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By Hook Or By Book

Daily Archives: October 8, 2014

This 12 Year Old’s Essay Is Brilliant

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

After picking myself off the floor from laughing too much, I had to share this from 101 Books. It reminds me why I love kids 🙂

101 Books

This 12 year old kid gets it.

He just gets it.

Now go out and win today, just like this kid. 

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The Crystal Slipper ~ by Selena Fulton -2.5 Stars

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Adventure, Fairytales, Romance

9781633750975_p0_v1_s300x  This is for an e-book ARC provided by NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Preston Chandler is desperate. It turns out that an old friend whose romantic advances he cruelly rejected is a witch. Not in the figurative sense, but the curse-giving literal sense. She’s cast a spell over his poor blameless younger sister Ana which has put her into a deep coma-like sleep. If Chandler doesn’t follow Raven’s cryptic clues and riddles, she will die. The first of these involve a pair of crystal slippers. He’s found one but is still searching for the other. Enter Celinda Branham, who deliberately makes herself look plain by wearing no make-up and hiding herself in baggy, shapeless clothing. She does this because she’s suffering from low self-esteem as well as other issues due to a wicked step-mother who has taken everything from her. She’s a reluctant participant at a Christmas Yankee Swap when she wins an exquisite, albeit completely useless crystal slipper. Hmm. What is she supposed to do with this? It’s not long before Chandler tracks Celinda down and a romance (sort of) begins. Can these two lost souls save not only Ana but themselves? Let me begin by saying I really wanted to like this book. Really. I love fairytale retellings and this seemed like such a great mash-up of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty set during the present day. Add to that a dishy British hero who owns a chocolate making company, and an ugly duckling heroine who’s a librarian, what’s not to like? Well, for me it was the characters. Preston is insufferable, sexist, and obnoxious and I wouldn’t have blamed Raven if she had cursed him instead of his sister. Even while he’s supposedly running around doing everything he can to save her you’re left wondering if it’s purely out of love or is it fear that without his sister who is also a shareholder that he’ll loose his company to a hostile takeover orchestrated by Raven’s father. It seems like the author tries to make him redeemable, but by the end of the book Preston still left me cold. And then there’s Celinda. She should have been a sympathetic character. Instead one moment she’s putting off Preston’s advances as nastily as possible, and the next, willingly going along with the “romance” even though it’s become clear that there wouldn’t be any if it wasn’t necessary on Preston’s part to save Ana. Arrghh. Just thinking about it is making me grind my teeth! Honestly, if it wasn’t a review book I would have stopped well before the halfway mark. I’m sorry. I really tried. I hate it when I dislike a book this much.

Recommended Book Blogs

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

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Yvo over at It’s All About Books has thoughtfully put together a directory of book related blogs. So, take a peek and see if there’s any you’ve missed 🙂

It's All About Books

recommendedbookblogs

I do not only love to read books, I also love reading about books. I’ve encountered a lot of great book blogs out there, and decided to make a big list including all the blogs I follow for easy future browsing.

So I present you with the list of the book related blogs I follow in alphabetical order(please contact me if you think one is missing! It’s a big list and it’s easy to overlook a particular name…):

>>>Last updated September 29th 2014<<<

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Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
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Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Jane Lurie Photography

Jane's Lens

Mythaxis Review

culture and technology

The Book Bites

Literary Liza

Cosy up and read with me!

abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/

"Books wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Page by Page

Book Reviews with Bianca

The Masked Bibliophile

Books, Novels, Reviews, Poetry

Dreams And Escapes

Moments cherished, memories kept, dreams fulfilled and little things that make everyday a blessing.

sugarandscream.wordpress.com/

Lines by Leon

Leon Stevens : Author, Artist, Composer

Lovabull Books

My journey as a dog mom and book worm...

Schizanthus Nerd

Living the dream one page at a time

katherinesmits Word Siren

Reviewing enchanting reads and discussing all things bookish

Bonkers For The Books

Book reviews and more by Michael David

Bite! Eat! Repeat!

52 Cookbooks. 52 Recipes. A Tasty 2022!

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

READER - WRITER - CURATED RESOURCES - & MORE

Stuart France

Writer

Tallis Steelyard

The jumbled musings of Tallis Steelyard

Jim Webster

Books and Stuff

The Rantings of a Book Addict

Books Teacup and Reviews

Eclectic Mix Book Blog

Gulf South Free Press

Opinion Is The Medium Between Knowledge And Igonrance

Bantering Books

Book Reviews

Barb Taub

Writing & Coffee. Especially coffee.

The Introverted Reader 📚

Forever lost in literature

Odd Bits About Books

Between Pages

Documenting the inspiration I find, Between Pages

The Suspected Bibliophile

rambling book reviews and queer SFF writing

Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking

The Silent Eye

A Modern Mystery School

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

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