A Kiss in Time

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
rating 8/10

Talia fell under a spell . . . . Jack broke the curse.



I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . .


I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.


I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.


Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!


Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak!


Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

In one word:
entertaining

To start off, let me just say that this is possibly one of the cheesiest books I've read so far. Right on up there with Beastly.


Now that I've said that, let me also just say that this is also a totally awesome book. Right on up there with Beastly.

Other than the cheese factor, I really enjoyed this book. It was a really fun read. It switches off between characters, Jack and Talia. They were both pretty enjoyable characters. Talia was a little stuck up in the beggining, but this is how it's supposed to be. As the story goes along though, I really started liking her more and more. Jack was pretty likable, too.

The story moved pretty fast for the most part. It's the type of book you read in one sitting. I really couldn't put it down; it was addicting. The writing was very good, especially from going from Talia, who spoke very old fashioned and now found herself in the 21-centry, to Jack, who is the typical American teenager. As Talia spent more time in the new world, she started speaking more like, but she always kept that old-fashioned tome to her.

All in all, A Kiss in Time is very well-written and a good read. In my opinion, it's the perfect modern fairy tell. Also, like I said before, it was super-cheesey, but this factor made the book what it was.

2010 A to Z Challenge

This year I'm signing up for the A to Z challenge. I'll be doing both the title and author and read 52 books.

To sign up click here

A-Z Titles

A-

All Unquiet Things

B-

Body Finder, the

C-

Chasing Brooklyn

D-

Dust of 100 Dogs, the

E-

Eigth Grade Bites

F-

Fallen

G-

Gone

H-

Heavenly

I-

Iron King, the

J-

Jekel Loves Hyde

K-

L-

Lonely Hearts Club, The

M-

Mark, the

N -

Need

O-

O, Juliet

P-

Pretty Dead

Q-

Queen of Secrets

R-

Read my Lips

S-

Secrets of Peaches, the

T-

Tangled

U-

V-

Vison in White

W-

Wintergirls

X-

Y-

Z-

A-z Authors

A-

Anderson, Jodi Lynn

Anderson, Laurie Halse

B-

Brooks, Kevin

C-

D-

Derting, Kimberly

Despian, Bree

E-

F-

Fitzpatrick, Becca

Friedman, Aimee

G-

H-

I-

J-

K-

King, A.S.

Kate, Lauren

Klause, Annette Curtis

L-

Laurens, Jennifer

Livingston, Lesley

Leroe, ellen W.

M-

Mackler, Carolyn

Maxwell, Robin

McMann, Lisa

N-

Nadol, Jen

O-

P-

Q-

R-

Rowen, Michelle

S-

Schroeder, Lisa

Summers, courtney

Selfors, Suzanne

Sparks, Nicholas

T-

U-

V-

W-

X-

Y-

Z-

The Espressologist

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
rating 8/10

What's your drink of choice?


Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you're lots of fun and a bit sassy.


Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life.


Or perhaps it's a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie.


Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it's not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane's Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She's the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

The Espressologist was a great light, fast read. It was very entertaining. It was also, for the most part, very unique. The entire time I was reading it I had a craving to go to the nearest coffee shop, and I did at one point.
Anyway. The characters in this book were very interesting. None of them were very deep. They were also forgettable. Jane was very likable, though. She could be a little serious sometimes. Not that this was a problem or anything. It was also hard to relate to her, at least for me.
The Espressologist is a very cute, light read. It's the perfect it's-a-blizzard-outside-curl-up-with-a-good-book-in-front-of-the-fireplace-with-a-cup-of-hot-cocoa kind of book. I really enjoyed it.

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren

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

Good Girls- Audrey Porter is a "good girl" -- a good student, a great daughter, a fab friend. She's also the last person anyone expects to be hanging out with Luke DeSalvio, the hottest guy at Audrey's school. But Luke is a liar, a player, a dream, and Audrey knows it. She dumps him at her friend's Halloween party with no intention of looking back. But everyone else is looking -- looking at a mysterious and humiliating photograph that has popped up on their cell phones and computers. But who took it? And why? And how will she ever live it down?

 
 
 
 
 
 

The Secrets of Peaches- Last summer, three very different girls --- wild Murphy, perfect Leeda, and shy Birdie --- etched their initials on a Magnolia tree at Darlington Peach Orchard to symbolize that they're friendship will last forever. But can it survive the less-than-peachy year ahead?


Murphy, more in love with Rex than ever, is torn between her big-city dreams and following her heart . . . all the way across the railroad tracks and into Rex's arms.

Leeda, nominated to be Bridgewater's Pecan Queen, basks in the rose-scented glow of her Ice Queen mother's sudden affection --- until her sister, the princess, returns.

Birdie, happy for the first time, wants nothing more than to make time stand still. Too bad everything is changing, whether she likes it or not.

What did you get this week?

Liar

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

rating 6/10

Micah will freely admit that she’s a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she’ll ever tell you. Over the years she’s duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she’s always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them—and herself—that she’s finally come clean, Liar is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.


*This review contains spoilers!*

I know there is a lot of people who liked this book, but I just didn't get into it. Every time I thought it was starting to get better, it ended up not.

There was so much to this book. I loved the idea of the main character being a pathalogical liar and not being able to trust her. It was something different that I've never read before. As it was, though, it just didn't work for me. The first part of the book was everything I expected, and that's a good thing. But when I got to the middle it just went down hill from there. It wouldn't have been that bad but then werewolves were just thrown in there. When I read this I thought "what the hell, where did that come from?" Then all after this I kept expecting Micah to come out and say she lied about this just like some of the other things. But she didn't. The whole werewolf thing didn't fit and yet it took up more than half the book.

Even though I don't like it,  I think you should try it anyway since it seems to have created some buzz. There are some people who like it.

Intertwined

Intertwined by Gena Showalter
rating 8/10

 There’s something about the new guy at Crossroads High . . .


Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:


One can time-travel.


One can raise the dead.


One can tell the future.


And one can possess another human.


With no other family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now, they’re causing him all kinds of trouble.

Like, he’ll blink and suddenly he’s a younger Aden, reliving the past. One wrong move, and he’ll change the future. Or, he’ll walk past a total stranger and know how and when she’s going to die.

He’s so over it. All he wants is peace.

And then he meets a girl who quiets the voices. Well, for as long as he’s with her. Why? Mary Ann Gray is his total opposite. He’s a loner; she has friends. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks; she tries to make everyone happy. And while he attracts the paranormal, she repels it. For her sake, he should stay away. But it’s too late. . .

Somehow, they share an inexplicable bond of friendship. A bond about to be tested by a werewolf shape-shifter who wants Mary Ann for his own and a vampire princess Aden can’t resist. Two romances, both forbidden. . . doomed. Still, the four will enter a dark underworld of intrigue and danger. . . but not everyone will come out alive. . .

I must say, Intertwined wasn't as good as I thought it would be. I'm not saying it was bad, just not like I expected.
If you're a fantasy/ paranormal fanatic, you should read this book. From vampires and werewolves to fairies and witches to so much more, it's got it all. I'ts also go some action, suspense and mystery thrown in there, too. It may be a long book, but it's a pretty fast read. The suspense keeps you into it so you must know what happens next.
I think the main reason I didn't like this book as much as I thought was because of the romance. I was expecting a lot more out of it. Neither of the relationships were very good, I thought. They both moved too fast and weren't very real. When I first looked at this book, I was expecting most of it to be about the romance, but as it was, it's just not a very big part of this book.
Even through this, though, it was still very good. The writing was good and the plot harly ever got slow.

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

~Liar- Justine Larbolestier

~Art Geeks and Prom Queens- Alyson Noel

~The Espressologist- Kristina Springer

~Avalon High- Meg Cabot
~As You Wish- Jackson Pearce
~Intertwined- Gena Showalter

So that's all that I got this week. What did you get?

Nothing Like You

Nothing Like You by Laura Strasnick
rating 8/10

When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly, and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly’s mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she’s getting desperate to feel something, anything—so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul’s kisses are a welcome diversion, and it’s nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.


But things aren’t so simple with Saskia around. Paul’s real girlfriend is willowy and perfect… and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly’s choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had.

Nothing Like You was in no way as light a read as I thought it would be. That's what I thought when I first picked it up, that it would just be a quick, light read. But from the begging I found out I was wrong.
Holly was a good character...sometimes. From the start it was easy to feel bad for her. She had this kind of depressed feeling to her. At least thats what I got. But as the story went on, she would just make me so irritated. Just all the stuff that she would do. But even through that all, there was still some sympathy that I felt toward her.
Nothing Like You had a very good plot and the writing was good as well. It hardly ever got boring or slow. It's not very long, so it was a quick read, but like I said before, not very light. The ending was what was to be expected. There was no real happy ending. I won't give away any spoilers, though. I can't wait to see what other books Laura Strasnick comes out with.

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
rating: 8/10


A steamy Southern beauty makes one fatal mistake


Natalie Hargrove would kill to be her high school’s Palmetto Princess. But her boyfriend Mike King doesn’t share her dream and risks losing the honor of Palmetto Prince to Natalie’s nemesis, Justin Balmer. So she convinces Mike to help play a prank on Justin. . . one that goes terribly wrong. They tie him to the front of the church after a party—when they arrive the next morning, Justin is dead.

From blackmail to buried desire, dark secrets to darker deeds, Natalie unravels. She never should’ve messed with fate. Fate is the one thing more twisted than Natalie Hargrove.


The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove was interesting to say the least. It was full of twists and turns and very unpredictable at times.

The main problem I had with this book was the main character, Natalie. She was way too selfish and egocentric, not to mention obsessed with winning the crown. Not only was she this way, but the characterization just wasn't good. All the characters were very one-dimensional.

While I didn't like the characters so much, I loved the plot. It was so dark and twisted. For the most part it was fast-paced, and rarely got slow. I loved the ending, too. It was so unexpected and very currupt. All in all, the plot made up for the characters. It was a good read and very captivating.

In My Mailbox (9)

Bought:
   ~Leaving Paradise- Simone Elkeles

Borrowed:
   ~The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove- Lauren Kate (ARC Tours)
   ~Perfect Chemistry- Simone Elkeles

Romance Reading Challenge 2010

So this year I'll be participating in the Romance Reading Challenge over at The Royal Reviews. I, for one, love reading romances and will probably fall under the obssesive catagory.


Challenge Guidlines:
1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. To participate click here.

--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.



2. There are four levels:



-- Curious – Read 3 Romance Fiction novels.



-- Fascinated – Read 6 Romance Fiction novels.



-- Addicted – Read 12 Romance Fiction novels.



-- Obsessed – Read 20 Romance Fiction novels.



3. Any book format counts.



4. 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.



5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.



6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the Romance Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

If I Stay

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
rating 9/10

[close] In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeenyear- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...


A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.



 If I Stay was a real emotional read. It would be anyway, but it was written in such a way that made it more so. The writing was beautiful.
 
I really liked Mia. There was so much to her and I really liked that. With all the flashbacks, there was so much to connect with. One reason she was easy to connect to for me was because of her love for music. There was so much music, it was such and important aspect of the story and I loved that.
 
One thing that was great about this book was Mia and Adam's relationship. It was so real, not the same cookie-cutter love that you always see. They did love each other, but they had their problems. I really appreciated this.
 
If I stay was a wondrous read. It was beautiful and awe-inspiring.

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox was created by the Story Siren

~ She's So Money by Cherry Cheva

~If I Stay by Gayle Forman

~Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

~Hate List by Jennifer Brown

~Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

If you look on the picture on the top, you will see a picture of my new puppy! Sorry it's not a very good picture of him, he wouldn't sit still and then my camera died. I also got a Malamute. I'll have a picture of hime next week.

What did you get this week?

Ginormous Contest

Choco at In Which a Girl Reads is having her 100 follower contest! There will be 3 winners and 25 books to choose from. Check it out here.

Congrats!

Deadly Little Lies

Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz
rating 8/10

Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, the mysterious new boy at school who turned out to have a very mysterious gift--pyschometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry, and experiencing her own strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow rubbed off on her. Can the power of psychometry be transferred?

Even once Ben returns to school, Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Despite the romantic tension between them, Ben remains aloof, avoiding contact. Then when an unexpected kiss leads to a frightening argument, Camelia makes the painful decision to let Ben go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at work, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. Adam is easygoing, and seems to really care about her.
But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events upturns secrets from Ben's past--and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who-before it's too late.

I loved Deadly Little Secrets, so I was really excited to read Deadly Litlle Lies. Deadly Little Lies had just as much mystery, suspense and romance as the last book.

Camelia and Ben's relationship truly was like a roller coaster. There was so much tension between the two and I loved it. The love triangle brought into this was way different from anything else. There was so many secrets and mystery in this part of the book alone.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. The writing and the plot were great. Sometimes Camelia's stupidity was a little too much for me, though. With everything that was happening, it seemed like she never took her own safty seriously. But it still was good  and I can't wait for Deadly Little Games.

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

I'm going to participate in 2010 100+ reading challenge over at J. Kay's Book Blog

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. 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. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.



2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.



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, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.



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.

If you'd like to participate, too, click here

Shadowland

Shadowland by Alyson Noel
rating 9/10

At the start of this breathtaking novel, Damen and Ever travel to Summerland in search of an antidote to reverse a powerful poison. But instead of the cure they seek, they find something far more sinister: the truth about their existence and the fate lying in wait of an immortal’s soul.


Now, with Damen fighting to save them from the Shadowland, Ever turns to magick, hoping to break Damen’s curse. Along the way Ever encounters the mysterious Jude, finding herself drawn to him in a way that will test her love for Damen like never before . . .

I loved both Evermore and Blue Moon, but Alyson Noel has truly outdone herself with Shadowland. There was more twists and turns and there were so many things that I didn't expect to happen, just like Blue Moon. this series just keeps getting better. They are all magnificently and beautifully written. I'm dying for the next book!

Another Faust

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
Rating 7/10

A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year.

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

Another Faust was dark and twisted, and deffinatly intruiging. There were times that it got slow-paced and boring. Even through these parts, though, there was something in it that you couldn't help but keep reading.

One thing that I highly appreciate in this book was how the characters were portrayed. Usually when there are three or more main characters its hard to really know them and get inside their minds. But in Another Faust I really knew the characters and understood how they worked. I didn't like them all, for instance Victoria, but at least I could understand them all.

Like I said before, much of the time it was slow and slightly boring. This is just something that you need to get over though because it was a pretty good book overall.

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren

Deadly Little Lies~ Laurie Faria Stolarz

Shadowland~Alyson Noel

Deadly Little Lies- Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, the mysterious new boy at school who turned out to have a very mysterious gift- pyschometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry, and experiencing her own strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow rubbed off on her. Can the power of psychometry be transferred?

Even once Ben returns to school, Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Despite the romantic tension between them, Ben seems aloof, avoiding contact. Then when an unexpected kiss leads to a frightening argument, Camelia makes the painful decision to let Ben go and to move on. Alex, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. Alex is easy-going, and seems to really care about her.
But when Camelia and Alex start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events upturns secrets from Ben's past- and Alex's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out whom- before it's too late.

Shadowland- At the start of this breathtaking novel, Damen and Ever travel to Summerland in search of an antidote to reverse a powerful poison. But instead of the cure they seek, they find something far more sinister: the truth about their existence and the fate lying in wait of an immortal’s soul.

Now, with Damen fighting to save them from the Shadowland, Ever turns to magick, hoping to break Damen’s curse. Along the way Ever encounters the mysterious Jude, finding herself drawn to him in a way that will test her love for Damen like never before . . .

Snap

Snap by Carol Snow
rating 8/10

Madison Sabatini thought she knew who she was: an almost-sophomore with a bright future. The newest photographer on her school paper. A shopaholic with great hair and a fabulous wardrobe. Then, in a flash, everything changed.

Now she's stuck in Sandyland, a gloomy beach town in the middle of nowhere, living with her parents in a crappy hotel "suite." Instead of spending the summer with her friends at home, she's hanging out with pink-haired Delilah, an artist who works in a shop called Psychic Photo, and a skater boy named Duncan who's totally not her type. Except, maybe he is . . .
Determined to make the best of things, Madison throws herself into her one passion: photography. But when strange figures start appearing in her pictures - people who weren't there when she snapped the shots, people who are later reported dead - she begins to question everything about who she is . . . and who she wishes she could be.


I wasn't quite sure how Carol Snow would do with this book. I wasn't too impressed with Switch, but Snap was different. I thought it was pretty good.
If your expecting Snap to be mysterious and scary, it's really not. It is a little, but mostly its about other things. The description is a little decieving. For the most part, the paranormal parts tied in with the rest pretty well. Anyway, snap was pretty original. At times, Madison could be a little over the top and dramatic. (SPOILER!!) Also, towards the end she thought the was going to die and she took it a little too well. But mostly, Snap was a good book. The story was good and creative.

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren

~Going Too Far- Jennifer Echols

~Another Faust- Daniel and Dina Nayeri

Going too Far- All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

Another Faust- A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year.

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

Viola in Reel Life

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

rating: 8/10

I'm marooned.

Abandoned.
Left to rot in boarding school . . .
Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.
Ick.
There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.
Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.
But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in.


Viola in Reel Life was incredibly cute. Despite it being another boarding school story, for the most part it was very original.
Viola was a good character. Trigiani did a great job with showing how much Viola grew over the course of the book. Viola started off as and only child, city-girl, but grew up a lot by the end.
Most the time, Viola in Reel Life was original. There were times that were a little predictable, but it was still good. Thes was an adorable coming of age story and Trigian did a good job for her first young adult novel.

Gone

Lisa McMann is giving away 3 advanced copies of Gone (!!!) in a contest
She's also giving away copies of Wake and Fade
For all the details, click here

Now, you know how much I love these books, and if you don't then I really really love them! I can't wait for Gone!

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren

~Treasure Map of Boys- E. Lockhart

~Snap-Carol Snow

~Kiss of Life- Daniel Waters

~Viola in Reel Life-Adreana Trigiani

~Immortal- Gillian Shields

Treasure Map of Boys- Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it’s her thirty-seventh week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what’s more:

Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby’s already-sucky reputation is heading downhill.
Not only that, she’s also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavymetal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances.
In this companion novel to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, Ruby struggles to secure some sort of mental health, to understand what constitutes a real friendship, and to find true love—if such a thing exists.

Snap- Madison Sabatini thought she knew who she was: an almost-sophomore with a bright future. The newest photographer on her school paper. A shopaholic with great hair and a fabulous wardrobe. Then, in a flash, everything changed.

Now she's stuck in Sandyland, a gloomy beach town in the middle of nowhere, living with her parents in a crappy hotel "suite." Instead of spending the summer with her friends at home, she's hanging out with pink-haired Delilah, an artist who works in a shop called Psychic Photo, and a skater boy named Duncan who's totally not her type. Except, maybe he is . . .
Determined to make the best of things, Madison throws herself into her one passion: photography. But when strange figures start appearing in her pictures—people who weren't there when she snapped the shots, people who are later reported dead—she begins to question everything about who she is . . . and who she wishes she could be.

Kiss of Life- The phenomenon that's been sweeping the country seems to be here to stay. Not only are the teenagers who have come back from their graves still here, but newlydeads are being unearthed all the time. While scientists look for answers and politicians take their stands, the undead population of Oakville have banded together in a group they're calling the Sons of Romero, hoping to find solidarity in segregation.
Phoebe Kendall may be alive, but she feels just as lost and alone as her dead friends. Just when she reconciled herself to having feelings for a zombie -- her Homecoming date Tommy Williams -- her friend Adam is murdered taking a bullet that was meant for her. Things get even more confusing when Adam comes back from the grave. Now she has romantic interest in two dead boys; one who saved her life, and one she can't seem to live without.

Viola in Reel Life- I'm marooned.

Abandoned.
Left to rot in boarding school . . .
Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.
Ick.
There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.
Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.
But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in.

Immortal- Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneliness.

Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

Announcement

I just wanted to let you all know that I won't be able to post for a few weeks for a couple of reasons.

1. I don't have internet at my house, so I go to my grandma's house every weekend for at least one night so I can do everything I need to do. This week she has company so I won't be able to come over next weekend
2. Next Sunday I'll be going on vacation to Disney World! I'll be back Saturday Oct. 3.
3. The weekend after that, my grandparents are going on vacation, so I won't be able to use the internet that weekend.

Don't worry. Once I come back I'll have many reviews to post. I'll also be posting any chance I get within the next few weeks.
Until then, happy reading!