Remake a Book Cover Contest

This is my entry to Princess Bookie's Remake a Book Cover Contest! My photoshop skills aren't that great as you can see but it was a lot of fun to make XD

Summary of the book:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Micah freely admits that she's a compulsive liar. And that may be the one honest thing he'll ever tell you. Over the years she's duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents. But when her boyfriend, Zach, dies under brutal circumstances, the shock might be enough to set her straight. Or maybe not. Especially when lying comes as naturally to her as breathing. Was Micah dating Zach? Or was Sarah his real girlfriend? And are the stories Micah tells about inheriting a "family gene" real or are they something that only exists in her mind?
Breathtaking in its plotting, and narrated by one of the most psychologically complex young women to emerge since Sybil, Liar is a roller-coaster that will have listeners grasping for the truth. Honestly.

Honestly, I picked this book up because it was a new item at my library. Reading the back blurb didn't really interest me but I borrowed it anyway. To my surprise, when I read the first page I was immediately hooked!

There are three parts to the story: Telling the Truth, Telling the True Truth and The Actual Real Truth. The main character Micah tells her story. We read about her family history, what happened before and what happened after/at present time. She tells you that she is a compulsive liar and this makes you question the events that she explains, trying to figure out which parts she's telling is truth and which is lie (which is frustrating because they pile up). The author has cleverly constructed sentences so as to not give too much away and allow the imagination to run freely. I don't particularly like Micah because of her disturbing thoughts and characteristics (lying included), but her voice grabbed my attention from the very start.

The interesting thing is that the book could pretty much be a whole lie because of a certain supernatural element Micah talks about and the fact she mentioned she's a really big liar! Pushing that aside, it was thought-provoking that the whole 'supernatural thing' is viewed not as cool as many YA books make it out to be. The take on being a freak because of it and steps in controlling it make the supernatural element seem realistic and plausible.

I initially thought the Aussie cover was pointless (just a blob of funky red paint that spells out Liar) but after reading the book, I've come to like it because it's symbolic and fitting to the story.

I'm glad that I gave this book a chance and that the blurb did not give a 'secret' chunk of the book away. The twists and turns were interesting and although the writing was choppy by switching from past to present and vice versa, each event was like a piece of the puzzle. Once you finish the book, you get a fairly complete puzzle. (Hmm...Or a cleverly crafted lie?)

★★★★

Winter Reading Challenge complete!

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Amazon product description: As an incoming freshman, Percy isn't expecting his high school orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop them, Percy and his demigod friends will set out on a quest through the Labyrinth-a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this fourth book promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet.

The fourth novel of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the packed full of action and adventure while managing to develop the characters. The Battle of the Labyrinth was a really fun read filled with Greek mythology. In this installment we are introduced to a range of mythical beings, items and places which were intriguing and which for me, really added faces to the 'monsters' Percy and Camp Half-blood are facing and will have to face. I really liked the ongoing glimpses of Daedalus' life in Percy's dreams, the mention of events in previous books to refresh my memory and the revelation of the meaning behind the Oracle's foreboding words. Greek mythology aside, I learnt many other things (like what a cattle guard was!) The Battle of the Labyrinth was definitely a page turner!

★★★★★

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights anticipated upcoming releases.

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights anticipated upcoming releases.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

Release date: 4th May 2010

I am currently reading Percy Jackson #4 by Rick Riordan and it's really engrossing! The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid sounds great and I can't wait to read about Egyptian mythology!