Anything but Normal

Anything but Normal
Melody Carlson
Release Date: January 1, 2010
Publisher: Revell
rating 9/10

Sophie is starting a new school year. Shopping for it with her best friend should be fun, but nothing seems to fit, which is a major issue to a high school girl. But her biggest problem is the secret she's keeping. And she's about to find out that she won't be able to keep things under wraps for much longer. This page-turning novel explores the tangled web of choices, secrets, and love that all teen girls navigate.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started Anything but Normal, but I know I didn't expect to like it so much. This book was amazing, and I loved it. It was very real and honest about what Sophie is going through as a pregnant teen.


I loved Sophie. She was a very genuine character. At times I wanted to yell at her, but I can't blame her for most the things she did. She was sweet and I felt sorry for her. I did not like most of the other characters, but I loved Sophie.

I really enjoyed Anything but Normal. Melody Carlson did a beautiful job writing this and I look forward to reading more of her books.

In My Mailbox (32)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This is actually from last week, too, since I didn't do an IMMB last week. I am probably missing some things that I got, but this is just off the top of my head.

Recieved:

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen- she sent me a signed copy of this which was very sweet of her. I can't wait to read it!

Bought:

Swoon by Nina Malkin- I plan on reading this on my camping trip on Wed. It's a six hour ride up, so I plan on reading a lot going up.

Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steele

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan

The Mermaid's Mirror
L.K. Madigan
Release Date: October 4, 2010
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
rating 7/10

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach—walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves—the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.



As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.
But her father – a former surfer himself – refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.


Yet something lures Lena to the water … an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman—with a silvery tail.


Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.


And soon … what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life …

I was so excited to read The Mermaid's Mirror. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.



This started out quite slow. About the first hundred pages almost nothing happened. If picked up a little bit later on, but overall nothing really happens until the last 100 pages or so. When it finally did get to the mermaid part, though, I did enjoy it. But, I felt like that part was crammed into a short little section. No sooner had I started it, it was over. I could have spent a lot more time in the mermaid world, but as it was, it was short. (Sorry I'm being so vague; I"m trying not to give away too many spoilers.)


I did not like Lena at all. She was stupid, immature and a real snot to those she loved. It seemed like she was always whining about something. She was also very self-centered. She did what she wanted and didn't care who she hurt in the process.


Overall, The Mermaid's Mirror was forgettable. there was nothing that really stood out. There were some parts that I did enjoy, but I felt short changed by the ending. Also, there was barely any romance in it, and I need me my romance :)

In My Mailbox (31)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Bought:

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl- Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison- Seventeen, dead, and in charge of heaven's dark angels—all itching to kill someone.

Madison Avery's dreams of ever fitting in at her new school died when she did. Especially since she was able to maintain the illusion of a body, deal with a pesky guardian angel, and oh yeah, bring the reaper who killed her to his untimely end. Not exactly in-crowd material. It's amazing that her crush, Josh, doesn't think she's totally nuts.

Now Madison has learned that she's the dark timekeeper, in charge of angels who follow the murky guidelines of fate. Never one to abide by the rules, she decides it's time for a major change to the system. With the help of some unlikely allies, Madison forms a rogue group of reapers who definitely don't adhere to the rules of the heavens.

But as she grapples with the terrifying new skills that come with being a timekeeper, Madison realizes she may not be prepared for what lies ahead—unless she gets some seriously divine intervention.

So what did you get this week? : )

The Reckoning Giveaway Contest Winner!

Sorry it took a couple of extra days...I've been gone.
But, the winner of a signed copy of The Reckoning is.....

Lindsay Frost!!

I'm about to email you right now!

And thanks everyone else who entered! I also got a couple new books for my other contest, so check back a little later and I'll let you know : )

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Author: Stacey Kade (2010 debut author)
Release Date: June 29, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Book
Rating: 8/10

After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck here in spirit form with no sign of the big, bright light coming to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser/outcast type who hates the social elite. He alone can see and hear her, but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.



Can they get over their mutual distrust—and this weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist?


The Ghost and the Goth was an adorable and fun read. I couln't wait to read this one, and when I recieved an arc, I was thrilled.


Alona was a typical popular cheeleader: perfect, beautiful and self absorbed. As you start reading, though, you see a different side to the dead Homecoming Queen. You see that her home life wasn't perfect. you see that her bes friend is hooking up with her boyfriend, and has been long before she was dead. but most of all, you see her growing feeling for Will, the unpopular goth and the only one who can see e her. He starts helping her, and soon enough the feeling is mutal. Willl was very cute and weet from the beggining, and only got more likable as it went on.

The Ghost and the Goth was a really fun novel. It had a couple flaws, bt none that couldn't be ignored or made it any less enjoyable. Even though I read it a while back, it would be a good summer read.

May Rewind

Books Read in May:

1. Shade by Jeri Ready-Smith
2. The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride
3. Lament by Maggie Striefvator
4. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
5. Penitence by Jennifer Laurens
6. Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw
7. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
8. The Clearing by Heather Davis
9. The Line by Teri Hall
10. My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent
11. This World We Live in by Susane Beth Pfeffer
12. Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley
13. Anything but Normal by Melody Carlson
14. I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

Also Reviewed:
Winter Longing by Tricia Mills
Forget You by Jennifer Echols

I read 14 books in May. Definitely not my best. but since it's summer I hope to read a lot more from now on!
Expect a lot more reviews now also!
           

Waiting on Wednesday: Grace

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Release Date: September 16, 2010

A fable of a terrifying near future by critically acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott.

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

Told in spare, powerful prose, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they've reached the final page.

Elizabeth Scott is one of my favorite authors, and I'm sooooo excited for Grace!

The Big 100

Hey. I just wanted ya'll to know that I've reached 100 followers! Yay!

Thank you all who followe me, and here's to many more : )

(I really want to eat those cupcakes, don't you?)