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Monday, November 29, 2010

It's Monday! What Are You Reading 11-29

It's Monday is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

Read Last Week:
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithian and Rachel Cohn
Angelfire by Allison Courtney Moulton
My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
Night Star by Alyson Noel
Take Me There by Carolee Dean
Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison
Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusem-Coloma

Currently Reading:
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Reading Next:
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
I never really read what I put here, so maybe if I just keep it at one book I'll at least get that accomplished.

What are you reading this Monday?

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Shrinking the TBR Pile #5

Shrinking the TBR Pile is a weekley meme that Ashley from What's Your Story? hosts. Ashley has created a fabulous way to read books from your TBR Pile. Just number all the books in your pile, then every week draw from a hat (or whatever you prefer) three numbers. The books that correspond to those numbers is what you read this week.



This week I chose 22 and 27.

Those correspond to:


#22
#27

350 Page Book 2011 Challenge

If you haven't noticed lately, it's time to signing up for challenges for 2011! I'm trying to sign up for as many as I can (Am I taking on too much? Yes.), but still only doing the ones that intest me and that I want to do.

Anyway, I'm doing the 350 Page Book 2011 Challenge hosted by Ashley at What's Your Story. To see original post go here.  

The objective is to read as many books as possible that contain 350 pages.


The challenge will last from January 1st, 20110- December 31st, 2011.

The Guidelines:

· *This challenge does not have to only include YA, but it should be predominantly YA that means at least 75% of the books you read should be young adult fiction.

· * Each book MUST contain 350 pages or more.

· *Only physical copies and e-books will count toward the challenge. (Sorry, but audio books don’t have pages!)
Y YES, e-readers DO count! :)

· -You can add each book as you read them. You do NOT have to make a list.


This shouldn't be too much of a challenge for me, considering I prefer longer books to shorter. It will still be fun to see how many books I can read.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

In My Mailbox (48)

We have Kristi at The Story Siren to thank for hosting IMM every week.

I actually bought some books this week, for the first time time since the begginning of October, so I'm pretty excited.

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John- The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.


The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.

The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.



Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley- Sometimes a good-bye is just the beginning...


When Emily Carson's parents die in a plane crash, she's left with nothing but her mother's last words scrawled in lipstick on a tray table: "Emily, please forgive me."

Now it's fall and Emily moves to New York City where she attracts the attention of two very different boys: the cute, popular Owen, and her quirky chemistry partner, Anthony. With the help of some surprising new friends, Emily must choose between the boy who helps her forget and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately heal.

Debut author Jennifer Jabaley has written a wonderful, feel-good romantic comedy with real emotional depth. Full of lovably wacky characters, Lipstick Apology is a heartwarming story about the true meaning of forgiveness.

Take Me There by Carolee Dean- Dylan has a bad-boy past and a criminal record. He knows that rich, beautiful Jess is way too good for him—but she has always been the one person who sees through his tough exterior and straight to his heart, and he has been hopelessly in love with her from the first time they met. He would change his life for a chance with her.


But trouble follows Dylan wherever he goes, and a deadly mistake soon forces him to hit the road and leave his dreams behind. He’s on the run and in search of answers—answers to questions he wishes he’d never asked.







Night Star by Alyson Noel- After fighting for centuries to be together, Ever and Damen’s future hinges on one final showdown that will leave readers gasping for breath. Don’t miss this explosive new installment of the #1 bestselling series that’s enchanted millions across the world!


Haven still blames Ever for the death of her boyfriend Roman, no matter how hard Ever’s tried to convince her it was an accident. Now she’s determined to take Ever down…and destroy Damen and Jude along the way. Her first step is to tear Ever and Damen apart—and she has just the ammunition to do it.

Hidden in one of Ever’s past lives is a terrible secret about Damen—a secret that illuminates new facts about her relationship with Jude, but that’s so dark and brutal it might be enough to drive her and Damen apart once and for all. As Ever faces her greatest fears about the guy she wants to spend eternity with, she’s thrust into a deadly clash with Haven that could destroy them all.

Now it’ll take everything she’s got—and bring out powers she never knew she had—to face down her most formidable enemy. But in order to win, she must first ask herself: is her own survival worth dooming Haven to an eternity of darkness in the Shadowland? And will learning the truth about Damen’s past hold the key to their future?

YA Historical Fiction Challenge 2011

For 2011 Sab at YA Bliss is hosting the YA Historical Challenge. I love historical fiction, so I'm super excited for this! There are so many great ones coming out next year (though they don't have to come out next year to be part of the callenge).

Historical fiction: tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional. Writers of stories in this genre, while penning fiction, attempt to capture the spirit, manners, and social conditions of the persons or time(s) presented in the story, with due attention paid to period detail and fidelity. (Wikipedia)



There are three levels:

Level 1: 5 YA HF books in 2011
Level 2: 10 YA HF books in 2011
Level 3: 15 YA HF books in 2011


I'm planning to get to level 1, but hoping to get to level 2. To see the original post go here.



What I've read:
  1. Vixen by Jillian Larkin
  2. Entwined by Heather Dixon
  3. Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday: You Against Me


Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Release Date: December 2, 2010

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother's been accused of a terrible crime and you're the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn't that what families do? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn't do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skillfulness and almost unbearable tension. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love - for one's family and for another.

I just think this book looks amazing. It has a unique description, not like anything
 I've seen before.

What are you waiting on?

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Review: My Soul to Steal

My Soul to Steal
Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: January 1, 2011

YOU WANT MY SOUL AND MY BOYFRIEND?


Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.


See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.


And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.


I DON’T THINK SO.

Let me start by just saying that I love this series. It's one of those series that every time I start a new book in it, I get obsessed with it. I'm sure everyone knows what I'm talking about, and everyone has a series like that for themselves.


Anyway, I think every book in this series gets better. i started and couldn't put it down until I finished. It has such a unique plot, and I get pulled into the story every time.

I really liked Kaylee. She's very relatable, and, in my opinion, very sweet and compassionate. My only complaint would be that in My Soul to Steal, she got way too obsessed with Nash's ex, Sabine. I mean, way obsessed. It blinded Kaylee to see what was really going on. But, it wasn't entirely her fault. I would elaborate, but there would be spoilers.

I loved My Soul to Steal as much as the others in the series. It's a fabulous series, and if you haven't already read it, I would highly recommend it. The latest installment if fantastic, and I need to read the next one, like, now.


rating:





4.5 hearts

Monday, November 22, 2010

1st in a Series Challenge 2011

Previously hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog and Royal Reviews, the 1st in a Series Challenge is hosted by Kate at A Few More Pages this year.



Guidelines for the 1st in a Series Challenge 2011:



1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. If you're not a blogger, leave your information in the comments.

2. There are four levels for this challenge:

Series Novice: Read 3 books that are the first in any series.

Series Lover: Read 6 books that are the first in any series.

Series Expert: Read 12 books that are the first in any series.

Series Fanatic: Read 20 books that are the first in any series. (I expect to get this)

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. Any genre counts.

3. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2011.

4. You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2011.

5. If you're a blogger, write up a sign-up post that includes the URL to this post so that others can join in. Feel free to use the button above. When you sign up in the Linky, put the direct link to your 1st in a Series Challenge sign-up post.



To sign up for this challenge, go here.

I've read:
  1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
  2. Vixen (The Flappers) by Jillian Larkin
  3. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
  4. Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeSTafano
  5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
  6. Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires, Book 1) by Rachel Caine
  7. The Goddess Test (Harlequin Teen) by Aimee Carter
  8. Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) by Veronica Roth
  9. Bitten: A Novel (Women of the Otherworld) by Kelley Armstrong
  10. Stray (Shifters Book 1) by Rachel Vincent
  11. Die for Me (Revenants) by Amy Plum
  12. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
  13. Sloppy Firsts: A Jessica Darling Novel
  14. Hereafter by Tara Hudson
  15. The Darkest Night (Hqn) by Gena Showalter
  16. The Gathering (Darkness Rising, Book 1) by Kelley Armstrong
  17. Wings by Aprilynne Pike
  18. Blood Magic (The Blood Journals) by Tessa Gratton
  19. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
  20. Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance) by Larissa Ione

I've read a lot more 1st in a series, but since I've reached my goal, I'm going to stop there. 

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Shrinking the TBR Pile #4

Shrinking the TBR Pile is a weekley meme that Ashley from What's Your Story? hosts. Ashley has created a fabulous way to read books from your TBR Pile. Just number all the books in your pile, then every week draw from a hat (or whatever you prefer) three numbers. The books that correspond to those numbers is what you read this week.


This week I picked 5, 41, and 43.

Those correspond to:

#5














 #43

# 41
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I'm pretty excited to read all of those books!

In My Mailbox (47)

We have Kristi at The Story Siren to thank for hosting IMM every week.

Library:
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn- “I’ve left some clues for you.


If you want them, turn the page.

If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?







Private school, rich friends, vacations in France--Kate has it all, except a belief in love.

When Kate's family purchases a hotel in the Pacific Northwest, she enters a world that is wholly unknown to her. She never has any privacy because of the constant flow of guests. And as the hotel owner's daughter, she struggles to make friends.

Then she meets Caleb, a strange combination of working-class, Hawaiian culture, and Christian bad boy. He talks about love in an all new way that she finds so alluring. But the two have nothing in common. He rarely smiles, rides a motorcycle with a rough crowd from town, and worst of all, he totally ignores Kate. But Kate has something that he needs and she resolves to prove to him that what she has doesn't define who she is.


From Traveling ARC Tours:


Angelfire by Courtney Allison Molton- When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.


A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Bought:
Happily Ever After by Nora Roberts- As the public face of Vows wedding planning company, Parker Brown has an uncanny knack for fulfilling every bride's vision. She just can't see where her own life is headed. Mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker is no exception. Both know that moving from minor flirtation to major hook-up is a serious step. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So That's what I got this week. What did you get?

Saturday, November 20, 2010

2011 Debut Author Challenge

The ever so lovely Kristi at The Story Siren is hosting the fantastic Debut Author Challenge again for 2011. This is my second year participating in this challenge.

Kristi has already put together a spreadsheet of Debut authors of 2011, and you can find that here.
Here's just a few of the books that I'll be reading next year:

*Italicized means have, but needs to be read
*Bold means read, but have not reviewed
*Underlined means reviewed
  • Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
  • Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
  • Timeless by Alexandra Monir
  • Hourgalss by Myra McEntire
  • Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
  • Hereafter by Tara Hudson
  • The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
  • Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
  • Wither by Lauren DeStefano
  • Haven by Kristi Cook
  • Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
  • The False Princess by Ellis O'Neal
  • Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
  • Warped by Maurissa Guibord
  • The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
  • Across the Universe by Beth Revis
  • The Girl in the Steele Corset by Kady Cross
  • The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan
  • A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
  • The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
  • The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
  • Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
To sign up for the challenge, go here.


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Review: The DUFF

The DUFF
Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Number of Pages: 288, hardcover

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



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


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

I've been hearing amazing things about this one, so I was extremely excited to read it. Let me just say, it does deserve most of the hype it's been getting. By the time I finished reading it, I loved the characters and their story.


I must admit, the first half of the book I did not enjoy. I'm not really sure why. Bianca seemed almost too snotty and negative. I just didn't connect with her at first. But the second half of the book, I LOVED. I started liking Bianca more. I think I just started sympathizing with her and that helped.

Keplinger did a fantastic job with her debut novel. I thought the snarky and sarcastic writing was both hilarious and heart breaking. Bianc'as issues with her family and relationships weaved together perfectly. And Bianca's attitude and decisions-- while I didn't agree with some of them-- were realistic.

The DUFF told a true and real story. It speaks about something that everyone can connect to in some way or another. It's not something you come across every day.
 
 
 
Rating:

Monday, November 15, 2010

Review: Extraordinary

Extraordinary
Nancy Werlin
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Number of Pages: 393

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


Impossible is probably one of my favorite books, so of course I had high expectations for Extraordinary. But it didn't quite meet them. I should have known better. Whenever I have super-high expectations, I'm usually let down. Even though it didn't meet my expectations, I still enjoyed it.


I didn't realy connect to the main character, Phoebe. I found that she was very naive. For instance, she fell in love with Ryland even though he never treated her well. She acted very childish at times.

I felt that the writing was very detached from the story. I loved Werlin's writing in Impossible, but she just didn't do it for me in this one. I also found the story very predictable. Not in a sense where I knew exactly what was going to happen; it was more that I knew the big picture. Between some chapters, there was Conversations with the Faerie Queen; I thought this gave too much away. I would have liked to figure out things with Phoebe instead.

Overall, I did enjoy Extraordinary, but it's definitely not one of my favorites. If you're a big fairy fanatic, then I would check this one out.

rating:

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Shrinking the TBR Pile #3

Shrinking the TBR Pile is a weekley meme that Ashley from What's Your Story? hosts. Ashley has created a fabulous way to read books from your TBR Pile. Just number all the books in your pile, then every week draw from a hat (or whatever you prefer) three numbers. The books that corrospond to those numbers is what you read this week.


Last week I chose Arson by Estavan Vega and Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts. I'm finisheing up Savor the Roberts but Arson is going back into the drawing.

I picked some pretty awesome books this week. The numbers are 11 and 38.

And they are cooresponding to...
 38: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11: XVI by Julia Karr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I'm prettty excited to read both of them!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

In My Mailbox (46)

We have Kristi at The Story Siren to thank for hosting IMM every week.

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

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

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


Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.




Truly, Madly, Undead-ly


This irresistible collection features stories of love amid vampires by five of today's hottest authors—Kristin Cast (Tempted), Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy), Alyson Noël (Evermore), Kelley Armstrong (The Summoning), and Francesca Lia Block (Pretty Dead).

From a fugitive vampire forced to trust a boy who might work for the group bent on destroying her to the legendary romance of two immortals whose love compels them to risk everything, this heart-pounding collection brings new meaning to the words "love you forever." Whether you're into romances that are dark and moody or light and fun, these stories will quench that insatiable thirst for enchanting tales of the beautiful undead.


Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is tested by a torturous secret from his past.

Part irresistible romance and part darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers




Via Netgalley:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .


Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deciet, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?


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

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






My name is Meaghan Chase.

I thought it was over.That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stay by my side. Drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back