Books Love Jessica Marie

Giveaway: The Day the Falls Stood Still

2009-09-05T00:24:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to the lovely Diane Saarinen for allowing me to host this wonderful giveaway of one (1) copy of the novel The Day the Falls Stood Still. Unfortunately, due to the shipping costs the winner must have a valid U.S. mailing address (no PO boxes). The giveaway will end on September 16th at midnight and the winner will be chosen by random.org on August 17th. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, before a new winner will be chosen.

To be entered you must leave a comment with a valid email address. No email address = no entry. You must also leave a relevant and intelligent comment on:
+ My review of The Day the Falls Stood Still
+ The guest post by Cathy Marie Buchanan

For an additional entry each you may complete the following:

+ 1 For following this blog

+ 1 Follow me on twitter
+ 1 Add my blog button (with a link back) on your blog
+ 2 For posting about this giveaway on your blog
+ 1 For posting about this giveaway on your sidebar or tweeting

Yep, that's right... if you complete all of the above you will be entered to win 7 times. Good luck!

Review: The Day the Falls Stood Still

2009-09-03T01:48:00.004-04:00

The Day the Falls Stood Still
by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Steeped in the intriguing history of Niagara Falls, this epic love story is as rich, spellbinding, and majestic as the falls themselves.

1915. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era in Niagara Falls. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath has led a sheltered existence as the youngest daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company. After graduation day at her boarding school, she is impatient to return to her picturesque family home near Niagara Falls. But when she arrives, nothing is as she had left it. Her father has lost his job at the power company, her mother is reduced to taking in sewing from the society ladies she once entertained, and Isabel, her vivacious older sister, is a shadow of her former self. She has shut herself in her bedroom, barely eating--and harboring a secret.

The night of her return, Bess meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform. She finds herself inexplicably drawn to him--against her family's strong objections. He is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies that seek to harness the power of the falls for themselves. As their lives become more fully entwined, Bess is forced to make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls, at a time when daredevils shot the river rapids in barrels and great industrial fortunes were made and lost as quickly as lives disappeared, The Day the Falls Stood Still is an intoxicating debut novel.

First Sentence:
The stone walls of Loretto Academy are so thick I can sit curled up on a windowsill, arms around the knees tucked beneath my chin.

I really loved reading The Day the Falls Stood Still, Cathy's writing is smooth and easy to follow. I was able to connect with all of the characters easily, while at the same time there was a distance from some of them that worked well for the storyline. For instance I felt a huge distance between myself and Bess' sister Isabel, which helped me understand how Bess felt when she returned home from the Loretto Academy for girls and found a sister completely different than the last time she saw her. I fell in love with Tom Cole from the first moment he was mentioned. I am amazed that Cathy was able to make Tom appear mysterious and love-able throughout the whole book.

My favorite thing about this book is the fact that it is set in Niagara Falls, because I have never read a book about the area... and what makes it even better is the fact that it is historical. The only trouble that I had with this book is the fact that time jumps forward very quickly, which is understandable since the book is only 320 pages... but I kinda felt that I missed out on a lot of Bess' life. I do have to warn you though to make sure you are not in a public place, oh like say the park... like I was, when you finish this book because you will have tears in your eyes. ;)

I would recommend The Day the Falls Stood Still to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction or love stories. The book also contains all of the aspects of life including the different levels of society, suicide, death, birth, and growing up.

Favorite Quotes:

Endless water plummets from the brink to the rocks below, like the careless who slip, like the stunters who fail, like the suicidal who leap.

His accusation of cowardice smarted, and I blurted out, "I figured you for a gentleman."
"I hoped I could learn," he said and turned away.

. . . there are two kinds of love. One that is slow in coming and builds with shared kindnesses. And another that is all-consuming, blind, little more than lust. "The first can last a lifetime," she says. "The second is founded on nothing and cannot."

Title: The Day the Falls Stood Still

Author: Cathy Marie Buchanan

Hardcover: 320 pages

ISBN 10: 1401340970

ISBN 13: 978-140134097
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Powell's
Review Number: 25
My Copy: provided for blog tour

Guest Post: Cathy Marie Buchanan

2009-09-03T00:05:00.002-04:00

Born and bred in Niagara Falls, I grew up awash in an endless stream of local lore─the Maid of the Mist and her canoe, Sir Isaac Brock and the War of 1812, Blondin and his tightrope, Annie Taylor and her barrel, William “Red” Hill and his daring rescues, Sir Adam Beck and hydroelectricity, Roger Woodward and the miracle at Niagara… With such a storied past and the staggering beauty of the falls themselves, I knew I would set my debut novel in Niagara Falls long before I had an inkling about character or plot.

When it came time to research, I turned to my collection of books surveying Niagara’s history and with trepidation─my formal education in history ended in grade nine─cracked the cover of the book at the top of the stack. Yet, as I read, the bits of lore I had gathered as a child reignited, and I found myself reading late into the night. I had seen the rusted-out hull of the old barge lodged in the rapids just above the falls and, for as long as I can remember, knew two men had been rescued from that precarious perch. But as I pored over the history books, I found out that a life line gun had been shot out to the barge, and that when the lines of the breeches buoy meant to rescue the stranded men became snarled, a brave soul headed out to them in the black of night, trusting the lines anchored to that uncertain barge. I had always known about the convent school atop a bluff a stone’s throw from the falls, but I discovered that it was built at that spot because an early archbishop of Toronto had seen a picture of the falls as a boy and conjured up prayers floating heavenward with the mist.

What I was seeking, as I read, was the time period and narrative that best showcased Niagara’s wondrous and quirky past. The story of William “Red” Hill, Niagara’s most famous riverman, came up time and again, and with each telling I became more certain my main male character─Tom Cole─would be loosely based on him. Red Hill had an uncanny knowledge of the river and during his lifetime (1888-1942) hauled 177 bodies from the river, rescued 29 people and assisted a handful of stunters. In the early 1900s his beloved river was threatened by the massive diversion of water away from the falls for the production of hydroelectricity. While I came across no evidence of diversion causing him heartache, I knew I could incorporate it to thicken the plot.

To learn more about Red Hill, I spent afternoons in the Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library, perusing newspaper accounts of his rescues and self-published essays and leaflets commemorating his heroism. Along with the details of his life, I began to grasp the elusive nature of history, something every real historian must know in their bones. Newspaper accounts from a mere hundred years ago and published the day after an event conflicted with one another with startling regularity, and plenty went unsaid. As a writer committed to getting the known details right, such imprecision was a frustration but, I’ll admit, sometimes also a relief.

Once I’d decided my riverman’s love interest─Bess Heath─would come from a privileged background, I sequestered myself in the Loretto Archives, learning all I could about Loretto Academy, the prestigious convent school at Niagara Falls. I toured the academy, sat in the library where the students would have spent study hall and peered from dorm room windows as the boarding students surely had.

I scoured the internet, finding an abundance of gorgeous, historical images of Niagara Falls in the online databases of Library and Archives Canada, the Library of Congress, the Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library and the Toronto Archives. I was smitten and so were my editors, and many of the images found a home in The Day the Falls Stood Still.

In Niagara Falls, with Tom Cole and Bess Heath becoming ever clearer in my mind, I traipsed the hydroelectric installations and wandered the wooded pathways of the glen and walked the recreation trail that runs the length of the gorge and strode the streets of Silvertown, gazing up at Glenview where Bess would live upon her return from Loretto Academy. I stood at the brink of the falls, filling with wonder, wishing that I could, just once, glimpse the falls as it was before the massive diversion of water for hydroelectricity.

Picture captions and credits:
American Falls ─ Library of Congress, 3b15325r

Thank you for such an amazing guest post Cathy! Be sure to check back tomorrow for my review of The Day the Falls Stood Still! :)

Just an update

2009-09-01T00:17:00.003-04:00

So that everyone knows that I have not disappeared, turned into a vampire, been attacked by zombies or gotten sick... but I have been completely consumed with college and work, which both started on the 24th. It really sucks since my blog has been put on the back burner, well actually my computer has too since I haven't even had the urge to turn it on lately :( But I just wanted to let everyone know that I shall be trying to return to my regular posting soon and I have many exciting things lined up including:

-Review of Ash
-Review of Viola in Reel Life
-Author Interview with Malinda Lo
-Review of Geektastic
-Author Interview with Amy Efaw
-Review of The Day the Falls Stood Still
-Guest post by Cathy Marie Buchanan

-And FOUR (4) amazing giveaways!!! :)

I do hope to have all of these done this month, so don't forget to keep checking back! ;) I will also be posting my mailbox Monday for the past two weeks tomorrow, which shall be a vlog since I have accumulated way too many books to list in a post.

Author Interview: Ann Haywood Leal

2009-08-21T03:59:00.006-04:00

Author Interview: Ann Haywood Leal

Did you major in English / Creative writing in college? Would you recommend aspiring writers to do so or major in a subject they would like to write about, such as history?
I majored in psychology and elementary education at the University of Washington in Seattle. Being a teacher has influenced my writing in a huge way. The kids definitely fuel me with ideas! I love listening to them talk. I don’t think you need to major in creative writing, but I’m sure it helps. Getting a liberal arts education is great, because it exposes you to so many different topics. You never know what is going to spark your interest as a writer and end up as the beginning of a story!

What was your first reaction when you saw the cover of your first book? Do you think that the cover of your Also Known as Harper represents the story within it?
That’s a great question because my book has actually had two covers! The one on the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is an old broken-down motel, which I loved. Then it was changed before the final hardcover was printed. It sounds corny, but when my editor showed me that cover, it took my breath away. It was as if the designer had gotten inside my head and put my thoughts down in picture form. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Does it make you nervous knowing that people are reading your work?
Yes, yes, and yes! All of my writing life, which is from about age four, only a handful of people have ever read my stories; mainly my family and my teachers, and later on, my critique group. The one thing that I have always wanted though, was to give someone else the feeling that I got as a young girl when I found the right book on the shelf at the library. I would be thrilled if someone connected with one of my characters like that.

What kind of environment do you prefer to write in? Any music, or television in the background?
I am still teaching full-time, so I’ll pretty much write in any environment! I take a notebook or a laptop wherever I go so I can squeeze in as much writing time as possible. I’ve written on the sidelines at my daughter’s soccer practice, on an old church pew while my daughter was in her religion class, and on the floor in the hallway outside her violin lesson. My ideal environment would be outside with jazz music on my IPod and a really good mocha espresso drink, with extra chocolate on the side!

Have you ever based any of your characters on real life people? If so have they ever figured it out?
I have never consciously based any of my characters on a real person, but I’m sure they have certain traits of people I have come across or known. For example, Winnie Rae Early’s mother, Harper’s evicting landlord, has shades of an old neighbor of mine from my childhood. That neighbor said the most horrible things to the neighborhood kids—and even worse, she was the mother of three kids, herself! If she were to read the book, I doubt that she’d recognize herself. I don’t think that people tend to recognize their own bad qualities!

How do you pick the names of your characters?
Harper is named after Harper Lee, the author of my favorite book (and what I consider to be the great American novel!), TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Hemingway is a tribute to a friend of mine who passed away. He was her favorite author.

What inspired you to write Also Known as Harper?
I have volunteered at my local soup kitchen for the last few years. Harper isn’t based on a particular visitor of the soup kitchen, but more on a feeling I got when I first saw the children come in with their families. The adults tend to be somewhat beaten down by life, but the kids are so strong and they still have hope in their eyes. I tried to convey that hope and resiliency in the characters of Harper and her brother, Hem.

Do you have a favorite character from your novels?
Hmmm…..probably Harper. But I’m also attached to the main character from my first novel that I wrote in the sixth grade. It was a hundred pages, mainly on colored notebook paper. I was kind of a geek (I still am!), and I spent a lot of time with the characters in the books I was reading and writing!

If you were not an author, what profession would you want to have?
I would want to work in a bookstore or a library…or I would love to be a jazz singer or the lead singer in an alternative band…but there is an issue with my singing voice…it’s terrible!

Are you working on anything at the moment?
I just finished my second novel, SEARCHING FOR EZEKIEL, due out next year, also with Henry Holt/MacMillan. It is about two sisters, dealing with a mother who I hope will bring out conflicting emotions in the reader!

I have loved visiting your blog. Thank you so much!

Thank you oh so much for stopping by Books Love Jessica Marie and answering all of my questions! I really appreciate it! :)

Giveaway: This One is Mine

2009-08-20T13:28:00.001-04:00

Many thanks to the lovely Maria Semple for allowing me to host this wonderful giveaway of two (2) copies of her novel This One is Mine. Unfortunately, due to the shipping costs the winner must have a valid U.S. mailing address (no PO boxes). The giveaway will end on August 27th at midnight and the winner will be chosen by random.org on August 28th. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, before a new winner will be chosen.

To be entered you must leave a comment with a valid email address. No email address = no entry. You must also leave a relevant and intelligent comment on:
+ My review of This One is Mine

For an additional entry each you may complete the following:

+ 1 Follow this blog

+ 1 Follow me on twitter
+ 1 Add this blog tour blogroll
+ 1 Add my blog button (with a link back) on your blog
+ 2 For posting about this giveaway on your blog
+ 1 For posting about this giveaway on your sidebar

Yep, that's right... if you complete all of the above you will be entered to win 8 times. Good luck!

Review: This One is Mine

2009-08-19T01:05:00.001-04:00

This One is Mine
by Maria Semple

Violet Parry is living the quintessential life of luxury in the Hollywood Hills with David, her rock-and-roll manager husband, and her darling toddler, Dot. She has the perfect life--except that she's deeply unhappy. David expects the world of Violet but gives little of himself in return. When she meets Teddy, a roguish small-time bass player, Violet comes alive, and soon she's risking everything for the chance to find herself again. Also in the picture are David's hilariously high-strung sister, Sally, on the prowl for a successful husband, and Jeremy, the ESPN sportscaster savant who falls into her trap. For all their recklessness, Violet and Sally will discover that David and Jeremy have a few surprises of their own. THIS ONE IS MINE is a compassionate and wickedly funny satire about our need for more--and the often disastrous choices we make in the name of happiness.

First Sentence:
David stood at the sink, a pine forest to his left, the Pacific ocean to his right, and cursed the morning sun.

This One is Mine is definitely a multi-dimensional novel. I admire Maria's ability to incorporate so many different life situations. Some of these situations include things many people will probably go through such as diabetes, mental retardation, and the lack of fulfillment after having a child. These are all hard things to write about within a single novel, but she is also able to include such topics as abortion, adultery, and naked yoga retreats. ;)

All of the characters in This One is Mine are extremely realistic, which could explain why I didn't really connect with any of them. ;) I did however love Lady Go and Dot, who reminded me of the little boy in Fun with Dick and Jane ("what are you doing with the teloooovissssion?") Maria's writing not only shows the good attributes of the characters, but also the not so flattering feelings and thoughts that everyone has.

Really the only reason that I gave this novel such a low rating is personal, the same reason I don't read much adult fiction: sexual themes. In young adult fiction they tend to just hint at the sexual escapades but in adult fiction they tend to go into detail, and reading about it makes me feel a little weird. However, just because I do not like reading such things I know that many people do and if you are one of them you may want to read this one.

I would recommend This One is Mine to anyone who likes to read about real life circumstances. There are many situations within this novel that I believe many people will have to go through at some point in their life. A warning though to younger readers: some passages within the novel can get a little sexually graphic.

Favorite Quotes:

He rose to his feet. "Stay happy," he said. "You twinkle when you're happy."

Dot looked at her mother, indignant, as if it say, How dare you allow such a thing to happen to me?

Dot galloped into David's office and jumped up and down upon seeing all the pictures of her. "Dot!" she exclaimed. Dot's favorite subject was Dot. She was like a miniature rapper, always referring to herself in the third person.

Title: This One is Mine

Author: Maria Semple

Hardcover: 304 pages

ISBN 10: 031603116x

ISBN 13: 978-0316031165
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 18
My Copy: Sent for review from Maria Semple

Release Date: August 18th, 2009

2009-08-18T10:50:00.002-04:00

Breathless
Jessica Warman
Walker & Company

When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school by her distant father and overbearing mother, it doesn’t take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She’s smart, she’s cute, and she’s an Olympic-bound swimmer who has a first class ticket to any Ivy League school of her choice. But what her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don’t know is that Katie is swimming away from her past, and from her schizophrenic older brother, Will, who won’t let her go. And when he does the unthinkable, it’s all Katie can do to keep her head above water.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

The White Queen
Philippa Gregory
Touchstone

Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (21)

2009-08-16T23:35:00.008-04:00

So I was going to do a vlog, since I got so many amazing books this week and I still need to show off my new bookshelves... but then I didn't feel like taking a shower. So I promise to be clean to do a vlog for next week. ;)

Models don't Eat Chocolate Cookies

Erin Dionne

Thirteen-year-old Celeste Harris is no string bean, but comfy sweatpants and a daily chocolate cookie suit her just fine. Her under-the-radar lifestyle could have continued too, if her aunt hadn’t entered her in the HuskyPeach Modeling Challenge. To get out of it, she’s forced to launch Operation Skinny Celeste—because, after all, a thin girl can’t be a fat model! What Celeste never imagined was that losing weight would help her gain a backbone . . . or that all she needed to shine was a spotlight.

A hilarious debut featuring friendship, family, mean girls and even celebrity crushes, Celeste’s story is a delicious treat that doesn’t add a pound.

Won from a giveaway at Royal Reads. I loooove the fact that she decides to get skinny so she DOESN'T have to model. ;)

Shiver

Maggie Stiefvater

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.

Requested from the publisher. I am oh so excited for this one after all the amazing reviews, and I feel werewolves need more love nowadays.

Marie Therese: Child of Terror

Susan Nagel

The first major biography of one of France’s most mysterious women—Marie Antoinette’s only child to survive the revolution.

Susan Nagel, author of the critically acclaimed biography Mistress of the Elgin Marbles, turns her attention to the life of a remarkable woman who both defined and shaped an era, the tumultuous last days of the crumbling ancien régime. Nagel brings the formidable Marie-Thérèse to life, along with the age of revolution and the waning days of the aristocracy, in a page-turning biography that will appeal to fans of Antonia Fraser’s Marie Antoinette and Amanda Foreman’s Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire.

In December 1795, at midnight on her seventeenth birthday, Marie-Thérèse, the only surviving child of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, escaped from Paris’s notorious Temple Prison. To this day many believe that the real Marie-Thérèse, traumatized following her family’s brutal execution during the Reign of Terror, switched identities with an illegitimate half sister who was often mistaken for her twin. Was the real Marie-Thérèse spirited away to a remote castle to live her life as the woman called “the Dark Countess,” while an imposter played her role on the political stage of Europe? Now, two hundred years later, using handwriting samples, DNA testing, and an undiscovered cache of Bourbon family letters, Nagel finally solves this mystery. She tells the remarkable story in full and draws a vivid portrait of an astonishing woman who both defined and shaped an era. Marie-Thérèse’s deliberate choice of husbands determined the map of nineteenth-century Europe. Even Napoleon was in awe and called her “the only man in the family.” Nagel’s gripping narrative captures the events of her fascinating life from her very public birth in front of the rowdy crowds and her precocious childhood to her hideous time in prison and her later reincarnation in the public eye as a saint, and, above all, her fierce loyalty to France throughout.

Bought at Half Price Books. OH M GEE... I literally squealed when I saw this on the shelf, which got me some weird looks from other customers. ;) It will be hard to read my books for review with this one sitting on the shelf.

Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France

Christine Pevitt Algrant

This biography of the legendary mistress of King Louis XV offers dramatic insight into the life of one of the most enchanting, powerful, and feared women to grace the world's stage. Groomed from an early age to assume the role of a rich man's mistress, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson underwent several transformations before she caught the heart of the king himself. Although accustomed to the king's extramarital relationships, the court was shocked at the sudden ascension of the low-born Mademoiselle Poisson. The newcomer, however, wasted no time in establishing herself as the king's sole confidante and, ultimately, his indispensable partner in affairs of state. The critically acclaimed author of Philippe, Duc d'Orleans, Christine Pevitt Algrant traces Madame de Pompadour from her modest beginnings in early-eighteenth-century Paris to her reign as the undisputed mistress of Versailles. Filled with photographs, and evocative and insightful in its telling, Madame de Pompadour is a seductive portrait of one of the most fascinating and influential women of the age.

Bought at Half Price Books. Another amazing find that I am really excited to be able to read... hopefully sometime soon.

Catherine of Aragon

Jean Plaidy

For the first time in paperback—all three of Jean Plaidy’s Katharine of Aragon novels in one volume.

Legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy begins her tales of Henry VIII’s queens with the story of his first wife, the Spanish princess Katharine of Aragon.

As a teenager, Katharine leaves her beloved Spain, land of olive groves and soaring cathedrals, for the drab, rainy island of England. There she is married to the king’s eldest son, Arthur, a sickly boy who dies six months after the wedding. Katharine is left a widow who was never truly a wife, lonely in a strange land, with a very bleak future. Her only hope of escape is to marry the king’s second son, Prince Henry, now heir to the throne. Tall, athletic, handsome, a lover of poetry and music, Henry is all that Katharine could want in a husband. But their first son dies and, after many more pregnancies, only one child survives, a daughter. Disappointed by his lack of an heir, Henry’s eye wanders, and he becomes enamored of another woman—a country nobleman’s daughter named Anne Boleyn. When Henry begins searching for ways to put aside his loyal first wife, Katharine must fight to remain Queen of England and to keep the husband she once loved so dearly.

Bought at Borders. I was soooo excited when I bought this one, since it is my first Plaidy novel... but then I got home and found out it isn't the first one in the Tudor series. Grrrrrrrr.

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Waiting on Wendsday (1)

2009-08-12T22:59:00.005-04:00

Once a Witch
by Carolyn MacCallough
Published: 09/14/2009

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.

The main reason I want to read this book is because I have always wanted to be a witch. ;) I even got in trouble in the 5th grade because I tried to start a group to call the corners, like in the movie The Craft... long story short the teacher called my mom and I was banned from watching the movie. Thankfully, I no longer think I am a witch, but I do still enjoy reading about them. ;)

What books are you waiting on?

Review: After

2009-08-11T21:43:00.004-04:00

After
by Amy Efaw

An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant. . .

Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made—Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there’s only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.

And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible— she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon’s unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.

First Sentence:
The TV's on, some lame morning show.

I absolutely loved After. Not only were the characters truly believable, and the writing was descriptive, but the storyline was original and covered a very important, yet little known of, problem - dumpster babies.

Even though Devon did the unthinkable by leaving her baby in the dumpster, due to Amy's writing I really connected with Devon and ended up wanting the best for her. However, my favorite character in this novel would have to be Karma, who is a complete instigator and loves to push Devon's buttons. She reminded me a lot of Lisa (played by Angelina Jolie) from Girl, Interrupted . . . actually the relationship between Devon and Karma is very similar to that in the movie, but in a good way. I am also amazed by Amy's ability to leave the ending of the novel a complete and total surprise.

I think that After is a must read for everyone, but especially for the young adult crowd. There are many life experiences covered throughout the book, besides the awareness of the dumpster baby phenomena. Some of these experiences include cutting, losing your virginity, broken homes, and disintegrating friendships. There are some parts of the book that can be pretty graphic, such as the birthing process, so I would recommend adult supervision for the younger members of the young adult crowd.

Favorite Quotes:

A pattern of raised crisscrossed scars, some old and white, others more recent in various shades of pink or red. Like the pattern of cracks on the conference room ceiling, Devon thinks. Exposing the stress of the structure underneath its paint.

Please do not let your past choices handicap you like mine have. Don't let them define who you are going to be.

When he was gone, Devon's smile fell. Taking her seat in class, she realized that her face actually hurt. As if the muscles in her cheeks and around her eyes weren't strong enough anymore to hold something as heavy as a smile.

Title: After

Author: Amy Efaw

Hardcover: 350 pages

ISBN 10: 0670011835

ISBN 13: 978-0670011834
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 22
My Copy: ARC provided via Shelf Awareness

Release Date: August 11th, 2009

2009-08-11T00:05:00.000-04:00

After
Amy Efaw

An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . .
Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made—Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there’s only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.

And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible— she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon’s unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Meridian
Amber Kizer

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Jumping off Swings
Jo Knowles

One pregnancy. Four friends. It all adds up to a profound time of change in this poignant, sensitively written YA novel.

Ellie remembers how the boys kissed her. Touched her. How they
begged for more. And when she gave it to them, she felt loved. For a
while anyway. So when Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life, leads her from a party to the backseat of his van, Ellie follows. But their "one-time thing" is far from perfect: Ellie gets pregnant. Josh reacts with shame and heartbreak, while their confidantes, Caleb and Corinne, deal with their own complex swirl of emotions. No matter what Ellie chooses, all four teenagers will be forced to grow up a little faster as a result. Told alternately from each character's point of view, this deeply insightful novel explores the aftershocks of the biggest decision of one fragile girl's life - and the realities of leaving innocence behind.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (20)

2009-08-10T00:19:00.003-04:00

Dancing with Anna

Nicole Barker

Beth is a lucky girl…

She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she’s grown up with has the most amazing green eyes…
Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.

Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?

Sixteen year old Beth Baxter’s life merely resembles the one she’s always known. Her father has left. She is falling for Jeremy Duscana and the diet she started has somehow turned into an obsession. Yet her three best friends remain the same, always there for her.

But even their love can’t save her from herself.

Dancing With Ana. A story about the journey to acceptance of one’s own reality, the incredible bond that exists between friends and a love that truly endures all things.

Sent from the author for review. Sounds like it will be pretty good, for some reason I really like reading about eating disorders. ;)

Once was Lost

Sara Zarr

Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.

In her third novel, acclaimed author Sara Zarr examines the coexistence of affliction and hope, and what happens when everything you thought you believed---about God, about your family, about yourself---is transformed.

Requested via Facebook. I love the simplicity of this cover and I have been wanting to read one of her books for a while now, so yay! :)

The Day the Falls Stood Still

Cathy Marie Buchanan

Steeped in the intriguing history of Niagara Falls, this is an epic love story as rich, spellbinding and majestic as the falls themselves.

1915. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era in Niagara Falls. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath has led a sheltered existence as the youngest daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company. After graduation day at her boarding school, she is impatient to return to her picturesque family home near the falls. But when she arrives, nothing is as she left it. Her father has lost his job at the power company, her mother is reduced to taking in sewing from the society ladies she once entertained, and Isabel, Bess’s vivacious older sister, is a shadow of her former self. She has shut herself in her bedroom, barely eating and harboring a secret.

The night of her return, Bess meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him against her family’s strong objections. He is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies that seek to harness the falls for themselves. As the couple’s lives become more fully entwined, Bess is forced to make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls, at a time when daredevils shot the river rapids in barrels and great industrial fortunes were made and lost as quickly as lives disappeared, The Day the Falls Stood Still is an intoxicating debut novel.

Sent for a book tour. I love this cover, definitely one you have to see in person. Check back September 3rd for my review. ;)

How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World

Jordan Christy

In a society driven by celebutante news and myspace.com profiles, women of class, style, and charm are hard to come by. But as thongs, rehab, and outrageous behavior burn up the daily headlines, employers still like to see a tailored suit, men still want women they can take home to their moms, and peers still respect professional conduct. Christy helps women channel their inner Kate or Audrey, dusting off old-fashioned virtues and giving them a whole new spin in today’s sexed-up culture. She shows how modern women can be beautiful, intelligent, and have it all — glamorous style, professional success, and true love and keep their values and morals intact along the way.

Requested from the publisher. Oh m gee this cover is soooo much prettier in person, its the most amazing metallic blue. :D

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Author Interview: Alex Sanchez

2009-08-08T00:34:00.002-04:00

Author Interview: Alex Sanchez

What was your first reaction when you saw the cover of your first book?
When I first saw the cover of RAINBOW BOYS, I thought: Wow, those guys are cute! Then I thought: It looks like a movie poster.

Do you tend to think that the covers of your books represent the story within it?
They try to. But the problem with putting real people on the cover is that readers then picture those people as they read the book, and sometimes those images don't match up with readers' ideas of the characters.

Does it make you nervous knowing that people are reading your work?
Yeah, because I want people to like what I write and it's hard to hear criticism if people don't like it. But it's great when I hear that people like my books!

What kind of environment do you prefer to write in? Any music, or television in the background?
I write best somewhere quiet, listening to dolphin sounds and whale songs on my iPod.

What inspires you to write your novels?
Hearing from teens about their experiences and remembering what it was like when I was a teen.

Are you working on anything at the moment?
I'm writing a manuscript about bisexual teens. If any bi teens out there would like to share with me their experiences of growing up bi, please send me an email to Alex@AlexSanchez.com Thanks!

Many thanks to Alex Sanchez for stopping by and answering questions for Books Love Jessica Marie! :) To learn more about Alex Sanchez and his books...
check out my Author of the Month post or his website.

Giveaway: $10 Dunkin Donuts Giftcard

2009-08-07T00:05:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to Lara Zielin for allowing me to host this wonderful giveaway of a $10 Dunkin Donuts giftcard. Unfortunately, according to the rules the winner must have a valid U.S. or Canadian mailing address (no PO boxes). The giveaway will end on August 16th at midnight and the winner will be chosen by random.org on August 17th.

To be entered you must leave a comment with a valid email address. No email address = no entry. You must also leave a relevant and intelligent comment on:
+ My review of Donut Days
+ Lara Zielin's guest post

For an additional entry each you may complete the following:

+ 1 Follow this blog

+ 1 Follow Lara Zielin's blog

Review: Donut Days

2009-08-06T06:30:00.000-04:00

Donut Days
by Lara Zielin

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend’s not speaking to her, a boy she’s known all her life is suddenly smokin’ hot and in love with her, and oh yes, her evangelical minister parents may lose their church, especially if her mother keeps giving sermons saying Adam was a hermaphrodite.

But this weekend Emma’s only focused on Crispy Dream, a hot new donut franchise opening in town, where Harley bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. Writing the best feature story on the camp for the local paper might just win Emma a scholarship to attend a non- Christian college. But soon enough Emma finds the donut camp isn’t quite the perfect escape from all her troubles at Living Word Redeemer.

In a fresh, funny voice, newcomer Lara Zielin offers up a mesmerizing, fast-paced narrative full of wit and insight.

First Sentence:
I'm no biblical scholar, but I'm pretty sure Adam - as in the guy who named all the animals in the Garden of Eden - wasn't a hermaphrodite.

I really enjoyed reading Donut Days, Lara's writing flowed easily and the characters were very life-like. Which is not an extremely easy thing to do when writing about such a touchy topic as religion, however Lara accomplished it with class because even though there were many corrupt things going on at the church it did not show religion in a bad light. Donut Days shows that being religious can mean many different things to different people, and however they chose to interpret religion is the right way because it is right for them.

I would have to say that my favorite character in Donut Days is Bear, the loveable biker with a gambling problem. I also loved the way that Lara displayed the relationship between Emma and her parents. Emma felt like her parents weren't letting her in the loop because she was too much of a child, when in reality they didn't want her to feel like they were weak and incapable of handling things. I believe that this is a common problem in realtionships especially between children and parents, and shows that communication is key.

I believe that this novel would be a perfect match for anyone who is, or ever has, questioned religion and the importance of belonging to a church. Or possibly anyone who has a soft spot for donuts. ;)

Favorite Quotes:

"Dad, I just - I'm not sure I want to go to a college that doesn't teach geology or evolution."
"But why not?" my dad asked.
"Because the faculty will think the earth is, like, five thousand years old," I said.

The conversation was like watching a turtle try to turn itself over after being flipped. I practically expected one of us to start flailing our limbs, that's how awful it was.

With me and Nat, the same thing happened - and now the decay was still working its way through our friendship like a cavity, and we could feel the ache of it even if we weren't brave enough to look at it.

If this book sounds interesting, Click here to read Lara Zielin's guest post on the story behind Donut Days.

Title: Donut Days

Author: Lara Zielin

Hardcover: 256 pages

ISBN 10: 0399250662

ISBN 13: 978-0399250668
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 19
My Copy: ARC provided by Lara Zielin

Release Date: August 6th, 2009

2009-08-06T01:17:00.003-04:00

Donut Days
Lara Zielin

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend's not speaking to her, a boy she's known all her life is suddenly smokin' hot and in love with her, and oh yes, her evangelical minister parents may lose their church, especially if her mother keeps giving sermons saying Adam was a hermaphrodite.

But this weekend Emma's only focused on Crispy Dream, a hot new donut franchise opening in town, where Harley bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. Writing the best feature story on the camp for the local paper might just win Emma a scholarship to attend a non- Christian college. But soon enough Emma finds the donut camp isn't quite the perfect escape from all her troubles at Living Word Redeemer.

In a fresh, funny voice, newcomer Lara Zielin offers up a mesmerizing, fast-paced narrative full of wit and insight.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Lipstick Apology
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.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Guest Post: Lara Zielin

2009-08-05T00:05:00.001-04:00

“You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?” – Talking Heads

The Story Behind DONUT DAYS:
I grew up in a small Wisconsin town, with a fairly typical family, attending a fairly typical school. As we say in the Midwest, “It was fine, just fine, thanks.” But by the time I was a teenager, I couldn’t help but feel something was missing, that I didn’t have some of the answers I was looking for.
I hoped that falling in love for the first time would help answer some of my questions. It did, for a while. Then I got my heart chewed up and spit out, and that was the end of love for a bit. I partied for a while but that didn’t really work either. It made me sick and, worse, made me look ridiculous.
Then, when I was seventeen, I joined the church. The evangelical church, to be specific, which, in case you don’t know, is the really loud, really boisterous kind of church with really friendly people who want to tell you all about their experiences with God.

It was cool. And actually, for a while, it was really cool. I got some answers—at least for the time being. I don’t believe everything now that I believed then, but I at least found people who were willing to talk to me about stuff. What happens when we die? Is there really a god? What is the meaning of life?
It was deep stuff. But it was good. It was exactly what I needed at that time in my life.
When I graduated from Carleton College, I moved to Minneapolis and that’s when things changed. I joined a new church where I saw a completely different side of the evangelical community. Instead being focused on helping people and being kind, the church I attended was focused on money and status. Deceit and corruption were rampant. When questions were raised, the congregation was told to “have faith” and to “trust God.” All this while our donations to the church were misspent, and the pastors lied.
I stopped going to church and eventually moved away from Minneapolis to Michigan. I went to a new church for a while, but I never really became a member. I had a sour taste in my mouth that wasn’t going away. Once again, I was riddled with questions. Why did some people use the church for their own gain? Why did politics and religion seem to always go hand in hand? Was god really as dogmatic as evangelicals made god out to be?

Writing DONUT DAYS became one of the ways I tried to come to terms with what happened at that Minneapolis church. My experiences there became the inspiration for Living Word Redeemer in the novel, because I saw that corruption, deceit, and greed can infiltrate a Christian community as easily as hope and love.
I believe in God, and I believe in the church, but I wrote DONUT DAYS because I also believe that it’s okay to question absolute power, and that no pastor is infallible.
Many teens—and, I’d argue, people in general—have doubts about what they’re seeing, about what they’re being asked to believe. The process through which they figure it all out should be embraced, should be acknowledged. Instead, it’s all too often labeled as doubt, and the person doing the questioning becomes a pariah—not just in the church, but in a variety of contexts. This happens with friendships, with love, with families—all of which are themes in DONUT DAYS. The book might take place against the background of the church, but it’s about topics that are much bigger and broader than that.

I’m still looking for answers, which is a good thing. And it brings me to my last point, which is that, in general, my great hope is that DONUT DAYS encourages people to thoughtfully question what they believe, and why, about everything. Everything. And I hope it makes them crave donuts too, at least a little. Because donuts are fun and yummy and they go good with a glass of milk and a book.

Happy reading!

xoxo

Thank you for such an amazing guest post Lara! Be sure to check back tomorrow for my review of Donut Days! :)

Release Date: August 4th, 2009

2009-08-04T00:05:00.000-04:00

Immortal
Gillian Shields

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.

Gillian Shields's electrifying tale will dazzle readers with suspense, mysticism, and romance.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (19)

2009-08-03T00:35:00.001-04:00

Hush, Hush

Becca Fitzpatrick

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Requested via Shelf Awareness. The cover is as awesome as everyone has been saying.

Candor

Pam Bachorz

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

Requested from the publisher, Egmont USA. If Candor is anything like the town of Stepford, I would love to live there. ;)

Wish You were Dead

Todd Strasser

From popular author Todd Strasser comes a new spine-tingler for the techno age. No one at Jefferson High takes the recent death wishes of an anonymous blogger seriously, until the very students talked about start mysteriously disappearing. After dropping off Lucky after a night of partying, Madison is wracked with guilt when her popular classmate vanishes. And Madison makes it her mission to discover what really happened. . . .

In the spirit of stories like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Strasser updates the teen thriller, delving into the world of blogging and social networking to create an exciting new page-turner.

Requested from the publisher, Egmont USA. Perfect book for a blogger. ;)

After

Amy Efaw

An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant . . .

Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is made—Devon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, there's only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.

And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible— she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devon's unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.

Requested via Shelf Awareness. I have already started this one and it is way more amazing than you would think it is.

Wake

Lisa McMann

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

I actually bought this one since I got a little money for my birthday, and because I wanted to use my birthday coupon from Borders. ;)

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Author of the Month: Alex Sanchez

2009-08-02T21:14:00.002-04:00

The author of the month is ...
Alex Sanchez

So I have read 5 of Alex Sanchez's books so far, except for The God Box and Bait. He is an amazing author and probably one of my favorite LGBT young adult authors. I highly encourage you to pick up one of his novels and give him a chance! :) I shall try to post reviews of all of the novels I have read by him during the month of August. Although I would have to say that So Hard to Say is my favorite. ;)

Taken from Alex's website:

Alex's dream to write began in college with an unpublished children's picture book, but then he went on to work for ten years as a counselor of youth and families both in the United States and overseas.

During that time, Alex began to shape a novel about gay teens and their families. As he put the story on paper, it became apparent he was writing the book he'd wanted and needed to read when he was a teenager--a book that would have told him: "It's okay to be who you are."

Although Alex intended to write an upbeat and affirming story that would encourage empathy, he didn't realize until after the release of Rainbow Boys that his book would become an agent of social change, one that School Library Journal compared with Judy Blume's Forever and praised as able to "open eyes and change lives."

Since the publication of Rainbow Boys, Alex has found himself inundated with emails from young people empowered by the book to come out to their parents or to start Gay-Straight Alliance clubs in their schools.

Alex received his master's in guidance and counseling from Old Dominion University. Born in Mexico to parents of German and Cuban heritage, he currently resides in Florida and on the web at www.AlexSanchez.com.

Click on the covers of the books to read the synopsis.

July in Review

2009-08-01T15:39:00.000-04:00

So I really thought that I would have read more books this summer, so I guess I will really have to step up my reading in August if I want to be able to read 79 more books before the year ends.... although I really don't see it happening I am still going to try! ;)

Books Read: 4
18. This One is Mine - Maria Semple
19. Donut Days - Lara Zielin
20. Julie & Julia - Julie Powell
21. Ash - Malinda Lo

Pages Read: 1,232

Reading Challenges Progress Report:
Read 100 Books In 2009: 4 read, 79 to go.
2009 Classics Challenge: 0 read, 7 to go.

Books In: 15
Advanced Reader Copies: 9
For Review: 1
Books Won: 4
Mooched: 1

Books Out: 0

Favorite Book Read This Month: Ash by Malinda Lo

Release Date: August 1st, 2009

2009-08-01T00:05:00.000-04:00

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd
Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Shiver
Maggie Stiefvater

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.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Prophecy of the Sisters
Michelle Zink

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters-

One good...

One evil...

Who will prevail?

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.

They just know they can't trust each other.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Its My Birthday!!! :D

2009-07-31T00:40:00.001-04:00

ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!! :D

Yep, thats right I am officially 20 years old..... and I have the same birthday as Harry Potter (technically it is J.K. Rowling's birthday). ;)

Since I never got to bring in treats to share with the class since my birthday is in the summer, I figured announcing the winners of the Julie & Julia contest would be the next best thing..... Using Random.org to find the winners:

Tigui (well aren't you the lucky duck on this blog)
♥Maria Medeiros♥
Keyomi
Jessica Moss
cpullum

If you see this post before I get the emails out feel free to email me your address. :)

Review: Lock and Key

2009-07-30T21:41:00.002-04:00

Lock and Key
by Sarah Dessen

"Ruby, where is your mother?"

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future - it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

Best-selling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.

First Sentence:
"And finally," Jamie said as he pushed the door open, "we come to the main event. Your room."

Okay so I may be a little bias when it comes to Sarah Dessen's novels because she is one of my favorite young adult authors. This book definitely did not disappoint me, even with the high standards that I place Sarah under.

Ruby takes a while to become an enduring character, but that is mainly due to the fact that as a person she is so guarded. I really enjoyed the relationship between Ruby and her sister Cora because miss communication can be such a big cause of damaged relationships in broken homes. Sarah also has an amazing knack for making you remember and sometimes even love the supporting characters, even the ones that don't play a major part in the novel. Lock and Key was full of such minor characters including Harriet the coffee lover and Olivia the undeclared best friend. The only character I was dissapointed in was Nate. One of the main reasons I love Sarah's novels as much as I do is the fact that there is always a male heartthrob that I fall in love with and I just didn't get this feeling with Nate.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys young adult fiction, because it deals with a variety of life experiences that many teens go through. Some of these experiences include drugs, alcohol, divorce, abuse, and sex. However there are some postive life experiences covered as well including first love, applying for college, making new friends, and discovering who you are. Just a warning though, you will want a key necklace of your own. ;)

Favorite Quotes:

I looked at the sweatshirt again. "You swim' is a philosophy?"
He shrugged. "Better than 'you sink,' right?"

"I want you to give her a possibility," she told him, looking at my necklace again. "And that's what a key represents. An open door, a chance. You know?"

There is something striking about a single key. It was like a question waiting to be answered, a whole missing a half. Useless on its own, needing something else to be truly defined.

Title: Lock and Key

Author: Sarah Dessen

Paperback: 432 pages

ISBN 10: 0142414727

ISBN 13: 978-0142414729
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 17
My Copy: Bought

Anyone recieve ARCs?

2009-07-28T13:19:00.004-04:00

If you have received an ARC of any young adult or historical novel, have reviewed it and it is on my list of upcoming releases... please send me the link to your review and I will include a link to it on my Release Date posts. This way there will be more traffic to your blog and my readers will be able to read reviews of books they are interested in. :)

Also if you know of any upcoming releases that are not already on my list, feel free to let me know.

Release Date: July 28st, 2009

2009-07-28T00:05:00.000-04:00

The Treasure Map of Boys
E. Lockhart

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.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Notes from the Dog
Gary Paulsen

“Sometimes having company is not all it’s cracked up to be.” Fifteen-year-old Finn is a loner, living with his dad and his amazing dog, Dylan. This summer he’s hoping for a job where he doesn’t have to talk to anyone except his pal Matthew. Then Johanna moves in next door. She’s 10 years older, cool, funny, and she treats Finn as an equal. Dylan loves her, too. Johanna’s dealing with breast cancer, and Matthew and Finn learn to care for her, emotionally and physically. When she hires Finn to create a garden, his gardening ideas backfire comically. But Johanna and the garden help Finn discover his talents for connecting with people.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday Vlog (18)

2009-07-27T02:46:00.011-04:00

Okay so first of all I did not win Suite Scarlett from "Must Love Books" like the piece of paper that came with it said, but I won it from "Must & Lust for Books". Second I am really nervous because this is my first vlog and I made it at like 2:30 in the morning... I hope you enjoy it! :) Oh and sorry for it being so quite.

Books Mentioned:

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Of All the Stupid Things by Alexandra Diaz
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
The Many Lives & Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
I Know it's Over by C.K. Martin

People Mentioned:

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Trailer Tuesday (1)

2009-07-21T20:36:00.006-04:00

So this is my first trailer Tuesday post... I mainly decided to do this meme because I usually never actually take the time to watch book trailers, which is a shame because I'm sure someone is spending a lot of time making them. :)

The Hollow by: Jessica Verday

Also Jessica Verday will be hosting a Twitter Takeover on July 26th, 2009 at 2:00 pm. :)

Release Date: July 21st, 2009

2009-07-21T00:05:00.000-04:00

Coffee House Angel
Suzanne Selfors

From the author of Saving Juliet comes a romantic comedy that is good to the last drop. When Katrina spots a homeless guy sleeping in the alley behind her grandmother’s coffee shop, she decides to leave him a cup of coffee, a bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans, and some pastries to tide him over. Little does she know that this random act of kindness is about to turn her life upside down. Because this adorable vagrant, Malcolm, is really a guardian angel on a break between missions. And he won’t leave until he can reward Katrina’s selflessness by fulfilling her deepest desire. Now if only she could decide what that might be . . .

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
Jeanne Kalogridis

From Jeanne Kalogridis, the bestselling author of I, Mona Lisa and The Borgia Bride, comes a new novel that tells the passionate story of a queen who loved not wisely . . . but all too well.

Confidante of Nostradamus, scheming mother-in-law to Mary, Queen of Scots, and architect of the bloody St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Catherine de Medici is one of the most maligned monarchs in history. In her latest historical fiction, Jeanne Kalogridis tells Catherine’s story—that of a tender young girl, destined to be a pawn in Machiavellian games.

Born into one of Florence’s most powerful families, Catherine was soon left a fabulously rich heiress by the early deaths of her parents. Violent conflict rent the city state and she found herself imprisoned and threatened by her family’s enemies before finally being released and married off to the handsome Prince Henry of France.

Overshadowed by her husband’s mistress, the gorgeous, conniving Diane de Poitiers, and unable to bear children, Catherine resorted to the dark arts of sorcery to win Henry’s love and enhance her fertility—for which she would pay a price. Against the lavish and decadent backdrop of the French court, and Catherine’s blood-soaked visions of the future, Kalogridis reveals the great love and desire Catherine bore for her husband, Henry, and her stark determination to keep her sons on the throne.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Three Witches
Paula Jolin

Three seemingly ordinary girls, studying together in the same ordinary high school. All have their own reasons to summon Trevor Saunders after his car goes over a cliff. Aliya brings the mystical seances of Syria. Gillian contributes the voodoo arts from her native Trinidad. Miya shares the secret magic of ancient Japan. Will they be able use their powers to bring him back one more time? Should they?

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (17)

2009-07-20T00:05:00.000-04:00

Twenty Boy Summer

Sarah Ockler

“Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?”

For Anna Reiley and Frankie Perino, the ingredients for the Absolute Best Summer Ever are simple: Two girls. Two bikinis. And twenty days in Zanzibar Bay, California. The best part? According to Frankie, if they meet one boy every day, there’s a good chance Anna will find her first summer romance.

Anna lightheartedly agrees to the fun, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie… she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death last year.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.

Won from a contest hosted at Write for a Reader.
I am pretty excited about this one after all of the great reviews around the blogosphere.

Ash

Malindo Lo

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, re-reading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love—and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

Sent to me for review from Malinda Lo and Little, Brown.
I didn't even know that this one was coming, so when I opened the package I literally squealed, then my boyfriend looked at me like I was crazy... :)

Viola in Reel Life

Adriana Trigiani

When fourteen-year-old Viola is sent from her beloved Brooklyn to boarding school in Indiana for ninth grade, she overcomes her initial reservations as she makes friends with her roommates, goes on a real date, and uses the unsettling ghost she keeps seeing as the subject of a short film—her first.

Sent to me for review from Adriana Trigiani and Harper Collins.
I really love this cover and I also love the fact that the main character is named Viola (which is the only instrument I can kinda play).

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Release Date: July 14th, 2009

2009-07-14T00:05:00.000-04:00

Girl to the Core
Stacey Goldblatt

What kind of person is at your core?

Molly O'Keefe's boyfriend, Trevor, is moving too fast, but when she catches him kissing his ex, Molly thinks it might be her own fault. After all, it was her idea to take things slow. In fact, her best friend, Vanessa, recently talked her into buying a neon spandex Halloween costume, and her nine-year-old neighbor, Claire, somehow got her to participate in a sixteen-mile walkathon. Despite Trevor’s apologies and Vanessa’s attempts to hook her up with rebound guys, Molly is utterly heartbroken. Then she finds comfort in a most unusual place: Girl Corps, a club Claire belongs to. As a fifteen-yearold, Molly hardly fits the Girl Corps profile. Still, she can’t deny that being with the little girls in the group gives her a sense of confidence and identity.

But now Molly’s newly enlightened self is at odds with almost everyone in her life. As for Trevor, he won’t leave Molly alone, and that means trouble, because whether she likes it or not, Molly still has feelings for him. Will Molly turn her back on what she has learned, or will she stand her ground and embrace the strong girl at her core?

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Sacred Hearts
Sarah Dunant

The year is 1570, and in the convent of Santa Caterina, in the Italian city of Ferrara, noblewomen find space to pursue their lives under God’s protection. But any community, however smoothly run, suffers tremors when it takes in someone by force. And the arrival of Santa Caterina’s new novice sets in motion a chain of events that will shake the convent to its core.

Ripped by her family from an illicit love affair, sixteen-year-old Serafina is willful, emotional, sharp, and defiant–young enough to have a life to look forward to and old enough to know when that life is being cut short. Her first night inside the walls is spent in an incandescent rage so violent that the dispensary mistress, Suora Zuana, is dispatched to the girl’s cell to sedate her. Thus begins a complex relationship of trust and betrayal between the young rebel and the clever, scholarly nun, for whom the girl becomes the daughter she will never have.

As Serafina rails against her incarceration, others are drawn into the drama: the ancient, mysterious Suora Magdalena–with her history of visions and ecstasies–locked in her cell; the ferociously devout novice mistress Suora Umiliana, who comes to see in the postulant a way to extend her influence; and, watching it all, the abbess, Madonna Chiara, a woman as fluent in politics as she is in prayer. As disorder and rebellion mount, it is the abbess’s job to keep the convent stable while, outside its walls, the dictates of the Counter-Reformation begin to purge the Catholic Church and impose on the nunneries a regime of terrible oppression.

Sarah Dunant, the bestselling author of The Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan, brings this intricate Renaissance world compellingly to life. Amid Sacred Hearts is a rich, engrossing, multifaceted love story, encompassing the passions of the flesh, the exultation of the spirit, and the deep, enduring power of friendship.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

The Lost Summer

Kathryn Williams

For the past nine years, seventeen year-old Helena Waite has come to summer camp at Southpoint. Each July, the camp and its familiar routines, landmarks, and people have welcomed her back as a Southpoint sister. This year, however, she is returning not as a camper, but as a counselor. The only downside? Her best friend, Katie Bell, is still a camper.

All too quickly, Helena discovers that the innocent world of campfires, sing-alongs, and field days have been pushed aside for late night pranks on the boys' camp and stolen kisses in the hay loft. As she struggles to define herself, Helena begins to lose sight of what made camp special and the friendships that have sustained her for so many years. When Ransome, her longtime crush, becomes a romantic reality, things get even more confusing. It will take a life-threatening accident to show her what she's lost... and found.

Told with honesty and heart, Kathryn Williams' second novel tackles the timeless theme of growing up against the backdrop of summer camp--a place where innocence is safely guarded and sometimes lost .

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (16)

2009-07-13T15:52:00.004-04:00

Julie & Julia

Julie Powell
Sent to me for review from Anna at Hachette Book Group

Julie & Julia, the bestselling memoir that's "irresistible....A kind of Bridget Jones meets The French Chef" (Philadelphia Inquirer), is now a major motion picture. Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a newfound respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto. The film is written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.

I am sooo excited that I get the chance to read this one before the movie comes out! Now if I can just get my hands on a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking... :)

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Giveaway: Julie & Julia

2009-07-11T23:09:00.002-04:00

Julie & Julia
Julie Powell

Julie & Julia, the bestselling memoir that's "irresistible....A kind of Bridget Jones meets The French Chef" (Philadelphia Inquirer), is now a major motion picture. Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a newfound respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto. The film is written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.

Many thanks to Anna and Hachette Book Group for allowing me to host this wonderful giveaway of five (5) copies. Unfortunately, according to Hachette rules the winner must have a valid U.S. or Canadian mailing address (no PO boxes). The giveaway will end on July 30th at midnight and the five (5) winners will be chosen by random.org on July 31st (my birthday!).

To be entered you must leave a comment with a valid email address. No email address = no entry. For an additional entry each you may complete the following:

+ 1 Follow this blog

+ 1 Subscribe to email rss (click on the orange book in the top right sidebar)

+ 1 Post about this giveaway somewhere on your blog (actual post or on the sidebar)

+ 1 Add this blog to your blogroll

+ 1 Follow me on twitter
+ 1 Add my blog button (with a link back to my blog) to your blog

Yep that's right, if you do all of the thing listed about you will be entered 7 times! Good luck and don't forget to come back on July 31st to find out who won! :) Or if you are unable to wait that long you can always go buy a copy since Julie & Julia was released on July 1st, 2009. ;)

Barnes & Noble iPhone app

2009-07-10T16:50:00.004-04:00

So while I was creating a different post I went to the Barnes & Noble website... and guess what I saw on their front page? That's right they have created an iPhone app! So of course I had to immediately download it ... and it is truly amazing! Not only can you search for a store with the location finder (it even has a picture of each storefront), you can also use the camera to take a picture of any book, cd, or dvd and it will find it for you. I mean how amazing is it that I can take a picture of a book in my friends library and be able to buy it from my phone! Oh m gee, I just thought about how even MORE amazing it would be to be able to take a picture of a book from someone's blog ... and it worked even though the picture was kinda blurry since it was of a computer screen! :)

Release Date: July 9th, 2009

2009-07-09T00:05:00.000-04:00

Unclaimed Heart
Kim Wilkins

An illicit love—an oppressive father––a quest for truth.

The rules for a young English woman in 1799 are simple: Do what you’re told; stay out of the way; and don’t, under any circumstances, ask questions.

But Constance Blackchurch is insatiable, headstrong,and complex; and the quest to find her missing mother is too much to resist…

…as is Alexandre Sans-Nom, the pearl diver who steals her heart, uproots all of her social expectations,and can either ruin or save the family she loves.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Wanna make a new friend?

2009-07-08T02:22:00.001-04:00

Sooo one of my real life friends (her name is Rachel) has decided to make a book blog, with my help of course. And I just thought that I would send you her way... her blog mainly focuses on sci-fi books but she also reads other fiction as well. :) The Book Wars

Release Date: July 7th, 2009

2009-07-07T00:05:00.000-04:00

Crash Into Me
Albert Borris

Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

The French Mistress
Susan Holloway Scott

The daughter of a poor nobleman, Louise leaves the French countryside for the court of King Louis XIV, where she must not only please the tastes of the jaded king, but serve as a spy for France. With few friends, many rivals, and ever-shifting loyalties, Louise learns the perils of her new role. Yet she is too ambitious to be a pawn in the intrigues of others. With the promise of riches, power, and even the love of a king, Louise creates her own destiny in a dance of intrigue between two monarchs - and two countries.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Eyes Like Stars
Lisa Mantchev

Enter Stage Right

All her world's a stage.
Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She is not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but has no lines of her own.
Until now.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every place 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

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (15)

2009-07-06T00:05:00.001-04:00

Donut Days

Lara Zielin

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend’s not speaking to her, a boy she’s known all her life is suddenly smokin’ hot and in love with her, and oh yes, her evangelical minister parents may lose their church, especially if her mother keeps giving sermons saying Adam was a hermaphrodite.

But this weekend Emma’s only focused on Crispy Dream, a hot new donut franchise opening in town, where Harley bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. Writing the best feature story on the camp for the local paper might just win Emma a scholarship to attend a non- Christian college. But soon enough Emma finds the donut camp isn’t quite the perfect escape from all her troubles at Living Word Redeemer.

Sent to me for review by the lovely Lara Zielin herself, who is such a sweetie! :)
Actually I have had this book for a couple of weeks, but as I was checking posts I figured out that I forgot to mention it lol.

To the Scaffold: The Life of Marie Antoinette

Carolly Erickson

One of history's most misunderstood figures, Marie Antoinette represents the extravagance and the decadence of pre-Revolu-tion-ary France. Yet there was an innocence about Antoinette, who was thrust as a child into the chillingly formal French court. Married to the maladroit, ill-mannered Dauphin, Antoinette found pleasure in costly entertainments and garments. She spent lavishly while her overtaxed and increasingly hostile subjects blamed her for France's plight. In time Antoinette matured into a courageous Queen, who followed her inept husband to the guillo-tine in one last act of bravery. In To the Scaffold, Carolly Erickson provides an estimation of a lost Queen that is psychologically astute, richly detailed, and deeply moving.

Sent to me from Bookmooch. :) I just loooove Marie Antoinette.

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Review: Also Known as Harper

2009-07-05T22:16:00.001-04:00

Also Known as Harper
by Ann Haywood Leal

Harper Lee Morgan is an aspiring poet, which isn't surprising, seeing as how she's named after her mama's favorite writer, Harper Lee. And life is giving her a lot to write about just now. Daddy up and walked out, leaving them broke. Then Harper's family gets evicted.

With Mama scrambling to find work, Harper has to skip school to care for her little brother, Hemingway. Their lives have been turned upside down, which Harper could just about handle--if it wasn't for the writing contest at school. If only she could get up on that stage and read her poems out loud...

First Sentence:
Winne Rae Early followed ten steps behind me the entire way home from school.

Okay so first of all this cover is amazing! Most covers usually just have the title and author listed on them, but this cover actually incorporates it into the picture by having it being writing on the box. I also really like the fact that they don't show the girls face because I like being able to picture Harper for myself. I may even have to buy a finished copy since the arc has a different cover. ;)

Second, I absolutely LOVED this book, it was sooo good. I was able to easily connect with all of the characters, even some of the not so nice ones and the ones that did not appear for very long. For instance Winnie Rae Early, even though she is a bratty little girl you kinda end up feeling for her anyway because she is only human and they have many different layers.

I find it truly amazing that there are so many life circumstances that are dealt with within this book such as alcoholism, divorce, poverty, homelessness, and death. It would make a great book to be used in a classroom because it does deal with all these circumstances and shows that even homeless people deserve to be treated with respect because it may not always be their fault.

I would definitely recommend Also Known as Harper to everyone. But I think that people who have lived through some tough times or had an exceptionally hard childhood would really enjoy reading this book.

Favorite Quotes:
There are sooo many amazing literary quotes in Also Known as Harper due to the fact that her mother and Harper have a huge love for it. Harper is a poet and her mom loves books so much that she named her two children after her favorite authors.

The walls were all shelves. Shelves stacked with books. ... She knew what it felt like to have all those words sitting out in front of you. Just waiting for you to go get them.

"Harper Lee, don't ever let anyone tell you to stop moving that pen. Writing's like breathing for you." I knew her to be right, but when I thought about Mama, I knew sometimes things got themselves in the way of breathing.

"Your heart has to work extra hard when it's beating for people that are gone."

Title: Also Known as Harper

Author: Ann Haywood Leal

Hardcover: 256 pages

ISBN 10: 0805088814

ISBN 13: 978-0805088816
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 16

Review: Isami's House

2009-07-04T03:41:00.000-04:00

Isami's House: Three Centuries of a Japanese Family
Gail Lee Bernstein

In this powerful and evocative narrative, Gail Lee Bernstein vividly re-creates the past three centuries of Japanese history by following the fortunes of a prominent Japanese family over fourteen generations. The first of its kind in English, this book focuses on Isami, the eleventh generation patriarch and hereditary village head. Weaving back and forth between Isami's time in the first half of the twentieth century and his ancestors' lives in the Tokugawa and Meiji eras, Bernstein uses family history to convey a broad panoply of social life in Japan since the late 1600s. As the story unfolds, she provides remarkable details and absorbing anecdotes about food, famines, peasant uprisings, agrarian values, marriage customs, child-rearing practices, divorces, and social networks. Isami's House describes the role of rural elites, the architecture of Japanese homes, the grooming of children for middle-class life in Tokyo, the experiences of the Japanese in Japan's wartime empire and on the homefront, the aftermath of the country's defeat, and, finally, the efforts of family members to rebuild their lives after the Occupation. The author's forty-year friendship with members of the family lends a unique intimacy to her portrayal of their history. Readers come away with an inside view of Japanese family life, a vivid picture of early modern and modern times, and a profound understanding of how villagers were transformed into urbanites and what was gained, and lost, in the process.

First Sentence:
Early one morning at the end of April 1899, the second floor of the Matsuura sake storehouse caught fire.

This book tended to be a little dry at times and definitely a little confusing due to all of the family members that you have to keep track of. Just to prove how difficult keeping track can be Gail Lee Bernstein has added a time line, two family trees and a list of central persons to the beginning of the book. The fact that there are so many different characters represented throughout the novel makes it very hard to become attached to any specific one. However, Gail Lee Bernstein does an amazing job transitioning between all of the characters and different generation of families. Even with all of its downfalls, Isami's House is an excellent description of how life and values changed in Japan since the Meji Restoration. I also really enjoy the pictures of the family throughout the book because when it comes to memoirs I love being able to put a face to a name.

I would probably only recommend this novel to people who are truly interested in the history of Japan or its culture. Having a grasp on Japanese history would be helpful for the reader to posses, but it is not necessary.

Title: Isami's House: Three Centuries of a Japanese Family

Author: Gail Lee Bernstein

Paperback: 314 pages

ISBN 10: 0520246977

ISBN 13: 978-0520246973
Buy It: Amazon, ~~Borders~~, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 14

Author of the Month: Amber Benson

2009-07-03T20:02:00.002-04:00

The author of the month is ...
Amber Benson

Amber Benson has been one of my all time favorite people since she first appeared on my television as Tara Maclay, Willow's girlfriend on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And then I found out that she could write and I fell in love. So I figured that it would only be fitting that Amber be my first author of the month. I highly encourage you to pick up one of her books! :)

All of the amazing things that Amber is able to do include:
-acting
-singing
-writing (screenplays, novels, and comic books)
-producing
Soooo basically she is just full of awsomeness ;)

As of right now there is not a site maintained by Amber herself but she does have a blog and there are a couple of nicely done fan sites:
-Amber Benson's official blog
-The essence of Amber
-Amber Benson online

Oh and here is a link to the most amazing video ever (and showing just how amazing Amber can really be) ... Amber Benson singing "Creature of the Night" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show :)

Ghosts of Albion: Accursed
Amber Benson & Christopher Golden

Even death could not stop Britain’s greatest defenders.

In 1838, William and Tamara Swift inherit a startling legacy from their dying grandfather, transforming them into the Protectors of Albion, mystical defenders of the soul of England. But the shocked, neophyte sorcerers also inherit unique allies in their battle against the dark forces. Fighting alongside them are the famous–even infamous–Ghosts of Albion: Lord Byron, Queen Bodicea, and Lord Admiral Nelson.

When strange and hideous creatures appear in the slums of London, an unholy plague threatens to launch an epic battle that may rage all the way to Buckingham Palace . . . and beyond. Time is running out as William and Tamara must learn whether their friends will stand beside them, or seduce and betray them.

From Amber Benson, known for her dramatic portrayal of Tara in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Christopher Golden, Bram Stoker Award—winning author of The Shadow Saga and Wildwood Road, comes a vengeful tale of demons, vampires, and ghosts set in nineteenth-century London. Based on the smash BBC Web series that took England by storm, Ghosts of Albion is a horror adventure laced with dark humor and darker lusts.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Ghosts of Albion: Witchery
Amber Benson & Christopher Golden

Before you can save Albion, you must destroy the poison in its black heart.

William and Tamara Swift’s newfound sorcerous powers as Protectors of Albion pale before the demonic forces threatening Britannia. But William and Tamara have formidable allies in Lord Byron, Queen Bodicea, and Lord Admiral Nelson–England’s noble, notorious Ghosts of Albion.

Responding to a plea from Cornwall, Tamara discovers that the rumors of young women, both human and fairy, vanishing without a trace are horribly true. Instead of hard clues, she uncovers only whispers of witches, infernal abductions, and a pyre of innocents planned for the solstice. Indeed, Tamara has never faced a more dangerous task–for the legendary land of King Arthur’s Camelot also harbors dark, bloody deeds and a waking evil. Soon nothing, not even mighty Albion, will be safe from the deadly peril.

Amber Benson, who immortalized Tara in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Christopher Golden, Bram Stoker Award—winning author of the Shadow Saga, have created a voluptuous, twisted thriller. Based on the BBC Web series that became a smash hit in England, Ghosts of Albion: Witchery brings to life a sizzling, ninteenth century world of fiends, phantoms, and spine-tingling terror.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Death's Daughter
Amber Benson

Buffy fans will go wild!

SHE WAS TARA ON BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

Now she’s the author of Ace’s hottest new series— killer novels featuring Calliope Reaper-Jones, who doesn’t want to be daddy’s little girl anymore...

Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig’s List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss...

But when her father—who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil’s Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle— only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Oh and don't forget to look for my reviews of the Ghosts of Albion books sometime this month. I may be able to also review Death's Daughter, but as of right now I do not posses a copy ... but my birthday is at the end of the month so we'll see ;)

June in Review

2009-07-03T01:29:00.001-04:00

Yeah.... so not only was I a pretty bad blogger this month, but I was also a bad reader. I cannot believe that I only read two books! :( But in my defense at the beginning of the month I had finals, then I had to move back home, I have had to clean out my room to make more room, oh yeah and the evil time consumer that is the Sims 3 lol. I promise to be both a better blogger and reader in July! :)

Books Read: 2
16. Also Known as Harper - Ann Haywood Leal
17. Lock and Key - Sarah Dessen

Pages Read: 688

Reading Challenges Progress Report:
Read 100 Books In 2009: 2 read, 83 to go.
2009 Classics Challenge: 0 read, 7 to go.

Books In: 19
Advanced Reader Copies: 1
Books Won: 15
E-book: 0
School: 0
Bought: 1
Mooched: 1
Present: 1

Books Out: 0

Favorite: Also Known as Harper
Least Favorite: N/A

Release Date: July 2nd, 2009

2009-07-02T15:06:00.003-04:00

The Penny Pinchers Club
Sarah Strohmeyer

Living in New Jersey--the state that boasts the most malls per capita--Kat's favorite recreational activity is a no-brainer: shopping. But when she discovers that her husband, Griff, has been hiding a secret bank account, her joyful consumerism suddenly loses its appeal. Are their fights about money more serious than she understood? Is he, as her friends suggest, preparing for a divorce? Just in case, Kat decides it's time to start saving.

Drastic times call for drastic measures: Kat starts by canceling cable and kicking her $240-a-month Starbucks habit. But what starts out as a simple effort to cut costs becomes an over-the-top obsession when Kat joins an eclectic but lovable group of savers called the Penny Pinchers Club. Soon she is pumping her gas at dawn (when it is thicker) and serving dinner made from food she retrieved at the grocery store dumpster. Kat is saving money, to be sure, but what she's really saving is time--time she spends with Griff, their two kids...and an old flame who resurfaces at precisely the wrong moment, offering Kat a life where money is no object.

An irresistible and wonderfully warm-hearted novel about the unexpected ways hardship can lead to happiness, The Penny Pinchers Club is the perfect pick-me-up for these troubled times.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Release Date: June 30th, 2009

2009-06-30T00:05:00.003-04:00

The Stolen One
Suzanne Crowley

When her adoptive mother dies, Katherine Bab takes the chance she has been waiting for her whole life: she moves from her country village to London, to uncover the secret of who she really is. Before long, Kat has become a favorite of Queen Elizabeth herself, and rumors are swirling - could fiery-haired Kat be the secret daughter of the Virgin Queen? Kat's got plenty of other things to figure out, as well . . . such as how to choose between her childhood love and two handsome men at court vying for her affection.

This smart, sensual novel drips with intrigue, period detail, and drama and will resonate with anyone who has ever longed to find his or her place in the world.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Dancing to the Precipice:
The Life of Lucie de la Tour du Pin,
Eyewitness to an Era
Caroline Moorehead

Born Lucie Dillon, to a half-French mother and an Anglo-Irish father, her world was Versailles and the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. She married a French aristocrat, and narrowly survived the French Revolution, escaping to America at the time of Washington and Jefferson. Here, she lived a life of milking cows and chopping wood, having previously been accustomed to the lavish life of the French court. Returning to France prematurely, Lucie had to flee again, this time to England, where she took up sewing in order to support herself and her family. Repeatedly in the right place at the right time, Lucie saw the Battle of Waterloo, the fall of Napoleon and the return of Louis XVIII, and the Restoration. She was an outstanding diarist and a remarkable woman, who witnessed one of the most dramatic and brutal periods of history, playing the part of observer, commentator and, often, participant. For the last years of her life she was ambassadress to Holland and the Kingdom of Sardinia. Her friends included Wellington, Lafayette, Alexander Hamilton, Talleyrand and Madame de Stael. She died, aged 83, in Pisa. Mixing politics and court intrigue, social observation and everyday details about food, work, illness, children, manners and clothes, Caroline Moorehead paints a vivid and memorable portrait of an era - lasting three-quarters of a century - that saw the fortunes of France, as well as those of Lucie herself, rise and fall and rise again. Both as a witness and as a survivor, Lucie is a superb subject for an exemplary biographer.

I am soooo excited for this release, since I have been anxiously awaiting it for months ;)
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Pretty Little Liars #6 Killer
Sara Shepard

In picture-perfect Rosewood, Pennsylvania, ash-blond highlights gleam in the winter sun and frozen lakes sparkle like Swarovski crystals. But pictures often lie—and so do Rosewood's four prettiest girls.

Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily have been lying ever since they became friends with beautiful Alison DiLaurentis. Ali made them do terrible things—things they had to keep secret for years. And even though Ali was killed at the end of seventh grade, their bad-girl ways didn't die with her.

Hanna's on a mission to corrupt Rosewood's youth, starting with a very attractive sophomore. Aria's snooping into her boyfriend's past. Spencer's stealing—from her family. And pure little Emily's abstaining from abstinence.

The girls should be careful, though. They thought they were safe when Ali's killer was arrested and A's true identity was finally revealed. But now there's a new A in town turning up the heat. And this time Rosewood is going to burn.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (14)

2009-06-29T13:26:00.002-04:00

The Sugar Queen

Sarah Addison Allen

In this irresistible follow-up to her New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, author Sarah Addison Allen tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets—and secret passions—are about to change her life forever.

Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night…. Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother…

Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey’s clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she’s going to change Josey’s life—because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee’s tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.

Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and—most amazing of all—has a close connection to Josey’s longtime crush.

As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time—even for her. It seems that Della Lee’s work is done, and it’s time for her to move on. But the truth about where she’s going, why she showed up in the first place—and what Chloe has to do with it all—is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey’s fast-changing life.

Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love—and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.

Given to me by the lovely Arleigh at www.historical-fiction.com

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Winners: Secrets to Happiness

2009-06-26T03:47:00.001-04:00

From Random.org
The Winner of Secrets to Happiness is:

Tigui

Congratulations! Please respond to my email within the next 3 days or I will have to pick a new winner.

Release Date: June 25th, 2009

2009-06-25T00:05:00.001-04:00

Tales of the Madman Underground
John Barnes

Wednesday, September 5, 1973: The first day of Karl Shoemaker’s senior year in stifl ing Lightsburg, Ohio. For years, Karl’s been part of what he calls “the Madman Underground”—a group of kids forced (for no apparent reason) to attend group therapy during school hours. Karl has decided that senior year is going to be different. He is going to get out of the Madman Underground for good. He is going to act—and be—Normal. But Normal, of course, is relative. Karl has five after-school jobs, one dead father, one seriously unhinged drunk mother . . . and a huge attitude. Welcome to a gritty, uncensored rollercoaster ride, narrated by the singular Karl Shoemaker.

I have had this one sitting on my bookshelf for a while now, and it is pretty big ... but it sounds great and I am excited to get the chance to read it :)
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Tenth Grade Bleeds
(The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Book Three)
Heather Brewer

It's another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D'Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend Henry doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren't enough, it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and D'Ablo shows up demanding Vlad's father's journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won't save him this time...

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Release Date: June 23rd, 2009

2009-06-23T00:05:00.000-04:00

Fairy Tale
Cyn Balog

Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they're totally hot for each other.

But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.

When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the source of Cam's distance isn't another girl- it's another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their “perfect” love can weather an uncertain future.

Witty, original and unexpectedly touching, FAIRY LUST will captivate fans of TWILIGHT and WICKED LOVELY.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Nothing but Ghosts
Beth Kephart

Ever since her mother passed away, Katie's been alone in her too-big house with her genius dad, who restores old paintings for a living. Katie takes a summer job at a garden estate where, with the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, she soon becomes embroiled in decoding a mystery. There are secrets and shadows at the heart of Nothing But Ghosts, symbols hidden in a time-darkened painting, and surprises behind a locked bedroom door. But most of all, this is a love story-- the story of a girl who learns about love while also learning to live with her own ghosts.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Prism
Faye and Aliza Kellerman

Prism takes us to a slightly alternate universe in which medicine and health care do not exist, and in which sick people are allowed to die without any care. Set in New Mexico and California, the novel features three teens who fall through a cave at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico while on a field trip. They are plunged into a frightening parallel universe—seven weeks in the past, in which their "normal" worlds of family and high school remain the same…except for the fact that no medicine exists and when people die in the street they are picked up and disposed of.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (13)

2009-06-22T03:27:00.002-04:00

So I have decided to add the synopsis of the books that I have received throughout the week, that way in case anyone is intrigued by the cover they wont have to search to find out what the book is about ;)

Waiting for You

Susane Colasanti

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she?

In this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.

Won from a giveaway hosted by Amanda at A Patchwork of Books: I am pretty excited about this one, especially since it is my second signed copy of a novel! :)

Take Me There

Susane Colasanti

In one short week . . . three lives change.

Rhiannon is devastated after the breakup with her boyfriend and wants him back. Nicoles ex is still in the picture, but she can't help having a new crush. James and Rhiannon are just friends, though he may try to take it to the next level. Will their desire to take a mean girl down a notch bring these three friends what they want . . . and more?

This one was also won from a giveaway hosted by Amanda at A Patchwork of Books

What did you receive in the mail this week?

YA Book Carnival :)

2009-06-21T20:35:00.004-04:00

First of all I want to make sure that everyone knows about the YA Book Carnival being hosted at Shooting Stars Mag, where there is a mr. linky set up with all of the YA book giveaways being held. The carnival runs from June 21-27, so make sure you go check it out!

Second, I wanted to apologize for being such a bad blogger lately. It has been pretty hectic around here, since school just ended and I am trying to get settled back in at home ... which really just means a lot of cleaning and hiding stuff in closets ;) I am also in the process of transferring back to my original school and catching up on all the sleep I missed out on this school year. But I promise to get back into my regular flow of reviewing soon! :)

Oh yeah, and thirdly ... HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Release Date: June 16th, 2009

2009-06-16T00:05:00.003-04:00

Along for the Ride
Sarah Dessen

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

Yay! I am soooo excited its finally out! Now everyone go buy a copy! ;)
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Touch
Francine Prose

What really happened at the back of the bus?
Did they, or didn't they?
Did she, or didn't she?

Something happened to fourteen-year-old Maisie Willard—something involving her three friends, all boys. But their stories don't match, and the rumors spin out of control. Then other people get involved . . . the school, the parents, the lawyers. The incident at the back of the bus becomes the center of Maisie's life and the talk of the school, and, horribly, it becomes news. With just a few words and a touch, the kids and their community are changed forever.

From nationally acclaimed author Francine Prose comes an unforgettable story about the difficulties of telling the truth, the consequences of lying, and the most dangerous twist of all—the possibility that you yourself will come to believe something that you know isn't true.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

L.A. Candy
Lauren Conrad

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . . everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara—free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres—and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

L.A. Candy is a deliciously entertaining novel about what it's like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a girl who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Serena Robar is giving it away for free ;)

2009-06-15T20:54:00.002-04:00

Giving It Away For Free
(the only time Momma would approve)
Serena Robar is giving it away for free the entire month of June. That’s right. A book a day, every day in honor of her latest book release Giving Up the V. All you have to do to is sign up for her newsletter and you are entered to win. Enter once and you are in the running to win a book every day the entire month of June.

Mailbox Monday (12)

2009-06-15T01:28:00.003-04:00

The Won:

Won from a giveaway hosted by Nely at All About N:
B as in Beauty by: Alberto Ferreras
Into the Beautiful North by: Luis Urrea
Hungry Woman in Paris by: Josefina Lopez
The Disappearance of Irene Dos Santos by: Margaret Mascarenhas
Houston, We Have a Problema by: Gwendolyn Zepeda

Won from a giveaway hosted by Marie at Daisy's Book Journal:
Free Food for Millionaires by: Min Jin Lee
Trail of Crumbs by: Kim Sunee
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by: Jennifer Lee
Transparency by: Frances Hwang
Strangers from a Different Shore by: Ronald Takai

The Bought:
I am oh so excited that I am finally home from school and can return to my love,
... his name is Borders ;)

Lock and Key by: Sarah Dessen

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Tour: Secrets to Happiness

2009-06-12T21:16:00.002-04:00

Secrets to Happiness
by Sarah Dunn

Holly Frick has just endured the worst kind of breakup: the kind where you're still in love with the person leaving you. While Holly's wounds are still dangerously close to the surface, her happily married best friend confesses over a bottle of wine that she is this close to having an affair. And another woman asks Holly for advice about her love life - with one of Holly's exes!

Holly decides that if everyone around her can take pleasure wherever they find it, so will she. Any self-respecting thirtyish New York woman would do, she brings two males into her life: a flawed but endearing dog and a good-natured, much younger lover. She's soon entangled in a web of emails, chance meetings, and misguided good intentions and must forge an entirely new path to Nirvana.

From the author of The Big Love, Secrets to Happiness is a bighearted, knife-sharp, hilariously entertaining story about the perils of love and friendship, sex and betrayal - and a thoroughly modern take on our perpetual struggle to be happy.

First Sentence:
"Do you want to know the secret to a happy marriage?"

When I first started the book I didn't think that I was going to enjoy it because there are so many different characters that you have to follow, but I am glad that I stuck it through because I grew to love most of them and hate a couple of the others. However it was still a little hard to remember some of them, it would mention someone and it took a while to figure out who they were referring to.

I do love Sarah's writing style. It was very easy to relate to all of the characters, mostly because between all of them there was every type of relationship and the problems that come along with them represented. I also liked the fact that even though the relationships were kind of generic, Sarah was still able to through a lot of twists into the story that I wasn't expecting.

My absolute favorite thing about Secrets to Happiness is the fact that the main character, Holly Frick, is a novelist. This allows for many book related thoughts which leads to amazing quotes like the ones below. :)

Favorite Quotes:

"I can't help it if I find money interesting. That's why I like Victorian novels. Trollope always tells you exactly how much money everybody has. It makes everything clear." Holly reached for her menu and then said quietly, almost to herself, "In real life, I never have any idea what the hells going on."

The nice thing about dating a novelist is, they come with a manual.

Title: Secrets to Happiness

Author: Sarah Dunn

Hardcover: 400 pages

ISBN 10: 0743298926

ISBN 13: 978-0743298926
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 15

About the author:

Sarah Dunn was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She went to the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in English and graduated magna cum laude. After college, she wrote a humor column for the Philadelphia City Paper while waiting tables (poorly) at TGI Fridays.

When she was 24, she published The Official Slacker Handbook, and was subsequenty lured out to Hollywood to write for Murphy Brown, Spin City and Veronica's Closet. She left TV to work on her first novel, The Big Love, which came out in 2004 and has been translated into 23 languages. She is currently writting a television pilot for NBC called George & Hilly, and her log-awaited second novel, Secrets to Happiness, comes out this spring.

She is married to Peter Stevenson, the executive editor of The New York Observer, and they have a chunky delicious new baby boy named Harry.

Thanks to Miriam of Early Bird Blog Tours at Hachette Book Group , I have received a second copy to giveaway. Unfortunately, according to Hachette rules the winner must have a valid U.S. or Canadian mailing address (no PO boxes). The contest will run from June 12th to June 19th, 2009. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email.

To be entered you MUST leave a comment here answering the question "If you were friends with a married couple and one of them was having an affair, would you be compelled to tell?" You MUST also leave a valid email address. If the directions above are not followed you will not be entered.

For extra entries (+1 each):
-Become a follower
-Add my blog to your blogroll
-Add my blog button (with a link back to my blog) to your blog
-Post about this giveaway somewhere on your blog (can be an actual post or on the sidebar)

Release Date: June 11th, 2009

2009-06-11T00:05:00.001-04:00

Prada & Prejudice
Mandy Hubbard

To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!

There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?

More Cabot than Ibbotson, Prada and Prejudice is a high-concept romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Me, My Elf, & I
Heather Swain

It’s not often you see an elf in the middle of Brooklyn, let alone a tall, blonde, gorgeous elf in the middle of one of the most prestigious performing arts high schools in the country. And yet, that’s just where Zephyr Addler finds herself: smack dab in the middle of bustling New York City, worlds away from the woodland community she knows so well. But Zephyr knows that if she’s going to make the most of her talent, she has to figure out how to live in the world. And dress in the world. Thanks to a little friendly fashion advice from her new friend Mercedes, Zephyr starts to get the hang of Brooklyn. That is, until Zephyr raises the ire of the most popular girl in school, Bella Dartagnan. Now with Bella and her friends out to get her, can Zephyr out-maneuver the mean girls (and catch the eye of a certain cute boy) without losing herself?

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Paris Pan Takes the Dare
Cynthea Liu

So what if it’s a rite of passage for every seventhgrade girl in town to spend a night in the woods? Paris Pan only just moved here, the woods are supercreepy, and she has enough weirdness to deal with in her own family. Finding out a girl died mysteriously years ago while on the Dare—right near Paris’s new house, no less—is bad enough, but the unmistakably ghostlike noises coming out of the broken-down shed at the edge of the Pan’s property? Definite deal breaker.
All Paris wants is to make friends, try to fit in, and not have to deal with a dead girl. But everyone has to take the Dare, and the new girl’s turn is up. . . .

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

For more titles released today click here.

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Final Exam Update

2009-06-10T01:07:00.003-04:00

Just a little update to say how much I hat studying for finals! And to share how stressful finals can be, but basically just because I like to procrastinate......

Release Date: June 9th, 2009

2009-06-09T15:15:00.004-04:00

This is a new feature at Books Love Jessica Marie.
I shall be posting the cover and synopsis of books on the day that they are released. ;)

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover
(Gallagher Girl Series)
Ally Carter

When Cammie Morgan arrives at her friend Macey's five star hotel for the Democratic National Convention-where Macey's father is about to receive the vice presidential nomination-she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. But if you're a Gallagher Girl, "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart.

Things quickly go south when Macey is summoned to the hotel roof to shoot a PR piece with the presidential candidate's son. But instead of cameras, attackers descend from a helicopter and swarm the girls, commanding, "Grab her." After a narrow escape, Cammie and Macey find themselves at a top secret hideout owned by the Gallagher Academy. and thus begins Cammie's junior year at spy school.

Cammie doesn't need her genius IQ to see that the kidnapping attempt has changed everything, especially now that Macey is a major celebrity, and the school has been besieged by news crews. More disturbing, Cammie can't shake the suspicion that her mom and Mr. Solomon know more about the attack than they're letting on. After all, why weren't the attackers surprised to find themselves in combat with two teenage girls who handled themselves like seasoned pros?

But these suspicions won't stop Cammie from jumping at the chance to join Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. Before long, the girls are using their espionage skills at every turn, as Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth...

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Giving Up the V
Serena Robar

Spencer Davis just turned sixteen. But unlike most hormonal teenagers who seem obsessed with sex -- like her entire crew of friends -- Spencer just doesn't get it. She'd rather wait for the right guy and the right moment. But that moment may be arriving sooner than she'd thought.

Enter Benjamin Hopkins, a new transfer student who seems to have his eyes on our V-card-carrying heroine. He's gorgeous, funny, suave, athletic, and capable of making Spencer's knees wobble with a single glance. Spencer has never felt this way about anyone before, but is Ben truly V-worthy?

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Tempo Change
Barbara Hall

It’s tough enough defining your identity—imagine if your father was a rock legend.

Blanche Kelly's dad is a famous indie rock icon, but not many people at the private school she attends on scholarship know this. Her father left when she was in the first grade, and she can’t quite forgive her mom for not understanding that an artist like her dad needs the time and space to connect to his muse.

When Blanche creates an all-girl rock band, their sound captures a wide audience and the band is invited to compete at the Coachella Music Festival. Blanche feels this could be the perfect time for a reunion with her father. Won’t he be proud to hear her band? Won’t he be happy to get to know his only daughter?

Author Barbara Hall sensitively explores the expectations between parents and teens, as well as the value of learning about your past to make your own future.

Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble

Which title are you looking forward to reading?

Mailbox Monday (11)

2009-06-08T00:29:00.004-04:00

Won from a giveaway hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page:

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by: Katherine Howe

Won from a giveaway hosted by Tina at Fantastic Book Review:
Generation Dead by: Daniel Waters
Kiss of Life by: Daniel Waters

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Why I haven't been around lately...

2009-06-06T12:30:00.007-04:00

So I just wanted to let everyone know

the reason why I haven't been posting any reviews......

Last week was my last week of classes for the year (yay!) but that means that this week is the dreaded finals week (boooooo). So instead of doing fun things like reading and commenting on all the amazing book blogs in my google reader, I shall be studying and writing papers. :( But I am excited because summer means more time to read!

Friday Finds (10)

2009-06-05T11:39:00.005-04:00

Hmmm so this week I figured I would try something different and add the synopsis for the books that I find, because I know that the cover of a book & the synopsis is what draws most people to a book. ;)

Donut Days by: Lara Zielin

I found this book on the Penguin website, and I immediately fell in love with the cover! I mean who wouldn't want to have powdered sugar fall on them like rain? :) And then I read the synopsis and I knew that I had to read it ... only downside though is it won't be released until August 6th, 2009. :(

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend’s not speaking to her, a boy she’s known all her life is suddenly smokin’ hot and in love with her, and oh yes, her evangelical minister parents may lose their church, especially if her mother keeps giving sermons saying Adam was a hermaphrodite.

But this weekend Emma’s only focused on Crispy Dream, a hot new donut franchise opening in town, where Harley bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. Writing the best feature story on the camp for the local paper might just win Emma a scholarship to attend a non- Christian college. But soon enough Emma finds the donut camp isn’t quite the perfect escape from all her troubles at Living Word Redeemer.

Did you find anything interesting this week?

Winners: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

2009-06-04T00:09:00.006-04:00

From Random.org
The Winner of Mating Rituals of the North American WASP is:

~~Gaby of Starting Fresh~~
Gaby already won a copy, so the new winner is ...

Cindy

Congratulations! Please respond to my email within the next 3 days or I will have to pick a new winner.

Mailbox Monday (10)

2009-06-01T00:25:00.004-04:00

From Bookmooch:

Queen of France: A Biography of Marie Antoinette by: Andre Castelot

Won from a giveaway hosted by Drey at Drey's Library:

Follow Me by: Joanna Scott

Won from a giveaway hosted by Popin at Popin's Lair:

Testimony by: Anita Shreve

Won from a giveaway hosted by Kristi at Books and Needlepoint:

My Cousin Rachel by: Daphne Du Maurier

Won from a giveaway hosted by Tasha at And Another Book Read:
Also Known as Harper by: Ann Haywood Leal
Amaranth Enchantment by: Julie Berry
Perfect Chemistry by: Simone Elkeles
Chasing Boys by: Karen Tayleur
Need by: Carrie Jones

What did you receive in the mail this week?

May in Review

2009-05-31T13:33:00.000-04:00

Books Read: 7
12. Mistress of the Sun - Sandra Gulland
13. Mating Rituals of the North American WASP - Lauren Lipton
14. Isami's House - Gail Lee Bernstein
15. Secrets to Happiness - Sarah Dunn

Pages Read: 1,370

Reading Challenges Progress Report:
Read 100 Books In 2009: 4 read, 85 to go.
2009 Ban On Spending: honestly I have no idea with this list anymore ;)
2009 Classics Challenge: 0 read, 7 to go.

Books In: 20
Advanced Reader Copies: 4
Books Won: 15
E-book: 0
School: 0
Bought: 0
Mooched: 1

Books Out: 2

Favorite: Mistress of the Sun
Least Favorite: Isami's House

Friday Finds (9)

2009-05-29T15:32:00.009-04:00

The Saucier's Apprentice by: Bob Spitz

I found this book on flickr....? yeah. It's about one man's journey through the best cooking schools in Europe, which sounds like it could be an interesting read. Oh and the cover is amazing ... kind of makes me want to get off the computer and cook something. ;)

Au Revoir To All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France

by: Michael Steingerger

I found this one on Goodreads. It's about the transition of traditional French cuisine to fast food joints like Mcdonalds. The cover is kind of depressing, I can just picture the man looking at everyone going into a fast food restaurant. :(

Did you find anything interesting this week?

Winners: Mistress of the Sun

2009-05-28T00:07:00.002-04:00

From Random.org
The Winner of Mistress of the Sun is:

Kay of The Infinite Shelf

Congratulations! Please respond to my email within the next 3 days or I will have to pick a new winner.

Tour: Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp

2009-05-26T00:02:00.004-04:00

Mating Rituals of the North American WASP
by Lauren Lipton

Peggy Adams is upset when she wakes up nest to a strange man after a Vegas night she can't remember ... but she's horrified when she discovers that she married him! Luke Sedgwick is WASP royalty, the last of the New Nineveh, Connecticut, Sedgwicks. He might also be perfect, if Peggy weren't already "pre-engaged" to her live-in boyfriend of seven years (she even has a "promise ring" to prove it). Peggy and Luke agree to get an annulment ASAP - and then receive an offer they can't refuse ...

Luke's eccentric great-aunt Abigail offers the two the chance to make millions on the family estate: All they have to do is stay married for a year. Peggy is soon pretending to be one-half of the perfect couple among New England's WASPy set on the weekends, while keeping her marriage secret during the week. But she isn't prepared for what might be her worst mistake of all - falling in love with her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

First Sentence:
Something wasn't right, and she knew it before opening her eyes.

I fell in love with Luke Sedgwick from the very instant in the story where he is awake, but it did take a bit longer to care for Peggy due to some of her quirky personality traits. The one character I believe any reader can not help but fall in love with would be Luke's great-aunt, Miss Abigail. She is a stubborn, dignified, but loving old lady that I believe many readers will be able to picture one of their own family members in. I also believe that many reader's will be able to relate to a relationship that obviously is not going anywhere, but you still are unable to leave which is the type of relationship shared by Peggy and her boyfriend of eight years, Brock.

Even though there are many different characters to keep track of and they are not described in a huge amount of detail, I was still able to get a clear picture of who they were. The storyline can be a little predictable at times, but there are still a few situations that caught me off guard, for example the predicament that takes place at the Colonial Inn in Litchfield County, Connecticut.

I would definitely recommend Mating Rituals of the North American WASP to anyone that enjoys reading chick lit, or anyone who wants to start out in the genre because this book will capture your heart. Granted I have not read many books in this genre, but Lauren Lipton's writing style has ensured that I will in the future. This book is certainly a tear jerk-er, but I believe that can be a good thing for relationships since I get my drama fill in fiction rather than starting fights with the significant other. ;)

Favorite Quotes:

... Peggy considered a basement to be like a spleen: You knew it was in there, you knew it served an important function, but you had no desire to see it.

Her theory was that shoppers were lemmings; they were more likely to come in when other shoppers were already inside.

"It's like, as soon as a man meets a woman, she becomes his only friend. We're all that's saving them from being lone wolves."

His brief kiss with Peggy ad stirred something in him; he had, for a gossamer instant, finally known what real love was, why people chose to marry and pledge forever to each other. He recognized the desire to prolong that forever with children who carried forward one's name, and with it the promise of eternity.

Title: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

Author: Lauren Lipton

Paperback: 368 pages

ISBN 10: 0446197971

ISBN 13: 978-0446197977
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 13

Click here to check out the other blog stops on the tour.

About the author:

Lauren Lipton is the author of two novels, It's About Your Husband (2006) and Mating Rituals of the North American WASP (2009). She is also a freelance journalist who specializes in style, business and trend stories.

She is currently fashion, beauty and lifestyle editor at ForbesWoman magazine. A former Wall Street Journal staff writer, she reported on copycat brides who steal their friend's wedding ideas, pajama parties for grown women, and luxury homes with his-and-hers garages.

Her work also has appeared in Conde Nast Portfolio, In Style Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Best Life, Glamour, Marie Claire, Fit Pregnancy and Working Mother, and on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. She began her career at the Los Angeles Times.

Born in Providence, R.I., Lauren grew up in the North County of San Diego and in Los Gatos, Calif., before moving to Los Angeles. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and anthropology from Occidental College and a master's degree in print journalism from the University of Southern California.

She lives with her family in New York City and in Litchfield County, Conn.

Thanks to Miriam of Early Bird Blog Tours at Hachette Book Group , I have ONE copy to giveaway. Unfortunately, according to Hachette rules the winner must have a valid U.S. or Canadian mailing address (no PO boxes). The contest will run from May 27th to June 3rd, 2009. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email.

To be entered you must leave a comment here answering the question "If you were able to lead a double life like Peggy, what would you spend the money you acquire on?" You must also leave a valid email address.

For extra entries (+1 each):
-Become a follower
-Add my blog to your blogroll
-Add my blog button (with a link back to my blog) to your blog
-Post about this giveaway somewhere on your blog (can be an actual post or on the sidebar)

Mailbox Monday (9)

2009-05-25T14:03:00.001-04:00

Won / for review from the Goodreads first reads program:

Something Borrowed by: Emily Giffin

Won from a giveaway hosted by Gwendolyn at A Sea of Books:

Made in the U.S.A. by: Billie Letts

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Friday Finds (8)

2009-05-22T17:59:00.001-04:00

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by: J.K. Rowling

Okay so this is not exactly new and I am pretty sure most of you would of read it by now ... but with the upcoming movie release in July, I am starting to get back into the HP madness (which is a wonderful break from the crazy Twilight fans). At first I wasn't really interested in reading this one, but now I think I just want it for my collection. ;)

Did you find anything interesting this week?

Tour: Mistress of the Sun

2009-05-20T00:56:00.004-04:00

Mistress of the Sun
by Sandra Gulland

Set against the magnificent decadence of the seventeenth-century French court, Mistress of the Sun is a riveting love story with a bewitching mystery at its heart.

Unmarriageable and too poor to join a convent, Louise de la Valliere enters the court of the Sun King as a maid of honor. The King is mesmerized by her athleticism and her striking grace. As their love unfolds, Louise bears Louis four children, is made a duchess, and reigns unrivaled as his official mistress - until a dangerous intrigue threatens her position at court, her place in Louis's heart, and even her life.

Internationally acclaimed novelist Sandra Gulland triumphantly resurrects a fascinating female figure from the shadows of history and illuminates both the power of true and perfect love and the rash actions we take to capture and tame it.

First Sentence:
A Romany woman in a crimson gown flashes by, standing on the back of a cantering horse.

This book is set in one of my all time favorite historical eras; the court of the Sun King. I was immediately attracted to the main female character, Louise de la Valliere or as she's better known as, Petite. The book follows the life and the loves of Petite, which is constantly changing except for two things ... her infatuation of horses and her fear of the devil.

I absolutely fell in love with Mistress of the Sun. The characters are so well portrayed that you cannot help but become intertwined with their lives. However this can turn out to be a bad thing, because when Sandra Gulland says she does not like happy endings she isn't kidding. I became so involved in the story I had to force my self to turn the page because I was too afraid to read what would happen to my beloved Petite next. And of course, just like Petite, I fell in love with the Sun King himself ... which made the ups and downs of their affair even more painful to read. I look forward to reading this book again in the future and plan on buying Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy very soon.

I would definitely recommend Mistress of the Sun to anyone who enjoys reading. It is not just another historical fiction book, it is also a love story and has a bit of paranormal activity thrown in. The reader does not have to possess any knowledge of the time period before starting this book because Sandra Gulland has added wonderful extras including: a map of France at the time of the Sun King, an abbreviated genealogy of the royal families and a glossary of terms. It would also be a great read for long time lovers of historical fiction because Petite is not a "popular" historical female, so there are not many books about her life and for many people this will be their fist time reading about her.

Favorite Quotes:
Unfortunately I was too absorbed into the story to remember to write down the page number of quotes until I was more than halfway done with the book. ;) Also, it turns out, many of my favorite quotes would ruin the surprise twists in the story ... So, I will just share one that I believe is one of the main themes of the book.

She thought of herself as Louis's true wife, and the Queen as the wife of that other man, the King.

Title: Mistress of the Sun

Author: Sandra Gulland

Paperback: 400 pages

ISBN 10: 0743298926

ISBN 13: 978-0743298926
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 12

Click here to check out the other blog stops on the tour.

About the author:

Sandra Gulland was born in Miami, Florida, and lived in Rio de Janeiro, Berkeley and Chicago before moving to Canada in 1970 to teach in an Inuit village in northern Labrador - "an amazing experience," she recalls. Settling in Toronto, she worked as a book editor for a decade before moving with her husband and two very young children to a backwoods log cabin near Killaloe (population 600) in rural Ontario. There, in addition to running Words &, an editing services company, co-producing a community newsletter (The Community News & Confuse), and serving as volunteer principal in her children's parent-run alternative school, she raised chickens and pigs, grew vegetables ("tried to grow vegetables," is how she puts it), battled blackflies and snowstorms, and developed a lifelong love of horses.

In 1985 she began writing fiction full-time. Ten years later, the first of the novels in the Josephine B. Trilogy was published, followed in 2008 by Mistress of the Sun. She is now at work on another novel set in the Court of Louis XIV, the Sun King, an era she describes as "endlessly fascinating." An Internet enthusist, she writes two blogs - Notes on the Writing Life (on writing) and Baroque Explorations (on research) - and can be found on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter
and other sites. She and her husband now live half the year in rural Ontario, and half in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Thanks to Sandra Gulland and her publisher Diane, I have received a second copy to giveaway. Unfortunately, being the poor college student I am, I can only ship to people within the U.S., I am sorry! The contest will run from May 20th to May 27th, 2009. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email.

To be entered you must leave a comment here answering the question "What historical era would you like to see Sandra Gulland write about next?" You must also leave a valid email address.

For extra entries (+1 each):
-Become a follower
-Add my blog to your blogroll
-Add my blog button (with a link back to my blog) to your blog
-Post about this giveaway somewhere on your blog (can be an actual post or on the sidebar)

Review: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

2009-05-19T00:59:00.003-04:00

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
by Wendy Mass

In one month Jeremy Fink will turn thirteen. But does he have what it takes to be a teenager? He collects mutant candy, he won't go more than four blocks from home if possible, and he definitely doesn't like surprises. On the other hand, his best friend, Lizzy, isn't afraid of anything, even if that means trouble now and then.
Jeremy's summer takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious box arrives. According to the writing on the box, it holds the meaning of life! Jeremy is supposed to open it on his birthday, but the keys are missing, and only the keys can open the box without destroying what's inside.
Jeremy and Lizzy set off to find the keys, but when one of their efforts goes very wrong, Jeremy starts to think he'll never be able to open the box. But what he doesn't know is that there might be other ways to find out the meaning of life.

First Sentence:
My sweat smells like peanut butter.

How can anyone not be immediately drawn to a book with an opening sentence like that?

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life documents the life Jeremy Fink and his best friend, Lizzy, as they attempt to find the keys to a box that contains the meaning of life. Along the way they discover important things about themselves, their friendship, and of course life. They also encounter many unique characters that will aid them on their search and leave a lasting impression on their lives.

I really enjoyed this book, as I was instantly intrigued with the lives of Jeremy and Lizzy. Wendy Mass does a wonderful job describing the characters of her novels to the point that you feel that you know them in real life. Besides the obvious fact that I am a female, I felt that their friendship was very close to the friendships that I had when I was 13. I can also relate to Jeremy when he thinks about the universe and his place within it, because every now and then I still feel a little lost.

I would recommend Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life to anyone who enjoys reading young adult literature. It is a light and comforting read, but still posses some surprising twists and the obvious mystery of the meaning of life.

Favorite Quotes:

"But if we get kidnapped into some cult, my father will be very angry with you."

"It means if you piss me off, and we don't stay friends, that sixty years from now you'll regret pissing me off."

"Do you ever worry if people heard our conversations they would lock us up?"
"All the time," she says[.]

Title: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Author: Wendy Mass

Paperback: 304 pages

ISBN 10: 0316058491

ISBN 13: 978-0316058491
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 11

Mailbox Monday (8)

2009-05-18T00:15:00.004-04:00

Won from a giveaway hosted by Alyce at At Home with Books:

Girls in Trucks by: Katie Crouch

Won from a giveaway hosted by Sandra at Fresh Ink Books:

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by: Joshilyn Jackson

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Friday Finds (7)

2009-05-15T15:22:00.006-04:00

Foreign Tongue by: Vanina Marsot

Only one book this week and I found it from a review by Sheri at A Novel Menagerie. I think that I would really enjoy reading this book because I have been to Paris and will hopefully be learning to speak French in the fall. :D

Did you find anything interesting this week?

Review: Snow Country

2009-05-14T02:30:00.004-04:00

Snow Country
Yasunari Kawabata

With the brushstroke suggestiveness and astonishing grasp of motive that won him the Nobel Prize for Literature, Yasunari Kawabata tells a story of wasted love set amid the desolate beauty of western Japan, the snowiest region on earth. It is there, at an isolated mountain hotspring, that the wealthy sophisticate Shimamura meets the geisha Komako, who gives herself to him without regrets, knowing that their passion cannot last.

Shimamura is a dilettante of the feelings; Komako has staked her life on them. Their affair can have only one outcome. Yet, in chronicling its doomed course, one of Japan's greatest modern writers creates a novel dense in implication and exalting in its sadness. Snow Country is a genuine masterpiece of twentieth-century literature.

First Sentence:
The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country.

During the time that this book was written many people believed that becoming a modern, industrialized, country meant loneliness and detachment for the people of Japan, which is the main theme of the Snow Country. This theme of melancholy is portrayed through the love affair between an onsen geisha named Komako and a Japanese businessman named Shimamura. I believe that Komako and the snow country represents the old Japan, the one with traditional values such as Shintoism, Confucian hierarchy, and the traditional role of women. While Shimamura and technology represents the modern Japan because Shimamura is a business man, he rides a train to and from his home in Tokyo, and the use of telegraph systems in the snow country. Modern technology can also be seen as killing the old Japan because a movie projector burns down a silkworm cocoon storage barn and possibly kills one of the main characters.

Honestly, I kind of had a hard time with this book, even though it is a very easy read, only 192 pages. The storyline is very confusing and time will fast forward without much warning. I was also really disappointed with the ending, it is way to abrupt and has no sense of closure, I turned the last page and thought "really that's it?". Although in my history class we decided this was the author's way to take another jab at western culture because western books spelled everything out for the reader and he wanted his readers to think for themselves. Over time I did start to gain a soft spot for Komako even though she did come off as a bit crazy and an alcoholic, but I was unable to feel anything for Shimamura who was remained cold and detached throughout the whole book.

I would only recommend this book to people who already posses a knowledge about Japanese culture and history or posses an extreme love of Japan. I think one of the main reasons I was able to gain anything from this book is because it was assigned in a history of Japan class and I had the teacher for guidance.

Favorite Quotes:

But even more than at the diary, Shimamura was surprised at her statement that she had carefully cataloged every novel and short story she had read since she was fifteen or sixteen. The record already filled ten notebooks.

"Do you think it's right not to say good-by to the man you yourself said was on the very first page of the very first volume of your dairy? This is the very last page of his."

"I don't tell lies just because people might be listening."

Title: Snow Country

Author: Yasunari Kawabata

Paperback: 192 pages

ISBN 10: 0679761047

ISBN 13: 978-0679761044
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 10

Happy Birthday: Maria Theresa of Austria

2009-05-13T14:50:00.004-04:00

Today is Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria's birthday. She was born on May 13, 1717 and passed away on November 29, 1780, possibly due to heart failure. Maria Theresa ruled from October 20, 1740 until her death in 1780. She was the only female to rule during the 650 year long Hapsburg dynasty. She gave birth to 16 children, including Maria Antonia who later became the famous Marie Antoinette.

Interesting fact:
Marie Theresa was actually proclaimed King of Hungary, but was always styled as the Queen of Hungary.

If you would like to learn more about Maria Theresa, check out Arleigh's post at Historical-Fiction.

Happy Birthday Maria Theresa!

Mailbox Monday (7)

2009-05-11T02:20:00.006-04:00

Courtesy of Miriam from Hachette Book Group
for an Early Bird Blog Tour:

Secrets to Happiness by: Sarah Dunn

The blog tour date is set for June 12, 2009.

Courtesy of Miriam from Hachette Book Group
for an Early Bird Blog Tour:

Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp by: Lauren Lipton

The blog tour date is set for May 27, 2009.

Won from a giveaway hosted by Bev at Merry Weather:

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by: Giulia Melucci

Courtesy of Stephen Meier and Devyn at The Faerie Drink Review:
Katka: A Novella by: Stephen Meier

Yay! My first signed copy of a book! :D

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Friday Finds (6)

2009-05-08T00:01:00.009-04:00

In honor of the 18th Century Gossip Party being held at Marie Antoinette's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century
all of my Friday finds this week are books about
Marie Antoinette :D

Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
by: Caroline Weber

This is one of the most original and intriguing title of a novel about Marie Antoinette. Instead of just recounting Marie Antionette's life this novel tells the Queen's story through the choices she made in her clothing throughout her life.

Versailles: A Biography of a Palace by: Tony Spawforth

Such a beautiful cover! This one is all about the magnificence that is Versailles. It was home not only to Marie Antoinette, but also Louis XV, Louis XVI, and of course the Sun King himself Louis XIV.

Moi and Marie Antoinette by: Lynn Cullen and Amy Young

Awwwww a children's book about the lovely Marie Antoinette told by her pug dog Moi. Not only would this book introduce children to Marie Antoinette, it could spark a love of history which is always a good thing.

Did you find anything interesting this week?

Review: Dramarama

2009-05-06T03:22:00.005-04:00

Dramarama
by E. Lockhart

Two theater-mad, self-invented fabulosition Ohio teenagers.
One boy, one girl.
One gay, one straight.
One black, one white.
And SUMMER DRAMA CAMP.
It's a season of
hormones,
gold lame,
hissy fits,
jazz hands,
song and dance,
true love,
and unitards
that will determine their future
- and test their friendship.

First Sentence:
Transcript of a microcassette recording:
Demi: Is it on?

Dramarama is a wonderful book about friendships that are meant to be but don't end up making it. Sadye always felt like she was out of the loop at school, not quite fitting into any clique, until she met her soul mate best friend Demi, a secretly gay boy. They find that they have many things in common, the number one thing being a fierce desire to be well, fierce. The friendship is a match made in heaven, that is until they are both accepted into a summer drama camp and they find out that they don't truly want the same things in life. Dramarama shows the ugly side of what growing up can do to a friendship that readers of all ages will be able to relate to.

I loved this book for multiple reasons, one of them being the fact that it is set in Ohio! :D The other main reason I loved this book so much is because my and one of my old best friends used to do a lot of things that Sadye and Demi do, until she went away to a theater school in New York. We still hang out when she comes home to visit, but there is an awkward void between us since we have traveled in different directions. To some people Sadye may come off as a little bratty because she does complain a lot, but I feel like if I was in the same situation I would become a little bratty myself. I like to think that my friends can only be friends with me, so when they start to hang out with other people I tend to get a little jealous... it's a problem I am trying to work on ;)

I would highly recommend Dramarama to anyone interested in theater because there are a lot of specific plays and acting methods mentioned, of course this just made me feel more out of the loop. I would also recommend this book to anyone who has lost a friend due to a difference in interests or simply due to growing apart over time.

Favorite Quotes:

Then he said: "If you think you'll get a rise in anyone's pants doing it that way, you're mistaken. Do you want the audience to fall asleep, here? Do you? Do you?"

"Little Miss Perfect, thinks she's better than a chocolate cupcake." "Her and her lemonade." "Her and her Annie." "Ugh."

"I feel like, oh, like a discarded napkin."

Title: Dramarama

Author: E. Lockhart

Paperback: 320 pages

ISBN 10: 0786838175

ISBN 13: 978-0786838172
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 9

Mailbox Monday (6)

2009-05-04T00:14:00.008-04:00

Won from a giveaway hosted by Amy (Passages to the Past):

The Tory Widow by Christine Blevins

Requested via ShelfAwareness:

An Edible History of Humanity by: Tom Standage

Won from a challenge during the read-a-thon hosted by Debbie (Readerbuzz):

Years of Dust: The Story of the Dust Bowl by: Albert Marrin

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Friday Finds (5)

2009-05-01T16:03:00.005-04:00

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by: Tiffany Baker

Talk about cover attraction.... I love this cover, it's just so adorable! I actually got to see this one in a bookstore, and it was still cute in person ;) Also I have heard many great things about the book from people who also liked the cover, such as the review from A Bookworm's World.

Lost it by: Kristen Tracy

This is another nice cover, I really like the vibrant colors of it and the fact that they don't show the people's faces. The synopsis doesn't offer too much information except for all the bizarre things that happen to the heroine. The question is: does the title implying that she lost her mind or something else..... ;)

You Had Me at Halo by: Amanda Ashby

This book caught my eye because the cover is very original for a book about returning from the dead. The storyline seemed a little over done, someone returns to earth because they had something to finish, but after reading the synopsis it turns out that Amanda Ashby has managed to add a couple significant twists into her story.

Did you find anything interesting this week?

April In Review

2009-04-30T23:26:00.001-04:00

Books Read: 7
5. Dirty Little Angels - Chris Tusa
6. The Crimes of Paris - Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler
7. Peeled - Joan Bauer
8. Devilish - Maureen Johnson
9. Dramarama - E. Lockhart
10. Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life - Wendy Mass
11. Snow Country - Yasunari Kawabata

Pages Read: 1,834

Reading Challenges Progress Report:
Read 100 Books In 2009: 7 read, 89 to go.
2009 Ban On Spending: 2 read, 32 to go.
2009 Classics Challenge: 0 read, 7 to go.

Books In: 21
Advanced Reader Copies: 4
Books Won: 13
E-book: 0
School: 0
Bought: 4
Mooched: 0

Books Out: 0

Favorite: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Least Favorite: Snow Country

College Kids At The Public Library

2009-04-28T01:34:00.010-04:00

College kids at the public library would be an amazing thing.....
the question is how do we get them there?

I was recently contacted by the manager of my public library asking why I was dissatisfied in the renovation of our library, which I find amazing since she took the time to ask people from the community and shows her ambition to make the library the best it can be. Most of my dissatisfaction is a personal thing against the library being renovated in general, since I like things to stay the same forever ;) But it got me to thinking what I would like to see more of from my public library, and I decided...

MORE COLLEGE AGED PATRONS AND PROGRAMS

Being college aged myself, I think that I would feel to young to hang out with the "adults", while being to old to partake in the teen programs which would be full of high schoolers. :P The only problem is I need help thinking of fun programs that will attract the college aged demographic and that is where you come in!

So far I have only thought of one program:

-A book club that only reads books that have a movie counterpart.
This would mean that the members would get the chance to read a book and then watch the movie, so they can discuss the differences, similarities, and what one may have portrayed better than the other. This would also be fun if a book had a movie counterpart that was coming to theaters, because everyone loves field trips :D

I would love to be able to offer more ideas,
so what do YOU think would be a great program for college kids?

Mailbox Monday (5)

2009-04-27T00:16:00.004-04:00

Wow! What an amazing book week! I am soooo excited to get the chance to read all of these wonderful books..... Unfortunately I did not get the thrill of opening my Penguin Prize Pack because I had it sent home since I am at school. :( My mom had to open it so I could know the three surprise books!

Won:
Courtesy of Lenore at Presenting Lenore and Penguin Books.

1. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

2. The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson

3. Peace Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle (ARC)

4. Chasing the Bear by Robert Parker (ARC)

5. Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard (ARC)

6. Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes (ARC)

7. Plus by Veronica Chambers

8. Three Cups of Tea Young Readers Edition by Greg Mortenson

9. Slam by Nick Hornby

10. Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

11. Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler

12. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

Bought:
From Amazon

1. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
2. The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
3. The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
4. To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker

What did you receive in the mail this week?

Friday Finds (4)

2009-04-24T11:45:00.007-04:00

Because I Am Furniture by: Thalia Chaltas

This cover is amazing. I tend to not like covers that feature real people because I like to be able to picture them myself without any image influence, so I love how they just used a silhouette. I also really like the title since the book is about abuse.

Once was Lost by: Sara Zarr

This is the second book by Sara Zarr on my Friday Finds list. I just really love her covers, the are so simple and yet so elegant and original. The storyline also looks very appealing.

Divorced, Beheaded, Died... by: Kevin Flude

I LOVE non-fiction (being a history major made this happen) and I love European history, so a non-fiction book about the monarchs of Britain is a perfect fit.
Plus? The cover features the same crown as my header ;)
Downside? I have to wait until September 17th :(

Did you find anything interesting this week?

Eight Is Enough Meme

2009-04-22T19:58:00.005-04:00

The Eight Is Enough Meme is being hosted by Kitten at the Bookkitten. Missy from Missy's Book Nook has tagged me to participate!

Here's the rules--mention the person that tagged you. Complete the lists of 8's. Tag 8 of your wonderful blogger friends. Go tell them you tagged them!

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:
1. Summer Vacation
2. Hearing if I got re-accepted to Baldwin Wallace College
3. Getting to go to sleep tonight
4. The sakura (cherry blossom) festival
5. Having time to read more books
6. Being home with my sewing machiene
7. Being able to swim
8. Tomorrow afternoon because my Japanese dialogue will be over

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Went to class
2. Ate some gross food at the dinning hall
3. Posted my review of Devilish
4. Got the books I ordered from Amazon
5. Watched t.v.
6. Wasted some time online
7. Did my homework
8. Read a book before sleeping

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
1. Speak Japanese fluentley
2. Speak French
3. Decide on a school
4. Decide on a major
5. Quit school and be a housewife
6. Be motivated to actually do my homework
7. Meet the cast of Buffy
8. Actually get a 4.0 instead of getting a 3.5-3.7

8 Shows I Watch:
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. Dollhouse
3. Malcom in the Middle
4. King of the Hill
5. That 70's Show
6. 3rd Rock from the Sun
7. Clean House
8. Gilmore Girls

Now I actually hate tagging people, probably due to myspace bulletins and facebook notes. So, if you want to fill this out for your readers then be my guest! :D

Review: Devilish

2009-04-21T23:02:00.007-04:00

Devilish
by Maureen Johnson

Jane Jarvis and Allison Concord are desperate to get through senior year at Saint Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls, where barbed wire keeps the boys out and ancient nuns keep the girls in.

Jane and Allison have always been too quirky and different to be popular, but at least they've had each other. Then, after a hideous, embarrassing disaster. Allison comes to school transformed. Suddenly she has cute hair and clothes. She's fluent in Latin, she won't even speak to Jane, and within days she's stolen Jane's ex-boyfriend, Elton.

A strangely wise freshman boy, Owen, helps Jane discover the outrageous truth - that Allison has sold her soul to the devil. At first Jane doesn't quite buy it. She plays along with the weirdness - and even gambles her own soul in order to rescue Allison. But events take a turn for the real, and Jane will have to save Allison before the bizarrely exclusive Poodle Prom, a party of biblical proportions that just might blow apart the world as Jane knows it.

First Sentence:
So this is how it ended.

Devilish may seem like a story about a normal high school, but when they mention Jane selling her soul to save her ex-best friend Allison, they are not joking. Jane soon realizes that her school is a battleground for good and evil. It is up to Jane to save not only her school, but also her ex-best friend Allison if she wants to be able to rekindle their friendship. Devilish is definitely a page turner because no one is what they seem. There are demons, evil fighting nuns and preachers, fourteen year old boys who have been dead for the past one hundred years, sinister poodles, and corrupted cupcakes. Would you be willing to risk your life for a friend that has betrayed you?

Even with so many twists and turns the story was very easy to follow and comprehend. The only thing I didn't like about the story is existence of Jane's ex-boyfriend Elton. They never fully explain his and Jane's breakup or why/how he is now her best friend's boyfriend. Not knowing the answer to this kind of left me feeling empty once the book had ended, but then again I tend to get caught up in the minor details.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves YA fiction and doesn't mind a little science fiction. This was my first book by Maureen Johnson and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her work.

Favorite Quotes:

Joan never actually did her homework. I'm not sure Joan actually knew that she was supposed to do it - I think she may have been under the impression that she was just supposed to watch over it for the night and make sure nothing happened to it.

In my mind, I said the best things to Elton. I wrote countless excellent notes that I never sent. I came up with clever and highly detailed imaginary situations in which we were thrown together and somehow made him realize that life without me was a hollow shell.

Title: Devilish

Author: Maureen Johnson

Paperback: 272 pages

ISBN 10: 1595141324

ISBN 13: 978-1595141323
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 8

The Crimes of Paris Winners!!!

2009-04-21T00:22:00.005-04:00

From Random.org
The Winners of The Crimes of Paris Are:

Mcsis788

Sharon54220

Megan

Gwendolyn B.

Tara Thompson

Congratulations! Please respond to my email within the next 3 days or I will have to pick a new winner.

Awards!

2009-04-20T15:22:00.013-04:00

Yay I received ~~three~~ four more awards today from ~~three~~ four lovely bloggers!!!
Receiving awards makes my face do this :D

My first award is from Elizabeth from As usual, I need more bookshelves

This award which is given to new blogs and blogging friends.

Normally I think the award is supposed to be passed onto 15 blogs, but that is way too many to list.... so I will pass it onto 5 ;)

1. Missy's Book Nook
2. Coffeespoons
3. Mari Reads
4. Michelle's Bookshelf
5. She reads and reads

My second award is from Missy from Missy's Book Nook.

I am also going to give this award to 5 blogs ;)

1. As usual, I need more bookshelves
2. At Home with Books
3. One Literature Nut...
4. Poisoned Rationality
5. Socrates' Book Reviews

I received this award from Michelle at Michelle's Bookshelf

~~I have seen this one going around a lot lately, so I am not going to list blogs for this one. :P~~
Nevermind, I found 5 blogs I want to give it to!

1. A Sea of Books
2. Books and Needlepoint
3. Write for a Reader
4. Chick with Books
5. Book Snake Reviews

I received this award from Kristi from Books and Needlepoint

Ok now I now many of you already hace this award so I am passing it on to all of the wonderful cheerleaders from the read-a-thon! :D

These blogs are all amazing and I highly recommend that you check them out!

Mailbox Monday (4)

2009-04-20T00:46:00.003-04:00

Courtesy of Maria Semple:

This One is Mine by: Maria Semple

Courtesy of Sandra Gulland:

Mistress of the Sun by: Sandra Gulland

I also received a copy to giveaway. The giveaway will be posted May 20th, so don't forget to come back! ;)

Review: Peeled

2009-04-19T12:52:00.002-04:00

Peeled
by Joan Bauer

Something's Rotten in Apple Country!
Hildy Biddle is a high school reporter eager to stand up for the truth. She's just waiting for a chance to prove herself as a journalist, and yearning for a big story. The trouble is, the town's biggest story stars... a ghost. Not a very easy interview!

This ghost has the town in a tizzy, and the local paper is playing up people's fears with shocking headlines of eerie happenings and ghostly sightings. Hildy's determined to discover what's really going on, but her desire to uncover the truth is making some people awfully nervous.
Does the truth have a chance of being heard over all the buzz?

First Sentence:
DATELINE: Banesville, New York. May 3.
Bonnie Sue Bomgartner, Banesville's soon-to-be 67th Apple Blossom Queen, let loose a stream of projectile vomiting in the high school cafeteria.

Including Peeled, I have read four books by Joan Bauer. I originally read The Rules of the Road around fifth grade and have been in love with it ever since, which could also explain why I liked Best Foot Forward because it is a sequel. However, when I decided to try Thwonk I wasn't that impressed because it had a lot of fantasy elements within it which isn't her normal style. This caused me to be a bit hesitant towards reading Peeled, but I gave in due to the fact that the cover was just that amazing.

I am very glad that I decided to give her another try. Peeled is an excellent story about a teen journalist who is trying to uncover the truth about a haunted house in her town. All of the characters are extremely lifelike, even though the book just offers a brief glimpse into their lives. Both Hildy and her cousin Elizabeth have lost a parent, but under two completely different circumstances. Hildy got to know her father, while Elizabeth's mother died while she was young. This helps connect with the readers because it doesn't limit the experience.

The story was a little predictable at times, but it does contain a couple of twists are still surprising to the reader. I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of The Rules of the Road, YA fiction in general, and especially anyone who has written for a newspaper or dreams of doing so in the future.

Favorite Quotes:

DOG FOR SALE - Eats anything and is particularly fond of children.

"Everyone needs fudge, Hildy. It's how God helps us cope."

Title: Peeled

Author: Joan Bauer

Hardcover: 247 pages

ISBN 10: 0399234756

ISBN 13: 978-0399234750
Buy It: Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble
Review Number: 7

Just thought I would move this up since it was buried by Read-a-Thon posts ;)

Read-A-Thon : Final Post

2009-04-19T06:57:00.002-04:00

Yes I know there is only an hour left, but I literally falling asleep sitting up. ;)
So I am going to try my hardest to make it, but this is in case I don't.

Books Finished: 3 1/2
Pages Finished: 915 pages
Time Spent Reading: 18 hours 12 mins?
Mini-Challenges Entered: Three?
Drawings Entered: Four?

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 23 lol
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass and Devilish by Maureen Johnson
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nope, everyone did an amazing job!
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I really enjoyed the updates every hour on the site. I'm new so I don't know if this was normall done before.
5. How many books did you read?
3 and 1/2 :D
6. What were the names of the books you read?
Peeled by Joan Bauer
Devilish by Maureen Johnson
Dramarama by E. Lockhart
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Oh that's a toughie.... probably Devilish or Dramarama
8. Which did you enjoy least?
I actually enjoyed them all ;)
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
Nope, all I did was read all day :P
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I would most definitely participate again! I would be a reader, but I would try to cheer lead a bit more.

Read-A-Thon : End of Hour 21

2009-04-19T04:51:00.002-04:00

Books Finished: 3
Pages Finished: 815 pages
Time Spent Reading: 16 hours 12 mins
Mini-Challenges Entered: One
Drawings Entered: Four?

Title: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Author: Wendy Mass
Page Count: 289
Where I am: 68

Thoughts (before reading):
Excited. I chose this book because I loved A Mango-Shaped Space so much, I recommend it to everyone I know. Oh and of course because of the cover :D

Thoughts (during reading):
So far I really like it. The storyline kind of reminds me of P.S. I Love You, since both main characters receive gifts from loved ones who have passed away. I ca also picture all of the characters, but that could just be my immense lack of sleep ;)

Thoughts (after reading):
Don't know yet :)