So Many Books, So Little Time

In My Mailbox- January 30, 2012

2012-01-30T22:35:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

TUESDAY

Incareron- Catherine Fisher--PaperbackSwap

WEDNESDAY

Slide- Jill Hathaway--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Book Review- Slide

2012-01-30T21:51:00.001-05:00

Late last night I finished reading Slide by Jill Hathaway for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

I would classify Slide as a paranormal book with a mystery thrown in. I was immediately captured by this book because of the term "Narcolepsy". I have read other books where the character is in another person's body for a second, but I've never read a book that used this term. And for some reason it fascinated me. I know that just falling asleep is a real disease but I've never known anyone with it before or read anything about it.

And then throw the mystery in. I had so many guesses as to who I thought the murderer was. And I had lots of reasons for each one. It turns out I was only sorta right but by default. The book really had me going.

I liked Vee. I liked that she embraced her gift and wasn't afraid of it. And that she was true to herself. I wasn't too sure about Rollins though. I liked that he saved Vee but after that, I didn't really get his appeal. I did like Mattie and Sophie though. I felt for them...trapped in that place between wanting to be popular and making the wrong choices because of it, but really having a good heart.

This book definitely kept my attention the whole way. I just checked and there will be a sequel to this book called Impostor coming out next year. I can't wait!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Slide will be released on March 27, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 12
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 10
2012 Debut Author Challenge: 2
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 10

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

The Sunday Salon- January 29, 2012

2012-01-29T14:03:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Salon

My friend and I ran another 5k yesterday. This one was through both Universal parks. It was fun but it was cold so I was having a hard time breathing and in pain for pretty much the whole thing. But it's so weird because the last one we ran at the beginning of January, I felt sooo good the whole time and our time for that race was a whole minute more than this race where I felt poorly the whole time! Why is that? I'm sore today though! I start my new running for a 10k training program this week. We'll see how that goes. We have our first 10k in March!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young

Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 10, 11
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 8, 9
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 8, 9

I am currently reading Slide by Jill Hathaway and up next, if I don't get any more tour books, is A Closer Look by Karen DelleCava.

Book Review- Dreaming Awake

2012-01-28T20:02:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…

When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.

Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.

And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start…

This was another series where I didn't remember too much from the first book. But luckily as I read, things started coming back to me.

The Falling Under series definitely has a unique group for its characters. But I loved them all! Theia was great! Kickbutt yet sweet. Although I didn't really get Haden's appeal in this book. But Theia's friends (Amelia and Donny) are awesome! So supportive and ready to help out no matter what. And their boyfriends (Gabe and Varnie) are pretty great too!

There's definitely a lot of action to keep you going. And a couple of twists, although nothing major. I predicted one of them, just not in the right way. And I liked the ending. It's how I thought it would end but it was done in the right way. I don't want to give anything away by saying too much. I can't tell if there is going to be a third book in the series. If there is, I will definitely be picking it up. But if there isn't, I think this book wrapped everything up well enough.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 11
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 9
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 9

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Waiting on Wednesday- January 25, 2011

2012-01-25T23:09:00.000-05:00

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1)
by Michelle Rowen
Publication Release Date: May 22, 2012

From Goodreads:

After her soul is stolen in a kiss, a 16-year-old must join a force of demons and angels to protect humanity from an immortal threat.

Book Review- A Want So Wicked

2012-01-25T18:23:00.001-05:00

I finished reading A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young tonight for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is.

After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose affect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.

Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really?

I remembered liking the first book in this series, but I couldn't remember why. And when I tried to look back and read reviews, I couldn't find any spoilers (for once!) So I went in with a pretty blank idea of what was going on. But I soon caught on and kinda remembered what happened. And I enjoyed this next book too.

I enjoyed Elise. But I thought that her relationship with Harlin was a little weird. Her feels came on way too quickly. I mean I got why they did, but she didn't know at the time why she was so drawn to him, but she was perfectly okay being so attracted to a guy so quickly, even though she had never had a boyfriend before. It was just a little weird. And oooh...Abe was just creepy. The way that her first kiss was described with him was creepy!

There was a sort of surprise at the end (or at least I think it was) but I saw it coming the whole time. And that part was sad. It made me a little teary ( I don't want to give too much away, so you'll just have to know that there was a sad part!).

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

A Want So Wicked will be released on June 26, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 10
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 8
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 8

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T21:41:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

TUESDAY

Forbidden- Syrie James and Ryan M. James--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Another Piece of My Heart- Jane Green--PaperbackSwap

WEDNESDAY

A Closer Look- Karen DelleCava--review for a Teen Book Scene Tour

THURSDAY

A Want So Wicked- Suzanne Young--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Dreaming Awake- Gwen Hayes--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

FRIDAY

Harbinger- Sara Wilson Etienne--from publisher

The Sunday Salon- January 22, 2012

2012-01-22T23:26:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Salon

So my school is getting rezoned and we are losing half of our kids. We are going from 13 kindergarten classes to 6. And they are keeping teachers based on seniority. I am right in the middle. I found out early this week that I am being offered a position in 1st grade. Not exactly what I wanted to hear. Yes, I'm grateful that I have a job, but there is another teacher who is like my twin. We do everything together both in and out of school. And I hate that I'm being split from her. We would still be in the same school but none of our times would be together. Plus for some reason, the idea of teaching first grade scares me! So I was considering interviewing at the new school to see if I could get a kindergarten position there. But then on Friday, I was offered the position of teaching pre-k. It's a lot more contact time with the kids with not really any planning time and I would have to get to school earlier and leave later for the same pay. But for some reason I think I like this idea better. I still wish I could just stay in Kindergarten!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James

Love is the Higher Law today by David Levithan

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge: Dead Reckoning
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 6, 7, 8, 9
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 6, 7
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 5, 6, 7
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 2
2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge: 1

I am currently reading A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young and up next is Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes.

Book Review- Love is the Higher Law

2012-01-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

I finished reading Love is the Higher Law today by David Levithan.

From Goodreads:

The lives of three teens—Claire, Jasper, and Peter—are altered forever on September 11, 2001. Claire, a high school junior, has to get to her younger brother in his classroom. Jasper, a college sophomore from Brooklyn, wakes to his parents’ frantic calls from Korea, wondering if he’s okay. Peter, a classmate of Claire’s, has to make his way back to school as everything happens around him.

Here are three teens whose intertwining lives are reshaped by this catastrophic event. As each gets to know the other, their moments become wound around each other’s in a way that leads to new understandings, new friendships, and new levels of awareness for the world around them and the people close by.

David Levithan has written a novel of loss and grief, but also one of hope and redemption as his characters slowly learn to move forward in their lives, despite being changed forever.

After reading this book, I find myself conflicted about what I thought on it.

On one hand, I really didn't care about any of the characters. If the book wasn't on such an important topic, I don't think I would have enjoyed it at all. I am such a character person--they are what make books great for me. But these teenagers just didn't do it for me. I wanted to feel shock and horror and terror and sadness and caring but I didn't really get that from any of them.

On the other hard, I feel like this is such a very important book. It's the only book I've read about 9/11. And there need to be more out there. I mean, I know there are nonfiction books out there, but I think there needs to be more fiction out there. Young adult today would have been so young when the tragedy happens that I think there need to be more for them to understand and just FEEL about it.

So I'm conflicted. I wish I liked the main characters more than I did.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 9
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 7
2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge: 1

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free from a contest win from IbookDB.

Book Review- Forbidden

2012-01-22T14:12:00.000-05:00

Early this morning I finished reading Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she’s desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there’s no way she’s going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she’s been having or the creepy warnings that she’s in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn’t factored Claire into his plans. . . .

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire’s unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

When I first started reading the book, it took a litle while to get into it. Not becuase of the plot or story line, but because it seemed to be written in an immature tone (even though I knew the author wasn't young). But I soon got over that and really got into the story.

I loved Claire. And her friends! Everyone was such a positive figure in the book (Even the popular girl, Gabby, who was made to appear like she was snobby and bratty. But whenever she talked to Claire she seemed sincere and nice, so even the "mean girl" was pretty positive.) This book was kinda unique in that right off the bat, Claire's best friends knew what was going on with her, paranormalish wise. And they were completely okay and supportive. I loved that! I loved how they, and Claire were so open about everything, and while it was a shock, it didn't seem outrageous.

I'm not too sure how I feel about Alec. He's a great guy, but I can't decided what I think will happen in the future for him. And with that being said, I tried to check to see if there was going to be a sequel to Forbidden, but I couldn't find anything. (If anyone knows, please tell me!) I guess the book does wrap up, but I definitely think there is room for another book!

Oh, and there was a small twist towards the end, but I saw it coming. It was sweet though :)

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Forbidden will be released on January 24, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 8
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 7
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 6

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Harbinger Trailer

2012-01-21T13:07:00.002-05:00

There is now a trailer for Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne (released on 2/2/12)

About the book:

Set in a world in which a diminishing oil supply has lead to chaos and mass rioting, sixteen year old Faye is plagued by waking visions and nightmares. Her parents think the only solution is to send her to Holbrook Academy , the creepy prison-like school for disturbed teenagers. When she and her friends wake up on the floor with their hands stained red, Faye has no idea what it means, but fears she may be the cause. But despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place. The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain he is trying to kill her –and the rest of the world too.

Advance Praise for Harbinger:
· “Heart-wrenching, terrifying, hot, and un-put-down-able!” – Tamora Pierce , New York Times bestselling author
· “Intricate, suspenseful, completely absorbing. Harbinger is masterfully done.” – Lisa McMann, author of the New York Times bestselling Wake trilogy

Or view the trailer HERE

The Teen Book Scene: Guest Blog and Giveaway!: Ivy Adams

2012-01-20T22:28:00.001-05:00

I am honored to host Ivy Adams, author of The International Kissing Club, on my blog today as part of a Teen Book Scene Blog Tour.

I got to interview some of the characters from the book!

What is the most significant thing that has happened in your life so far?
Piper: Honestly, going to Paris and taking an art-blowing class. I've been drawing and painting since I knew what it meant to hold a pencil, but none of my art classes before ever came close to what it felt like to create glass in Paris. That class was the hardest I've ever taken, but it taught me what kind of art I want to create.
Mei: Getting adopted. For whatever reason my birth parents felt they had to give me up, I ended up with the best family I could have ever hoped for.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
Izzy: Oh, man, I have a lot of those... I going to go with the time I tried to kiss a boy to earn points for IKC, and the guy turned out to be only twelve. Twelve! Hey, all I can say in my defense is that he was really tall for twelve.

What is your best piece of advice for travelling abroad?
Cassidy: Always pack your toothbrush in your carry-on! You never know when fresh breath will be an absolute necessity, and your toothbrush is in your checked luggage. Ugh.

If you could have one wish, what would it be?
Piper: Besides to have that stupid Kiss the Pig video vanish from YouTube forever? I wish that my mother would see me, the real me, instead of the disappointment that she usually sees whenever she looks at me.
Mei: Full scholarship to MIT, of course.

Which person in your life has has the greastest impact on you and why?
Izzy: Probably my father, but keep in mind, his impact hasn't always been good. He's the football at the local high school and all he cares about is football. When I was younger, I drove myself crazy trying to win his approval. I'd never act that way now. Once I realized he was never going to get me, it gave me the freedom to stop caring what he thought.
Cassidy: My mom, hands down. She’s given up everything for me, and while I don’t want my life to be like hers, if I can grow up to be half as strong as she is, I’ll be doing okay. The Barlow women against the world!

Thank you for hosting us today!

Now tell me your best piece of travel advice in the comments (leave your email so we can contact you) to be entered to win the Around the World In 80 Kisses daily and weekly prize and also become eligible to win the Grand Prize, a Kindle Fire. For a list of all our Smooch Posts you can visit and earn more entries to win, visit us here.

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams is the story of four best friends: Piper, Cassidy, Mei, and Izzy--the misfits of Paris, Texas. Their whole lives, they’ve dreamed of escaping small-town life and seeing the world. So when Piper is the victim of an embarrassing prank that goes viral online, she gets the idea that the girls should escape via the school’s international exchange program, in search of fun, love and internet redemption.

Emily McKay, Shellee Roberts and Tracy Deebs write under the pseudonym Ivy Adams. They shop, gossip and watch movies in Austin, Texas.

The Teen Book Scene: Guest Blog: Megan Curd

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am honored to host Megan Curd, author of Forbidden, on my blog today as part of a Teen Book Scene Blog Tour.

I got ask Megan several questions!

1) Where did you get the idea for your story?
As cheesy as it sounds, I actually had a dream one night. I don’t remember a ton of it, but I remember a young man tortured from his past and trying to make up for it. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to be in that predicament – to be trying to atone for what you’d done in your life, but feel helpless. It was actually ironic, because it was Sunday morning and I had to go to church. I sat through church thinking of this guy and what he’d do. The youth had an event after church that I was going to help with, and on the way to the museum we were going to, I wrote the first four chapters of FORBIDDEN as I drove – NOT SAFE…but I wasn’t taking anyone in my car with me, so it’d have just been me if something had happened! (That’s my safety announcement for the day, haha)

2) There have been a lot of angel stories lately. What makes yours different?
It’s a different look on what a fallen angel might go through. I think a lot of angel stories are pretty straightforward, but I wanted mine to have a different take on what could happen. I love writing characters that have twists you don’t see coming, and I hope I did it with FORBIDDEN. My favorite thing about FORBIDDEN is that it’s from a guy’s POV. Not as many YA novels are from the guy’s POV, so I wanted to freshen that up. I think people will enjoy it!

3) Did you have a say in your cover? If so, how did you come up with that idea?
I love love love my cover! My good friend and fellow writer, Hope Collier, as well as another writer and friend, Beth Isaacs, both worked with Neil before me and spoke very highly of him. I also design book covers for eBooks, but I wanted to outsource my own (I would never be satisfied with something I made – I’m OCD like that :) ). I sent Neil three different designs I’d created, as well as my back blurb. He sent me two different options, and one of them was the cover. I knew the minute I saw it that it would be the cover! It is just perfect and embodies Levi’s struggle and mystery so well. ::Sighs:: I’m fangirling right now, but I loooove the cover! Lol :)

4) How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Some are names I liked and wanted to name my kids someday. Others are names of people I knew. If I run out of names I really like, then I go to baby name websites and lurk around on there until I find one I think fits. It can’t just be any name – the name has to fit the character. Sometimes I just put a letter in to mark a spot for the name when I find one that fits.

5) And just for fun, if you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I’ve been really blessed and been able to travel to Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Italy, and Switzerland. My favorite of those were definitely Ecuador and Italy! I did missions work in the South American countries, and I went snowboarding with some friends in Europe. If I could travel anywhere else, I’d choose England, Australia, Japan and China. I want to learn to surf, see the Great Wall of China, and I’d love to see Tokyo. England is just cool in general. I’d love to see London!

Thanks, Megan! I love that you based a book off of a dream..how neat! And I'm taking a girl's trip to Hong Kong and Tokyo this summer...you're more than welcome to come along!

Book Review- Hallowed

2012-01-17T22:38:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

Ok, first off, if you're looking for a story with a lot of action, then you might want to choose a different book. This was definitely a book that was completely character driven. Which is makes it right up my alley! I love books that are mostly about the characters. And that's probably why I loved this book so much!

I just love Clara! And Angela. And Tucker. And Christian! All of the characters! (well, maybe not Jeffery but younger brothers will do that to you!) Anyways. I loved how we got to know more about the angel-bloods and more secrets that Clara's mom knew. And I loved the triangle between Clara and Tucker and Christian. But I've had a change of heart. In the last book I was all about Tucker. Now I'm all about Christian! He was so there for Clara through everything without being pushy.

And talk about surprises! With Clara's mom and her dad. With Christian and with Jeffery. Just some really great twists. And there was so much emotion. Joy in love with Tucker and the feelings Clara felt around Christian. And sadness. So much sadness towards the end. I could feel Clara's emotion so easily. The book was the well written. My one complaint--I don't want to wait for the next book to come out!

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

Hallowed was released today!

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 7
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 6
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 5
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 2

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Dead Reckoning

2012-01-16T17:49:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris.

From Goodreads:

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows...

Wow. Talk about blood and gore. I think this was by far the most violent and gory book of the series. Yuck. It was almost too much violence for me to really enjoy it.

That being said, there some definite twists and turns in this book. And I'm not really sure what to think of Sookie and Eric's relationhip now. I'm not sure if this new turn of events is a good thing or a bad thing.

And we learn more about Sookie's family line and how her "gift" came to be. I think all of the involvement of her grandma in the past kind of surprised me.

Anyways, since this is such a long series, most of the books run together and are similar so I don't really have too much to say!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge: Dead Reckoning
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 6

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.

In My Mailbox- January 16, 2012

2012-01-16T14:44:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

MONDAY

The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons (Light Dragons #2)- Katie MacAlister--PaperbackSwap

WEDNESDAY

Hallowed (Unearthly #2)- Cynthia Hand--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Sunday Salon- January 15, 2012

2012-01-16T00:33:00.001-05:00

The Sunday Salon

Yesterday one of my friends and I drove up to my hometown so we could go see Wicked with my mom. This is my 8th or 9th time seeing it. I just love it! I probably annoyed my mom and friend because I was mouthing every line and song! After the show, we met my dad in the hotel bar across the street and we saw and overheard a cast member talking to a group of other people. I got a picture with her. But we can't figure out who she was! We think she was Glinda, but aren't sure because it doesn't look like any of the pictures I could find of the actress online!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton

Fracture by Megan Miranda

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week: 2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 4, 5
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 4, 5
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 3, 4
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 1
2012 Immortal Reading Challenge: Angels and Demons 1
2012 Mammoth Book Challenge: 1
2012 Debut Author Challenge: 1
Completely Contemp Challenge 2012: 2012-1
2012 Standalone Reading Challenge: 1

I am currently reading Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand and if I don't get anymore tour books, then up next is The Yoga Club by Cooper Lawrence.

Book Review- Fracture

2012-01-12T18:53:00.002-05:00

I finished reading Fracture by Megan Miranda late last night for Bloomsbury blog tour.

From Goodreads:

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine -despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

There are going to be some little spoilers in this review...sorry.

Overall, I liked the premise of this story--a girl who comes back to life miraculously but can then tell when other people are dying. But towards the end of the story, I was left feeling like there needed to be more. And not more like there was a cliffhanger, because there wasn't. But more as in there was a lot of stuff left out.

I mostly liked Delaney. I liked that she was so smart and not ashamed of it. I didn't like that she seemed to be cold to her friends (Decker often had to remind her to be nice.) But for the most part, I liked her character. But I wasn't too fond of either Decker or Troy. I usually like the whole best-friends-turning-into-an-almost-relationship kind of thing. But I didn't like the whole thing with him and Tara. I get that guys will be guys, but he seemed a little too into her to be seriously in love with Delaney. And Troy. I didn't get him at all. One second he seemed to be sweet and caring and the next he was just plain creepy.

As far as the "more" part, I wanted to know more about what Troy did as far as the deaths. That was never really delved into. And I wanted to know more about why Delaney's friends were so cruel at the funeral. Just because she was driving when Carson had a seizure doesn't mean that she had anything to do with it. And I don't really think that any friends would think about wanting her to be the one dead instead of him. And then the ending. I was left with "huh"? The whole scene on the ice with Troy and Delaney was wrapped up too quickly. She could suddenly tell he was going to die even though it was him doing it to himself? Or he guessed that he was sick and he knew the headaches was a symptom, but Delaney had headaches too, so what does that say about her?

So while I did like the idea of the story, I think it needed to be thought out more. It was pretty short (the ARC I read was only 262 pages) so there could easily have been more added in. And I have read some great reviews about the book, so you just might want to give it a try to see what you think.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

Fracture will be released on January 17, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 5
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 5
2012 Debut Author Challenge: 1
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge:4
Completely Contemp Challenge 2012: 2012-1
2012 Standalone Reading Challenge: 1

*FTC Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by Bloomsbury USA for a honest review.

In My Mailbox- January 9, 2012

2012-01-09T23:26:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

WEDNESDAY

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (Aurora Teagarden #3)- Charlaine Harris--PaperbackSwap

FRIDAY

The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group- Catherine Jinks--PaperbackSwap

Book Review- Wings of the Wicked

2012-01-09T21:51:00.005-05:00

I finished reading Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton early this morning for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Man, I just get so sucked into these books. This book was definitely chunky, but I flew through it, reading most of it in one night!

I still just absolutely love Ellie. She is so kick butt and funny and sarcastic. Yet she has a feminine and romantic side too. The best of both worlds.

But I do have to say though, that while I started off liking the whole Ellie and Will not-really-a-realtionship thing they had going on, it got a little old after a while. I mean come on! If you both feel it, just go for it! That aside, Cadan kinda got to me too! He could be a sweet like addition to the romance to make it a love triangle. And it'd be extra juicy with the secret we found out about him!

And ooh! There is SUCH a cliffhanger! I mean, come on! Don't leave us hanging like that! (this is said in the best way possible!) I need to get my hands on the next book (which is still untitled) now!!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Wings of the Wicked will be released on January 31, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 4
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 4
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 3
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 1
2012 Mammoth Book Challenge: 1

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

The Sunday Salon- January 8, 2012

2012-01-08T23:06:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Salon

I had a short week at school this week. A friend and I took Friday off to run a 5k at Disney. We ran for a little bit longer than we normally do before we started walking, but our time was a minute worse. Boo! But we're gonna try a 10k in March I think!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer

It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 1, 2, 3
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 1, 2, 3
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 1, 2
2012 Immortal Reading Challenge: Shifters/Werewolves 1

I am currently reading Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton and up next is Fracture by Megan Miranda.

Book Review- Still Waters

2012-01-07T00:32:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget.

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.

Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

I'm not too sure about this book. After reading other reviews, I've seen it compared to The Shining. But since I've never read that book or seen the movie, I'm not sure. I just know that there seemed to be alot of holes in the plot and that it was a psychological thriller.

First off, the characters. I liked Hannah and Colin mostly, but I liked Colin more. He seemed like a sweet guy totally in love with his girl. And while I like Hannah, her obsession with whether or not to say "I love you" kinda got old.

But the whole part about the old Pine House was just weird. First off, Hannah sneaking into her boyfriend's house to steal the file was weird. Then the whole lying to her mom thing. And then the drive there was weird. If I were her and my boyfriend started getting upset about going there, I would probably figure that it had to do with his dead brother and suggest going back home. But that's just me. Anyways. She knew this house had been desserted for years, but she didn't think to bring any majory supplies like, I don't know, food? Or flashlights with batteries? Just weird to me. And then later in the story she's making a pie with crackers for a crust. Umm...crackers that are like 8 years old? I don't think so!

Then finally the plot picks up and Colin starts acting really weird. But this good part of the story is so short! It did wrap up completely and doesn't leave you wondering anything but it just seemed to end so quickly. I don't know. The whole book was just kind of weird to me.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:

2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 3
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 3
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 2

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- It Takes a Witch

2012-01-04T08:41:00.003-05:00

I finished reading It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake today for a Crazy Book Tour.

From Goodreads:

Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...

This book was a fun witchy story. It reminded me of the light paranormal books I read when I first got into the genre. Pure fun!

There was definitely a big mystery in the story. I thought I know who committed the murder but then I would change my mind to someone else. And then someone else again. But I was completely wrong. There was another couple of twists that I did see coming, but not this big one!

The idea of the different "Crafters" is so much fun! And how I would love to be a Wishcrafter! That is completely the type of witch that I would choose to be, if I could!

This was definitley an enchanting book and a great start to a new series. I can't wait to see what happens in the book!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 2
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 2

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Crazy Book Tours.

Book Review- Bloodrose

2012-01-03T18:17:00.003-05:00

Early this morning I finished reading Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

Okay. So I have to admit it. I didn't really get readers love of this series. The first book was just okay for me and the second one was only slightly better. But I definitely got it in this third and final installment to the series! I finally really enjoyed one of the books!

I think that this book started off on a more character-driven note than the other books (and I'm a more character-driven person). So I think that just set the right tone and off it went for me! But that's not to say that there wasn't any action. Cuz boy was there a lot of action! It just seemed to all flow so nicely this time.

And while I think the love triangle between Calla, Ren, and Shay kind of annoyed me in other books, it only intrigued me and made me want to read more! There were several different twists and turns and a pretty big one at the end that I didn't see coming. But I liked how it ended. I think the trilogy wrapped up really well and all my questions were answered and I was happy with how things turned out. Oh, and there was definitely a tearful scene in there too!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Bloodrose is being released today!

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 1
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 1
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 1

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T17:39:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

TUESDAY

How to Save a Life- Sara Zarr--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

WEDNESDAY

Witchful Thinking- H.P. Mallory--won from Library Thing

Bloodrose- Andrea Cremer--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Still Waters- Emma Carlson Berne--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

FRIDAY

Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2)- Courtney Allison Moulton--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Sunday Salon- January 1, 2012

2012-01-02T17:32:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Salon

I can't belive its already a new year! 2011 was such a great year. I had the most perfect day ever on my wedding day. Just a great year. I can't wait to see what 2012 will bring!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Super in the City by Daphne Uviller

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2011 A to Z Challenge: Q, U, X (since I don't have any authors with first or last names that begin with X, I chose an author with X in his last name), Z

2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 119, 120, 121, 122
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 97, 98
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 97, 98
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 21, 22
What's in a Name? 4 Challenge: Little

I am currently reading Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer and up next is It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake.

2012 Mammoth Book Challenge

2012-01-01T15:45:00.004-05:00

2012 Mammoth Book Challenge

Here are the challenge details:
1. This challenge will run from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.
2. You can join the challenge at any time. All books read in 2012 count for the challenge, regardless of when you sign up.
3. This challenge can cross-over to your other reading challenges.
4. You do not need a blog to participate! If you are not a blogger, you can post your reviews at Goodreads, Shelfari, or LibraryThing and link them up here.
5. All formats of books are acceptable: Bound copies, e-books, and audiobooks as long as they meet the guidelines of Point #6 below!
6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS: If you are using an e-book or audiobook for the challenge, the bound format equivalent must be a minimum of 450 pages. Only unabridged audiobooks will count!
7. Both adult and children's literature are allowed: As long as it meets the minimum page count of 450 pages.
8. About LARGE-PRINT BOOKS: Same rules apply as noted in Point #6. As long as the regular-bound format equivalent is a minimum of 450 pages, this format will count.
9. No anthologies, short story collections, or poetry: Just novels.
10. There are four levels for the challenge:
a. Level 1: Read 2 mammoth-sized books.
b. Level 2: Read 4 mammoth-sized books.
c. Level 3: Read 6 mammoth-sized books.
d. Level 4: Read 8 or more mammoth-sized books.
11. When you write your sign-up post, you must choose your level. You can go up, but you cannot go down!
12. There will be link-ups for your reviews on a quarterly basis, which will be posted on THIS page.
13. There will be a link for your wrap-up post at the end of the year.
14. Create a sign-up post and link back to this post. Sign up with Mister Linky below! Be sure to use the direct url to your sign-up post and not the url to your blog.

*I am going to start with Level 1

Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton

2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T15:37:00.004-05:00

2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge

What books count towards the SRC?
Any second YA or MG book published by an author in 2012 counts – it can be the second in a series, a new series, or a standalone. The only requirement is that it is the SECOND book the author has published in the YA or MG realm (and it must publish in 2012 in your home country)! I have started a Goodreads list HERE – as you can see, there are probably many many books on that list you are planning on reading already

When does the challenge run?

Books read before January 2013 count for this challenge.

Why should I join this challenge?
Reading debut novels is AWESOME. It is by far my favorite challenge – it allows me to find many new authors that I love. What better way to support these authors than to read their next published book?

What are the guidelines of the challenge?
Your challenge is to read 10 sophomore YA/MG novels in 2012. To officially participate, you need a Goodreads account or blog where you post reviews in English.

What should I do if I’m an author coming out with a sophomore novel?
I would love to feature you on my blog! Please contact me via THIS FORM or by e-mail (shanynlee at gmail.com).

How do I join?
Link your blog or Goodreads account below, and make a list of the sophomore novels you’re looking forward to

There will be prize packs given away to challenge participants throughout next year. You will receive an automatic entry for signing up to participate – options for additional entries will be announced at the time of the giveway.

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T15:30:00.003-05:00

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge

Why a Standalone Reading Challenge?
There's a challenge for Debuts, there's a challenge for Sophomores, why not a challenge for Standalones?

So what's the challenge?
To read 15 standalone YA books in 2012!

What books count towards the 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge?
Any Young Adult standalone book that is released between December 27, 2011 and December 31, 2012. Any format (paperback, hardcover, e-book, ARC) counts, but they must be read during the year 2012.

Where can I find out which books can be read for the SARC?
We have started a list for you HERE. Please note, this list is public and won't be 100% accurate. We will try to keep it updated as best as we can. If you know of any standalones we may have missed, please feel free to add to this list.

I'm an author with a standalone novel coming out in 2012!
If you're an author with a standalone novel releasing in 2012, whether its a debut or not, you can participate too. It would be super spectacular if you would like to either donate a book/swag or sign up for an interview/promotional post! Please fill out the form HERE.

Who can participate?
Anyone with a blog or a Goodreads account where they are able to post reviews (in English) can participate.

Why should I sign up?
One, there will be a lot of fun. Two, there will be periodic prize packs (more info to come) given out to participators, as well as fun posts from and interviews with authors who have standalone YA novels releasing in 2012. And three, its a fun way to promote those novels that aren't part of a series/trilogy!

Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T15:22:00.002-05:00

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Welcome to 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge!!!

We all have those books. We buy them, win them, they're gifted to us.. Then we put them up on a bookshelf and there they stay, collecting dust, waiting for the time when we'll finally decide to pick them up..

Join us on a quest to dust off your TBR Pile and read all the books you've been telling yourself you'll read next time you'll get a chance.. This is your chance! And we've got PRIZES!!! :D

Challenge guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.

As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!

Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!

You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)

You can move up levels, but no moving down.

Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.

At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.

If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)

December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.

You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels:
1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

Hosts:
Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com/ @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net/ @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com/ @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com/ @mermaidvisions

Wrap-up POST Schedule:
January - Donna (Theme: Let It Snow + Book Cover Challenge)
February - Nicole (Theme: Un-requited Love/Love Gone Wrong + Advice Column Challenge)March - Rie (Theme: Green or Pinched + Green Cover Challenge)
April - Bonnie (Theme: Easter + Mini Challenge)
May - Christa (Theme: MayDay - Disaster Books! + Cover Disaster Challenge)
June - Jenna ( Theme: Camping + Sentence Challenge)
July - Rie (Theme: International Day + Cover Comparison Challenge)
August - Angel (Theme: Summer Memories + Send Your Fav Character On Vacation Challenge)
September - Nicole (Theme: Life Changing Books + Mini Challenge)
October - Caitlin (Theme: Thanksgiving Theme + Share-A-Book Challenge)
November - Vicky (Theme: Spooky Halloween + Book Puzzle Challenge)
December - Evie (Theme: Xmas Bliss + Book Bachelor Challenge)

*I am signing up for the Firm Handshake level

Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

Completely Contemp Challenge 2012

2012-01-01T15:05:00.002-05:00

Completely Contemp Challenge 2012

What books qualify?
Any YA contemporary published in 2010, 2011, or 2012. I have lists on Goodreads that show a selection of possible books for each year but this list is NOT exclusive! As long as it was published in one of those years you may count it towards your challenge list! (And note: anyone can “vote” for a book on Goodreads, so it’s best to check the publication date yourself before officially counting it towards your challenge just in case someone added it in error.)

Contemps published in 2010
Contemps published in 2011
Contemps to be published in 2012

When does the challenge run?
Books read in 2012 count towards this challenge.

Can I count books read here for other challenges?
Sure! The goal here is to get everyone to read a few extra contemporary books, so whatever works for you works for me (Make sure your other challenges allow this before counting for both, though!)

Are there places to participate besides on my blog?
Yes! There is a Goodreads group where you can post reviews and talk about the contemporary books you’re reading

*I am choosing the number 5

2010:

2011:

2012:

Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T14:58:00.014-05:00

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

Run's January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.

The Rules:

Anyone can join.

You don't need a blog to participate.

Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.

Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.

No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.

The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.

The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

*I am participating in the Mega size challenge

What's in a Name? 5 Challenge

2012-01-01T14:54:00.001-05:00

What's in a Name? 5 Challenge

Here's How It Works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1.A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley

2.A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas

3.A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm

4.A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House

5.A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary

6.A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know:

•Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
•Books may overlap other challenges.
•Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
•Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
•You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
•You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

Topographical Feature:
See in the Sky:
Creepy Crawly:
Type of House:
Something You'd Carry in Your Pocket, Purse, or Backpack:
Something You'd Find on a Calendar:

2012 Debut Author Challenge

2012-01-01T14:47:00.004-05:00

2012 Debut Author Challenge

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:
•To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*
*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.
•Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!
•You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!

RULES & GUIDELINES:
•You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. Youtube Book Reviewers count too!
•Your blog/video must be written in English.
•Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:
•Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
•Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
•If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
•If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2012 DAC, CAN BE FOUND HERE!

2012 ARC Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T14:39:00.012-05:00

2012 ARC Reading Challenge

Note: I use the term "ARC" loosely,any book a publisher or author gives you with the expectation that you review it, counts for this challenge.

The Levels

Level Bronze:
a. All of us who have or will have less than 12 ARCS must read all of the ARCS we have. Note, that if you have 11 ARC's and then receive a 12th one you will be bumped up to category b.

b. All of us who have or will have 12 or more than 12 ARCS must read and review at least 12.

Level Silver: Read 24 ARCS

Level Gold: Read 30 ARCS

Level Platinum: Read 35 or more ARCS

Rules:

To sign up, leave a direct link to your blog post about this challenge. Please leave a comment as well.

You Can join this challenge at anytime throughout the year.

You don't have to make a list of which ARC's you plan to read, but you can if you want.

If you choose a lower level, you can always change it to a higher level if you like. However, you cannot go from a higher level back down to a lower level.

Crossovers with other challenges are allowed and Audio-books and ebooks are allowed as long as they are ARC's.

Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Powells, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Please subscribe to my blog, as I will be doing a monthly post with MR Linky. Please add your reviews for each month in MR Linky in the monthly post. For your Name, please use this format Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader). Please be sure to use the direct link to your review, not just to your blog. Then please leave a comment.

HAVE FUN!

*I will be signing up for the Platinum Level

2012 Reading Challenge 150+

2012-01-01T14:34:00.015-05:00

2012 Reading Challenge 150+

DETAILS/RULES:

1. The goal is to read 150 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.

2. Allowed are: Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible and comic books.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st, 2012 thru December 31, 2012. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge- January Update

2012-01-01T14:30:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!

Here's your chance to catch up on Sookie and all her friends -- living and undead, fully human and not.

It's easy, it's fun, it's for you! And you have an entire year to complete the challenge.

The Rules:
1. Between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, catch up on Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire series. No matter if you're starting with book 1 or book 8, you have a year to read all about Sookie. Read Sookie in print, listen to the audio, read an eBook -- format is not an issue.

*ETA--I didn't complete this one on time, but I am going to still keep track of what I have read.

The Books:
~~Dead Until Dark~~
~~Living Dead in Dallas~~
~~Club Dead~~
~~Dead to the World~~
~~Dead as a Doornail~~
~~Definitely Dead~~
~~All Together Dead~~
~~From Dead to Worse~~
~~Dead and Gone~~
~~Dead in the Family~~
Dead Reckoning

Short stories:
Bite
Powers of Detection
Night's Edge
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
Many Bloody Returns
Wolfbane and Mistletoe
Unusual Suspects
Strange Brew
Must Love Hellhounds
A Touch of Dead
Between the Dark and Daylight
Crimes by Moonlight
Death's Excellent Vacation
Down These Strange Streets

There are also Sookie and gang short stories and an up-coming anthology! For more, see Charlaine Harris's website.

I probably won't start this one for while, but I wanted to post it now.

2011 Year in Review--Stats and Favorite Books

2011-12-31T19:22:00.003-05:00

I read 122 books this year. Not so good. But I think it's because I got a puppy towards the end of last year and I don't read as quickly now because I constantly have to check that she's not chewing up something. Plus I got engaged over Christmas break last year and got married in June of this year so the first half of the year was spent planning and researching stuff for that! Hopefully next year will be a better reading year!

I read 38,936 pages this year (I read 52,193 pages last year so I read 13,257 pages less than last year. Yikes!

I only had one 5 star rating book this year again! (and it suprised me!)

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

I had 5 books get a 4.5 rating.

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle

I also finished all of my challenges! (I am not counting the Sookie Stackhouse one since that will be ongoing since more books keep coming out)

2011 YA Contemporary Challenge-- Completed!

2011-12-31T19:22:00.002-05:00

2011 YA Contemporary Challenge

What is contemporary? It's the genre wherein the events can happen in real life at the present time. The characters in the novel can be present in real life.

Goal: To read a minimum of thirteen young adult contemporary novels published in 2011.

Rules:

- All contemporary books must be in the Young Adult genre

- Books have to be published in 2011

- Open to everybody. Please fill in the form to enter.

- You can join whenever you want

- If you want to enter with your blog link, you have to post about the challenge.

- Link your reviews of 2011 Contemporary books in the MisterLinky below.

2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge-- Completed!

2011-12-31T19:21:00.005-05:00

2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the linky below.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. There are four levels:
--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
--The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
--The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
--The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.
3. Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.
4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
5. The Challenge starts on January 1, 2011 and goes until December 31, 2011.

* I will be participating in the Mega size YA Reading Challenge

What's in a Name? 4 Challenge-- Completed!

2011-12-31T19:21:00.002-05:00

What's in a Name? 4 Challenge

Here's How It Works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely
A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child
The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know:

Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
Books may overlap other challenges.
Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

On January 1, I'll publish 7 posts, each with a Mr. Linky (one for each category and one for your wrap-up post), on this blog so you'll have a place post links to your reviews (bloggers) or leave comments (non-bloggers) as you finish up each category.

Number: Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Jewelry or Gem: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
Size: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Travel or Movement: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
Evil: The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
Life Stage: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

2011 Debut Author Challenge-- Completed!

2011-12-31T19:20:00.003-05:00

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011 Debut Author Challenge participant information:

The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!

Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.

You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.

You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. (not 2010 you still have PLENTY of time to sign up!) The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

Qualifying books:

Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.

DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.

This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.

If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

More challenge guidelines:

Novels must be read between January 1, 2011- December 31, 2011. That means, those of you that have read arc forms of the titles early will not be able to count those toward your challenge totals.

You can use debuts from other countries, but the novel cannot be previously released in your county. (I explain this a little bit more in the FAQ section, if you want to check that out!)

2011 ARC Reading Challenge-- Completed!

2011-12-31T19:20:00.000-05:00

2011 ARC Reading Challenge

The Levels

Level Bronze: .a. All of us who have or will have less than 12 ARCS must read all of the ARCS we have. Note, that if you have 11 ARC's and then receive a 12th one you will be bumped up to catagory b.

b. All of us who have or will have 12 or more than 12 ARCS must read and review at least 12.

Level Silver: Read 24 ARCS
Level Gold: Read 25 ARCS
Level Platinum: Read 30 or more ARCS

Rules:

To sign up, leave a direct link to your blog post about this challenge. Please leave a comment as well.

You don't have to make a list of which ARC's you plan to read, but you can if you want.

If you choose a lower level, you can always change it to a higher level if you like. However, you cannot go from a higher level back down to a lower level.

Crossovers with other challenges are allowed and Audio-books and ebooks are allowed as long as they are ARC's.

Read the books and review them on your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can post your review on sites like Powells, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Please subscribe to my blog, as I will be doing a monthly post with MR Linky. Please add your reviews for each month in MR Linky in the monthly post. For your Name, please use this format Name: (Your Name, Book Title and Author's Name) for example: (Teddy, Obsessive Reading by Helen Reader). Please be sure to use the direct link to your review, not just to your blog. Then please leave a comment.

HAVE FUN!

* I will be signing up for the Platinum Level

2011 100+ Reading Challenge-- Completed!

2011-12-31T19:19:00.002-05:00

2011 100+ Reading Challenge

DETAILS:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.
2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.
What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.
3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.
5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2011. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.
6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

2011 A to Z Challenge-- Competed!

2011-12-31T19:18:00.001-05:00

2011 A to Z Challenge

January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

How does this reading challenge work? Choose the option that works best for you...

Authors -- Read alphabetically by author. Commit to 26 books.
Titles -- Read alphabetically by title. Commit to 26 books.
Authors & Titles -- Commit to reading 52 books

How strict is the 26 or 52? I know it isn't always easy to find those difficult letters. The thought of finding the X's (for example) might scare folks away. It shouldn't! I'm a merciful host! (Ask anyone!)

If you want to give the X's a go... For authors, try to find an X in the first name, middle name, or last name. For titles, it doesn't have to be the starting word. Try to find an X somewhere in a title, and it'd count in my book.

Still can't find a book for the letter you need? I'll take your word for it. I've been there. I know. If your library doesn't see the need to order books just because it starts with an X, then I don't blame you for not wanting to special order a book that you may or may not enjoy. You gave it your best, don't feel bad. You can still make this challenge work for you.

*Since I didn't finish the authors one last year, I am going to try for it again this year.

A. Armstrong, Kelley "The Gathering"
B. Balog, Cyn "Starstruck"
C. Cach, Lisa "Wake Unto Me"
D. Desrochers, Lisa "Original Sin"
E. Emond, Stephen "Winter Town"
F. Franklin, Emily & Halpin, Brendan "Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance"
G. Gudenkauf, Heather "These Things Hidden"
H. Holder, Amy "The Lipstick Laws"
I. Ivy Adams, "The International Kissing Club" (I am counting that the first name starts with since I don't have a single author whose last name starts with I.)
J. Jones, Carrie "Entice"
K. Kacvinsky, Katie "Awaken"
L. Lim, Rebecca "Mercy"
M. Mahaffey, Shana "Sounds Like Crazy"
N. Nadol, Jen "The Mark"
O. O'Brien, Caragh "Prized"
P. Picoult, Jodi "Sing You Home"
Q. Quick, Matthew "Sorta Like a Rock Star"
R. Richie, Nicole "Priceless"
S. Shepard, Sara "The Lying Game"
T. Terrell, Heather "Fallen Angel"
U. Uviller, Daphne "Super in the City"
V. Vincent, Rachel "My Soul to Steal"
W. Ward, Rachel "The Chaos"
X. de Saint-Exupery, Antoine "The Little Prince" (since I don't have any authors with first or last names that begin with X, I chose an author with X in his last name)
Y. Young, Suzanne "A Need So Beautiful"
Z. Zarr, Sara "How to Save a Life"

Book Review- How to Save a Life

2011-12-31T18:31:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Jill MacSweeny just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy--or as difficult--as it seems.

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about the many roads that can lead us home.

This was such a sad, yet heartwarming story. I don't always care for books told from 2 points of view, but I really liked how this was done.

Mandy broke my heart. I felt so bad for her. To grow up with a mom like she did and be told things she was told--how horrible. And to have her mom's boyfriend behave the way he did! She was so naive and innocent about so many things. I just wanted to hug her.

And then I felt so bad for Jill. Reading this story about how the main character lost her dad was a little hard since one of my close friends just lost her mom suddenly this week. But I really liked Jill too. And I wanted her to get a little bit of closure and be happy.

I felt like there was going to be some huge sad twist that would be piss me off, but (hopefully I'm not giving too much away), but there wasn't. Only a little twist but a happy one. If all of Sara Zarr's books are like this, I can't wait to read more!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: Z
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 122
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 98
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 98
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 22

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Super in the City

2011-12-28T18:34:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Super in the City by Daphne Uviller.

From Goodreads:

In this off-the-beaten-sidewalk debut, native New Yorker Daphne Uviller reveals the secrets of a sexy, story-filled Big Apple, where a mystery lurks behind every apartment door—and a savvy but slightly lost young woman unexpectedly finds herself holding the keys.

In a city brimming with opportunities for heroism, twenty-seven-year-old Zephyr Zuckerman has often fantasized about committing acts of bravery that would make front-page news. Now she may get her big break—though it may require plunging a few toilets. When the superintendent of her parents’ Greenwich Village brownstone is led away in handcuffs, unemployed Zephyr takes over his post and unleashes her inner sleuth: discovering titillating secrets about her tenants—from a smoky-voiced Frenchwoman who entertains throngs of unsavory visitors to a moody musician who just has to be hiding something—and realizing that her new reality is far more intriguing than her imagination.

Soon Zephyr has sussed out wrongs that stretch from losers on the Internet to art fraud and an international crime ring. The mob thinks she’s in the FBI, and the FBI thinks she’s in the mob—a predicament she needs to clear up fast. But perhaps not before the cute, surly exterminator helps her solve the mystery of what to do with the rest of her life….

So, I've had this book on my bookshelf for almost two and a half years and I have to admit that I only picked it up because I needed it for a reading challenge. And I'm so glad that I did...its just what I needed right now--something light hearted and funny--nothing deep or sad.

I really liked Zephyr. And I have to say that we have a lot in common. Both of us took quite a while to get un-obsessed with our loser ex who just strung us along. Both of us have a huge imagination and are very curious. And hey, both of us want to sit on a jury! I loved her Sterling girls. What a fun group! But I couldn't decide on Gregory. I couldn't decide if he was truly a nice guy or not. Oh well.

There was a nice little mystery in the story and I definitely didn't figure it out ahead of time, although maybe I should have. But this book was a nice light chick-lit story that I definitely enjoyed reading!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: U
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 121

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.

Book Review- The Little Prince

2011-12-26T18:02:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

From Amazon:

THE LITTLE PRINCE is French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's most famous novella. It has been translated into more than 190 languages and sold more than 200 million copies, making it one of the bestselling books ever.

The story, first published in 1943, is about a pilot who must make an emergency landing in the desert because of engine problems. This is ironic, since the author himself took off in a plane over the Mediterranean just a year later and was never seen or heard from again.

This timeless story has been adapted to various media over the decades, including stage, screen and operatic works.

I have heard so many great things about this book, but I never read it as a child. So I finally decided to give it a try. And unfortunately, I think I am too grown up for this book! Which is sad to me. And therefore, I can't really give a proper review! I can see, though, where children would find this book enchanting!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: X (since I don't have any authors with first or last names that begin with X, I chose an author with X in his last name)
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 120
What's in a Name? 4 Challenge: Little

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.

In My Mailbox- December 26, 2011

2011-12-26T11:53:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

MONDAY

Bloody Valentine (Blue Bloods #5.5)- Melissa De La Cruz--PaperbackSwap

It Takes a Witch- Heather Blake--review for a Crazy Book Tour

Book Review- Sorta Like a Rock Star

2011-12-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

Last night I finished reading Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick.

From Goodreads:

Amber Appleton lives in a bus. Ever since her mom's boyfriend kicked them out, Amber, her mom, and her totally loyal dog, Bobby Big Boy (aka Thrice B) have been camped out in the back of Hello Yellow (the school bus her mom drives). Still, Amber, the self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism, refuses to sweat the bad stuff. But when a fatal tragedy threatens Amber's optimism--and her way of life, can Amber continue to be the rock star of hope? With an oddball cast of characters, and a heartwarming, inspiring story, this novel unveils a beautifully beaten-up world of laughs, loyalty, and hard-earned hope.

So, I was struggling with my feelings of this book and the rating for this book. It was between what I felt like is SHOULD be versus how I REALLY felt about the book. I finally went with my real feelings. It's not going to be popular, but so be it.

Yes, this book has so many important themes: homelessness, death, alcoholism, autism, diseases, poverty, bullying, outcasts, veterans, senior citizen, religion... So I felt like I should have liked it. But I just couldn't get over the writing. Every other line had "word" after it or "sucka" or "true? true." Kinda gangster-like. Which the character wasn't at all. And it just bugged me so much.

Yes, the book was about hope. And parts of it were heartbreaking towards the end. But it was all just too much, too over the top.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: Q
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 119
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 97
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 97
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 21

*FTC Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the publisher for a honest review.

The Sunday Salon- December 25, 2011

2011-12-26T11:17:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Salon

So I wish that I had written this yesterday, on Sunday like I was supposed to. If I had, it would have been a happy post. This past week was so nice, but busy! I had the week off from school but spent is shopping and playing at a friend's birthday/goodbye party. And yesterday was great too! We had a wonderful Christmas. But then this morning I found out that yesterday, one of my friends mom's had a brain aneurysm while they were opening Christmas presents. She is currently in a coma. So if anyone's reading this, if you could keep her in your thoughts, she can take as many as she can get.

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 117, 118
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 95, 96
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 95, 96
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 30

I am currently reading Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick and up next is The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery.

Book Review- On the Fringe

2011-12-21T23:07:00.000-05:00

Early this morning I finished reading On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.

Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.

As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.

Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

On the Fringe is a ghost story and a mystery with a romance tied in. I always wanted an older brother who had hot friends I could crush on. But I had a younger brother whose friends just annoyed me. Oh well! Claire was lucky to have that kind of crush. But I felt so bad for her when Daniel died..just when something was about to happen! And the idea of having just a couple of minutes every night with a loved one is so bittersweet!

It was interesting to find out why Daniel died and why there was a ghost that was haunting Claire. I definitely didn't see those coming. There was definitely lots of action, especially at the end that had me not wanting to put the book down! Luckily it was a quick read and I found my answers pretty fast!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 118
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 96
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 30
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 96

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- December 19, 2011

2011-12-20T00:35:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

MONDAY

On the Fringe- Courtney King Walker--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

Incarnate- Jodi Meadows--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

WEDNESDAY

Fracture- Megan Miranda--review for a Bloomsbury blog tour

Book Review- Incarnate

2011-12-20T00:32:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I finished reading Incarnate by Jodi Meadows for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

NEWSOUL

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

This book dealt with reincarnation which was such an interesting topic. The idea that each person had been around for thousands of year with a new body but same personality and habits was a new one for me. And it had me intrigued.

I felt so bad for Ana. Her "mother" was so completely horrible to her and doesn't really deserve the name of mother. But I was so glad when she found Sam (although I do have to admit at times that I wasn't sure if there would so evil plan to him.) The dragons and slyths were also intersting bits of the story.

I don't really have much to say about the book. I enjoyed it. But I don't really have much to comment on! *shrug*

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Incarnate will be released on January 31, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 117
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 95
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 95

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

The Sunday Salon- December 18, 2011

2011-12-19T00:22:00.001-05:00

The Sunday Salon

Yay for it being Christmas break finally! I need these 17 days off (not that I'm counting!) Tomorrow will be one year since my hubby and I got engaged! I can't believe all that's happened in just one year!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2011 A to Z Challenge: I (I am counting that the first name starts with since I don't have a single author whose last name starts with I.)
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 114, 115, 116
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 92, 93, 94
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 92, 93, 94
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 19, 20

I am currentlly reading Incarnate by Jodi Meadows and up next is On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker.

Book Review- The International Kissing Club

2011-12-16T11:50:00.004-05:00

I finished reading The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams for a Teen Book Scene Review.

From Goodreads:

Piper, Cassidy, Mei, and Izzy have been best friends their whole lives. And they've always agreed on one goal: to get out of tiny Paris, Texas, and see the world. The school's foreign exchange program seems like the perfect escape: Piper will go to the original Paris; Mei will go to China; Cassidy will go to Australia; and Izzy, unable to afford the program, will stay at home. To add spice to their semester away, and to stay connected to their best friends, the girls start The International Kissing Club, a Facebook page where they can anonymously update one another and brag about all the amazing guys they're meeting. After all, these girls are traveling abroad: amazing guys abound at every turn! But sometimes fun, flirty vacation flings turn into more serious romances, and sometimes you don't return from abroad the same person you were. Will the girls' relationships-and their friendships-be able to survive?

Even though this book made a snarky reference to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book series, I found that the premise was kind of the same (minus the kissing part in the Sisterhood books). But I liked that series, so I was hoping to like this one too. Plus the girls used aliases of Disney Princesses, and anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with Disney and the Princesses, so I just HAD to like this book. And I did!

Yes, it was cheesy. And kind juvenile-ish, with the whole premise being about how many boys they could each kiss. But it was also a little deeper and dealt with friendships too. So while its not going to win any awards, it was nice to just sit back and enjoy a book, a kind of guilty pleasure one!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

The International Kissing Club will be released on January 3, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: I (I am counting that the first name starts with since I don't have a single author whose last name starts with I.)
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 116
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 94
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 94
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 20

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Teen Book Scene.

Book Review- A Touch Morbid

2011-12-14T23:15:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil. But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground. Can she trust anyone? Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall? A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing.

I want to like this series. I really, really do! Unfortunately, I had the same reaction to this book as I did the first one. It was waay too confusing. Once again, the names of the different groups of people was never explained. I was just supposed to know, or remember, who everyone was. And I was supposed to remember what happened in the last book. There was no refresher at all. And since I read it over a year ago, and more than 100 books, ago, I had no clue. So I was really lost this time.

I had a hard time staying interested in this book. I caught myself nodding off a lot, which almost never happens. And not because the story was boring. But because I just didn't get it.

And that's all I really have to say about the book. I can't give it a low rating because for me to do that, I would have to dislike the book. Which I didn't. I was just confused the whole time. Sigh.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

A Touch Morbid will be released on February 28, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 115
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 93
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 93

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

The Teen Book Scene: Guest Blog: W. Bruce Cameron

2011-12-14T09:00:00.003-05:00

I am honored to host W. Bruce Cameron, author of A Dog's Purpose, on my blog today as part of a Teen Book Scene Blog Tour. I read this book last week and L-O-V-E-D it! In fact, it's my favorite book so far this year! If you want to read my review, go here.

I asked him what he did when he's not writing.

I find that writing can be broken down into several phases, such as panic, loathing, and screaming. When I’m in the middle of writing a book, I need to take time “for myself,” meaning, I need to be lazy and unproductive. Sometimes, the lazy and unproductive phase of writing consumes about 90% of my time, and then I have to nap.

When I’m not writing, I like to save mankind, explore outer space, and cure diseases. Since I haven’t actually done these things, it must mean that I’m never not writing. That’s certainly how it feels: I came up with the plot and characters for A Dog’s Purpose while driving with my then girlfriend up the coast of California. We stopped at a rest area, she went into get coffee, and when she came out, I said, “sit down, I have a story I want to tell you.” The whole novel downloaded into my brain as if straight from a DVD, so that even though I was driving, I was, well, writing.

I was hiking with that same girlfriend along the Hogback Ridge in Golden, CO when I got the idea that became my novel Emory’s Gift. What occurred to me was that we were way up high and could see everything, from Boulder in the north to Castle Rock in the south to Kansas in the east, and that after a few hours we’d be in the car driving through the canyon and able to see very little except what was out the windshield. I decided I wanted to write a book about that conflict between having so much revealed and then going back to seeing so little. In Emory’s Gift, something happens that, if you consider the larger consequences, is hugely profound and lends a whole new perspective to life, yet for Charlie, the 13-year-old protagonist, life is only about surviving Jr. High.

So even when I’m not sitting in front of the computer, I’m writing. My head is always plugged into a flow of stories and characters and events and plots flowing past in a continual river.

Even telling the stories to that girlfriend seems like writing—she’s a writer herself, and her questions, feedback, and suggestions often mold the books as I’m pitching them to her.

Now, I don’t only talk about the books in my head to her. Sometimes I change the subject, as when I asked her to marry me and she said yes. (Actually, what she said was, “are you kidding?” but eventually it turned into a yes.) She’s the love of my life, my writing partner and best friend, so maybe when I’m “not writing” I’m just being with her. That’s why she’s my “then girlfriend” instead of my “now girlfriend,” because the wedding gave her a promotion. It’s fun, though, to know that whatever we’re doing, I can turn to her and say, “hey, I have a story idea I want to run past you.”

Well, maybe not whatever. I can think of a few things where if I said that it would sort of spoil the mood, if you get my drift.

I never wanted to do anything but write, so now that it’s my full time job, it is as if my hobby is supporting me financially. I’d probably do nothing but write if it weren’t for my then-girlfriend now-wife, who drags me from my daydreams back to reality every once in awhile just to make sure I recognize the difference.

So there’s my answer: when I’m not writing, I’m writing. Except for when I’m not.

Thank you so much for joining us W. Bruce Cameron!

Book Review- Dead to You

2011-12-13T18:16:00.005-05:00

I finished reading Dead to You by Lisa McMann for an Around the World ARC Tour on Sunday, but haven't had time to review it yet.

From Goodreads:

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

This book had such an interesting premise. For some reason the idea of a child being kidnapped and then later reintroduced to his family just fascinated me.

And I actually liked Ethan (usually when the main character is male, I don't care for him). I felt so bad for him and wanted him to be able to feel comfortable with his family again. And I really liked Cami. She didn't treat him like he was either a freak nor a hero. Just a regular boy. But my favorite was Gracie. I teach Kindergarten so I could totally imagine her every move and saying. Too cute!

The end though. Man, I just didn't like it. I want to say something about without giving away spoilers, so highlight the text if you want to read it. 'Ethan' not really being 'Ethan' was interesting but I didn't like it. The boy made himself believe he was Ethan so much that he was willing to take a DNA test? I don't buy it! I get that people put tragic things out of their mind without realizing it, but throughout the book he says that he loves Ellen and he remembered going to look at pictures of kidnapped children so I think he'd remember to decided faking being kidnapped. And what happened to the real Ethan? We don't get any of those questions resolved at all. Ok, spoiler done. So the ending dropped the rating down to a 3. But up until then, I enjoyed it!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

Dead to You will be released on February 7, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 114
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 92
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 92
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 19

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

In My Mailbox- December 12, 2011

2011-12-12T21:44:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

MONDAY

A Touch Morbid- Leah Clifford--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

SATURDAY

The Julius House (Aurora Teagarden #4)- Charlaine Harris--PaperbackSwap

The Sunday Salon- December 11, 2011

2011-12-12T21:26:00.001-05:00

The Sunday Salon

Today (Sunday) is our 6 month anniversary. I can't believe we've already been married for 6 months! Time flies! Thank goodness this is the last week of school before break. I am ready for 2 weeks off!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

A Dog's Purpose today by W. Bruce Cameron

Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 112, 113
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 91
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 29
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 90

I am currently reading A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford and up next is The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams.

Book Review- Dearly Departed

2011-12-08T00:10:00.000-05:00

Early this morning I finished reading Dearly Departed by Lia Habel for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

So I don't think I ever really read the summary of this book. I just knew that it was YA, paranormalish, and had a beautiful cover. So I signed up for the tour. I had no idea it was about zombies. If I had known, I'm not sure I would have signed up since I hadn't read one before and it doesn't really catch my attention. But let me tell you, I am so glad that I didn't read the summary first. I really enjoyed my first zombie novel!

The world that the story is set in is very similar to Victorian times, although its set in the future. But fortunately, the author tells us why this is, instead of leaving us confused like other authors do. I was very grateful for this. So I really got into the background of the story and the way there were customs fitting of old times blended with future technology. Pretty neat!

And oh, Bram! He makes me want my own zombie. Such a true gentelman! The zombies were so great! They had such a great sarcastic sense of humor and often times I forgot that they were flesh eaters! And I loved that Nora was so open minded and embraced her new friends (after having to warm up to them of course!)

I liked that so much was explained in this book. Why the zombies were happening. And how. I think it's a good thing this was first zombie book because it really got me into it! And the story definitely leaves you wondering what will be happening next. And I can't wait to pick up the next book!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 113
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 91
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 29
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 90

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- A Dog's Purpose

2011-12-07T23:52:00.001-05:00

I finished reading A Dog's Purpose today by W. Bruce Cameron for a Teen Book Scene Tour.

From Goodreads:

This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog’s search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, A Dog’s Purpose touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?

Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden-haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey’s search for his new life’s meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8-year-old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog.

But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey’s journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders—will he ever find his purpose?

Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog's Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.

I have always been a dog lover. I always had a small dog growing up and knew I wanted one when I lived on my own. But I couldn't afford one until last year. And then I got Bella, my little Yorkie. I had NO idea how much I could possibly love this little puppy. Yes, she's a brat. She barks all of the time, chews on things, and is very stubborn. But I love her more than anything!

This book struck such a chord in me. I instantly was engrossed in this book and it felt like I became the dog in the book. It was so well written. I could feel his happiness and his sadness and his love for the boy. And the whole time I kept looking at Bella curled up in my lap with tears in my eyes.

This was such a great, great book. In fact, I think it's my favorite of this year! If you're not a dog person, you might not get this book. But if you are, you need to devour this, NOW!

I gave this book a rating of 5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 112

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Teen Book Scene.

In My Mailbox- December 5, 2011

2011-12-05T00:24:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

WEDNESDAY

The Yoga Club- Cooper Lawrence--from publisher

SATURDAY

Dead to You- Lisa McMann--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Sunday Salon- December 4, 2011

2011-12-04T21:32:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Salon

Somehow I managed to skip last week's! Oops! Anyways, Thanksgiving was nice and relaxing. We had it at my parents house again so the food was all normal and yummy! I could seriously eat Thanksgiving dinner every weekend and never grow old of it! (although I do have to say that I'm spoiled and don't do any of the cooking so my mind might change if I had to!) The count is on til Christmas. Only 2 more weeks of school til break. Yay!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past two weeks:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past two weeks:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 108, 109, 110, 111
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 87, 88, 89, 90
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 87, 88, 89, 90

I am currently reading Dearly Departed by Lia Habel and up next is A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.

Book Review- Under the Never Sky

2011-12-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

I finished reading Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

This book took quite a while for the story to get going for me. And because of that, I never really became invested in it. That's not to say that the story wasn't good. I just didn't fall in love with it.

The premise of the story is certainly interesting. Living in a dome with all of your social interactions done in what's like a virtual reality world. Although the idea of a Smarteye kind of creeps me out. I guess it's kind of like a contact lens but it just sounds way too painful. And then there's the Outsiders. Some of whom have special gifts. They all live in different tribes (including one group of cannibals!) Such an interesting world this book was set in.

And there was certainly enough action. So I'm not sure why I felt like it dragged. Maybe it took a while for the characters to develop. I'm not sure. So why I did enjoy it, it just took me a while.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Under the Never Sky will be released on January 3, 2012.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 111
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 90
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 90

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

2011 YA Contemporary Challenge-- December Update

2011-12-01T23:07:00.000-05:00

2011 YA Contemporary Challenge

What is contemporary? It's the genre wherein the events can happen in real life at the present time. The characters in the novel can be present in real life.