Monday's Novel Talk (67)

Hey Chroniclers! It's been a while since I did one of these so I have a bit to talk about. Today my site turns 3 and if you haven't, you should check out the giveaway post down below! 3 people will get to win a choice of their book! But onto the reading part!

Since last post I finally finished Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare and while I did like it I found the end to be too convenient for my taste but whatever. I've learned you can't have everything with books xD I can't wait for Cassandra Clare's future books which involve City of Heavenly Fire, The Dark Artifices Trilogy as well as the newly announced TLH set after The Infernal Devices and a mystery Trilogy set after The Dark Artifices. That'll make 18 Shadowhunter novels not including the novellas and such.

I then read Numbers by Rachel Ward and a lot of people didn't like it but I found myself drawn to it and really enjoy it. I think it's because of what happened with Boston that kind of mixed in with this book and I felt myself intrigued and such. I do plan on reading the other two books some day.

I also finished reading The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson and I thought it was going to be one way but I absolutely fell in love with the book. It was completely different than what I expected and I can't wait for the future novels to come out so I can read them and continue on in the adventure.

The book I'm currently reading now is The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse and I'm currently on page 16 of 375. I haven't exactly been reading much lately because I haven't been home and such but I do plan on finishing this book soon. So far it's getting interesting but I feel like it'll keep getting better.

But that's all that I've been reading lately. What have you guys been reading? Let me know down in the comments below.

Don't forget to enter the Giveaway!

Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo

3rd Year Anniversary Giveaway!

Happy Birthday to The Subtle Chronicler! It's been 3 years already and I just can't believe it. I haven't been doing much but I'm putting that all aside and hoping that things get better and this only goes up. I want to thank the authors and publishers and editors and whoever else that have sent me books to get me to review, from the indies to the more traditional houses. If it weren't for you, I'm sure I would've quit a long time ago.

But most of all I want to thank the Chroniclers, all of you who follow me whether it was from Day 1 or Now, if it weren't for you, I know for a fact I would've quit a long time ago. That is why I love you guys so much and for that I'll be doing a giveaway with three winners! One for each year the site has been on. It's not as much as it was last year, but I don't like odd numbers and next year it'll be big once more. THE GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL! SO ANYONE CAN JOIN!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


There you have it, all you have to do is follow what it tells you to do and it's done. Becoming a Chronicler is mandatory this time because I'm celebrating having you guys to help me. The contest will end in a month on the 13th of June. So again, thank you guys for following and for keeping this site alive and let's hope for many more years to come! I love you all!

The Novel's Court (7)

Hey Chroniclers! Today is Tuesday and more books have been released into the world. The Novel's Court is a weekly meme hosted by me where I put a debut novel through a trial to see whether it's Guilty (readable) or Not Guilty (non-readable). In this case we want them to be Guilty, so let's get on with it!

Icons by Margaret Stohl! 

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting.

Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside - safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid.

She's different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy.

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions - which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses - may actually be their greatest strengths.

Time for Court!

The Story: I can't lie this sounds amazing and knowing the author it must be really freaking epic! It sounds like something I'd love, aside from the relationship, but I can get into it. 

The Cover: I also love the cover so much! The city with the light, the yellow on top of the blue. It just seems like there's a lot going on and you can't stop looking at it.

The Verdict: Guilty! I'm pretty sure this is already on my wishlist and if it's not then I should go add it now. I really do want to read this and might be getting it soon!

What are your thoughts on the story and the cover? Have you read it yet or want to read it? What are your thoughts on the author as well? Leave your comments down below! 

Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo

To Be Read Pile (May 2013)

Hey Chroniclers! I know this is a bit late but I didn't exactly have time to sit down, take the picture and post it up. But, I finally have and oh my wow! I present to thee, the To Be Read Pile of May 2013!

To Be Read Pile (May 2013)

If I was hanging my head in shame last month, I've dug my head in the ground this month. What have I been doing if not reading?! Why is there books already starting to form in front of books?! What is this madness?! I feel like I need to do nothing but read for a while just to get these books out of the way lol.

To Be Read Pile (April 2013)

Last month I had 53 books. I realized now that I received books in April before taking the picture so I was starting to get confused a bit with the numbers. I received/bought 13 books to add to my shelves. I finished 8 books and started on my 9th. I am now still at 53 books. Again. It's like I've been running in place D=

Last month I was supposed to read all of my series enders which I basically did minus two books that I'll be saving for later. This month, I'll be planning on reading the ARCs which is on the top shelf on the left side. Thankfully they're short so that I can get through them fast. But, we'll see how it goes.

Do you have a picture of your TBR Pile? Leave the link down below!


Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo

Cast Them Away (6)

Hey Chroniclers! It's May! Holy crap! I was going to post more yesterday but I was feeling under the weather and my mind wanted to shut down and I wasn't up for it but I feel loads better now and can continue posting! We are back though with another Cast Them Away, a weekly meme hosted by me where we choose an actor or actress to play a character from novels if they were ever to become a movie or show. This week it'll be one that I really want to see on the screen and it will kill me if we don't get to.

Gone by Michael Grant is a series that I don't even want a movie for. I want it to be a show on HBO where we can see the struggles and nothing is censored. Gone is the first novel of six where everyone 15 and older simply vanishes from a town and surrounding area and everyone 14 and younger a left behind in a sort of bubble dome. Not only do they have to survive but some of the kids are mutated powers and have to fend off not only mutated animals but each other.

The novel is a heavy novel that censors nothing as we see the kids fight for survival and try to get a grip on reality. The reason I want this as a series on HBO is because a lot goes on between so many characters that a movie wouldn't do. A movie would leave out the important facts and dumb down the kids and make it just a story about love and survival where we see these kids being forced into adults.

Two of the characters though I completely saw as actresses and would love them to be cast for their roles. The first one is the role of Astrid who is the girl on the cover of Gone and I would love it if AnnaSophia Robb would play her role. Astrid is one of the few main characters who has no powers and is considered the genius of them all. She has to rely on quick wits and her brain to survive in this world.

There's times when she seems so fragile that she can break but there's others where she becomes a badass and starts kicking everyone's ass. AnnaSophia Robb has that look where she can be sweet but will change her mood in 2.5 seconds if you mess with her. Plus, we know she's a good actress so it's not like she'll suck and mess the roll up.

The next role I'd have to choose would be Diana who is the bad girl of the novel. She actually does have a power which is to read the level on other people's powers. While it doesn't seem like much it's able to help out her lover gain more power.

Diana is a lot like Astrid actually. While the two are often fighting for different things in different manners, they're all trying to reach that one goal which is to leave the FAYZ, the name they gave for the dome.

Diana is also seen as someone who is badass and can kick your ass if you mess with her but there's moments when we see deeper into her and see how she's fragile and suffering and would cry for mommy as much as any of the other kids inside the FAYZ.

While reading, there was one person on my mind. It's funny because the two girls kind of resemble their cover counterparts so I guess that's where I got the idea from, but I would choose Phoebe Tonkin for the part. Phoebe Tonkin is known in other countries for her work but she was recently in a show called The Secret Circle where she played the bad girl.

I think Phoebe would be an amazing Diana and that the role would allow her to push herself past her limits. Plus I want to see these two girls butt heads and show each other who is boss.

But what do you guys think of my choices? Yay or Nay? Would you prefer a tv show on HBO where we get the full story or a movie where things will be written out for the time frame? Leave your opinions down below!


Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo


   
   

Monday's Novel Talk (66)

Hey Chroniclers! So it's a late post as in a day late but I don't remember why I didn't post yesterday. I don't even remember what I did yesterday. O.O It's bad lol. But, only now have I gotten time to post this up. It's weird though, I feel really weird and I don't know why. I've been feeling like this for a while already and it sucks.

Since last week though, I'm still reading Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. I'm currently on page 315 of 568 and I have gotten to that one part that everyone knows and D= I don't know how to feel about it but it's just making my emotions play with me too much. I hope to finish it very soon but we'll see how it goes.

But that's it really, I haven't been reading much this past week but hopefully I will this week. What have you guys been reading though? Leave your comments down below!


Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo

Book Review: The Namesake

Title: The Namesake
Author: Steven Parlato
Pages: 359
Publication: 18 January, 2013
Rating: O for Outstanding
Copy: ARC received by Bumbles and Fairy-Tales

Review: Easter morning. Evan Galloway and his mother spend time in church for the holy day. Thoughts of happiness and the feeling of being blessed surrounds the room in a shroud of light. Not far from the church, at Evans grandparent’s house, his father hangs off a rope from the attic beams. Evan is in his third year at St. Sebastian’s Catholic High School, and not only does he need to worry about graduating at sixteen and choosing a college to attend, he’s troubled by the thoughts and questions of why his father left him behind. Questions that he would later find out that he’d rather leave them unanswered.

The novel spends the majority of its time with Evan finding bits and pieces of his fathers past life, along with finding the hidden secrets his parents kept from him his whole entire life. Side-by-side with some normal high school subplots, the novel shapes up to be one of the best contemporary reads I have ever read.

Written in first-person, The Namesake was my first novel by Steven Parlato, which made me a bit excited to discover what this author was all about. The further I got into the book, the more I became convinced that this man was a genius with his writing. The man knows how to write! He gave me a character that I was instantly able to connect with on account of some similarities and he gave me a story that touched my heart and words that made me feel as if it were all real. To say that he made me believe and feel for the character is an understatement because he made me live as Evan and not many people have enough talent to do that.

The characters were all perfectly laid out. I was able to connect with each and every one of them but Evan was a part of me that I completely forgot about. There were times when I felt like we were the same person as he thought and went through things that I myself have gone through. The supporting characters were amazingly written as well. None of them were fully sculpted from the first page and you learned more and more about them as the novel advanced.

Now the story itself, I can’t exactly speak much of without spoiling, so I might be a bit of a tease here. Evan’s father, also Evan Galloway, committed suicide and with a reason that we find out towards the end. Through-out the entire novel we still have him around in the form of art, letters and recorded tapes. He tells his story of things that went on when he was younger and Evan found it and plays them little by little. While people might get frustrated that he didn't just go through the whole thing, I found it ultimately realistic at the fact that he could not face the pain of listening to his father.

The story is something that does happen a lot and we do hear about it on the news once in a while. Something that is both scandalous and heart-breaking and I think that it was handled extremely well in the novel because not only do you see the taboo side, you get to experience the pain and suffering of the family. I think Parlato is a talented author and I can’t wait to see more of his work.

UPDATE! Author Steven Parlato tried commenting on the post but for some reason it wouldn't go through but he has left me a message.

"Michael, Thanks for the amazing NAMESAKE review. I'm touched by the praise, but also the sincerity & insight with which you read my work. Your deep connection with Evan and your feeling like part of his story mean the world. Input like this inspires me as I work on the next. All best, Steven Parlato."

When I get messages like this one by authors, it touches me and reminds me to keep doing what I'm doing. I'm glad that you loved the review and here's to many more future novels and success!