OMG! Books!

I Miss This

2011-12-13T12:58:00.000-06:00

Oh wow, I really really really (yes, really) miss blogging about my favorite books!!! I'm thinking about taking it back up again for the new year. Is anyone still following me?

Recently I was browsing a new bookstore, and realized several things: 1) I wasn't too familiar with most of the new releases, and I used to obsess over upcoming books when I was book blogging 2) If the person standing next to me were to have asked me "What's a new hot read that I simply must pick up while I am here" I wouldn't have known what to tell them, which turning people onto hot new books was something I highly enjoyed being able to do! At the very least, if I hadn't read a book myself, I would have at least known another blogger who had, so I could pass on their recommendation. 3) I still dream about working in a bookstore... and if I can't do that (I live in a small town with no bookstore, sadly) then I want to get back into book blogging!!!

In case you are curious... right now I am reading "Hush Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick.
Yes, I am way behind on this wonderful series, and was super excited when I found a brand new copy of this book in the sale section at Books-A-Million for only $3.97!!! Hello new book addiction.

Review: "Winter Longing"

2010-08-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

Winter Longing

by Tricia Mills

August 19th 2010

256 pages

From Goodreads: A plane crash in Alaska takes Winter’s first love away forever . . .

When Winter's boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she's robbed of the future she'd only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer's presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can't change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a possible new love?

My Thoughts: I was hooked from the beginning, I couldn't put it down, and I finished the book in one sitting! I can't believe that this story was able to make me cry from the very beginning, and kept me teary eyed while reading almost the whole thing! Books don't usually have this effect on me, and most books definitely can't make me cry before I even know the characters I am crying for! But I guess "Winter Longing" is different.

Winter and Spencer have been best friends for a very long time! She has always had feelings for him that go beyond their friendship, and eventually she finds out that he does too, but they aren't a couple for long before Winter loses the love of her life in a tragic accident. This all pretty much happens in the first chapter.

We don't even get the chance to meet Spencer in the present, but instead each chapter starts out with short memories of Spencer and Winter, starting from middle school, and we get a nice little insight of their growing relationship while at the same time mourning him.

I felt a strong emotional attachment to Winter. I felt her pain, I felt her happiness, and then I felt her guilt for having a happy moment or two. The story really isn't about death, it's about living. It's about overcoming the feeling that your world has come to an end, and realizing that life goes on, and that you need to accept the things you can not change, and try to find happiness for yourself in this life.

Overall it was a heartbreaking story. Be sure to have a box of tissues by your side when you start reading, because you are probably going to need them!

Review: "Nightshade"

2010-08-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Nightshade (Nightshade, #1)

by Andrea Cremer

October 19th 2010

464 pages

From Goodreads: While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.

My Thoughts: LOVE LOVE LOVE! I honestly think that this series has great potential to be the next big thing in YA fiction! I can't wait to see where the rest of the series takes us!

"Nightshade" starts off on a high note, and kept me entranced until the very end! Calla is one of my new favorite protagonists. It's refreshing to have such a strong female character, who is brave enough to fight battles, sensitive enough to be in love, and clever enough to make important decisions for herself, even though it could put her life in danger. The love triangle between Calla, Ren, and Shay had me just as torn as Calla. I honestly could not decide who she should end up with! Although, I preferred her relationship with Shay, since her relationship with Ren had been arranged since birth. I just wanted her to have the choice, but I honestly don't think Ren would have been a bad choice, it was just the life that came with that choice that left a bad taste in my mouth.

The book is full of mystery. What is Shay's secret? What is the real history between the Keepers and the Guardians? Why are the Searchers after Shay? I had so many questions throughout the book and a lot of them were answered by the end, but the book ended with a huge cliffhanger that kept me wanting to know more! The only horrible thing about reading an advance copy of this book is that I now have to wait more than a year for the sequel.

In My Mailbox #22

2010-08-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!

For Review:
Girl Parts by John M. Cuisck

From Goodreads: "Hello, David. My name is Rose. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We are now entering minute two of our friendship. According to my Intimacy Clock, a handshake is now appropriate…"

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot to encourage healthy bonds and treat "dissociative disorder," he can’t get enough of luscious red-headed Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Severed from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal "companion" is about to become her own best friend.
In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uber-connected world.

Review: "Another Pan" (Updated with Cover)

2010-08-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

UPDATED REVIEW: Since I didn't post an image with my first review, I wanted to update the review with the new official cover! (It's slightly different from the ARC)

Another Pan

by Daniel Nayeri, Dina Nayeri

October 28th 2010

400 pages

From Amazon: Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe. Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality.

My Thoughts: I wasn't really sure I was going to like "Another Pan" considering that I wasn't really a huge fan of "Another Faust", and because the story of Peter Pan is so dear to my heart and unfortunately has been redone completely wrong so many times before.

But "Another Pan" is a completely different story. The story continues to take place in the Marlowe School, and the evil governess Vileroy returns to the school. A few unimportant characters from the first novel also reappear in this second novel. Connor Wirth is dating protagonist Wendy Darling, and there was a small mention of Mrs. Spencer at a charity event, but really, the book is a completely different story, and you don't even need to read the first book in order to enjoy "Another Pan". (Although, I would recommend reading the first book at some point! I know it was a really popular read with some of my fellow bloggers)

I LOVED the book. It's definitely in my top 5 favorite books that I have read so far this year. I've been completely obsessed with the story of Peter Pan for as long as I can remember. As a child it was my first ever favorite book and the story has stuck with me my entire life. As I said before, I find that most people get the story wrong and I can go on an endless rant about that. But I feel that Daniel and Dina really understand the original story well.

Of course this isn't your typical Peter Pan type of story... but instead the book just holds a strong likeness to the original story with a huge Egyptian mythical influence. Peter is obsessed with staying young, and is forever chasing Egyptian legends in order to obtain eternal youth. Just like the Peter in the original stories, he is childish, self centered and simply doesn't care about anything but the adventures ahead of him. He has a huge following of misfit boys across the world called LB's (Short for Lost Boys) who do his bidding without questioning him. Just like the Peter in the original tale, he can't be bothered to remember their names, so he gives them nicknames, or refers to them as a number. Whenever Peter would get upset, the LB's would gather their happy thoughts, and text them to Peter and it would have a calming effect of him, which I loved!

I loved the chemistry between Peter and Wendy. It was dead on. Daniel and Dina hit the nail on the head! Peter was playful and sometimes even charming while around Wendy, and of course she falls for him instantly. Maybe because he's good looking, or because she can't resist his charm, or perhaps it's the adventure. Either way, Wendy fell for him, and I think that it's possible that she may be Peter's ultimate happy thought. Oh and I can't forget about John! His street slang had me laughing out loud!

Overall, the story is full of adventure! I loved the 5 Egyptian legends that led the characters on their dangerous missions in the underworld at the Marlowe School. The most important thing about this book that made me love it was the familiarities of my favorite childhood story! It was kind of like hearing the story all over again for the first time!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-08-04T20:25:00.002-05:00

Extraordinary
by Nancy Werlin
September 7th 2010

From Goodreads: Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

Contest Winner!

2010-08-03T21:52:00.001-05:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the $60 CSN Gift Certificate giveaway!

AND THE WINNER IS......

Eloise!!!

You should be receiving your gift certificate via email very soon!

Review: "Girl, Stolen"

2010-08-01T07:48:00.000-05:00

Girl, Stolen

by April Henry

September 28th 2010

224 pages

From Goodreads: 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?

My Thoughts: This book grabbed me from the beginning and would not let go until the very end! Such a fantastic quick read! The author, April Henry, is a marvelous story teller! She told the story so well that I actually felt like I was in the story, and at one point I googled the character's names just to be sure it wasn't based on a true story.

Told in alternating point of views, I felt like I really came to know Griffin, the unintentional kidnapper, and Cheyenne, The blind teen that was abducted when Griffin didn't notice her in the back seat as he stole her step-mom's car. I began to respect both of the main characters for who they really were. Cheyenne was a strong character who would do anything to survive the horrific situation she was in. Griffin was a troubled kid, but he wasn't really a bad person. As they say, he was just mixed up with the wrong crowd, only in this case the wrong crowd for him consisted of his criminal father, and his two thug "employees."

All in all, this book was definitely a page turner. Even at some of the slower points where Griffin and Cheyenne are simply talking about their lives, it kept me turning the pages quickly because I found them both so fascinating!

Review: "Meanicures"

2010-07-31T19:46:00.001-05:00

Meanicures

by Catherine Clark

October 12th 2010

192 pages

From Goodreads: Madison is an average pre-teen living in Maine. For the most part, Madison has a happy life: a loving mother and good friends. But there's just one catch: the mean girls, who Madison and her friends used to be close with, often pick on the girls. After a particularly bad hair day, Madison takes matters into her own hands and before she knows it, finds herself turning mean. Will Madison make amends before she's left friendless?

My Thoughts: "Meanicures" is a very quick read, and can easily be finished in one sitting. I didn't realize that the book was aimed towards middle schoolers when I first agreed to review the book, otherwise I probably would have passed. The book was cute, but I believe that if I were 10 I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more than I had.

My main issue with the story was that it wasn't long enough, and out of the 6 main characters I really couldn't connect with any of them. At times I would get their names mixed up and would forget who was who. I just couldn't picture the characters in my head.

But it must be taken into consideration that this book IS intended for a younger audience. If you have a younger sister, it may be something she is interested in!

Review: "Zombiekins"

2010-07-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

Zombiekins

by Kevin Bolger

June 24th 2010

224 pages

From Goodreads: Fourth-grader Stanley Nudelman is about as wimpy as they come—he’s cowardly, shy, and spends most of his time hiding from the school bully, Knuckles Bruzkowski! Then Stanley stumbles upon the yard sale of his neighbor, Old Lady Imavitch, where he buys a mysterious stuffed animal. But this isn’t any old toy . . . it’s Zombiekins! He’s a little bit teddy, a little bit bunny, and a whole lotta ZOMBIE! And he’s coming this way!

Stump!—scri-i-i-i-itch . . .

Stanley brings Zombiekins to school and unleashes the worst zombie plague in fourth grade history! Can Stanley find the courage to save the day before his teachers notice the class is full of zombies? Or will he soon join the ranks of the snuggily UNDEAD?

My Thoughts: Although it's obvious that this "Zombikins" is written for middle school kids, I just love everything zombie, so I was eager to check it out! I absolutely love books (and movies) that get creative when it comes zombies! While reading I was slightly reminded of the RL. Stine books I used to love when I was 10.

It's a very quick read, and is full of humorous illustrations which highlight the plot perfectly! I would definitely recommend this to the younger readers! It was a really fun read!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-07-28T02:05:00.000-05:00

Girl Parts
by John M. Cusick
August 10th 2010

From Goodreads: "Hello, David. My name is Rose. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We are now entering minute two of our friendship. According to my Intimacy Clock, a handshake is now appropriate…"

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot to encourage healthy bonds and treat "dissociative disorder," he can’t get enough of luscious red-headed Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Severed from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal "companion" is about to become her own best friend.
In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uber-connected world.

In My Mailbox #21

2010-07-25T18:03:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!

I am a little later than usual on this weeks IMM, but I really wasn't expecting anything! I ended up getting these three books from book tours! Which means I have to read them all in a week. Normally that wouldn't be a big challenge, but this is an extremely busy week for me, so I am going to have to get a little creative on when and where I squeeze in some reading time!

For Review from Book Tours:
Meanicures by Catherine Clark
Girl, Stolen by April Henry
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-07-21T11:11:00.000-05:00

You Wish
by Mandy Hubbard
August 5th 2010

What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left,
her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy
Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles,
Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually
came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink
My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s
supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with
a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same
name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past
appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they
MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She
wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is
her best friend’s boyfriend.

Secret Keeper Game [Message from Lucy Hale]

2010-07-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

The "Pretty Little Liars" Secret Keeper Game ended about a month ago, and I must admit that I actually kind of miss A's taunting messages.

As a reward for correctly completing at least 80% of the challenges that A sent to me, I got to ask Lucy Hale a question! Here is her response:

I am completely addicted to the show! How about you?

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-07-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

The Replacement
by Brenna Yovanoff
September 16th 2010

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?

Review: "Bad Girls Don't Die"

2010-07-12T11:11:00.001-05:00

Bad Girls Don't Die

by Katie Alender

April 21st 2009

352 pages

From Goodreads: Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

My Thoughts: If you scare easily, you'll probably want to read this book in the middle of a nice sunny day. I however, don't scare easily, and I read this book on a stormy night and I must admit, I was spooked!

Alexis is a loner who lives her life through her camera. She had a best friend at one time, but after the cheerleaders tormented her once best friend, she ended up moving away. Needless to say, Alexis and the cheerleaders really loathe each other. She occasionally hangs out with a group of misfit/goth/punk kids, but she feels that they really try too hard to be something they're not, and she doesn't really seem to fit in with them either. Oh, and on top of all that, her sister is possessed!

Carter, one of the most popular boys in school, takes a special interest in Alexis after accidentally hitting her in the head with a door. Mix in Meagan, one of those horrible cheerleaders, who has a special warning for Alexis about her sweet and incredibly creepy sister, Kasey, and you have an enthralling story about 4 unique characters that you can't help but love!

Things start off a little slowly with just enough of a creepy element that kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know more until the very end where Kasey became more violent and incredibly dangerous. Personally I do recommend that you read this on a stormy night... if you're brave enough.

Random Updates...

2010-07-11T20:00:00.002-05:00

Would it surprise you much if I told you that I've been having internet issues AGAIN!?

Unfortunately I've had no internet for about 3 weeks now. I have the most unreliable internet service provider ever, and the company I have can't seem to figure out what the problem is... UGH! Sadly, since I live in the middle of nowhere, I have no other choice for internet service, so I have to deal with it... for now. I am hoping it will be fixed soon!

Luckily, I've had some scheduled posts these past few weeks, and have been able to get online once in awhile, so my blog doesn't look too neglected, but I'd much rather have 5 posts a week, instead of just 2-3. The good news is that I've had a lot of time to catch up on my reading, and I have so many reviews that are ready to be posted!!! yay!!!

But even though I've had extra time to read, my "to read pile" is overflowing. I think I have 40+ books that I need to read. I've made a promise to myself that I won't buy anymore books until I at least cut that pile in half. So there probably won't be any IMM posts for awhile, unless I get books on book tours, or if someone is kind enough to send me review copies. This is going to be really hard! Wish me luck!

OH! And don't forget to enter my current contest: Win a $60 CSN Gift Certificate! This is a really amazing contest, so you'll definitely want to check it out!

Review: "Another Pan"

2010-07-10T21:59:00.001-05:00

Currently no Official book cover. Normally I'd wait before posting a review, but since I read this book on an ARC tour, I have a deadline for my review :) I'll be sure to make an update when the book cover is officially released!

Another Pan

by Daniel Nayeri, Dina Nayeri

October 28th 2010

400 pages

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-07-07T11:11:00.001-05:00

Torment (Fallen, #2)
by Lauren Kate
September 2010

From Goodreads: How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?

Review: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

2010-07-05T23:19:00.001-05:00

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June

by Robin Benway

August 3rd 2010

282 pages

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.

My Thoughts: I simply could not put it down! I finished it the same night I started reading it, it was THAT good! Named after the months they were born, sisters April, May, and June are about as different from each other as three people can be. Not only do they share the unbreakable bond of sisterhood, but after their parents get a divorce and they move, they discover that they each have some pretty amazing secret abilities.

April, the oldest sister, is definitely the most responsible of the three girls. She is the "perfect" sister. She gets good grades, is very health conscious, she's a safe driver, and most importantly she watches out for her younger sisters, and tries her best to keep them safe while also nagging them about being on their best behavior at all times. When she finds out that she can predict the future, she is shocked by some of the things she can see. Especially when she starts to have visions of her and that punk boy at school going on dates. He is sooo not her type!

May, is the middle sister. She took the divorce the hardest, and the only thing she wants more than her big escape to Paris someday, is to be able to spend more time with her father who now lives in Houston. May is very witty, sarcastic, anti-social, and usually just wants everyone to leave her alone, so it's really no big surprise when May discovers that she can turn completely invisible. Literally.

June, the youngest of the three is entering her Freshman year of High School. Since she is starting a new school she wants to start a new life. She wants nothing more than to be popular and she'll do almost anything to get to the top of the social ladder. She's bubbly, carefree, and when she finds that she is able to read people's thoughts, it gives her a huge advantage in gaining popularity. But just because she can read what people think, doesn't exactly mean she can always see the whole picture.

Overall it was a fun read, I loved each character and their unique persona's and I loved seeing their abilities come together in the end to avoid a potential disaster!

In My Mailbox #20

2010-07-03T15:34:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!

For Review:
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June
by Robin Benway

The Eternal Ones
by Kirsten Miller

Virals
by Kathy Reichs, Brendan Reichs

Winter Longing
by Tricia Mills

Zombiekins
by Kevin Bolger

Purchased:
Bad Girls Don't Die
by Katie Alender

Giveaway! $60 CSN Gift Certificate

2010-06-30T23:29:00.002-05:00

CONTEST ENDED

About a year ago, CSN Stores asked me to review one of their bookcases! Which by the way, is now overflowing with books.

This time around, CSN Stores is offering a $60 Gift Certificate to a lucky reader of my blog! So if you are in need of a new bookcase, here's your chance! But the great thing about CSN Stores is that they have many many wonderful stores that you can use your gift certificate! So if you don't need a new bookcase, perhaps you're in need of a vanity or a new pair of shoes... CSN Stores has a lot to choose from!

Oh, and the best part is FREE SHIPPING!

So if you're interested, here are the contest details:

The contest will end on July 30th at 11:59 PM CST
There will be 1 winner who will receive a $60 Gift Certificate to use as they wish at any CSN Store website. If you win, you will receive the gift certificate by email.

To enter, you must be a follower of this blog, and you will need to leave a comment with your name and email address.

As always, extra entries are available:
+1 for following @omgbooks on twitter
+1 for tweeting about the contest (you can simply hit the tweet button on this post)
+1 for linking to the contest in your sidebar (please provide link)
+1 for telling me what you think you might buy with your gift certificate if you win

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-06-30T11:11:00.000-05:00

Linger
(The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
by Maggie Stiefvater
July 20th 2010

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Review: "Hunger" by Michael Grant

2010-06-29T01:27:00.000-05:00

Hunger (Gone, #2)

by Michael Grant

May 26th 2009

590 pages

From Goodreads: It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results.

My Thoughts: "Hunger" is just as disturbing as "Gone"... if not more. I can't help but get sucked into the storyline, and worry about each of the characters as they struggle to survive in a world without adults. Not only is there no adult supervision, but now the food supply has diminished and kids are starting to go to desperate measures for food.

Sam continues to be in charge of over 300 kids. Kids expect him to help them with all of their issues, from fights over what they should name their new dog, to kids starving nearly to death. Sam hears it all and the stress is starting to bring him down. He is only 15 after all, what is he really expected to do? On top of that you have fights breaking out between the normal kids and the kids who have super powers, he has to deal with his evil brother trying to take over, and the fields are being taken over by flesh eating worms making it impossible to gather food from their last possible food source.

The battle in this book is a huge disaster! There are at least three major things happening all at once, which I thought made it nearly impossible to put the book down. Even though the book is almost 600 pages long, I tore through it very quickly, and I can't wait to get a hold of the third book in the series, which luckily is already available! I wonder what Michael Grant is going to do next!

In My Mailbox #19

2010-06-26T21:28:00.001-05:00

For Review:
Another Pan by Daniel Nayeri & Dina Nayeri

Purchased:
Another Faust by Daniel Nayeri & Dina Nayeri
Spells by Aprilynne Pike
The Deathday Letter by Shaun Hutchinson

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-06-23T11:11:00.002-05:00

Nevermore
by Kelly Creagh
August 31st 2010

At once an homage to one of America's greatest writers and a page-turning psychological mystery that is equal parts horror, humor, and romance, NEVERMORE is the story of Varen -- a Poe-fan and goth -- and Isobel -- a cheerleader and unlikely heroine. When a Lit. project pairs the two together, Isobel finds herself steadily swept into Varen's world, one that he has created in his notebook and in his mind, one where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel slowly learns that dreams can be much more powerful than she'd ever expected, and that pain and despair come in all sorts of shades. As labels of "goth" and "cheerleader" fade away, she sees more in Varen than a tall, pale outcast, and a consuming romance is braced against the ever-clearer horror that the most terrifying realities are those within our own minds.When Isobel has a single chance to rescue Varen from the shadows of his own nightmares, will she be able to save him -- and herself?

Review: "Wake"

2010-06-21T13:21:00.000-05:00

Wake (Dream Catcher, #1)

by Lisa McMann

March 4th 2008

210 pages

From Goodreads: NOT ALL DREAMS ARE SWEET. For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

My Thoughts: I found this to be an extremely effortless read. Normally I probably wouldn't like a short story, with very little description, but I actually thought it was done very nicely in this book. It was quick and to the point, just enough information for you to enjoy the story, while moving it along at a fast pace.

Even with little description, I thought the main characters, Janie and Cabel, were very well developed! They were very real! They were troubled with many flaws, and they just seemed like real teenagers with real problems... other than the fact that Janie gets pulled into the dreams of the people around her.

Overall, it was a very interesting read. I loved reading about the dreams of others, and I never really thought about how personal dreams really are. They're your best kept secret. Even though your dreams may not be literally how you feel, they are connected to you in some ways.

"Wake" is the first book in a series, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!

Pretty Little Liars - Secret Keeper Game [A Question for Lucy Hale]

2010-06-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

"Excellent work, Aria. You can't tell from this text, but I'm beaming. You kept at least 80% of your secrets so now I'm keeping my end of the bargain. As a reward for your good behavior, I am going to let you ask Lucy Hale one question. Start thinking and make it a good one. My people will be contacting you soon via email. Remember, I still know everything. -A"

I am so excited! I just received this message from "A" a few minutes ago! I have a few things that I may want to ask Lucy, but I thought I would include some of my favorite people in this reward: YOU GUYS! So, if you would like to suggest a question for Lucy Hale, please post in the comments, or email me at: omgbookreviews@gmail.com

I believe I'll receive a video response from Lucy that I can share on the blog, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see :)

As for the Secret Keeper Game? I think it might be over. It was supposed to end at midnight last night (according to the terms and conditions). However, we only received 9 out of the 10 promised challenges. I am not completely sure if it's actually over, or if "A" is going to catch us off guard with another challenge. With her, anything is possible. Afterall, she still knows everything!

But if it's really over, then I have completed 9 out of the 9 challenges correctly! YAY!

In My Mailbox #18

2010-06-18T15:15:00.000-05:00

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)
by Maggie Stiefvater

Goodreads: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human ... until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

And the all eight books in the "Pretty Little Liars" series
by Sara Shepard

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-06-16T11:11:00.002-05:00

7 Souls
by Barnabas Miller, Jordan Orlando
July 13th 2010

Mary expected her seventeenth birthday to be a blowout to remember, courtesy of her best friends, fellow New York City prepsters Amy and Joon, and her doting boyfriend, Trick.

Instead, the day starts badly and gets worse. After waking up in a mortifying place with a massive, unexplainable hangover, Mary soon discovers that nobody at school is even aware that it's her birthday. As evening approaches, paranoia sets in. Mary just can't shake the feeling that someone is out to get her—and, as it turns out, she's right. Before the night is over, she's been killed in cold blood.

But murder is just the beginning of Mary's ordeal. Her soul gets trapped in a strange limbo, and she must relive the day of her death through the eyes of seven people—each of whom, she finds, had plenty of reasons to hate her. As Mary explores the mysteries of her world, discovering secrets that were hidden in plain sight while she was alive, she clings desperately to the hope that she can solve her own murder, change the past, and—just maybe—save her own life.

With its blend of suspense, horror, fantasy, and realism, 7 Souls is an adrenaline rush of a thriller.

Review: "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner"

2010-06-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

by Stephenie Meyer

June 5th 2010

178 pages

From Borders: Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

My Thoughts: I love the Twilight books, and I thought that Eclipse was the best book in the entire series. With the movie coming up later this month, I knew I wanted to read Bree's side of the story before I go see it!

The story is about Bree's life as a vampire. Riley is in control of the newborn vampires and he keeps them on a short leash. Feeding them lies about their abilities, telling them to keep a low profile and to be home before the sun rises if they don't want to be burned to a crisp. "Home" is a dark basement full of rambunctious trouble making newborns and staying alive is a challenge. Luckily Bree finds safety hiding behind Fred everyday. No one messes with Fred.

She manages to make a short friendship with Diego. Together they start to make discoveries that make them realize that Riley isn't exactly telling the truth about a lot of things.

Even though I already knew how Bree's story would end (if you've read Eclipse, you know what's coming) I still found myself rooting for her. I started to care about her, and I so badly wanted a happy ending for her. Unfortunately things don't turn out well for Bree. I was actually teary eyed by the end of the book.

Check out this introduction to Bree Tanner:

Pretty Little Liars - Secret Keeper Game [Challenges 8 & 9]

2010-06-15T15:01:00.000-05:00

Challenge #9:

Aria, guess what? The end is near! Not the end of the world - the end of our time together. But before you complete the game, I need you to complete this sentence. Here's the first part: "Maybe a family's demands..." The only way to figure out the second part is to watch tonight's show. -A

I received this message earlier today from "A"... and I thought you might want to participate in the challenge with me :)

Be sure to watch Pretty Little Liars tonight on ABC Family!

As for Challenge #8: I received this challenge last Thursday. "A" sent me a driving test, and in order to keep my secrets safe, I had to pass her test! At first I was nervous, then I saw the questions and they made me giggle. Then "A" said she was glad I thought road safety was a laughing matter, and that shut me up real quick!

So then, I answered all the questions and I actually got one wrong! It was kind of a trick question, and apparently "A" has her own ideas on what a Stop Sign is really intended for. But then again, I am thinking "A" just wanted me to think that I answered wrong, so that she could make me worry about it for 4 days.

Luckily I heard back from "A" yesterday confirming that I passed her test! She promises to keep my secrets safe for a little longer. I was so relieved!

Disclosure: ABC Family asked me to participate in a game based on the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars." They provided me with a game kit which included a Free Motorola Droid Smartphone. The phone is mine to keep once the game has been completed.

Review: "Wings"

2010-06-14T01:08:00.000-05:00

Wings

by Aprilynne Pike

May 1st 2009

294 pages

Goodreads: Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

My Thoughts: I am not usually a fan of faerie books. However, I decided to give this one a try, and I am really glad that I did! I really loved it! I was hooked instantly, and I couldn't put it down! I finished the entire book in one sitting!

Laurel always knew she was different from other kids her age. She just didn't realize how different she actually was until the day flower petals grew from her back. Not knowing what was happening to her, she confides in her best friend, David. He tries to help Laurel as much as he possibly can, but then she meets a mysterious guy in the forest behind her old house, named Tamani, who claims to be just like her... a plant faerie. He seems to know more about her than she knows about herself!

I found it extremely easy to fall in love with all of the characters, which only left me thinking about them long after finishing the book! I am thankful that this is the first book in a series, because I can't wait to read more about Laurel, David and Tamani!

Review: "Epitaph Road"

2010-06-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

Epitaph Road
by David Patneaude
March 23rd 2010
272 pages

From Goodreads: 2097 is a transformed world. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97 percent of the male population, devastating every world system from governments to sports teams, and causing both universal and unimaginable grief. In the face of such massive despair, women were forced to take over control of the planet--and in doing so they eliminated all of Earth's most pressing issues. Poverty, crime, warfare, hunger . . . all gone.

But there's a price to pay for this new "utopia," which fourteen-year-old Kellen is all too familiar with. Every day, he deals with life as part of a tiny minority that is purposefully kept subservient and small in numbers. His career choices and relationship options are severely limited and controlled. He also lives under the threat of scattered recurrences of the plague, which seem to pop up wherever small pockets of men begin to regroup and grow in numbers.

And then one day, his mother's boss, an iconic political figure, shows up at his home. Kellen overhears something he shouldn't--another outbreak seems to be headed for Afterlight, the rural community where his father and a small group of men live separately from the female-dominated society. Along with a few other suspicious events, like the mysterious disappearances of Kellen's progressive teacher and his Aunt Paige, Kellen is starting to wonder whether the plague recurrences are even accidental. No matter what the truth is, Kellen cares only about one thing--he has to save his father.

My thoughts: Let me just start off my review by saying that this book came highly recommended by a trusted Borders employee. She suggested several great books, but they were all books that I had already read and loved (one of her suggestions was "The Hunger Games" and we all know how much I loved that one!). She then asked if I had read "Epitaph Road" and she insisted that I would love it since I loved all the other books she had recommended. So I trusted this suggestion with no doubts, and instantly purchased the book and was on my merry way!

Perhaps she shouldn't have compared "Epitaph Road" to the absolutely amazing book, "The Hunger Games"... because I had my expectations set to almost impossible standards when I started reading this book... and the only things these two books have in common is the dystopian setting.

I did enjoy reading about what the world would be like if it was dominated by women, and the conspiracy theories of this dystopian world. I don't exactly want to live in a world like that though, not even in the slightest bit! I loved the history lessons that Kellen and his friends were learning in school about the times before the plague hit. Pretty interesting!

All in all, it wasn't exactly the page turner that I was hoping for when I purchased it, but it's still an interesting read!

Pretty Little Liars - Secret Keeper Game [Challenge 7]

2010-06-09T19:30:00.001-05:00

Well girls, looks like you’ve done a pretty poor job of keeping the series premiere of Pretty Little Liars a secret. You’re such blabbermouths that you helped make it the highest rated cable series debut of the 2009/10 season. But don’t get comfy just yet – the game isn’t over by a long shot. Thanks for all of your help! -A

As a lot of you know, I was asked by ABC Family to participate in an exclusive game inspired by their new series "Pretty Little Liars" which happens to be based on a series of books by Sara Shepard. The show's pilot episode premiered for the first time last night, and the Secret Keepers received a special challenge from "A" which I found to be a lot of fun!

"A" texted me shortly before the show began and reminded me of the small secret object that was included in the box of dirt that ABC Family had sent to me. She told me that I needed to watch the show and keep my eyes peeled, because my secret object belonged in a specific scene, and I needed to report back to her with what scene I thought it had, should, or could have been in. It turned out that all 40 of the game participants had received completely unique items. None of us had received the same thing!

My object was a small pencil sharpener. The kind you hold in your hand and It had a blue base. At first I thought I was looking for this specific item on the show, and so did a lot of other people. But "A" made sure that we all knew that our item may not be literally in a scene. The items represent a scene that is important to our characters. My Character being Aria, I knew right away that my object had to of been in the classroom with Ezra Fitz... and sure enough, I found a pencil sharpener hanging on the wall in a scene where Aria was having a personal conversation with Ezra before school started.

I've texted back "A" with my answer, but still haven't heard back from her yet. She told another Secret Keeper that we wouldn't know if we guessed correctly until tomorrow, so I guess I will just have to wait and hope that my secrets are safe!

Did you watch the premiere? What did you think? Oh, and be sure to watch next Tuesday! Who knows what "A" may make me do next, and I might need your help!

Disclosure: ABC Family asked me to participate in a game based on the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars." They provided me with a game kit which included a Free Motorola Droid Smartphone. The phone is mine to keep once the game has been completed.

The original picture used in this post can be found HERE.

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-06-09T11:11:00.002-05:00

13 to Life: A Werewolf's Tale
by Shannon Delany
June 22nd 2010

Something strange is stalking the small town of Junction…

When junior Jess Gillmansen gets called out of class by Guidance, she can only presume it’s for one of two reasons. Either they’ve finally figured out who wrote the scathing anti-jock editorial in the school newspaper or they’re hosting yet another intervention for her about her mom. Although far from expecting it, she’s relieved to discover Guidance just wants her to show a new student around—but he comes with issues of his own including a police escort.

The newest member of Junction High, Pietr Rusakova has secrets to hide--secrets that will bring big trouble to the small town of Junction—secrets including dramatic changes he’s undergoing that will surely end his life early.

Pretty Little Liars - Premieres Tonight!

2010-06-08T11:11:00.005-05:00

Just a little reminder...

Pretty Little liars premieres tonight on ABC Family! Check your local listings and don't forget to set your Tivo/DVR's to record the show! Who knows what "A" might have up her sleeve for me in the next Secret Keepers challenge... I half expect her to make me do something like, count the number of times Aria says "the" or something wicked like that. Who knows when I may need your help, so be sure to watch!

"Pretty Little Liars" - Secret Keeper Game [Challenges 5 & 6]

2010-06-07T15:17:00.000-05:00

Previously on Facebook: Hey Aria. Looks to me like you're a bit worried about the last mission. I'd start worrying about the next - it's coming. Very soon. -A

Challenge #5 came pretty early on Thursday. "A" made me do possibly one of the meanest things I have ever done. Even if technically I was "Aria" at the time... I had to call the Rosewood Flower Shop and place and order for flowers. Apparently Aria's father is cheating on her mother. So I sent flowers to Aria's mother, from Aria's father... but instead of making the card out to Aria's mother, I had the flower shop make the card out to her dad's girlfriend instead. I can just picture poor Ella Montgomery's heart breaking right this moment... but hey, I guess in a way it's better that she knows the truth? Right? It's just a sad way for her to find out, and if I wouldn't have done that, then "A" would have told her, and I can only imagine how that would have turned out! *shakes fist at A*

Challenge #6 came Saturday night. This is what "A" had to say: "Your skirt looked a little short yesterday, Aria. Trying to catch someone's eye? I'll keep your crush private if you prove to me you know what's-what. Create a Polyvore account and make an outfit that's appropriate for school. Then post the link to our Facebook group. -A

A fun and easy challenge? One can only assume that "A" is going to be really hard on us with the next challenge. She's not known for playing nice!

Here is what I came up with:

I normally would have picked a cute dress or a skirt for Aria, but I wasn't sure what A's idea of appropriate was, so I stuck with jeans. You can never go wrong with jeans! I also stuck Aria in a pair of Tom's Shoes for one of the outfits. I figure Aria would be totally into the message behind Tom's.

I had a bit of technical difficulty with finishing this challenge due to the fact that right after "A" sent me the text, a tornado went through my area and knocked out our internet service for about 24 hours. I couldn't really get polyvore to work correctly on my phone, so I ended up calling around, found out my neighbor still had internet service, so I drove over, parked in his driveway and used his wireless internet service on my laptop to finish the mission. I am so dedicated to this game, it's not even funny!

Not really sure what I am talking about? Check out my first post explaining the game, and check out the rest of my PLL game posts!

Disclosure: ABC Family asked me to participate in a game based on the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars." They provided me with a game kit which included a Free Motorola Droid Smartphone. The phone is mine to keep once the game has been completed.

In My Mailbox #17

2010-06-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!

Just one book this week!

Kiss of Life
(Generation Dead, #2)
by Daniel Waters
May 12th 2009

From Goodreads: The phenomenon that's been sweeping the country seems to be here to stay. Not only are the teenagers who have come back from their graves still here, but newlydeads are being unearthed all the time. While scientists look for answers and politicians take their stands, the undead population of Oakville have banded together in a group they're calling the Sons of Romero, hoping to find solidarity in segregation.

Phoebe Kendall may be alive, but she feels just as lost and alone as her dead friends. Just when she reconciled herself to having feelings for a zombie -- her Homecoming date Tommy Williams -- her friend Adam is murdered taking a bullet that was meant for her. Things get even more confusing when Adam comes back from the grave. Now she has romantic interest in two dead boys; one who saved her life, and one she can't seem to live without.

ALSO! Keep an eye on the blog, I have a strong feeling that I am going to need help with an upcoming challenge for the Pretty Little Liar Secret Keeper Game!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-06-02T11:11:00.003-05:00

The Deathday Letter
by Shaun Hutchinson
June 15th 2010

All fifteen year-old Oliver Travers wanted to do when he woke up Thursday morning was squeeze in a little underwear gymnastics before school, until his mom called him downstairs to tell him he had received a Deathday Letter, which sort of ruined the mood.

Content to spend his last day of life at school (where the girls are), Oliver's best friends Shane Grimsley and Veronica (Ronnie) Dittrich convince him to burn his books and ditch school to, you know, have a little actual fun before he kicks the bucket.

In a world where only taxes, Deathday Letters, and teenage boy's hormones are certainties, Oliver, Shane and Ronnie embark upon a bus ride that takes them from the post office, to a house filled with college-aged anti-Deathday Letter activists (and Dave Matthews fans), and nearly to prison. And as the end draws near Oliver learns that living is way tougher than dying…and that kissing is wetter than he'd expected.

Pretty Little Liars - Secret Keeper Game [Challenges 3 & 4]

2010-06-01T19:11:00.000-05:00

Previously on Facebook...

Kelli: I think my stalker takes the weekends off... lol
Saturday at 2:11pm

A: This seems like wishful thinking to me. -A
Saturday at 2:14pm

For some reason I thought I could relax this weekend. Nope, I was wrong! I definitely was not expecting my Secret Keeper phone to go off at 9pm on Sunday night with my 3rd challenge! Never a dull moment when "A" is holding secrets over our heads.

Challenge #3 was difficult! I had a BFF who was mad at me, and "A" informed me that I needed to text her right away. This challenge baffled me at first, I didn't know who this BFF was supposed to be! Apparently her contact information was missing from my phone... but luckily for me, my BFF sent me an angry text message the next afternoon telling me that she was still pissed at me. So I was able to complete my next challenge from "A" by texting the BFF back! My mystery BFF thankfully forgave me... and I soon heard from "A" letting me know that my secret was safe... at least for then.

Challenge #4 came earlier today. This one was probably one of the simplest challenges that I, as Aria, had received so far! I had to go to the Pretty Little Liar forums on the official ABC Family website and find the number of posts made by "A" in order to find out the number that reflects the appropriate age of the guys that Aria should date, and then text the number back to her. I completed it within a few short minutes. Haven't heard back from "A" yet... and even though I am sure I did the challenge correctly, I will still worry until "A" confirms that I indeed did it correctly... (oh, and by the way, go take a look at her posts, they are LOL worthy)

So I think I am safe for now... or am I? Let's hope for the best!

Did you know that Pretty Little Liars premiers next Tuesday?! I am so excited! I hope you are all watching, I definitely will be! :)

Disclosure: ABC Family asked me to participate in a game based on the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars." They provided me with a game kit which included a Free Motorola Droid Smartphone. The phone is mine to keep once the game has been completed.

Review: "The Ghost and the Goth"

2010-06-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Ghost and the Goth

by Stacey Kade

June 29th 2010

288 pages

From Goodreads.com: After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck here in spirit form with no sign of the big, bright light coming to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser/outcast type who hates the social elite. He alone can see and hear her, but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.

Can they get over their mutual distrust—and this weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist?

My Thoughts: When I first heard about "The Ghost and the Goth" I knew that I had to read it! Luckily I was able to get my hands on an ARC copy during a tour! I assure you it didn't disappoint! Unfortunately I had to send the ARC to the next person on the tour, but I know I will be buying this as soon as it comes out! I loved the story, and can I just say that this cover will look amazing sitting on my bookcase? YES!

The story is told in alternating POV's which sometimes can be hard to follow in novels, but in this case I felt that the different POV's helped move the story along very nicely! First we meet Alona... beautiful, popular, and definitely a mean girl. An unfortunate accident turns Alona into one of the living impaired (She'd rather not be referred to as a Ghost). She's confused as to why she hasn't seen the light and why she hasn't moved onto whatever is next. Then Alona notices that weirdo, Will, laughing at her. Meaning, Will is the only one who can see her!

Then we are introduced to Will. Misunderstood, and believed to be schizophrenic, he has been prescribed an iPod by his therapist to help block out the voices. What his therapist doesn't understand is that he isn't really schizophrenic, he can see ghosts. But he isn't willing to admit this ability he has, he'd rather turn on the iPod and ignore the ghosts around him. You see, the dead can be extremely demanding once they find someone who can actually see them!

Alona and Will hate to admit it, but they need each other. Will can help Alona find her light, and Alona can help keep the other ghosts from bothering Will! Just one problem... they kind of hate each other.

I hear that "The Ghost and the Goth" is the first installment in a series. I definitely can not wait to read more about Alona and Will!

Review: "Will Grayson, Will Grayson"

2010-05-30T19:28:00.002-05:00

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green, David Levithan
April 6th 2010
310 pages

From Goodreads.com: 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.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

My Thoughts: I've said it many times, but I will say it again... I LOVE JOHN GREEN! I swear to read anything that he has written, and I am addicted to the Vlog Brothers! As for David Levithan, I realize that he too is an amazing author, but I hate to admit that the only book of his that I had read, before reading "Will Grayson, Will Grayson," was "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" which I loved! And I could definitely feel the similarities between the two books.

The book is set from two different POV's... it was obvious to me that Will #1 was the creation of John Green, (I would recognize his writing style anywhere) while Will #2 was written by David Levithan.

Although I will admit that the story seemed the most entertaining after the two Will Grayson's had run into each other in the most unlikely place for either of them to have been found in... I found the star of the book to be Will #1's best friend Tiny Cooper! The premise of the book made it sound like the two Wills would have a huge impact on each other's lives, but really I believe it was Tiny Cooper who made the differences in both of their lives! In fact, I believe that if Tiny Cooper had not been involved, Will Grayson and Will Grayson would have merely chuckled at the fact they had the same name, but they probably would have then went on their own ways, never talking again, and back to their own pitiful lives if it wasn't for the flamboyant Tiny Cooper.

Both characters showed tremendous growth throughout the book. They both struggled with many issues, trying to figure out who they were, how to deal with the people in their lives, and most importantly, learning how to love others as well as love themselves.

In My Mailbox #16

2010-05-29T22:00:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!

Last week...

Since my internet was down last weekend, I wanted to make a quick mention of the books that I received last week!

And as for this week...

On Monday the good people at ABC Family sent me a box of dirt. If you've been keeping up with my blog then you know what was hidden underneath the dirt. But if you haven't, then you should check out my first post regarding this box... and check out the rest of my posts labeled "PLL" for what has happened so far in the Pretty Little Liar Secret Keeper Game!

Pretty Little Liars - Secret Keeper Game [Challenge 2]

2010-05-29T00:08:00.003-05:00

Being Aria Montgomery isn't easy...

I ended up not needing help with Challenge #2... but I know I will need your help for future challenges! So stay tuned!

Yesterday at approximately 3:00pm I received my second challenge from "A". My challenge was to find Aria's flickr account, and upload photos from "Monday's hiking trip." Sounds easy enough, except no matter what I searched for nothing would come up! I literally tried everything! I actually ended up finding Emily and Spencer's challenge pictures in the process, but could not find my own! (oh, and as for Hanna, she had it really easy, just had to upload a photo directly from her phone... lucky!)

"A" must have sensed my trouble, because she soon sent me another message saying that I had until Saturday to find my photos, and that I should try again tomorrow. (How unusually nice of her!) So I figured that either the photos weren't up yet, or that I would receive a tip the next day. Either way I was sure that "A" was having fun watching me sweat! I had a photo on my phone of a hiking trail (a clue) that I planned on using as a last resort, but I wanted to be sure and take my time in finding the actual flickr album so that I wasn't taking any chances! I wanted to do exactly as "A" requested so that I wouldn't upset her!

I talked to a few other Aria's in the game, and they were all having trouble too. Which made me feel much better that I wasn't alone! Thankfully we all received a hint earlier today! I was at work when the hint hit Facebook, but luckily for me, my friend Kristin was keeping a close eye on "A" and I was quickly able to access my challenge photos! After uploading the photos to my group "A" almost immediately sent me a text message saying that she was surprised I actually found them, and that she was a little impressed... lol

She says that my secret is safe for now... but I've learned that "A" doesn't always keep her word. So I've just gotta do what she says and hope for the best!

Check out my Label "PLL" for more of my posts on the Secret Keeper game!

Disclosure: ABC Family asked me to participate in a game based on the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars." They provided me with a game kit which included a Free Motorola Droid Smartphone. The phone is mine to keep once the game has been completed.

Contest Winner!

2010-05-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

My $25 Borders Gift Card contest has ended! Sorry it took me awhile to announce the winner, I must admit that I've been a little occupied with the Secret Keepers game!

I've counted up all the entries, and have randomly picked a winner!

JILL!
(Of the O.W.L.)

Congratulations! Check your email!

Thank you to everyone who entered! I plan on holding another contest very soon!

-Kelli

Secret Keepers Game... I need YOUR help!

2010-05-27T11:57:00.000-05:00

Today my group received this message from A:

Good job, ladies. You passed my first little test. But watch out: I'll have a new challenge for you today that won't be so easy. Might want to start getting your friends, readers and fans lined up, because you'll need help with this one. -A

Later today I will be receiving a new challenge, and it looks like I am going to need your help! Please stay tuned :) I will make a post once I find out more!

"Pretty Little Liars" - Secret Keeper Game [Challenge 1]

2010-05-26T22:44:00.001-05:00

Please referr to my first post for more information on the game, and what has happened so far!

My first text message from "A" arrived on my phone at approximately 4:00pm yesterday afternoon. As I read the message I noticed that my hands were actually shaking, my palms were sweaty and my nerves were running wild!

Even though I hear that it's okay to share with you what the text message said, I still feel paranoid that I might be saying too much. So let me just give you the basic idea of what the text said...

"A" had informed me that I needed to find something on Craigslist, and I had to contact the person with the ad. Basically a 'do what I say, or I will tell your friends all of your dirty little secrets' kind of text message.

Scary, right? I quickly pulled up the internet browser on my Droid smartphone. At first I was having a little trouble with finding anything that seemed like it was meant for the game! I kept finding a few similar ads that appeared to be real ads by real people. I wasn't really sure if I was supposed to contact one of them! So I kept looking for clues that one of these ads was indeed part of the game, and that I wouldn't be scaring some poor innocent bystander with my insane request!

Finally I started wording my search in different ways, and then eventually the correct ad popped up! Once I found it, it was so obvious that I had found the correct listing! So I quickly contacted the ad owner, did as I was told, and then waited for a reply from "A".

Today I received a text from "A" which said: "Aria, you just whipped up the sweetest deception. Nice work. I savored every bit - and as a reward I'll keep your hot secret. --A"

*Sigh* My secrets are safe... for now.

First challenge has officially been completed!
But I can only assume that the first challenge was the easiest...

Over on Facebook, "A" has been having some fun with the Pretty Little Secret Keepers. Even my friends are joining in on some of the fun:

Disclosure: ABC Family asked me to participate in a game based on the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars." They provided me with a game kit which included a Free Motorola Droid Smartphone. The phone is mine to keep once the game has been completed.

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-05-26T11:11:00.002-05:00

Siren
by Tricia Rayburn
June 8th 2010

Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything—the dark, heights, the ocean—but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge. That is, until Justine goes cliff-diving one night near the family’s vacation house in Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day.

Though her parents hope that they’ll be able to find closure back in Boston, Vanessa can’t help feeling that her sister’s death wasn’t an accident. After discovering that Justine was keeping a lot of secrets, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor, hoping that Justine’s boyfriend might know more. But Caleb has been missing since Justine’s death.

Soon, it’s not just Vanessa who’s afraid. All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes host to a string of fatal, water-related accidents in which all the victims are found, horrifically, grinning from ear to ear.

Vanessa turns to Caleb’s brother, Simon, for help, and begins to find herself drawn to him. As the pair try to understand the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance—and will change her life forever.

A seductive paranormal romance full of unexpected twists, Siren is certain to make a big summer splash.

Pretty Little Liars - Secret Keeper Game!

2010-05-25T00:01:00.003-05:00

"Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret"

I was really excited to be 1 out of 40 people asked to participate in a special game for ABC Family's upcoming show "Pretty Little Liars"... from what I've gathered so far, a majority of the lucky participants are fellow book bloggers, so please let me know if you were also picked for the game!

Today I received a box from ABC Family. I opened it up and sitting on the top was a note that said: "Some secrets you have to dig for. -A"

Underneath the note the box was full of dirt. Yes... literally filled with dirt! I took the box outside and did as I was told by digging through the dirt! I uncovered a Motorola Droid smartphone! The phone was provided free in order to take part in the game!

I also received a small object. But for now I am going to keep the small object a secret because I am not exactly sure what it's meaning is, and I think it could possibly be a secret clue.

With the phone was a note that read:

"It's hard to dig without getting dirty, isn't it, Aria? I know what you're thinking: 'I'm not Aria.' But believe me... after today, you will be. Now that you have her phone, you might as well log into her account. I'm waiting. --A"

So out of excitement I hurry and sign up using Aria's account information. I then received the following message, which I think describes the game very well:

"Welcome.

I see you've found your phone. Allow me to introduce myself. You can call me 'A'. Since Pretty Little Liars is premiering June 8 on ABC Family, I thought it would be fun to play this little game in order to kick off the show.

Here's how it works:

You've got 10 secrets. The goal of the game is to keep those 10 secrets from your three friends. You'll all meet as soon as you join the Facebook group. Watch your Facebook notifications. I'll be inviting you soon.

Now, about your phone. It's full of stuff you'll need later, so go ahead and start digging through it. It's yours.

You'll receive your first secret on Tuesday, and if you want to keep that secret, I suggest you do what I say. Remember, I know everything.

-A"

So that's it so far!
I don't really know much more than what you've read here. Just that it sounds like a really creative and fun game! I can't wait to get started! I will update you on the game as much as I can without giving away any of my "secrets." I am told that my blog followers are encouraged to help me with the game, but I am not exactly sure how that is going to work yet... so stay tuned!

I am going to label all of my "Pretty Little Liar" game udates with "PLL" so that you can find these updates easier.

Music Monday + Random Ramblings

2010-05-24T20:13:00.001-05:00

I learned something this week. I absolutely can not live without the internet! Luckily, my phone was able to help get me through the torture... I could still check twitter, and Facebook... you know, all the important things in life. But there is nothing like curling up with your laptop, updating your blog, and watching hours and hours of youtube videos. *sigh*

My entire town was without internet service for 2 days (but I assure you it felt more like weeks)... all because of a miscalculation by a single individual who was digging a hole.

Anyway, now that I have the internet, it's time to start updating!

I'll start with:

Music Monday...

Remember a few weeks ago when I told you that HANSON has been one of my favorite bands for most of my life? Well, I had a fun surprise on May 15th!

I drove down to Tulsa, Oklahoma recently to attend the Conan O'Brien show with a few of my friends (If you didn't know, Conan is doing a comedy tour). My friend Alicia had VIP passes to the show which meant she got to go in way early for some special VIP treatment. My friend Erin and I waited outside a few hours before the show, waiting for Alicia to come back outside.

Then we heard Hanson. We could hear them doing a soundcheck inside the venue! Needless to say, Erin and I are both huge Hanson fans, so we started freaking out a little bit... okay... we freaked out a LOT! We listened to them practice 2 songs!

Once the music stopped I heard Erin say... "uh, that's Zac." I glanced over and saw him walking in our direction (For those of you not familiar with Hanson, Zac is the youngest Hanson brother). Erin and I tried not to look suspicious so we just turned to each other and continued a fake conversation like we had no idea one of our favorite rockstars was only a few feet away.

However, the Hanson's have this secret power. They can look at a person and just know if they are a fan. So I turn and look at him and see that he is staring back at me with this "I know your a fan... please don't hurt me!" look on his face... I swear, I could see the fear in his eyes... haha! But luckily for him, I am not a rabid fan. I just smiled and said "Hi" and he smiled and said "Hi" back... and then was on his merry way.

Once doors opened, Erin and I took our seats. Guess who is sitting in the seats directly behind us? HANSON! It was really uncomfortable actually. I could feel their presence behind me during the show. Luckily for my nerves, Hanson left their seats during the middle of the show to perform onstage!

They performed their newest single "Thinking About Something" and then jammed with Conan O'Brien on a cover called "Never Been to Spain." it was fantastic! Four of my favorite people on the same stage!

Check out my videos from the show:

Thinking About Something:

Never Been To Spain:

Contest Reminder!

2010-05-20T11:11:00.001-05:00

CONTEST REMINDER!
There is still time to enter my $25 Borders Gift Card contest!
Contest ends May 22nd!

Click to learn more...

Random Ramblings

2010-05-19T19:34:00.000-05:00

I've been lacking a little bit on updates lately, I know! I know!
I've been sure to keep up on my "Waiting on Wednesday" posts though, so I am sure you haven't missed me too much!

I just got back home from a mini vacation! I can't wait to tell you more about it! I traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma this past week to visit friends, and to attend the Conan O'Brien show! A few moments before the show started I found out that Conan's special guest was my favorite band of all time! ahhh!!! Had an amazing time! I will post more about this on my next "Music Monday" post...

I also raided a bookstore down in Tulsa, and I have a lot of great buys to share with you for my next "In My Mailbox" post... as well as a few books I actually did receive for review!

And of course I have several book reviews to write!

ALSO, I came home to an amazing email about a great opportunity that hopefully I will be able to share with you soon! It's not set in stone or anything, but I might get the chance to participate in something awesome! *Crosses Fingers*

I'll have a new review soon!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-05-19T11:11:00.002-05:00

Raised by Wolves
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
June 8th 2010

PACK LIFE IS ABOUT ORDER, BUT BRYN IS ABOUT TO PUSH ALL THE LIMITS, WITH HAIR-RAISING RESULTS.

At the age of four, Bryn watched a rabid werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by Callum, the alpha of his pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been raised as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule (mostly). Little fazes her.

But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her mom and dad come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.

An exciting new paranormal adventure, with a heroine who rivals Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Raised By Wolves will leave you howling for more.

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-05-12T11:11:00.002-05:00

The Ghost and the Goth
by Stacey Kade
July 6th 2010

After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck here in spirit form with no sign of the big, bright light coming to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser/outcast type who hates the social elite. He alone can see and hear her, but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.

Can they get over their mutual distrust—and this weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist?

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-05-05T11:11:00.003-05:00

Claire de Lune
by Christine Johnson
May 18th 2010

Christine Johnson’s CLAIRE DE LUNE, in which a teenager learns that she is a werewolf, descended from a long line of female werewolves, and must balance her human and werewolf lives, while tracking down the rogue werewolf preying upon the people of her town.

Review: Runaway by Meg Cabot

2010-04-30T11:11:00.005-05:00

Runaway (Airhead, #3)

by Meg Cabot

April 20th 2010

310 pages

Description: Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself. With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope... what's the point of even going on?

But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to. Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved—since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed—this time, permanently?

Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running.

My Thoughts: I thought this was a wonderful ending to an amazing series! The writing was completely captivating, and I finished the book the same day that I go it! I just could not put it down until everything was resolved. It's nice to finally have all the answers!

The character that surprised me the most was Brandon. I've always kind of hated him, but by the end of the series he turned out to be a pretty decent guy!

If you liked the first two books in the series, then you are definitely going to want to hurry and pick the last book up! I promise it does not disappoint! It may have even been my favorite out of the three books.

And if you haven't yet read this series, then I encourage you to give it a try! I felt that the series only got better and better with each book! Each character showed tremendous growth throughout the series, especially the protagonist, Em! The story is also full of characters that you are sure to love!

Overall, I found this series to be a pleasant surprise! I had expected the whole story to be completely different from what it actually was, and I am really glad that I decided to pick up this wonderful series!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-04-28T11:11:00.005-05:00

My Double Life
by Janette Rallison
May 13th 2010

Her whole life, Alexia Garcia has been told that she looks just like pop star Kari Kingsley, and one day when Alexia’s photo filters through the Internet, she’s offered a job to be Kari’s double. This would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime, but Alexia’s mother has always warned her against celebrities.

Rebelliously, Alexia flies off to L.A. and gets immersed in a celebrity life. Not only does she have to get used to getting anything she wants, she romances the hottest lead singer on the charts, and finds out that her own father is a singing legend. Through it all, Alexia must stay true to herself, which is hard to do when you are pretending to be somebody else!

Review: Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

2010-04-27T11:11:00.007-05:00

Being Nikki (Airhead, #2)

by Meg Cabot

May 5th 2009

336 pages

Description: Things aren't pretty for Emerson Watts. Em was sure there couldn't be anything worse than being a brainiac the body of a teenaged supermodel. But it turned out she was wrong. Because that supermodel could turn out to have a mother who's gone mysteriously missing, a brother who's shown up on her doorstep demanding answers, a former best friend who's intent on destroying Stark Enterprises to avenge the death of his lost love, and a British heartthrob who's written a song about her that's topping the charts.

How can Em balance all that with school, runway shows, and weekend jaunts to St. Johns — especially when she's got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op; a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships; a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side... Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren't really airheads after all...especially one model in particular.

But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.

My Thoughts: I loved "Airhead" and since the book ended abruptly, I found my self throwing it down and quickly picking up "Being Nikki" so that I could continue with the story.

After reading "Airhead," I thought I knew what to expect with it's sequel, but I was wrong yet again! I expected an interesting novel about a normal nerdy girl who had her brain transplanted into the body of the world's most famous teen supermodel, and her struggles with her new celebrity lifestyle while also trying to juggle her school life. I thought trying to get Christopher (her best friend, and long time crush from her previous life) to notice her would be her biggest challenge. But the sequel contained so much more!

It's not enough that Em's a paranoid mess. She has a feeling that not only her phone, her computer and her loft are bugged, but she also believes that Stark Enterprises are also monitoring her friends and family as well. Making it extremely hard to just tell people the truth about what happened to her, and what is going on in her life. But then Steven shows up at her loft, he claims to be her brother, and is angry with her for not knowing that their mother has disappeared! Of course Em wouldn't know anything about this, she had no idea Nikki even had a family, and neither did Nikki's friends because she never talked about them.

By the end of the book, the story had taken some strange twist and turns that I definitely did not see coming! I was literally shocked! Which normally I pride myself on being able to have at least some idea where the plot is going, and in some parts I did, but wow, some things I just did not predict at all! The story ends with a major cliffhanger that had me rushing out the next day to buy the third book in the series, "Runaway," which luckily was released just a few days before I finished "Being Nikki."

Review: Airhead by Meg Cabot

2010-04-25T11:11:00.007-05:00

Airhead #1
by Meg Cabot
May 13th 2008

340 pages

Description: Emerson Watts, 16 and female, loves playing video games, hanging out with her best friend, Christopher, and has made peace with her less-than-supermodel-esque looks. But when she's involved in a mysterious accident, she wakes up to find she's now in the body of...a supermodel. Who was behind this switch? What was the motive? And how can she get Christopher to realize she's still the same person inside?

My Thoughts: I LOVED IT! I was actually really surprised with Airhead, and it was so much better than I thought it was going to be! Not that I have ever doubted Meg Cabot... I knew I was going to like this book, I just didn't know I was going to like it as much as I did!

It was a little different from what I had expected. I had expected some sort of "spirit transfer" due to a terrible accident that affects two young girls, which is something that has been done a million times before. But that was not the case! Em Watts does finds herself in the body of supermodel, Nikki Howard, after she has a horrible accident, but it's because of an advance medical procedure that made the "whole body transplant" possible. You'll have to read the book to find out more about this. I found it quite interesting.

I was also pleasantly surprised about how likable I found the characters to be! I figured the rich and famous would be annoying spoiled brats, that I wouldn't care for. Partially because of the way Em perceived the F.O.N. (Friends of Nikki) before she actually got to know them. But instead I found these characters to be extremely likable! Nikki Howard's socialite B.F.F. Lulu was my favorite! But don't get me wrong... there were definitely a few annoying spoiled rich brats in the bunch.

It was really fun reading about Em's crazy situation, and trying to learn more about Nikki along the with her. I found it really difficult to put the book down! I also like that Em was able to hold onto some parts of her old life, even though hardly anyone knew who she really was. It was really interesting to see how her life had changed just because she had become Nikki Howard.

Also, if you are going to read Airhead, (which I think you should) be sure to have the second book "Being Nikki" on hand, because the story kind of stops abruptly. Which makes me glad that I started this series late! It left me wanting to know more, and it left me very curious!

In My Mailbox #15

2010-04-24T11:11:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!

I just finished the first two in this series and I am dying to devour this. Ahhh!!!!

Runaway (Airhead, #3)
by Meg Cabot
April 20th 2010

Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself.

With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope... what's the point of even going on?

But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to.

Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved—since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed—this time, permanently?

Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running.

New Eclipse Trailer!

2010-04-23T19:55:00.002-05:00

The Eclipse trailer hit YouTube earlier today, and it looks amazing! Eclipse was my favorite book in the Twilight series, and I've been looking forward to this movie for quite some time :)

So for those of you who love the Twilight series... what do you think?

Review: FANG (Maximum Ride #6)

2010-04-22T11:11:00.000-05:00

Fang

(Maximum Ride #6)

by James Patterson

March 15th, 2010

309 pages

Description: Being a kid with wings--constantly on the run--has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them "The sky will fall." And as if an impending apocalypse weren't bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: Fang will be the first to die. Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?

My Thoughts: I absolutely adore the Maximum Ride series! Although I still think that book one, "Angel Experiment," is currently the best in the series, I still really enjoyed "Fang" (The sixth book).

This book managed to capture my emotions a little better than the previous two. I cried, I was angry, I was happy, and of course I laughed. One thing the Maximum Ride series always has is a great sense of humor! I always know I can depend on Max's witty inner dialogue to crack me up throughout the book no matter what dramatic situation they have found themselves in!

A new element is brought to this book: ROMANCE! Max and Fang are finally together! Even if the rest of the flock disagrees with their relationship, and continue to protest the time they have been spending together as a couple outside of the flock.

Sometimes, with long series like this, I start to lose interest after 3 or 4 books. However, James Patterson has consistently provided quick and entertaining reads, and he never fails to amuse me!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-04-21T11:11:00.012-05:00

This one just sounds weird... so naturally I am intrigued!

The Turning (Book 1)
What Curiosity Kills
by Helen Ellis
May 1st 2010

Mary Richards is a normal sixteen-year-old girl living in Manhattan. Well, almost normal. She goes to private school on the Upper East Side, having been saved from a life of squalor by an adoptive family. But she’s also slowly transforming into a cat.

Struggling to hide her physical metamorphosis, Mary discovers that she isn’t alone. A whole race of cat people prowls the streets of Manhattan at night, including Mary’s long-time crush, Nick.

Aside from heightened feline senses, hanging out with Nick is the best thing about discovering her inner kitty. But Mary’s transformation is special and could decide the outcome of a citywide turf war. She must decide whether to embrace her powerful feline side and become a pack leader or go back to being a normal teenage girl. Can she land on her feet or will curiosity be her downfall?

Music Monday

2010-04-19T18:39:00.006-05:00

Put all of your prejudgments aside, and take a listen. They aren't little kids anymore!

Hanson
Official Website
@Myspace
@Facebook
@Twitter

Yes, I am a Hanson fan. I've been one pretty much my whole life! I became a fan 13 years ago, way back in 1997 when I was just a kid, and well, they pretty much were just kids too! Back then they were only 11, 14, and 16... and had one of the catchiest songs ever made. Oh yeah, you remember it: MMMBop. And even though we've all grown out of that bubblegum pop song, guess what? So have they! Now Hanson are adults. Isaac is 29, Taylor is 27, and Zac is 24. And their music is amazing! They also have some of the craziest and most dedicated fans I have ever seen! Most of which have stuck by their side for the last 13 years, and usually travel ridiculous distances for special events. Not to mention that pretty much every Hanson fan can tell you what it's like to sleep on a street, sometimes for days, just so that they can secure that front row spot at a "General Admission" show. That's dedication. Or maybe it's insanity... but nothing beats the feeling of being front row at your favorite band's concert!

Hanson was the first band I ever liked. They were the first CD I bought, and the first famous people I've ever met. In the past 13 years I've been to more than 30 Hanson concerts, and have met them multiple times. But more importantly, their music has gotten me through some tough times, and their music has directly and indirectly introduced me to some amazing people, most of which I can now call my best friends.

Oh, but... you may still catch me dancing around to mmmbop once in awhile... shhhh! Don't tell anyone!

Hanson's new video "Thinkin' About Somethin'"

I would just like to point out that a lot of my friends are in this music video, they are part of the "Flash Mob" and are dancing in the background. :)

"GO" (2007)

Review: Numbers

2010-04-18T11:11:00.000-05:00

Numbers
by Rachel Ward
January 5th 2009
325 pages

Description: Since her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Jem has kept a secret. When her eyes meet someone else's, a number pops into her head - the date on which they will die. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, Jem avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy called Spider, and they plan a day out together, her life takes a new twist and turn. Waiting for the London Eye, she sees everyone in the queue has the same number - something terrible is going to happen.

My Thoughts: I really loved Numbers! I finished it days ago, and I still find it's message quite disturbing, and I can't seem to get it out of my head! It really made me think: "If someone could tell me the exact day I was going to die, would I want them to?" I thought about it for a long time, and although I would like someone to tell me that I was going to live for 100 years, I wouldn't want to know the date of my death if that was not the case! It made me think about how fragile life is, and how any of us could kick the bucket at any given moment. I mean, honestly, I could die before I even finish this review *looks around for unknown danger*.... so as you can imagine, the premise is kind of depressing! But oh-so intriguing!

In "Numbers" the main character Jem can look right in someone's eyes and see their number. She knows the exact day when everyone around her is going to die. It's really heartbreaking to think of all the people she encounters throughout the story who only have a few years, a few months, or even just a few weeks or days to live. I can't imagine having such a horrible burden.

I guess the moral of the story is: live your life for today, and not for tomorrow... and live your life to the fullest!

In My Mailbox #14

2010-04-17T11:11:00.004-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren!
My purchases this week:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green & David Levithan
April 6th 2010

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.

Wings
by Aprilynne Pike
May 1st 2009

Aprilynne Pike's best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl named Laurel who discovers she is a faerie. When Laurel is thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Being Nikki
(Airhead, #2)
by Meg Cabot
May 5th 2009

Things aren't pretty for Emerson Watts.

Em was sure there couldn't be anything worse than being a brainiac the body of a teenaged supermodel.

But it turned out she was wrong. Because that supermodel could turn out to have a mother who's gone mysteriously missing, a brother who's shown up on her doorstep demanding answers, a former best friend who's intent on destroying Stark Enterprises to avenge the death of his lost love, and a British heartthrob who's written a song about her that's topping the charts.

How can Em balance all that with school, runway shows, and weekend jaunts to St. Johns — especially when she's got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op; a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships; a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side...

Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren't really airheads after all...especially one model in particular.

But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.

Win a $25 Borders Gift Card! - CLOSED

2010-04-16T23:19:00.004-05:00

CONTEST CLOSED!

Winners will be announced soon!

~~I am in the process of having a book giveaway, but I really wanted to celebrate my new layout right now! So I decided to start a completely different contest! :)~~

~~CONTEST: $25 Borders Gift Card!~~

~~Contest ends at 11:59PM on May 22nd~~

~~The Rules: (don't worry, they are really simple!)~~
~~1) For this contest you must be a follower of my blog.~~
~~2) Comment on this post with your name and email address.~~

~~Also, we all love earning Extra Entries, right? I know I do! I am giving you a lot of great ways to earn extra entries!!!~~

~~+2 for being a follower prior to this contest (Thank you!)~~
~~+1 for being a follower on twitter @OMGbooks (tell me your username)~~
~~+3 for tweeting about this contest (You can RT my tweet about this contest)~~
~~+5 for linking to this contest on your sidebar (provide link)~~
~~+1 for becoming my friend or following me on goodreads.com~~
~~+1 for telling me what books you might buy with your gift card!~~
~~+2 for linking on one of your blog posts. (It doesn't have to be a post dedicated to this contest, you can just post a quick link after one of your normal posts if you would like)~~

There will be one (1) winner.
Winner will be notified by email, and will be announced on the blog!
The winner will receive a $25 gift card by email.

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-04-14T11:11:00.003-05:00

Anxious Hearts
by Tucker Shaw
May 1st 2010

“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”

Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.

A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited.

New Blog Layout!

2010-04-13T00:01:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I finally got around to making my own personal layout! What do you think? Do you like it? Does it looked like a rainbow threw up all over it? I personally like it. I love this color scheme!

Also, once I was all finished with it, I noticed that the Harry Book in the picture is upside down! doh! I am too lazy to change it now, so I guess I am just going to live with it. It's not that obvious, is it? haha!

I still have a few little things to change about the layout. But the biggest changes have been made! whoooo!!!!

<3 Kelli

Music Monday!

2010-04-12T11:11:00.004-05:00

The Rocket Summer
Official Website
@Myspace
@Facebook
@Twitter

The Rocket Summer is the one man rock band created by Bryce Avary. He writes and produces every song on his records, as well as plays every instrument on them.

Very rarely is there a band that is able to put out an album where I can truly say that I love every single song! The Rocket Summer is definitely one of them! It's the type of music that cheers me up the instant it pops up on my iPod, and it's the type of music that makes me dance around like a crazy loon, and sing at the top of my lungs until I lose my voice.

I've been a huge fan of The Rocket Summer for a long time! But I had never had the chance to see him in concert until just a few weeks ago. On March 31st he came to Iowa City on his headlining tour! He booked the gig less than 2 weeks prior to the show, but I managed to pull some strings so that I could drive the 3 hours to Iowa City to see him! I didn't care that I had to go alone, and I didn't care that I didn't get home until 2am when I had to be awake super early the next morning (The show was on a Wednesday night), it was completely worth it! I had so much fun that I wanted nothing more than to hop in my car and instead of driving home, I wanted to drive to Chicago for the next show, so that I could do it all over again!

My pictures from the show! (Click to Enlarge)

My videos didn't turn out too well, but I liked this short clip:

And also, My favorite music video from The Rocket Summer:

Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves

2010-04-11T11:11:00.002-05:00

The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #2) by Carrie Ryan
March 9th 2010
404 pages

Description: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

My Thoughts: Love, love, LOVE!!! I must admit, I am slightly obsessed with Zombies! I pretty much read every Zombie book I can get my hands on, and I think that I've seen every horrible Zombie movie ever made. Most Zombie movies/books that I come across seem to be the same as the one before it:
Step 1) Your neighbor is now a Zombie... ahh!
Step 2) Run!
Step 3) There is no hope. Everyone dies.

But then you come across the amazing Carrie Ryan, who not only throws romance into the mix, but she skips right past Step 1... we already know that Zombies exist, we've grown up around them. Instead we live among the survivors, beyond the safety of the fences and barriers. Of course there is a Step 2 in Carrie Ryan's books... it wouldn't be a good Zombie story if there was no running for your lives! But instead of Step 3, she throws hope into the mix as well. The end result being two of my favorite books: The Forest of Hands and Teeth and now the sequel The Dead-Tossed Waves. Which, if you love Zombies like I do, then you MUST read both!

In the first book, we were introduced to Mary, and although the sequel has a new protagonist, Gabry, we soon find out that the story takes place many years later, and Gabry is actually Mary's daughter. Unlike Mary, Gabry is not brave. She lives by the rules, and she is perfectly happy living in her safe little town, protected from the dead that walk beyond the barriers. Until one huge mistake changes her life. Gabry showed tremendous growth throughout the story. She started as a weak coward, and turned into one tough cookie!

I love Carrie Ryan's writing style. It's just... beautiful... and that's saying a lot considering that the story includes a lot of dead people who want nothing more than to rip your face off! She has a way of captivating the reader. I simply could not put this down!

Elias, oh Elias. How I love you so... *sigh*
Oh, and let me tell you what I thought of the end... one word: O.M.G. (yes, that's one word, don't question my logic!) I need the 3rd book. I need it in my life! 2011 is an eternity away!

In My Mailbox #13

2010-04-10T11:11:00.002-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren

Strange Angels
(Strange Angels #1)
by Lilith Saintcrow

Dad? Zombie.
Mom? Long gone.
Me? Well, that's the scary part.

The Real World is a frightening place. Just ask sixteen-year-old orphan Dru Anderson, a tough girl who has taken down her fair share of bad guys. She's armed, dangerous, and ready to kill first and ask questions later. So it's gonna take her a while to figure out who she can trust . . .

Dru Anderson has been 'strange' for as long as she can remember, travelling from town to town with her father to hunt the things that go bump in the night. It's a weird life, but a good one – until it all explodes in an icy, broken-down Dakota town, when a hungry zombie busts through her kitchen door. Alone, terrified, and trapped, Dru's going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. The monsters have decided to hunt back – and this time, Dru's on their menu. Chances of survival? Slim to none.

If she can't last until sunup, it's game over . . .

You Are So Undead to Me
(Megan Berry, #1)
by Stacey Jay

Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues. All Megan wants is to be normal and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead. Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party the bloody kind. Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life and more importantly, homecoming depends on it.

Devilish
by Maureen Johnson

The only thing that makes St. Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls bearable for Jane is her best friend Ally. But when Ally changes into a whole different person literally overnight the fall of their senior year, Jane's suddenly alone—and very confused.

Turns out, Ally has sold her soul in exchange for popularity—to a devil masquerading as a sophomore at St. Teresa's! Now it's up to Jane to put it all on the line to save her friend from this ponytail-wearing, cupcakenibbling demon . . . without losing her own soul in the process.

I also bought book 6 and 7 in "The Morganville Vampires" Series:

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-04-07T11:11:00.002-05:00

Dark Life
by Kat Falls
May 1st 2010

Set in an apocalyptic future where rising oceans have swallowed up entire regions and people live packed like sardines on the dry land left, DARK LIFE is the harrowing tale of underwater pioneers who have carved out a life for themselves in the harsh deep-sea environment, farming the seafloor in exchange for the land deed.

The story follows Ty, who has lived his whole life on his family's homestead and has dreams of claiming his own stake when he turns eighteen. But when outlaws' attacks on government supply ships and settlements...

... threaten to destroy the underwater territory, Ty finds himself in a fight to stop the outlaws and save the only home he has ever known.

Joined by a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her prospector brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and begins to discover some dark secrets to Dark Life.

As Ty gets closer to the truth, he discovers that the outlaws may not be the bloodthirsty criminals the government has portrayed them as. And that the government abandoning the territory might be the best thing for everyone, especially for someone like Ty, someone with a Dark Gift.

Review: Generation Dead

2010-04-06T16:31:00.002-05:00

Generation Dead
by Daniel Waters

May 6th 2008
400 pages
I enjoyed it:

Description: Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent... and dead. All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them. The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the 'differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the 'living impaired' from the people who want them to disappear for good. When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

My Thoughts: "Generation Dead" really wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting more action, suspense, and maybe a few faces being ripped off occasionally... I mean, it is a zombie book after all. However it was not like any zombie tale that has been told before. The zombies in this book are not violent, it's the living that proved to be the violent beings in this story.

For some reason, teens are not staying dead. They are getting back up soon after they've died, and try to go back to "living" the lives they had before their death. Some families welcome the "living impaired" teens back into their lives, while other families abandon them. The living impaired struggle to fit into society. While a few people have an open mind, most are still closed minded and unwilling to accept the living impaired. The undead are discriminated against and are victims of hate crimes.

I often forgot that there were even zombies in this book, because it lacked that supernatural element that I had hoped that it would contain when I originally picked it up. Instead I picked up a story that contained struggle, racism (er, bioism?), and the need for acceptance towards those that are different.

I look forward to picking up the next book in this series, because I am interested in seeing where the story goes from here. I feel like the story was just getting started!

In My Mailbox #12

2010-04-03T11:11:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren

Numbers
by Rachel Ward
January 5th 2009

Whenever Jem meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die.

Burdened with such an awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. But while they’re waiting to ride the Eye Ferris
wheel, Jem notices that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

Jonas (Beautiful Dead, #1)
by Eden Maguire
April 2nd 2009

Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances.
Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss. Darina,Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head! And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina.
Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' - a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth.Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?

Peeps
by Scott Westerfeld

One year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman more interested in meeting girls and partying in New York City than in attending his biology classes. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal's life.

Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he's infected the girlfriends he's had since Morgan—and all have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. And it's Cal's job to hunt them down before they can create even more of their kind. . . .

The Last Days
by Scott Westerfeld

A mysterious epidemic holds the city in its thrall and the chaos is contagious black oil spews from fire hydrants, rats have taken over brooklyn, and every day, more people disappear. but all that matters to pearl, Moz, and Zahler is their new band. they ignore the madness around them and join forces with a vampire lead singer and a drummer whose fractured mind can glimpse the coming darkness. will their music stave off the end of the world . . . or summon it?

set against the gritty apocalypse that began in Peeps, The Last Days is about five teenagers who find themselves creating the soundtrack for the end of the world.

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-03-31T11:11:00.004-05:00

Mockingjay (Hunger Games, #3)
by Suzanne Collins
August 24th 2010

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Review: Fallen

2010-03-28T11:11:00.000-05:00

Fallen
by Lauren Kate
December 8th 2009
452 pages
I give it:

Description: There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

My Thoughts: First off, can I just point out how beautiful the cover of this book is? It's amazing! I've been known to occasionally judge a book by the cover, and after seeing this cover I knew instantly that I wanted it on my bookshelf! Luckily I found the story just as hauntingly beautiful as the cover!

Although the story really had no action until the last few chapters, I found the mystery behind each of the characters to be enough to keep me engrossed in the story, and I found it really hard to put the book down!

I really don't want to give too much away, I think this is the type of book that would be enjoyed more with the less information you have on the plot. I want you to be curious about the characters until the very end! I will however say that I thought the story was completely original. I loved that the setting of the story took place at a reform school, where pretty much all of the students had a criminal record. I felt that the setting only contributed more to the mystery behind each of the characters, and made them so much more interesting!

The end might as well have had a big "TO BE CONTINUED" written on the last page! It left me wanting more! I felt that there are tons of unanswered questions, but I have faith that Lauren Kate will answer these questions in the next book in this series called "Torment" which will be released in September.

I can't wait to continue this series!

In My Mailbox #11

2010-03-27T11:11:00.003-05:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren

Because I want to continue reading these series,
I purchased the following books this week:

The Dead-Tossed Waves
by Carrie Ryan
March 9th 2010

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

Fang (Maximum Ride, #6)
by James Patterson
March 15th 2010

Being a kid with wings--constantly on the run--has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them "The sky will fall." And as if an impending apocalypse weren't bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: Fang will be the first to die. Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?

Hunger (Gone #2)
by Michael Grant
May 26th 2009

It's been three months since everyone under the age of fourteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results.

Everwild (Skinjacker Trilogy #2)
by Neal Shusterman
November 10th 2009

Everlost, the limbo land of dead children, is at war. Nick the “Chocolate Ogre” wants to help the children of Everlost reach the light at the end of the tunnel. Mary Hightower, self-proclaimed queen of lost children and dangerous fanatic, is determined to keep Everlost’s children trapped within its limbo for all eternity. Traveling in the memory of the Hindenburg, Mary is spreading her propaganda and attracting Afterlights to her cause at a frightening speed.

Meanwhile, Allie the Outcast travels home to seek out her parents, along with Mikey, who was once the terrifying monster the McGill. Allie is tempted by the seductive thrill of skinjacking the living, until she discovers the shocking truth about skinjackers.

Critically acclaimed author Neal Shusterman writes a book about life, death, and how the choices we make define ourselves in this luminous sequel to Everlost, which Orson Scott Card called “marvelously inventive . . . and magically beautiful.”

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-03-24T11:11:00.007-05:00

Lies (Gone, #3)
by Michael Grant
May 4th 2010

It happens in one night: a girl who died now walks among the living, Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach, and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most - Drake. But Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness - or so they thought. As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake. And the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza, are preaching that death will set them all free. As life in the FAYZ becomes more desperate, no one knows who they can trust.

Review: Candor

2010-03-22T15:48:00.007-05:00

Candor
by Pam Bachorz
September 22nd 2009
256 pages
I give it:

Description: Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

My Thoughts: I really loved this book! It had that creepy "Stepford Wives" element to the story that actually made the brainwashed people of this town a little bit intimidating. At least, I found them to be a bit intimidating. I can't imagine being the only free thinking teen in a town full of "perfect" people who will do absolutely anything the subliminal messages tell them to do!

While reading Candor, it truly felt like the setting of this town was set in a cheesy 1950's sitcom. The teens never break the rules, they always study hard, they never eat junk food, and heaven forbid that they ever hold the hand of their girlfriends/boyfriends. "Respectful space in every place"

Oscar's father founded the small town of Candor, and Oscar has been aware of the subliminal messages ever since the beginning, and has found a way to fight the control of these messages even though they are constantly playing in every home and in every corner of town! He even helps some of the new kids escape the messages with his very own special mix of CD's with his own personal subliminal messages, and when the new teens are ready, he helps them escape the town. For a price, of course.

I loved the characters! Well... I loved the characters there weren't brainwashed. Oscar is such a believable character... he's just your typical teenage boy. I wanted to slap him at some points of the story, but he redeemed himself by risking everything he worked hard for in his life, so that he could try to save a girl he has fallen in love with. I even liked annoying Sherman. I have a Sherman in my life, so I could really relate to Oscar's frustrations when dealing with Sherman!

The ending was extremely frustrating! I liked it... but it just left me wanting MORE MORE MORE! I really hope that a sequel is in the works!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-03-17T11:11:00.001-05:00

Whisper
by Phoebe Kitanidis
April 27th 2010

I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.

Review: Dead Is So Last Year

2010-03-16T11:11:00.000-05:00

Dead Is So Last Year (Dead Is, #3)
by Marlene Perez
Published: May 4th 2009
208 pages
I give it:

Description: Something very strange starts happening in Nightshade the summer that the eldest Giordano sister, Rose, gets a job working at Dr. Franken's research laboratory. People are starting to see double. Doppelgängers of Nightshade residents are popping up all over town. Daisy, Rose and Poppy think it's a coincidence, until the rumors start that their father, who disappeared several years ago, has been spotted in town. Meanwhile, Daisy's beau, Ryan is spending all of his time training for football, and like the other guys on the team, he's grown enormous almost overnight. Samantha Devereux's boyfriend's neck has doubled in size since school ended. Could the football players be resorting to extreme measures to win? Between summer jobs, sugar rushes, and beach parties, the Giordano girls get to the bottom of these mysteries and more.

My Thoughts: I must admit, as long as Marlene Perez continues to write the "Dead Is" series, I will be sure to continue to read these books! They are my guilty pleasure books. The reason I say this is because this series is obviously aimed towards pre-teens.

These books remind me slightly of the "Fear Street" books that I used to love to read when I was 11. However, the subject matter in "Dead Is So Last Year" may be a little more light than what I remember from any of the "Fear Street" books, even though the "Dead Is" series is full of paranormal characters and mysteries lurking at every corner in the small town of Nightshade.

Just like the previous two books, "Dead Is So Last Year" is a fast paced, easy to follow book that will hold your interest till the very end! And at only 208 pages, it's easy to read the entire book in one sitting. Which is exactly what I did!

Music Monday

2010-03-15T11:11:00.001-05:00

Everybody Else
@Myspace
@Facebook
@Twitter

For my very first "Music Monday" post, I wanted to share with you the band that currently holds the most plays on my iTunes playlists: Everybody Else!

I first heard these guys in Fall of 2008, during a trip to Washington state, where I took a road trip with my friend Rachael through the Hoh Rainforest. Rachael played their cd, and I instantly loved it. Unfortunately I was too hypnotized by the beauty of the rainforest to remember their band name (as easy as it may seem to remember), but their music stuck with me. Luck was on my side though, because only a month later I went to see one of my favorite bands in concert, and guess who the opening act was! EVERYBODY ELSE! I think I even enjoyed their short set more than the band I had went to see in the first place!

I instantly picked up their CD, and I listened to it non-stop for months! Their self titled CD is one of those rare CD's that I actually like every song on the album! The songs are fun and catchy, and I can't help but sing along and dance my butt off whenever one of their songs pop up on my ipod!

Hopefully I will be lucky enough to catch another one of their shows! I live in Iowa, so unfortunately I pretty much have to travel to any show I want to see.

Check them out!

Review: Girl at Sea

2010-03-12T20:42:00.002-06:00

Girl at Sea
by Maureen Johnson
published: May 17th, 2007
336 pages
I give it:

Description: Sometimes you have to get lost. The Girl: Clio, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan. The Mission: Survive her father's annoying antics. Oh, also find some underwater treasure that could be the missing link to a long-lost civilization. The Crew: Dad's absentminded best friend Martin, his scary girlfriend Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant research assistant. What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway? As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more mysterious than the sea—her own heart.

My Thoughts: I am a huge fan of Maureen Johnson. In fact, I think I may have been a fan of hers before I even picked up any of her novels, just because I find her hilarious! I love her blog, her vlogs, and her daily flood of twitter messages! I especially love that her humor is carried over in her novels!

At first I found the main character, Clio, to be a little bratty, but she redeemed herself by the end of the story. Clio grew up having adventures with her father, so even though I would kill to be in her shoes, Clio just wanted to have a normal life back home in America.

I have read several of Maureen's books now, and I think that so far "Girl at Sea" is my favorite! The characters are extremely realistic and easy to relate to, and the story held just the right amount of mystery and romance! It's a fun and light read, that takes you on an adventure!

I can't wait to read more from Maureen Johnson!

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-03-10T11:11:00.001-06:00

The Wide-Awake Princess
by E.D. Baker
April 27th 2010

In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie—blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic—can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen’s true love to kiss her awake.
But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn’t possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father’s guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family...and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

CONTEST ALERT!

2010-03-08T22:11:00.002-06:00

CONTESTS CONTESTS CONTESTS!
I looooove a good contest!
Especially when books are involved!

I am starting to update the sidebar to your right with some amazing contests that are going on around the YA blogging universe! Be sure to check them all out.

But one contest in particular I would like you share with you, is the Ridiculously Awesome Contest that Taschima over at Bloody Bookaholic is hosting.

There are going to be 7 winners and up to 28 books will be given away! This contest is HUGE!

Winner number 7 gets 1 book.

Winner number 6 gets 2 books.

Winner number 5 gets 3 books.

Winner number 4 gets 4 books.

Winner number 3 gets 5 books.

Winner number 2 gets 6 books.

Winner number 1 gets 7 book.

Definitely be sure to check it out!
CLICK CLICK CLICK!!!!

Movie Monday!

2010-03-08T11:11:00.001-06:00

ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Synopsis: 19-year-old Alice returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror.

My Thoughts: This weekend, I went to see the much anticipated "Alice In Wonderland" by the always amazing Tim Burton. Although I have been really excited about seeing this movie ever since the trailer was leaked last summer, I did a pretty good job at at avoiding anything that had to do with this movie up until it's release this weekend. I didn't want myself to get too hyped up for this movie because since it's been sooooo long since I've read the book, I had a chance at going into this movie with no expectations.

Since it's been forever since I've read the book, and since I don't even remember if this specific storyline was even part of the book, there is no way for me to do a book vs. movie comparison. I am not even sure if I have read "Through the Looking Glass" and maybe I haven't, and maybe that's why this storyline is unfamiliar to me.

Let's just ignore that fact, and let me simply say that I LOVED THIS MOVIE! I can't wait to see it again and again!

First off, Johnny Depp is one of the most amazing actors of all time! I always find it incredible that he is able to completely transform himself into his characters, and he's done it again in his role as the Mad Hatter! He is completely different in every movie that he does, and he just somehow manages to fully lose himself into his characters. If a movie has Johnny Depp in it, I'll definitely be watching!

Not to mention that I pretty much love everything that Tim Burton does, and he definitely did not disappoint with his version of Alice in Wonderland!

This movie was beautiful. The visual effects were absolutely stunning. I wish I would have been able to see it in 3D, unfortunately my local theater isn't equipped for 3D movies, but I am sure it would have been even more amazing in 3D!

I loved it! Did you?

Review: The Hunger Games

2010-03-07T21:20:00.000-06:00

FYI: If you have not read "The Hunger Games" yet, you may want to skip over the description of "Catching Fire"... it contains a spoiler! Although, I did accidentally read the back cover of "Catching Fire" before I read "The Hunger Games" and I still found it to be incredibly suspenseful! Just a heads up though :)

Catching Fire
(Hunger Games, #2)
by Suzanne Collins
Published: September 1st 2009
391 pages
I give it:

Description: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

My Thoughts: A short review would simply say "OMG! OMG! OMG! I LOVED IT!"... but I should probably try to come up with something a little better to say than just that, right?

While I didn't think this book held quite the same magic as "The Hunger Games" did for me, I did find it just as addicting! It definitely did not disappoint!

"The Hunger Games" left me wanting more, so I quickly dived into this book without hesitation! I even hid this in my purse and would steal a few moments from my day to pull it out and read a few pages while no one was looking. I probably could have gotten in trouble for reading this while I should have been doing other things, but it was worth the risk!

We get a better look at who the characters are, which only makes me feel even more attached to them! We are also introduced to a few new characters who mix things up a bit, and only make the story more interesting!

The book ends in probably one of the most frustrating cliff hangers I have ever come across in any series I've read! How in the world am I supposed to wait until August for the third and final book in this series?! That seems like forever away!

I've been talking about this series non-stop since finishing up the first book, and I've been bothering my friends in hopes that I can convince them to read this series too. Seriously, if you haven't started reading "The Hunger Games" yet, then what are you waiting for?!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am definitely Team Peeta! How about you?

In My Mailbox #10

2010-03-06T20:11:00.001-06:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren

Generation Dead

by Daniel Waters

Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent...and dead.
All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them.

The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the "differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the "living impaired" from the people who want them to disappear--for good.

When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

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Fallen
by Lauren Kate

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

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The following two books I purchased this week because they have been on my wishlist for a long time, and now that the movies are out, I feel the need to bump them up to the top of my list because I want to read them before I see the movies! Because we all know the book is always better than the movie anyway :P

The Lightning Thief
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)
by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

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The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing. In the hands of a brilliant novelist, this story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.

Review: The Hunger Games

2010-03-04T20:36:00.005-06:00

The Hunger Games
by: Suzanne Collins
Published: October 01, 2008
384 pages
I give it:

Description: In a futuristic society, the United States is divided into 12 districts, each based on their area's natural product. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12, an area once known as Appalachia. District 12's product is coal. Almost everyone is a miner. It is not a wealthy area. Residents are forced to eat whatever they can find or pay with a chance on their child's life to obtain government surplus foods. Luckily Kat's father taught her how to hunt and gather before he was blown up in a mine explosion. After his death her family depends on her for survival, until the very worst thing happens to them: She is sent to the Hunger Games to represent District 12 in a fight to the death. If she wins, both her family and her district will be rewarded with all the food and wealth they need. Kat is ready to do battle with the wilderness and the other tributes, but she isn't ready to fall in love. What happens when she finds she has feelings for her partner and knows she must kill him to win the games?

My Thoughts: AAAAHHHH! I am so obsessed with this book! I honestly could not put it down after I started reading it. I read the entire book in one sitting, even though I had originally intended on only reading the first few chapters. It was that good! The story grabbed me from the very beginning and didn't let go until the very end.

Everything about this book is perfect. It's simply amazing! I laughed, I cried, (mostly cried)... I was happy, I was angry (mostly angry)! It's very well written, and I became extremely attached to the characters, and their struggle.

Even after I finished the Hunger Games, I found myself obsessing over the characters long after I had closed the book. I couldn't get them out of my head! I couldn't wait to pick up the sequel to this wonderful story: Catching Fire! (I am almost finished with it already)

I find that with books I am completely in love with, I somehow can not write a decent review. I just want to scream OMG! OMG! OMG! over and over again, and call it a review.

Waiting on Wednesday!

2010-03-03T11:11:00.003-06:00

Coming out later this month!

Princess for Hire
by Lindsey Leavitt
March 16th 2010

When a well-dressed woman steps out of a bubble and wants to know if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you
A) run
B) faint
C) say yes?
For Desi Bascomb, who's been longing for some glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite C). Desi has a rare ability: with the help of "Royal Rouge," she can temporarily transform into the exact look-alike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras.... In this winning debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.

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Brightly Woven
by Alexandra Bracken
March 23rd 2010

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

Review: "Specials" by Scott Westerfeld

2010-03-01T16:36:00.006-06:00

Specials (Uglies, #3)
by Scott Westerfeld
Published: April 15th, 2006
192 pages
I give it:

Description: The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

My Thoughts: Although I did enjoy the third book in this series... I just can't help but compare it to the first two: "Uglies" and "Pretties". To be completely honest, it just didn't measure up to the first two in the series. Hence the 3 star rating. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good book, but I guess I just expected a little more from it. Maybe my expectations were set to high?

I found the plot to be a little redundant. I feel like we've heard this story before. Tally in the wild, looking for "The Smoke". I also found Tally to be very unlikeable in this book, which I am sure is for good reason, but it still made it a little difficult to read.

I also wasn't fully satisfied with the end. I actually thought it was a bit abrupt, and let's face it, sometimes the end of a book determines how well you like the entire story!

So, if you're considering reading the Uglies series, I definitely encourage you to do so! The first two books were fantastic!

I'm bbbbaaacccckkkk

2010-02-26T23:51:00.002-06:00

Wow, I've really neglected my blog! Shame on me!
I know I said I would be back in January, but I ended up doing some spontaneous traveling for most of January! I don't really have a good excuse for February though... sorry!

I am half way through "Specials"... so I will have a review soon!

I will also be holding a contest sometime in the next couple of days :) So check back for that!

I just want to thank all of my followers for sticking around! I expected to log on and see that you had all left! I love you guys!

YAYYYY!!!!!

I am still alive...

2009-12-09T22:13:00.002-06:00

Things have been really hectic for me the past few months, and I haven't found much time to read. I will be back full force in January... after I see Nick Jonas and the Administration twice in Dallas... (he's really good solo!)

See you in January!!!!

Contest Winner!

2009-10-19T22:32:00.003-05:00

And the winner of "Blue Plate Special" is.......

Briana

I am sending an email your way, congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who entered!!!

Waiting on Wednesday

2009-10-14T19:56:00.003-05:00

I've read the first 6 books in this series, and I look forward to continuing the series! You might not want to read the description if you haven't read the first 6 books. There is possibly a tiny spoiler in there!

Fade Out (The Morganville Vampires, #7)
by Rachel Caine
November 3rd 2009

Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again…

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve’s castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger—and way more dangerous—than anyone suspected.

In My Mailbox #9

2009-10-10T21:30:00.002-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at the Story Siren!

Candor
by Pam Bachorz

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town
where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way
to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them
all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved
teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages
to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to
get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape
Candor, Florida before they're transformed into
cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor,
and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

I finally received Candor! I can't wait to read it!

Blue Plate Special
by Michelle D. Kwasney

This emotional and evocative novel explores the lives of three young women. Madeline, Desiree, and Ariel - who narrate alternating chapters - may live in separate decades, but they struggle with issues that transcend time and place. Madeline is worn down by caring for her alcoholic mother and has been teased since childhood for being overweight. Angry, foul-mouthed Desiree will do anything to avoid her neglectful mother and the unwanted advances of her mother's boyfriend. And sensitive Ariel struggles with the pressures of taking AP classes and coping with a domineering boyfriend. As the girls' individual stories progress, the truth unfolds that they are actually three generations of one family. And when the tales ultimately intersect, present-day Ariel's breakthrough is also a triumph for her mother and grandmother. Beautifully written and impossible to put down, "Blue Plate Special" offers teen readers a fresh look at familiar topics, while also imparting a powerful message about self-respect, empathy, and forgiveness.

You can win Blue Plate Special by entering my contest! It ends soon!

Review: The Family Bones

2009-10-08T11:14:00.001-05:00

The Family Bones
by Kimberly Raiser
Published: October 22nd 2008
192 pages
I give it:

Description: Simply put, the book is about a family, The Weavers, who inherit a house in a part of Pennsylvania that appears on a map but barely any information on the internet. They have a more than just peculiar connection with this house, one that they can't even begin to fathom. The house is filled with generation-old secrets, startling and uncanny mysteries related to the family's past, a well in the backyard filled with strangled, skeletal cats. And that's just the beginning. Other more mutant-like secrets eventually unfold as The Weavers learn that a far more terrible thing await them if they continue to stay in their new abode.

My Thoughts: I have been sitting on this review for several weeks now. I almost feel like it is the type of book that needs to be read more than once, in order to understand it in it's entirety.

All in all, The Family Bones was a very quick read, and I did like it, but I found it to be a little bit confusing at times, as the plot bounces around quite a bit. The beginning of the book is really different from the ending of the book, and I actually really loved the beginning! If the book would have stayed on that track, I am sure it could have been a 5 star book for me!

I felt that there were a lot of questions that never really got answered... but it was a quick entertaining read, and I am sure I will have to read it again someday. Perhaps the answers are in there somewhere!

Waiting on Wednesday

2009-10-07T11:05:00.000-05:00

Light Beneath Ferns
by Anne Spollen
February 1st 2010

Elizah Rayne is nothing like other fourteen-year-old girls. More interested in bird bones than people, she wraps herself in silence. Trying to escape the shadow of her gambler father, Elizah and her mother move into an old house that borders a cemetery. All her mother wants is for them to have "normal" lives. But that becomes impossible for Elizah when she finds a human jawbone by the river and meets Nathaniel, a strangely hypnotic and mysterious boy who draws Elizah into his world.

Only by forgetting everything she knows can Elizah understand the truth about Nathaniel—and discover an unimaginable secret.