It's Tuesday...Where are you

Although it's technically no longer Tuesday, I saw this meme on Melissa's blog and it looked like fun, so I'm doing it anyways (besides, it's probably still Tuesday somewhere)

So all this week I have been journeying with Garion, Polgaria and Belgariad in search of the stolen orb, which must be recovered at all cost. We are currently in Cherek where I cheered on as Garion finally showed that he's not a complete wuss by punching out a guy who was trying to pick a fight with him over a girl. I was beginning to think this kid has no spine.

And I'm reading...Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

It's Tuesday, where are you? is hosted by An Adventure in Reading

Another Great Giveaway!

In honor of the upcoming holidays, and to celebrate the six month anniversary of my online bookstore, I'm having a special book giveaway in which three winners will be selected to receive the book of their choice from my entire inventory of books for sale.

Visit my bookstore, at 42SciFi-Fantasy.com, to view all of the books available for you to choose from.

I also have a few other books that I'm including in the giveaway, which are not part of my inventory:

1. An autographed copy of The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

2. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvsit

3. The Magicians by Lev Grossman

4. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

5. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

All of the books have been read but are in good condition.

To Enter: Leave a comment with the title of the book that you would choose if you win (though this doesn't commit you to choosing this book if you do win) and your email address.

For Extra entries:

+ 3 if you become a blog follower

+ 2 if you become a Twitter follower @ 42SFF

+ 4 if you are already a blog follower

+ 2 for blogging about the giveaway (leave a link)

+ 1 for anywhere else you mention the contest (leave a link)

+ 5 if you live in Israel, though you have to prove it by telling me something that only someone living in Israel would know (I threw this in just for fun : ) )

+ 10 for leaving a book recommendation on my website's recommendation page

The contest is international and runs until December 25th

The winners will be selected using Random.org, so the more entries you have the better chance you have of winning.

Winners will be selected on December 25th and will be notified by email before their names are posted here.

Gift buying Anxiety: The Holiday Gift Swap

The end of November is approaching and I'm getting anxious because I can't decide what to get the blogger who was assigned to me for the Book Bloggers Holiday Swap (aka Secret Santa but because I'm Jewish I'm going with the more religiously neutral term).

I had signed up for the Swap because it just sounded like fun and it means I get a present (I like presents) but I forgot how horrible I am at choosing gifts for people, with the exception of my kids. But that's because my kids are happy with anything I get them. I bought my five year old a couple pairs of socks last week and he was ecstatic. So choosing a gift for someone who I don't know at all is a real challenge for me.

I took a look at her blog and saw that she likes knickknacks and reads pretty much all genres of books. I picked up a wooden camel at a tourist shop as well as a dreidel (to add a little Jewish culture)and I would like to include a book as well but can't decide which one. I'm considering either A Year in Provence, by Peter Mayle or A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. These are two of my favorite books and everyone who I've lent Bryson's book to has loved it. But now I'm concerned that she might have already read one of them? Should I send two books, just to be safe?

I'm wondering if I should have just gotten her a pair of socks. You really can't go wrong with socks- just ask my five year old.

Jasper Fforde Contest Winner

Congratulations to the winner of the Jasper Fforde Book Giveaway.....



Haley Mathiot!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest and for providing me with some great questions to include in my interview with Jasper Fforde.

More international book giveaways

Pure Imagination has an ARC copy of Fallen, by Lauren Kate, to give away. To enter just leave a comment. Contest ends Nov. 25th

Nishita's Rants and Raves is offering one book from her long list of books reviewed. There are some pretty good titles here, including The Graveyard book, by Neil Gaiman and The Lightening Thief by Percy Jackson. Contest ends Nov. 25th

Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings is hosting author Nancy Holder who is offering one lucky winner five of her books and a tin of Wicked mints. Contest ends Nov. 27th

Book Bound is giving away:
A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris
Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward
Deep Kiss of Winter by Gena Showalter and Kresley Cole
Contest ends Nov. 28th

Booklover Book Reviews is giving away a $25 AUD gift voucher to Amazon or Fishpond. To enter you need to become a follower and leave a comment saying what book you would like to receive, Contest ends Dec. 11th

Fantasy Literature Frankly has a copy of The Magicians, by Lev Grossman, to give away. To enter, leave a comment about why you are a fantasy nerd, or a comment on the interview with Grossman. Contest ends Nov. 29th

A Booklover's Diary is having a really great contest in which four winners will be selected. The first winner will receive a .pdf of The Blue Pen by Lisa Rusczyk and a $35 Amazon giftcard. The second winner will receive three books of their choice from a list of books provided. The third winner will receive two books from that same list and the last winner will get to choose one book from whatever books remain. To enter all you have to do is leave a comment. Extra points are given following the blog and promoting the giveaway. Contest ends Nov. 30th.


Princess Bookie will be giving away 8 books, which she guarantees are good ones, though the titles of the books have not yet been listed. To enter, become a follower and leave a comment. And if you do enter, mention that you saw the contest listed here.


ScifiChick is giving away a copy of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. to enter you just have to fill out a form. Contest ends Dec. 4th


Out of the Blue is giving away a gift certificate to The Book Depository. To enter just leave your name and the book that you would like to win. Contest ends Dec. 6th

Who, What, When Where, Why has a copy of Ice, by Sarah Beth Durst, to give away. To enter, leave a comment. Contest ends Dec. 9th.


The Book Resort is giving away a $100 gift card to the bookstore of your choice. To enter, suggest a good name for a literary agency (it looks like the blogger, whose name I don't see anywhere on the blog, is intending to start one) as well as follow the blog. You can also get extra points by tweeting a blogging the contest. Contest ends Dec. 12th


Noobie is giving away a free kindle, valued at $259. To enter you just have to fill out a short form with your name and email address. And you get extra entries by forwarding the contest information to other people. Contest ends Dec. 14th.




Now I'm off to go enter all these contests myself...

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Demon Lexicon is a book I probably would have never picked up if I hadn't won it in a contest. I've been rather unimpressed with most of the YA urban fantasy books that I have read recently and the blurb on the back of the book didn't grab me either. But hey- it was free- so I gave it a shot. And I actually found it rather enjoyable.

Nick is the ultimate bad-boy; he's dark, dangerous and can frighten grown men twice his age with just a look. The only person in the world who Nick cares about, and who is not afraid of him, is his brother Alan who practically raised Nick, since their father was busy with task of caring for their unstable mother. And for as long as Nick can remember, their family has been on the run from the magicians who want a certain charm returned to them, one which Nick's mother had stolen many years ago. Nick could care less if the magicians get to his mother, after all, she had never treated him with any kindness. But Alan cares, and for Alan Nick would do anything.

That's why Nick soon finds himself forced to hunt down the magicians that he has always been running from, because it will take the death of two magicians to save his own brother's life, as well as the life of a young boy whom Alan is determined to protect. But in his race to save Alan, Nick discovers a new and unsettling side of his brother which leads him to question his relationship with the one person he had always trusted and loved.

I admit to having enjoyed The Demon's Lexicon more then I had expected to. Alan and Nick are two very strong and compelling protagonists who you come to care for and the complex relationship between the two of them was very well portrayed. Jamie, the boy who Alan insists on saving, is also a very likable character with his self-deprecating personality and funny one-liners. I found his sister, Mae, to be rather irritating though, but she did her part by providing a touch of romance as well as bringing out flashes of Nick's human side.

While the beginning started out strong I felt it got bogged down a bit in the middle with Nick's constant altercations with everyone; proving to everyone how tough he is. That got a little boring. But a little over half way through, the pace quickened and I was easily drawn back into the story which then kept hold of me until the very end. The climax of the story was also satisfying, providing some unexpected revelations and surprises.

I think The Demon's Lexicon is a book that fans of YA fantasy are sure to enjoy though those who don't generally read YA books might not appreciate it quite as much.

Calling it quits with Lord Foul's Bane

After two weeks of trying to make my way through Stephen Donaldson's Lord Foul's Bane I've finally decided to give up. It's just not working out for me. I'm actually very disappointed because the book had seemed so promising, starting out.

A successful author with a beautiful wife and baby is suddenly stricken by leprosy and abandoned by everyone close to him- sounds intriguing, no? And then this character, Thomas Covenant, is hit by a car and ends up in an alternate world where everyone thinks he is the reincarnation of the hero Berek Halfhand and expects him to be capable of a special magic, involving his white gold ring, despite Thomas's continuous denial of any knowledge of magic.

And so Thomas sets out on a journey to the Council of Lords to pass on to them a message that was given to him, upon arrival in the land, by the evil Lord Foul. And this journey is very boring. Even though they do have some adventures along the way, it felt like the story was starting to drag, plus I was getting tired of Thomas's whining and self-pity. And after he committed a particularly despicable act, on page 91, I really couldn't stand him.

Thomas is then transported by boat, on his final leg of the journey, by a giant who likes to tell long rambling stories, and soon afterwards I gave up. I did make it to the end of the boat trip, which for some reason that I didn't quite get was very difficult and treacherous and nearly killed the giant. By now I was halfway through the book and thoroughly bored so I decided to just give up and skip to the end of the book (a decision not made lightly) to find out if Thomas goes back to his world fully healed and confronts his disloyal ex wife and gets back his kid.

Well.....I'm not telling. If you want to know what happens you'll have to either read the book or skip to the end yourself.