French Friday !

Here we go for yet another round of covers ! This week they are all of books written by David Almond. The covers are very different this time.

The Savage

In French : Le Sauvage (The Savage)

My thoughts : The original one creeps me up, but I really like the design. Both actually appeal to me, even with the creepy factor.

Clay

In French : Glaise (Clay)

My thoughts : Hum, definitely the original one ! I really don't like the French cover. Don't like the font, don't like the colors.

Jackdaw Summer

In French : Imprégnation (Impregnation)

My thoughts : Same thing as above. I really love the original cover, and I find the French one dark and uninteresting.
And don't even mention the translation of the title. Imprégnation? Seriously? That's such a weird title.

The Fire-Eaters

In French : Le Cracheur de Feu (The Fire-Eater)

My thoughts : None of these covers really grab my attention. I think they're both nice, but that's it.

What do you think?