Harlequin Twilight's Book Blog

Coming Soon: CSN Stores Review!

2010-11-29T19:01:00.000-05:00

As you guys may know, I absolutely LOVE (in big bold, capital letters) CSN Stores. I can spend hours on end going through all 200+ stores they have, and find everything from a new stool to stuff for my kitty to stuff that I just plain don't really need, but totally want.

Who's cat wouldn't want to play on this?!?

So pretty!!

CSNStores.com has so many different things at such affordable prices that it's hard pick just one thing. I was recently contacted to review another one of their awesome products. I've already spent forever going through their sites and I think I've got it narrowed down a little bit. I was thinking a new bookcase was in order, but saying that I can't really fit another one and I've still got one I need to put together, that idea went out the window. But I was able to think of something I do really need...

See, I love to sew. I find it to be something fun and really relaxing, but my sewing machine is one that my grandmother gave me and so you can probably guess it's a little on the older side. So I'm thinking about putting it towards a new sewing machine or maybe a serger, if I can swing it.

I'm still looking and trying to decide what I want, but look for a review coming soon!

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

2010-10-01T00:06:00.000-04:00

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey
Release Date: June 22, 2010
Publisher: Walker Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272
Overall:

Blood Feud picks up just under two weeks after Hearts at Stake ended, and the Drake family has had a lot to deal with. All the vampire tribes are beginning to assemble and treaties are being made now that Lady Natasha is gone and the courts are preparing for Helena’s coronation. With the state that Lady Natasha left things between the tribes, this means all kinds of cleaning up for Liam and Helena to do, and that doesn’t take into consideration the state the caves and the farmhouse were both left in. That just means that the Solange, Lucy, and the Drake brothers have quite a journey ahead of them.

We meet Isabeau St. Croix (kind of weird, but totally cool name, right?). Isabeau is a Hound, which means she is part of the tribe of vampires that Montmartre created and basically left for dead. The catch is, Montmartre didn’t change Isabeau, his lieutenant, Greyhaven, did somewhere around 200 years ago. Isabeau has spent years waiting until she could get revenge on Greyhaven, and for all intents and purposes she still plans to do so, until she meets Logan Drake.

Now she must join forces with the Drakes’ and fight against the common enemy, Montmartre, who’s still after Solange, the crown, and the power both would bring him. Logan shows Isabeau that not all vampires, outside of the Hounds, are as bad as she seems to think, and that she doesn’t have to be so guarded all the time. But can Isabeau’s quest for revenge survive when it’s all over with? Will Logan be able to show her that there is more to life than living for revenge?

I was so excited to revisit the Drake family and Lucy of course. When I first learned that Blood Feud wouldn’t be from Lucy and Solange’s voices I was a bit disappointed, but since I was going to hear from Logan and this new, interesting, Isabeau I decided it would be alright. And it pretty much was. First, I must admit, I totally missed Lucy. But Logan, while not being as reckless and funny as Lucy, filled a different void, since I did adore him in Hearts at Stake.

Isabeau is a very interesting character, with an even more interesting past. Her voice isn’t as prominent as I would have thought it would be seeing as she is a totally fierce character, but they can’t all be Lucy. Sprinkled throughout are these chapters that are memories from Isabeau’s past and those take you back into the 1700s and are pretty neat, although the French sprinkled throughout was not as fun for me since I don’t know French. Oh, and just a tip, the French word “merde” is used a lot, and finally I looked it up…just so you know, it means “crap”.

I loved Logan’s voice. He’s funny and kind of sarcastic and a bit insane, but so are all the Drakes and so I love it, and it was a nice balance against the guardedness and proper way Isabeau’s voice was. I really enjoyed the romance between Logan and Isabeau that you could see coming before they ever met, but I didn’t like the fact that Blood Feud covers a matter of days, and you don’t really fall in love over only a few days. It just so doesn’t work like that, and while I know that a lot happened between them in those few days, and that it was obviously in the cards for them, it just was a bit unrealistic (an yes, I’m totally aware that it is a vampire novel and so realistic in the first place).

In all honesty, I didn’t enjoy Blood Feud quite as much as I did Hearts at Stake, but I did find it totally enjoyable and I’m still looking forward to the next story in The Drake Chronicles. I have a feeling that the sequels are going to continue in the same way, the common link will be one of the Drake brothers, but the voice will change. I am totally okay with that, as long as there is somewhat of a check in on the previous brothers and they’re counterparts.

Blood Feud carried over all the action and humor from Hearts at Stake, but for me the romance and the pacing faltered a bit. Maybe I’m totally missing Lucy and just wanted more from her. She didn’t even get to break a single nose! Although I have decided that I may just have to add all seven of the Drake brothers to my list of fictional crushes if they are as charming and cute as Nicholas and Logan. Alyxandra Harvey knows how to write a good story and she’s got a great cast of characters to do it with. I can’t wait for the next adventure that the Drake family (and their friends) take me on.

Plot:
Writing:
Characters:
Ending:
Cover:
---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

2010-08-21T18:28:00.000-04:00

Credit: Photobucket

The title and picture of this post says a lot about what this post is about. The past couple of months have been an off and messed up time for me here at the blog. There's been a lot going on at home and that's just not left much time or motivation for my beloved subscribers, but that's going to change.

Just a few short updates and I'll get to the point, but you guys know how much I love going off on my tangents and whatnot...

As most of you know, my year started off pretty rocky, and I really hadn't fully recovered from that, but throw in my best friend of about 8 years moving to the other side of the country, moving myself, my sister being sick, and my mother having another major surgery, I'm sure you can all understand or at least grasp why I've been all messed up. Last Thursday I took another hit...

Sassy and Batman...she loved to snuggle...

We lost Sassy. Another one of our babies. She became sick earlier last week and at first we just thought it was a bug, but since it didn't pass we were going to take her to the vet. But before we could, she left us. It was very unexpected, and has left us all completely heartbroken, even our other babies are in mourning (this does include the cat). They understand even less than we do and it breaks my heart even more to see them so sad and there's nothing I can do to make them understand why she's gone...

Anyways, now that I've managed to thoroughly depress you all and made myself cry...again....I'm going to get on with it. On top of that, my sister, now dubbed "Typhoid Mary," managed to spread the bug from hell throughout the house. I imagine something along the lines of the picture below running rampant on my immune system...

Credit: Suniedlite on Photobucket

Anyways, she's infected us all and it's made for a very icky couple of weeks in my house with five lovely people sick, but regardless of all of that. I have been reading (at least a little), and I do have some stuff planned and that plan includes me being back! Things might be a little slow for the next couple weeks as I get back in the swing of things and play catch up, but I'll get there.

Thanks for bearing with me, and I will have something special for you guys in the coming weeks!

XOXO

Samantha LeAnne

CSN makes me giddy!

2010-08-05T02:39:00.001-04:00

Awesomeness at it's finest

I recently received another email from my wonderful CSN Stores contact! Come to find out, I'm lucky enough to be one of their CSN Preferred Webmasters!!! This makes me happy for an unlimited amount of reasons because that's good news for me, and also good news for you guys!

If you've been living under a rock for the past few months, CSN Stores sells all kinds of stuff, from bedroom furniture sets to lamps to shoes...oh man they have some great shoes...

But anyways! Keep watch for another exciting product review from me for CSN Stores!

CSN Product Review

2010-07-07T00:00:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago I told you guys about an upcoming review on a product for CSN Stores. As I told you guys before, I chose a Hobby Table. Well...my table arrived!!

I placed my order on a Friday, it shipped the following Monday and was here by Wednesday! That is super quick in terms of processing, shipping, and delivery.

The parts and pieces were all packaged well and they were all wrapped and sorted and NUMBERED! I loved that fact and the fact the there were thorough instructions that included a picture chart with the pictures and numbers or each part an piece. Despite there being like 500 little pieces, it was pretty easy to put together. I love putting things together, and so I put the whole thing together on my own, and it only took me about an hour, maybe a hour and a half. Which is actually not bad, because as you'll see in the final picture, it was a pretty good sized table and weighs somewhere in the ballpark of 40 lbs or so.

The finished product:

Once I finished the table and stool (which came with it!), and got it adjusted, I moved it in front of the living room window (only temporary). In the picture the table and drawers are empty, but that's because I haven't moved my sewing machine yet. I do know it's sturdy though, I tested it out with a box of books that weighs somewhere around 25 lbs and it didn't even wiggle or anything of the sort!

I absolutely love my Hobby Table, and so does my sister who has already decided that we have to share it so she can draw at it, and my dad has commented about using it too! I think this was the smartest thing I've bought in a long while and the quality is fantastic.

I will definitely be shopping through CSN Stores again. They have great prices, quality products, and quick service and that makes me not only want to return, but also recommend them to others! Plus with all their stores, you can find almost anything you want!

Question: Book Summaries

2010-06-29T03:42:00.001-04:00

Do you prefer summaries written by the reviewer or taken from other sources such as GoodReads, Amazon, etc?

Last night I was trying to write some reviews, and I was having some issues. As you know, I write my own summaries and I always have, but sometimes there are just some books that I just can't seem to summarize myself. Sequels are generally damn near impossible and then there are just some books that no matter how hard I try or how much I loved them, I just can't seem to summarize. I was wondering what your thoughts are on the subject of book summaries in reviews.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments! Thanks!

Upcoming Review: Hobby Table from CSN Stores!!

2010-06-17T00:00:00.001-04:00

The other morning I awoke to the surprise of an email from the wonderfully generous people over at CSN Stores with an offer to review one of their products.

Now if you haven't heard of CSN Stores, they are a fabulous company that has 200+ stores and carries everything from lights to massage chairs to espresso machines to shoes to pet furniture. I scoured their stores for HOURS today and finally settled on one thing (and trust me, it was not easy). A few things that I really liked, that I either couldn't afford, or just didn't make the cut were:

Pet Bookcase Climber Saunder King Chair Bean Bag Bed

But what I did chose is something that I think is totally awesome! I chose this:

The Martin Universal Design Ashley Creative Hobby Table with Stool!

I'm not much of a drawer, but I do like to sew and I think this table will be perfect for my sewing machine. And as an even bigger plus, my sister who is a drawer, will be able to make use of it too, along with my mother who likes to work with mosaics. So this is something that even my family will be able to make use of!

So keep on the lookout for a review in the next couple of weeks! And check out CSNStores.com, they've got just about everything! Including stuff you probably didn't even think about...and a lot of it has free shipping!

Twilight Contest Alert!

2010-06-16T23:08:00.001-04:00

Today, by the help of Eleni at La Femme Readers, I discovered this adorable blog called Once Upon a Review which is ran by Khelsea (awesome spelling, right?) who is 19 and just started in our little community of YA bloggers last month. Not only does Khelsea have a great voice, but she also has a thing for the white mochas at Starbucks, and since those are just YUM! I already like her :P

Anyways! She is holding a contest for some awesome Twilight bookends and a copy of the new The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner! Sounds awesome, huh? Well check out her blog and go enter her contest here!

Yes, Very Awesom

2010-06-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

The lovely Jennifer Laurens is holding another contest on her blog (she does this pretty much constantly!) Jennifer is the author of Heavenly and the sequel Penitence (among numerous other great books). Check out the trailers below and leave me a comment telling me what you think!

Heavenly

Penitence

In My Mailbox 30

2010-06-06T00:00:00.001-04:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review:

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey (for Around the World Tours)

Stalker Girl by Rosemary Graham (for Around the World Tours)

Summer in Paris by Michele Ashman Bell (signed)

Won:

Prophecy of Days by Christy Raedeke (signed) (from High School Flashback giveaway!)

Swag:

Notepad, bookmark, and a glow pen from Jen Nadol (The Mark) (from High School Flashback giveaway!)

Tote bag, stickers, bookmarks, and bracelets from Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder) (from High School Flashback giveaway!)

Glass slipper bookmark from Kay Cassidy (The Cinderella Society) (from High School Flashback giveaway!)

Bookmark for Prophecy of Days from Christy Raedeke (signed) (from High School Flashback giveaway!)

Flip flop notepad, pencil, and bookmark from Jennifer Laurens (Heavenly)

Bookplate, bookmarks, and temporary tattoos from Kimberly Pauley (Sucks to Be Me)

Sneak peek and bookmark for The Karma Club from Jessica Brody (The Karma Club)

Stickers and bookmarks for The Body Finder. Sticker, bookmark, temporary tattoo, pin for Forget-Her-Nots. Sticker for The Dead-Tossed Waves. From Addicted 2 Novels.

So that's what was in my mailbox, what did you get in yours?

In My Mailbox 29

2010-05-30T00:30:00.000-04:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys! This week I got some totally awesome stuff, at least I think it's totally awesome :P And instead of rambling on, I'm going to get right to it! And as always, I would love to know what you think! Have you read any of them, did you like them, are they one's you're interested it?

For Review:

Vexation by Elicia Clegg

The Pack by L.M. Preston

Racing the Dark by Alaya Dawn Johnson

The Burning City by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Winter Longing by Tricia Mills

Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

Bought:

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater Rhodes

So that's what was in my mailbox, what did you get in yours?

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

2010-05-28T00:00:00.004-04:00

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Release Date: May 4, 2010

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 288

Overall:

Lani and Erin have been friends for as they can remember. They’ve done everything together, from Girl Scouts to driving, to surviving high school. Jason is Erin’s boyfriend, and Erin thinks they’re perfect together. The thing is Fate has other plans for Jason and Erin, plans that include Jason being with Lani.

Lani and Erin have always had very different tastes in everything from boys and pizza to hanging out. Lani is laid back and more on her own, while Erin is outgoing and likes being the center of attention. But there’s two things that have always bonded the girls; one being their obsession with Fate and everything surrounding it, the other being the accident.

As soon as Lani meets Jason, there’s this instant connection that everyone around them seems to notice, everyone except Erin of course. Lani and Jason have this unworldly, crazy amount of things in common (I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything they have in common). Erin encourages them to hang out, even just the two of them; she trusts her best friend and thinks it’s great they get along so well.

When school ends and Erin goes away to camp for the summer, Lani tries to avoid Jason to no avail. Once they start hanging out, Jason breaks up with Erin and there’s no stopping what happens nest when Fate is playing the game. Lani and Jason start their relationship; keeping it hidden from everyone they know, for the simple reason of wanting to be the ones to tell Erin the truth.

Of course things are never as simple as they should be, there’s always the “girl code” and that says that you can’t date your friends ex, but does that really matter if Fate is involved and if they’re soul mates? It shouldn’t, but this is high school, and a YA novel, so of course it matters! When Erin finds out the truth, she’s furious. She does everything she can to hurt Lani and ostracizes her in the process.

I know some people haven’t liked Something Like Fate because they’ve read other Susane Colasanti novels, but this is my first one and I really enjoyed it. I found Lani to be really smart and have a strong voice, at least when it came to everyone except Erin. With Erin, Lani became a total pushover and would become a doormat or a scared puppy in the corner. Erin is one of those girls that you want to like and that you’ll be civil to, but someone you could never really stand to be around for that long.

My favorite character had to be Blake, Lani and Erin’s other friend that is totally adorable and hilarious. He’s the logical, eyes wide open kind of friend, he reminds me a lot of my own best friend. He’s so hilarious too, I love the opening scene between him and Lani; it amuses me so much. Jason is super sweet and way more sensitive and mature than any of the guys I knew in high school. Although, I must call his maturity into question when he knows he has feelings for his girlfriend’s best friend and stays with her, waiting until the worst possible time to break up with her.

I really loved Lani and Jason’s relationship. They cared for each other in a way that most people only dream about, they are the definition of soul mates, in a sense. Despite their situation, they had this very pure, innocent kind of relationship and that is very endearing to me. On the other hand, I could stand Erin. I tried, I mean I really tried to like her even a little, but I just couldn’t. She’s mean and self-centered and actually a total…witch. Every time she spoke to Lani, it was like she was talking down to her and it grated on my nerves to no end.

I really liked Something Like Fate, I think it’s a great story and it’s made me move the other Susane Colasanti novels I have higher on my TBR pile. For the most part I liked the characters and the story flows so well, I can’t wait to read more from her.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

2010-05-24T00:00:00.005-04:00

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

Release Date: May 25, 2010

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 288

Overall:

Drea isn’t your typical teenage girl, she’s logical, literal, and isn’t clouded by the normal emotions that seem to haunt most teenagers. Drea see’s the world in black and white; there aren’t those gray areas that the rest of us deal in. For her things either are or aren’t, there’s no in between, and she doesn’t understand why nobody else sees life the way she does.

Drea has Asperger’s Syndrome and because of her diagnosis, Drea just wants to be normal, she’s tired of going to shrinks, she’s tired of being ignored, she’s tired of being held back by her AS. You know those times when you came home crying because of something some boy or girl said or did to you? Drea would give anything for that moment, even though you would rather pretend it never happened. When Drea moves to a new town, she meets Naomi, her neighbor, and everything changes for Drea.

Drea and Naomi become instant friends. Naomi doesn’t know about Drea’s AS and there’s no way Drea will tell her, she wants to be thought of as normal or at least somewhat normal. When she starts school, Drea meets Justin; he’s cute and instantly drawn to Drea and what he sees as quirky behavior. The thing Drea doesn’t want to admit is that she’s drawn to him too. With her new found friends, they assemble a band, and through that connection you watch as the characters mature and fit with one another.

It’s been almost impossible for me to write this review. Usually I give more details, but with this one, Tara Kelly made it impossible! I found myself having to be extremely vague describing this book to people without giving anything away, but there are a few things I can tell you. One being that this is exactly what debut novels are made of! It’s emotional through and through, the characters are amazing in every sense of the word, and the story is just…wow.

I felt as if I was right there with the characters, I felt like I knew them. You see these characters grow and change through each chapter, you feel what they feel. Tara Kelly has done a truly amazing job in character development, to the point that I was left stunned! The plot flows beautifully, and the story is totally captivating. There were times when I was sitting there grinning ear-to-ear, staring at the pages and the scenes that had just played out. There were also the parts that left me sitting there, jaw dropped, eyes wide and burning as I tried not to cry.

Tara Kelly has written one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a long time and she’s done it with a poise and style that I a dying to see again. Harmonic Feedback is a story that holds a lot of weight, it’s an emotional tale with heavy content, and she handled that in way that just blew my mind. Harmonic Feedback has everything you could want in a novel: love, hate, conflict, tragedy, pure happiness, amazing characters, a story that will blow your mind, and a beautiful cover, all in under 300 pages. I must not only applaud Ms. Kelly, but also beg her for another novel…like immediately!

Plot:
Writing:
Characters:
Ending:
Cover:
---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox 28

2010-05-23T00:00:00.001-04:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

And I'm back! I know I took an unannounced hiatus of sorts for a bit, but I am back! And since it's been a while since I did an IMM, so this is a good one! Most of the stuff I got this past week too! I finally cashed in all my Amazon gift cards that I've been collecting and a Barnes & Noble one, and got some awesome stuff! So here we go!

Bought:

Mortal Instruments Boxset (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass) by Cassandra Clare

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Nobody's Prize by Esther Friesner

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (I read and review this earlier this year and LOVED it, so I had to get me a nice pretty copy of my own! Read my review here.)

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Jane Austen: Seven Novels (Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics)

For Review

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White (from BookDivas)

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (from BookDivas) (not pictured)

Won:

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey (Thanks Beth!)

Need by Carrie Jones (from BookDivas)

Penitence by Jennifer Laurens (from Goodreads) (not pictured)

I'm missing a few review books in the list and picture, because they were tour books and are already gone (such as Sisters Red and Raised by Wolves), but look for those reviews coming! You can read my Sisters Red review, here.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

2010-05-21T06:50:00.004-04:00

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Release Date: June 7, 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 336

Overall:

If you’re a giggly, attractive young girl, then the last thing you should do is talk to that guy outside the club that’s cute and is paying so much attention to you. What you should do is get into a very large crowd of people and don’t leave with anyone, but to Scarlett March’s dismay, the world doesn’t work that way. Scarlett vows to protect her sister, Rosie, and the rest of the world from the dangers that lurk around every corner, and in every shadow…Fenris.

Scarlett has not only vowed to protect their small town and large cities from the Fenris, but she’s also vowed revenge on the Fenris that took her eye, when she was protecting her sister when they were kids. With Scarlett armed with a hatchet and Rosie with her knives, the girls use bright red cloaks and their feminine charm to lure and destroy any and all wolf that takes a step into their small town.

Rosie has always stood by her sister; she’s always had a bond with her sister that made them seem more like one heart, one soul, and not two separate people. But now, Rosie is starting to want more out of life than hunting Fenris. When Silas, a young woodsman and their lifelong friend, returns to town, Rosie is drawn to him in a way she never thought possible. The problem with that is, if she falls in love with Silas it means she’s betraying her sister and going against everything they’ve all spent their lives fighting for.

When I got my hands on Sisters Red, I could wait to tear into it because I just knew I was going to love it, but a couple of chapters in I found myself terrified of it. A few chapters later, I decided I could love it and be terrified of it, and that’s how I felt the entire time through. Jackson has created this world that isn’t so much different from ours, it’s just an addition on ours and that addition is werewolves that prey on unsuspecting girls.

Sisters Red is full of lust and desire, whether it’s got to do with wanting another person or prey, or just something more out of life than fear or revenge. Part of our story takes place in Atlanta, and once the sisters and Silas take off for the big city, to a seedy apartment to hunt the Fenris, they get more than they bargain for. They find that things aren’t always what they seem and that everyone has secrets, no matter how well you think you know them.

Jackson Pearce not only created a dangerous and sexy world, but she also told it in a way that didn’t lose its excitement. Sisters Red is told in alternating perspectives (or voices, as I prefer to call it), you hear from both Rosie and Scarlett and they are two of the strongest protagonists that I’ve read about in any piece of literature. The March sisters are two characters that aren’t easily forgotten and that leave a mark on your mind even when you’re done reading their story.

I adored Rosie and how compassionate and loving she is and how much she would rather hurt herself than even consider hurting her sister. Scarlett is beautiful in her own right and I think her scars and missing eye, make me love her as a character even more, plus she is just all kinds of kick ass!

Sisters Red is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and has me stalking Jackson’s Twitter and YouTube for even a mention of her companion novel, Sweetly. If werewolves aren’t normally your thing, give Sisters Red a shot, I promise it will change your mind! And to show you just how profound and totally awesome Scarlett is, I’m going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes, and it pertains to not only the story, but also to life in general:

“No, this is not a mistake. This is a hard, and perhaps cruel, necessity.” (page 323, Sisters Red, ARC)

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Also, today happens to be Jackson's birthday, so don't forget to take a picture of you and your copy when you buy Sisters Red and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Seriously Bookish Awesomeness!

2010-05-17T02:11:00.001-04:00

So the beautifully awesome creature that is Jackson Pearce (author of As You Wish and the upcoming Sisters Red) has posted another fantastic video on her YouTube channel. If you don't know about Jackson's YouTube channel, then you are totally missing something awesome. Anyways, here is the amazingness that Jackson has posted:

I hope that awesomeness causes you to forgive my unannounced absence, but I moved and have been working like crazy, but I am going out of town this week for my mom's surgery and so I will have hours to sit in the hospital and get caught up on reviews and reading, so expect me to be back shortly!

Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel

2010-04-02T00:00:00.002-04:00

Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel

Release Date: October 30, 2009

Publisher: Dundurn Press

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 152

Overall:

You know that one girl in school that has it all, looks, status, money, the whole package? That girl happens to be Tabby Freeman. She’s the “Queen Bee” (think Regina George…at least on the outside).

And we all also know that girl that was quiet, smart, and awkward, the one that just begged to be invisible. That would be Lora Froggett (with that last name I don’t know if she ever stood a chance). She’s that girl that is just trying to survive in the shark infested waters that is known as high school.

While these two girls live in totally separate worlds (and social circles), they have way more in common that they could have thought possible. Behind her perky smile, Tabby’s life is being shredded bit by bit into a million pieces; and Lora is simply trying to keep anyone and everyone from finding out the truth about her family.

Each of these girls is burying a secret that they want to stay a secret, and pain that they must keep hidden away from the world. Even though they are so different and have never really spoken to one another, fate has a plan to throw them together for all the right reasons.

Now it’s time for Tabby and Lora to wait for the dust to settle and pray that there’s no one else waiting when it does. But will the outcome of their revelations help them or hurt them in the end?

This isn’t your typical popular versus unpopular story. Girl on the Other Side is so much more. Lora was the most relatable character, at least for me. I think almost everyone can relate to getting picked on in school at some point. But I personally related more to the having a sick mother, a father that works all the time, and a household to take care of on top of school. It’s not easy and Deborah Kerbel portrayed the situation extremely well and accurately.

Although Lora was the most relatable for me, I was still able to relate to Tabby; especially the real Tabby and not the “Queen Bee,” society princess Tabby. I loved her relationship with her Nanny. It was sweet, pure, and unconditional, the way her parents should have been, but weren’t. I also like how Mrs. Kerbel portrayed how quickly Tabby’s peers and friends turned on her. How quickly you can go from being popular and loved, to being despised and tormented in high school.

I wish there had been more about some of the other characters we were introduced to, because there were quite a few. It felt as if you didn’t really get to know any of the other characters outside of Lora and Tabby. Even though both girls had relatable aspects, they were still fairly stereotypical in terms of clichés.

While I did have my character issues, Kerbel made up for it in the plot. There is, of course, the school, popular versus unpopular issue, but the main aspect I loved was the family drama on both sides. That’s what really made Girl on the Other Side stand out for me. I think Girl on the Other Side is a good story, with a good message to it. It’s an extremely quick read and I wish it had been longer. I do recommend it for anyone who likes a good story, but I think the most beneficial audience would obviously be high school students.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of 1 ARC Tours.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

2010-03-29T00:00:00.003-04:00

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Release Date: January 5, 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 256

Overall:

How do review a novel that has blown you away and left you totally speechless? I don’t know how much of a typical review this one will be, because there is so much that I want to say, but can’t because I refuse to give away anything in this true work of art.

Anyone who’s seen Mean Girls or has ever been in high school knows that the social hierarchy that high school entails can be hard to navigate, much less climb. But no matter how hard it is to climb the social ladder, the fall is way harder, and hurts so much more. Regina Afton is one of those girls; she’s the Cady in Some Girls Are, although she makes Cady seem like a total angel.

There’s no doubt about it that Regina is a total bitch, I mean in every letter of the definition, she’s mean, hateful, vindictive, but I found myself feeling sorry for her, sympathizing with her. Regina used to be part of the “Fearsome Fivesome,” which is a clique of five girls in the school that are not only admired, but are also feared by almost every student in the school. But once rumors of Regina and Anna’s, her best friend/leader of the “pack”, boyfriend start flying around, that’s the end of Regina’s life as she knew it before.

The now “Fearsome Foursome” not only freeze Regina out, but they also take it upon themselves to make her life a living hell, actually that’s putting it lightly. But there’s the handsome, yet misunderstood, Michael that Regina starts to become friends (of some sort) with. He’s cute, he listens, he helps her, he even hates her, but by getting to know her, he starts to soften, and so does Regina. But is it enough to only have one person to lean on? Can she even make it out of her senior year alive?

First and foremost, I must bow to the wonderful Courtney Summers. She managed to create a story that I loved and hated at the same time, and characters I felt the same way about. None of the other reviews I’ve read prepared me for the story I found myself faced with. There were so many moments in Some Girls Are that I had to actually set the book down and just sat there with my hand over my mouth and my eyes wide in horror and terror for these characters. And there were times when I just wanted to jump for joy and scream “WOOHOO!”

Out of all the books I’ve read, this is the one that seemed to mess with me the most. Courtney is one of the most talented and gifted authors I’ve read in so long. Her style, her snark, and her way of manipulating the way I thought of people and the way they are, it’s all part of something I don’t think I’ve ever experienced within a novel. I always thought the way people are was black and white; they were either good or bad; bitches or nonbitches (I know it’s not technically a word, but for the purposes of this review and because of the amazingness that is Courtney Summers, it is now), but I’ve now seen that some people fall into this gray area. This gray area now makes me have to reevaluate all those girls in high school and in life that I couldn’t stand to even look at because their bitchiness radiated off of them in waves. Do they deserve a shot or a second chance? Regardless of how they act, is that just a façade for self-preservation?

Yes, I now see there is that gray area, but that doesn’t change the fact that some of the characters Courtney created were so despicable and nauseatingly hateful that nothing could have redeemed them. Courtney took the worst attributes of Regina George, a dash of Heather Chandler, a pinch Courtney Shane, and teaspoon of Chris Hargensen and mixed them into a cauldron with her wand when she created Anna and her wannabe puppy, Kara.

The saving grace in all this hatefulness in Michael, it was easy to see the attraction too and hard to see how he was such an outcast. He’s cute, sensitive, a good listener, he doesn’t care what others really think, and he’s quite possibly the sweetest guy…ever. You couldn’t have cut the tension between these two with a blow torch, and yet all I wanted was to see the next time they were together. I wanted so bad to smack Michael and just be like “Look, I know you hate her and all and she’s a bitch, but KISS HER!!!”

There are not enough words in the English language, or any other language for that matter, to describe how much I absolutely loved Some Girls Are. Courtney is a rare breed of author and I can’t wait to read anything she puts out there, and with a talent like that, she better put out a lot! (Kidding…sort of, not really).

Some Girls Are is a truly amazing novel, and a story that is actually fairly believable. Now, some of the things these girls do are dramatized and at times a bit improbable, but all in the entire story in itself and the message it contains is very real. It really shows how fickle high school can be, and how evil girls really can be when you’ve wronged them, no matter if its truth or rumor. Courtney has given us a novel that will not only make you think, but it will also change you, at least it did me and for that, I must thank her…and ever so sweetly demand her next book, like…now.

And given everything else I could say about Some Girls Are, I think Michael said it best:

“I think…” he trails off. “I think some girls are just…fucked up.” (Page 189, Some Girls Are, ARC).

And that statement applies to the story, high school, and just people and life in general.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

2010-03-26T00:00:00.005-04:00

Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

Release Date: May 1, 2010*

Publisher: Amulet Books

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 272

Overall:

There’s always going to be those stories that capture your heart. Whether it’s something that is heartbreaking and sticks with you, or something that is so pure and enticing that your heart envelops it; one way or another your heart becomes involved with the words and the characters inside. Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw is not only one of those stories, it’s the latter of the two, it’s the one that runs through your mind over and over again, it’s the one that so pure that you become one with the story.

In 1847, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published a poem, “Evangeline,” that has now become one of his most notable works, and also one of the most common taught poems in English classes. This beautiful poem inspired Tucker Shaw to write Anxious Hearts and for that, I must thank Mr. Longfellow (yes, I am going to thank a man that’s been dead for somewhere around, oh, 125+ years).

Anxious Hearts begins the story of Eva and Gabe, two teenagers that lost touch in each other’s lives, only to pick back up years later as they explore the forests surrounding their seaside town. They follow the same paths, and are exploring the same tranquil forests as Evangeline and Gabriel, two young lovers, did over one hundred years before them. On the day of Evangeline and Gabriel’s wedding, their village was attacked by enemies and they were separated from one another. In the present, Gabe suddenly disappears from Eva and it seems as if their love will mirror that of the two lovers torn apart on their wedding day.

The first couple of chapters threw me through a loop, I’m used to alternate points of view, but I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that is not only alternate voices, but also alternate time periods. Eva and Gabe’s story is told by Eva, while Gabriel and Evangeline’s tale is told by Gabriel, some hundred years earlier. It only took a few chapters in for me to not only get used to the change, but to also welcome the bits of each tale I got.

The imagery in Anxious Hearts is something I’ve not seen in a long time, not since AP English in high school. It’s got the air of one of those old stories your teacher forces you to read, then you’re thankful in the end. It’s pure, beautiful, and vivid in the words that flow across the page. The beauty in Longfellow’s tale weaves into Shaw’s and characters, both new and old, come alive on the page and leap into your mind.

I found it really hard to find the words to describe Anxious Hearts. There were moments that made me laugh and smile, then there were the ones that made my jaw drop and stay hanging open in fear and pain for the characters that have woven themselves into my heart in fewer than 300 pages. Eva, Gabe, Evangeline, and Gabriel all found their own place in my heart and I found myself understanding them in different ways and wanting the best for them.

If you’ve never read “Evangeline” then I advise you not to read it until after you’ve read Anxious Hearts. It’s been years since I’ve read it, but once I started reading the story of these lovers those years faded away and the story was there again. The story behind Shaw’s words is just as important as the words themselves. Anxious Hearts is beautiful and lyrical, it flows with a fluid grace that enamors the soul and captures the soul, all in the same page.

Anxious Hearts speaks to the hopeless romantic in all of us. It contains the purest love I’ve read in a long time. I didn’t want the story to end, even though I knew it had too. If there’s one romance that should be on everyone’s shelf, it should be the timeless beauty that is Anxious Hearts. Even those that aren’t big fans of romance will have no other choice but to fall in love with these characters and the stories they have to tell.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

*While Anxious Hearts isn't set to release until May, it is already in stock at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Book Depository.

Windwhyst by Christine O'Neill

2010-03-15T00:00:00.003-04:00

Windwhyst by Christine O'Neill

Release Date: September 7, 2009

Publisher: CreateSpace

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 316

Overall:

I’m not usually one to read self-published titles, but the premise of Windwhyst was interesting enough for me to ignore its self-published status and give it s a shot. And I’m really glad I did.

Cole Anderson is your usual high school slacker. He’s a graffiti artist, failing his classes, being pretty invisible in school, and has the sarcastic attitude to match. But when he’s caught for defacing school property, Cole is told he must join the restoration team at the abandoned 19th century Windwhyst mansion. He’s joined in that project by his domineering tutor, Thea.

Thea Wallace is your stereotypical teen movie style overachiever. She’s, as Cole puts it, “President of This and That and Your Mom Club” (Windwhyst, page 7). So of course she’s involved in just about anything and everything that can be put on a college transcript, and anything that will help her succeed, while everything else like friends, is just a formality.

While working at Windwhyst, the two stumble upon a hidden room full of treasures. As they are browsing those treasures, they find Augusta and Josiah Lyons, brother and sister and that have been dead for upwards of 250 years. After meeting the Lyons’ and getting over the idea that ghosts don’t exist, they find that the ghosts aren’t something to be feared, but are people too.

After talking to the Lyons’, Thea and Cole are approached by PELF, a horror movie-esque company that wants to meet with the ghosts and study them. Thea and Cole come to find that PELF isn’t at all what they seem and is actually much more dangerous and deadly. PELF is the kind of company that would give Norman Bates a run for his money in the creep factor.

With the help of a third, ex-military ghost, the friends set out to defend the world and the lives they all cherish. Now they’re all thrown into a world of murder, history, love, war, laboratories, experiments, and PELF.

Now there is more at stake for Cole than he ever thought possible. He’s faced with difficult decisions in terms of love, life, and the survival of not only himself, but also of Thea and the ghosts. And the project Cole was forced into has now played a bigger role in his life than he ever thought possible.

I actually really liked this story. I adored the characters…at least most of them, and thought they were extremely well developed. Cole and Thea had this very amusing love-hate, push-pull relationship. They’re polar opposites and it totally works for them. The ghosts are very intriguing, they’re full of history and life; even if they’re not actually living per say.

I found the involvement of PELF and its employees to be a totally different twist on a typical ghost story. It made things dangerous and adventurous for our protagonists, and exciting for the reader. Plus with Cole as the narrator, it gave a nice change to the normality of having a female voice, and a different spin on the issues and conversations they all had.

I did find a few grammar and spelling mistakes here and there and while that kind of irked me a bit at the moment, there weren’t enough to take away from the story or to be a big enough distraction. And I have found that it’s fairly common to find some in a self-published novel. Also while reading this story I did come to find a few awesome facts, such as the author, Christine O’Neill, is not only sixteen years old, but Windwhyst was also her NaNoWriMo novel! Now how cool is that?

Personally, if I had seen this book in the bookstore, I probably would have skipped right over it based on the cover alone, but I'm glad I didn't. While the image makes me think of the Windwhyst mansion and I think it's cool that the author took the photo, I wouldn't have used it as a cover. I don't really think it fits the nature of the story, and unlike the story it contains, the cover is a bit blah.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book for review for Teens Read Too.

Nailed by Jennifer Laurens

2010-03-12T00:00:00.002-05:00

Nailed by Jennifer Laurens

Release Date: November 10, 2008

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 240

Overall:

Mandy is a girl that knows what she wants. Unlike most 18 year olds, she also knows who she is and what she wants to do with her life. I knew very few people in high school that knew either one of those things, and I admired the ones that did…I also quite admired Mandy for the same reason.

Ever since she was a little girl Mandy has wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and work in construction. She wants to learn the trade and become not only a professional, but she wants to either take over her father’s business or start one of her own. In order to put that plan into motion, Mandy doesn’t follow her friends on after graduation trips; she stays behind to start her apprenticeship.

The first crew Mandy is assigned too belongs to her brother, Marc, and he is less than happy about it to say the least. Marc isn’t cutting Mandy any slack, he does everything to make sure she pulls her weight, even if it’s just clean up and grunt work. But soon, the older, flirtatious A.J. has Mandy’s attention, as well as the mysterious, brooding Boston (a nickname she affectionately gave him on the first day because of his hat).

With the help of her best friend Cam, Mandy finds herself trying to decipher what is really going on in this push-pull, triangle A.J and Boston have her in. Framing a house is easy for Mandy, the hard work and physical labor is easy, it’s this new mine field of testosterone and desire that’s hard for her.

This is the second novel by Jennifer Laurens I have read, and this is the second one I have loved. Nailed is fun, different, and at times, almost lyrical. Mandy is a heroine of sorts to be admired; she’s cute, fun, straightforward and she’s very wise beyond her years. Cam is adorable and uses those trashy romance novels as insight into the dream relationship. He’s actually quite insightful and he’s one of the best, best friends I’ve seen in a novel lately, to the point that he reminded me of my best friend.

A.J. is older, gorgeous, and a total gentleman. He’s constantly flirting with Mandy, but never pushy, he’s actually very sweet. Boston is a mystery at first, but when Mandy starts to find out more about him and find that they have more in common than she thought, even he can’t help but to warm up to her. He’s one of those guys that are totally sexy, but he’s got the hard exterior, but the sensitive, caring heart that almost any girl desires.

I love Jennifer’s writing style, its fluid and it flows. It’s experienced and has a beautiful touch woven into the words. The characters are so well developed, even the ones that aren’t seen all that much, like Cam. The intense moments are well balanced with comical ones. I really only had one issue with the book and it was minor and mainly my own quirkiness. In the first few chapters, Mandy and Cam frequented Barnes and Noble, but then it randomly changed to Borders, even though the descriptions and the café was the same. I think it was more of an oversight on an editor’s part, but still it irked my nerves for a bit.

Nailed was a fantastic, adorable story and I anyone that’s looking for a cute romantic novel to take up a few hours, then they should totally pick it up. I really recommend it and look forward to reading more from Mrs. Laurens in the future.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens

2010-03-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens

Release Date: October 1, 2007

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 208

Overall:

We all know the basic story of Romeo and Juliet. Boy meets Girl, Boy and Girl fall in love, Boy and Girl’s families are mortal enemies, so the star-crossed lovers take their lives to be together. It’s one of the most tragically romantic stories in literary history.

John Michaels is the hottest guy in school, he’s treated like a god, and in the eyes of his peers he can do nothing wrong (think John Tucker in John Tucker Must Die), so it’s no surprise when he lands the coveted role of Romeo in the school play. He seems to do for this school production of Shakespeare’s classic, what Leonardo DiCaprio did for the 1996 movie version.

Jennifer Vienvu is focused, beautiful, and within her school, she is an established actress and a shoe in for Juliet. Jenn is your All-American girl, she’s lovable and kind, she gets good grades, and she’s involved. There’s only one flaw in Jenn’s professional performance is that her Juliet has to kiss John’s Romeo. What everyone doesn’t know is that the kiss they share on stage will be Jenn’s first kiss. John is the guy every girl in school wants to kiss, the guy that lives next door to her, and the guy that used to be her best friend.

Living next to each other since they were kids, John and Jenn grew up being the best of friends; they even did one of those blood ritual things to signify their friendship. As they got older and John turned into the popular guy he is now, they lost each other, they grew apart. Now they are thrown back together and there’s an undeniable chemistry between them that causes them to wonder which kisses are part of the act and which kisses are real.

When our story plants us right in the middle of rehearsal, and right in the middle of the love-hate relationship our characters have with one another. Being thrown into the middle of the story kind of jarred me at first because most of the time you read through all this back story and it takes multiple chapters before you get into the plot. After the initial shock of just being thrown in, I really enjoyed being able to get right into the plot. Sometimes you get bogged down in all the details and back story that you forget what the main plot of the story even is, and that didn’t happen here.

I absolutely loved the characters. They’re fun and vivid, you get to know more than just the main characters. The director Chip is totally amusing, even when he’s being hard on them, he’s still funny. There are also a few side characters (Fletcher, Jessica, and Freddy in particular) that only appear every so often, but they offer a few gems of their own and leave an impression. Of course all characters can’t be lovable and endearing, I honestly detested Lacey and Alex, and they annoyed me to no end.

Falling for Romeo also has another aspect that I was surprised about at first, but very much loved, it switched between Jenn and John’s point of view. A lot of times I’m wary of stories that switch POV, but I absolutely love it in this case. Jennifer Laurens does a fabulous job at bringing you into the lives of both Jenn and John through both perspectives. I loved the insight into not only how they view one another, but also how they view themselves. The tension between Jenn and John in social settings and in the moments they have alone is enough to draw you to them.

I really enjoyed Falling for Romeo, it had a unique style and that’s totally refreshing. The characters were great and well developed, and there’s enough Romeo and Juliet quotes to make anyone who’s ever read the play (or seen the movie) to make them smile. Unless they’re me, and then you quote right along with the book…only you do it out loud and get funny looks from those around you.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe

2010-03-05T00:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe

Release Date: September 30, 2009

Publisher: WestSide Books

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 200

Overall:

When you look up the definition of “prude” in the dictionary, there are no words to define it, there’s only a picture of Courtney Condon. Courtney is the epitome of a good girl, she’s modest, and she’s the founder of Donuts and Coffee, the schools abstinence club. On top of all of that, she is also the only one in the school that can resist the charms of Lance Lindsey, the most gorgeous guy in school and the school’s total player.

Lance is THAT guy, you know the one, we all know the one. He’s gorgeous, charming, has a new girl every week, and thinks he can have anyone he wants. He’s the kind of guy that you think is so gorgeous, but wouldn’t want to even shake hands with without wearing a hazmat suit. But none the less, he is a fairly realistic character, aside from the “when he walks into a room, everybody stares” mentality, that is something that I’ve never seen happen in all my almost 21 years.

Courtney and Lance are thrown together to do the coveted Op-Ed piece for the school newspaper, and this fact amuses Lance and infuriates Courtney. They have this very Cate and Baze (Life Unexpected, new show on CW) kind of relationship going on and it’s pretty hilarious. Now it’s time to see what happens when the Queen of the Prudes and King of the Lewds is thrown together, and with the single-mindedly religious mother that Courtney has, anything is bound to happen.

I really wanted to like this book more. Dear Big V is cute and funny, and the author was able to address sex and abstinence without being preachy and clinical. But overall the book left me feeling…meh. I expected more from it, there was quite a bit of different things thrown into the story and instead of giving them all time to develop and finish well, they were all rushed into the last few chapters, which left me feeling unsatisfied.

Courtney is funny and mildly adorable, but then there were moments (mainly in the beginning) where I just couldn’t stand her. I found her judgmental and close-minded and I couldn’t connect with her, but as she started to grow, I did like her more but I still never fully connected with her. The one character I did adore was Andy, Courtney’s best friend, while she stands for her beliefs, she’s accepting of other people’s thoughts and feelings, plus she’s really funny.

One of my biggest issues with Courtney is that after a few kisses and literally only a few very brief conversations with Lance, she was telling her best friend that she thinks she’s falling in love with him. I know that in high school and being that age makes you think simple physical attraction can be love without really knowing someone, but that was just a bit much, and very unrealistic. I found it hard to believe that a character like Courtney could confuse love and lust so easily.

Maybe if I was younger and still dealing with the same issues as Courtney, I would have responded better, or maybe with the lack of connection I felt with the characters themselves, I wouldn’t have. There’s no way to really know. I do think that younger readers could benefit from Courtney’s plight; I would love for my niece to read this and maybe save her some heartache later down the road. I think it’s a good book for a look on abstinence, it doesn’t come of clinical and preachy like most others do, and for that alone, I do think readers will respond better. Maybe others will love Dear Big V, but it just wasn’t something I related to.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Winner!!

2010-03-04T23:40:00.003-05:00

It's time to announce the winner of the signed copy of Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus! So without further ado...

*drumroll*

YAN

from Books By Their Cover!

I've already contacted Yan by email, if she doesn't reply in 48 hours I will chose a new winner.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone that entered!

In My Mailbox 27

2010-02-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Review:

They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney

Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Connection by Jo Ramsey

Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

White Cat by Holly Black

City of Cannibals by Ricki Thompson

Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Nailed by Jennifer Laurens (for Around the World Tours)

Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens (not pictured) (for Around the World Tours)

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly (for Around the World Tours)

Bought:

None! I wasn't able to go anywhere that wasn't my work or the grocery store this week! And I was so itching to buy one, so I think sometime this week, I am so buying a book or two!

That's what was in my mailbox this week, what did you get in yours?

Books I Crave 10

2010-02-27T10:20:00.003-05:00

This is a weekly* meme, hosted here, that was inspired by Kristi over at The Story Siren and Jill over at Breaking the Spine, with help from Laina over at Laina Has Too Much Spare Time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*All summaries are from Goodreads, unless noted otherwise*
*All of these have been released*

Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

What's the worst thing you've ever done?

When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?

Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.

Nobody would have guessed she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.

Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far... and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge - and over...

Heist Society by Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap

Murder and love—from the halls of Vienna’s imperial family to a perilous gypsy camp

Amid the glamour of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy’s court in 18th-century Vienna, murder is afoot. Or so fifteen-year-old Theresa Maria is convinced when her musician father turns up dead on Christmas Eve, his valuable violin missing, and the only clue to his death a strange gold pendant around his neck. Then her father’s mentor, the acclaimed composer Franz Joseph Haydn, helps her through a difficult time by making her his copyist and giving her insight in to her father’s secret life. It’s there that Theresa begins to uncover a trail of blackmail and extortion, even as she discovers honor—and the possibility of a first, tentative love. Thrumming with the weeping strains of violins, as well as danger and deception, this is an engrossing tale of murder, romance, and music that readers will find hard to forget.

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

*I know last week I said Books I Crave was going to be a bi-weekly even for a while and that still stands, but I was super busy this week and didn't get anything posted except my contest, so I thought you guys deserved something special :)

For more information on Books I Crave and how to join in, click here .

Contest: Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

2010-02-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

Win a Signed copy of Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus!

Ever wonder what it’s like to literally be on the receiving end of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River?" Or, any of Taylor Swift's songs, like "Forever and Always?" Well, look no further.

Kate Hollis's ex-boyfriend's face plasters newsstands and TV, the Internet, and the multiplex. Jake Sharpe is one of the biggest recording stars on the planet, and every song he's famous for is about Kate. For over a decade his soundtrack has chased her -- from the gym to the supermarket, from the dentist's office to the bars. Now thirty-year-old Kate gets the call that Jake has finally landed back in their Vermont hometown for an MTV special. The moment she has been waiting for has arrived.

On the eve of their prom, Jake Sharpe vanished, resurfacing when his song "Losing" -- about his and Kate's first sexual experience -- shot to the top of the Billboard charts. And the hits kept coming, each more personal than the one before.

Now Kate gets her chance to confront Jake and reclaim her past. But after eleven years of enduring protracted and far-from-private heartbreak, everyone in Kate's life has a stake in how this plays out. Kate must risk betraying the friends Jake abandoned, the bandmates whose songs he plundered, and her own parents, who fear this will dredge up a shared past more painful than any of them want to acknowledge. But after getting the call in the dead of night and jumping on a plane, can she turn back now?

Dedication actually came out in 2007, but now it has been repackaged in a awesome new paperback cover that was voted on by readers! To be released March 2, 2010, this is your chance to win a signed copy!

Official information:

*Fill out the form below.

*Must be 13 years or older.

*Contest ends on Tuesday, March 2, 2010.

*Open to U.S. residents only.

Thanks to Atria Books for supplying the novel for this contest! Keep checking back for my review of Dedication and an interview with Emma and Nicola!

Books I Crave 9

2010-02-20T00:29:00.001-05:00

This is a weekly* meme, hosted here, that was inspired by Kristi over at The Story Siren and Jill over at Breaking the Spine, with help from Laina over at Laina Has Too Much Spare Time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*All summaries are from Amazon, unless noted otherwise*
*All of these have been released*

Dawn by Kevin Brooks

Dawn Bundy lives in a cave. In her head. Where's she's been hiding for two years. Hiding behind headphones. From the two hottest girls at school, in their impossibly short skirts and unbearably tight tops, their skin close enough to touch. Not talking to her mother, not about what matters. Not thinking of her dad, the drug addict, the ex-con, born-again but far gone. Two years is a long time. Enough for the cave to grow so small that her breath feels like stone in her throat. Two years is no time at all. Nowhere near enough to forget. To pretend that nothing happened. Deep one perfect morning.

The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

Brace yourself for the battle of the exes....

Hayden and Nick used to be a hot item, but their brief affair ended with a highly publicized breakup. Now the two are "just friends," excluding the occasional flirtation.

When Hayden wins the girls' division of a local snowboarding competition, Nick is unimpressed, claiming that Hayden wouldn't have a chance against a guy. Hayden calls Nick's bluff and challenges him to a head-to-head boarding contest. Their mutual friends quickly take sides, the girls on Hayden's and the boys on Nick's, making for an all-out battle of the sexes. This friendly competition is bound to get heated -- and they might end up igniting some old flames.

Hazel by Julie Hearn

Hazel Louise Mull-Dare has a good life, but it's so dull. With an adoring father who grants her every wish, a place in the Kensington School for the Daughters of Gentlemen, and no pressure to excel in anything whatsoever, her future looks primly predictable.

But on the day of the Epsom Derby -- June 4, 1913 -- everything changes. A woman in a dark coat steps in front of the king's horse, in protest at the injustice of denying women the vote. She dies days later, bringing further attention to the suffragist cause. Young Hazel is transfixed. And when her bold new friend Gloria convinces her to take on the cause, Hazel gets her first taste of rebellion.

But doing so leads her into greater trouble than she could have ever imagined. Such great trouble that she is banished from London, all the way to where her family fortune originates -- a sugar plantation in the Caribbean. There Hazel is forced to confront the dark secrets of her family -- secrets that have festered, and a shame that lingers on.

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

What’s worse than being fat your freshman year?
Being fat your sophomore year.

Life used to be so simple for Andrew Zansky–hang with the Model UN guys, avoid gym class, and eat and eat and eat. He’s used to not fitting in: into his family, his sports-crazed school, or his size 48 pants.

But not anymore. Andrew just met April, the new girl at school and the instant love of his life! He wants to find a way to win her over, but how? When O. Douglas, the heartthrob quarterback and high-school legend, saves him from getting beaten up by the school bully, Andrew sees his chance to get in with the football squad.

Is it possible to reinvent yourself in the middle of high school? Andrew is willing to try. But he’s going to have to make some changes. Fast.

Can a funny fat kid be friends with a football superstar? Can he win over the Girl of his Dreams? Can he find a way to get his mom and dad back together?

How far should you go to be the person you really want to be?

Andrew is about to find out.

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Four teenagers, Jena, Skye, Owen, and Dakota, come together and cross paths during a vacation in the Caribbean. A quarter of the book is devoted to each teen's perspective. Jena tells about her feelings of inferiority when around beautiful Skye, the daughter of her mother's best friend. Skye wants to figure out the truth about her father and the suicidal depression that turns her away from auditioning for even one more film. Dakota drinks, is sexually pushy with girls, and deals with his girlfriend's death in a car accident when she was with another guy. Owen, Dakota's younger brother, hides his insecurity behind the safety of his blog and general computer nerdiness. All four lives become "tangled" together while at the resort and after they reach home, and the way the tangles twist and unfold allows these teens to discover their true selves and find personal satisfaction. Mackler expertly creates believable characters, plots, and settings. The teens are good people who have obstacles to overcome and problems to face. Whether realizing it directly or not, they help one another because of their chance relationships.

*I am now making Books I Crave a bi-weekly meme. It takes a lot of work to put it together and I am getting ready to start moving, so I won't have a ton of time for a while, but once I'm moved and settled I will probably go back to doing it weekly.

For more information on Books I Crave and how to join in, click here .

Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony

2010-02-19T02:12:00.001-05:00

Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony

Release Date: May 13, 2010

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Molly lives in a world very different from the one you and I have come to know. And that is not because she lives it Canada. It’s because she lives in 2041 and after the Collapse, which left the entire world in financial peril.

Molly and her family live on a small island, an island that was able to recover quite well after the Collapse, one that’s small and quaint; one where family is the most important thing you’ve got. When the island doctor is killed in a freak accident and Molly’s grandmother in the United States is feared to be dead, it’s up to the 16-year-old Molly to make back to the U.S., find her ex-doctor grandfather and bring him back to the island before her pregnant mother gives birth.

The way the world is described, I would be terrified! It’s a totally different kind of world than we live in today. The economy has totally collapsed, there’s no oil, the government is in ruins, and most of the large cities are ran by The Organization (basically, the mob). There’s little actual money anymore, the economy is mostly made up of the barter system, and occasionally gold. That is all so very odd to me, but that’s also a very different world than the one I live in, and the one you live in.

Technology has of course advanced…A LOT. Like there’s CyberSpeak (an advanced version of Skype), most cars that are left are electric, and there’s a number of other kind of awesome contraptions that would be totally useful (weightless trailers that can be pulled on a bicycle, anyone?). At times it doesn't really feel like technology is all that advanced because transportation has gone back to trains and bicycles, but the downfall of cars and the like really didn't have anything to do with technology as much as it was because the government had taken over the oil supply.

Armed with only her fiddle, feisty attitude, and a good sense of the land, Molly heads to America. With the help of a few friendly strangers, Molly’s adventure takes her right where she needs to be, but can she make it home alive?

There’s some really strong characters in Joëlle Anthony’s debut novel. I found Molly to be an adoring sort of person; she’s smart and relatable in a sense. Spill is that sweet guy with the tough outer shell that I was dying to see more of. Grandpa, while rough at first, had the warmest heart and was absolutely hilarious at times. They were all strong, well developed characters, and I totally adore that.

But I did have a few concerns. Molly has got to be the luckiest character in dystopian literature history! Every predicament she got into, she got out of generally unscathed and in about two seconds, talk about unlikely and after a while, very predictable. The bad guys weren’t bad enough. There were plenty of bad guys, but they were either seriously stupid or way too soft, and this should have been a story where the bad guys were really bad. I really wanted more action too. Molly spent so much time doing ordinary, mundane things and I was hoping for more adventure and action in this excitingly, dangerous world.

While it did have its flaws, there were things I thoroughly enjoyed. I love how Molly risks it all, including her life, for the attempt to save her family. I love how caring she is; even towards those she barely knows (i.e. Brandy and Michael). Watching her relationships with those around her grow is also a major treat, and totally refreshing to see, since a lot of what we see are broken families and unhealthy relationships. It was nice and moving to see a different kind of relationship between characters, after a while seeing nothing but dysfunctional people can get tiring.

Despite the setting, I didn’t really find Restoring Harmony to be as much a dystopian novel, as I saw it to be more about family and relationships. And that’s not completely a bad thing, although I was disappointed since I was expecting something more of a dystopian adventure. At its roots, Restoring Harmony was a fairly enjoyable story, but don’t go into it expecting to be shocked and scared by their dystopia.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

2010-02-15T05:40:00.001-05:00

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Release Date: April 27, 2010

Publisher: Antheneum/Richard Jackson Books

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Nola wants nothing more than to escape for the summer. Escape her life in Boston and escape her life with her younger sister, Song, who’s battling cancer. Nola decides the best way to make that escape is to take a waitressing job at Rocky Cove Inn, an upscale resort on the Maine coast (I think I would take a job there!).

It’s not like Nola doesn’t love her sister, it’s just that she wants to have a chance to live her life by her own rules. She wants to make her own choices and make them without having to worry about Song or about hospitals or anything other than herself.

So Nola heads off to the Maine coast, and on her journey she meets Carly. Carly is the perfect companion, she’s fun, energetic, spontaneous, and full of ideas (who wouldn’t want a friend like that?). Nola and Carly become fast friends, and start spending all kinds of time together. But Nola soon finds that Carly isn’t at all who she seems.

Carly turns out to be more complex than Nola originally thought, and not in a good way. Carly shows a different side, a more twisted side that seems to turn on Nola in the blink of an eye. She turns everything into a rivalry, from their time together to romantic interests, she causes drama where there shouldn’t be any, and while her actions can be subtle, they’re strong. At first Nola thinks she can handle it, but soon she finds that handling Carly isn’t going to be that simple, or even forgettable.

At first I was a bit wary of this book because I had heard some not so great things about it, but I figured its short (it’s under 200 pages) and so it wouldn’t take that long to read. But I’m actually glad I read it.

I think it was a bit lacking in character development, but there’s a reason for that. It would have super hard for Nola to lose herself to Carly if either one had actually been strong characters. You can’t steal someone’s personality if they already have a strong sense of self. But I for one, thought I had a pretty good sense of who Nola was, even if she didn’t.

But I’m not saying that there wasn’t any character depth at all or anything. Nola was a sweet, hard-working, sensible girl, who just wanted to break out of her life and her shell and make her own choices for once. It was sometimes hard to see such a character fall prey to Carly’s charm.

Along the way we meet a cast of pretty interesting supporting characters. None of them are very established, but you do get to meet a few that are quite endearing. I would have liked to see more from Annie, Kevin, and Nigel especially, but I don’t really think they were supposed to be very prominent.

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her (wow, it’s a mouth full!), is a pretty good story of friendship, family, and finding yourself. It touches on quite a few issues, even if only for a moment and that saved it for me. I don’t think it’s a great story because there could have been more to it, but I think it’s definitely a good story that deserves a shot.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox 26

2010-02-14T01:01:00.000-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I've been a bad blogger. I keep forgetting that it's Saturday and therefore, I forget to do In My Mailbox! I know, how could I forget? I have no clue! But anyways! Onto this week's goodies! And there's a special treat in the second picture! His name is Luka, and that is his precious head.

For review:
Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe (for Around the World Tours)
My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman (for 1 ARC Tours)
Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel (not pictured) (for 1 ARC Tours)

Won:
Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz (from Penultimate Page)
Silver is for Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz (from Penultimate Page)
White is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz (from Penultimate Page)
Red is for Remembrance by Laurie Faria Stolarz (from Penultimate Page)
Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann (from Laina Has Too Much Spare Time)
Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (from Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf)
$150 Visa Gift Card from Elizabeth! (from Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf)

Bought:
Steamed by Katie MacAlister

So that's what was in my mailbox these last two weeks, what did you get in yours?

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

2010-02-12T07:46:00.002-05:00

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

Release Date: March 23, 2010

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Have you ever read a story where it felt like you were actually part of the characters lives? The Snowball Effect is one of those kinds of stories, and Lainey Pike is one of those kinds of characters.

Eighteen year old Lainey is your somewhat typical jaded teenage girl, except she has bigger issues to deal with. Her stepfather died in a motorcycle crash, her grandmother died shortly after that, and her mother fully lost it and hanged herself in their basement…two days after her high school graduation.

Sounds like a lot to deal with, right? Well, there’s more…Her mother left behind another child, Lainey’s brother, Collin, is five years old and has sever behavioral problems, and now there’s someone else to add to their dysfunctional family, Vallery, Lainey’s long gone older sister. Vallery hasn’t been in Lainey’s life since she was a very young child, and Vallery never even knew Collin existed, until now. And now, Vallery is back and in charge of Collin, but not willingly and definitely not patiently.

To add to everything else in Lainey’s already chaotic life, there’s Riley, her adorably sweet boyfriend, who wants them to move in together and start a life of their own. But now that Vallery is back and they’re sharing the responsibility of Collin and for everything else, Lainey has way more to deal with than she ever has.

Now, Lainey has to get to know Vallery all over again, and get Collin to not only behave, but behave for Vallery and come to trust her. Then there’s the task of trying to find a way to forgive her mother for being mentally absent and leaving her. But how easy can it be to make peace with a dead woman?

There was so much about The Snowball Effect that I absolutely adored and it’s hard to know where to start! Lainey is one of those characters that is so easy to relate to. She’s frustrated with her siblings and her job, she has her friends and relationships to deal with, and it’s all complicated.

Holly Nicole Hoxter has an adorable hit on her hands. The story did tend to jump around a bit, but it made up for that with it’s realistic look at a teenager’s way of coping, while trying to move on and improve their life, plus dealing with whatever else life throws their way. Then there’s Riley, whom I absolutely adored! He’s kind and sweet and totally loves Lainey, no matter how she treats him. Talk about a fantastic boyfriend! There’s also the relationship that Lainey, Collin, and Vallery forge with one another, and I found it to be realistic and beautiful.

But there’s more to The Snowball Effect than the story itself. Hoxter’s writing flows so beautifully, and she has a talent that few writers have. There are few writers that have the ability to take an incredibly sad situation, such as the loss of a loved one, and make it so hilarious, yet moving. This is an author that I not only look forward to reading more from, but I also know will go far.

Watch out for Holly Nicole Hoxter, she’s a talented author and an awesome storyteller. The Snowball Effect actually reminded me somewhat of a Sarah Dessen novel, and that is always a good thing! I definitely recommended this to all teens, and adults, that enjoy a good, realistic, entertaining story.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of 1 ARC Tours.

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

2010-02-05T08:14:00.003-05:00

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Release Date: December 22, 2009

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Nimira is a trouser girl, which is basically a girl who sings and dances for pennies in front of drunk, unruly men. Nimira is beautiful, exotic, and in her country she would be revered for her profession, but not here. Here she is treated like someone lowly, someone not worth the time of the wealthy.

Nimira has always dreamed of walking away from this life, of becoming more than a trouser girl. And when Hollin Parry walked into her life, everything changes. Hollin hires Nimira to sing with a piano playing automaton (thank god for the game Syberia, or I wouldn’t have known what an automaton even was!), an automaton that is rumored to be haunted and has already scared off more than a few other girls in the past.

There’s something about the mysterious automaton that draws Nimira in, and with good reason. In reality, the automaton contains the spirit of the long lost fairy prince, Erris, and that’s not the only secret that Nimira stumbles upon.

Hollin lives in a world of secrets. Scary secrets. Secrets that have been long hidden, there’s the rumors of ghosts, demons, witches, and a group of sorcerers that torture fairies for sport and are on the cusp of starting a fairy war. This wasn’t exactly the world Nimira imagined when she left with Hollin.

I must start by saying that I absolutely adore the characters! Nimira brings this perfect mixture of strength, knowledge, and innocence. Hollin almost constantly toes the line between a villain and a hero, but he’s still a totally fascinating character; flawed, yet noble. Erris is charming and sincere; he’s strong, even without a “voice.” Then there’s the little used Linza, she’s that raw youth, the purity of being naïve, but still knowing.

What makes Magic Under Glass so encapsulating isn’t only the characters, it’s also the world that Jaclyn Dolamore has created around these characters. It’s beautiful, magical, mysterious, and dangerous all rolled into one. All you need is romance and you’ve got a fabulous story that will keep you occupied for hours, and Jaclyn Dolamore totally delivers.

Nimira’s voice is strong and her situation made her compelling, it was easy to care for her. All I wanted was for her to find the safety and security that she desired. The relationship between her and Erris was this beautiful, Romeo & Juliet-esque romance. It’s the kind of story that a hopeless romantic (such as myself) will adore. And there’s even beauty in the relationship that Nimira and Hollin have, even in all its complexity.

It almost felt as if Magic Under Glass was too short, at least for me. I wanted more time with Nimira, Hollin, and Erris, I wanted more time in their world. The ending seemed like it was abrupt and came out of nowhere. But there was also the impression that it was setting up a sequel. I hope there will be a sequel, and if there is, I will be first in line to read it. This is definitely a story I need to know what happens and I must know where Nimira and Erris’ journey takes them next.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

*Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

*This rating is based purely on the image itself. I know all about the controversy with the cover of Magic Under Glass, and while I do not think what Bloomsbury did (again) was right, I do like the image. I think it's a very beautiful image. And this rating also applies to the new cover, which I think is absolutely GORGEOUS!

Waiting On Wednesday 18

2010-02-03T06:18:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly look at upcoming releases that we're excited about!

So yes, it's another Tenner book, and as I said before, you better get used to it for a while, because there are some awesome books coming from new authors this year. And Josh Berk is one of them! If you don't believe me, then check him out on Twitter and see for yourself!

The Dark Days of Hamburger Haplin by Josh Berk
Release: February 9, 2010

From GoodReads:

Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .)

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

2010-02-01T21:38:00.001-05:00

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Release Date: February 4, 2010

Publisher: Razorbill

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Tessa Crimson (awesome name, right?) is more than just the captain of Washington High’s cheerleading squad. She’s also the leader of S.O.S (Society of Smitten Kittens), the cheerleader’s club that catches cheating boyfriends in the act, with evidence!

Lucky for Tessa, she has Aiden. Aiden is the perfect boyfriend, he’s sweet, kind, gorgeous, and totally loves her (I so want an Aiden!). He’s not just the perfect, he’s “strawberry-smoothie purrfect” (there’s a ton of adorable kitty references), there’s just the matter that Tessa has been hiding her covert operations from Aiden for the past two years.

But now Aiden’s wising up and becoming a bit impatient with Tessa constantly being busy. Because of the busyness with more cases, Tessa doesn’t really take notice of Aiden’s frustrations. But The Naughty List is maxed out and every single suspect has been caught, every single one of them has cheated.

Then new girl, Chloe Ferril, shows up and she’s very different from Tessa. She’s provocative and crude and seems to have her sights set directly on the most unattainable guy in school, Aiden. Tessa knows that this is one girl that isn’t going to retract her claws until she hooks them into Aiden.

Tessa has never worried about her and Aiden’s “strawberry-smoothie purrfect” relationship, until his name shows up on The Naughty List. Now Tessa must investigate the one person she never considered to be as naughty as the other. Did Aiden betray her or are the still as “strawberry-smoothie purrfect” as she thought them to be?

If there’s one thing that is “strawberry-smoothie purrfect,” it’s The Naughty List! I fell so in love with Tessa, Aiden, Kira, and Leona that I didn’t want to see this story end. I love how Tessa doesn’t cuss and so she improvises with phrases like “Jingle Bells!” “Shake and bake!” and my personal favorite, ”Peanut butter sandwiches!”

Kira had some of the most reasonable advice out of them all, even though she seems to be a couple of kittens short of a litter most of the time. But Tessa would totally have to be my favorite. She’s adorable and hilarious, and despite her flaws, she has the sincerest of intentions.

Of course there’s always got to be the practical voice of reason and the one to keep organized, and that would be where Leona comes in. Leona is so funny! She tends to be the one to say exactly what Tessa is thinking, but won’t say herself because it’s un-kitten-like. Leona is that girl that doesn’t give a care what anyone says, she’s just going to say whatever she wants…I love that!

Of course I can’t forget Aiden. He’s sweet and adorable and the epitome of the dream boyfriend! He’s so supportive and patient (at least way more that I would be), at least for a long time. I mean, how many guys want and like painting their girlfriend’s toenails? But even the most perfect couples have their flaws.

The writing is fantastic and the story is uniquely adorable. It’s fun and quick and purrfect for any kitties out there that want to curl up with a fantastic story for a few hours. Summer better hurry, because I need the sequel, So Many Boys, like yesterday!

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox 25

2010-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So my Waldens officially closed this week. Their last day was Tuesday and we went by there. It was so sad! I've come to know the workers and adore a few of them and it was pretty sad to see them packing up the store and everything, but there's a bright side (sorta). They're putting in another bookstore! Yay! BUT! On the downside, I am moving sometime next month and it will put me 20 minutes from any bookstore that's not going to try and sell me Jesus. (I mean no offense to anyone by that comment, it's just around here when you go into a Christian bookstore, they shove religion down your throat).

Anyways, two of these I got this week and two last week, I just forgot them in the hugeness that was last weeks IMM. (if you need a refresher, click here).

Review:

None!

Bought:

Candor by Pam Bachorz (read my review here)

Perfect Chemistry by Simon Elkeles

Ex-Mas by Kate Brian

Immortal by Various Authors, Edited by P.C. Cast

That's what was in my mailbox this week, what did you get in yours?

Catcher in the Rye movie? Please, no...

2010-01-29T23:42:00.000-05:00

While browsing Entertainment Weekly’s website, I ran across an article talking about how now that J.D. Salinger has passed, Hollywood is buzzing about obtaining the rights to Catcher in the Rye. Yes, the man isn’t even buried yet, and they want to get their grubby, literature destroying paws onto this literary masterpiece.

Now thankfully for Mr. Salinger, if the bloodsuckers in Hollywood DO manage to get a hold of Catcher in the Rye and they maim it (as they probably will), he will not be around to see it. But on the other side, if they get their hands on it and manage to make a beautiful, well cast, well written adaptation (I am laughing hysterically at the thought of them pulling that off), then he won’t be around to see its beauty.

But either end of the spectrum you look at, Salinger did not want Catcher to be made into a movie and for almost 60 years he outright refused to allow them to touch his work. There is a reason for that. This is why I have a short letter to Hollywood…

Dear Hollywood,

There is a reason J.D. Salinger spent the last 59 years of his life refusing to give you the rights to Catcher in the Rye. That reason is because you have the ability to take amazing works of literature and turn them into two hours of complete and utter crap.

Once you get your money-hungry, masterpiece-ruining paws on a single word of a classic like Catcher in the Rye and you would update the setting and whatnot and then cast the likes of *Justin Timberlake, Zac Efron, Robert Pattinson, or Taylor Lautner** as Holden and that would already be a travesty. We won’t even begin to go into the directors they could potentially employ.

So Hollywood, I beg of you, step away from Catcher in the Rye and go find something that’s not a classic, and not so beloved to ruin for the millions of people that pay a small fortune to sit in a theater with 200 strangers to see. Just don’t ruin this.

Sincerely,

Samantha LeAnne

*These are the names I saw mentioned in the comments of the EW.com article…no, I am not making this up.

**His absolute gorgeousness does not excuse the fact that I would never ever want to see him portray Holden…ever.

How do you guys feel about the idea of Cather in the Rye becoming the next casualty in Hollywood's string of book-to-movie adaptations?

In My Mailbox 24

2010-01-23T22:16:00.000-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you guys may have noticed, I've not done an In My Mailbox in about a month, so this one is a big one! There's all kinds of awesome stuff! So let's get started!

For Review:

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Never After by Dan Elconin

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Hold Still by Nina Lacour

What I Wore to Save The World by Maryrose Wood

I Am An Emotional Creature by Eve Ensler

Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

For Around the World Tours:

Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (not pictured) Read my review here

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore (not pictured)

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young (not pictured)

Bought:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

The Heavenstone Secrets by V.C. Andrews

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Won:

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble (from Layers of Thought)

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson (from The Neverending Shelf)

Black is for Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz (from The Neverending Shelf)

How to Catch and Keep A Vampire by Diana Laurence (from The Neverending Shelf)

Candle Man by Glenn Dakin (from The Neverending Shelf)

Spellbinder by Helen Stringer (from The Neverending Shelf) (not pictured)

Received as gifts:

Envy by Anna Godbersen

Splendor by Anna Godbersen

Swag:

-An awesome bookplate from Jaclyn Dolamore to put in my own copy of Magic Under Glass (which I just read for ATWT and it is fantabulous!)

-The most adorable Christmas card from Laina that came equipped with some really awesome, shiny stickers! (there are mouses (I know it's mice, but they're just so cute that they're mouses!), cows, sunflowers, various other flowers, and KITTIES!!!)

-My sister was sweet enough to request a bookplate and whatnot from the wonderful Lisa Schroeder, so I can put it in my own copy of Chasing Brooklyn (which I am buying after the move! :) Yay!) and she included some bookmarks and postcards, which she also signed!

So that's what was in my mailbox for the last...month...so what did you get in yours?

The Hollywood Sisters: Truth or Dare by Mary Wilcox

2010-01-18T14:49:00.000-05:00

The Hollywood Sisters: Truth or Dare by Mary Wilcox

Release Date: March 10, 2009

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Jessica Ortiz is probably the most normal person in Hollywood. Or at least in Mary Wilcox’s version of Hollywood in The Hollywood Sisters: Truth or Dare.

Jessica is sweet, shy (like “Urkele” shy), down to earth, and has had to draft personal apologies to numerous celebrities. Jessica seems to have the worst luck with celebrities, in a town that just so happens to be full of them.

To “help” matters, Jessica’s sister, Eva, is the star of a hit teen TV show, her best friend, Rebecca, is the child of two of the more famous movie producers in town, and to top it off, Rebecca managed to score them both parts in her mother’s newest movie. But can things go off without a hitch or will everything go terribly wrong?

This was probably the more adorable story I’ve read in a long time. There was fun, mystery (Nancy Drew’s got some competition!), a little romance, and ghosts! There’s also some named that most of us will recognize, which is totally refreshing to see and I think makes a bit more enjoyable to see something that’s familiar.

If you’ve got a couple hours to kill or are looking for a quick dose of comic relief, then pick this up. With adorable characters, wonderful dialogue, fast paced setting, and a delightful plot, it was a pleasant surprise to read something light and fun like The Hollywood Sisters: Truth or Dare.

Younger readers will thoroughly enjoy the story, and I think that’s the target age, but older readers will also enjoy the lightness and even the cute little mystery that is contained within these pages. And no worries if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series, this can totally stand alone.

Plot:
Writing:
Characters:
Ending:
Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book for review for Teens Read Too.

Thank you everyone

2010-01-16T16:17:00.001-05:00

Hey guys,

As many of you know from my brief updates of Twitter, last week one of
my rottweilers, Tori, got sick. Tori is my baby, she's our "momma" dog,
and she is the sweetest thing in the world. She suddenly became
paralyzed in her hind legs and can no longer walk.

The Vet has said that one of her hips has disintegrating and that there
are some neurological issues, and that she will not recover. We were
able to bring her home to spend a few days with her and say our
goodbyes.

We were supposed to take her back to the Vet today and they were going
to put her to sleep. But we decided to wait until Monday. She is not in
any pain and it gives us more time to spend with her and love on her,
and prepare ourselves a little more.

The reason I am telling you guys this is because this is why I've been
pretty absent this past week, and why I am taking a few more days to
spend with my baby. I'm sure many of you can understand that pets aren't
just a pet, they're family.

I wanted to say thank you for everyone's well wishes over this past week
and thank you all for understanding during this rather difficult time
for me and for my family.

I will return to the blog next week. If you would like to find me or
anything, you can always email me or catch me on Twitter, I will be
popping in and out on there throughout the weekend.

Thank you everyone.

XOXO,
Samantha

Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

2010-01-15T15:01:00.006-05:00

Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

Release Date: November 3, 2009

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Have you ever had a story touch your heart in a way that it actually made you rethink your own perspective on things? Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma is a story that will do just that, or at least that’s what it did for me.

Ellie Summerfield is Little Miss Perfect; at least that’s how she appears to everyone else. Ellie has a 4.0 GPA, a list of extracurricular activities that would make any college beg for her, she’s beautiful and has a gorgeous boyfriend that seems to actually love her, and everyone in school adores her. But that doesn’t mean she’s happy behind the almost permanent smile she has pasted onto her face.

But as always, there has to be a twist that knocks the seemingly perfect character off their feet and forces them to show their true selves to the world, right? Right. There is a twist in Beautiful, but I can guarantee you that you won’t see it coming, and neither did Ellie; and it changes the course of Ellie’s life and everyone else’s.

It’s been a long while since a book and a story has made me audibly gasp. I didn’t realize when I started reading Beautiful that it’s classified not just as YA, but as “Religious Fiction”; But don’t let that shy you away from this story, it’s one that needs to be heard, and I never would have realized it was classified as “religious fiction” if it hadn’t been printed on the back. There is some mention of God and Ellie’s faith and whatnot, but it’s not really all that noticeable or excessive.

Mrs. Martinusen-Coloma has given us characters that are so realistic and relatable that you’ve got to remind yourself that they’re characters on a page and not people you’ve already met (Megan is the most amusing thing, and so easy to relate to and adore). The writing itself is fantastic and I can’t wait to read more from Mrs. Martinusen-Coloma, there’s something to be said about an author that can make their characters and story jump off the page like Beautiful does.

It’s not a story that you’ll immediately forget or get out of your head. As someone who’s generally opposed to all the happy endings that YA fiction tends to have, this is a story that begs for one and while it wasn’t the ending I was hoping for, it was one that was satisfying enough that it made me smile.

I’ve not been affected by any story like this in a long time, but Beautiful touched me in a way that I don’t think I will soon forget. It’s happy, it’s sad, it’s…Beautiful.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book for review from Book Divas.

Jekel Loves Hyde trailer contest!

2010-01-13T09:10:00.002-05:00

So Beth Fantaskey and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt are searching for the Official trailer for Jekel Loves Hyde, which comes out May 3, 2010 and in that search they are coming to you, me, and all readers that are up to the challenge.

The contest is to create a trailer for Jekel Loves Hyde! The catch is, you must use copyright free music and copyright free images. (That's not as easy as it sounds). There are super awesome prizes too!

First prize:

A visit to your local library, school, or bookstore to sign books and of course meet the winner from Beth Fantaskey herself!
Signed copies of both Jekel Loves Hyde AND Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side!
The winning video becomes the "official" trailer on Beth's website! And the possibility of being used by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt!
And some extra other fun stuff that Beth will bring with her on her visit!

Two Runners-up:

Signed copies of both Jekel Loves Hyde and Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side!

There's more! The first 10 entrants will automatically be guaranteed signed copies of Jekel Loves Hyde!

And so far there have only been 5 entries so there's still time for you to win!

I attempted this, and let me tell you, it's not easy! Here's my entry:

Just know that I've never even attempted to do this before and I was using Windows Movie Maker, so it's not like I have great software either.

I would love to hear your thoughts, and if you like it then let Beth know on her blog!

To see all the entries so far click here!

And finally to enter yourself and get more information about the contest go here!

Love to hear your thoughts!

Candor by Pam Bachorz

2010-01-11T15:33:00.004-05:00

Candor by Pam Bachoz

Release Date: September 22, 2009

Publisher: Egmont USA

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Candor, Florida is where wealthy families take their children that make trouble. Candor transforms those children into perfect, Yale bound students, and these children always respect their parents, always do their chores, and never get into trouble…Ever.

Campbell Banks built Candor into what it is; he created the technology that makes not just these kids, but also these parents, into what they are. It only takes a week, sometimes two if their strong, to fully make the change from a troubled teen to a Candor kid. That is unless Oscar Banks steps in, if the bank accounts big enough and the kids want out bad enough, he can make it happen.

On the outside, Oscar is the perfect Candor kid, he’s his father’s clone, but on the inside and to those select few, there’s the truth: Oscar knows how to block his father’s Messages, he knows how to keep them from turning, how to keep them normal. Then Nia shows up. Nia is different for Oscar, there’s something about her that attracts him, that makes him want to forget everything and stop being careful, something about her that makes him want to leave Candor.

There were parts of Candor that I didn’t really understand, like how Nia and Oscar could talk to each other briefly, a few times and then be in love with one another. Or like how Oscar’s father could never suspect a thing. But despite not buying how quickly their relationship came about, I found that I absolutely adored them! The moments they had were so sweet (like the “museum”, read it and you’ll understand) and they actually seemed so genuine with one another, like they saw the true parts of each other.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised this year by how well the writing has been in debut authors, and Candor was no different. It was very well written, and the characters were developed so well, especially for a short novel. The last few chapters were so exciting and engrossing, that even when my body was saying “go to bed,” I couldn’t put it down.

This was also the first book in a long while to bring a tear to my eye (nothing since The Siren by Kiera Cass has managed to do that). During those last few chapters, I had my ideas on what was going to happen, but when they were proven wrong and it was over, I found a tear in my eye and frantically flipping the acknowledgment pages and the back pages for something else, anything else.

I don’t know for sure if there’s going to be a sequel, but apparently there are Messages hidden in Candor, because I am hoping to revisit Oscar, Nia, and the town of Candor again.

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of 1 ARC Tours.

Books I Crave 8

2010-01-09T11:50:00.001-05:00

This is a weekly meme, hosted here, that was inspired by Kristi over at The Story Siren and Jill over at Breaking the Spine, with help from Laina over at Laina Has Too Much Spare Time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*All summaries are from Amazon, unless noted otherwise*

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

Release: Out Now!

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time-travel.

One can raise the dead.

One can tell the future.

And one can possess another human.

With no other family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now they're causing him all kinds of trouble. Like, he'll blink and suddenly he's a younger Aden, reliving the past. One wrong move, and he'll change the future. Or he'll walk past a total stranger and know how and when she's going to die.

He's so over it. All he wants is peace.

And then he meets a girl who quiets the voices. Well, as long as he's near her. Why? Mary Ann Gray is his total opposite. He's a loner; she has friends. He doesn't care what anyone thinks; she tries to make everyone happy. And while he attracts the paranormal, she repels it. For her sake, he should stay away. But it's too late....

Somehow, they share an inexplicable bond of friendship. A bond about to be tested by a werewolf shape-shifter who wants Mary Ann for his own, and a vampire princess Aden can't resist.

Two romances, both forbidden. Still, the four will enter a dark underworld of intrigue and danger but not everyone will come out alive....

Black is for Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Release: Out Now!

It's happening again...

The BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series that put a spell on more than half a million readers continues – in graphic novel format!

Prophetic dreams. Near-brushes with death. Killers pursuing her and her friends.

Stacey Brown knows that being a hereditary witch isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Stacey's nightmares are back. And all she wants to do is go to Colorado and work things out with Jacob, who hasn't been able to remember her since he lost his memory in his brush with death. But before Stacey and Jacob can have a future, they must face their pasts. Black is for Beginnings reveals the never-before-seen backstory—and what lies ahead—for the young, spellcasting lovers.

Gateway by Sharon Shinn

Release: Out Now!

As a Chinese adoptee in St. Louis, teenage Daiyu often feels out of place. When an elderly Asian jewelry seller at a street fair shows her a black jade ring—and tells her that “black jade” translates to “Daiyu”—she buys it as a talisman of her heritage. But it’s more than that; it’s magic. It takes Daiyu through a gateway into a version of St. Louis much like 19th century China. Almost immediately she is recruited as a spy, which means hours of training in manners and niceties and sleight of hand. It also means stealing time to be with handsome Kalen, who is in on the plan. There’s only one problem. Once her task is done, she must go back to St. Louis and leave him behind forever. . . .

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick

Release: Out Now!

When Private Matt Duffy wakes up in an army hospital in Iraq, he's honored with a Purple Heart. But he doesn't feel like a hero.

There's a memory that haunts him: an image of a young Iraqi boy as a bullet hits his chest. Matt can't shake the feeling that he was somehow involved in his death. But because of a head injury he sustained just moments after the boy was shot, Matt can't quite put all the pieces together.

Eventually Matt is sent back into combat with his squad—Justin, Wolf, and Charlene—the soldiers who have become his family during his time in Iraq. He just wants to go back to being the soldier he once was. But he sees potential threats everywhere and lives in fear of not being able to pull the trigger when the time comes. In combat there is no black-and-white, and Matt soon discovers that the notion of who is guilty is very complicated indeed.

A Room on Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson

Release: Out Now!

A room is not much . . .

It is not arms holding you. Not a kiss on the forehead. Not a packed lunch or a remembered birthday. Just a room. But for seventeen-year-old Zoe, struggling to shed the suffocating responsibility of her alcoholic mother and the controlling guilt of her grandmother, a rented room on Lorelei Street is a fierce grab for control of her own future.

But with all odds against her, can a seventeen-year-old who only slings hash to make ends meet make it on her own? Zoe struggles with this worry and the guilt of abandoning her mother as she goes to lengths that even she never dreamed she would in order to keep the room on Lorelei Street.

Now, what books do you crave?If you would like to participate in this meme, just link back to me and leave the link to your post in the comments! You can find the specifics here!

Around the Blogosphere

2010-01-09T04:07:00.002-05:00

This is a post that I am going to probably edit randomly and repost, adding different things, mostly contests, that I've found around the blogosphere. (And once the contests have ended, I will remove them when I update the post).So keep an eye on it and see what else comes up!

Caster Girls is holding an awesome giveway and there's still time (not much) to enter the Ridley Kicks Ass giveaway! It ends tonight so hurry (January 13, 2010)! But there's some really awesome looking prizes up for grabs! Hurry and head on over!

Books at Midnight is holding a rather awesome 200 followers contest! There are two parts of the contest and in part one there will be THREE winners, and in part two there will be one winner! So go sign up! Ends January 15, 2010!

Sophistikatied Reviews is also holding an awesome 200 followers contest, where you can win either a signed ARC of The Dark Divine or a signed ARC of Brightly Woven! Ends January 11, 2010!

The Neverending Shelf is having a two part Thank You contest! Part one is like a normal contest, and part two requires more thought! It includes a cover collage :) Open Internationally! Ends December 31, 2009!

The Hiding Spot is giving away her ARC copy of The Dark Divine! Talk about awesome, right? Right! Ends January 30, 2010!

The Bookologist is holding a super awesome contest with your choice of a box of 2010 ARCs! Each box contains three awesome books! (It's killing me trying to pick my box!) Open International! Ends January 31, 2010!

Books At Midnight is having a contest to win a signed copy of ANY of Mari Mancusi's Blood Coven novels! Ends January 20, 2010! Go enter!

Only Sexy Books Allowed is giving away an ARC of Something Like Fate!!! Talk about exciting! Ends January 27, 2010!

Stay tuned for more things I find! :)

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

2010-01-08T16:21:00.000-05:00

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Release Date: December 22, 2009

Publisher: Egmont USA

Age Group: Young Adult

Overall:

Three years ago Grace Divine saw her brother, Jude, standing on their front porch covered in blood. Three years ago, Daniel disappeared. Three years later, Grace still doesn’t know what happened or why Daniel left.

Now Daniel is back and those feelings that were buried just under the surface have come rushing back for Grace. Although, not everyone is happy to see Daniel return, namely Jude, who has yet to forgive Daniel for whatever it was that happened three years ago. Now Grace must decide between being loyal to herself, or being loyal to her brother, and at the consequences that both choices hold.

Lying within all the threats and warnings surrounding Daniel, and Grace being involved with him, is still a secret that she needs an answer to. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more Grace starts to miss the innocence her life held before Daniel came back and before she found out a truth that affects her and everyone she holds dear. Can she save the ones she loves without losing herself, and her soul, in the process?

This is one of those stories that is almost impossible not to fall into. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down, not even for a minute. Daniel starts as your typical (ish) bad boy (I love when he’s first introduced into the story!), and continues to push and pull you into this “is he or isn’t he?” type of wonder throughout most of the story.

Grace isn’t this typical “dumb girl falls for bad boy” character either, she’s not as simple as we’ve come to know lately and but she’s not so complex that she’s unrelatable. I actually enjoyed Grace, she’s very real. She gets flustered and annoyed as anyone else would, she has conflict, and she doesn’t just make her decisions and say to hell with everyone and everything else. Of course she has her impulse, “don’t think, just do” moments, but everyone has those, but she takes the time to think about how her choices are going to affect the people around her.

And like most of your bad boy types, Daniel is funny. He has these lines that just literally made me laugh (and get funny looks from the people/animals in the room), like this little passage between Daniel and Grace:

Daniel looked up at the sky and scratched behind his ear. “You really are one of a kind. I mean, it’s not every day my girlfriend offers to kill me.”
“Girlfriend?”
That wry grin slid across his face. “That’s the part you question? Man, I should leave town before I really screw you up.”

How can you not find that amusing? Seriously. There are so many other moments like that in The Dark Divine that will make you laugh, and even more that will make you simply think. One of Grace’s biggest struggles comes from her religious background and beliefs (and being the daughter of the local pastor doesn’t really help her cause much), and that’s something else that makes her as a character easy to relate to.

There was something so right, so beautiful about this story, these characters, and their moments. Moments that at times I felt like an intruder into something that wasn’t meant for me, like I shouldn’t be seeing them or listening, but I was so involved in their story that I couldn’t help it. There was this perfect balance of mystery, romance, thrill, and a twist that made my jaw drop. If there’s one book you must pick up, The Dark Divine is it.

It has caused me to add another slot on many of my lists, including (but not limited to): “Fictional Characters I Wish Were Real”, “Books I Will Reread”, “Favorite Books EVER” and of course the “Must Recommend to Everyone” list. There’s definitely something for everyone in this book. An amazing debut from an author I look forward to seeing more from, and revisiting this story!

Plot:

Writing:

Characters:

Ending:

Cover:

---------------------------------------------------------------

I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge!

2010-01-03T09:21:00.000-05:00

The next and currently final challenge I am joining in the 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge which is being hosted by Kay Cassidy over at her blog and Jessica at Chick Lit Teens!

Basically this is a challenge to read 10 chick lit books in 2010. Now I don't read much chick lit and this year I would like to change that. So this is going to be the motivation behind that!

To find out more about the challenge and to sign up yourself, check out this post!

My list:

I am only going to add a few for now, and will add more later as I go.

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

The books in bold are titles that I already own or I already have made arrangements to receive them (blog tours and the like).

That is all I'm adding for now, I will leave the rest open and fill in as I go.

2010 100+ Reading Challenge!

2010-01-03T08:57:00.003-05:00

The next challenge I'm joining is the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge hosted by J. Kaye over at J. Kaye's Book Blog!

This challenge is exactly how it sounds: Read 100 books in 2010. In 2009, I didn't even come close to this number, so I am aiming high to say the least. Either way, I think I can do it!

Find out more and sign up for the challenge here.

Books I've Read:

Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
Candor by Pam Bachorz
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel
Windwhyst by Christine O'Neill
Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe
Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens
Nailed by Jennifer Laurens
Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

The 2010 Debut Author Challenge!

2010-01-03T08:40:00.002-05:00

The first challenge I'm joining is the 2010 Debut Author Challenge, which is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren!

What is the 2010 Debut Author Challenge?

The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year.* I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! I’m hoping to read at least 30! You don’t have to list your choices right away, but if you do feel free to change them throughout the year. I will also be focusing on mostly Young Adult novels.
Anyone can join, you don’t need a blog to participate. If you don’t have a blog you can always share your views by posting a review on Amazon.com/BarnesandNoble.com/GoodReads/Shelfari, or any other bookish site.
The challenge will run from January 1, 2010- December 31, 2010. You can join at anytime!

* I would like to limit the novels to those released in 2010.

You’ll have to do all the research to make sure a novel meets the criteria for the challenge. I do have a few sites that can help with your search; 2010: A Book Odyssey/The Tenners, AuthorsNow & The Class of 2k10.

Find more information about the challenge here and sign up for the challenge on this post!

I am hoping to read at least 15 debut titles this year. Hopefully, there will be more than that, but 15 is the number I'm committing to!

My list:

Titles in bold are the ones that I either own, or already have arrangements to receive (blog tours and stuff like that)

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
The Line by Teri Hall
Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Sea by Heidi R. Kling
Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

Now this is just a potential list, although unless something happens the ones in bold will for sure be read this year, the ones not in bold are more up in the air. There are MANY MANY more that i want to read desperately, so this is just to get the post started. This list will probably be added to, subtracted from, etc. So I will keep it updated when there's something new to report.

Challenges!

2010-01-03T08:03:00.003-05:00

Okay, so this year I didn't exactly join challenges, I just started blogging and so I spent this year learning the ropes and that kind of thing.

But towards the end of the year, I did join one challenge. I figured, it will be easy, it's two weeks long and you set your own goal and it's self paced; it sounded perfect. But then my family got in the way of what would be my first challenge, and sadly I didn't make my goal. My sister got very sick about three days into the challenge and me and my mother have exhausted ourselves in taking care of her. I didn't get to read a word for almost two weeks.

I had joined The Holiday Break Reading Challenge, My goal was five books, and since I wasn't able to read anything until January 1, 2010 (yes, I know) But since then, I've finished two. Not terrible, since my goal was five, but still. And the challenge doesn't end until midnight tonight, but I don't see me finishing another today, since I haven't actually been to sleep yet. Anyways, if I had been able to read more, this could have been a very successful challenge, but alas there was complications.

So to rectify this challenge experience I have decided to join a few for this year that I think I can accomplish! Three to be exact! Each will get there own post, but I will list them here anyways:

The Debut Author Challenge hosted at The Story Siren

100+ Reading Challenge hosted at J. Kaye's Book Blog

10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge hosted by Kay Cassidy and Jessica at Chick Lit Teens

All the links and information to these challenges will be posted over the next three posts, so keep an eye out for them!

Contest Winner!

2010-01-02T01:23:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's taken so long to get to it, but things have been super crazy around my house! But I have finally chosen the winner for The Real Real! And the winner is:

Throughthehaze!

I have already contacted her, and she has already returned my email and her book will be in the mail next week!

Thank everyone for entering and following!

Teens that read YA aren't as smart as those that read adult novels

2009-12-24T10:30:00.002-05:00

I think the headline speaks for itself, but before I get jumped here, that is obviously not my opinion since most of what I read is YA. That seems to be the opinion of a "YA author" who recently wrote an article for NPR.

This article was brought to my (and many others) attention on Twitter by the lovely Heidi R. Kling, author of the much anticipated upcoming YA novel, Sea, a couple of nights ago. The author of this article, Garret Freymann-Weyr, seems to be under the impression that the genre of YA isn't intellectually challenging enough for teenagers and "Many young adult novels don't set the bar very high in their language, character complexity or emotional nuance, which is why I — a young adult author — like to encourage young readers to venture into the adult shelf." (Taken directly from the article).

Now, I personally have never read any of Mrs. Freymann-Weyr's books and for that reason, I will not judge or comment on what she has written, but it appears that she obviously hasn't read many YA novels over the past 10 years or so. Because if she had, she would have realized that the YA genre has evolved immensely with authors like Laurie Halse Anderson, Elizabeth Scott, John Green, Ellen Hopkins, and Jay Asher (just to name a few).

Mrs. Freymann-Weyr's article, which is titled "Three Books For The Smartest Teens You Know," listed three books that I've personally never heard of, much less read, and honestly if I saw them in the bookstore, I wouldn't pick them up. It seems that she has this idea that all YA books need to be these complex works that challenge the mind, and there's nothing wrong with that, but personally after reading so many serious novels, I need some fluff so I don't become depressed! Not all books need to be these complex stories, sometimes you need something light, fluffy, and unrealistic to balance things out.

I know in the comments, books like Twilight were being mentioned and even Twilight and that series has it's place in YA and has impacted lives. For many it got them to get into reading at all, and for some it's just a nice escape into another world and there's nothing wrong with that. And there's nothing wrong with stories that allow the reader to escape and to have this light story on their minds.

As you can tell, this article (I'll include the link below, and I urge you to go leave your thoughts) really got me worked up. I'm almost 21 years old, which I know some of the other YA bloggers are older, but I prefer YA. I've read YA novels that have more depth, development, and writing style than a lot of adult novels.

So I decided to put together a list here of just a few YA novels that set the bar pretty high, and have character development and emotion that rivals, if not exceeds many adult novels. And I urge you to leave me comments on what I've forgotten (I know I'll forget some), and on your own thoughts, as well as leaving your comments over on the NPR site about Mrs. Freymann-Weyr's article.

You can read the article here.

*My list:
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Willow by Julia Hoban
Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
Crank; Glass; Burned; Impulse; Identical; Tricks (all) by Ellen Hopkins
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert
Nineteen Minutes; The Pact; My Sister's Keeper; The Tenth Circle (all) by Jodi Picoult
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
The Louder Than Words series
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

*Some of these I have not read, but I do know the impact they've had on others and feel they should be included.

Those are just SOME of the books that came to mind, and I know there are numerous others that belong on this list that I have forgotten and you can leave those in the comments if you would like.

I know this little rant of mine came a bit out of nowhere, but after reading that small article, I just got so worked up and then having to put off writing this for a couple of days just caused it to stew, but I think it was something that should be addressed. I would love to hear your thoughts as well.

XOXO

Holiday Break Reading Challenge: Activity #7!

2009-12-24T04:11:00.000-05:00

So I've actually kinda slacked off on my first reading challenge. (I fell, my sister got sick and had to go to the hospital, and last minute shopping have made reading impossible) But I am hoping to fix it this week.

And in getting back on track, this is Activity #7! The activity is to pick the best and worst book to movie adaptations you've seen. So here's mine. And I will explain a bit on why I picked both.

Best: Speak

It wasn't a blockbuster or even a theater release, it was actually a Lifetime movie. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite books of all time, it's so beautiful and so powerful, and the movie captured the story so well. Kristen Stewart starred in it and despite her role in Twilight, her role as Melinda in Speak showed just how talented she really is. This is my favorite book to movie adaptation, and few have been able to capture the original story anywhere near as well as Speak managed to. If you're never seen it, I highly recommend picking it up. You won't regret it.

Worst: My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is one of the few (and first) books to ever make me cry, and I don't just mean a few tears, I mean this book made me need Kleenex kind of cry. But the movie did not live up to the expectations the book had set. I couldn't buy into Cameron Diaz being a mother or portraying the type of role she did, and the fact that they changed the end, among so many other things, just made me annoyed and angry over anything else. This was one of those books that was tragically perfect, but the movie mostly made me annoyed and bored. I know there are some that loved the movie, but I would have preferred them to stick closer to the book and not try to make it so "Hollywood" like they did. This is not something I would ever willingly sit through again.

In My Mailbox 23

2009-12-20T00:02:00.002-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week I only go one book, but that's fine with me because I am expecting a box of them any day now :) And since I only got one book, I'm going to do this weeks IMM the old fashioned way. Plus I fell a couple of hours ago and really hurt my foot and don't really feel up to getting the camera and everything to take a picture. Sorrys!

For review:

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
(It's the 25th anniversary edition)

Esther, an A-student from Boston who has won a guest editorship on a national magazine, finds a bewildering new world at her feet. Her New York life is crowded with possibilities, so that the choice of future is overwhelming, but she can no longer retreat into the safety of her past. Deciding she wants to be a writer above all else, Esther is also struggling with the perennial problems of morality, behaviour and identity. In this compelling autobiographical novel, a milestone in contemporary literature, Sylvia Plath chronicles her teenage years - her disappointments, anger, depression and eventual breakdown and treatment - with stunning wit and devastating honesty.

That's what was in my mailbox, what did you get in yours?

Holiday Break Reading Challenge: Activity #1!

2009-12-17T21:10:00.001-05:00

So today officially begins the Holiday Break Reading Challenge! The first activity in the challenge was to do something that I've seen over the blogosphere before, but never participated in, so this time I did!

The activity was to create your own Debut YA Cover and write a short synopsis! So here it is:

Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Natalia has gone from one thing to the next, flying through life, not taking time to really get to know anyone or focus on anything outside of school, art, and the band she started with her best friend, until now.

When Bryce, a boy from Natalia's past, shows up as her new next door neighbor, it throws Natalia through a loop. Natalia and Bryce share a secret the could potentially destroy everything she's worked for. Now Natalia has to slow down and pause long enough to find out what Bryce is doing back, and what she needs to do to get him to keep the secret a secret.

Just know that I only I was only able to spend a few minutes to put it all together, and so I hope it sounds interesting enough. I'm feeling a bit uninspired today, but I do like the picture!

What do you guys think? And if you want more information about the challenge, check it out here!

Holiday Break Reading Challenge!

2009-12-17T05:32:00.000-05:00

That's right! I've decided to join my FIRST! reading challenge! There's been numerous one's I've thought about joining, but wasn't sure if I'd have the time, the books, or the money to buy books if I needed, but this challenge is different!

Karin explains the rules much better than I can, so I'll post those now:

1) Anyone can participate. I'm focusing on teachers and students, but if you want to cram a little extra reading in during the holiday season, please join us.

2) The Reading Challenge is designed to be self-paced. I will ask for you to set a goal for the number of books you want to read, but if you don't reach the goal - no big deal. This is for fun.

3) You don't have to provide a list of books you plan to read in advance. You can, but it isn't required. My mood determines what I read so I usually don't stick to a list. If I can't do it, I don't want to force others to do it.

4) The Holiday Break Reading Challenge corresponds with my time off from school. So, it starts on Friday, December 18, 2009 and ends on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 at Midnight.

5) I'll have a section set up on the blog for reviews. Please link your reviews of the books you complete during the challenge.

6) Everyday there a new "Challenge" will be posted. These "Challenges" are designed to help you get to know other bloggers, talk about what you are reading, and share information about books. A new Mr. Linky (if I can figure it out) will be used in each post to record everyone's responses.

7) HERE IS THE BIG ONE! At least one prize will be given out everyday during the Reading Challenge. This might be a book, a bookmark, or other swag. No specifics lined up yet.

8) Be sure to follow the Reading Challenge on Twitter. New challenges and prize information will be announced there, too.

9. Grab the button to put on your blog.

So I've not totally decided which books I'm going to read, since like many of us our mood reflects what we'd rather read, but I may come up with a partial list this week and I'll post it then =)

By the way, my goal is at least 5 books. But hopefully more :)

If you decide you want to sign up, then head on over to Holiday Break Reading Challenge and sign up!

CONTEST TIME!

2009-12-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I received two books for review (Nanny Returns and The Real Real, both by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus), and the publisher was kind enough to send me an extra copy of each book to give away!

I was going to wait until I could get it reviewed, but I will be moving soon and would like to get them sent out to their future owners before I do. This contest is for a new paperback copy of The Real Real which comes out December 31, 2009! The contest for Nanny Returns will be posted with the review later in the week :)

Here's a little information about the book:

The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
HarperTeen Publishing

From Goodreads:

Imagine there was never a Laguna Beach, a Newport Harbor, the shimmering Hills. Imagine that your hometown—your school—is the first place XTV descends to set up cameras.

Now imagine they've trained them on you.

When Jesse O'Rourke gets picked for a "documentary" being filmed at her school in the Hamptons she's tempted to turn down the offer. But there's a tuition check attached to being on the show, and Jesse needs the cash so she can be the first in her family to attend college. All she has to do is trade her best friend for the glam clique she's studiously avoided, her privacy for a 24/7 mike, and her sense of right and wrong for "what sells on camera." . . . At least there's one bright spot in the train wreck that is her suddenly public senior year: Jesse's crush has also made the cast.

As the producers manipulate the lives of their "characters" to heighten the drama, and Us Weekly covers become a regular occurrence for Jesse, she must struggle to remember one thing: the difference between real and the real real.

Rules:
1. Fill in the form below!
2. Open to US residents only. (Sorry!)
2. Contest ends December 28, 2009!

Loading...

In My Mailbox 22

2009-12-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week was a pretty slow week, but I did get two books! So YAY! And I got back on track this week blog wise! So double YAY! I got the memes going again, and a review for The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove up (see here)! I also finally got that post about the Million Dollar Book Sale up, including a list of the books I got (see here)! I am also about to schedule a giveaway post for Monday! So make sure to come back Monday and enter!

For Review:
Windwhyst by Christine O'Neill
Candor by Pam Bachorz (for 1 ARC Tours)

Bought:
NOTHING! Since we're about to move, I'm not allowed to buy anymore books. But I've found a way around that by winning them, and making my Christmas list mostly books :)

That's what was in my mailbox this week. What was in yours?

Book List! (Finally)

2009-12-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

So I've been promising for like a month to post a list of the books I received at the Million Dollar Book Sale, and I have finally done it (with some help from my sister)! But first, I want to tell you a little about this book sale.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley has paired up with American Book Company to do a book sale a couple of times a year. The Boys & Girls Clubs is a fantastic organization that focuses on children and teens. They have facilities for kids to go after school during the school year and all day during the summer. They help teach different skills and help with homework, the have activities and fitness/sports, they give attention to the arts, life skills, health, leadership and character building, career development, and that's just some of what they help with. As a kid I went to one of the local clubs and it was one of the best times I had. American Book Company has decided to help them each year by sponsoring this event.

The event itself is basically a huge room filled with tables and boxes of books, and for $40 you can go through and fill the box with as many books as you can fit. The only catch is the flaps have to close! Either way the boxes can hold anywhere from 30+ books! I went this past February, I spent about 3 hours there and came home with about 40 or so books (you can see that list here), so when I went this time I knew I'd do well.

This time though, the building was about twice the size as the last one and aside from the ares of kids books had no real sense of organization, so me and my best friend who agreed to go as long as I let him get a few books, set out in search of whatever we might find. So onto what we did find!

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (paperback)
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (paperback) [Somewhere around here I have a copy of The Kite Runner, so I figured I should go ahead and get it]
Before I Die by Jenny Downham (hardcover)
Blood Roses by Francesca Lia Block (hardcover)
Cathy’s Book by Sean Stewart/Jason Weisman (hardcover) [I thought I'd check the first two out before I decided if getting the third book was worth it, plus they didn't have it :P]
Cathy’s Key by Sean Stewart/Jason Weisman (hardcover)
Cheating at Solitaire by Ally Carter (paperback) [Never read one of her's before!]
Good Girls by Laura Ruby (hardcover) [I've read Play Me and I wanted to check out more of her stuff. Anyone read it?]
Heat of the Night by Emma Holly (paperback)
House of Dance by Beth Kephart (hardcover)
If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend by Alison Pace (paperback)
Likely Story by David Van Etten (hardcover) [He's a writer for One Life to Live, and I'm a sucker for it, so I had to check out at least the first book.]
Manhattan Noir: The Classics 2 by Various authors (paperback)
Marley and Me by John Grogan (hardcover) [It's also the Collectors one with the pretty cloth cover and ribbon bookmark, plus pictures of Marley. It's adorable!]
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (hardcover) [I bought a paperback way back when it first came out as one, and I loved it so much! So I just had to get the hardcover when I saw it!]
Playing by Melanie Abrams (paperback)
Pledged by Alexandra Robbins (paperback) [I actually got a hardcover of this last time, but I forgot!]
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray (hardcover)
Rumors: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen (hardcover) [I've got a paperback already, but my copy of The Luxe is in hardcover and I like to be consistent.]
Sisters in Sanity by Gayle Forman (hardcover)
The Book of Atrix Wolfe by Patricia A. McKillip (paperback) [I have a couple of her books, and I've heard they're great, so we'll see!]
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (hardcover) [Another book that I have a paperback copy of already]
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (paperback)
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance by Various Authors (paperback)
The Scent of Your Breath by Melissa P. (paperback)
Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde (paperback) [I have one of these Thursday novels already]
Undead and Uneasy by Mary Janice Davidson (hardcover)
Undead and Unpopular by Mary Janice Davidson (hardcover) [Last time I got one of these, so I'm collecting until I can get them all! So three down, five to go!]
Violet and Claire by Francesca Lia Block (paperback)

I also got three or four cook books (a couple of which were diabetic cookbooks, because my dad was diagnosed as diabetic a few months ago and so we're trying to come up with stuff. So if anyone has any recommendations or recipes they would like to share, I would greatly appreciate it!). I got this really cute Art of Belly Dancing thingy that has the little finger cymbals in it (I wanted those darn cymbals!). And my best friend ended up with five or six books.

So all in all, I did about the same, give or take a couple. Either way, $40 is a steal for all the books I got! Now if I can just get my review pile down to a reasonable level, I can read a few! So when that happens, any suggestions on where to start? If you've read any of them, what are your thoughts?

And by the way, some of these will be for giveaways down the line, and some were intentionally bought to be given away, so there's an incentive to giving me your thoughts!

And now I think I'm just babbling...so I'm done!

♥♥♥

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

2009-12-11T05:53:00.000-05:00

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
Release: November 12, 2009
Publisher: Razorbill
Category: YA-General
Overall:

There are a few things that Natalie Hargrove wants out of her time at Palmetto High School, but the big one is becoming Palmetto Princess and her boyfriend, Mike, to be Palmetto Prince. And Natalie Hargrove will do anything she has to do to make sure this happens.

When Natalie finds that Mike is at major risk of losing the battle for the crown to the one person Natalie hates, Justin Balmer, we find out just what she will do to make sure that her dreams come true. But what’s the cost of fame within the high school setting? And what’s that cost when the person she’s battling is the one person who has the power to take her down?

Now, when I got this book I hadn’t actually read the synopsis about it, all I knew is it was Lauren Kate’s debut novel, I loved the cover, and I wanted to read it before I read Fallen (out now). But I’m glad. I was totally shocked and surprised at the twists and turns in The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and I loved it!

It was a shocking and fun ride to take with Natalie, and let’s just say the ending shocked me even more. This is a very Cruel Intentions (1999 Reese Witherspoon/Ryan Phillippe/Sarah Michelle Gellar movie that was totally awesome, which ironically contained a character with the last name Hargrove) kind of story and that made it even more enjoyable.

The main thing I fault this novel for is that it seemed like some of the characters were just around to move the story along, and then once their job was done you didn’t really see them again, or they just got a side mention. But this being a quick read, I can understand why it was like that, so I don’t hold that too much against it.

It seems like with all the talk surrounding Fallen, that The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove has been lost in the shuffle or will be, but I hope that doesn’t happen. I really enjoyed Natalie, Mike, the Bambies, and even JB, and the journey they took me on, and I think other people will too. It’s a story of blackmail, desire, darkness, and deeds that are so dark it would make Nyx shiver.

Natalie messed with the Fates’ and you just don’t mess with the Fates’.

All in all, I say read it. It’s good, quick, and a nice escape for a couple of hours. Another plus that I don’t think I’ve mentioned is the fact that it has a totally sexy, dangerous cover, which fits well with what’s written on the pages within.

Plot:
Writing:
Characters:
Ending:
Cover:
---------------------------------------------------------------
I received this book as part of Around the World Tours.

Booking Through Thursday 6

2009-12-10T06:13:00.000-05:00

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme, that is mostly about books and reading! Find out more here!

Today's question is:

Do you think any current author is of the same caliber as Dickens, Austen, Bronte, or any of the classic authors? If so, who, and why do you think so? If not, why not? What books from this era might be read 100 years from now?

This is kind of a hard question and I think there are a few books that might end up on bookshelves and in hands 100 years from now, but for the most part I don't really think many books now have been to the caliber and degree that the Classics of our era have been. Jane Austen has been spun off of and continued on so many times that it's impossible to keep up. How many Mr. Darcy books do you see just in the book aisle at your local Walmart or Target? I know I saw at least 6 last week and those are just the ones that come to mind. I can't think of anything that would be continued on like that 100 years from now. There are a ton of fabulous books out there that I would hope 100 years from now will still be appreciated are adored, but realistically I don't know that they will.

What about you guys? You guys have any ideas?

Waiting On Wednesday 17

2009-12-09T03:54:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly look at upcoming releases that we're excited about!

Guess what? It's not a Tenner book this week! So HA! But it is by an author that I am dying to read. I've heard fantastic things about her previous novel, The Musician's Daughter, and I'm dying to read it as well, but this week's WoW post is about Anastasia's Secret. Which as you can tell by the title is about Anastasia, as is the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of the Romanov family. And I have a slight fascination with Anastasia, so this tends to interest me very much. So anyways, onto the book!

Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
Release: March 2, 2009
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

From Susanne's website:
The youngest grand duchess in the Russian imperial family comes of age during the revolution. Her family is imprisoned, conditions become worse and worse.

But Anastasia has a secret that she keeps from her family, a love that endures through the horrors of war and the privation of imprisonment and deprivation.

Will her love save her from the fate her family seems destined for? Or is she a creation of a rarefied atmosphere, unable to survive without her loved ones?

In My Mailbox 21 (LATE)

2009-12-07T01:47:00.000-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week I got one book, (which I have already managed to read, not I just need to get the review written!) so I didn't do a picture or anything, I just decided to got back to the old fashioned way :) And to be totally honest, I am exhausted from working today so it's just quick and lucky I even got it done, lol. I know that I've been slacking a bit the past week or so, and I really sorry about that. I've been working more this week because of the holidays and haven't really has a lot of free time at all. But I only work one more day this week so things should get better, and I have a couple more reviews coming up AND a couple of contests coming up, so keep an eye out for those!

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
Release: April 6, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse

From the back of the book:

Everyone knows the unwritten rule:
You don't like your best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect, except for two tiny details: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants to do is hurt her best friend. But when she is thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens between them. It's wonderful...and awful. Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

Waiting On Wednesday 16 (LATE)

2009-12-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly look at upcoming releases that we're excited about!

Yes, it really is another Tenner book. I just can't help it, so you may as well get used to it, there is going to be a lot of them over the next few weeks, er months...but on with it...This is one of those stories that just sounds so heartbreakingly beautiful that it's got me itching to get my hands on it.

Dirty Little Secrets
by C.J.Omololu
Release Date: February 2, 2010
From Amazon:
Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.
With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy’s desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen’s life will have readers completely hooked.

In My Mailbox 20

2009-11-29T20:32:00.002-05:00

Created by The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So last week I didn't do an IMM post because, well, I just didn't feel very good. So this week I added in the stuff I got last week :) And a couple of the books this week are for contests! So keep an eye out for those in the next couple of weeks or so!

For review:
Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

Won:
The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan (the movie tie in that includes the first three books in the series, it also had a locker mirror that's not pictured) (from Library Lounge Lizard)
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (SIGNED!) (from the Beautiful Creatures blog)

Swag:
A stack of Sea bookmarks and a magnet from Heidi R. Kling (They are so beautiful!)
A Beautiful Creatures sticker, 2 bracelets, a Charms lollipop (aka a Ridley pop), Red Hots, and Lemonheads. (also from the Beautiful Creatures contest)

Bought:
Well, I didn't buy it, but my sister did for me, A nice pretty Edward bookmark! (I <3 it)

For Giveaways:
Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Not pictured:
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate (for Around the World Tours)

So that's what was in my mailbox this week (and last), what was in yours?

Harlequin Twilight's Book Blog

Coming Soon: CSN Stores Review!

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

CSN makes me giddy!

CSN Product Review

Question: Book Summaries

Upcoming Review: Hobby Table from CSN Stores!!

Twilight Contest Alert!

Yes, Very Awesom

In My Mailbox *30*

In My Mailbox *29*

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

In My Mailbox *28*

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Seriously Bookish Awesomeness!

Girl on the Other Side by Deborah Kerbel

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

Windwhyst by Christine O'Neill

Nailed by Jennifer Laurens

Falling for Romeo by Jennifer Laurens

Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe

Winner!!

In My Mailbox *27*

Books I Crave *10*

Contest: Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Books I Crave *9*

Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

In My Mailbox *26*

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Waiting On Wednesday *18*

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

In My Mailbox *25*

Catcher in the Rye movie? Please, no...

In My Mailbox *24*

The Hollywood Sisters: Truth or Dare by Mary Wilcox

Thank you everyone

Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

Jekel Loves Hyde trailer contest!

Candor by Pam Bachorz

Books I Crave *8*

Around the Blogosphere

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge!

2010 100+ Reading Challenge!

The 2010 Debut Author Challenge!

Challenges!

Contest Winner!

Teens that read YA aren't as smart as those that read adult novels

Holiday Break Reading Challenge: Activity #7!

In My Mailbox *23*

Holiday Break Reading Challenge: Activity #1!

Holiday Break Reading Challenge!

CONTEST TIME!

In My Mailbox *22*

Book List! (Finally)

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

Booking Through Thursday *6*

Waiting On Wednesday *17*

In My Mailbox *21* (LATE)

Waiting On Wednesday *16* (LATE)

In My Mailbox *20*

In My Mailbox 30

In My Mailbox 29

In My Mailbox 28

In My Mailbox 27

Books I Crave 10

Books I Crave 9

In My Mailbox 26

Waiting On Wednesday 18

In My Mailbox 25

In My Mailbox 24

Books I Crave 8

In My Mailbox 23

In My Mailbox 22

Booking Through Thursday 6

Waiting On Wednesday 17

In My Mailbox 21 (LATE)

Waiting On Wednesday 16 (LATE)

In My Mailbox 20