New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!

This year, we'd like to make some new year's resolutions. 

Christinabean

Read more, blog more, comment more

Try more audiobooks and e-books

Donate more time and money to causes I believe in

Spend more time with friends

Write thank-you letters/notes

Eat more veggies

Be thankful for what I have

Laugh often

Curlypow

Read more, blog more

Design more stitching

Get published again

Teach more

Start a stitching blog

See my kids more often

Spend less on inconsequential things

Visit Christinabean before she comes home

With our very best wishes for the New Year.  Happy reading and good luck with your resolutions.

Christinabean and Curlypow

Think we can do it?

Some of my favourite random videos

Just because I'm Canadian and this is so hilarious....

Sass and Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler

Published: July 2011

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Pages: 364

Copy: From Library

Summary: Goodreads

For Daphne, the glass is always half full, a situation is better managed with a dab of lip gloss, and the boy of her dreams—the one she's read about in all of her novels—is waiting for her just around the corner.

For Gabby, nothing ever works out positively; wearing any form of makeup is a waste of study time, and boys will only leave you heartbroken. Her best friend, Mule, is the only one who has been there for her every step of the way. 
But when the richest boy in town befriends Gabby, and Daphne starts to hang out more and more with her best and only friend, Mule, Gabby is forced to confront the emotional barriers she has put up to stop the hurting. And for once, her sassiness may fall prey to her definition of stupidity.

I have always thought that Jane Austen's 'Sense and Sensibility' was the quintessential sister book. With 'Sass and Serendipity', Ms Ziegler has brought that story up-to-date and has made it contemporary enough for todays teens.

'Sass and Serendipity' isn't a complete slave to the original story, but it does have all the high points, even if some of them play out in a rather surprising fashion. I never had a sister myself, but I found Daphne and Gabby were believable as two sisters falling on hard times and falling in love, and if I occasionally wanted to shake one or other of them and tell them to smarten up, it was because I became involved in the story, and not because I didn't like the characters. Prentiss and Mule were perfect boy candy, from opposite ends of the social spectrum, and Mule is just exactly the kind of slave - er, sorry, friend - we all wish we'd had.

The story was a fairly quick, enjoyable read, that will give you a perfect romantic fix for this time of year, and it just might get you interested in reading the original, if you haven't already.

Waiting on Wednesday - Double header

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is another double-header!

Check out this trailer for Bloodrose.  As of writing this WOW post, I have not yet finished Wolfsbane but you can bet that I'll be picking up Bloodrose right away!!

Musings by Knitwits - The Treats Truck Baking Book by Kim Ima

Published: November 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 144

Copy: courtesy of Netgalley and Publishe

I know this is our Musings by Knitwits post,  and this is definitely not a craft book but when I saw this marvellous new cookbook  I just had to share it with you.

Sugar wanders around Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Upper West side dispensing goodies to sugar-deprived New Yorkers and brightening up the day - oh and by the way, Sugar is the name of the truck that Kim Ima, owner/driver/baker of the Treats Truck, bought 2nd hand and refurbished so that she can deliver hand baked goodies to the masses - and she has elected to give up some of her baking secrets, in this delightful new book.  There is also a bakery in Brooklyn called the Treats Truck Stop, which I would love to visit myself.  If any of you are visiting New York, you can find out where Sugar will be by visiting www.treatstruck.com

This wonderful book has recipes for many of Kim's most requested treats, including cookies, brownies, pies and cakes.  You could try peanut butter, pumpkin swirl, or chocolate chipper cookies; a caramel creme sandwich or raspberry ring; cherry brownies or classic rice crispy squares; carrot, apple or lemon cakes; apple, pecan or pumpkin pies  - these are just a few of the treats you can try for yourself. There's even a whole chapter on frostings and fillings - cream cheese frosting anyone?

This is a bright, colourful book with wonderful photos and neat illustrations, and would make a wonderful gift for your favourite baker.  What better way to drop a hint.  

Merry Christmas

Christinabean and I would just like to take this opportunity to wish every one of our followers, new and old, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Thank you for your visits, comments and entries into our give-aways.  We hope we will continue to see you (if only virtually) next year.  Thank you and very best wishes from both of us.  Happy reading. 


Curlypow and Christinabean

This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel

Published: October 2011

Publisher: David Fickling Books

Pages: 352

Copy provided by: Borrowed

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:


Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real.

They stumble upon The Dark Library, and secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are discovered. Father forbids that they ever enter the room again, but this only peaks Victor's curiosity more. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is not be satisfied with the various doctors his parents have called in to help. He is drawn back to The Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. Elizabeth, Henry, and Victor immediately set out to find assistance in a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help create the formula.

Determination and the unthinkable outcome of losing his brother spur Victor on in the quest for the three ingredients that will save Konrads life. After scaling the highest trees in the Strumwald, diving into the deepest lake caves, and sacrificing one’s own body part, the three fearless friends risk their lives to save another.

Review:

Truth be told, I have never read a title by Kenneth Oppel.  However, learning from other librarians, he is often used as one of my go-to authors for reluctant young male readers.  I found This Dark Endeavour a bit tough to get into .  I often felt as though I would require an English accent to narrate properly (which begs the question - what does the audiobook sound like?).  However, once this book started going, it just never stopped.  I am happy to say that I enjoyed reading This Dark Endeavour immensely.  There were tense moments when I never wanted to put it down!  Mr. Oppel did a fine job of keeping me entertained.  I felt that the story had all of the elements I was looking for in a YA novel - mystery, romance and lots of action.  

This would be a great title for a reluctant teenage reader if they can get through the first 20 pages.  For me, it was well worth the time to finish up the book.  

**spoiler**

There was one scene in the story where an alchemist, Polidori is performing "surgery" on a book.  It reminded me of piecing together Frankenstein (also the last name of the main characters).  There were lots of clever quips and scenes in this novel.  Two thumbs up for me!  Curlypow, you'd better bump This Dark Endeavour up on your TBR list!

Don't forget to check out our give-away for the Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop.  The lucky winner will receive a copy of Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Prince.  Check our HERE for the details.

Friday Follow - December 23rd

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we wil answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question –

Question of the Week: If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why?

Wow, this has to be one of the hardest questions to answer.  There are so many amazing worlds that have been created by amazing authors, it is really difficult to chose.  Today, I think I'd go with the world in Graceling.  A little bit medieval, a little bit fantasy, and I love the idea of having a 'Grace'.  Of course, mine would have to be a very useful grace, like being a good cook!  Sounds good to me!

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Don't forget that we are still part of the Mid Winters Eve Blog Hop, and we are giving away a copy of Clockwork Prince.  Check out the details HERE

Christmas Traditions

Its hard to believe but Christmas is right around the corner.  I love hearing how my friends spend their Christmases.  Traditionally in our family on Christmas Eve, we would all go out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant and then meet again on Christmas day for a big breakfast.  My dad cooks up bacon, eggs, homemade hashbrowns, sausage and fluffy waffles made with an ancient waffle iron...served with real Canadian maple syrup (yeah, its expensive but sooooo worthwhile as a treat!).  I think its the waffle iron that makes these waffles to die for.  Seriously, I have given up trying to find another waffle iron that makes magic waffles like this one does.  It is so old that it is a fire hazard!  We never have enough chairs at the table for all of our family to sit around and eat breakfast so we eat in "shifts" and take turns either cooking or eating (well, mostly eating).  After breakfast we head into the living room to open gifts.  My sister and I used to be responsible for ensuring that everyone has a gift to open at all times.  Lucky for us, we have our kids to do this job now...uh, I mean we've passed down the tradition.  After all of the presents have been opened, we head to our respective homes for a nap and return later for a huge feast.  Homemade biscuits and my Dad's famous sticky rice are all part of the meal.  

What holiday traditions does your family follow?

Hey Christinabean, that sounds like a lot of fun with your family.  The one thing I remember with my family when I was small was that my brothers and I had to open our presents one at a time and in order.  And we had to show the others what we got each time.  It was fun and it used to make the present opening last so much longer.  I'm sure it always made it easier for my Mum to remember what was from whom as well. We used to follow up with a big breakfast that would keep us going until about 4:00 pm - my Mum refused to cook more than twice on Christmas day.  I have passed that tradition down to my kids as well and they seem to enjoy it as much as I did.  It would be lovely if it got passed down to the next generation as well.  

Waiting on Wednesday - Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction. 

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions. 


They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

I heard about this title briefly a few months ago but haven't heard much buzz about it in the blogsphere.  I'm interested to hear if its on your TBR list!

Mid-Winter's Eve Blog Hop Giveaway

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses' entry into the Mid-Winter's Eve Blog Hop!

We are giving away one title for this contest.  Here are the details -

So we were thinking about a title that we'd like to share this year and to be honest, there were so many great books for 2011 that we're going to give away the most recent release that we were so excited for - Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.  This contest is open internationally to anywhere the Book Depository delivers and you MUST be a follower of our blog.  If you would like 2 additional entries, you can tweet about our contest post and leave a link to your tweet.  
We've even done the tough part and created one for you to copy and paste!


Win Clockwork Prince with the Paperback Princesses - http://allaboutyabooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/mid-winters-eve-blog-hop-giveaway.html

Sorry Contest is now closed

Please fill in our contest entry form.  


Good luck! 

This hop runs from December 21st - December 27th.

Looking for more blogs to hop to?  

CLICK HERE

Fantastic Fairytales - Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Published: January 3rd 2012

Publisher: Fiewel and Friends

Pages: 387

e-copy: Courtesy of Netgalley and publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 


I had so much fun reading Cinder.  It was so much more than I had expected in a retelling of Cinderella.  Yes, we have an orphan with a wicked stepmother and two stepsisters, and there is a ball and a handsome prince.  But that is where the similarity ends.  Think futuristic, dystopian, space-operatic Cinderella, and you might be a little closer to the mark. 


Ms Meyer has managed to take a well loved fairy tale and turn it completely upside down.  At the same time she has managed to keep everything we all love about the story.    Cinder is a wonderfully complex, mysterious character whom you just can't help but love.  Circumstances fly out of her control at every turn, but she manages to pull herself to her feet, literally and figuratively, and make the best of every bad situation.  Prince Kai is just swoon worthy.  I love the fact that he escapes from the palace wearing a hoodie! 


I could tell you more, but really I just want you all to go out and read Cinder for yourselves.  Fairy tale fans will love it, dystopian fans will love it,  mystery fans will love it too.  The only negative thing I have to say is that we have to wait until some unknown time next year before we can find out what happens to Cinder.  May'be it's not ' happily ever after' after all! Give yourself a treat in the New Year - January 3rd to be exact - and buy a copy.  You will not regret it.

In My Mailbox - December 19th

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers post about the books they have received for the week.  Books may be won, taken out from the library or bought from a store.

I got these in from the library this week:

I can't decide which one of these to read first! -talk about a mixed bag!

Christinabean here....I took advantage of a bookstore discount and bought a ton of non-fiction titles but one YA title that I've been eyeing for awhile - 

I have to admit that I haven't read the series yet but I did snag some signed bookplates from Ms. Jeri Smith-Ready so they're on my TBR list!  What's in your mailbox this week?

Gleek out your Christmas

Here's a little Christmas music to get you in the mood for the holidays...

Sigh, I love Glee...I just need to catch up on the (ummm....) last 3 seasons....

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Published: September 2011

Publisher: Tor Teen/Macmillan

Pages: 352

Copy: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger. 

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

When I started reading 'The Faerie Ring' I have to admit I wasn't immediately drawn into the story.  I  wasn't sure that I was going to finish it, and then a strange thing happened. I suddenly noticed that I was at page 152, an hour had gone by, and I was actually mad at my son for interrupting me.  Out of nowhere Ms Hamilton's characters had captured my heart and would not let go.  There is such depth to Tiki, Rieker, Clara, Fiona and the others that it was almost impossible for me to put the book down.  

I've always enjoyed historical novels and any regular follower knows that I am a huge fairy tale fan.  Ms Hamilton has taken the best of both genres and melded them together into a captivating and timeless story.  Her characters are three dimensional and well written and the story flowed.  Granted, some of the situations are a little improbable, but that only added to the enjoyment for me - it's a faerie tale, after all. There's mystery, adventure, family, magic and romance, what more could we want? ' The Faerie Ring' wrapped up nicely, a beautiful stand-alone novel, but.... there are just enough little  ends tantalizingly loose, that there is a definite possibility that maybe there will be a follow-up (or two), which I understand there will be.   In fact after investigating Ms Hamilton's blog,  the titles appear to be 2 - The Torn Wing, 3 - The Tara Stone and 4 - The End Game.  No mention of when they'll be published though.  I can't wait.  

As a final note, this is a very clean book.  No language or situations that are unsuitable for younger teens to read, although the main protagonists appear to be about 17 or 18.  A wonderful book that I don't hesitate to recommend.  I look forward to reading more from Ms. Hamilton.

Friday Follow - December 16th

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we wil answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question –

Q: When you’ve read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

For me, it really depends on whether I enjoyed the title and would read it again.  If I enjoyed the title so much that I would read it again or it has some significance to me (author signing or received as a personal gift), I may keep it, give it to a friend, use it in a giveaway or let a friend borrow it.  My collection has become a bit out of control since we started this blog and I must do some weeding...hmmm...maybe we need to have a giveaway in the new year...hands up for those interested in free books!

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Christmas suggestions for the readers in your life

Check out this cool book Christmas tree from the Richard A Gleeson library in San Francisco!

Tis the season to be shopping for the perfect holiday gifts.  If you have a family of readers, you might want to check out these titles

For the YA reader

Like to laugh?

For the little ones

 Pre-teens

Just for guys

Music lover

Inspiration

Popular fiction

Techie

Hockey enthusiast

Decorations for your coffee table