BLOG TOUR SCHEDULES:

11/1: http://chrissireads.wordpress.com

11/1: http://authorsyouwanttoread.wordpress.com

11/2: http://www.krittersramblings.com

11/2: http://forgetthehouseworkimreading.blogspot.com/

11/3: http://girlseeksplace.wordpress.com

11/3: http://readingrenee.com/

11/3: http://chicklitgoddess.com/

11/4: http://www.imshelfish.com

11/4: http://mybookmusings.blogspot.com

11/4: http://samanthastrohbailey.blogspot.com/

11/4: http://meredithschorr.com/

11/4: http://www.louisewise.com/

11/5: house-of-books.com

11/5: http://change-the-word.blogspot.com/

11/5: http://www.novelescapes.com/

11/6: http://arraabella.blogspot.com

11/6: http://www.julievalerie.com/

11/6: http://chicklitplus.com/

11/7: http://abluemillionbooks.blogspot.com

11/7: http://www.jamideise.blogspot.com/

11/7: http://karenemartin.com/

The Girl, The Gold Tooth & Everything by Francine LaSala

(Started: October 22, 2013; Finished: November 04, 2013)

Summary/Description:

Review: 3 stars

Publication Date: October 09, 2012

Source: Diversion Books

Shelf: Goodreads, Shelfari

Available on: Amazon

Memories are tangible things we always hold on to. It keeps us track of our experiences, whether it's success and full of happiness or failures and disappointments. That's why losing it, for me, is one of the scariest things that could happen. I love memorizing things and retaining information. It's food for my brain and it's essential to writing and reading, of course. I can't imagine myself forgetting everything I have read in my entire life. That would really break me.

This was the main theme of this book. Mina Clark lost her memory and she cannot remember a single thing. People around her were also advised not to tell her anything from the past. She should learn it alone step-by-step. It was clear that the main point of the story that the readers should grasp is finding one's self both literally and figuratively speaking. The former is obvious since the protagonist has amnesia and the latter is more of knowing who you really are.

Some things I just like to adhere are the pacing of the story, the people around Mina, and herself. First, I think the storyline was really slow. It felt like running around in circles. At first it was alright since it gives off an aura of a mysterious case wherein you want to solve it immediately but it was overdone that I got to the point wherein I was totally tired that I wished the author just get to the point. I read this for so many days and I wish I could only just say it's because I was preoccupied with work. But it's partly because I really can't push myself to read more. It was a struggle to know the real reason why it happened to Mina and to know who are the people around her. Speaking of which, I want to strangle almost all of them. They were so precocious for the wrong reasons (which you find out why towards the end of the book). They were so gullible to not think otherwise. Third is Mina. I hate that she can't assert herself. I understand her case but still, I suppose she have her instincts in tact to feel if she is right or wrong, or if this person is good or bad for her. Though I appreciate the fact that she did look for ways to get her memories back and that she was able to fight everything because of her willpower.

Overall, The Girl, The Gold Tooth & Everything was weirdly different. It was new alright but it's not just for me. The events were not polished enough. But I appreciate it for discussing injustices when it comes to banking and loans (if that could make up for everything...).

How will I even start? It was so real from page one until the last and only one word could best describe this novella: inspiring. I liked how it showed various issues of the different generations in a family.A realization occurred to me and it was manifested on the book, too, that the lives of the family members will forever be connected and intertwined. The said issues will involved everyone as much as we like it or not. In the story, the prominent figure was Mrs. Lily Adams. Clearly, she was able to put control everything. She was the foundation and the core of the whole thing. In a way, she was able to influence, motivate an give hope to the other family members. She was their mediator, their medium that reached out to them whenever necessary or even if it's just to say hello.

I also have to give it to the author, Sally Mandel, for making sentimental fragments of memories when put together, creating a beautiful picture of life. As the title says, the story will take you back to the past and the author will let you weave your own way to meet, learn and understand the characters. It was an interesting way of engaging the readers. The author really gave way to a reader's imagination to come to play. More importantly, if it wasn't for the introduction of the book, maybe I wouldn't have known. To tell you honestly, I thought it was just a come back novel after a long hiatus from writing. But for Sally, it was not the case. I would like to commend her for being such an inspiration to everyone. A unforeseen event that changed her whole life happened and it was something a writer will never dream of. Some would have thought that her condition might be a major setback--that it would be difficult for her to return to her old life as a writer. But she proved us wrong. I salute her determination and passion for writing that she still persevered and didn't let it stop her from doing so. I would have clapped now through words so you can hear it if I could.

Overall, Take Me Back are full of life lessons, insights and realizations that will inspire and touch your hearts.

For the quotes I got this from the book, please visit my Tumblr:

http://arraabella.tumblr.com

Happy Reading Everyone!

SALLY MANDEL is the author of seven novels: Heart and Soul (Ballantine); Out of the Blue (Ballantine); A Time to Sing (McGraw Hill/Harper-Collins); Portrait of a Married Woman (Bantam); Quinn (Delacorte/Dell); Change of Heart(Delacorte/Dell), and Take Me Back, whichwill be published by DiversionBooks in September 2013. Change of Heart was on The New York Times bestseller list for ten weeks. The film rights were sold to Columbia Pictures. 

Mandel spent two years writing for television’s Guiding Light and was awarded an Emmy in 1992. Two of her screenplays have been optioned and she is a two-time winner of the Montage/HBO Screenwriting Competition. 

She lives in New York City with her husband, and is at work on a new novel.

Connect with her on:

Website 

And the blog tour continues... Missed a stop? Check them out here:

10/14: New Books on my Shelves

10/15: My Novel Addiction

10/18: Style Reader

10/19: Kritters Ramblings

Data Runner (#1) by Sam A. Patel

(Started: July 09, 2013; Finished: July 24, 2013)

Summary/Description:

First of with the cover, it was very futuristic. You'll know from there what will be the focus of the book. It screams technology and how it will be twenty or thirty years from now. The numbers also reminded me of the Matrix.

Anyway, I've always wondered how the internet really works, how it goes straight to our computers, tablets, etc. It made me think if it's tangible, if it goes through wires like electricity. Then I read about fiber optics. So it made me think where these "coils" can be found and how it can transfer lots of data in a second, and all over the world. Remember when we used to send snail mails, then emails, then chats, and now through social media. We used floppy disks to save and transfer files, then CDs, then USBs, and now data clouds like Dropbox, etc. I also imagined how these will change in the future. Will there be transparent screens we always see in the movies nowadays? Will we rely on bar codes?

So when I read this book, I thought it was incredible how the author came up with this story--the idea of data running through chips. I think I've heard a similar idea before but I've never read a story about it yet which makes it refreshing.It was a realistic world in a futuristic setting which makes it exciting. However, the expectations of the reader should be met immediately once the world is introduced and built as you go along the story line. The setting was in New York. Its name was change but it wasn't extraordinary for me. I wish to know more about it though. I wanted to learn how the world ended up that way, why it had a dystopian theme. But again, I was captured by the idea of data running and how it was done particularly with Arcadian.That fascinated me so much that I cannot shake the idea away. It will stay in my mind forever. I really love how the runners were named and how they were marked. I think it was brilliant to compare yourself with a specific specie of bird that carries the same attributes you have since the data runners are trained for flight and at times, to also fight. You can go for the fastest, the fiercest or even the smallest kind, and it's all up to you. It made me think of what bird I should be if I was a runner, and I told myself I want to be an owl. I've always loved owls plus it was Athena's symbol and it represents intelligence. To be specific, I want a snowy owl since it has a mysterious and intimidating stare that I think I have as well. You can ask my friends. Back to the review, I just want to point out the use of terminology. Some were explained and defined which I appreciated and there were those I didn't understand that I have to consult a dictionary myself. Don't judge, but I still don't know what parkour is. I usually list down a glossary of words from a books so I can add it on Shelfari and I was not able to get its definition. That's one of the few words I didn't get to absorb. Also the shift of normal conversations to scientific or mathematical ones. It was really mind-boggling! I'm a bit rusty on those subjects now and I'm not a math whiz to begin with so I felt nauseous on those parts. I know that Martin and Jack are geniuses but please not all can understand and catch up. What I'm trying to say here is I think it is really important to elaborate and explain some technical terms, ideas and even the formulas since not everyone could get it. It just leads to confusion at times. As long as it was thoroughly explained, the reader will eventually understand it. I also have to point out the recurring way jack mentions the paradox. I want to tell him to just skip it because I already get what it means. No need for repetitions. Nevertheless, those were just minor issues for me and it was still outshone by the amazing plot. Despite the few setbacks, I was still captivated by the story. I wanted to find out more. I was clearly hooked. The originality was there and it was action-packed that amps up the ante even more.

With the characters, I think there were a few who stood out for me. They were Jack, Red Tail and Pace. I'm just into underdogs. I love how Jack relies on his speed and intelligence more than his fighting capability. He proves that there's always a way to outsmart your enemies without releasing a punch. Although i was a bit disappointed on how he was deceived by Mr. Ito. It was so obvious and unbelievable but he fell for it. Red Tail is a favorite of mine. She was a young badass girl. I love the spunk she has and how she can be as techy as guys which I think made Jack admire her. I love how she empowers a female character and how she shows us that male leads can also be damsels-in-distress at times. Hats of to Sam Patel, which by the way is a guy! I also appreciated how it lacked romance but you know there's a hint of it but it didn't need to focus and go there. I think it gave me the thrill I needed. Last is Pace. He was perceived to be a weakling. He was always rescued by his co-dragons. They think he was a coward but he proved them wrong and showed them he was the bravest of them all. His character blossomed to this boy who second-guesses himself to a courageous man. Aside from being the underdog, he was also Filipino (or partly) so he was really close to my heart. Now there were also characters whom I want to see more on the next book. I want to see Snake's capabilities. I know he is brains and brawn, and I needed to see that. It wasn't enough that he drove for Jack and Red Tail on their mission. Same with Martin. I know he can show his brilliance and intelligence in the next book. I want to be wowed by these two. I know that I have to admire them but there was a lack of spark. It is essential for me to see those. Cyril was also an enigma to be cracked. I wanted to know if he can play a big part on the story or if he was just an accessory character. Now there were also those who disappointed me. Mr. Ito and Gendo lack the sophistication that I think they should have as villains. I also didn't like the way Mr. Ito talked by combining Japanese and English in the same sentence. I think it looked a bit forced. Another is Bigsby. I think his description was confusing. He needed a little more work and polishing.

Nonetheless, Data Runner was a book with so much promise and has a very unique concept which made me excited to turn each page. It was a story that I wanted to know further and dig deeper because I know it has so much more to tell. Both male and female reader will definitely enjoy reading this book and I strongly recommend this to Young Adult genre fans.

For the quotes I got from the book, please visit my Tumblr:

http://arraabella.tumblr.com/

For more information on Sam and Data Runner, please see:

http://samapatel.com/

http://www.diversionbooks.com/ebooks/data-runner

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17838693-data-runner

https://twitter.com/Sam_A_Patel

http://www.amazon.com/Data-Runner-ebook/dp/B00DL1DOIK

The blog tour continues here:

JULY 29: http://krweinert.com

JULY 31: http://booksandtheirworldlyrealm.blogspot.com

AUGUST 02: http://suchanovelidea.wordpress.com

Also Diversion Books and Sam has generously offered a giveaway, so scroll down below and enter the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: Take note that the first 8 steps are mandatory! Doing these will unlock other steps. Please make sure to follow ALL the steps because we will check them. Entries that did not follow instructions will be considered void. This giveaway is open worldwide. Giveaway will end on August 15th!

Keep reading, & good luck everyone!