Breakfast with the Bookie: Series You Just Couldn't Finish (Eg. House of Night)

Breakfast with the Bookie is a semi-weekly feature here @ Badass Bookie which is making a reappearance in 2012. Every other Wednesday morning, let's all grab our teas and coffees to gather and discuss and share our opinions! Everyone is welcome to join and make sure you leave a comment to state your opinion. Don't be shy!



This Week's Topic - Series You Just Couldn't Finish (Eg. House of Night)


I'm one of those people who HAS to finish a book if I start it. Even if it means constant torture of the badly written kind. I think I can count on one hand the books I have started but didn't finish. Same goes for series. I'm one of those people who compulsively seek out the next book even if I didn't like the first one in hopes that it would get better. 


However sometimes, I just can't stomach it anymore. 


An example is House of Night. 


Why I gave up? House of Night actually started out really good. I was addicted, fantastic novels but then things went to hell. I got up to book 8??? But then I had to stop because even I couldn't convince myself that it was going to get better. WHY?


1) Too Many Books - House of Night takes "Never- ending" to a whole new level. I read somewhere that the mother-daughter duo plan to write 14ish books for the series? Honestly, to me it seems like the plot dried up after book 5 and after that the duo has just kept making more stuff up! In my opinion, the series should have ended at Book 5. 


2) Too Many Boys - I never thought I'll be saying this but there are way too many boys in the series. This Zoey girl just can't seem to make up her mind! Every, EVERY book she seems to be juggling no less than 3 guys! I grow attached to one guy and then next thing you know she's dumped him for some new guy! Too many!


3) Heath - I really hate this guy. Zoey just can't seem to get over him but seriously I hate his guts. I rejoiced when he died ( I know I'm cruel) but than at the end of Book 8, they decided to BRING HIM BACK TO LIFE??? That was the last straw, he should have STAYED DEAD. 


Hence why I stopped reading the series. Now did you stop reading House of Night? Why? and what series have lost your interest?


Badass Bookie xx

Guest Post with Mary Lowry ( The Earthquake Machine)

Mary Pauline Lowry has worked as a forest firefighter, screenwriter, open water lifeguard, construction worker, and advocate in the movement to end violence against women. Due to no fault of her sweet parents, at 15 she ran away from home and made it all the way to Matamoros, Mexico. She believes girls should make art, have adventures, and read books that show them the way.

Guest Post -

The other night I was having dinner with my friend Lito and he started in on one of his amazing and fascinating tales of traveling through Morocco alone. The old feeling of frustration hit me that I would never make such a journey myself. The answer to the question, “Why not?” seems obvious enough. In certain parts of the world it’s not shall we say “recommended” that American women travel alone. And so, in deference to safety, we often pass up our most longed for adventures.

As women and girls, we often make decisions based on common sense and a desire to minimize the risk of violence against us.  But in writing The Earthquake Machine I chose to explore the notion that a girl might in fact be able to embark on an otherwise ill-advised adventure merely by choosing to “pass” as, not just a boy, but a boy from the foreign land in which she deigns to travel.

Because in traveling through foreign countries what makes us vulnerable is first the fact that we are outsiders and not of the culture through which we pass, but more importantly that we are women who have stepped out of the safety and comfort of family and community, who have waltzed away to a land with—perhaps--an entirely different way of understanding the world, including women and our place in it.

In reading The Earthquake Machine every girl who ever longed to roam the world unencumbered by the fears and dangers brought about by her gender can vicariously live through Rhonda’s adventure as she “becomes” a Mexican boy named Angel and travels across the Mexican desert in search of her one true friend.

The Earthquake Machine

The book every girl should read,

and every girl’s parents hope she’ll never read.

The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda’s world, but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda’s life is her family’s Mexican yardman, Jesús. But when the INS deports Jesús back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation.

Determined to find her friend Jésus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends to Big Bend National Park. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Milagros, Mexico. There a peyote- addled bartender convinces her she won’t be safe traveling alone into the country’s interior. So with the bartender’s help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesús. Thus begins a wild adventure that fulfills the longing of readers eager for a brave and brazen female protagonist.

Badass Bookie xx 

The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Review time! The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg is a 2012 YA Debut and just a heads up - Jess is actually my February Debut of the Month so check out her debutante profile and giveaway ( Signed ARC + Poster) after you read this review! Today is the AUS release date! Thanks to Penguin for the ARC for review :)

(Goodreads) Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever. 

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally. 

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after. 

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?



The Short Story? - An undeniably bittersweet novel about heartbreak, getting over him and coming to terms with death. Rothenberg has written an incredible debut filled with beautifully prose, witty dialogue and some completely hilarious characters. A unique spin on the afterlife and funny take on teenage heartbreak, The Catastrophic History of You and Me is a treat for us all!

The Long Story? - *sigh* It was...everything I thought it'll be and more. A very satisfying read! I loved everything about The Catastrophic History of You and Me, Rothenberg has truly written a remarkable debut! A very unique plot with a refreshingly original take on the afterlife. The novel is a lot more serious than the blurb led me to think yet it maintains the light and airy atmosphere. Wonderfully bittersweet, Brie's story is not a happy one but it's touching and completely unputdownable. The idea of dying by broken heart really made me laugh, there is nothing funny about death but... well, I laughed okay? Funny, comfortable and beautifully written, a fantastic contemporary!

The characterisation was very well done! I completely adored Brie - you gotta love her! Everything from the disney references to the cheesy nicknames ( pun intended), she was a great protagonist. She's funny, kind and a tad sarcastic. Some of her post-death choices weren't so great but let's all cut her some slack, she died of a BROKEN HEART! That's double sucky :) And her mistakes helped develop her into a better character. Wonderful character development! Patrick, our guid to the other side is funny with a capital 'f'. Quite a looker, hilarious and adorably sweet - he stole my heart! A wonderfully characterised novel!

After reading The Catastrophic History of You and Me I went into a week long reading hangover, the novel was so awesome I couldn't bring myself to read anything else! Rothenberg has written novel complete with the whole shebang, a unique plot, fantastic characters, beautiful prose and funny dialogue! I can't wait to see what Jess has install for us next after her winner of a debut! One not to be missed!

What's it Worth? - Hand Over the Paycheck/ Break Out the Piggy Bank


Badass Bookie xx

In My Mailbox #42

Morning Guys! In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Basically we share the bookish contents of our mailbox! If you have been with me for a while you'll know that I only participate every fortnight! Therefore, this is my two-week hurl...

For Review -

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

CRYPT by Andrew Hammond

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

( Thanks to Hachette, Murdoch Books and Bloomsbury!)

I'm keen to read Article 5 and Under the Never Sky especially since they were featured in the 2012 Debutante Event! BLOODROSE I'm so scared to even look at it! If something happens to Ren...I don't think I'll ever recover! I loved Sister Red so looking forward to Sweetly and Bunheads sounds awesome :) Um CRYPT seems like a guy novel but if I find the time I'll definitely review it :)

That's all! Link me to your IMM!

Badass Bookie xx

Fallen in Love

Review Time! This week I took a reading/blogging/anything bookishly related hiatus hence the lack of posts although I did schedule some that didn't post- including this review! Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate is a collection of short stories written about characters of Kate's bestseller series, Fallen! Look out for Rapture which comes out later this year! Thanks to Random House for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.

And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and-losing love. Arianne pats the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first and last time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.


True love never says goodbye...


The Short Story? - A solid read, Fallen in Love is short and to the point. Kate has written a collection of love stories set Medieval England on Valentines Day! For the all the romance junkies and Daniel + Luce enthusiasts out there - this is the perfect novel to read in waiting for the eagerly anticipated Rapture! Looking for a one-sitting read? Look no further!

The Long Story? - I'm on the fence for this one, I enjoyed it but it wasn't overly amazing. It was clever of Kate to write a collection of short stories with different characters yet link one story to the next one but I would have enjoyed it more if each story was separate and focused entirely on each character instead of just one big lead up to "Daniel and Luce's Only Valentine's Day". Nevertheless, I enjoyed it especially Roland and Arianne's stories which really gave me a deeper insight on these characters. I'm a little disappointed that Cam didn't get his own story but to be fair we peeked into his past in Passion! Daniel and Luce's valentine's day was really sweet, even if I'm not a fan of the books, I've always loved the romance between Daniel and Luce! The writing is comfortable and it's a *really* short book ( only 200 pages and the font is quite big). One that can be enjoyed by everyone and anyone!

As far as characterisation goes, when you're 3.5 books into a series the characters really should be fully developed if not - you're reading a really crappy novel. What I liked about Fallen in Love was that the novel allowed readers to peek into the past lives of the characters hence, a deeper understanding of the characters. Roland is one of my favourite characters of the novel and Fallen in Love really allowed me to see a different side of him. The same goes for Arianne, what a shocker of a surprise! The past really has shaped these characters. Medieval Daniel was a huge sweetheart too, he clearly loves Luce and the Valentine's surprise he planned was amazing! Nuff said about the characterisation - it was just fantastic!

I apologize for the choppy review, I'm so torn about what to write about this novel and this is clearly a badly written review! I'm sorry! All I can say that - even if it was overly amazing, it's definitely worth a read because Fallen in Love gives a deeper insight into the characters of the series and who doesn't like love stories? Great addition to a widely loved best-selling series - check it out!

What's it Worth? - Squeeze into the Budget


Badass Bookie xx

Touch of Power Giveaway ( International)

Badass Bookie has teamed up with Harlequin Teen to giveaway (2) Copies of Touch of Power by Maria V. Synder.

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. Yours truly is pitching some money for shipping so that my lovely international followers can enter as well!

To enter just fill out the form below - NO HOOPS! We just want to spread the bookish love :)

Ends 5th of March :)

*EDIT - Just to clear things up (1) ONE copy of Touch of Power will be won by an international follower ( sent by me!) and (1) ONE copy will be won by a AUS/NZ resident (sent by Harlequin Teen!)

(Goodreads) Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

Read My Review - HERE

Debut of the Month - All About the Catastrophic of You and Me

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Profile

Name - The Catastrophic History of You and Me (Goodreads)

Author - Jess Rothenberg

Genre - Contemporary

Release Date - 21st of February 2012

Available - The Book Depository

Brie's life ends at sixteen: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart - "literally." But now that she's in heaven, Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend knows a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost - and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul who's been D&G (dead and gone) much longer than she? and who just might hold the key to her forever after. With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on? but how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

The Insider's Scoop

Insider’s Scoop:  The idea for Catastrophic History came to me during a time when I was dealing with a pretty bad broken heart of my own.  (That whole can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t get out of bed, can’t stop playing sappy love songs on repeat, that kind of thing.)  Writing made me feel better, especially as I was going through all the classic stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance), and I couldn’t help thinking there might be a good story in there somewhere.  Around the same time, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal all about “Broken Heart Syndrome,” and learned it really is possible to die from the cardiac stress brought about by an intense emotional loss.  And since first love tends to be all the more emotional and intense, I couldn’t help but wonder:  what if a teenage girl died of a broken heart?  What if she had to figure out love from the Great Beyond, while the rest of the world went on without her?  And voila, Catastrophic History was born! 

A funny secret about the book:  People often ask me if I borrow anything from real life for my stories, and the answer is sometimes!  There’s actually scene in Catastrophic History where Brie washes up naked on a beach that is taken straight from my high school days.  My best friends Jesse, Leah, and Chesnee convinced me to go skinny-dipping at a crowded beach the summer before senior year and a giant wave came out of nowhere and crashed me to the shore completely naked.  It was such a funny and embarrassing teenage moment I couldn’t resist putting it in the book!  ; ) 

~Giveaway~

Jess is giving away a Signed ARC + Poster of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

Rule of Entry -

- US ONLY ( sorry!)

- Ends 16th of March

- Must be 13 or older

- Optional Entries :

   * Leaving comment on either of Jess's posts +1 each

   * Follower Me on Twitter 

   * Tweeting Giveaway +1

   * Follow Badass Bookie +2