Book Blogger Hop! (1)

This week's question comes from Somer who blogs at A Bird's Eye Review:

"Do you read only one book at a time, or do you have several going at once?"

Eesh, such a loaded question. While I would love to say I devote all my attention to one book, this simply isn't true. I'm a book slut. There. I admit it! *sigh* I'm currently involved with 3 (yes, 3 - please don't judge me) different books: Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter; The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver; and Bumped by Megan McCafferty.

Just don't tell them about each other, K?

 

Q. How did you come up with your blog name?

 

It was actually my brother's girlfriend who finally made the pieces click. I knew I wanted something with "Irish" in it because I'm Irish (shocker, I know). But all my friends and family nicknamed me "Banana" as a kid, and she walked into my room when I was trying to decide what name to use and said, "Hey, Banana!" ... and the rest is, as they say, history.

 

**Don't forget to check out my first giveaway -

Win a copy of Wither by Lauren DeStefano!**

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Title: The Goddess Test

Author: Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: 4.19.2011

Pages: 297

Genre: Mythology, Romance

Series: Yes, Goddess Test #1

Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

Review:

Every now and then a book comes along that is an absolute joy to read. You get a wide, goody smile in the middle of a crowded waiting room while reading it and people around you start shooting you “What’s that girl on?” looks, and you simply don’t care. The Goddess Test is that book.

As if Aimee Carter combining my love of romance and mythology wasn’t enough, she wrote a stunning debut novel that I tore through in a day.  Her words flow effortlessly off the page, mesmerizing the reader. Her characters are well developed and weave together to construct this tapestry that when you stand back at the ending, you can see how each individual character moved the story along. I will say the plot is nothing that an educated reader can’t guess, but that didn’t make it any less delicious. This is a book that I will buy and read again and again because it’s just one of those books I will never tire of.

While this book will have at least one sequel which is slated to be released in January 2012 (Goddess Interrupted, Harlequin Teen), there is no “cliff hanger” ending that left me frustrated with wonder. I went into reading this not knowing whether or not it was part of a series, because I find I almost expect that abrupt end that makes me huff an annoyed sigh because I have another year to wait before my questions are resolved. When I got to the end of The Goddess Test I was absolutely giddy at the idea of a sequel. This novel can easily stand on its own as whole, but with a sequel it seems like I get to have my cake and eat it too. And a girl can never have too much cake.

**Don't forget to enter my first giveaway: an ARC of Wither by Lauren DeStefano! Enter HERE!**

Giveaway: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

It's time for the first-ever giveaway on The Irish Banana. And our first prize is ...

An ARC of Lauren DeStefano's smashing, provocative debut novel Wither, the first in the Chemical Garden Trilogy. You can read my review of Wither: The Irish Banana Review.

The Rules:

1. Must be a follower of The Irish Banana
2. Open only to US residents this time around.
3. One extra entry for following me on Twitter (Irish_Banana).
4. One extra point for tweeting about this contest or posting it on your blog (must provide a valid link).

The Dates:

Contest will be open from March 16-March 30.

Enter fill out this form:

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

"Waiting On"  Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking  the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong which will be released April 12, 2011 courtesy of HarperCollins. If that stunning cover doesn't entice you enough, here's a quick description of it via Goodreads:

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
 
It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

Teaser Tuesday (2)

Teaser Tuesday is a book meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The rules of the game are simple:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share 2 teaser sentences from that page, but careful not to include any spoilers! We don't want to ruin it for people who haven't read yet!
4. Make sure you list the title and author so others can add it to their "to-be-read" lists!

This week's Teaser Tuesday come from "Stay" by Deb Caletti:

"In his room he kept piles of papers - old tests, schoolwork, cards, photos - and stack of old clothes folded in his closet. Obviously, he couldn't part with things easily. Maybe this should have been a warning sign."
pg. 72

 

Synopsis from Goodreads:
 
Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.
 
Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

Review: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Angelfire

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 2.15.2011

Pages: 464

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Series: Yes; Angelfire #1

Rating: A-

Summary (from Goodreads):

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review:

It took me a while to write this review because I honestly wasn’t sure how I felt about the book. Was it enjoyable? Yes. Were the characters well written? Most definitely. But I couldn’t help but compare it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a long while. While there are no vampires in this book (a nice break to read a paranormal romance not about vampires), it still had a lot of Buffy-esque qualities in my opinion.

The novel starts with Ellie, an upper-class teen who is one of the popular girls, who has a good life (insane father-figure aside), and is suddenly told she has super powers that help her hunt things that go bump in the night. I think because I grew up with my own demon hunting badass I was drawing unfair comparisons and not letting this novel take flight on its own. Shame on me.

Moulton has crafted this intense world (well, worlds, really) where a single girl is one person who can essentially save mankind. Ellie, our heroine, is a ballsy as she is sarcastic which the perfect blend of the current American teen and the American teen dream. She is this strong, brave, and intense character that pushes the story along. You can’t help but fall for Ellie and root for her with every turn of the page.

But no novel is complete without a terrific, well-rounded cast. Will is every girl’s fantasy (dark, brooding, protective, sweet, and loving). He’s the total embodiment of the “dream” guy but he never comes off as insincere or overly perfect. His charms are balanced with his flaws. Nathaniel, Lauren and Ellie’s best friend Kate easily weave in and out of the story, and I hope they’re in the following books.

I feel like I owe Moulton an apology for judging this book too quickly. By drawing my own comparisons early in, I almost missed out on a great book. And this truly is a great book, and one that I will most assuredly be recommending to friends and family alike.

In My Mailbox (2)

Hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, I thought this would be a great way to share the reads I got this week by purchasing, trading/swapping, or for review.

Bought:
Warped by Maurissa Guibord (Amazon | Goodreads)
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs (Amazon | Goodreads)

Won:
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann (Amazon | Goodreads)

For Review:
The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch (Amazon | Goodreads)
Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy (Amazon | Goodreads)
Die For Me by Amy Plum (Amazon | Goodreads)
Bumped by Megan McCafferty (Amazon | Goodreads)
Lost Voices by Sarah Porter (Amazon | Goodreads)

Review: Shine by Lauren Myracle

Title: Shine

Author: Lauren Myracle

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication Date: 5.1.2011

Pages: 376

Genre: Contemporary; Mystery

Series: No

Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. 

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Review:

Mark my words, in a few years (might take a decade) this will be a book added to public school curriculums nationwide. Lauren Myracle has woven a tale tragically stunning and achingly beautiful; it smashed my heart to pieces and then stitched it back together all in the span of 376 pages. It’s been years since I read a book that brought me to tears one page and the next had me clenching the pages to keep from hurling it against a wall in fury. I love these characters as if they were my own friends; I cried with Cat and I raged with her.

Set in a lush Southern backdrop, I was immediately transported to the Southern days of my youth. She captured every scene with sharp alacrity: the lazy drawls of speech, the tight-knit community that seemed to know everything and anything about every single citizen, the small-mindedness that would make or break you, and the eternal bonds of friendship. This book hurtles towards the end at breakneck speed, but Myracle is in control at all times.

Myracle doesn’t just address issues of prejudice, hate, abuse, and loss. She drags these issues out of the shadows and shines a spotlight on them, stripping them bare without flinching. She writes in such a fearless way that you can’t help but admire her. I’ve read books that amused me, thrilled me, entertained me, and annoyed me. This book goes in that extremely rare category of books that have changed me.

Teaser Tuesday (1)

Teaser Tuesday is a book meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The rules of the game are simple:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share 2 teaser sentences from that page, but careful not to include any spoilers! We don't want to ruin it for people who haven't read yet!
4. Make sure you list the title and author so others can add it to their "to-be-read" lists!

This week's Teaser Tuesday come from "Shine" by Lauren Myracle:

"Uh huh, I thought. It's all fun and games till someone gets a gas pump nozzle jammed down their throat."
pg. 131

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. 

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Book release date: May 1, 2011

In My Mailbox (1)

Hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, I thought this would be a great way to share the reads I got this week by purchasing, trading/swapping, or for review.

Bought:
The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver (Amazon | Goodreads)
The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell (Amazon | Goodreads)

Traded/Swapped:
Slayed by Amanda Marrone (Amazon | Goodreads)
Vixen by Jillian Larkin (Amazon | Goodreads)
Tighter by Adele Griffin (Amazon | Goodreads)
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel (Amazon | Goodreads)

For review:
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han (Amazon | Goodreads)
Stay by Deb Caletti (Amazon | Goodreads)
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly (Amazon | Goodreads)
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (Amazon | Goodreads)
Shine by Lauren Myracle (Amazon | Goodreads)