Quotable Books (2)

Welcome to Quotable Books, a meme hosted by me, Sophie, at The Dreaming Reader! Every Tuesday, I'll post quotes from a book that had writing that especially captured my attention.

This Week's Quotable Book:

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

 Publication Date: September 18th, 2012

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

 

Quotable Quotes: 

They loved him back. It's easy to lose yourself in the idea of a person and be blinded to their reality. It's a simple thing, to love a stranger.

***

"To be a servant can be a noble thing, but only as noble as the master served."

***

"Yet as sunset approaches, all anyone needs do is look ahead and see where this current will lead us. To realize that if we do not stop and swim against the stream, eventually we will find the precipice over which it flows. We all of us know it. We see it when we look in the mirror. We hear it when we wake in the long, still hours of the night. A voice that tells us something is deeply, horribly wrong with this world that we have made." 

***

"Our troubles are mayflies, rising and falling between the turn of dawn and dusk. And hwne they are gone to the houses of memory, you and I will remain, Yukiko."

I'll admit this is a bit of a sneak peek to those who haven't been able to read Stormdancer yet. But it definitely has some serious emotion sprinkled in with the action scenes. I really didn't expect Kristoff to have such a beautiful style, but he does, and I admire him greatly for what he's managed to do with this book. Definitely check it out on Amazon or Goodreads! My review for it will be coming out tomorrow. Are you excited for Stormdancer? Comment and let me know!

Cover Reveal: The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Publication Date: March 2013
Publisher: Scholastic

Four hundred years ago, the world ended. And now, on the coast of what was once called Brazil, women rule in the legendary pyramid city of Palmares Três. The city's Queen only cedes her power to a man once every five years -- to a Summer King, whose story will grip the city like a fever.

For June Costa, art is everything. Her brilliant creations -- from murals and holograms to a delicate pattern of lights in her skin -- have impressed (and irritated) her classmates and teachers alike. Her dream is to win the prestigious Queen's Award, and the instant fame and success that come with it. It's a dream she never questions -- until she meets Enki. Enki, the newly-elected Summer King, is the hottest thing in Palmares Três. But when June sees Enki, she sees more than piercing amber eyes and a lethal samba: She sees a fellow artist.

Together, June and Enki will create art that Palmares Três will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government's strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, tragically in love with Enki.

Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.

Mmm... and there's the punchline. I like all these exotic settings, and I do hope that Johnson pulls off this strange hybrid of a book (Is it dystopian? Fantasy? Sci-fi?) You've got to like the green undertones. And the glowing pattern on her arm? Woooow. I thought they were snowflakes at first, but anyway, I'm definitely intrigued now!

What do you think of this book and the cover? Let me know!

Feature & Follow Friday (4)

Follow Friday is a meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Basically, follow me and say hi in the comments, and I'll follow you back!

This week's featured blogs: Books are my reality & Concise Book Reviews

Q: Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

A: Streetcar Named Desire, hands down. I love that it's a play, but Williams manages to make it so vivid and haunting despite his limited access to description. To Kill a Mockingbird and Grapes of Wrath are probably close seconds.

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that allows us to appropriately squeal over upcoming releases.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

Gravity by Melissa West

Series: The Taking

Publication Date: October 16th, 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

  

In the future, only one rule will matter: Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed--arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know--especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

 The first time I saw Gravity on Goodreads, I fell in love with the blue-hued cover, and the very interesting premise. I'm interested to see how West executes it, though I'm very afraid to be disappointed considering how excited I am for the book!

Quotable Books (1)

Hello, everyone! My blog's been a bit empty because I'm busy and trying to fit in reading between everything else going on. However, I have decided to start something called Quotable Books. Every Tuesday, I'll post a book that I found absolutely inspiring, and also some quotes from it. Feel free to tell me which books you thought were absolutely quote-worthy, since I don't want to feel like I'm just talking to myself! 

This Week's Quotable Book:

Graffiti Moon by Kath Crowley

Published: February 14th, 2012

Publisher: Random House Children's

Goodreads Summary: Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

 

Quotable Quotes:

There was no skin on my voice and she heard the bones in my words.

***

Every time he looked at me I felt like I'd touched my tongue to the tip of a battery. In art class I'd watch him lean back and listen and I was nothing but zing and tingle. After a while, the tingle turned to electricity, and when he asked me out my whole body amped to a level where technically I should have been dead. I had nothing in common with a sheddy like him, but a girl doesn't think straight when she's that close to electrocution.” 

***

 I like that about art, that what you see is sometimes more about who you are than what’s on the wall. I look at this painting and think about how everyone has some secret inside, something sleeping like that yellow bird.

***

I hear people talking about the feeling they get when they pain stuff in illegal places. Leo says he gets this fast-moving fear swinging through him, running from his heart to everyplace under his skin. I pain to get the thoughts in me out. I paint so it gets quiet under my skin.” 

***

That's only a few of the beautiful words that Crowley uses in this book. It's one thing to write about art; it's another to bring the shades and tones of it into your writing in a way that's profound and vivid. Also, there were quite a few humorous moments sprinkled in, too! If you want to know more, check out my review or buy it on Amazon!