Monthly Archives:: February 2013

Friday, February 08, 2013

Book Girls Don’t Cry: Book Hype!

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Inspired by Book Buzzers, Book Girls Don’t Cry is a weekly feature where we each discuss/vent/advise on the chosen weekly bookish topic. Don’t miss Jenni on Mondays, and Amy on Saturdays:

Book Hype: A pro or a con?



We were all, at one time or other, taken over by book hype. A book that is raved about, that has so many fantastic reviews, that you dive into it with such high expectations. And then the crash is hard and fast! I’m sure most of you have a book in mind already, eh?

When book hype is a bad thing:

 –The coulda shoulda woulda

Did I enjoy this book? Barf! No. I was left incredibly let down when, after all the brouhaha, it ended  up being NOT epic. NOT better than chocolate. I will NOT make babies with this book, lovelies! Y’all let me down! But the worst part, if I wasn’t expecting such a so-good-you-slapped-your-momma read from the start, I might have enjoyed it more. Never did I think it was a terrible book, sure there are issues that I would have had regardless, but good when you expect good is much better than good when you’re expecting something better than sliced bread! Maybe you just don’t know how much I love bread? Dude I swear, if this was the problem the whole time… *shakes head* *clings to loaf*

-The shouldn’t have been
 
Hype will make us read books we shouldn’t be reading! Period! I very rarely like fantasy, I don’t like books where I need notes to follow the complicated world, politics or language. I shouldn’t have read these books! Although I didn’t hate Grave Mercy–3 stars–it’s still a far cry from whatever everyone else read. If it wasn’t for the hype, I would never have picked these up. I will blame this on nothing other than peer pressure! >.<


When book hype is a good thing:

-The shouldn’t have been, that was

On the other hand, I would have never read these books if it wasn’t for the hype. The Sea of Tranquility is my genre, but that cover would never get me to check out even the blurb. The others: not my genre at all. Fantasy–not me. Angel books–Barf. But these books completely rocked it. So I guess sometimes, hype can be good, or maybe we’re just easy to manipulate! 😉


When bad book hype, is badder:

-The might have been

First–note that I didn’t dislike any of these books, I just didn’t love them–but maybe I could have? This is the opposite of the Mara Dyer situation: bad hype puts a bad taste in your mouth! You start a book knowing your trusted reviewers disliked it, and it makes you pick at every single annoyance that you see. Maybe things you would not have noticed if not for you expecting the awful at every page. You’re just waiting for the shit to fly, right? Would I have enjoyed these books more had I not seen all the bitching? Maybe so.


Living up:

Now let’s see books that lived up to the hype *claps hands slowly*–though I cannot promise you’ll agree (poo to that).

All in all, while some may think hype is a good thing–especially authors are publishers who get excited that their book is taking off at high speed, I have had a lot of bad experiences with it. I also see people–and do it myself–avoid books completely due to the hype that’s now given us extreme expectations which cannot possible be met. It’s like gambling in a way. You may get screwed royally, but you might also find your next BEST BOOK EVAH! So basically, from my post today, you have learned absolutely nothing! 😀

Oh except this: I love bread!

What are some books that disappointed YOU based on the hype? And which ones lived up to it?
Also, don’t forget to leave suggestions for future topics you’d like to see! 🙂
You know you love me!
Xoxo, Book Girl!

Booking up Boston Blogger Meet Up – August, 2013

Posted by on 02/08/2013 • 24 Comments

Get ready, lovelies! Book Bloggers will be booking it up in Boston in August, 2013! 

Amy (Book Loving Mom) and myself are organizing a book blogger meetup in Boston, MA on August 17th, 2013. It’s going to be a dinner and book swap (optional), where you can meet some fellow bloggers and maybe pick up some new books and ARCs! We are super excited to be doing this and we hope there’s a great turnout. You do not need to be from Boston–heck I’m Canadian and all 😉 –Anyone who’s able to drive, bike, or take a plane ride, we want you there!

Not all the details have been decided yet–exact location and exact time etc,–but if you’re interested, even if you’re not 100% sure you can come, join…

Quantum Drop Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Posted by on 02/07/2013 • 9 Comments

Dropping by Xpresso Reads today is the Quantum Drop blog tour hosted by Hachette Children’s UK. I have Saci Lloyd over for an interview and you can win this pretty! Not heard of Quantum Drop

Quantum Drop Saci Lloyd Genre: YA Science FictionPublication date: February 7th 2013by Hodder Children’s Books

Anthony Griffin is an ordinary kid caught up in a dangerous world. The boundaries between real and virtual are more and more blurred, and when Anthony’s girlfriend is taken out in a gang hit, he has to venture into the underground world of the Drop to flush out her killer and bring him to justice.

This is the story of a boy whose girl is worth more than money.

Interview with Saci Lloyd

Q. What can you…

Cover Reveal: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

Posted by on 02/07/2013 • 14 Comments

Shooting Scars Karina Halle Series: The Artists Trilogy, #2 Publication date: May 2013 by Metal Blonde Books A second chance at first love.

There are a few things worth risking everything for – even your life. For Camden McQueen, this is one of them.

Shooting Scars is the second book in The Artists Trilogy and is told from the dual POV of Camden and Ellie.

The Artists Trilogy:

I don’t know if you knew but Sins and Needles literally rocked my world! I loved it and I’m so excited for this cover reveal I think it’s full of awesome and epic hotness. Plus, the quote on it, totally the best part don’t you think? *whistles innocently*

What do you think, lovelies?

Waiting on Wednesday (72)

Posted by on 02/06/2013 • 50 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine  and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  My pick this week:

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown Holly Black Genre: YA Paranormal Release date: September 17th 2013by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

COLDTOWN WAS DANGEROUS, TANA KNEW. A GLAMOROUS CAGE, A PRISON FOR THE DAMNED AND ANYONE WHO WANTED TO PARTY WITH THEM?

Tana lived in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this…

Review: Insight by Jolene Perry

Posted by on 02/05/2013 • 24 Comments

Insight Jolene Perry Series: Shadows, #1 Genre: YA ParanormalPublication date: September 3rd 2012by Next Door Publishing

Micah hates her ability to “see” things when she touches people. She’s terrified of relationships, holds on to guilt over the death of her classmate, Lacey, and has no idea what to do with a vision from Landon, a boy from her school. She feels him falling for her, but Micah doesn’t do friends, much less relationships.

Enter a spooky history project about a tragedy from three hundred years ago, and voodoo dolls that Micah somehow feels has to do with her gift. Suddenly she’s sure the shadows in the woods are following her every move—without Landon’s relaxed attitude about what’s happening in her life, Micah would be sure she’s going crazy.

With…

Review: The Ruining by Anna Collomore

Posted by on 02/04/2013 • 30 Comments

The Ruining Anna Collomore Genre: YA Mystery/ThrillerPublication date: February 7th 2013by Razorbill

Annie Phillips is thrilled to leave her past behind and begin a shiny new life on Belvedere Island, as a nanny for the picture-perfect Cohen family. In no time at all, she falls in love with the Cohens, especially with Libby, the beautiful young matriarch of the family. Life is better than she ever imagined. She even finds romance with the boy next door.

All too soon cracks appear in Annie’s seemingly perfect world. She’s blamed for mistakes she doesn’t remember making. Her bedroom door comes unhinged, and she feels like she’s always being watched. Libby, who once felt like a big sister, is suddenly cold and unforgiving. As she struggles to keep up with the…

Xpresso Weekly: Stacking the Shelves (41)

Posted by on 02/03/2013 • 39 Comments

Xpresso Weekly is my edition of Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga’s Reviews featuring the books I got this week, and I also mention blog news/happenings of the past week. This week at Xpresso Reads

Happy February, lovelies! Any big plans for V-Day? Ours will be surviving the cold O_O So this week was the launch of our Book Girls Don’t Cry feature and are we ever so happy with the reactions! Aside from giveaway posts, it got the most page views of January and everyone was so involved in the comments it was freaking awesome! I couldn’t even keep up with the replies–I  really tried!! So, I’m thinking this feature is a hit and we’re so excited! You might have seen but I put the banner on the sidebar…