Monday's Novel Talk (75)

Hey Chroniclers! So first off, I don't know how this post is going to come out. I'm on my computer because I'm too lazy to go turn my laptop on. So if the post comes out a bit weird looking, I apologize. But anywho, it is Monday and I am so happy and excited because I finally finished something I've been trying to finish since July!

I finally finished reading Les Misérables by Victor Hugo! I had been reading that damn book since July 27th (my birthday) and finally finished it around 3am. I'm so glad I'm rid of that book for the rest of my life and would much rather watch the movie than read it again. I judge people who have read that book more than once. Judging you so hard. But moving on from this book because I no longer want to talk about it!

I'm currently reading Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I'm on page 278 of 534. I do want to finish this tonight so that I can start reading my October books. But we'll see how it goes. I'm enjoying it so much and love how it makes me feel all warm inside. It literally reminds me of Christmas. I don't even know why. Don't judge me ya'll.

But that's all I've been reading! What have you guys been reading? Leave your comments down below and let's discuss books!

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Book Review: The Silent Deal

Title: The Silent Deal
Author: Levi Stack
Pages: 346
Publication: 02 May, 2013
Rating: O for Outstanding
Copy: Paperback received by Levi Stack

Review: Imagine having the power of taking an ordinary object, something that we barely pay attention to, and making it the most interesting and mysterious piece you have ever seen. I’m not even talking about the story itself, I’m talking about the author. The power and talent this author holds to transform something as simple as playing cards and turn them into this peculiar power is beyond what anyone can expect from a debut author. The story is about two peasant boys, Viktor and Romulus, who live in the Russian Empire and come across secrets that they wouldn’t dare imagine. Featuring mysterious cards, Romani Gypsies and a dark forest, the novel sets itself up for a world that can only grow into something spectacular.

Starting with the world, I loved the universe that Levi Stack created. It played like a movie in my head as I read it. We all know how movies have color tones to match the mood of the scene. Some movies will be played in blue tones, others in brown, etc. etc. The thing with Stack’s world, is that it changed depending on the scenes. At times it was blue to match the mood of Viktor and where he lived. To show the fact that the people weren’t happy and neither was he, and that it was a cold world. Yet when he went to the Romani Gypsy camps, it was full of browns and greens and reds, like the Earth itself, to show how alive the people were. And towards the end of the novel, everything got dark and it was amazing!

The characters in the book are everything one could ask for, plus more. From the main characters who make real choices and show real emotions, to the supporting characters that feel like our very own enemies and friends, to everyone else who is only mentioned in passing. I do have to say that out of them all my favorites have to be the Romani Gypsies who remind me so much of my family. Colorful yet dark and mysterious, and they have this thing that brings light to the novel and yet doesn’t ruin the dark tones. Reading about them was like sitting in front of a fireplace with a nice mug of hot chocolate while the snow fell outside. It made me feel completely comfortable and at home and that’s what we want books to do.

In the beginning I was a curious to find out how a playing card could ever make a story so interesting and make me keep reading. But, as I read, I began to grow more and more intrigued with the idea that this normal object held so many secrets and so much power, that I wanted to get to the end just to discover what was going on. And once I finally learned the bits that are revealed, I wanted more. Sadly though, the book was done and I was forced to wait for the sequel.

Levi Stack is a storyteller at heart, forming his words into sentences that pull you along and don’t release you until he says so. One can call this an evil villains plan, but I call this an amazing author. He’s an author that we have to keep an eye out for the amazing things that are to come. He got me hooked with his first book, and I’m “patiently” waiting for everything else he’s going to release.

Author Interview - Levi Stack

Hey Chroniclers! It's been a few months since I did an author interview but I'm here with the interview I did with an author! I love doing Author Interviews because I get to know the authors a little bit more. This one that you guys will see soon is a pretty cool one. The author is young, which is awesome and he's such a great author. Instead of me just telling you about him, let me just let you guys read. So I present to thee the interview with author Levi Stack!

The Author

Who is Levi Stack?

I'm just a twenty-two year old dreamer. All I want to do is create stories for others, and live in the stories others create. If I can give back even a fraction of the happiness that books gave me, I'll be content.

How did the idea of writing and wanting to become an author come about?

I was stuck in a college business class when I had an epiphany: throughout my life, the only thing I'd remained truly passionate about was stories. In that moment, I thought about how amazing it would be to create adventures of my own. That's when I knew I had to write.

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?

At the moment, that's too frightening of a thought to dwell on.

The Novel 

How did the idea for The Silent Deal first come about?

I had an idea for a boy to stand up against a mysterious evil overlord. The Russian Empire, with its landlords, serfs, thieves, Romani Gypsies, and amazing landscape, seemed like the perfect choice.

Was it difficult writing about a world that seems far off but isn't really that far from ours? Any research?

I did a good deal of research, but mostly about interesting topics, and less about the affairs of say, daily peasant life. I wanted to learn about Russian mythology and castles and underworld criminal organizations and Gypsy performers--anything and everything that would work well in an adventure tale.

Is there anything from the novel that you wish you could add or take out now that the novel is published?

Yes. Definitely. Nothing I write will ever be perfect, and often that makes it painful for authors to reread their published books. However, by examining the flaws instead of ignoring them, you become a better storyteller.

What do you honestly think of your finished work?

Honestly, I'm proud of how it turned out. This book taught me how to write. I cut it down from 700 pages to 350 (yeah, I know) and it was a painful, wonderful journey.

Who would you like to play the characters of Viktor and Romulus if it were ever to become a movie? Or would you prefer unknowns?

Hmm. That's tough. I think in a few years, Asa Butterfield, the boy who played 'Hugo', would be great as Viktor. Romulus would be harder to cast. Maybe a Russian unknown? and if the movie was made, I think all the cast would need to polish up some good Russian accents--no easy task!

Future Novels

What is in store for the future of Viktor and Romulus?

Writing is the only time I enjoy planned, and I plotted out four books in The Card Game Series before I ever started writing. Assuming the boys survive, they're in for a dangerous ride. Book 2, The Magic Trick, should be out by Christmas.

Do you have any other books that you want to write?

I have a few ideas, but I won't start anything new until I completely finish The Card Game Series. As a reader, I hated it when an author would ignore a half-finished series to work on other projects.

Could you let us know a bit about them?

I can give you a hint about The Magic Trick. The story involves a dark, bizarre circus returning to Aryk...

Serious Questions

(These questions are "serious" questions that can be summed up in a word or two. They're very serious though.)

Would you prefer to be a Platypus, Kangaroo or an Armadillo?

Kangaroo, indubitably.

Would you prefer to jump into a book or bring the book out into your world?

Enter the story! Why not go all out?

Would you rather live in a Dystopian world or an Apocalyptic world?

Based on reading preference, Dystopian! Thanks for the interview Michael, and I hope you readers check out The Silent Deal!

__________________________________________________

Thank you Levi Stack! That was such an excellent review and I had fun reading your responses! As Levi said, you should all check out The Silent Deal which is seriously such a fantastic book! While you're at it, you should all check out some of the other places he takes up on the interweb!

Like his Facebook: Levi Stack

Follow his Twitter: @levi_stack

Check his Website: LeviStack.com

Check his Goodreads: Levi Stack & The Silent Deal

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Stacking The Shelves (18)

Hey Chroniclers! I know this is a late post that is supposed to go up on Sunday's but I wasn't home and so I'm putting it up now. Also because I can so yea. Today I woke up really early for the cable guy to fix my DVR and decided to take a small nap and instead it turned into a few hours. I woke up not long ago and that is why the posts are late today as well. Stacking The Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by the wonderful Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews where we share with everyone the books that we'll be adding to our shelves.

The books below are  the books that I received last week.

The first one is Zom-B by Darren Shan that I bought because I had a B&N coupon. I wanted something scary or as scary as I could find for my October Themed Reading. I haven't read a book yet that's about zombies so I'm super excited for this one.

The rest of the books I received from HarperCollins Publishers who I thank oh so much! They were fantastic to send me a couple of books. Some of these I'll be giving away to some readers who would enjoy them more than I would. Those are It's Halloween, I'm Turning Green! by Dan Gutman which I have half a mind of reading actually. Annoying Orange: How To Be Annoying by Brandon Snider, Gravediggers: Terror Cove by Christopher Krovatin which looks pretty cool but my friend actually has the first book and Cinderella Smith: The Super Secret Mystery by Stephanie Barden.

The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates: Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson is one of the books I'll be keeping. The cover is fantastic and the deckled edges just make it all better and it looks like a fun read.

The last one is Scary School 3: The Northern Frights by Derek The Ghost. I have the first two which I also added to my TBR Pile and they'll all be read during the October Scary Themed Month. I'm excited to read those as well!

But that's all I got this week, what did you guys get? Leave your comments down below!

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Monday's Novel Talk (74)

Hey Chroniclers! It's finally Fall and I'm so excited because the holidays are coming up starting with Halloween. I've been getting ready for the month of October to read some awesome themed books. I'm super excited for this! But it's still September and I'm still reading other books. Let's see what I've been reading!

Still reading Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. But I'm almost done! I'm currently on page 631 of 908! I'm on Volume 4; Part 2 out of five volumes. I think I can finish this before the end of the month, though. At least I hope so. It's still a bit boring and I prefer the movie over this. Mostly because there's singing and stuff and it's more exciting. I will be watching the movie after I finish reading.

I finished reading Loss by Jackie Morse Kessler. It was my favorite out of the first three but I need to read the last one to see if it'll stand or change. It's so weird finishing series, especially when you know no more books will come out unlike many other series that have surprise, unnecessary sequels. But, it's awesome when you finish reading the last book and just add it to your shelf and just sit back, sigh, and look at it. Soon, I'll finish this series.

I'm currently reading Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Currently on page 113 of 534. I first read this book around 2005 from the library along with the sequel which I didn't finish. I never liked reading library books. So while I remember some things, it's like reading a book all over again. I do love this book though, oh so much. Aunt Elinor is my spirit animal to be honest. I'm just excited to finish this book and the next two. I read a bit of the sequel, like I said before, but it was only the beginning and never finished. So it makes me even more excited to read the last one which I never opened!

And that's all I've been reading! What have you guys been reading? Leave your comments down below and let's discuss books!

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To Be Read Pile (September 2013)

Hey Chroniclers! So this post is a bit late, like very late. I thought I had put it up already and then I would realize I didn't and forget to actually put it up. And then that thought process would start all over again. It's better late than never though, so I present to thee, the To Be Read Pile of September 2013!

To Be Read Pile (September 2013)

So, you might notice that it's currently in a different place. I had to move the books onto my dresser that is against the opposite wall so that I could have more space on my bookshelves. Also, the wall is gray and not beige as it looks. It's the filter.

To Be Read Pile (August 2013)

Last month I had 53 books which, it just feels like it's never leaving that area. I received/bought 1 book only! Which I actually received and that's because I was in Portugal and couldn't buy anything. I finished 5 books and am reading the 6th (this was during the 1st of September). The thing is the 6th is Les Misérables that I started before going to Portugal and am still reading! (Even today!) All in all, I read about the same as last month which isn't that bad but could have been better. I'm currently at 48 books! Progress! Makes me feel good!

I don't exactly have plans on what to read in September, although I've read a few books already, so it's basically just winging it! Hopefully we'll see more progress in October!

Do you have a picture of your TBR Pile? Leave your link down below!

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Monday's Novel Talk (73)

Hey Chroniclers! So today, I woke up at 11PM but for some reason fell asleep once again and woke up at 4. I feel like poo D= And this is why I didn't post earlier. But, I am here now and it's Monday and boo Monday's. But let's see what I've been reading!

I'm STILL reading Les Misérables by Victor Hugo! I finally finished Volume 3 and have 4 and 5 left. I'm currently on page 515 out of 908 which isn't that bad. I know that I'll finish this before the year ends. This is the worst and longest I've ever read for one book.

I finished re-reading Burned by Ellen Hopkins for the second time and finished the sequel Smoke as well that was recently released. I loved Burned but Smoke ripped out my heart and just shredded it. I loved it so much it became an instant favorite! I still feel the pain today.

I'm currently reading Loss by Jackie Morse Kessler, the third book in the Riders of the Apocalypse Series. It's so good and in my opinion, better than the first two and much more deeper. I'm on page 109 out of 251 and should be finishing this soon.

And that's all I've been reading? What have you guys been reading? Leave your comments down below!

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
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This or That (7)

Hey Chroniclers! It's finally Friday and I feel blah. I hate going to sleep late and waking up late. Makes me feel like crap. But, it's Friday and I need to just forget about that and enjoy the weekend! Since it is the beginning of the week, that could only mean one thing. It's time for another edition of This or That, a weekly meme hosted me, in which I pit covers of the same book against each other. They both have the same story, but the image that sells is different. Your job, as Chroniclers, is to vote for your favorite at the end to see which one is fan favorite. Since J.K. Rowling revealed some amazing news about a new movie that is set in the Wizarding World and follows Newt Scamander, based on her short novel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, I think this post needs to be special. Let us begin!

Click to see bigger!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling!

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a cloak of invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The original cover is the love of my life. It's what I know and grew up with and of course I'll be biased with it. But then again, it's Harry Potter and I love every single cover equally, so I wouldn't be able to choose. The second cover is awesome as well. I had to get myself a copy of it. It's awesome seeing another scene from the book. The third cover is also amazing and the only one I've never seen in person. It was a limited edition thing but I love the scene and the colors. Ties in with Deathly Hallows. The fourth book is just amazing as well! I love how busy it is just like the real scene. Love the colors and it just gets me excited. Plus, the actual copy has this buttery feel to it, so soft. 

Between the four, what do you guys think? Vote for your favorite down below and let's see which one is the winner! 

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The Novel's Court (12)

Hey Chroniclers! It's the second post today which is pretty cool because everyone loves posts. As I said in the previous post, today is Tuesday and that means books have been released into the world. The Novel's Court is a weekly meme hosted by me where I bring to you a debut novel that is a stand-alone or the start of a series and put it through a court-like process to deem whether it is Guilty of reading or Not Guilty. I'm going to try a new thing where at the end you can vote as to whether it's guilty or not. So let us begin!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life-and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort one. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Time for Court!

The Story: I think the story sounds pretty awesome. We've all been there in fandoms regardless if it's books, movies, shows or whatever else there is. And we've all found it hard to move on and never really do. I also find how the character seems so relatable in the synopsis. 

The Cover: Not exactly a fan of the cover but I like how it's simple like her other covers. I do love when covers match. 

The Verdict: Guilty! I would read this and depending how the reviews go I might have to add this on my wishlist. Seems like it would be a fun, quick book to read. 

What do you guys think? Vote below and then leave your comments with what you think! 

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Tuesday's Novel Spotlight (53)

Hey Chroniclers! I'm so excited because it's Tuesday and that means brand new books have been released into the world. Tuesday's Novel Spotlight is a weekly meme hosted by me where I bring you a book that has just been released but is a sequel or companion novel. Today I'm actually in New York City going to Barnes & Noble to get the book that was released today. That book is....

Smoke by Ellen Hopkins!

I am so freaking excited to read this book! I read the first book Burned last year and again very recently. I seriously can't wait to both read the book and hold it in my hands! I want to see what special texture the book has like all of her other novels. We'll get to see the story continue for Pattyn and everyone else around her and it's just too exciting for me to handle!

I love the cover! It reminds me of the font color of Burned and I love how they both tie in together. Now that I look at it it kind of looks like a forest on the bottom with the trees on fire and the black is the sky with the moon on the corner! Never noticed that until now.

What are your thoughts on the first book, cover and author? We all know she's one of my favorite author so it's just too awesome. Leave your comments down below and let me know what you guys think!

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
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Monday's Novel Talk (72)

Hey Chroniclers! I haven't posted one of these since July but then again, I wasn't here during August to put one up so we'll go ahead and start with what I've read since last week.

I'm currently still reading Les Misérables by Victor Hugo since July! I'm currently on page 438 of 908 and it is killing me. I thought the book would be completely different than what it really is. It's like I'm reading a History Textbook and that is not my cup of tea. It's gotten to the point where I have to read along with an audiobook so that I don't stop reading and wander of doing something else. Hopefully I can finish this by the end of the year. -____-

I finished reading Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan and I went into it with low expectations but I ended up really enjoying it. I'll be buying the sequel along with the matching first book in paperback so that I can continue the adventure.

I'm currently reading Burned by Ellen Hopkins in preparation for the sequel that will release tomorrow, Smoke. I'm currently on page 209 of 531 and of course I love it. It's such a fast read like all of her other books and I should be done by tonight.

But that's all I've been reading. What have you guys been reading? Leave your comments down below!

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
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Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
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This or That (6)

Hey Chroniclers! It's Friday and everyone loves Friday because it's the beginning of the weekend! And we all know how much we need a weekend to relax. It also means that it's another edition of This or That, a weekly meme hosted by yours truly, where I I pit two covers of the same book against each other. They both have the same story, but the image that sells is different. Your job, as Chroniclers, is to vote for your favorite at the end to see which is the fan favorite. Let us begin!

Click to see bigger.

Across The Universe by Beth Revis.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SURVIVE ABOARD A SPACESHIP FUELED BY LIES?

Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed. She has left her boyfriend, friends-and planet-behind to join her parents as member of Project Ark Ship. Amy and her parents believe they will wake on a new planet, Centauri-Earth, three hundred years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed's scheduled landing, cyro chamber 42 is mysteriously unplugged, and Amy is violently woken from her frozen slumber.

Someone tried to murder her.

Now, Amy is caught inside an enclosed world where nothing makes sense. Godspeed's 2,312 passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader. And Elder, Eldest's rebellious teenage heir, is both fascinated with Amy and eager to discover whether he has what it takes to lead.

Amy desperately wants to trust Elder. But should she put her faith in a boy who has never seen life outside the ship's cold metal walls? All Amy knows is that she and Elder must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets before whoever woke her tries to kill again.

The original cover is very pleasing to the eyes. I love the art work and the colors that were put into it. Love the two people facing each other and it's just really an awesome cover. The second cover is a bit more what the synopsis sounds like. It reminds me of the inside of a ship and the girl in the middle trying to reach out of it. The third cover is very gender neutral though which I also like. A lot of people don't like it because they prefer the first cover and I must admit, I do love the first cover, but I'm also liking the third one as well. 

Between the three, what do you guys think? Vote for your favorite down below and let's see which one is the winner! 

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
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Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Goodreads: Michael Araujo
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