Sunday, September 30, 2012

Review: Shadow Divers

Title: Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War 2
Series: Standalone
Author: Robert Kurson
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Adult Nonfiction
Pages: 397
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 cubes of sugar

Summary:
In the tradition of Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm comes a true tale of riveting adventure in which two weekend scuba divers risk everything to solve a great historical mystery–and make history themselves.

For John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, deep wreck diving was more than a sport. Testing themselves against treacherous currents, braving depths that induced hallucinatory effects, navigating through wreckage as perilous as a minefield, they pushed themselves to their limits and beyond, brushing against death more than once in the rusting hulks of sunken ships.
But in the fall of 1991, not even these courageous divers were prepared for what they found 230 feet below the surface, in the frigid Atlantic waters sixty miles off the coast of New Jersey: a World War II German U-boat, its ruined interior a macabre wasteland of twisted metal, tangled wires, and human bones–all buried under decades of accumulated sediment.
No identifying marks were visible on the submarine or the few artifacts brought to the surface. No historian, expert, or government had a clue as to which U-boat the men had found. In fact, the official records all agreed that there simply could not be a sunken U-boat and crew at that location.

Over the next six years, an elite team of divers embarked on a quest to solve the mystery. Some of them would not live to see its end. Chatterton and Kohler, at first bitter rivals, would be drawn into a friendship that deepened to an almost mystical sense of brotherhood with each other and with the drowned U-boat sailors–former enemies of their country. As the men’s marriages frayed under the pressure of a shared obsession, their dives grew more daring, and each realized that he was hunting more than the identities of a lost U-boat and its nameless crew.

Author Robert Kurson’s account of this quest is at once thrilling and emotionally complex, and it is written with a vivid sense of what divers actually experience when they meet the dangers of the ocean’s underworld. The story of Shadow Divers often seems too amazing to be true, but it all happened, two hundred thirty feet down, in the deep blue sea.
(Taken from Goodreads)

Review:
I read this book for a class that I'm taking, so I went into it with no expectations. Regardless of this, I was pleasantly surprised. If you have any interest in shipwrecks or deep sea diving this book was the most informative and interesting book that I have read on the subjects.

Although it's a non-fiction book the author went about it in a way that doesn't make it feel like your average non-fiction book (ie. informative, straight forward, and (more often than not) pretty boring). There is plenty of action and interesting bits that it almost felt like reading a Dirk Pitt novel by Clive Cussler (minus the chauvinistic male James Bond-y bits, don't get me wrong I love those too) The research that Kurson put into this novel is evident in the writing, hundreds of hours of interviews, tours, he even spent a night on The Seeker, the charter boat they use throughout the book, getting thrown from his bunk in the middle of a storm several times. He's very passionate about this story, equally if not more so than the two main characters, Chatterton and Kohler.

While reading this book, I was talking about it constantly, excited over new developments in the latest chapter I had read, or spouting off facts about what happens to the human body underwater at a depth of 230ft when narrating for my baby niece. Everyone in my family has asked to borrow it! I'd say that speaks for itself.

Stacking the Shelves (12)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Erin's Books:
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
Covet by Melissa Darnell
Entice ARC and Hardcover(signed) by Jessica Shirvington
Envy by Elizabeth Miles
"Clockwork" by Leah Cypess (A short story in 2 and 20 Dark Tales antho)

Embrace tote bag
ARCycling bookmarks and pin
Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark and postcard
Nightspell by Leah Cypess bookmark and postcard
2 and 20 Dark Tales bookmarks and postcards

Entice ARC, hardcover, and Embrace tote came from Sourcebooks Fire. ARCycling bookmarks and pin came from Jennifer at ARCycling. 2 and 20 Dark Tales swag, and Leah Cypess short story and swag came from Leah Cypess. Everything else I bought.


Amanda's Books:

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

I know, it's been awhile. I've been on a self-imposed book buying ban but I felt I could break it for this one. Haven't had a chance to start it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it!

—Tea for Three Team

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

WWW Wednesday (11)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?


What are you currently reading?
Erin

What did you recently finish reading?
Erin
I haven't finished anything since last week.

What do you think you'll read next?
Erin
  


What are your answers? We'd love to hear.

—Tea for Three Team

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday (9)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.


Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished (because either you didn't like them, you just have procrastinated, etc.)


Erin's Picks:
1. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler.
I got through the first book, I think, but then I just couldn't read anymore. The MC, Ivy, really started to annoy me, and I just couldn't stand to read about her anymore.







2. Need Pixies by Carrie Jones.
The plot was really good, but the writing sucked, so I haven't continued.








3. Remember Me by Christopher Pike.
I LOVED the first book, but the second book focuses on new characters, and the change bothered me.







4. The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith.
I made it to the third book, but something happened in the story that really bothered me, so I decided to take a break, and I just haven't come back to it yet.







5. Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter.
I still need to read the fifth book, Out of Sight, Out of Time, I just haven't gotten around to it yet, even though I own the book.







6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
I just need to read Mockingjay, but something about these books bothers me, so, while they're good, I have no burning need to read it.







7. The Immortals by Alyson Noël.
These books bother me, too, for some reason, so I still haven't read the last book.







8. Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler.
I love these books, and I've read up to book 3 out of a current 5. The reason I haven't read the rest is because Liz was very adamant about there only being 3 books for the longest time, so I'm kinda hesitant to pick up the rest.






9. Fallen by Lauren Kate.
After I finished book 1, Fallen, I wasn't really feeling fallen angels anymore, so I moved on to a different series.







10. Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent.
I've read through book 4, and I love the series, but I just haven't gotten around to the rest, yet.









—Tea for Three Team

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Stacking the Shelves (11)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Erin's Books:
Such Wicked Intent ARC by Kenneth Oppel
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Such Wicked Intent came from For What It's Worth Reviews (I'm fairly sure, but I can't find the email, so it's just a guess. Sorry if I got it wrong!) and The Girl of Fire and Thorns I bought from B&N.


What did you guys get this week? We'd love to hear!

—Tea for Three Team

Friday, September 21, 2012

Cover Reveal: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

We're so excited to be apart of the cover reveal for. . .
Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout
hosted by Entangled Publishing!

Without further ado. . .

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.



Follow this link to an ~~~ EPIC CONTEST ~~~ Announcement. You will want to bookmark this page!



USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in
Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories…which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult
paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find Jennifer on: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog






We LOVE it! And are now even more excited for the book to be released! What do you guys think?

—Tea for Three Team

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Giveaway: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo {CLOSED}

Hey guys! So we here at T3 recently acquired a signed copy of Leigh Bardugo's awesomesauce debut Shadow and Bone, and since both Amanda and I (Erin) already have signed copies of our own, we are giving it away to one of you! All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below. The giveaway ends on Oct. 7, 2012 at 11:59 EST, and it's US only (Sorry, can't afford international shipping right now).


The Prize:
For those not familiar with Shadow & Bone, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

The Rules:
—Must be 13 years or older to enter.
—Open to US ONLY.
—Giveaway ends 10/7/12.
—Winner will have 48 hours to respond to our email, if no response is given a new winner will be chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
— Tea for Three Team

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

WWW Wednesday (10)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?


What are you currently reading?
Erin
  

What did you recently finish?
Erin

What do you think you'll read next?
Erin



—Tea for Three Team

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday (8)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.


Top Ten Bookish People You Want To Meet (Authors, Bloggers, etc.)


Erin's Picks:
1. Cassandra Clare, author of The Mortal Instruments
2. Maureen Johnson, author of The Name of the Star
3. Andrea Cremer, author of the Nightshade trilogy
4. Holly Black, author of The Modern Faerie Tales
5. Melissa de la Cruz, author of Blue Bloods
6. Richelle Mead, author of Vampire Academy
7. Ally Carter, author of Gallagher Girls series
8. Alyxandra Harvey, author of The Drake Chronicles
9. Julie Kagawa, author of The Iron Fey
10. Tahereh Mafi, author of Shatter Me

Basically, all these authors are made of awesome, and it would make my little fangirl heart die if I got to meet any of them.


— Tea for Three Team

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Stacking the Shelves (10)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Erin's Books:
Blackwood by Gwenda Bond
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
Vanish by Sophie Jordan
The Replacement ARC by Brenna Yovanoff
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Soulbound by Heather Brewer

Ten by Gretchen McNeil bookmark
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks bookmarks and magnet
Degrees of Wrong by Anna Scarlett bookmarks and chocolates
The Archived by Victoria Schwab bookmarks and sticker (sticker not pictured)

The ARC of The Replacement came from the lovely Amy at Lady Reader's Bookstuff via the awesome site ARCycling. All of the swag came from it's respective authors. Everything else I bought.


What did you guys stack your shelves with?

—Tea for Three Team

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

WWW Wednesday (9)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?
Erin
  

What did you recently finish reading?
Erin

What do you think you'll read next?
Erin

What are your answers? We'd love to hear!
—Tea for Three Team

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Reviews On the Way!

Hey guys!

With everything that's been going on with us here at T3, we haven't had time to actually review books, and reviewing books was the whole purpose of starting this blog. The point of this post is to assure you all that this will actually be a review blog, not just memes. I plan on spending most of tomorrow afternoon writing reviews, so hopefully at least one will be up in a couple days. About time right?


—Erin

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday (7)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.


Top Ten Books On Your Fall TBR List.


Erin's Picks:
Oh, this is hard, there are SO MANY books coming out!

1. Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr.
I love Melissa's writing, and am soooo excited that Carnival comes out today.

2. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan.
This will be the first of Sarah's books I've read, but I've heard so many good things about Unspoken already that I don't think I'll make to next week. :D

3. The Diviners by Libba Bray.
This will also, technically, be my first Libba Bray book as well. Though back in 6th grade I started her Gemma Doyle trilogy, but had to give the first one back to the library before I could finish it, so I already know that Libba's writing is amazing.

4. Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate.
Tagline: "And girl created boy. . ." Just that makes me super interested.

5. Velveteen by Daniel Marks.
I've been excited for this ever since I read Danny's short story, "Vermillion", in Kiss Me Deadly.

Only five for now, sorry!

—Erin

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Stacking the Shelves (9)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Amanda's Books:

Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill
Bound (Signed) by Erica O'Rourke
False Memory (Signed) by Dan Krokos
Insurgent (Signed) by Veronica Roth

First Army poster from Shadow & Bone, signed by Leigh Bardugo
Exclusive content booklet from book signing with content from Susan Dennard, Leigh Bardugo, Dan Krokos, Erica O' Rourke, and Veronica Roth

Erin's Books:
Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear
Bound (signed) by Erica O'Rourke
The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
False Memory (signed) by Dan Krokos
Foretold edited by Carrie Ryan
Starling by Lesley Livingston
Tempest Unleashed (signed) by Tracy Deebs
Wake (signed) by Amanda Hocking
Just for Fins (signed) by Tera Lynn Childs
Claire de Lune ARC by Christine Johnson

I got a lot of swag this week as well, too much to list. Also, sorry for no picture this week, Blogger doesn't want to upload it. :/

—Tea for Three Team