Crystal Clear Reading

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

2011-08-05T07:00:00.174-05:00

After reading Kody Keplinger's debut novel The DUFF last year, I was really looking forward to see what was up next for her. I started hearing about Shut Out and without even knowing what it was about, I had to read it.

When I found out that All 4 Alabama had a copy donated for auction, I immediately decided that it was going to be one of the auctions I fought for and I did. I was SO excited when I won and I couldn't wait to get it in my hands!

What I really like about Kody's characters is that they seem very real to me. In Shut Out our main character is Lissa and she's a major control freak, but not without reason. She's dating the quarterback of the football team and when the football and soccer rivalry causes people to get hurt and gets in the way of her relationship, she decides to take matters into her own hands. She may not be able to control what the boys do, but she can control what she does or doesn't do. Soon, all the girlfriends are joining Lissa in a Lysistrata-esque sex strike.

During the sex strike, Lissa forms friendships with all the girls and even gets an old friend back. Something that happens more often than not when it comes to YA is the growth of the characters and I think Keplinger did a very good job showing Lissa's. She went from this girl that was embarrassed to even say the word "sex" to someone who organized a sex strike and helped not only herself, but others, be comfortable with who they were.

Now for Cash and Chloe. These two are the boy and the best friend and I thought these were great characters. I liked Cash from the second I was introduced to him. He's cute, athletic, and the boy all the girls want. He's unattainable but not because he's dating the queen bee or anything, but because there's only one girl he thinks is worth the time. He might be one of the most popular boys in school but I liked how he wasn't totally confident when it came to the one girl that mattered. Cash was understanding, tender, and sweet and that totally made him sexy.

As for Chloe, I think she rocked at being the best friend. She was the exact opposite of Lissa and they complimented each other really well. Where Lissa was private one, Chloe threw everything out in the open. She was considered a slut and a whore for liking sex and sleeping around but she was strong and confident and knew exactly who she was. When it came to being comfortable with sexuality she was the one who asked the tough questions like "Why can boys enjoy sex but not girls?" "Why should girls be deemed sluts when they enjoy sex but guys are heroes?"

My only complaint was Lissa's dad and his obsession with sports. Dare I say it? It reminded me of Charlie from that book, but worse. Practically every scene her dad was in there was some mention of the big game that was or had been on or a sports channel. He was likeable and I loved the part with the father/daughter talk, but he really seemed one-dimensional to me. Yes, I know. He's not a main character and he's just the parental presence but still. Can't we have a cool dad in a contemporary novel who ISN'T a sports fanatic?

This was a quick and fun read and totally something I'll read again. Keplinger definitely scored a touchdown with this sophomore novel and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

Do you think sex, or any kind of intimacy for that matter, should be withheld to get a point across? Will you be reading Shut Out?

XP: Ringgold Reads

2011-08-04T01:23:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make sure the most possible people see this so I'm cross-posting this from my other blog.

Many of you know I am 1/2 of the All 4 Alabama team to help raise money for a rural Alabama town that was hit hard by the destruction of the April 27th tornadoes.

Originally my friend Julie and I were going to team up together to raise money and help tornado victims but in the end we each decided to focus on different things. I really wanted to help rural Alabama and she needed to help her own community.

With the help of author Susan Gregg Gilmore and the participation of Random House, Ringgold Reads was created with a mission to rebuild the school libraries of Ringgold, Georgia and help to promote reading and writing as a way for students to express themselves after experiencing such a life-altering event.

Considering the number of books in a library, the number of different books needed is relatively small. However, the number needed of each book (70) isn't a small number. The list of books needed can be found under the Info link on the Facebook page.

Are you getting ready to start back to school shopping? Why not pick up an extra copy of The Great Gatsby or To Kill a Mockingbird? Did you see a copy of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas or A Walk to Remember marked down in your local bookstore's bargain section? Have an extra copy of The Hunger Games laying around?

Why not donate it? Every book helps and I know the teachers and students will greatly appreciate them.

Have a few unused credits on PaperBackSwap? You can use them at no charge to you AND help a great cause!

If you DO plan on donating, make sure you email them at RinggoldReads@gmail.com to let them know the book and number of books you're donating so they can keep track of what they need. As for the books, you can mail those to:

MARK PIERCE, RHS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT HEAD
29 TIGER TRAIL
RINGGOLD, GA 30736

I know I'll be on the hunt this tax free weekend to see what books I can snag. Will you?

Queen of the Dead - Stacey Kade

2011-07-19T02:02:00.062-05:00

For some reason I thought this was going to be book one in the series and I was very wrong. Queen of the Dead is actually book two in Stacey Kade's A Ghost and a Goth series.

I was extremely confused when I started reading and I had a ton of questions going through my head. Thank God Stacey re-hashed a few things throughout the book because otherwise I probably would have quit reading.

The premise of the book is cool. Basically a goth guy can see ghosts and he just so happens to be stuck with the ghost of the girl who was the queen bee of their school. She was sent back from the white light (sometime during the first book) and is partnered with him.

I DO wish I would've read book one first because maybe I would've liked book two better. The first half of this book I was wondering what was going on and it was a major distraction for me. Then once I finally started getting into the book, I was almost finished. It seemed like things didn't pick up until maybe the last 75 pages or so for me. I never felt like I was invested in the characters, especially Will (the goth), but I did find myself a little interested in him finding out answers about his father.

Will was just kind of blah and other than being told he's goth from the series title, did not picture him that way.I really liked Alona because she seemed to have the most depth of the two. She had this tough exterior but she was kind of broken on the inside and there were times she didn't seem to like the fact that she was stuck with Will but she protected him. I definitely would have preferred for the book to be solely in her voice instead of the alternating POV that was given.

This wasn't a bad book and I most likely would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book but as it is, I didn't and it wasn't my cup of tea.

Have you read this series? What did you think?

The Near Witch - Victoria Schwab

2011-07-19T01:56:00.000-05:00

What happens when the tale you're told as a child comes true? In Victoria Schwab's debut novel, The Near Witch, Lexi Harris finds out.

When a stranger shows up in Lexi's village of Near and children start disappearing, the people gather their torches and pitchforks (ok, so not QUITE literally..but close) and set out to hunt him down.

Even though Lexi is told to let the men search, she goes off to find answers of her own. Upon meeting the stranger, who she names Cole, she believes he is not the one taking the children and sets of to clear his name before the unthinkable happens. Will she find the missing children before it's too late? Can she stop this from happening before her little sister becomes one of them?

This is one of those books I have been hearing about for a LONG time, so long in fact, I temporarily forgot that it isn't in stores yet when I was telling my mom I thought she'd enjoy it. Oops.

The writing was absolutely fantastic and there were a few times where I re-read a sentence because it was so beautifully worded and it just seemed magical. The descriptions made the book play out kind of like a movie in my head and the littlest things, like Lexi's little sister hopping around, were just so vivid I felt like I had seen it for myself. I thought the story was interesting and well told and was full of mystery, romance, conspiracy, with a little bit of creepy thrown in.

I loved Lexi as the main character. She was strong, fearless, determined, stood up for what she believed in, and was very confident, even when she wasn't feeling like it. The characters were well done and I don't know if it was intentional or not, but I got a small battle of the sexes vibe between everyone else outside of Lexi and Cole.

I don't want to say much more since it isn't out yet but I will say that I really enjoyed reading this and I hope you do too. Victoria did a wonderful job on her debut novel and if she figures out a way to bottle up some of her talent, I'll gladly take some.

I'll also be hosting an interview with Victoria in the next week or 2 so look for that as well as me gushing over meeting her and many other wonderful authors at the 2011 Decatur Book Festival. EEK! Only about 46 more days!

An ARC of The Near Witch was provided to me by Disney Publishing Worldwide and in no way sways my opinion of the book.

Uncommon Criminals - Ally Carter

2011-07-07T20:31:00.000-05:00

Uncommon Criminals picks up about two months after Heist Society ends. We find out that Kat has struck out on her own to re-steal lost items and return them to their rightful owners. When she meets a woman who tells her Visily Romani sent her to Kat, Kat takes on the job to steal the Cleopatra Emerald.

This was as equally fun as its predecessor and I loved getting drawn deeper into Kat's world. I was wondering where the story was going to go when things were done so early on but I really liked the fact that a con was conned.

The whole time they were plotting on stealing the Cleopatra Emerald a second time, I was wondering how in the world they were going to do it when the mark knew who they were and was an expert con herself. Good times!

One thing that did kind of bother me about Kat was that she really has a hard time letting people help. She's definitely strong-willed and stubborn but she has a very hard time accepting the fact that her friends want to help her and be around her and I look forward to future books to see how she grows.

Hale still remains my favorite character with his witty remarks and his charm. I like the relationship Hale and Kat have because it kind of reminds me of that awkward high school phase where you like a boy but talk yourself out of the possibility that he could ever like you. That's another of Kat's flaws though, she sells herself short when it comes to anything that's not theft.

Kat's flaws are a huge part of why she works as a believable character. She definitely has trust issues, who wouldn't doing what she does, but when she trusts you, you become part of something bigger. A family.

Uncommon Criminals was a quick and fun read and I wish I didn't have to wait so long for the next installment.

Are you a fan of Ally Carter? What's your favorite book dealing with thieves?

Heist Society - Ally Carter

2011-06-21T00:37:00.001-05:00

Every time I go to Books-A-Million (which is at LEAST once a week) or my local used bookstore, I am always seeing books by Ally Carter. There have been numerous times where I've picked up Heist Society, read the back of the book, contemplated buying it, and then ended up putting it back on the shelf.

I'm not sure why this kept happening, but it did. Every single time there was this little voice in head saying "you probably won't like it, buy this book instead" and I would wander off to something else.

Thanks to Disney Publishing Worldwide, I received a review copy along with the 2nd novel, Uncommon Criminals, and I decided to take a break from the eight other books I was reading (yes, eight. I have been in a MAJOR reading funk this year) to get started.

Believe me when I say that I was pleasantly surprised at how quick I got sucked into the story. Now I do most of my reading at night before bed, but Heist Society was going back and forth between my nightstand and my purse (it accompanied me to work a few days).

Katarina Bishop is a fifteen year old retired thief. Yup, all Kat wants to do is enjoy being normal so she conned her way into a prestigious private school. This "normalcy" she has going, doesn't last long when she's kicked out for something she didn't do. She's sucked back into the life she wanted to leave behind because her dad is being framed and it's up to her to save him. Did he really do it? Who is Visily Romani and better yet, WHAT does the W.W. in Hale's name stand for?

One of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much is the whole white collar crime thing because yes, I'm a HUGE fan of the TV show White Collar and this book reminded me of it. The story was fun, the book was the perfect length, there wasn't any portion of it that felt like the book was dragging, a cute boy, and there's intrigue and world-traveling. What more do you need?

Then there's the relationship between Kat and Hale. I absolutely LOVED it along with their banter. I could really relate to Kat in that "I like him but there is not a chance he could like me back" way and all I wanted to do was pull her aside and give her a pep talk. Hale is a cutie and although there is a second boy introduced who seems to have a thing for Kat, there isn't really any indication that he's even a small bit of competition for Hale. Ok, so there IS but in my book Nick wasn't competition. At all. That COULD be my own 15 year old self being completely smitten with Hale though.

I will admit that the thought of a group of teenagers pulling off a heist of that magnitude, was a bit unbelievable and kind of pulled me out of the story a bit and did take a little getting used to. Once I quit thinking about the logistics, I was able to just enjoy the ride I was being taken on.

This was such a fun book and as soon as I closed Heist Society I opened Uncommon Criminals. It's almost 1am as I write this, but even so, I plan on reading a chapter or 2 before I go to sleep.

Thanks DPW for sharing this book with me because otherwise, I'd still be picking it up and putting it back down at the bookstore. I am OfficiALLY a fan now. See what I did there?

Have you read Heist Society? Is there a book that you keep picking up at the store only to put it back down again and again?

Interview with John Nelson

2011-05-24T08:00:00.011-05:00

Hey everyone! I know I haven't really posted much book stuff lately but I have been in a reading rut this year (seriously, I've read less than 20 books this year). So today I have an interview for you! John Nelson, author of Against Nature was kind enough to answer a few questions for me so sit back, relax, and get to know a new author!

1. To get started, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm a retired Air Force Master Sergeant and former Special Ops Medic--Air Commando. I now work as a healthcare executive in Utah. I'm married to a beautiful and brilliant woman and I have three kids and a sweet dog named Dexter.

2. What inspired you to write Against Nature?

From fact comes fiction. The news headlines were filled with some disturbing stuff like secret prisons, torture, wars justified through public deception, and so much more. I kind of thought we were heading toward a dystopian society. I also wondered what would happen if some of the stuff our government was doing overseas washed up on our shore. The end result was a dystopian thriller. Most dystopia fiction is about the future. Mine is about the present and how we get to that dystopian future.

3. I really like that you take the present and show how we could get to the future. Most dystopian novels start off with everything changed already and just briefly mention how things changed. Interesting! From idea conception to completed work, what was the hardest part during the whole process for you?

I love the writing process. I never know where the story is going to take me until I get there. I think the hardest part is cutting and editing when the ride is over.

4. During the research, what was the most interesting or the weirdest thing you found yourself reading about?

I knew most of what I wrote about. I can't say I had to do too much research. I did take facts of the past decade and expanded them to create a dystopian society. That was certainly the scariest part.

5. If you could sit down with any author, past or present, who would it be and what would be the first question you'd ask them?

Voltaire. I'd ask him to rewrite Candide for our times.

6. You knew this was coming, favorite books and authors?

My favorite books are Candide by Voltaire, Animal Farm by George Orwell, Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I like books with social value. Books that make you think.

7. In the last year, what has been your favorite release?

I recently read Hunger Games and enjoyed it. I read it on the beach in Mexico....sea, sun, sand and a decent book. Life elevated! What makes Hunger Games a good book and not a great book, in my estimation, is the lack of social criticism. I didn't see a clear reflection of our own society. Lots of young adults are reading it, but they're not learning anything in the process. Is the book a critique of our growing violent society, our thirst for voyeurism with reality TV, and our acceptance of inequality? Are we on a path to that world? What are the road signs? All that was missing. It was still an enjoyable read, but not a classic.

8. Is there a question you wish people would ask but either forget to ask or just don't think about asking?

I think fiction writers have a goal for the reader. Just as a comedian's goal is to say silly things to make us laugh, a conservative talk radio host says inflammatory things to make us angry and outraged. The question people should ask me is: what was my goal for Against Nature? My goal was to make the reader think and reflect. And be entertained too, of course. But beyond the simple pursuit of entertainment, I think a dystopian novel has to do a little more than that. It needs to make you think and reflect. You should see your own world in the reflection of the book's fantasy world. I tried to do that. It's up to the individual reader to judge whether or not I succeeded.

9. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I'd like to thank you for hosting me and for creating an on-line community where readers and writers can come together. I'd also like to thank you for your work to help your neighbors following the devastating tornadoes in your area. It's so wonderful to see people act selflessly and not just in their own self interest.

Thank you John! It was a pleasure getting to know you and hosting you here on my blog!

You can purchase the Kindle edition of Against Nature here.

What do you think about Against Nature? Is there a question you think I should have asked?

All 4 Alabama

2011-05-09T01:30:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

I just wanted to post a few links that deal with this project I'm helping with to raise money for people who lost everything in the tornadoes that ripped through Alabama last week.

You can read about on my blog here and check out the auctions/donations site Courtney and I have at All 4 Alabama.

Thanks.

Bumped - Megan McCafferty

2011-04-06T00:50:00.001-05:00

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.
When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

Megan Mccafferty's Bumped has been a long awaited book, by me and many others and it marks her first official YA novel. When I found out that it was available for request on NetGalley I was one of many who immediately went to the website to try and get my grubby little hands on this sucker. If you didn't know, this was one of two big books that just became available and practically shut down NetGalley's website. I seriously could not log in until the next day and stalked my email until the golden goose delivered a beautiful, glowing (seriously, doesn't the title look like it's glowing? LOVE IT) egg to my inbox.

The verdict? I only liked it when I wanted to love it. I liked the names of Harmony and Melody because they related to each other without being match-y and I really liked how it alternated between POV. I didn't, however, connect with either of them as much as I would have liked.

Melody: I definitely liked her best. Her relationship with Zen reminded me a bit of one of my relationships at sixteen and it was probably the biggest thing that made me feel connected to either of the girls. I did find it a bit ironic that the girl who dreamed of getting an awesome bump through contract was quite prudish.

Harmony: I felt sorry for her at first but the more into the story I got, the less I liked her. The whole mistaken identity thing was totally her fault and and that whole situation just really irked me about her. I even had a "well, that's what you get" moment when I probably should have been feeling sorry for her (again).

As for the lingo I find myself middle of the road on it. On one hand, I loved that it was stuff that could totally be the norm for future generations. I did feel that some of it was over-used and some of it even took me out of the story and I had to remember that it was being used in a different context than what we use it as. It also felt like it ended too quickly and that emotions changed too fast.

It probably sounds like I disliked Bumped more than I liked it but keep in mind that things you find bothersome or don't like are always more memorable than things you do. That's usually the case for me anyway.

In all honesty, I devoured this book and it was definitely different. Megan's writing was great and even though there was no dread-locked-Backstreet Boys-T Shirt-wearing-hottie, I DO recommend reading it and I look forward to reading the next book because I have some questions I'd like answered and I really hope they're addressed.

I know I've said it before, but here I am saying it again: I was way too hyped up over this book and expected something that could only be delivered if Megan resided in my head. Will you be reading Bumped when it comes out in a few weeks?

An eGalley of Bumped was provided by NetGalley

Delirium - Lauren Oliver

2011-03-03T10:38:00.001-06:00

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

I read this book back in November and I started this blog post when I finished it but it has just been sitting there waiting for me to decide what to say. Then a couple days ago I tried going back to finish this and STILL wasn't sure what I wanted to say.

I wanted to LOVE this book like I loved Before I Fall. The writing was beautiful and amazing and the premise was intriguing and I really liked seeing Lena go good girl gone rebel. Then there's the "but." There always is, isn't there?

Then earlier this morning I logged onto Twitter and as I was catching up on my feed, I saw Carolina Valdez Miller's link to her Bookanista's Review of Delirium. When I started reading it all I wanted to do was shout "YES, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FELT!" So instead of sitting here struggling to find the perfect words to describe what I thought, I'll just link you to her blog because she says it much more eloquently and coherently than I probably could.

Have you read Delirium? Is there a book that you've read recently that you liked but it wasn't quite what you expected?

XP: Peanut Butter Jelly Time

2011-02-18T10:33:00.003-06:00

Hey guys, sorry for the non-book related post, but I wanted to get as many people to see this as possible so I'm posting an entry from my other blog, here.

One of my internet friends, Jenny, has had a tough go of things. From dealing with infertility to giving birth to preemie triplets, I can't help but think of her as Wonder Woman.

When I found out that she was going to be participating in the March of Dimes walk held on April 30th, I wanted to help. Not only did I want to help by donating money to sponsor her, I wanted to do something more.

In the last few months I have taken up a hobby of jewelry making and even opened an ETSY Shop (FunkyPineapple Designs) so I decided I would make a special bracelet in honor of the nickname she gave her babies while they were still in the oven, PB&J.

The Peanut Butter Jelly Time bracelet (seen below) can be purchased through my ETSY shop with $10 of each purchase being donated to help Jenny and her family reach their goal of raising (at least) $1,000 for their walk.

Help me help Jenny reach her goal and maybe even surpass it. You'll not only help future families that need the assistance, but you'll have a nice little thank you on your wrist from all the people that are touched each day by March of Dimes.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time bracelets can be purchased here.
Jenny's blog post talking about what March of Dimes meant to her can be found here.

Freefall - Mindi Scott

2011-01-31T23:44:00.000-06:00

How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend, Isaac, alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time when Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn't wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend's death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.
Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth soon realizes he isn't the only one who needs saving.

I loved Mindi Scott's debut novel Freefall. I read this back in November so my memory is a little fuzzy so you'll have to excuse me. I thought this was going to be a bit of a depressing book based on the synopsis so I was a bit surprised to find that it really wasn't. Sure, a lot of Seth's issues come from Issac's death, but he's thrown in a Communications class at school and it seems to really help him.

I LOVED the teacher because she was so quirky and weird and I couldn't wait for Seth to get to class to see what she was going to do next. I thought it showed growth when Seth took what he learned in class and applied them in the outside world.

I was also pretty amused with Seth and Rosetta's initial meeting and knew she'd be "the girl" and couldn't help but think "that's just Seth's luck." I didn't really understand why Seth continued to be friends with his friends because they were more into the whole musician (sex, drugs, and rock & roll) thing. I guess they would be the typical teen boys though.

This book was probably one of my favorite contemporary YA books of the year. Mindi did a great job with Seth's voice and I think she accurately portrayed how a boy in Seth's situation might act. A great debut my Mindi Scott and I can't wait to read more from her!

Have you read Freefall?

Girl Stolen - April Henry

2011-01-31T23:21:00.002-06:00

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside!

Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

A few months ago my friend Julie came over for my husband's birthday party and brought a book she wanted me to read with her. It took me longer than I wanted to actually sit down and read April Henry's Girl Stolen but when I finally did last week, I flew through it.

I'm not really sure what to say about this book. I really enjoyed it while I was reading it but the more I think about what I want to blog about, the more questions I have. This is a hard post because everything I want to say is SO spoilery!

I think I'm just going to leave this one at I read it, I enjoyed it for what it was, I liked the concept of accidentally kidnapping a blind girl, and I would read more from April Henry.

Have you read Girl Stolen? What did you think?

The Darlings Are Forever - Melissa Kantor

2011-01-25T01:18:00.000-06:00

Jane, Victoria, and Natalya. Together, they are the Darlings. Best friends forever. They have matching necklaces, their own table at Ga Ga Noodle, and even a shared motto: May you always do what you’re afraid of doing.

When the friends begin freshman year at three different high schools in distant corners of New York City, they promise to live by their motto and stay as close as ever. The Darlings know they can get through anything as long as they have each other. But doing scary new things is a lot easier with your friends beside you. And now that the girls aren’t spending all their time together, everything they took for granted about their friendship starts to feel less certain. They can’t help but wonder, will they really be the Darlings forever?

To be honest, I hadn't heard about this Melissa Kantor's The Darlings Are Forever prior to being asked by the publisher if I'd be interested in reviewing it. I'm glad I got that email because I REALLY liked this book. Plus, anything that references Harry Potter is a win in my book.

I read this book in two nights and would have read it in one if I didn't have an early morning (which if you know me, it's TOUGH to get me out of bed when the first digit is a 6 on my clock). I kept thinking "one more chapter" and continued that thought from about 10:30pm to about 12:30am.

The chapters are alternating between Victoria, Jane, and Natalya and I really felt like I got to know them better this way. My favorite girl was Victoria but there were things I liked about each girl.

Victoria: I thought she was the one who grew the most from beginning to end. By the time I was done reading, I had more than one "you go girl" moments from her portion of the book and I just wanted to see her bloom into a confident young woman. Victoria also got the hot photographer guy so that's a bonus. I literally laughed out loud (and almost woke my husband up) during a scene with her, Jack, a banana, and a condom.

Jane: Jane was the cool thespian. I was surprised that Jane seemed to be the one that had less going on compared to the others. She had her story but I guess Victoria and Natalya's just seemed busier. I liked Jane a lot though because she wasn't afraid to speak her mind and call out Natalya when it called for it.

Natalya: My least favorite of the three girls. A BIG part of this has to do with her conforming to what the rich, popular girls wanted her to be and she just wasn't true to herself. I liked the fact that she played chess and liked the Biology teacher that everyone hated but I wanted to slap her at times.

I really enjoyed this book because it was more about the friendship between the girls instead of anything else. Yes, there were the parties, boys, school, and more in the book but it focused on how they dealt with all the new stuff being thrown at them and how there were still there for each other and were able to put aside their differences when it came down to it.

It was a fun book that showed the sister-like bond between three best friends and it did it well.

The writing was good and left me wanting more. I was expecting another chapter when it ended but it turned out to be a sneak peak of the next book, The Darlings in Love and I can't wait to read that when the time comes.

Thank you Disney-Hyperion for turning me on to a book I might not have known about otherwise.

Have you heard of The Darlings Are Forever? Do you think it would be something you might enjoy?

Losing Faith - Denise Jaden

2011-01-21T01:49:00.006-06:00

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

I wanted to read Losing Faith by Denise Jaden for a few different reasons and they are as follows:

Reason 1: Losing Faith is part of the Contemps Challenge and this is something I'm really happy about participating in. This was my fifth book read for the challenge and so far I have loved all five of them.

Reason 2: The cover and title. You HAD to know this was coming. There are so many aspects of this cover that I love. The girl holding the flowers is just so subtle and I didn't even notice what was going on with it before I actually LOOKED at it. I love the flowers because they are representing death and mourning but the butterflies make me think of Brie's quest to find out what what happened and free her sister's name. I also really loved how the title had double meaning. I can be such a dork when it comes to stuff like that, I just think it's neat.

Reason 3: My friend Shana is friends with Denise and I'm just all about support. I love supporting authors and all the ones I have come in contact with (in real life or through Twitter) are just people I genuinely want to see do well. They make it so easy though because their work, Denise's include, is just fantastic.

Going into this book, I wasn't really sure what it was about. All I knew about it was what was printed on the back and that Shana's friend was the author. I started reading one night before bed (which is when I get most of my reading done nowadays) and didn't want to put it down. I didn't get much read for a few days but once I did, I stayed up til after 3am reading. The only reason I stopped? My eyes were burning so bad and it actually hurt to keep them open.

I was worried that the religion aspect might get too preachy* but was happy it didn't. I had my ideas of what was going to happen but that just made me want to read faster to see if my theories were valid; they weren't. I found myself invested in these characters, especially Brie and her parents. Denise really showed the grief well and it was heartbreaking.

The writing was beautiful and I really liked Brie. She was relentless in trying to find out the truth and she made a few great friends in the process. I liked that Brie, Tessa, and Alis all had the same common bond and that they were able to open up to each other when they felt they couldn't talk about it with anyone.

Tessa was my favorite character because she was supposed to be this hard gothy person but she wasn't any of that. Well, ok. Maybe she was a little but she is the perfect example of why you shouldn't be quick to judge people. She was a great friend and was there when Brie needed her the most. Also, I loved Brie's poem about her at the end. Alis was cool but I had a hard time pushing Alistair from Supernatural out of my head. Somehow, I don't think this was who I was supposed to be imagining.

Great debut by Denise and I look forward to reading quite a bit more from her.

Have you read Losing Faith? Will you?

*I have nothing against religion. I grew up in a Christian household and have the utmost respect for it. The last book I read that contained religion was way preachy and I felt like things were being shoved down my throat. Not cool.

Lament - Maggie Stiefvater

2011-01-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

I won a copy of Maggie Stiefvater's Lament from Jessica's a few months back (ok, this post was originally started in September) and I had started this blog entry when I had finished, but I got a bit behind on posting so you'll be seeing a few "older" reads pop up on here.

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .

Lament is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.

I'm going to preface this by telling you that faeries aren't really my thing. The most I've read about faeries would be the small portion dealing with them in the Sookie Stackhouse books and that was too much for me. They just like to play with people way too much and that trait tends to irk me.

I think my biggest issue with the book was how some things just seemed to be known without talking about them. For instance, Dee and Luke were talking and all of a sudden she knows the person he's talking about is the faerie queen. Up until that point, there was absolutely no mention of a queen. There were other things like that that I just couldn't get over.

I also thought it was highly weird and slightly creepy that while Dee is getting sick in the bathroom, a boy just walks in and starts holding her hair and she never questions it.

The book itself wasn't bad though. I really enjoyed the relationship between James and Deirdre and really wish that was more prominent than hers and Luke's relationship, and that is the reason why I will read Ballad. Plus, I liked it enough to want to see where the story goes and I have to absolutely hate a series to quit it.

What's your least favorite creature?

Fall for Anything - Courtney Summers

2011-01-13T00:36:00.002-06:00

From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world?

When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Cullen seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

When I heard that Courtney Summers was going to be releasing another book in 2010, I knew I had to read it. I have so much cover love for Fall for Anything, especially because it's relevant to the book. It's a cover that would make me pick it up off the shelf and is one of my favorites.

Eddie's life is pretty broken and her mom has just checked out, leaving Eddie to deal with her grief alone. I felt terrible for Eddie throughout the book because it is so hard losing a parent and there were parts that brought back my personal loss. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a parent to suicide but Summers did a fantastic job of showing Eddie's grief. The quest she takes you on to find out why her dad did what he did is heartbreaking and realistic. If you don't feel anything when you read this book then your name might be Chandler Bing.

Courtney Summers is consistent. Consistently good. Her characters just leap off the page and make you care about them whether they're the mean girl or a girl drowning in sorrow. Fall for Anything is a definite win and Courtney Summers has knocked it out of the park once again.

Have you read any of Courtney's books? Will you read this one?

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

2010-12-02T00:40:00.005-06:00

I'm sure you all have fallen prey to book hype. You know, where there is so much talk about how great a book is, but when you finally get around to reading it you feel let down because it was built up so much? I have had this happen to me numerous times over the past year, and it makes me sad. I really wanted to like Stephanie Perkins' debut novel Anna and the French Kiss. I will admit that I was a bit worried that the hype would get in the way of an otherwise awesome book. You guys, that was not the case.

AT ALL.

I not only fell in love with this book, but I literally hugged it when I was finished reading it and went straight to my computer to pre-order it. I even made space for her on my bookshelf (her new neighbors are Evie and Sophie..I think they'll get along great). You want to know a little more about it, don't you? Well you're in luck...

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible.

The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

Anna and the French Kiss is a great story full of fantastic and witty writing, well developed characters, romance, tension, and kissing. There was only one thing bad about this book and that was that it should have been longer because I wanted more. The fact that I wanted more has nothing to do with the story itself, it's just because I'm greedy and didn't want it to end. If that's not enough for you to want to read this book I'll give you the main reason.

Etienne St. Clair.

Etienne is beyond swoon-worthy and quickly became one of my book crushes. I totally got the book crush butterflies when reading and he was also the only one this year to do that. Oh, Etienne how I love thee. OH! Plus, he has an accent. If that doesn't do it for you, I don't know what will.

To my other book crushes: Marcus Flutie, Jamie Fraser, and Ron Weasley you boys have SERIOUS competition. Also, did anyone else notice that those three are all gingers? I just realized that today.

This is my favorite book of the year, so far, and I can't wait til later this afternoon for my brand new, shiny copy to appear on my doorstep. I will definitely be reading it again before the year is up.

Thank you Stephanie for writing such a wonderful book and thank you Jessica for sharing your ARC with me.

If you want to experience the awesome for yourself, you can purchase Anna and the French Kiss here.

This was also book #11 in the 2010 Debut Author's Challenge

Across the Universe - Beth Revis

2010-12-01T01:45:00.000-06:00

One of the books that has gotten a LOT of buzz in the last few months is Across the Universe by Beth Revis. To be honest with you, I'm not much into sci-fi and wasn't sure whether or not I was going to dig it (even though I knew I'd read it eventually). Let this be a lesson to those who don't like to venture out of their comfort reading zone. I loved it.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

First off, let me start by saying that this book has one of the best opening chapters. Not only that but the first SENTENCE is a real grabber and so began my wanting to read more. The writing is fantastic and Beth did a great job of not making it to sci-fi to where it would turn people who don't like it, off.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was that just when I was starting to think one thing, something else was introduced that totally threw me. The characters were well done and I liked Amy. There were quite a few times where all I wanted to do was hug her because of everything that was going on.

I'm not really going to say anything more because the book doesn't come out til next month. I WILL tell you that I hope you read this book when you get the chance and come back and tell me what you thought of it.

Leaving Gee's Bend - Irene Latham

2010-11-23T02:00:00.000-06:00

First of all, I want to say that I have NO idea how I haven't put Leaving Gee's Bend on here yet! *scolds self*

Leaving Gee's Bend is a Middle Grade debut from the fabulous Irene Latham. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting Irene at the Alabama Book Festival and to be honest, it was one of the most memorable events of 2010. I originally purchased the book in anticipation of the festival and getting it signed, but after hearing Irene speak about what inspired her to write this book, I knew it was going to be a gem in my collection.

Leaving Gee's Bend is a story about fear, heart, love, family, and courage. Ludelphia Bennett is a young girl who lives in the small Alabama town of Gee's Bend in the 1930s. Times are rough and when her mama falls ill, Ludelphia resolves to find the doctor in the neighboring town and bring her the medicine that will help her mom live. In order to do this, Ludelphia must find the strength to do things she's never done, including leaving her town for the first time. Through all this, Ludelphia collects pieces of fabric from her journey to create a quilt that will tell her story.

It's a relatively quiet book but it's powerful. The writing is beautiful and brilliant and it tells a beautiful story based on a real town and its quilters. When the time comes and I have children, this will be one of the books that I look forward to sharing with them. Irene is truly inspiring, not just through the pages of this book, but in real life.

Thank you Irene for such a beautiful book.

The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan

2010-10-31T00:36:00.000-05:00

If you were with me on my blog earlier this year, you'll know that I spent some time reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and fell in love with it. I know Riordan came out with The Red Pyramid a few months ago but I just couldn't bring myself to read it because it was a new series and didn't take me back to Percy's world.

When I found out that he was starting a new series based around Camp Half-Blood and Percy, Annabeth, and company were going to make appearances, I think I literally squealed out loud.

So when the husband was ordering stuff off of Amazon, I asked him to add the book that was on my wishlist to the cart (it was scheduled to come out the next day). Two days later I had The Lost Hero in my hands and I probably just stared at the cover. Yeah, I know. It's a middle grade book and I'll be 26 in two weeks but WHO CARES? There's just something about this series and these characters that I absolutely adore.

I've now read the book and loved it just as much as I hoped I would. We're introduced to three new characters: Jason, Piper, and Leo. These three are now the main characters but the rest of the campers are still around and they're all faced with new problems.

I was intrigued right from the get-go. Jason has no memory of anything and before he knows it, he and his friends are up against Venti while on their field trip at the Grand Canyon. Next thing we know Annabeth is whisking them away to Camp Half-Blood and they're finding out all these new, crazy things and are sent out on their first quest. I really enjoyed Jason, Piper, and Leo and it's hard who to pick as my favorite (good thing I don't have to).

I started reading The Lost Hero and Freefall at the same time but as usual, Rick Riordan sucked me in and I had to stop reading (and playing Angry Birds) until I finished his book.

I know this post is kind off all over the place but I'm just so dang excited about having read it! I'm so bummed that I have to wait a year for book two to come out so I guess I'll just have to practice patience.

Paranormalcy - Kiersten White

2010-10-14T15:03:00.000-05:00

Last month I read Kiersten White's debut novel, Paranormalcy and I absolutely adored it!

I'm going to make this pretty short and I'm not going to give a summary of what it's about but I DO want to say that I cannot wait for the next book. Kiersten, you totally had a grand-slam with this one.

I wasn't sure how I was going to like it because of the fairies. Fairies are the single most annoying supernatural creature, in my opinion, but she made it work. It did help that they weren't the primary focus of the book.

This book reminded me a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv show) and I couldn't help but hope that someday Mr. Pointy would meet Tasey and they would go off on adventures of their own. How awesome would that be?!

For the record, I'm still not sure if I trust Lend. I got this feeling about him when he was introduced and although he hasn't really done anything shady, I'm really expecting him to do something nefarious.

Go pick it up if you haven't read it. It's totally worth it and if you don't like it? Well, you'll have a beautiful cover on your shelf. Seriously though, you'll like it.

Banned Book Week

2010-10-01T00:32:00.000-05:00

Just an FYI, but I've been posting about Banned Book Week over on my new blog and I'd love to hear your thoughts on my most recent post where I ask for your opinions on banning. Click here to participate!

It's official..

2010-09-26T11:54:00.000-05:00

I'm having a blog affair and it's currently called Life, Love, and Literature.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this blog, I might link a few new posts over to that blog if they're relevant. I'm not deleting this one because I don't want to.

So if you feel the urge to follow me over there, I will be eternally grateful (I'm even hosting a giveaway of SPEAK for Banned Books Week) and love you forever.

Come check it out! Also? Yes, the layout is the exact same but only because I love it and didn't want to change the background. Don't judge :-)

The Auburn Writers Conference

2010-09-13T21:37:00.004-05:00

For those of you who know me whether it be online or in real life, you know that one thing I love is Auburn; not just because I lived there or went to school there for a few years. Why you ask? Not only do I love the town or when everything turns orange on gameday (Go Tigers!) but I love how Auburn is not just a community, it's a family.

I moved to Auburn in 2006 and lived there until this past February. Of all the places I've lived in my twenty-five years (16 places), Auburn is tied for the top spot and will always have a place in my heart for the things I learned (academically and about myself), things I did, and for being the place where my husband and I had our first home.

When I heard that Auburn University would be holding the first annual Auburn Writers Conference in October I was VERY excited. Earlier this year I started my foray into writing thanks to Rachel Hawkins and Irene Latham for daring me to suck and telling me that everyone has a story to tell (and BOTH of them will be teaching workshops at AWC!). Then I found out that two of my internet-turned-real-life besties (Anna and Heather) would be going I had even more of a reason to sign up, and sign up I did!

Now with the conference only mere weeks away, my excitement level has risen considerably because not only do I get to take a trip back to the Loveliest Village on the Plains, but I get to spend time with wonderful friends, learn how to better my writing, meet new people, and bring others together.

If you're able to, I really hope you consider going to AWC this year. I know it's going to be an amazing and unforgettable experience. If the conference isn't enough to sway you, let me tempt you with the famous Toomer's Lemonade and Momma G's. I'll be there, will you?

You can also check out Chantel Acevedo's blog and a podcast where she talks about AWC to Offbeat Auburn.

I leave you with a few of my favorite Auburn memories:

My first fall as an Auburn student with Aubie and my now husband

One of our engagement pictures on the steps of Samford Hall

I was a volunteer at the Auburn University Southeastern Raptor Center

The graduate husband in front of the beautiful Samford Hall

Finally, many fall Saturday's were spent in Jordan-Hare (and yes, this was taken about 10 minutes AFTER the 2007 Iron Bowl ended :-))

WAR EAGLE!

In My Mailbox (21)

2010-09-12T10:42:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

It has been about a month since I've done an IMM entry, so all I'm going to do is list the books. The majority of these I got in anticipation of the Decatur Book Festival which was last weekend and all books are now signed.

For DBF

Diana Gabaldon:

Voyager

Drums of Autumn

The Fiery Cross

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

David Levithan:

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - 1st Edition!

Wide Awake

Are We There Yet?

Boy Meets Boy

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

The Realm of Possibility

Love the One You're With - Emily Giffin

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June - Robin Benway

The Red Umbrella - Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan

The Dead-Tossed Waves - Carrie Ryan

The Hollow - Jessica Verday

The Haunted - Jessica Verday

Not for DBF:

Flipped - Wendelin Van Draanen

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Mockingbird - Kathryn Erskine

Lament - Maggie Stiefvater

Paranormalcy - Kiersten White (Thanks to Jessica for getting me a signed copy!)

ARC's:

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

Salvaged - Stefne Miller

So what do you think? Have you read any of these? What should I start with? I'm thinking Love is the Higher Law or Sisters Red.

Decatur Book Festival - Part 2

2010-09-11T10:10:00.001-05:00

One thing we weren't expecting was a meet and great with Diana Gabaldon. When Anna, Natalie, and I were on our way to Emily Giffin's panel, we stopped by the AJC tent to get our picture taken.

There happened to be a small table set up and hanging from the bottom it said, "Diana Gabaldon 1-2." Of course we asked the guy standing there what that was all about and when he said the words "meet" and "greet" we were so going to be there for that. The only downside? It was at the same time as Terra Elan McVoy and David Levithan's panel so we missed out on hearing them speak. Thanks to Julie, Heather, and Leah who went and were able to get my books signed for me, including my first edition of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist!

Anyway, after we left Emily Giffin's signing tent, we headed back to the AJC tent. Anna got in line while Natalie and I went to her car to get my 23 lbs (yes, 23) of Diana Gabaldon books. On the way back, Natalie tried blocking for me because if I went down, I'd look like this:

Once we got back to the tent, the line hadn't grown too much so we got at the end and OMG you guys, cue the uber-excitedness. I was literally shaking!

When it was finally my turn, I started rambling and I don't remember much. Oh wait, Yes I do! I told her about owning every single form of the series I could, having to get rid of the MMP copies so I could order the hardbacks, that I majored in Zoology and lived in Arizona. Somewhere in there she started telling me about the Outlander Musical and seemed very excited about it. What made her even more awesome was that Natalie told her that I was gushing about the books and it made her want to read Outlander. Diana gave her a promotional copy and signed it for her! Isn't that sweet?!

Here's me with Diana.

Later on at 3:00 she had her All Things Outlander panel, so of course the three of us were in that audience.

The panel took place in the Decatur Presbyterian Church sanctuary and it was filled to capacity. She talked about future books (in no particular order: The Outlander Companion 2, book 8, Lord John, Jamie's Parents, and Master Raymond), the musical (Allan Scott is now her Jamie), The Exile (even had a copy to look at!), the film option, and kilts. You can't talk Jamie without mention of a kilt. There was also a guy in the audience wearing a kilt and not only did Diana appreciate it, but he got a roaring applause.

Meeting Diana Gabaldon was my reason for going to DBF (which I also told her) and meeting her was all I hoped it would be and momre. She's sweet, funny, generous, and I loved hearing her speak. If you get a chance to hear her, don't pass it up.

I also have some video I'm going to try and post of everyone, I just need to figure out how to cut it.

If you're interested in checking out Diana Gabaldon you can visit her website, read her blog, follow her on Twitter, and buy her books
.

Decatur Book Festival - Part 1

2010-09-09T10:56:00.000-05:00

I know you've all heard me mention the Decatur Book Festival (DBF from here on out) numerous times, whether it be tweets, here, or facebook and I thought I'd do a recap for you.

Each day I'm going to post about a different panel I attended and provide pictures, video, and links to their website. I can't tell you how much fun I had and how awesome everyone was, but I'm going to try.

I went with a bunch of my internet/blogger friends (Julie, Heather, Anna, Leah, and Natalie) whom I have gotten to know so well since the beginning of the year and I considered them some of the best friends I have EVER had.

To start things off, Natalie and I stayed the night at Anna's on Friday since we were going to be getting up insanely early to drive to Atlanta. We got to DBF a little later than planned so we met up with Julie and Leah at Emily Giffin's panel and it had already started.

Now I've never read any of her books but I had won a copy of Something Borrowed from Goodreads over a year ago and I had purchased a copy of Love The One You're With on the bargain shelf at Books-A-Million so I wanted to get these books signed. Her type of book is not something I usually read and I wasn't really sure what to expect from her panel. You guys, this woman blew me away! She was smart, insightful, and funny. Her advice on writing? Move to a place you have no friends and it rains all the time and treat it like your eight hour job. Ha!

I was very excited to meet her after hearing her speak and while we were waiting in the signing line, Natalie wondered how she felt about all these people waiting in line for her autograph, so when it was finally out turn, she asked Emily. Her response to that was also something not expected. Instead of saying that she couldn't believe it or that she was flattered she said that she doesn't look at it that way, that she sees it as a great way to meet new women and girls.

You could really tell that relationships drive everything she does. From what she writes to the way she answered Natalie's question, to how she wanted to make sure our picture was as perfect as could be (she kept moving us around so the background wouldn't be too bright or so that the garbage cans wouldn't show up) a connection with other people is very important to her. There could not have been a better person to hear and meet to kickoff our DBF experience.

Not only was she incredibly sweet and personable but she is gorgeous and has an adorable little girl.

Here's our picture with Emily. From left to right: Anna, Emily, Me, and Natalie.

You can visit Emily's website here, follow her on twitter, and purchase her books here.

Waiting on Wednesday - Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2010-09-08T00:04:00.001-05:00

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

Released February 1, 2011

I loved Lauren Oliver's debut book Before I Fall and I'm excited to see another book from her hitting shelves in the near future. Could you imagine a life without love? I'm expecting great things from this book and if Oliver's debut is any indication, this one will not let me down.

From Goodreads:

What do you think of the synopsis?

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

2010-09-02T07:00:00.060-05:00

One of the books I have most been anticipating this year was The DUFF by debut author Kody Keplinger. I never read any reviews of it and kept my knowledge of what it was about to what the synopsis on Goodreads said. I didn't want this to turn into another one of those books where the hype was so great that I felt let down when I read it. I'm so glad I went that route because I really liked this book and I can't wait to read more from Kody.

Seventeen year old Bianca is having a rough time at home so when hot man-whore Wesley tells her she's a DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), she throws her Cherry Coke on him. Later, when she can no longer handle everything, Bianca kisses Wesley and finds that it brings her a weird sense of relief. Then Bianca starts having sex with Wesley to feel free of her problems but then another one arises. She starts falling for him when she realizes that not only is he a good listener but he has his own issues that need to be worked out. Could she really love the one guy she hates the most?

Although I never really partook in the whole hooking up thing, I really related to Bianca. From bottling things up until you can't seem to take anymore to feeling like the duff, to a love of Cherry Coke, I've been there and felt that. I wish I would've had a book like this when I was seventeen.

I do feel like some of the other characters could have been a little more developed than they were, especially Bianca's best friends. I also felt like the whole Bianca/Wesley thing happened way too quickly. I saw Bianca as this strong, cynical girl with way too much dignity and then before you know it, she's jumping into bed with this guy she despises.

I did love how cynical and sarcastic Bianca was though. That was totally me in high school (ok, and still am) and I think that's part of what made this book so believable to me. Some people may think it was depressing or too overdone but not I. I think the reason Kody captured this so well was because she WAS that age when she wrote this book and according to her, she was feeling these things when writing it and that's part of why I loved it as much as I did.

Can we talk about the fact that she was in high school when she wrote this? She's only EIGHTEEN you guys! To be eighteen and have your first book published is a feat not many people are able to accomplish. I don't know about you, but this in itself makes me feel so unaccomplished and like that kid who sits in class eating paste and I'm only twenty-five!

I can't wait to read more from Kody and I know I will.

This was book #8 in the 2010 Debut Authors Challenge.

Waiting on Wednesday - Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

2010-09-01T00:27:00.000-05:00

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

Released December 21, 2010

The cover for Courtney Summers' next book Fall for Anything was revealed earlier this week and I just LOVE it. What makes it even more appealing? Courtney tweeted that the pictures hanging in the background are actually in the book! I liked Cracked Up To Be and loved Some Girls Are so I'm really excited to read this book and see where she takes this. This is the second book where Summers tackles the issue of suicide and I'm very interested to compare and contrast the different scenarios.

From Goodreads:

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world?

When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close.

Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered.

Have you read Courtney Summers' books? What did you think of them? Will you read Fall for Anything?

Skip A Starbucks Day

2010-08-23T16:18:00.001-05:00

I don't think I mentioned to all of you that I was going on vacation (most likely a post on that later), but I'm back and I have a cause for you all to help with.

I'm going to summarize as best I can, but for the full story please visit C.J's blog and start reading. If you don't feel any feelings after reading it, you should book a trip to Oz.

C.J was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer and is now unable to have any more children of her own. So in 2005, she and her husband decided to adopt a little girl from China. Next month will be 5 years since they started the adoption process and Johanna Faith has yet to make it home. In the meantime, China raised all their fees and now C.J and her husband need to raise $8,000 in order to get their little girl and this is where skipping Starbucks comes in. Take the $5 you would normally spend at Starbucks and donate it to C.J and her family. They're not asking for much, just $5. If helping out a family in need is not enough motivation, your $5 donation will allow you to enter contests for some pretty awesome prizes.

Just head over to C.J's blog, fill out the form, donate, and enter. Super easy.

I'm not a super awesome author or blogger like most of the others, however, I DO have some small things to giveaway. If you donate and leave a comment telling me so, I'll pick a winner (that I will hopefully be able to confirm with C.J about) and send you a few bookmarks and Mockingbird swag I picked up at Kathryn Erskine's book signing.

So what are you waiting for? I donated, will you?

Waiting on Wednesday - Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2010-08-18T01:00:00.013-05:00

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

Released August 31, 2010

There has been so much hype around this book and to be honest, when I first heard about it a few months ago I really didn't give it a second thought. However, the more time I spent on the internet and the more I kept reading about it, the more I wanted to read it. Since then I have tried getting on ARC tours for it (yeah, no luck there) so I am really anticipating the release at the end of the month. Plus, when it comes to cool looking covers, I totally judge and want it for my collection. Laugh if you will, but so far I have not been let down. I have also heard that Kiersten is as cute and as sweet as a candy button so that makes this even more excitement filled.

From Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency.

But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal.

Normal is so overrated.

Interview with Emma Michaels

2010-08-13T03:00:00.069-05:00

I want to give a warm welcome to blogger turned published author, Emma Michaels. Emma has kindly let me be a part of the release of her debut YA novel, The Thirteenth Chime, so without further ado I introduce you to Emma.

First off, Welcome to my blog! I know this has got to be a busy week for you with your release, so thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for me. Why don't we begin with you telling us a bit about yourself.

Emma: Well, I am a blogger turned author. I grew up in California and after visiting my then-boyfriend now turned fiance in Washington State, I fell in love with the area and decided to move there. I have been interested in reading books for as long as I can remember. Shortly after I finished school, I began doing freelance and ghostwriting work. A few years ago, I began the research for my debut novel, The Thirteenth Chime and in Dec of '09 I began my real journey towards publication!

How did you come up with the idea for The Thirteenth Chime?

Emma: The inspiration for the book came from multiple sources. The main inspiration came from a storm I experienced here one night on the island. We had lost the power and we went next door to our neighbors to share a few candles. As lightning flashed outside and thunder shook the house, the antique grandfather clock in the hallway began to chime. I remember the sound echoing through the house and how it made my heart race. It was in that moment that "The Thirteenth Chime" was born.

What was the hardest part of the whole process for you?

Emma: Querying. I love writing and I found that writing the book was the easy part, but the querying process to agents was far more difficult. Eventually, I decided to begin querying publishers directly. There was quite a difference.

So you skipped the agent? It obviously worked for you but would you recommend doing that to others?

Emma: Yes, I tried for an agent but after over 100 rejections decided to leave it up to the publishers and try on my own. It ended up being great for me! It was an amazing difference, suddenly I was actually getting offers! Though, I will admit it is not for everyone. If you do not have an agent there is a LOT that you have to be able to do on your own. You will need to make sure that you novel is as polished as you can make it. Meaning basically NO mistakes! You have to be able to reach out to the publishers who are accepting unsolicited manuscripts and more than that, you basically become your own representative. That means you have to be able to understand their terminology, have a GREAT lawyer from the industry to go over contracts with you and so much more. It is an extremely complicated process and one where at times it can be hard to know what to do but the main thing you need is to be able to be as professional as possible. Out of such, if you are someone who thinks you could be up to it and are okay with using a publisher who accepts unsolicited manuscripts than yes, it could be right for you but I would definitely suggest that everyone at least try to get an agent first. While it is a hard thing to try for and you may hear a LOT of no thank yous if you can get one, it can really change the process for you and either way, the journey to getting one can help you learn a lot more about the industry and how to go about submitting to a publisher.

Do you think you'll get an agent for the future?

Emma: I might try to find an agent if I end up trying for another publisher but right now, I have a feeling I will be with Bokheim for a long while. They have been so amazingly helpful and supportive that it really makes the entire process much easier for me. They also stand behind me 100% when it comes to things that really matter to me like keeping up with blogging and getting to continue to have an open communication policy with all fans, bloggers and anyone who I might be able to help or who might have questions. I just appreciate it so much!

That's great that they support you so much! Did you have any say in the cover? I think it’s kind of great.

Emma: Thanks! Actually, my publisher not only considered my ideas on the cover, but they were excited about the concept and found a great artist to make it a reality. I am very grateful to them and I love the cover!

Are you currently working on anything?

Emma: I am currently working on the sequel to "The Thirteenth Chime" now that I have finished an additional series that I have been writing this year.

What is one thing you want your readers to know?

Emma: I wrote "The Thirteenth Chime" because I love writing and I really enjoy connecting with my readers. It is my hope that all of you will enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I will also promise each of you that for as long as you want me to keep writing I will keep sending my books out into the world.

Besides your own, what has been your favorite debut novel of 2010?

Emma: I have enjoyed both "Beautiful Creatures" and "Fallen" though there have been many really amazing new authors to the scene this year! I hope my list will grow by the time December rolls around. I could do a post at the end of the year showing them all!

I agree, this has really been a great year for YA in general. So, if you could meet any YA author, who would it be and why?

Emma: I would love to meet Tamora Pierce again. It was a true pleasure in getting to meet her and a wonderful experience. Though I am hoping that being a published author might mean I get to meet more authors in my genre! I just love meeting new people!

Do you have any book crushes? Who?

Emma: Nope. Just my real life one on my fiance :-)

How about any stupid human tricks?

Emma: I can do a backflip out of my desk chair and make it look like it was intentional! Sometimes...

WOW! I could not do anything like that without major injuries. Finally, the most important question, what would you want your Patronus to be? :-)

Emma: Hope! My little Chihuahua :-) No, just kidding. Probably an owl or maybe a fox. I don't know... now I almost wish I could do it just to find out! (Just imagine my little chihuahua going after dementors... priceless.)

I'm with you on the owl..I love them! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Emma: Yes, I would like to thank everyone who has been so supportive throughout the process of getting published. I also want to thank everyone who has been buying the book and sending me messages! Thank you so much for your wonderful comments and support! It means so much to me!!!!

Thank you again Emma for stopping by!

Also, if you purchase The Thirteenth Chime, you can send an e-mail to Emma@EmmaMichaels.com with a copy of your receipt and mailing address and she will send you some swag as a thank you!

For more information on Emma and The Thirteenth Chime you can visit her blog, website, or follow her on Twitter.

Forget You - Jennifer Echols

2010-08-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

I have been wanting to read Forget You by Jennifer Echols since I first found out about it, so when I saw an opening on an ARC tour, I added my name immediately.

Forget perfect, seventeen year old Zoey is just trying to keep things together. Her dad knocked up his 24 year-old employee/girlfriend and her mom tried to commit suicide. After being forced to stay with her dad, Zoey takes off to the end of the summer beach bash with her co-workers. While there, she decides to hook up with her friend, and playboy, Brandon.

A few days later Zoey is in an accident and only remembers being pulled out of the car by none-other than Doug, the boy who hates her. The next morning Doug shows up at her house and can't seem to keep his hands off her and leaves Zoey wondering what exactly happened the night of the accident.

Suddenly Doug is showing up everywhere and is actually being friendly towards her. Not wanting to admit she can't remember anything about the night of the accident, Zoey starts fishing for information from friends that could help her piece the night together but isn't having much luck. For a girl who likes to maintain a well organized exterior, she's certainly losing control of the things around her.

Wow, was this book good and if you like your books with steamy scenes, I think this one's for you. The sexual tension in this book just kind of leapt off the page.

The chemistry between Zoey and Doug was very palpable and it was nice reading about a love interest who came from a different heritage than just being all-American. I really liked Zoey and Doug together, part of the reason being that they seemed to understand each other so well.

I really enjoyed reading this book but there were some parts that made me want to knock Zoey upside the head. Which is what I'd do to my best friend if she acted that way. I mean, you think you and a boy are together after you park with him and you know he's a playboy? Without even asking him? Come on. I do see what might make her keep saying "I'm with Brandon," though. Zoey's mother brought her up thinking that you shouldn't let people see you fall apart and what's more put together than being smart, captain of the swim team, and dating a hot football player?

The one thing I absolutely hated about this book was the dad. I thought the dad in Hate List was bad but he seemed like a saint compared to Zoey's dad. Who in the world tells their daughter that if she can't remember he'll lock her up in the looney bin? Echols did a fantastic job at making him a jerk because I read this book almost two weeks ago and I STILL hate him.

I couldn't put this book down and after reading it, I really want my own copy. Bonus? Jennifer Echols lives in Birmingham so I'll be supporting a local author! I love doing that.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

2010-08-11T13:06:00.001-05:00

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

Released December 28, 2010

For some reason I kept putting off reading The Dark Divine and I wish I hadn't. I loved the story and the characters and I'm really looking forward to seeing where the story goes. I was one of those people who was anxiously awaiting the cover reveal for book two, The Lost Saint, and I absolutely love it. I love the emphasis of a specific color because to me it just makes it stand out so much more. I'm also still on the hunt for a purple nail polish that resembles TDD.

From Goodreads:

A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot—a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel is put in danger—in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her—not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Also, check out the official book trailer for The Dark Divine.

Have you read The Dark Divine? What do you think is going to happen in The Lost Saint?

Waiting on Wednesday - The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

2010-08-04T00:00:00.002-05:00

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

Released October 12, 2010

You guys! When I found out about this a week or two ago I literally made an "eeeeee!!" sound. How could I not have known about this before? I'm so excited for this next Camp Half-Blood installment. I was so bummed when I finished reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series because I loved it so much. I can't wait to see what's going on with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover (even if they only end up being secondary characters).

Also, check out CampHalfBlood.com (password newhero) for an excerpt of the new book. What do you think?

From Goodreads:

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently she’s his girlfriend Piper, his best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids.” What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea—except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (20)

2010-08-01T09:45:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

The Decatur Book Festival is just over a month away and I'm slowly making progress on the books I'm getting to prepare for signings. I'm trying to be good when it comes to buying non-festival related books and it's working so far. It's very hard but I AM refraining..lol

For the festival, I got

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan

For review from We Love YA Tours, I got

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

From my online writer's group (Shana was kind enough to send her ARC on tour), I got
Matched by Ally Condie

From the library, I got

Insatiable by Meg Cabot. I was unable to finish reading the ARC I received before having to send it out. Luckily it's out and I was able to get a copy so I could finish reading it.

So now that I've shared what I got, I have a question for you.

One of the books I want to get for the festival is Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Now, I've found it online for a good price but I have a dilemma. Do I get the paperback copy with the cover I love (the purple one with the earbuds in the shape of a heart) or do I get a first edition hardback? Help!

Waiting on Wednesday - The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels

2010-07-28T10:50:00.001-05:00

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

Released August 13, 2010

I actually didn't know about this book until recently when the author found my blog and told me about it. I kind of love the cover (if you know me, you know I have this thing with eyes and covers like this are hit or miss), and I think the premise sounds pretty good. Even if I wasn't intrigued, I think I'd still want to read it because Emma is blogger getting her first book published and I want to support her. She was kind enough to offer to do an interview for my blog, so look for that coming soon. I also like that how the number thirteen is in the title of her book and also her release day.

From Goodreads:

No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.

Hatred never dies.

What do you think about this book?

Poll

2010-07-26T14:29:00.000-05:00

I'm wanting to do another giveaway soon and since I'm going to Kathryn Erskine's signing and the Decatur Book Festival, I have a chance to get a lot of fabulous books signed.

The only issue I have is since I'm having to buy quite a few books for myself, my husband won't be too thrilled if I buy a lot of multiples to giveaway. So here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to let you vote on an author who'd you most like to win a signed book from. I will then pick a book to have signed by the winning author to giveaway. If I'm able, I may try to make it the top two authors.

Voting will start today and end on Thursday. The contest will end at least five days prior to the festival so I can get the signed copy personalized. However, if Kathryn Erskine is the winning author, the contest will be much shorter as her event is in two weeks.

Hate List - Jennifer Brown

2010-07-26T14:16:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I won Jennifer Brown's Hate List from Jessica's blog and I'm glad I did.

Not many books have rendered me speechless when I've finished reading them, but this one did. I feel weird saying this was a good book, but it was in that it made you think and feel. Reading this made me think of past school shootings; especially Columbine and Virginia Tech and it gave you a peek into what the people in these, and other, communities must have felt when this happened to them.

Valerie and Nick are considered losers in school and when Valerie shares her Hate List with Nick, they bond and start dating. The Hate List is comprised of people (family, teachers, classmates, celebrities, etc) and things they hate. One day towards the end of their Junior year, everything changes. Nick comes to school and starts shooting those people on the Hate List. When Valerie tries to stop Nick, she's shot right before he turns the gun on himself.

Valerie then must deal with the aftermath and come to terms about her role in the shooting. Valerie must also deal with all the ripple effects the shooting caused. Her parents are arguing more, her dad seems to hate her, her mom is constantly worried about the possibility of her committing suicide, she's been suspected as Nick's accomplice, she's about to return to a school where most everyone hates her (including her friends), and she must face the everyday reminder of what happened.

Everything in Valerie's world has turned upside down and the only people who seem to be on her side are her psychologist and Jessica, a girl who was listed on the Hate List.

If she had seen that Nick was serious instead of joking about killing, would she have been able to stop it? Is she strong enough to get through her Senior year when everyone blames her for what happened? Have the students at Garvin High really changed?

I cried towards the end of this book. Not just because of the subject matter and all the bad that had happened, but because when Valerie and Jessica are talking to all the victims and/or their families, there was a sense of relief and hope for Valerie. After everything that had happened, she was able to see who she really was. I think part of the reason she had so much guilt was because before the shooting, she defined herself by needing and loving Nick. Afterwards, she was able to see that it wasn't her and that she played up the hate because of who Nick was.

If you get a chance to read this book, do so. It's a serious subject matter but it does make you think about what could happen if you treat the wrong person the wrong way and how when you're close to someone, you may not see what's really there.

In My Mailbox (19)

2010-07-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I absolutely LOVE the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and I'm over the moon about meeting her in September and getting all my books by her signed. In anticipation of the Decatur Book Festival, I'm trying to get all the books in hardback. It took a little bit of planning to get the husband to agree to this (as I already had the MMP's and TPB's versions) but once I told him I would put my MMP's on PaperbackSwap, he agreed to let me get the hardbacks.

Look for a poll tomorrow regarding my next giveaway. Since I have a lot of books to buy that I'm wanting signed for the festival, I'm only going to be able to afford one, maybe two books for a giveaway so I'm going to let you guys vote on which books you'd most like to win.

Have you read Outlander yet?

In My Mailbox (18)

2010-07-17T21:52:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I think this is the first week since I've been doing IMM that I haven't actually purchased a book.

I received an ARC of Meg Cabot's Insatiable courtesy of Around the World Tours. I completely forgot I had signed up for this tour so it was a nice surprise to see it appear in my mailbox.

My participation in Jessica's discussion of The Tension of Opposites helped me to win a copy of Hate List by Jennifer Brown. This book will be July's discussion on her blog and I can't wait to start reading it.

Lastly, I checked out Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on audiobook from my library. With our upcoming trip to Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the movie coming out in a few months, I really wanted my husband to experience the final book. I love reliving it and getting to hear what he thinks (so far, so good).

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

The Dark Divine Book Trailer

2010-07-14T21:12:00.005-05:00

I loved Bree Despain's The Dark Divine and now you can watch the trailer for it. If you haven't read it yet, will watching this make you more likely to? What do you think about book trailers?

Also, watching this video will help someone win more books in Bree's blog contest. Interested in entering? Head to her blog by clicking here.

In My Mailbox (17)

2010-07-12T16:06:00.002-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This week I decided to do a vlog for IMM. You'll have to excuse me though, I had a terrible headache and wasn't feeling well when I made this.

A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friendm - Emily Horner

2010-07-08T19:56:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Around the World Tours, I was able to get on an ARC tour for Emily Horner's A Love Story: Starring my Dead Best Friend.

Cass's best friend Julia was killed in a car accident. In her honor, Cass and some of Julia's drama friends are putting on the musical she had been working on for months titled Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad. However, Cass feels that since the only link to the drama kids, Julia, is gone, that she no longer fits in with them. When Cass finds out that Heather, the girl who picked on Cass throughout middle school, has been cast as the Ninja Princess, she can't take it anymore and embarks on the trip from Illinois to California she and Julia had planned.

Cass takes off on her bicycle and with Julia's ashes, she starts her journey. Along the way she encounters new friends and tough situations. In a last ditch attempt, she calls Julia's boyfriend, Ollie, to come pick her up. When Ollie arrives, she finds a few other friends came along and Cass later realizes that they are still heading towards California. Once the mission to take Julia to California is complete, they all return home and continue with making Julia's musical a reality.

This book was told in alternating parts, Then and Now. Sometimes this format is hit or miss with me and this was one of those instances where I wish it had just started with the Then's and continued into the Now's. I liked this book well enough and I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when I signed up for the tour, but I'm glad I read it.

I liked being able to figure out with Cass that she was a lesbian. It was something she struggled with without even knowing it herself. I hate that she was made fun of for it but Heather's picking on her made so much sense later because she acted just like a little kid would in elementary school. I also liked how the relationship between Cass and Heather blossomed. It wasn't easy for Cass to forgive and forget about the past but she made an honest attempt and in the end it all worked out.

I did have a problem with Cass's parents though. What parents don't let their teenager drive or wear makeup but they'll let them ride a bicycle from Illinois to California by themselves? This was just a part I couldn't get over.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

This was book #7 in the 2010 Debut Authors Challenge

Waiting on Wednesday - Forget You by Jennifer Echols

2010-06-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

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

Released July 20, 2010

I'm really looking forward to this book. I'm on an ARC tour for it and I cannot wait until it's my turn because before I even finished reading the description, I knew it was something that could be really good.

From Goodreads:
There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. With her life about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people—suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

Virgin Territory - James Lecesne

2010-06-29T07:00:00.037-05:00

Dylan is living in his own personal hell. His mom died when he was little, his dad moved him from Manhattan to Jupiter, Florida, his grandmother has Alzheimer's and is constantly leaving the Assisted Living Facility she lives in, and to top it all off his dad has taken away his internet access and forces him to get a job.

Dylan finds work at a local golf course and when a woman claims to see the Virgin Mary's image in the bark of a tree on the course, people start coming out hoping for miracles. Soon Dylan befriends Angela, Des, and Crispy, all members of the Virgin Club (dubbed that because they travel around with their mom's to see the Blessed Virgin Mary) and eventually the course closes down due to the sheer number of people flocking to the tree. Dylan falls for Angela despite Crispy's warning and he thinks things are going well with her, but soon finds out he's just her flavor of the week.

I didn't really care for this book. It was a little slow and I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I didn't really care what happened to Dylan. I liked Des and Dylan's grandmother enough but that was about it. I did feel bad for Dylan when he found out that his dad lied to him about what happened to all their pictures of his mother, but that was it.

I really did not like Angela at all and I hated that she took advantage of Dylan's grandmother. The writing itself wasn't bad but I just don't think the content was for me.

If I Stay - Gayle Forman

2010-06-28T16:23:00.001-05:00

Mia has a good life. Cool and caring parents, a little brother she loves, a sweet boyfriend who shares her love of music, the best friend a girl could ask for, and a promising future at Julliard. Mia's only problem is she always feels on the outside of everything. Her parents, little brother, and her boyfriend, Adam, are all rock musicians while she is an amazing cellist. Not only does her choice in music seem to separate her from her family, but she's also the dark haired one in a sea of blonde.

Then one day a surprise day off from work and school leads Mia and her family to spend the day together, but one moment changes it all when there is a terrible accident. Mia is soon on the outside of things once again when she finds herself in a type of limbo while staring down at her seriously injured body.

With her parents dead and her little brother unaccounted for, Mia stays with her body and ends up in the Intensive Care Unit and is eventually surrounded by family and friends. After hearing a nurse's comment to her grandparents, Mia realizes she must make the ultimate decision; to let death win or fight to stay alive. Should she stop fighting for her life and just give in so she can be with her parents and now her brother again, or is there still a life worth living with Adam and the rest of her family?

I'm really glad I didn't know too much about If I Stay before I started reading it. Why? I'm known to want to read sad books but put them off because I know they'll make me cry. Good thing I didn't do that with this book because there were three specific parts that had the tears flowing.

This was a fantastic book and beautifully written. The subject matter is pretty depressing, as death usually is, but beyond that there's Mia reminiscence of her parents and brother. You get to see how happy they were as a family and how involved they were with each others lives. I also couldn't help but wonder how many people who are broken, just like Mia, are waiting for that one person to tell them that it's okay for them to let go. Sometimes people can be so selfish when it comes to their loved ones that, unlike her gramps, just refuse to give the person the option of letting go. I don't know what it's like to be in a coma or at death's door, but I would imagine that just knowing that it's okay to stop fighting is a relief to the person, like it was for Mia.

I will definitely be recommending this book to others. I just hope that they will appreciate it as much as I did. I also hope that when the movie for If I Stay is made, that the book is done justice. I want to see how it's translated to film because it could be a beautiful, heart-wrenching, movie but I know no matter what, the movie will never compare to the original work.

Thank you Robin for getting this book for me!

In My Mailbox (16)

2010-06-26T17:00:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I was feeling kind of crappy earlier this week so for a little pick me up, I took a trip to the bookstore. I ended up buying three books that were part of the buy two, get one free deal and I'm kind of excited about them. I might go back tomorrow when their big sale is to get another three books that I have since decided I need in my life. Look for those next week.

When I saw 13 Little Blue Envelopes on that shelf, I knew it was fate that I had to buy it. Why you ask? On the way to the store I told myself that the first book I saw that I have been wanting to get for a while was going to be the book I bought. I have been wanting to read this book from Maureen Johnson for some time and the world told me it was time.

Next up was Wake by Lisa McMann. I saw this on someone's blog and it sounded like something I might like, plus this is another one where I like the cover.

I also got Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott. I was contemplating getting The Unwritten Rule but when I picked this one instead since it went along with the deal.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think? What did you get this past week?

Happy Reading!

The Dark Divine - Bree Despain

2010-06-25T21:14:00.002-05:00

So I read Bree Despain's The Dark Divine back in May and for some reason it totally escaped being blogged about. Shame on me because I LOVED this book.

Grace Divine is a pastor's daughter and lives her life following the rules and making sure she does things portray her and her family in a good light. When an old friend, Daniel, returns to town Grace is warned by her brother, Jude, to stay away from him. Grace struggles with the request because not only does Daniel seem to need help, but she wants to find out what happened that night Daniel left and Jude came home all bloody. Will Grace find the answers she's looking for? Will her brother forgive her for doing the right thing when she helps someone that is in desperate need of it?

I have had this book sitting on my bookshelf almost since it was released. I have no idea why it took my so long to read it, but I wish it hadn't because I loved this book. Grace was a very determined character and I liked being in her head. She wasn't whiney and she was always trying to do the right thing, but a lot of the time it did seem as if the right thing for her went against what everyone else was telling her.

Daniel was kind of a jerk at first but the more you got to know him, the more you realized it was more of a defense mechanism. As for Jude, I kind of disliked him from the get-go. I don't know what it was, but the whole prodigal son thing didn't work for me and I felt justified in my dislike of him by the end. I think it was just because he seemed too good at the beginning.

I also loved this cover. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but that is the initial reason I bought this book. It jumped out to me in the bookstore and the shade of purple is just pretty. Kudos to the person who picked this as the cover.

If you haven't read The Dark Divine yet, I urge you to add this book to your TBR pile.

This was book #6 in the 2010 Debut Author's Challenge.

Waiting on Wednesday - Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

2010-06-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

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

Released October 18, 2010

I've seen Hunger mentioned quite a bit around the blogosphere and finally decided to read what it was about and wow. I really want to read this now. I think it's a really cool concept and I like the idea of an anorexic girl being the horseman for famine.

From Goodreads:
“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

What do you think of Hunger?

In My Mailbox (15)

2010-06-20T07:00:00.011-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

Thanks to Robin, I got a copy of Gayle Forman's If I Stay. I have been wanting to read this for a while, and as part of my exchange gift she got me this and I can't wait to start reading it.

For review, I got Virgin Territory by James Lecesne. I thought this might be slightly different from what I've been reading lately so we'll see how it goes.I haven't heard anything about this at all so I hope it won't disappoint.

Happy reading!

The Tension of Opposites - Kristina McBride

2010-06-14T18:43:00.002-05:00

Confession time. I read The Tension of Opposites over 2 weeks ago and I had written out my review on paper while I was killing time at work (shh) and I completely forgot that putting something on paper doesn't mean that it will magically appear on my blog. My bad. So although later than I planned, here we go..

Tessa has distanced herself from everybody after her best friend Noelle was kidnapped two years earlier. Then the unimaginable happens and Cooper, Noelle's brother, tells Tessa that Noelle is safe and she's coming home. Tessa can't wait to have her best friend back but Noelle's family forbids Tessa to see her. Cooper then tells Tessa that Noelle, now Elle, is different and their family doesn't want to upset her. In the meantime, Tessa meets the new photography student, Max, and he has taken an interest in her. At first, she tries to fight it because Elle needs her but she finds her thoughts drifting to Max. Will Tessa and Elle be best friends again like they used to be? Can Tessa stop focusing so much on Elle or will she risk losing Max?

A few weeks ago I mentioned all the issues I had finding this book. Was it worth it? Yes and no.

I liked that this book was about the aftermath of something so horrible such as a kidnapping. Most of time, something like this gets pushed aside and forgotten with the details glossed over and you never really know what goes on once the person comes home. The Tension of Opposites gives you a little insight to why the victim might do or feel the things they do. I liked that it had a happy ending with Noelle coming home alive but I also liked getting to see a bit of her inner conflict. How could someone not change after having something so terrible happen to them?

This leads me to what I didn't like. Tessa just seemed so bent on getting her best friend back and getting back what ;life was like before the kidnapping that it felt like she wasn't very concerned with what Elle was dealing with mentally and emotionally.

I do wish that this book would have been from Elle's perspective because I think that would have made it so much better. Elle just seemed to have more of a presence of character than Tessa did and I found myself getting annoyed with Tessa.

I do recommend reading it at least once though, if not for any other reason than this: Kristina seems like such a sweetheart that I really struggled with wanting to like this book more than not. I will be reading more stuff from her in the future for the simple fact that, even though I've just shared a few tweets with her, I like her as a person.

Also, if you read this book you can join in on Jessica's first ever blog book discussion on Monday, June 28th and Tuesday, June 29th where participants can talk about The Tension of Opposites with the possibility of Kristina herself showing up for the discussion.

This was book #5 in the 2010 Debut Author's Challenge

In My Mailbox (14)

2010-06-13T10:08:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

Last week was pretty hectic and it was late Monday night when I realized that I never posted my IMM entry and since it was just two books I figured I would just wait and post them this week. Starting there, I joined an ARC tour Julie was hosting of Juliet by Anne Fortier and when I met her in Atlanta for the Backstreet Boys concert (yes, you heard me and it was SO much fun) she brought it to me and I started reading it the next day. So far I am REALLY liking it..much more than I thought I would.

I also got Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway. After hearing how awesome Robin is (yes, it was from Jessica) I had to get this book when I saw it on sale. Plus, I've heard good things about this book from various people so it was just a matter of time before I got it. I have been itching to read Teri Hall's The Line for quite some time, so I finally had a chance to run out and get it and I plan on it being the next book I read after I finish Juliet. It has been a while since I've read a dystopian book and I'm really excited about this. Plus, I LOVE the cover.

When I bought The Line, I had a Books-A-Million $5 off $25 and for some reason I really wanted to use it, so when I went looking around the store for what else I could buy, I found Meg Cabot's Party Princess in the bargain section. I've been wanting to read The Princess Diaries books for a while so I decided a few weeks ago that I would buy them as I saw them in hardback since it's A.)Meg Cabot and B.) I've heard so much good things about these books. I liked the movies enough but the books are always so much better that I can't wait until I find the first book in the series.

What did you get this week? Have you read any of the books that I got? Also, not IMM-related but how do you like the new look to my blog? I just changed it last night using blogger's new design stuff so I'm really excited that I finally have something book-ish.

Happy Reading!

Tangled - Carolyn Mackler

2010-06-07T16:24:00.000-05:00

Tangled is about four teenagers, Jena, Skye, Dakota, and Owen, who are whisked away to Paradise for a vacation with their parents. Jena and Skye's mothers are best friends which means that Jena and Skye are always thrown together. Skye is an aspiring actress and is very intimidating to Jena, which causes Jena to feel insecure and babble a lot. On the other hand, Dakota and Owen are brothers and their mom decided that a vacation was a good idea to get Dakota's mind off things back home. Jena and Dakota meet one night and from then on, all four teens have a major impact on each other resulting in life changing events.

When Tangled first came out, I wasn't sure what it was going to be about but I knew I had read Mackler's The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Thing and really enjoyed it so I thought I would give this a try. Then when I saw the cover for this book, I just fell in love with it so I went out and bought it. I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf for months now and finally got around to picking it up and I read it pretty quickly.

I liked and disliked this book for one main reason so I guess I'll start with my likes. I really enjoyed how it gave each character a voice and showed the impact each person had on another. I felt like I was able to get to know all four characters better than I might normally have if it had been written from just one person's point of view. I thought it was nice to see what each character was going through and I really thought that each of their voices were unique and really made you remember who you were reading about. I loved that they were all intertwined with each other and each had their own problems and you got to see what got them to that point.

That said, even though I loved being able to get to know each character first hand, I wish that I would have been able to get more one on one time with each of them. I think my favorite character was Owen and I really would have liked to get an expansion of how his character grew. I saw a lot of possibility with him but his ending seemed kind of abrupt. Everyone else got a mention in Owen's ending about where they were, what and how they were doing but Owen's story just ended. I also kind of wish we would have gotten another section with them all having come back together in the same place to see just what kind of impact they had on each other..especially with Jena and Dakota.

I also felt that Skye's story fell a bit flat. I wasn't as invested in her as a character as I was with everyone else and couldn't wait to get through her portion of the book. I do think it's a shame though because her pain could have really wrenched your heart and make you feel for her.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan

2010-06-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was co-written by two fabulous authors, John Green and David Levithan. The book is about two boys named Will Grayson who randomly meet each other in Chicago. Honestly, any description I give beyond this just doesn't seem like it would do the book justice.

I had never read a book that was co-authored before so I was pretty excited to do so. After seeing a bunch of talk about this from some of my online book girls, I added it to my TBR list and months later I got my hands on it.

I feel as if something is wrong with me though. As much as I liked this book and yes, I would read it again, I didn't love it as much as everyone else seems to. Maybe it was a classic case of too much hype and anticipation that built it up far beyond what it should have been. I'm not sure. There were certainly things that I did love about this book though, I loved the one liners and the sentiment behind what drove each Will Grayson. I also really liked that this book was nothing like I thought it was going to be.

I did like how each Will Grayson was different than the other but that they were also pretty similar in that they thought they wanted to be alone or didn't feel like it would be wise for them to open up to anyone and then each one finding a person that challenges them and shows them that it's ok to be open.

My favorite character in this book had to have been Tiny Cooper. He was one of the most realistic best friends that I have read about. He's there to back you up, call you on stuff, but also gets so wrapped up in himself that it seems like you've been forgotten. I really do appreciate you Tiny Cooper.

Guest Blogger for Hex Hall

2010-06-03T00:00:00.033-05:00

Any giveaway I do, I ask the winner if they would be interested in doing a guest blog about the book they won because I want to know what that person thought about it. My first ever guest blogger is Ashley who was the winner of a signed copy of Hex Hall and here's what she had to say:

I will admit that I didn’t have a great deal of interest in Hex Hall when I first heard about it and didn’t give it much thought. But then the girls in my online book club started raving about how great it was and how we all just had to read it, so I finally added it to my TBR list. I was then lucky enough to win the signed copy Crystal was giving away and I’m so glad I did.

What a fun read! You know those books that just seem to grab you and take you right along on the adventure with the characters? Like… Harry Potter or even Hunger Games? Hex Hall is right up there with them, yet lighter and infused with a little more humor which makes it really enjoyable.

Every character felt real to me. Beyond the magical powers part, I could see each of them, from Sophie, to Jenna, to Elodie, being students in my high school. I admire an author that can do that because likable and/or real characters are hard to write; especially an entire novel worth of them. Archer was the perfect mystery, I loved to hate Elodie, Jenna was a fantastic best friend (which is saying a lot because I normally hate the best friend) and Sophie… well she just seemed so normal. I really liked her and could easily identify with her.

The setting and writing were perfect on their own as well. I’d love to meet Rachel Hawkins in person because I’m sure she’s absolutely hilarious. The book is full of witty dialogue that had me hooked. Here’s one of my favorite examples (that doesn’t give anything away):

"Good luck explaining to God that you used to spank one of his heavenly beings." Mom gave a startled laugh. "Sophie!" "What? You did. I hope you like hot weather, Mom, that's all I'm saying."

I think the best elements to this story were the major twists the plot took. So many recent books are so predictable that by half way through you’ve pretty much figured out what’s going to happen. This story had a conclusion that I never imagined and the unexpected twists and turns were great. It was a fresh story that in no way felt like the same old thing.

Here are my only two complaints:
-it was over far too soon
-I have to wait much too long for the sequel.

I’m very much looking forward to the next installment and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun adventure read. A great debut for Hawkins!

Thanks again Crystal!

Thanks Ashley! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and reading this just made me want to re-read Hex Hall already!

Waiting on Wednesday - Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2010-06-02T08:31:00.001-05:00

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

Released August 31, 2010

I really have nothing to say about why I want to read this book. The description provided by Goodreads is grabbing and makes me hate that I have to wait until the end of August to read this book.

From Goodreads:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

What was your WoW pick?

Princess for Hire Giveaway

2010-06-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

The giveaway for a signed copy of Princess for Hire has officially ended and a winner has been picked.

Thanks to everyone who entered and I truly wish I had enough books to give to all of you, alas, there could only be one winner and with the help of Random.org, the winner is

Emily Joy

Congratulations Emily! I hope you enjoy the book and I will be mailing it in the next day or so.

In My Mailbox (13)

2010-05-30T11:40:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This was quite the eventful week for acquiring books. Last weekend my husband and I went to Tennessee as an anniversary getaway and to visit Julie. We had a blast and while we were there Julie took me to this awesome used bookstore. I made a mental note before we went in that I was only going to buy books from the bargain section and so I came out of there with The Secret Life of Bees, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

As soon as I saw Fried Green Tomatoes I knew I had to get it because my book club mentioned reading that and having our discussion at The Irondale Cafe (The Origninal Whistle Stop), because how can you not live in the same city as the famous cafe and not discuss the book there?

Julie also let me borrow her copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris since that's my book club's June pick. Thanks Julie!

Lastly, I FINALLY was able to get Kristina McBride's debut book, The Tension of Opposites. On our way home from Tennessee, I asked my husband if we could stop at Books-A-Million to see if they had it on the shelf early..they did not. That wasn't a big deal and was to be expected but I went back on Tuesday and when I couldn't find it, I asked about it. Turns out neither the title or the author's name were even listed in the computer!

I decided that Thursday was going to be spent calling various bookstores in the area until I found a copy because, yes, I was THAT excited to read this book. Luckily my second call proved successful and although they didn't have it in the store, Little Professor said they could get it for me by the next afternoon. Thanks to Little Professor, I can spend part of my Memorial Day reading Kristina's book.

What books did you receive this past week? Have you read any of the ones I got?

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the last day to enter to win a signed copy of Lindsey Leavitt's Princess for Hire.

Happy Reading/Memorial Day!

In My Mailbox (12)

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

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This past week was another where I didn't get much. The reason being is I'm trying to avoid buying a lot until I can get a good bit of my TBR list of books I already own knocked out.

This week I bought another copy of Princess for Hire since I went Lindsey Leavitt's signing. Since I already owned my own signed copy, I'll be giving this away. If you're interested in entering to win it, click here.

Before the signing started, I got to spend about 10-15 minutes chatting with Lindsey and during our conversation she said I needed to read Sherman Alexie's book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian so I told her if they had it in stock I'd buy it and next thing I know the bookstore worker ran off and found it for me.

So that's all I got my hands on this week, what did you get?

Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris

2010-05-22T11:59:00.001-05:00

Dead in the Family is the tenth book in Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse series and I really don't know where to start with this.

Basically, this book is post Fae War and Sookie is hoping things kind of die down (no pun intended) but that goes out the window when 1. her Fairy cousin Claude requests to live with her, 2. Eric's maker and uncontrollable vampire brother come for a visit, 3. Bill is sick with silver poisoning, 4. the Weres are facing registration by the government to keep up with them, and 5. Sookie has been informed by some Weres that there is a strange Fairy smell in her woods that is not her cousin Claude.

Although the above summary kind of makes it seem like a lot happens, to me it seemed like nothing happened. This book was just OK and I was kind of disappointed in it since I've been waiting to read this since last May.

Someone from my online book club said it best and I have to agree that either Charlaine is running out of steam with these books or this was just one of those books that is there solely to set up the next one.

I've been a fan of Eric from the beginning and I hated how weak he was in this book and I also am not too fond of the Fae storyline. I really hope she shifts away from that in future books and goes back to focusing mostly on the Vampires and Weres.

Flashback Friday (7)

2010-05-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Flashback Friday was started by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf and is a chance to share with others books that you loved as a kid or teenager.

What can I say about Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs? I loved this book because what kid wouldn't like ice cream falling from the sky and a giant pancake closing school? When I first saw that the movie for this was coming out, I looked at my husband and told him we had to see it. You can imagine my shock when his response was "what's it about?" and that led me to find out he'd never read this as a kid. My mission was to find my copy buried in a box at my mom's house and show him what he'd been missing as a child, but alas, I couldn't find it.

We did see the movie and the hubs and I liked it but it wasn't as awesome as I remember the book being. Did you ever read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs when you were a kid?

Cracked Up To Be - Courtney Summers

2010-05-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

Parker Fadley has a secret and her life is no longer perfect. After being put on suicide watch by her parents and school, the former perfect cheerleading captain, distinguished honor roll member, and girlfriend of the most popular boy in school has purposefully distanced herself from all of these things. All Parker wants is to be left alone and not feel anything, but when the new kid, Jake, takes an interest in her and starts asking questions, she finds herself feeling again. Does Parker really want to be left alone or is it just her bit?

After reading Some Girls Are a few weeks ago by Courtney Summers, I just had to read Cracked Up To Be. I liked this book but not to the degree that I liked Some Girls Are. I'm glad I read it though and I liked how Courtney shared Parker's secret. She didn't come outright and say what happened and you find out bits of the story all the way through the book. The more of the story I got I decided it had to be one of two things and one of my theory's ended up being right.

I found Jake somewhat annoying at parts because he just kept pushing Parker to answer questions and a lot of the time her character just seemed forced. Part of me can't help but think that maybe that was how she was supposed to be though because of the accidental suicide and just wanting someone to take the extra effort to get behind what changed her.

Overall, I didn't love this book as much as I hoped I would but I really did like it and am glad I read it. If you haven't read it, you should at least do so once because it's definitely worth that.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June by Robin Benway

2010-05-19T11:11:00.000-05:00

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

Released August 3, 2010

Just from reading the description of this book, I already think I'm going to like it. Plus, after watching Jessica talk about Robin Benway in her vlog maked me want to read something by her, so I set out to see if she had anything coming out this year and found this book. I really like that it's about sisters who are close and their interaction. A lot of time when you deal with siblings in a book, one is always a background character so I'm really excited about this book now.

From Goodreads:

Three sisters, three extraordinary, life-changing powers!

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

Princess for Hire Giveaway

2010-05-18T23:34:00.005-05:00

After I found out that Lindsey Leavitt was finally able to schedule a book signing in town before she moved across the country, I knew I had to go. Yes, I know I went to her Huntsville signing but she was just so dang likable that when I mentioned on her facebook fan page that I kind of wanted to go, she said I should and how could I say no?

I was able to drag my mom and my mother-in-law along with me and when my mom asked if I had a book I told her I did but that I had already gotten it signed. Of course, you can't go to a book signing without getting a book signed, right? Right. So what was a girl to do..oh wait, yup, buy another copy to give away!

So I bring you another giveaway for Princess for Hire. All you have to do is fill out the form and wait until I announce the winner on Tuesday, June 1st.

Same rules apply as before: 48 hours to respond to my "winner winner, chicken dinner" e-mail or it will go to the next person, you must be a follower, winner will be picked through random.org, and the giveaway will end Monday, May 31st at 11:59 CST.

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The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

2010-05-18T09:53:00.001-05:00

I have officially finished the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. My library seemed to be taking forever with my hold on The Reckoning, so when I was out last week and saw it at Target, I immediately picked it up and put it in my cart.

After running from the Edison Group and finally making it to their destination, Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are now at a safe house with Andrew, a friend of Derek and Simon's dad, with a group that has been watching the Edison Group's activities.

Now that there's proof that the Edison Group is messing with stuff they shouldn't, plans of taking them down are starting to be made. The only problem is, not everyone believes what the kids are telling them. While at the safe house, Chloe accompanies Derek outside one night to be with him in case he changes, and while they're outside there is an attack by two werewolves and that's when they realize that someone that they're supposed to be trusting is really working against them. Can they find out who it is before it's too late? Will they go along with the plan to go back to Edison House to rescue traitors Rae and Chloe's Aunt Lauren? Or will they try to escape for a third time and rescue them on their own?

I'm so glad I ended up buying this book because even though I'm sad it's over, I'm happy that I got to find out what happened. I am honestly very pleased with what went on in this book and how it ended and I loved that whether Kelley decides to do another series of books, it's an ending that will allow her to go either way.

The Awakening - Kelley Armstrong

2010-05-17T11:59:00.000-05:00

As soon as I put down The Summoning, I picked up The Awakening because I couldn't sleep since I just had to know what happened to Chloe and friends.

The Awakening is book two in Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Power series and it follow Chloe, Simon, Derek, and Tori as they're on the run from the Edison Group. The Edison Group wants them because they were a part of genetic experiment and they want to either rehabilitate or exterminate those whose powers cannot be controlled. While running from the group, they're also trying to seek out help from Simon and Derek's dad, Kit. Will they be able to find him before the Edison Group finds them? What will happen to them if they're captured? What will happen to Chloe if she can't stop raising the dead accidentally?

I think a big part of why I enjoyed this book so much is that as many obstacles that Chloe and crew are thrown, it's never an easy out. They have to fight to get away, help protect each other, help each other out even when they don't want to, and learn how to use their powers.

I definitely saw a lot of growth in each character and I really liked that it didn't turn into a love story. Chloe's relationship with Simon was starting to blossom but she was realistic about the situation and saw that it wasn't exactly the prime time to carry on while on the run.

I've already finished reading The Reckoning, so look for that to come tomorrow.

In My Mailbox (11)

2010-05-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This week I only bought one book but I'm perfectly fine with that because it was the third, and final, book in Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, The Reckoning.

I've already finished reading it so look for a review of The Awakening and The Reckoning coming later this week.

What books made it to you this past week?

Linger Trailer by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-05-16T10:01:00.001-05:00

A little over a week ago, Maggie Stiefvater shared with the world a stop motion trailer for her upcoming release, Linger. If there was any doubt that Maggie is a true artist, I think it's safe to say that after watching one of her trailers, that doubt vanishes. The stop motion is amazing in itself, but the music she did for this trailer is just so beautiful.

I loved this trailer so much that as soon as my husband got home from work I told him he just had to watch it and he agreed that it was fantastic.

Most of you know that I am waiting on pins and needles for Linger to make it to bookstore shelves and I'm so excited that the waiting is drawing to a close. So without further ado, I bring you Maggie Stiefvater's trailer for the newest book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. Enjoy!

The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong

2010-05-13T00:41:00.001-05:00

When certain people tell me I should read a book because they know I'll love it, I usually do; especially when that person and I have such similar tastes in books. So when Leah told me I needed to check out Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy, I went home and added it to my library hold list. She was not kidding..I loved them so much I want to buy them now.

Chloe Saunders is finally settling into life. She's at a school she enjoys and her biggest worry is why she hasn't hit puberty. Once she finally does, something weird happens; she starts seeing ghosts. After a freak-out following her first encounter, she is sent to Lyle House for an evaluation. Chloe is determined to make her initial two week stay uneventful and vows to her doctor that all she wants to do is get better.

As her time in Lyle House passes, she notices that all the other kids there are a bit different and not in the crazy way. Her doctor tells her she shows signs of schizophrenia but she doesn't buy it and after a weird conversation with Derek, the big, quiet, creepy guy, she learns that she's really a necromancer. Chloe then stumbles upon the horrifying truth behind Lyle House and she and her friends must get out before it's too late. Can Chloe and the others harness their powers before they're seen as a major threat? What will happen if they're caught?

I really loved the characters in this book and they all seemed to come alive and it played out like a movie in my head; which worked out nicely because that's how Chloe looked at things as. I loved how strong Chloe was because although she was scared most of the time, she forced herself to deal with the issue at hand and just dealt with everything as it came to her.

You have absolutely no idea how hard it is for me not to go to the bookstore and buy the third book in this trilogy. I was so into The Summoning that once I finished, I lay in bed thinking about what was to come next that I couldn't sleep. Yes, I had to get up super early the next morning and it was already after midnight, but that didn't stop me from reading the first three chapters of The Awakening before I felt satisfied enough to quit for the night.

Waiting on Wednesday - Freefall by Mindi Scott

2010-05-12T12:11:00.001-05:00

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

Released October 5, 2010

I haven't heard much about this book but the premise sounds interesting. Maybe I'm just a sucker for for reading about people who are so different from me but now that I know about this book, I'm kind of looking forward to reading it.Plus, I kind of love the cover.

From Goodreads:

How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .

In My Mailbox (10)

2010-05-08T23:14:00.005-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I know I've been lacking in updates the past week but things have been really hectic and I've barely been home. Since I didn't do an IMM entry last week, I'm going to add those in with the books I got this week. I'm warning you, it's a long list.

Last week a local library had a book sale and the money is going towards an expansion so of course I had to go see what they had for sale. I got:

The Green Mile
The Fountainhead
Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales
The Kite Runner
Into the Wild
The Thirteenth Tale

Monday marked a year since my dad passed and I didn't want to be stuck at home so one of the things I decided to do was spend some time at Books A Million and I found a bunch of books I've been wanting on the bargain shelf so I had to get the following..

Bright Lights, Big Ass
Thirteen Reasons Why
Paper Towns
Pants on Fire
Princess on the Brink
Belong to Me

While there, I also bought another copy of Hex Hall for Heather because I was supposed to have done so a few weeks ago to get her a copy signed at the Alabama Book Festival and I'm such a loser that I forgot to do that. Luckily, Rachel is quite awesome (and yes, I know I've said that before but it's true) and she agreed to meet up with me for lunch while I was in her neck of the woods for the day to sign Heather's book. Thank you SO much Rachel!

This past Tuesday, I just HAD to get the new Rick Riordan book, The Red Pyramid since I loved the Percy Jackson series so much. I also was finally able to get the newest book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead in the Family.

I also got my copy of Will Grayson, Will Grayson back from Jessica after she got it signed for me at the LA Times Festival of Books. I can't wait to start reading this!

Wednesday night I went to Jen Lancaster's Birmingham book signing and so I just had to buy the hard cover of Pretty in Plaid and My Fair Lazy, which is her newest book.

The books I borrowed from the library:

The Summoning
The Awakening
Cracked Up To Be

I've already finished reading The Summoning and The Awakening and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book as soon as it comes in.

Kersten Hamilton e-mailed me a few days ago and I also got a galley of her debut novel, Tyger, Tyger. Thanks Kersten and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt!

What do you think of these books? Are there any you really liked or disliked? What did you get this past week?

Flashback Friday (6)

2010-04-30T07:30:00.023-05:00

Flashback Friday was started by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf and is a chance to share with others books that you loved as a kid or teenager.

I thought this week I would pay homage to the first book I really remember reading. Towards the end of my 1st grade year, my teacher, Ms. Esparza, had a parent/teacher conference with my parents and I remember her telling my parents that this book was one of the harder books in the class and I read it no problem. I guess this is proof that my love of reading came at an early age.

So to Ms. Esparza, wherever she may be, thank you for encouraging me to read and for recognizing it and sharing it with my parents.

What's the first book you remember reading?

Drumroll please...

2010-04-29T00:22:00.004-05:00

I was just so excited about finding out who won these awesome books by my favorite Alabama authors that I prepped this entry as much as I could so that all I had to do at 12:00AM is put the names in Random.Org and then post them to my blog.

To make it a little more fun, the fabulous Irene Latham gave me a few extra bookmarks for Leaving Gee's Bend to giveaway so if you said you'd like to win that book, I'll be doing another drawing for the bookmarks. Thanks Irene!

Winner of Hex Hall is

Ashley T.!

Winner of Leaving Gee's Bend is

Lindsey P.!

Winner of Princess for Hire is

Jessica K.!

and the two winners of Leaving Gee's Bend bookmarks are

Christine and Mel B.!

Winners were chosen by Random.Org using the List Randomizer and the Number generator.

To the winners, you will have 48 hours from the timestamp on the email I send you to reply with your mailing address. Failure to do so will result in forfeit of your prize and I will pick another winner.

Thanks to everyone who entered, I really wish I had enough books for everyone but sadly I don't..but please check back soon for another giveaway.

Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday - The Duff by Kody Keplinger

2010-04-28T07:30:00.006-05:00

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

Released September 7, 2010

Part of the reason I want to read this book is just for the title alone. The DUFF is the Designated Ugly Fat Friend and I cannot tell you how many times I was always that girl. It seems like it could be a fun read and falling for the person you hate is always fun especially when there's lots of tension and chemistry.

From Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Some Girls Are - Courtney Summers

2010-04-27T00:19:00.001-05:00

After hearing many good things about Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, I made this my first "I just got a new library card and am going to use it" book.

Regina is part of the Fearsome Fivesome and the social standing in Hallowell High cannot get any better. After nasty rumors start circulating, Regina finds herself frozen out of her group and everyone hates her and wants revenge. She then finds herself in a complicated relationship with Michael Hayden, one of the many people she tormented on behalf of her ex-best friend, Anna. Will Regina have the strength and courage to stand up to the people now making her life a living hell or will she roll over and take what she thinks she deserves for being one of the mean girls?

This book was INCREDIBLE and I must add this to my collection. I loved the characters because they seemed to really pop off the page and it showed just how cruel high school kids can really be. Even though Regina was originally as bad as the rest, there were parts that unexpectedly made my eyes sting and I felt a lump rising in my throat because I just felt SO bad for her and I just wanted to hug her.

The only down side to this book was I think it could have been a little bit longer. There was all this stuff going on toward the end and then all of a sudden it's done and over and the ending just seemed easy.

I'm really looking forward to reading more books by Courtney Summers so please excuse me while I go add Cracked Up To Be to my library holds list..

Contest

2010-04-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to remind all of you that the contest to win signed copies of Hex Hall, Princess for Hire, and Leaving Gee's Bend ends this Wednesday at 11:59 PM so make sure to get your entries in!

I decided to spread the love so there will be one winner per title. Please check back Thursday to see if you've won and please remember that you must respond to my "you've won" e-mail within 48 hours from the timestamp to claim your prize.

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (9)

2010-04-25T01:33:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This week I bought Jim Beaver's Life's That Way: A Memoir. If you don't know who Jim Beaver is, he currently plays Bobby Singer on my favorite TV show Supernatural.

I've been wanting to read this book since I first heard of it but have avoided it due to the subject matter. This book is actually a compilation of e-mails that Jim wrote after finding out his daughter was autistic and that his wife, Cecily, had stage-four lung cancer.

I know this book is going to make me cry like a baby but I cannot seem to stop thinking about this book.

What is your favorite memoir?

In My Mailbox (8) and Alabama Book Festival

2010-04-18T16:18:00.002-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This weekend was the Alabama Book Festival and I had the pleasure of spending the day with some of my friends from my online book club and getting some fantastic books signed.

First up was Hex Hall. I'm starting to think I should be the official Hex Hall pimp or something because it feels like this book has been mentioned so much on my blog. The copy I bought this weekend was for my Super-Awesome-Alabama-Authors-Rock giveaway. I love what she wrote in it and I know you will too. By the way, if you have a chance to hear Rachel speak, go do it. She is freakin' HILARIOUS and her personality ended up selling a few extra copies of her books to my book nerd friends.

I also bought another copy of Irene Latham's book Leaving Gee's Bend for the giveaway. She was a great speaker and all I wanted to do was give her a hug because she seemed really nervous. When I was in line to get my books signed she said "I recognize you" so thanks Twitter :-D

The last book I bought at the festival was a copy of Daniel Wallace's Big Fish. Now I've seen the movie but haven't had a chance to read this book yet (even though it's been on my TBR list for years) but after hearing him speak, I want to start reading it ASAP. He also read us a story about his shittiest job ever as a Vet Tech. I was totally going to tell him at the signing that I had been thinking about being a Vet Tech but by this time I was starting to feel a little light headed and really wanted something to eat.

The next two books I acquired from Julie's bag of duplicate books. I've head a lot of things about The Historian and have kind of been wanting to read it so I now have a chance. I also snagged Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. I can't wait to read this especially because I'll be going to her book signing in two weeks and I'm really excited.

Looking back, I really should've gone back and got that Book Slut t-shirt they had for sale at the festival.

I picked up John Green's An Abundance of Katherines at the library. Since Will Grayson, Will Grayson is on its way to California to get signed, I figured I could ease the want to read it by reading something else by John Green. I'm giddy to start reading this. This was a nice surprise because I didn't know it had come in because I originally went to the library to pick up Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. I have heard such fantastic things about this book so here's to hoping I'll be jumping on the Some Girls Are bandwagon!

What books did you get this past week?

Do you have an opinion on any of the books I got?

Flashback Friday (5)

2010-04-16T07:30:00.022-05:00

Flashback Friday was started by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf and is a chance to share with others books that you loved as a kid or teenager.

I absolutely love Flashback Friday because it reminds me of all these fantastic books I read as a youngster and it makes me happy that reading was such a big part of my childhood. This week I am spotlighting Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School and Wayside School is Falling Down.

I loved these two books because they were just so silly. Kids licking each other to determine what ice cream they would be, swapping names, a missing 19th floor, and so much more.

I know there's a third book in this series, Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger but for some reason I never took to it like I did with the 1st two.

Cut - Patricia McCormick

2010-04-15T00:58:00.000-05:00

Back in February I won Patricia McCormick's Cut from Angel at An Everyday Angel and have just now gotten around to reading it.

Cut is about Callie, a fifteen year who has landed herself in a treatment facility for cutting. She refuses to speak to anyone, including her therapist, until she realizes that she wants to get better.

From the description on the back of the book it seemed like it would be interesting but I struggled to finish it, and to be honest, I probably wouldn't have finished so soon after starting except that I wanted to finish this for my online book club's book challenge.

I never felt invested in any of the characters and the story itself came off as flat. All this book seemed to be, in my opinion, was more about Callie's observations of the people around her than her actual problem. This book could have been so much better than it was and I have to wonder how much of the three years McCormick spent on this book, was dedicated to research. Anybody who has any idea what cutting is, could tell you what she does in this book.

I also didn't care for the second person point of view or the fact that this book was 138 pages and only three chapters.

Princess for Hire - Lindsey Leavitt

2010-04-12T13:57:00.002-05:00

After last week's book signing, I wanted to read Lindsey Leavitt's Princess for Hire as soon as possible. This was definitely a quick read but took me a while to finish because I didn't get much reading time in with all the chaos of last week.

Desi is a girl who feels like vapor. Her ex-best friend, Celeste, is bent on making her life miserable and what's worse, Desi's crush Hayden is dating Celeste.

After a bad day at work, Desi goes home and wishes for help and out of a bubble comes Meredith. Meredith is an agent for Facade, a princess substitute agency that allows princesses to take a break from their lives while their stand-in goes about their everyday routine.

Desi has longed for something like this and immediately signs up. She soon learns that royalty is not all it's cracked up to be and her heart leads her to make decisions while subbing that the agency is not too fond of. Will Desi be able to continue being a sub or will her desire for impact cause her to go back to her regular life feeling like vapor?

I thought this book was absolutely adorable! Yes, it was more for the younger side of YA readers but that didn't matter to me. This book was just fun and I think any girl who ever had a wish to be a princess when she was younger (or even now) will really enjoy it.

I really understood Desi's desire to make an impact. She wanted to make things better for the princesses she was subbing for and ended up doing for them, what they could never do for themselves. She also gained something for herself that she lacked in her normal life: confidence.

I can totally see this book becoming a Disney movie in the future and since they're the publishing company, I have faith that they would do it justice and I would watch it in a heartbeat.

This was a great debut novel from Lindsey and I cannot wait to read more from her. I see tons of success in her future, not only because she is talented but because she is such a sweet person and deserves it.

This was book #4 in the 2010 Debut Author's Challenge

In My Mailbox (7)

2010-04-11T13:00:00.004-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

The wait is over. I can finally read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. I went out and bought this book on release day and and I can't wait to start reading it tomorrow. What's even more exciting is that Jessica at Forever Young said that if I mail her my copy, she'll get it signed for me at the events she's going to. Thanks SO much Jessica!!

While I was at the bookstore getting Will Grayson, Will Grayson I had a chance to browse the discounted books and came across The Luxe and Rumors. I already had a paperback copy of The Luxe but when I came across these hardbacks for $7, I couldn't pass them up. So since the previously mentioned Jessica has a classroom library, I'll be sending her the paperback copy.

What books did you get your hands on this week? Have you read any of the books I got? What did you think?

Have a great week everyone!

Flashback Friday (4)

2010-04-09T07:16:00.000-05:00

Flashback Friday was started by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf and is a chance to share with others books that you loved as a kid or teenager.

Oh, The BFG by Roald Dahl was such a favorite of mine. I don't know what it was about this book, maybe it was the use of words like, scrumdiddlyumptious, whizzpoppers, snozzcumber, and frobscottle, or it was the idea of happy dream jars, but whatever it was, it deserves a place on my list.

This is one of those books that I always remember and when something I'm eating is so good there are no words, there is always the use of scrumdiddlyumtious.

Have you ever read The BFG?

Award

2010-04-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

Julie over at Book Hooked gave me this award so I get to list seven things about me and then pass this on to seven bloggers I enjoy. Since Julie gave me this, I will say that I love her blog but will refrain from passing it back to her.

1. I love odd numbers but I eat things such as tic-tacs in even numbers.

2. Holding a Golden Eagle while not wearing gloves is one of my most memorable experiences.

3. I clean when I'm really mad.

4. I love hanging out with my nestie friends because it's easy to be myself around them.

5. My cat is spoiled rotten and I wouldn't have it any other way.

6. I've lived in 5 different states and moved 15 times by the time I turned 14. There are two places I would live again in a heartbeat: Tucson, Arizona and Auburn, Alabama.

7. I would love to live in Alaska for at least a year.

I'm passing this on to the following ladies:

Jessica (Forever Young: YA Lit)
Jenny (What the Blog?)
Leah (My Life: Uncensored)
Melissa (The Kitchen Canister)
Tameka (Because Perfection is Boring)
Heather (See Heather Write)
Angel (An Everyday Angel)

Contest Entry Form

2010-04-08T08:00:00.003-05:00

Here are the official contest rules and entry form.

1. You must be a follower of this blog to win
2. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 28th
3. You will have 48 hours to respond to my email if you've won, otherwise you will forfeit your prize and I will pick another winner
4. Winner will be picked by Random.Org by using the List Randomizer followed by the Number Generator

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email me.

Edit: Since I have had a few people interested, I will accept international entries. Thanks!

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Signed books giveaway

2010-04-07T09:54:00.001-05:00

I was going to wait until I reached 50 followers but since that doesn't seem like it's going to happen soon, I decided that I'm going to do my contest early. Why you ask? Well, I'm currently sitting on two fun books that are signed by the authors.

During the previously mentioned book signing with Lindsey Leavitt and Rachel Hawkins, I got extras with the intention of giving them away to a lucky follower of my blog. That's not all though, in the upcoming weeks, I'll be attending the Alabama Book Festival and I will be adding Irene Latham's book, Leaving Gee's Bend to the mix. Nothing is more fun than winning signed books, am I right?

So here's the deal. Starting Thursday, April 8th, I'll be posting the entry form and I'll be accepting entries until Wednesday, April 28th. I haven't decided if this is going to be US only, so if you're international and would like to enter, leave a comment and let me know.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

2010-04-07T07:30:00.025-05:00

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

Released May 25, 2010

The Tension of Opposites seems like it might be a pretty interesting read and the cover grabbed me. This will also be included in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge.

From Goodreads

It’s been two years since Noelle disappeared. Two years since her bike was discovered, sprawled on a sidewalk. Two years of silence, of worry, of fear.

For those two long years, her best friend Tessa has waited, living her own life in a state of suspended animation. Because how can she allow herself to enjoy a normal high school life if Noelle can’t? How dare she have other friends, go to dances, date boys, without knowing what happened to the girl she thought she would share everything with?

And then one day, someone calls Noelle’s house. She’s alive.

A haunting psychological thriller taken straight from the headlines, The Tension of Opposites is a striking debut that explores the emotional aftermath of a kidnapping on the victim, and on the people she left behind.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian

2010-04-05T08:30:00.070-05:00

Well it's official. I am done reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and it makes me sad. I loved The Last Olympian but I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters.

The Titan Kronos is planning an attack to take over Olympus and the time is almost near. With the gods off fighting monster Typhon, Olympus is left unprotected and Kronos's army advances on New York City, and ultimately, Olympus.

Percy and the rest of the campers at Camp Half-Blood must protect the city when the gods do not take Percy's claim seriously and with his sixteenth birthday only days away, Percy knows the Great Prophecy is about to come true. Is he really the one whose decision will decide the fate of the gods? Will Kronos be able to be stopped before it's too late?

There is just something about this series that just makes me want more and after talking to Leah, I found out that I'm not the only one that feels this way. We both agreed that while waiting to read The Last Olympian, we couldn't think about anything other than reading this book. Currently, I am reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham, and Cut by Patricia McCormick but all I could think about while reading these was that I needed to know what happened to Percy and friends and I couldn't wait any longer.

I really hope Riordan decides to publish more books that follow Percy into the next stage of his life. The ending did wrap the series up, but it also left a perfect in to another series. In the meantime, I plan on getting my hands on a copy of The Demigod Files so the fun, action-packed, mythological ride won't be over just yet.

In My Mailbox (6)

2010-04-04T00:46:00.004-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I picked up the last book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Last Olympian, a few days ago. I've been on a Percy Jackson kick and it was really bothering me that I was reading other stuff instead of finishing this series. I started reading it last night and will probably finish it tonight so look for the review soon.

I'm going to be going to a Lindsey Leavitt and Rachel Hawkins book signing tomorrow, so I picked up an extra copy of Hex Hall and two copies of Princess for Hire. The extra copies may or may not be for an awesome upcoming contest I want to have to share the awesomeness that is Rachel and Lindsey. Plus, doesn't the cover for Princess for Hire just make you happy?

Not much this week but I'm pretty excited about these and going to the signing is going to be so much fun.

What did you get this week?

Happy Easter everyone!

Library Lovers

2010-03-27T12:26:00.003-05:00

Libraries are in need and you can help.

I know my blog is small and insignificant but if I can get even one person to help out, then I will feel like I've done something so here goes..

Check out Jennifer Hubbard's Livejournal by clicking here and visit the blogs listed. By doing so and leaving a comment on the individual blogs, you can help libraries get a much needed donation. Each blogger is donating an amount from their pocket to their local library for every person who leaves a comment. It's just that simple.

If I had the funds, I would participate in a heartbeat but since I cannot, I am helping by supporting other libraries around the country. If you read this and decide to comment on any of the blogs then I thank you.
YAY Libraries!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth

2010-03-23T11:02:00.004-05:00

Something is coming and it's only a matter of time. In The Battle of the Labyrinth, the people of Camp Half-Blood are worried about a possible invasion from former camper Luke and his cronies whose goal is to resurrect the evil Kronos. Although the camp boundary is protected by the golden fleece, Percy and Annabeth accidentally stumble upon an entrance to Daedalus's labyrinth and soon they realize this is how Luke is planning on invading the camp. Percy and his friends must go on a quest to find Daedalus and try to persuade him not to team up with the other side. However, navigating the labyrinth can be tricky because the maze changes and people who go in, are not guaranteed to come back out the same.

It's no secret that I have been liking the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. These books are just quick, fun reads that I cannot seem to get enough of. There seems to be so much stuff going on, but with the way Riordan writes it, it's not overwhelming and it just works. It's not difficult to envision what is going on and I only wish that future movies stay true to the book because they could be fantastic.

Although I only have one book left to read of this series (sad!) I cannot wait to see what happens next to Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, and even newcomer Rachel.

Waiting on Wednesday - Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

2010-03-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

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

Released April 6, 2010

The anticipation for John Green and David Levithan's Will Grayson, Will Grayson is high. After missing out on Jessica's (Forever Young) ARC tour of this book, I will admit, I was slightly bummed but I have been keeping up with her guest bloggers and their reviews and each time there's a new entry it gets me even more psyched to read this book.

I love the fact that this book is about a Will Grayson meeting another Will Grayson and each Will Grayson is written by a different author.

From Goodreads:
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2010-03-16T23:17:00.007-05:00

When I first heard about this book I knew I was going to add it to my TBR list, but as time went by I kept hearing more and more good things about Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall and I knew I had to read it as soon as I could. It took me about a span of four days to read it since I was only reading before bed, but last night I just had to finish and ended up doing so around 2:30am.

Samantha Kingston is popular, has great friends, good looks, and a boyfriend all the girls in school envy. She wakes up on Friday, February 12th and is expecting just another normal day. On the way home from a party, there's an accident and Samantha is killed..or is she? She wakes up the next morning to find out that it must have all been a dream and then finds out she's reliving Friday again. This goes on for seven days and Samantha finds out that even if there is a small difference from her original Friday, everything changes and she'll still wake up on the 12th. Samantha must find out how to break the cycle and along the way she finds herself.

At first I had a hard time getting into this book. The beginning was just very repetitive, but understandably so because of the storyline, however, it was needed for Samantha to know that something more than a dream or deja vu was going on. It was nice to see her character progress from a mean girl who just followed the leader to a girl who cared about others and learned to stand up for herself.

Before I Fall was well written and the characters had such depth that I really felt like they were real people. Even as much as I hated Lindsay I couldn't help but feel pity for her towards the end and there's always a popular boy in school like Rob who thinks he's all that but in reality is just a huge jerk. I did adore Kent and totally developed a slight book crush on him.

This book definitely reached my expectations and I can't wait to read more from Lauren Oliver.

This was book #3 in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge.

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

2010-03-16T19:34:00.005-05:00

I finished reading The Secret Year last week so I'm a little late on posting my review but I guess better late than never, right?

Colt Morrissey has been seeing popular girl Julia Vernon for a year, however, their relationship has been kept a secret because they come from different parts of town and she has a boyfriend.

Colt's world is rocked when he finds out that Julia was in a car accident that took her life. Now Colt must deal with her death alone because nobody thought they even knew each other. Later, Colt is given letters Julia wrote to him in diary format during the time of their relationship.

Colt learns a few things about Julia over the next few weeks and also starts to understand her hesitation when it came to breaking up with her boyfriend so she could be with Colt. He also befriends Kirby, but is really over Julia enough to move on?

I've seen other reviews that say The Secret Year is a cross between Romeo and Juliet and The Outsiders and I would have to agree with it..to a point. Colt and Julia's relationship is secret, but only because they choose for it to be since they find it easier. As for The Outsiders, the whole "socs" and "greasers" thing is just substituted with Black Mountain kids and those from the Flats. The social standing takes on a more visual aspect because where they live determines their rank on the social ladder.

I liked the fact that Colt was a more mature male voice and the writing was very well done. The grief and the guilt he felt over losing Julia was real and if you've ever lost someone you know those two things tend to go hand-in-hand and no matter what the circumstance is, there's always a "what if.." hovering in your mind. They were passionate about each other and it came across well from Colt's memories and Julia's letters. I also liked how a few things came full circle and some of the characters were better able to understand others' actions.

This was also book #2 of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge

In My Mailbox (5)

2010-03-14T12:40:00.003-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I know I've been lacking in updates this week but part of the week has been depressing while the other half has been busy. I'm back though and I come with the books I bought this past week.

The Life of Pi - appropriate title for today since it's Pi Day
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
The Bell Jar
The Alchemist

What did you get this week? Have you read any of the books I bought?

In My Mailbox (4)

2010-03-06T21:59:00.005-06:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

I'm pretty pleased with the books I acquired this past week and I absolutely cannot wait to start reading them.

I picked up the fourth book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series earlier this week so that I could have it on hand when I finished some of my other books. I'm really looking forward to seeing where Riordan takes Percy and crew.

Next up is Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. After watching the movie with Leah, Julie, and Heather a few weekends ago, I really wanted to read the book. Initially, I thought it was a horror book and I'm not a huge fan of feeling like I need to put my book in the freezer when I can't take it and was pleasantly surprised with the movie. I can't wait to start this book, especially because of the book-into-movie accuracy.

To be honest, I haven't read much about The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg except that it's a cute book. I adore the homage to The Beatles and if there are mention of them throughout, then how can you go wrong? This book will also count towards the 2010 Debut Author Challenge.

The book that I purchased that I am most looking forward to is Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. The cover itself is just hauntingly beautiful and I have a feeling the story itself will follow suit. I can't wait to start reading it later today.

I also bought two book related pieces of jewelry that I've been wanting for a while. This ring that says My Thoughts Create My World taken from Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series and this book locket with an owl on it.

What books or book related items did you get this week?

Flashback Friday (3)

2010-03-05T20:36:00.002-06:00

Flashback Friday was started by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf and is a chance to share with others books that you loved as a kid or teenager.

When I was in middle school a friend recommended I read S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders and when I did, it became the first book that I ever re-read. I don't know what it is about this book, but I love it. I think it's a great story and each of the main characters are so different from one another but they all complement each other.

This is one of the books that I will forever remember reading.