Top Ten Tuesday #9: Beach reads.

Is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week they post a new top ten list and ask fellow bloggers to share their lists on that topic.

Today's top ten topic is: Top Ten Beach reads.

During the Summer months there's nothing I enjoy more than being able to kick back and relax with a gorgeous book, especially the ones that take you away to beautiful Summery settings, bring you swoon worthy guys and lift my spirits immediately when our own weather is being abysmal as usual. 

This week's Top Ten list consists of authors books who I've learned to love and trust and have picked up time and time again. 

Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella | Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Queen of Babble series by Meg Cabot

High Society by Sarah Mason | Split Ends by Sarah Harvey

The Summer series by Jenny Han

Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot | Every Boy's Got One by Meg Cabot

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler | The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

I know I kind of cheated this week by adding two series, but honestly the Queen of Babble series and The Summer series are both of my all time favourites. They're full of swoon, fun and lots of laugh out loud moments. I will certainly be trying to re-read some of these books over the Summer.

If you posted a Top Ten post with you favourite beach reads then please link me up in the comments, I'd love to add more books to my Summer pile! 

Review & DVD Giveaway: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Publisher: Atria
Publication date: April 26th 2011
My rating:  4 stars

R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse. Just dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a burst of vibrant color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that R lives in. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world...

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead and the blurry line in between.

I read Warm Bodies not long after it released back in 2011, so it’s been quite some time ago. When I heard there was going to be a movie I was really excited because I enjoyed it so much. I watched the movie just a few days ago.  So I thought this would be a perfect time to do a mini review mash up of both the book and the movie. 

The movie as far as book adaptations was surprisingly good.  I’m always waiting to be disappointed by movie adaptations, but this was not the case here.  There were some omissions in the movie, like R having his zombie wife and kids, but to be honest I didn’t care for that part of the story anyhow, so I was good with that.

When the story opens up we’re introduced to R and the story is told through his eyes, as a zombie barely remembering anything of his past when he was living. We’re not sure what exactly brought about this post apocalyptic world because R can’t remember, and we only get what comes through his perspective, which at first is pretty limited being a zombie and all!  His “life” is basically monotonous and he’s finding it harder and harder to form coherent thoughts. This all changes when on R’s on a hunt for “food” (yes, unfortunately we’re talking about brains) and he comes in contact with Julie, a human trying to survive.  Julie and her group are looking for provisions when R’s group attacks.  As soon as R sees Julie something wakes up in him that causes him to save her.  The more he’s around her the more his mind clears and the more he falls for her.

I remember when I first heard Warm Bodies was a zombie love story I was skeptical because, I mean gross, right?  Who wants to think of kissing a corpse?  But trust me, this works. It’s a wonderful build of romance, filled with longing and sweetness.

As with any zombie tale there were some frightening scenes and those were provided by the zombies but mostly from the creatures called the Boney’s; zombies that have descended far past humanity. Horrifying, fast, and intent on one thing: eating flesh!  These were excellently portrayed in the movie and provided exciting suspense filled scenes. 

All in all, I felt the film adaptation of Warm Bodies was satisfying and pretty true to the book.  

Today we’re giving away a DVD copy of Warm Bodies.  Entries open to US residents only.  Just fill in the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.  Good luck and thanks for visiting The Readers Den.

Showcase Sunday #28

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

I was so excited with the books I received this week. I am such an impatient reader that I couldn't wait until the UK release date of Haze (October) that I had to order my copy from Fishpond. I've been trying to sneak in chapters in every spare moment that I've had and let me just say I'm absolutely loving Rafa Haze! As you probably already know I'm a huge Sophie Kinsella fan, so was pleased to know my copy of her latest book Wedding Night finally arrived at my library. The reviews for this book have been a bit mixed as of late, but I have my fingers crossed that I end up loving it.

 Everbound by Brodi Ashton | Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella | Haze by Paula Weston

Thank you Disney Hyperion, Touchstone, Bloomsbury UK, Macmillan Children's Publishing group and Sarah Alderson.

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill | Tormenting Lila by Sarah Alderson | Swimming at Night by Lucy Clarke | Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas | This Song will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

It's taken all my will power to not dive into some of these amazing galleys that I received this week. I loved Throne of Glass, so can't wait to get back to this mesmerising world once more. But I know for sure that I will have to make time for Tormenting Lila this weekend, Alex has been out of my life for far too long.

Over to Rachel now and her book haul

Thank you to William Morrow, Atria Books, Balzer+Bray, Forever Grand Publishing, Netgalley, and Edelweiss!

One Tiny Lie by K.A Tucker | Jet by Jay Crownover | Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund | Facade by Nyrae Dawn

Moon Called by Patricia Biggs (Mercy Thompson #1) (Audio-book) | Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Audio-book) | Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas (Audio-book).

I’m so excited about my haul! After loving Ten Tiny Breaths, Rule, and Charade, I’m thrilled to get their sequels for review. I still need to read For Darkness Shows the Stars before Across a Star-Swept Sea, but I’ve heard good things about the series. Plus, I’m a huge Persuasion (Jane Austen) fan and it’s a re-telling of sorts.

I’m hooked on audio-books because I get to read more by using my commute times. After reading Keertana’s amazing review @Ivy Book Bindings for Mine Till Midnight, I had to run out and get a copy! Lucky for me Audible had a sale and I got it for $4.50, which is a steal of a deal for an audio-book! I LOVED it!  

So that's our wonderful haul for the past two weeks. If you posted any kind of book haul, we'd love to know what you received, so please link us up in the comments. 

Author Event Recap & Giveaway: Richelle Mead

Hello readers!  On this past Wednesday June 4th, I was lucky enough to attend an author event for Richelle Mead, one of my all-time favorite authors. She's a favorite for countless readers, as well, so this was a packed event held at the Santa Monica, California Barnes & Noble.  I had just finished reading Gameboard of the Gods (my review) a few days before this event so I was really excited to see her and ask her a few things about this exciting Adult series, the Bloodlines series, and the Vampire Academy movie!!  

  

 Gameboard of the Gods: To begin things Richelle talked about Gameboard of the Gods.  She described what the book was about, and where the idea came from.  Here are some interesting tidbits: The idea for Gameboard came to her in while in graduate school. She wondered if a world took religion away from the masses, would they gravitate back to it? Richelle thinks people have a spiritual nature whether they practice religion or not. 

Justin (the main male character) was based on a guy she knew in college.  He was a lot of fun, total party boy, and she was always astounded by how much he could drink. Something she didn't think much of back then, but when Richelle looks back now she thinks how very unsafe it was. Yet, he'd show up the next day in class and was just mind-blowingly brilliant! Like Justin, he was a ladies man. Yes, that's meant to be plural! She lost track of him, but I'll bet he eventually hears that he inspired this character. Don't you? 

Mae's personality quirk of keeping all emotions tightly locked up was inspired by Richelle.  She

grew up in a family of volatile and big personalities, so her way to cope was to hold things in and be the opposite of volatile.

The story is like her Sci-Fi reads from growing up.  You're dropped into the world without being taken by the hand and having everything explained step by step. Richelle said hang in there for the ride because everything will eventually come together and make sense. 

There will be 12 months between releases, because the plot is more difficult, than her other books. She's not certain how many books will be in the series yet, but she knows how it will end. She's not yet sure how long it will take to tell the story.  She might know after the next book.

Vampire Academy Movie:
Richelle was very excited to talk about the movie is very happy with cast choices, script, director and screenwriter.  She said the director emailed her some of the scene with Christian and Lissa in the attic, and she was very emotional. Richelle said what they came up with was so beautiful and better than her own imagination! I don't know about you but I can't wait until its releases!!

Fiery Heart: Bloodlines #4:

I'm so excited for this book, and apparently Richelle is very pleased with the way it turned out.  She said a lot of readers thought The Indigo Spell was hot. Well, Fiery Heart is HOTTER! But it's also very emotional and deep. In VA it's always been said that Spirit drives people crazy, but this book will explore mental health and depression, something we'll see Adrian face with Sydney at his side. She said it's very poignant and you'll be all over the place with your feelings. Sometimes, you'll be like: Oh, Adrian! *insert sad face* and others you'll be like: Oh, Adrian! *insert lustful/steamy looks* Richelle said Fiery Heart is to the Bloodlines series what Shadow Kiss and Blood Promise was to Vampire Academy.  It doesn't mean you'll be sobbing for days (well maybe), but that it's gut wrenching, emotional and it's where you'll say: this is where the series gets real! *bites nails nervously!*

Dr. Who Episode:
Richelle wrote an episode for the much loved and well established Dr. Who series, which should be out in e-book form at the end of this month. Click HERE for more info. It's for the sixth Dr. and it's Peri's POV, which is her favorite character.  She said that it was a little intimidating because BBC went over it with a fine toothed comb. Details must not conflict with the known Dr. Who universe.

As usual when I go to these events, I like to bring back something for our readers.  So I have a SIGNED hardcopy of Gameboard of the Gods to giveaway.  The giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Just fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. Good luck and thanks for visiting The Readers Den!

A Kid's Perspective: Judging a book by it's cover #2

A Kid's Perspective: Judging a Book By Its Cover is a feature hosted by Sara @ Forever 17 Books
where Sara gets her six year old son Shawn's perspective on a few Young Adult covers.

It's been a while since I last did this post, my sister has been super busy, but did find some time in her busy schedule, to give me her intepretation and perspective of another brilliant Young Adult cover.
This time my sister chose Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi.

I think Unravel Me is about a girl and she's with her boyfriend, but what happens is that there's a big blizzard. And she loses him and she goes to look for him in the cold, snowy weather and when she finds him, he's with another girl and she gets heart broken and starts to cry.

I totally overlooked the crying like tears coming from the eye, until my sister gave me her totally reasonable explanation behind it all. My sister also seems to be gravitating towards a lot of relationship issues in her explanations, I can't wait to see which cover she decides to go for next!