Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

To maintain quality service, the Snyders trained their employees well and paid higher wages that other fast-food companies. Their emphasis on quality has turned In-N-Out into a beloved West Coast institution and made fans of famous chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Julia Child.

Review: Archie: Americana Vol. 3: The '60s

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

The sensational sixties, a time of dreams, hopes, revolution, and social change! At the forefront of the decade were the nation's youth, enjoying the latest fads, speaking their minds, and defining a generation. Ever timeless, Archie and his friends came along for the ride, exploring both the fun and mores of the times with their unique brand of humor, as only they could! But Archie Comics was also around to remind everyone "the more things change, the more they stay the same!" Whether getting tangled up in the eternal love triangle or incurring the wrath of the principal and Veronica's father, Archie scaled new heights of hilarity!

MY TAKE:

If you're an Archie fan like me, then Archie: Americana Vol. 3: The '60s is definitely a must-buy for you.

It contains 31 stories plus some filler material like pin-ups. The e-ARC that was provided to me only had the first 25 pages, but I was still able to read through a few stories. That's the nice thing about Archie comics: you get more than just one story.

The stories that I read were classic Archie. By that I mean Archie is annoying Mr. Lodge or doing not-so-smart things, Veronica and Betty are bonding over clothes or other things, and Jughead is Archie's sidekick.

I don't know how good the rest of the book is, but from what I saw, this is a pretty decent installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the e-ARC. Publishing date of Archie: Americana Vol. 3: The '60s is on February 14, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. There are a lot of stories in this graphic novel.
2. It's vintage Archie.
3. The stories have that old sitcom feel.

THE BAD:

1. Those who grew up in the 2000s might not be able to relate to some of the stories.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Whatever happened to the push-button age?

READ IT IF:

1. You're an Archie fan.
2. You like or miss the '60s.
3. You want to have a good laugh.

RATING:

Review: The Last Airbender: The Promise Part 1 by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Gene Yang

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

The wait is over! Ever since the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, its millions of fans have been hungry for more--and it's finally here!

This series of digests rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang's powers and ingenuity!

* The continuation of Airbender and the link to its upcoming sequel, Legend of Korra!

MY TAKE:

Just so you know, I am a huge fan of Avatar, so this review might be a little biased. :P

This book picks up where the series left off. Aang has defeated Fire Lord Ozai and Zuko is now the Fire Lord. In an effort to continue restoring peace to the four nations, Zuko, Aang and Earth King Kuei decide to dismantle the Fire colonies in the Earth kingdom. That's when the trouble begins.

I really liked the plot of this graphic novel/comic book. I don't want to reveal too much of the plot, but let's just say that the plot felt very organic and it flows naturally with the cartoon series. I'm sure that a lot of people will be able to relate or at least understand the characters', especially Zuko's, point-of-view.

I liked that the sense of humor that defined the cartoon series, and was lacking in the movie, is back in this novel. The characters were their usual selves, especially my favorite little metalbender/earthbender Toph, but Aang and Katara were way too cheesy for my taste. :D

Thanks to NetGalley and Dark Horse Comics for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It's vintage Avatar: The Last Airbender.
2. Brilliant plotline and writing.
3. It makes you eager to read the rest of the series.

THE BAD:

1. The second book doesn't come out until May.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Harmony requires four separate nations to balance each other out! You can't have balance if one nation occupies another!

READ IT IF:

1. You're an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan.
2. You like graphic novels.
3. You like comic book that keep you on the edge of your seat.

RATING:

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Review: Mark Twain's Tales of Mystery by Mark Twain

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Sherlock Holmes in America? Mark Twain a character in his own stories? Can it be true?

True indeed, dear reader, as Mark Twain makes his mark on the mystery genre with this collection of short stories by the grand master himself! Including "A Double Barreled Detective Story," "Tom Sawyer, Detective," "A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage," and "The Stolen White Elephant," delight as Twain breaks convention and bends cherished characters to tell stories that are wholly his own.

Illustrations provided by Menton3 (The Lovecraft Library, Classics Multilated, Monocyte).

MY TAKE:

I originally thought that this book was a graphic novel. As it turns out, Mark Twain's Tales of Mystery is a collection of stories, and in the NetGalley copy which I received, which only had 20 pages, the only illustrations I saw where in the first few pages.

The illustrations and the book itself has a brown, white and black motif that looks really classy and vintage. The first story in the series is Tom Sawyer, Detective. I haven't read this story before, so I was pleased to see what Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were up to. Too bad the NetGalley copy only had the first three 1/2 chapters. I would have liked to learn how the story played out.

Thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. The stories are written by Mark Twain.
2. You get to read about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn again.
3. Nice layout and font and color choice.

THE BAD:

1. The pronunciation spelling can take some getting used to.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

It just makes a boy homesick to look ahead like that and see how far off summer is.

READ IT IF:

1. You're a fan of Mark Twain.
2. You like reading classics.
3. You like mysteries.

RATING:



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Review: Tiny Homes Simple Shelter by Lloyd Kahn

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

There's a grassroots movement in tiny homes these days. The real estate collapse, the economic downturn, burning out on 12-hour workdays – many people are rethinking their ideas about shelter – seeking an alternative to high rents, or a lifelong mortgage debt to a bank on an overpriced home.

In this book are some 150 builders who have taken things into their own hands, creating tiny homes (under 500 sq. ft.). Homes on land, homes on wheels, homes on the road, homes on water, even homes in the trees. There are also studios, saunas, garden sheds, and greenhouses.

There are 1,300 photos, showing a rich variety of small homemade shelters, and there are stories (and thoughts and inspirations) of the owner-builders who are on the forefront of this new trend in downsizing and self-sufficiency.

At the heart of our 1973 book Shelter were drawings of 5 small buildings, which we recommended as a starting point in providing one's own home. Now, almost 40 years later, there's a growing tiny house movement all over the world – which we've been tracking over the past two years.

Many people have decided to scale back, to get by with less stuff, to live in smaller homes. You can buy a ready-made tiny home, build your own, get a kit or pre-fab, or live in a bus, houseboat, or other movable shelter. Some cities have special ordinances for building "inlaw" or "granny flats" in the back yard. There are innovative solutions in cities, such as the "capsules" in Tokyo. There are numerous blogs and websites with news, photos, and/or plans for tiny homes, documented here.

If you're thinking of scaling back, you'll find plenty of inspiration here. Here's a different approach, a 180º turn from increasing consumption. Here are builders, designers, architects (no less), dreamers, artists, road gypsies, and water dwellers who've achieved a measure of freedom and independence by taking shelter into their own hands.

MY TAKE:

If you look at my Tumblr blog, you'll see that I reblog a lot of pretty houses and rooms. Most of these are big houses, but a lot of small homes are pretty too. Pretty things come in small packages and this book catalogues some interesting houses.

Tiny Homes Simple Shelter doesn't just contain pictures of beautiful houses, however, it also contains stories about the house's owner and how the house was constructed. A lot of the houses featured are DIY projects and make use of solar panels and recycled materials. What's amazing is how some of them were able to build these houses even though they really didn't have any background in construction and they only had a limited budget.

It's unbelievable how people can do so much with so little space. The houses have amazing features, like lofts and gardens. My favorite story was about a Tokyo capsule hotel, which I have read about before and which I find quite fascinating.

All in all, this is a very inspiring book that just may encourage you to lead a simpler, fuller life in a beautiful house of your own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shelter Publications for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. You get to see how the houses were built.
2. There are a lot of interesting ideas and concepts you can learn from.
3. There are plenty of beautiful pictures.

THE BAD:

1. May seem too technical for those who aren't familiar with architectural terms.
2. Some of the houses have similar looks.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

"Above all, pursue happiness and not more stuff."

READ IT IF:

1. You're thinking of downsizing your life.
2. You've always wondered how easy or difficult it is to live off the grid.
3. You're thinking of building a small room or house of your own.

RATING:



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Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings.

MY TAKE:

Where do I begin? This book is awesome!

In a world wherein most men have a lifespan of 25 years and women only have 20 years of life to live, procreation and finding an antidote is the order of the day. Here, Rhine Ellery and her twin only have each other. When Rhine is forced to become one of the wives of a young rich man, she will do everything in her power to be reunited with her twin once again.

I won this book from Jessie Harrell (author of Destined) during the Mid-Winters Giveaway Hop. What drew me to this story instead of the other choices that were given to me by Ms. Harrell was the science factor. Yes, I am a science nerd... and a former medical student. The premise intrigued me. How far should science go and if we let it go too far, what could be the consequences? I enjoyed this so much that I began to speculate what could be causing the problem. I mean, it is fiction, but I think if there was a mutation in the mitochondria, cell nucleus or DNA, it's plausible.

I didn't really choose this book for the romance, but the romance bits of the story were nicely done and not heavy-handed. While I was a little grossed out at the thought of the harem-like arrangement, this is important to the advancement of the story and the society in Wither.

As for the characters in the story, my favorites are Rhine and her sister wife Jenna. I like Rhine. She has a mind of her own and she can be manipulative but because I get where she's coming from, it doesn't really irk me. I feel like I can relate more with Jenna, though. She's quiet and rebels in a silent way, kinda like me. :P

THE GOOD:

1. Rhine is flawed and occasionally makes not-so-smart choices but not in that she's-so-stupid-I-want-to-hit-her way.
2. Poetic (but not distracting) writing style.
3. Believable world.

THE BAD:

1. The concept of polygamy may not appeal to everyone.
2. Rhine can be a bit manipulative, though her heart's in the right place.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

I suppose she means for me to learn to love him. But she's young yet. She has plenty of years to learn what true love is, or at the very least what it isn't.

READ IT IF:

1. You like strong yet believable heroines.
2. You've imagined what it's like if scientific advances go out of control.
3. You like well-thought-out worlds and stories.

RATING:



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Review: Hide and Seek Devotional by Stephen Elkins

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Hide God’s Word in your heart, and seek Him in your life!

Best-selling author and Grammy-nominated artist, Stephen Elkins, has created an exceptional product that includes everything parents need to get their children excited about spending time with God.

This book contains 52 Bible stories, devotions, verses, prayers, and a link for a free audio download of Scripture memory songs children will love singing along to. Narrated by Kirk Cameron, this full-length album reinforces the Bible verses and helps children commit them to memory.

MY TAKE:

When I was a kid, I loved reading the Bible, because the stories were so interesting to me. Not all kids share my enthusiasm, though. The Hide and Seek Devotional is a great way to get these kids, and even those who already like reading Bible stories, to not just read the Bible but also to reflect on the meaning of the stories.

The book contains stories from both the Old and New testament. The stories are summarized and the book, chapter and verse where the story is located at the end of each story so the kids are encouraged to read the story in the Bible.

Each story has a related Bible verse, devotion to help guide kids during their reflection, and activities and prayers. The devotion is a really nice touch. I particularly liked one devotion wherein the author mentions a missionary who spoke about UFOs or people with Unwavering Faith and Obedience.

All in all, this is a great way to encourage kids to read and learn more about God and the Bible.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tommy Nelson for the e-ARC. Publication date for the Hide and Seek Devotional is on February 7, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. Beautiful illustrations and colorful headings.
   
2. Free download of 52 songs and Bible stories.
3. It's fun, easy to understand, and it doesn't talk down to children.

THE BAD:

1. It only has 52 stories. That's one for every week, but it would have been cooler if it had 365 stories.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

READ IT IF:

1. You want to encourage your children to have a closer relationship with God.
2. Your child thinks that reading the Bible is boring.
3. Your child likes books that are fun to read and has pretty illustrations.

RATING:



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