Thursday, June 23, 2011

Free Audiobook Downloads All Summer!

Sync is offering free audio book downloads all summer long! Below is the complete list of titles being offered this summer.
SYNC is a program that develops the audience of teen/YA audio book listeners.
• Two complete digital audio books--a current Young Adult title paired thematically with a Classic or assigned Summer Reading title--are available FREE each week to listeners ages 13+.
• A dedicated SYNC group on audiobookcommunity.com is the hub of the delivery of the downloads, editorial content, and user engagement. The audio book titles were selected to inspire follow-up listening.
SYNC Titles - Summer 2011

6/23/11 - 6/29/11
Shiver By Maggie Stiefvater
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

6/30/11-7/6/11          
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
The Trial by Franz Kafka

7/7/11-7/13/11
Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster

7/14/11-7/20/11       
The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
Beowulf by Francis B. Gummere [Trans.]

7/21/11-7/27/11
Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

7/28/11-8/3/11
Ashes, Ashes  by Jo Treggiari
Rescue: Stories of Survival From Land and Sea by Dorcas S. Miller [Ed.]          
           
8/4/11-8/10/11          
Immortal by Gillian Shields
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

8/11/11-8/17/11                   
Storm Runners by Roland Smith
The Cay by Theodore Taylor

Be sure to check it out! It's a great way to try out audio books...for free!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Library Loot: June 15 - June 21


Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted alternatively by Marg and Claire that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky (at Marg's this week) any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!
It's been awhile since I've shared my Library Loot. Here's what I've gotten recently:

E-books:

 Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini



Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter
Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey

I'm finding I really love checking out e-books. I don't have to worry about returning books, they just atomaticially disappear -- like magic and I don't accrue any library fines! Amazing!

Downloadable Audio Books:


Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Audio Books:

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (in preparation for the final movie!)

DVD:

Dead Snow
Foreign horror film about Nazi zombies terrorizing a bunch of med students on holiday.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Review: The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Alright y'all, it's been awhile since you've seen a review from me and I'm a little rusty but I have to get back into the swing of things!!!

Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes was one of the first books I read when I first "re-discovered" my love of YA during my graduate school years. I'd devoured most of Dessen's books and stumbled on 13LBE. I LOVED it. While I recall many people having issues with her parents letting a teenager gallivant across the world, I have such a horrible case of wanderlust, and always have, that I didn't give a crap whether it was realistic. When I heard there was going to be a sequel I was ecstatic! However, it had been so many years since I read 13LBE and I have a horrible memory. I just had the barest recollection about what had happened in 13LBE.

I recalled Ginny's Aunt dying and sending her off on this adventure. I remember a boy. I remembered exotic locales and quirky characters. Lastly, I remembered that the last envelope was lost. And that was about it.

The Last Little Blue Envelope begins with Ginny receiving an email from Oliver, an English lad, who happened upon the last envelope. Having opened and read the letter Oliver realizes that Ginny's Aunt's artwork is worth a fortune and that the last envelope gives Ginny clues to assembling her Aunt's final piece of art work. Oliver demands to go with Ginny and, once the piece is assembled and sold, half the profit.

For the most part I enjoyed the book however, one thing really irked me. When Oliver tells Ginny what he's planned she doesn't question him. One of the first things I'd do is ask someone "Why are you doing this?" Obviously he's after money. But common, in all the time she never once thinks to ask him why? As readers, we pick up on things that Ginny clearly overlooks. She clearly knows he's somewhat of a decent guy, despite the extortion. So, if he's mostly an a-okay guy wouldn't you assume that there is some situation in his life that has left him no other options but to take advantage of someone else? Wouldn't you ask why? She never asks why until the book is practically over. Even if she had asked why it's likely that Oliver wouldn't have spilled his guts but at least she would have asked. I was so frustrated the whole time wanting Ginny to friggin' ask him why already! Gah.

This frustrating bit hampered my enjoyment of the novel somewhat. Overall, this installment was enjoyable and we see Ginny grow, however I felt it lacked the magic and spark from the original. But fans of the first book will be happy to revisit Ginny and other characters and get a sense of closure that the first book lacked.

Rating:







Challenge(s) Fullfilled: E-book Challenge

Disclosure: I received this as a digital ARC through NetGalley. I did not receive any compensation for this review.
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