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Anila H.

January's Guide To Reading

 Here’s to an amazing year! Now let’s get to our Guide To Reading:

January is all about starting fresh, starting new, new possibilities, new dreams, plans and goals. What kind of reading is suited for us?

Reading Challenge:

Usually during January we are very determined to accomplish our goals. That is why this month should be inspiring, this way we know there is going to be an awesome year ahead.

Summer Reads: Flober, Shekspeare, Woolf, Poe, King

Hello bookworms J

What have you been reading these hot days?

Currently I am busy with “Creature Feature”, and I am getting even more excited with this project. Now that I finished school, I have a lot of free time. I think “Creature Feature” is going to be terrific, but visiting old ruins and talking to strangers about old scary creatures, surely is something weird. Anyways it’s me, who we are talking about, so I don’t mind. Actually when I asked someone “What do you think ‘gogol’ (a certain creature) looks like?”, the response was “Like you!”. I was absolutely mad. I nearly killed that person. “How dare you compare me to that creature? I thought I made it obvious I prefer vampires.”

Anyways, I want to share with you my summer TBR list.  I have divided the books in groups.

Summer Reads Gr.1 “Books I want to read or re-read.”

These are books I bought recently, or I want to re-read them.

“12 Years A Slave” by Solomon Northup

 I haven’t watched the movie yet, and I don’t plan on watching it, because first I want to read the book. I bought this in the airport, so it was quite expensive. {Language: English}

“The Shining” by Stephen King

 This was one of my favorite books I had to read during “Spring into Horror Challenge” Since I read it too fast, I want to enjoy it again. Actually there’s no excuse, I just want to read it again. Got any problem with that, huh? {Language: English}

“Mjegulla e Tiranes” by Ismail Kadare

Dun, dun, dun… this is Romance. Yes, I started reading romance. Actually, this is the first book one of my favorite writers ever wrote (he usually writes about Albanian history and politics) This book talks about his romance story when he was young. Though I am reading this because first, there’s an interview of him in the book, second I want to know how his writing style was back then, and third I have almost all of his books, so I don’t want to miss anything {Language: Albanian (my native language)}

“L’ultimi Vampiri”  and “Il sangue di Manitou” are two horror books I bought in Italy for only 1 euro each. 

{Language: Italian}

Summer Reads Gr.2 “Books I have to read for school” Albanian Edition

Our literature teacher gave us a list of books we have to read during summer. I read most of these (though I may re-read them), for example “Macbeth” by Shakespeare (I mean hello, this is a book about a person who kills everyone)

“Madame Bovari” Flober

“Vargjet e lira” “Ne velat e qytetit te veriut” Migjeni (Famous Albanian poet and writer)

“The castle” “General of the dead army” Ismail Kadare

“Eugene Onegin” Alexander Pushkin

“Lulet e veres” Naim Frasheri (another Albanian writer)

“Hamlet”; “Macbeth”;  “King Lear” Shakespeare

{Language: Albanian}

Summer Reads Gr.3 “Books I have to read for school” English Edition

My English teacher HATES horror, that’s why I was a bit surprised she mentioned Poe’s Black Cat and Woolf’s Haunted House, but I know who made her put these books (evil laugh)

“The Chapel” Josef Essberger

“A Haunted House” Virginia Woolf

“The Black Cat” Edgar Allan Poe

“The Winepress” Jossef Essberger

“The Metro” Jossef Essberger

“Araby” James Joyce

{Language: English}

Summer Reads Gr.4 “Books for Review”

Summer Reads Gr.5 “Any Pike book I want to read”

So, this is it. I organized some “Reading Days” where I will be  reading all day.  I think all these books are great, and surely I will practice my foreign languages.

What about you?

What is your summer list?

Have a great day!

Happy Scary Reading!

Thirst No.1 by Christopher Pike Review

 Title: Thirst

Author: Christopher Pike

Blurb: At five thousand years old, the vampire Alisa thought she was smart enough to stay out of trouble. But when her creator returns to hunt her, she must protect herself by befriending Ray, the boy who may be her only chance at finding her maker. When she begins to fall in love with Ray, all of a sudden there is more at stake than her own life. Originally published in 1994, this series netted more than 500,000 copies as individual titles and later as bind-ups. This hot new repackage will revive the series for today’s teen.

Links: Amazon / Goodreads

Review:

As you may already know, I am a big fan of vampires. From books, to TV shows, movies, videogames and comics, I have always been in the “vampire zone”. Therefore, I must say I was more than shocked to hear that there was a certain vampire heroine, and I knew nothing about her. While scrolling stalking Offbeat YA  (link here), I found out about a certain Christopher Pike. It didn’t take long, and somehow I managed to purchase the first volume of “Thirst” which includes the old “Last Vampire”, “Black Blood” and “Red Dice” volumes. Here is my first Pike review (and now I can imagine Roberta from Offbeat YA, standing behind the computer with a tissue in her hand, merely holding her tears, as she reads my review, feeling so proud of me, thinking “I made her addicted to Pike, just like myself”)

Let’s jump to the review, shall we?

The book shows us the story of Sita, an ancient female vampire. What’s special about Sita, is that she isn’t like the usual vampire stereotypes. She doesn’t feel sorry about herself, like these vegetarian vampires nowadays, but she isn’t that thrilled to be a vampire either. Sita doesn’t need a hero to save her (You go, girl!), but in the same time she isn’t the most powerful creature either. Pike did a great job creating this character, since she is very realistic. Every obstacle she has to face, transforms in a certain experience that shapes her personality. We see a lot of personality development through the book. Sita bases her thoughts on her experiences. She is an expert when it comes to creatures, both humans and vampires. The story is supposed to be YA, though I must warn you that this book really takes some rides on the horror side from time to time.

One of the reasons I love this book, is because here we have a realistic female lead, who doesn’t need any heroes to save her, and considering the time this book was written, I think this is quiet an achievement for the society.

Second, Pike is one of the strangest, weirdest and most unique authors I have ever read (and trust me, I read weird books). He has that talent to make you not only read the story, but feel it too. As you progress with the book, you will find yourself feeling pain for every scar Sita takes.

Since I read this book, I have started talking about it, because “Thirst” is the perfect example of what I mean with “Horror/Paranormal books teach us much more than the ‘normal’ ones”

This book treats a lot of teenage problems, and it gives you a new perception of life and death.

I give this book 5 black cats! Absolutely terrifying!

~An interesting fact is that Pike was born November 12, while I’m born November 17. I think my weirdness can be explained now. It may be a horoscope thing. 

~For more information about Pike's books, please check Roberta's blog in the section Christopher Pike room. This is the link.

Have a great day

Happy Scary Reading!

New Book Addiction: Christopher Pike and his "Thirst" series

Hello Bookworms,

Ok, so it’s official, I have a new addiction, the “Thirst” series also known as “The Last Vampire”. Thanks to Roberta and her awesome blog , I found out there is an old vampire series written by a certain Christopher Pike. At first I was like “What? There are vampire books I haven’t read yet? Oh my God! I have to read them immediately!”

But, you see, finding old books isn’t that easy. While bookstores are full of vampire romance, I search for bloodthirsty monsters. Last time I went in Rome, I searched for the book, but I had no luck at all. And there is nothing I want more, than something I can’t have. I had lost hope, just when a lovely lady commented on my blog, saying that I should search for “Thirst” not “The Last Vampire”, since the book’s title had changed. Using internet I found the book! Yes! Finally!

I will post a review soon!

But first I want to talk about Christopher Pike. He is known as the Stephen King of YA ( and I love Stephen King)

I don’t read much Young Adult, I am all about horror! But Pike's books are special, while reading his words I can feel goose bumps. The most mysterious part is that no one knows much about this writer. He was like a ghost. There aren’t any interviews or anything. I just read “Thirst No.1”, but soon I will continue exploring all his books. I want to continue reading “The Last Vampire Series”, also I want to try “Remember Me” and “Whisper of Death”.

I know these books are old, but actually I feel quite happy I can read them. Isn’t it awesome, how I am reading these books and feeling the same emotions another teenager has felt in the 80- 90’s?

But now, I can’t stay here rambling about his books, I have to write a book analysis for school. I have to analyze the “romance” genre. Oh God!

Have a wonderful day!

Apocalipstick Book Tour: Book Review

Title:  Apocalipstick

Author:  Lisa Acerbo

Published:  August 1st, 2013
Publisher:  Eternal Press
Word Count:  67,000
Genre:  Horror Paranormal Romance
Content Warning:  Contains non-graphic zombie gore
Recommended Age:  15+
Synopsis: Jenna should be having the time of her life at college. Instead, her only desire is survival. She lives in a world gone insane after a virus kills most of the population. Being alive after the apocalypse is bad, but when the undead return, hungry for humans, times turn darker. For Jenna and a small group of survivors, the goal is to reach the High Point Inn. At the inn, Jenna develops feelings for Caleb, who, while exotic and intoxicating, is not quite human. Will this new utopia last?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble Goodreads

About the Author:
Born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Lisa Acerbo has lived in Trumbull, Connecticut since 2001. After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a degree in English Education and receiving a Master’s degree in Environmental Education from Southern Connecticut State University, she worked in a variety of educational positions.  Presently, Lisa works as a high school teacher and adjunct faculty for the University of Phoenix.

Lisa always loved to write and worked as an intern for the Connecticut Post when completing her degree at Southern Connecticut State University.  In addition to the Connecticut Post, her articles appeared in the Trumbull Patch and Hollywood Scriptwriter.  She occasionally dabbles in poetry and her poetry won first place in the Trumbull Arts Festival Literary Competition. 

Lisa lives with her husband, Frank, two daughters, Dominique and Jessica, plus three cats and two horses.
Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website


Book Review
As you may already know, I love horror stories, especially zombie books. I don't want to talk about the book title, because if I start, I'm pretty sure I won't stop rambling about how much I love this name. "Apocalipstic" "Apocalistic" "Apocalipstic"
Back to the review, this is such a good zombie book. I loved how much "teenager" the main character was. And of course we have a love triangle (duh), and still I haven't decided which team I am: "Team Caleb" or "Team Quentin" . My favorite were the battle scenes (duh! I'm a horror goddess!) Some people of the survival group are not completely human, and they are called the "other". This book feels so real. People judge each-other, even though the world is under a Zombie Attack! I can only say that this was such a good horror romance with a sense of reality smashed together with zombies". If you don't understand what I have said, don't worry at all,because I don't either!
I can only say "Good Job Lisa Acerbo! Five stars! FIVE STARS!!!

Giveaway Details:
There is an international tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
2 - eBook copy of Apocalipstick with a $20 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Mystical High" Book Tour: Book Review and Giveaway