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)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge-- Completed!
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.
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.
- Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
- The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
- The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
- Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso
- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
- Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
- The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
- Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
- Winter Town by Stephen Emond
- Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
- Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge-- Completed!
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
- Entice by Carrie Jones
- Starstruck by Cyn Balog
- The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
- Mercy by Rebecca Lim
- Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell
- The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
- The Chaos by Rachel Ward
- Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
- The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
- Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
- The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
- Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
- Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
- A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
- The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
- Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
- Clarity by Kim Harrington
- Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
- Forgotten by Cat Patrick
- Drought by Pam Bachorz
- Haven by Kristi Cook
- Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs
- Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
- Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurely Deriso
- Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
- Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
- Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
- Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
- Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
- Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
- The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
- Supernaturally by Kiersten White
- Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
- The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
- My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
- If I Die by Rachel Vincent
- My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent
- Reaper by Rachel Vincent
- Frost by Wendy Delsol
- The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
- Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
- Between by Jessica Warman
- Winter Town by Stephen Emond
- Dark Souls by Paula Morris
- Eternity by Heather Terrell
- Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
- Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
- Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
- A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
- Fateful by Claudia Gray
- Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
- Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
- Variant by Robison Wells
- Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
- Eve by Anna Carey
- Crossed by Ally Condie
- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
- As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott
- Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
- Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
- Fury by Elizabeth Miles
- Possession by Elana Johnson
- Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
- After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
- Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin
- The Mark by Jen Nadol
- The Vision by Jen Nadol
- The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
- The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
- Enthralled: Paranormal Diversion edited by Kelley Armstrong & Melissa Marr
- The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
- The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
- Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter
- You Are My Only by Beth Kephart
- Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
- Prized by Caragh O'Brien
- Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
- Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
- The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
- Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
- Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
- Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer
- Everneath by Brodi Ashton
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
- Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
- Dead to You by Lisa McMann
- A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford
- The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
- Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
- On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker
- Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick
- How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
What's in a Name? 4 Challenge-- Completed!
Here's How It Works:
Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:
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 Debut Author Challenge participant information:
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!)
- The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
- Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
- The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
- Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
- Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
- Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
- Clarity by Kim Harrington
- Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
- Forgotten by Cat Patrick
- Haven by Kristi Cook
- Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
- Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
- The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
- A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
- Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
- Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
- Variant by Robison Wells
- Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
- Fury by Elizabeth Miles
- Possession by Elana Johnson
- Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
- The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
- The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
- Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle
- The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
- Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
- On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker
2011 ARC Reading Challenge-- Completed!
The Levels
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
- Entice by Carrie Jones
- Starstruck by Carrie Jones
- These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
- The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
- Mercy by Rebecca Lim
- Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell
- The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
- The Chaos by Rachel Ward
- Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
- The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
- The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
- Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
- Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
- My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
- A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
- Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
- The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
- Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
- Clarity by Kim Harrington
- Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
- Forgotten by Cat Patrick
- Drought by Pam Bachorz
- Haven by Kristi Cook
- Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs
- Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
- Demons are a Girl's Best Friend by Linda Wisdom
- Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso
- Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
- Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
- Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
- Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
- Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
- Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
- The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
- Supernaturally by Kiersten White
- The Rapture by Liz Jensen
- Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley
- Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
- The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
- My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
- If I Die by Rachel Vincent
- Frost by Wendy Delsol
- The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
- Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
- Between by Jessica Warman
- Winter Town by Stephen Emond
- Dark Souls by Paula Morris
- Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
- Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
- Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
- A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
- Fateful by Claudia Gray
- Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
- Tout Sweet by Karen Wheeler
- Variant by Robison Wells
- Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
- Eve by Anna Carey
- Crossed by Ally Condie
- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
- As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott
- Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
- Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
- Fury by Elizabeth Miles
- Possession by Elana Johnson
- Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
- After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
- The Mark by Jen Nadol
- The Vision by Jen Nadol
- The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
- Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions edited by Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr
- The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
- The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
- Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter
- You Are My Only by Beth Kephart
- Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
- Prized by Caragh O'Brien
- Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
- Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
- The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
- Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
- Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
- Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer
- Everneath by Brodi Ashton
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
- Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
- Dead to You by Lisa McMann
- A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford
- The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
- Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
- On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker
- Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick
- How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
2011 100+ Reading Challenge-- Completed!
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.
- Entice by Carrie Jones
- Starstruck by Cyn Balog
- These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
- Sounds Like Crazy by Shana Mahaffey
- The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
- Mercy by Rebecca Lim
- Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell
- The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
- The Chaos by Rachel Ward
- Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
- The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
- Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
- The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
- Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
- Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
- My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
- A Need So Beautiful By Suzanne Young
- Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
- The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
- Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
- Clarity by Kim Harrington
- Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
- Forgotten by Cat Patrick
- Drought by Pam Bachorz
- Haven by Kristi Cook
- Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs
- The Baby Planner by Josie Brown
- Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
- Demons are a Girl's Best Friend by Linda Wisdom
- Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso
- Miss Hildreth Wore Brown: Anecdotes of a Southern Belle by Olivia deBelle Byrd
- The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
- Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
- Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
- Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
- From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
- Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
- Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
- Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
- The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
- Priceless by Nicole Richie
- Supernaturally by Kiersten White
- The Rapture by Liz Jensen
- Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley
- Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
- The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
- Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal
- My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
- If I Die by Rachel Vincent
- My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent
- Reaper by Rachel Vincent
- Frost by Wendy Delsol
- The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
- Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
- Between by Jessica Warman
- Winter Town by Stephen Emond
- Dark Souls by Paula Morris
- Eternity by Heather Terrell
- Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
- Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
- Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
- Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
- Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
- Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
- A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
- Fateful by Claudia Gray
- Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
- Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich
- Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
- Tout Sweet by Karen Wheeler
- Variant by Robison Wells
- Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
- Eve by Anna Carey
- Crossed by Allie Condie
- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
- As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott
- Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
- Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
- Fury by Elizabeth Miles
- Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
- Possession by Elana Johnson
- Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
- After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
- Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin
- The Mark by Jen Nadol
- The Vision by Jen Nadol
- The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
- The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
- Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions edited by Kelley Armstrong & Melissa Marr
- The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
- The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
- Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter
- Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde
- You Are My Only by Beth Kephart
- Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
- Prized by Caragh O'Brien
- Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
- Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
- The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
- Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
- Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
- Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
- Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer
- Everneath by Brodi Ashton
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
- A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
- Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
- Dead to You by Lisa McMann
- A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford
- The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
- Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
- On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker
- 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
2011 A to Z Challenge-- Competed!
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
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.
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.
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