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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Award!

I just got my first award from B.A. M. Book reviews! Thanks a lot you guys!

Here are the rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award":

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here's the 15 I chose:
  1. Yay! Reads
  2. Jennifer at YABOOKNERD
  3. Tynga at Tynga's Reviews
  4. Kristan at the Novel Hovel
  5. Wendy at The Book Lush
  6. Tattooed Books: A YA book reviewing, librarian-in-training
  7. Megan at Reading Without a Net
  8. Emma at Don't Lose My Place
  9. Rebecca at Everything To Do With Books
  10. Lizzy at CornucopiaofReviews
  11. Natalie at Mindful Musings
  12. Enna at Squeaky Books
  13. Andrea at Buried in Books
  14. Bookalicious: Som Many Books, So Little Time
  15. Holly at Good Golly Miss Holly
These are great blogs who deserve this award!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Secret Society


Secret Society by Tom Dobly
rating 8/10

An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.


They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. Overall, it was good. Curious, to say the least. I was really excited to read this. As soon as I saw it and read the discription, I got it right away. Everything about it was intriguing. I think that was my problem, though. I was too expecting, like I am a lot of the times. Like I said, though, it was good, especially since it was Dolby's YA debut.  The only thing though, is that while I was reading sometimes I got a little bored and distracted. Secret Society was intruiging, and it's a fast read.

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren
This week I only got 1 book

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Shiver- For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.



Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.


I've actually already read this, and I really liked it. I can't wait for the next to come out!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

The Hollow

The Hollow by Jessica Verday
rating 10/10

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.


Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

I've been waiting a long time to read this, and now that I have, I love it! In fact, I actually read this some time ago ( on the plane coming back) but I didn't write a review yet because I was trying to think of just the right words to describe it.
All I can say is that The Hollow was breathtaking and extraordinary. I loved everything about it: the writing, the characters, the story. I could go on, but I won't. This book was just as heartbreaking as it was heartfelt.
I really loved Abby. She's on of those characters where you can really feel close to. She also stays with you, even after you finish the book.
So, if you haven't read The Hollow yet, i highly reccomend you do so, very soon. I really can't wait for the next one!

Books I Can't Wait To Get My Hands On!




~Shadowland by Alyson Noel
~Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
~Darklight by Lesley Livingston
~Gone by Lisa Mcmann
~My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

To be fair, these are only a few of the many books that I'm dying to read. But if I were to list all the books that I want to get my hands on, than I'm pretty sure it would be a neverending list. I'd forever be thinking of more books and than be finding more
Anyway, I just wanted to share these with you.
I also want to say that I think all of these covers are beautiful... and not helping with my need for reading them!

The Tear Collector

The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones rating: 6/10

Fans of urban fantasy should prepare for a new kind of vampire–one that feeds off of tears instead of blood. Descended from an ancient line of creatures that gain their energy from human tears, Cassandra Gray depends on human sorrow to live. Only Cass has grown tired of living this life and wants to live like a human, especially now that she's met someone worth fighting for.


The Tear Collector, overall, was good. It had a few kinks, but it was okay.
I really didn't think the plot flowed, if you know what I mean. There were some different things going on and they just didn't flow together. It was almost like if the book was talking about one thing, than nothing else- even other problems and other important things- could come up, if that makes any sense.
 
I also just didn't think that Cass was a good character. I just didn't like her. Her relationship with Scott moved way to fast. It just wasn't real anyway. There also wasn't a chance to get to actually know Scott.
 
I think the story was good, it just wasn't presented and put together well. I wouldn't reccamend it unless you've got some extra time on your hands.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Eyes Like Stars


Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Manchev
Rating:  8/10

All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents
She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.
That is, until now.
Enter Stage Right
NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.
COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.
ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.
BERTIE. Our heroine.
Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.
Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.
Open Curtain

I was a little reluctant to read Eyes Like Star. But it sounded different than anything I've read before, so I wanted to see what it was like. It was actually pretty good. Deffinatly not the greatest, but pretty good.

Eyes Like Stars was easy to get into. It stayed like this throughout most the book. One thing, though, is I felt that it ended too quickly. Up to that point, it was good. But than it just was too rushed.

I also thought Bertie was too much of a troublemaker. I kept expecting her to get over this the further I got, but it just didn't happen.

Other than those things,  I really did enjoy it. It was different from anything I've read, and that's one reason I liked it. I'm always up for something new and different.

In My Mailbox (3)


In My Mailbox was created by the Story Siren but inspired by the Pop Culture Junkie

~Aurelia by Anne Osterlund
~Secret Society by Tom Dobly
~The Tear Collector by Pactrick Jones
~ Daughters of the Sea: Hannah by
~The Boy Book by E. Lockhart

Aurelia- Aurelia is the crown princess of Tyralt and lately there have been several assassination attempts on her life. Robert is her friend from childhood and the son of the king's last spymaster. As everyone in the royal court tries to hide the assassination attempts from Aurelia, Robert steps in and informs Aurelia of the danger. And he vows to protect her. Aurelia is headstrong, however, and Roberts seems to be chasing her as much as helping her.

Secret Society- An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.

They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

The Tear Collector-Fans of urban fantasy should prepare for a new kind of vampire–one that feeds off of tears instead of blood. Descended from an ancient line of creatures that gain their energy from human tears, Cassandra Gray depends on human sorrow to live. Only Cass has grown tired of living this life and wants to live like a human, especially now that she's met someone worth fighting for.


Daughters of the Sea: Hannah- Daughters of the Sea tells the story of 3 mermaid sisters who are separated at birth by a storm and go on to lead three very different lives. Book 1 is about Hannah, who spent her early days in an orphanage and is now a scullery maid in the house of rich, powerful family. She is irresistibly drawn to the sea and through a series of accidents and encounters discovers her true identity. Hannah relizes that she must keep the truth a secret but she also knows that soon she will have to make the choice - to be a creature of the land or the sea.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Soulstice


Soulstice by Simon Holt
9/10

It's been six months since Reggie first discovered and fought against the Vours, malicious and demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on the eve of the Winter Solstice.


The Vours still haunt Reggie, but only in her dreams-until one night, when an unexpected visitor turns her nightmares into reality.

Soulstice was the sequal to The Devouring. those books are horror books, but I didn't think they were scary. Don't get me wrong, I still like it. It was good, it just didn't scare me. But them again, I'm not really easily scared when it comes to books.

Soulstice's main two main characters were Aaron and Reggie. It had a lot more from Aaron than in the Devouring. Reggie is, in a way, a frightening character. It's kind of scary how far she'll go at times. She's deffinatly a very interesting person.

There were a lot of twists in this book. It was defferent from The Devouring. It ended with a total cliffhanger, and I can't wait for the next book!