Laurel's YA Book Reviews

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

2010-05-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

It's Logan's 17th birthday. He has a crucial gig with his band. Afterward Aura plans for this to be his best birthday ever, with an intimate night planned and a huge party at his house. How could she ever know this night would result in Logan's death?

Aura Salvatore can see ghosts. She's 16. She's a post-shifter. She's only post-shift by one minute. She was born on the day that everything changed, December 21st, did her birth start something huge?

Ghosts don't scare her, they mostly annoy her, until her boyfriend turns into a ghost. He still hangs around and talks to her, he's almost as real as if he were alive, except for his violet glow that is and the fact that she can't touch him and he can't touch her.

Aura's relationships grow even more complicated as she becomes friends with Zachary Moore, Aura's Scottish partner for her thesis. Zachary is pre-shift. Only by a minute though. Logan starts to become jealous about this. On top of everything, Logan's family is filing a HUGE law-suit. Maybe a law-suit will help Logan pass on, maybe not.

I read this and I loved it. I think it was written very well. There were a lot of interesting parts in it. It caught my attention in the beginning and I honestly loved it from beginning to end. It seems to me like maybe there would be another to go along, possibly a series. It left me wanting more. I finished it and thought I really want to know what happens next. The only way I can think to compare it is to the Private series, the ending in Shade left you wanting more just like the ending in the Private books. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Publishing and Vanessa Williams for sending me my ARC of Shade. I'll be having a contest later in the month. I recommend you either enter or go out and buy it. I loved it. Also my ARC copy came in this adorable red ribbon, which I loved. The cover is also really cute. Again keep your eye out for my contest.

Contests

2010-04-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

If you want to enter some contests I'll be having some here in the next month or so. There will be a few contests with up to 5 winners each time. The first contest will be for Morpheus Road: The Light by D.J. MacHale. This is a ghoat story for anyone interested in entering or buying it. I have not read this but I should have the review up soon. So since I don't have a review up you can see the link to the trailer below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1THiXqnzb50

If you're interested in entering you can leave your name below in the comments or you can e-mail me at yareviewsbylaurel @ hotmail . com. US residents only. If you aren't a US resident you can buy the book in stores this month on the 20th.

Another book I'll be having a contest for later towards the end of the month will be Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready. I am currently reading this and I should have the post up along with the beginning of the contest. Up to 5 copies of this will also be available for anyone who enters.

I will also have a contest for Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson. I have not read this one yet either so I might not have a review for with the contest when that goes up. Up to 5 copies of that will be given away too. This will most likely go on after the previous two contests.

Remember US residents only. Thanks. Don't forget to check back later for chances to win Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready and Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson. Big thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing the books and making these contests possible.

I'm Back

2010-03-12T14:53:00.001-08:00

Wow it's been a long time. Well today I received two books in the mail which made me think, it's been a long time since I've posted on my blog. Today I received Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready wrapped in a pretty red ribbon which I am excited to read. I also received Morpheus Road: The Light by D.J. MacHale which I am somewhat wanting to read. I just finished Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow so I'll be posting that review shortly. I started Suspicion by Kate Brian which I should be done reading around the end of the week. Then I'll be on to Perfect Mistake by Kate Brian. And finally I'll read the two that I just received. So I'll hopefully be posting a lot of reviews within the month.

Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors

2009-12-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

Mimi Wallingford, great-granddaughter of Adelaide Wallingford. Why can't she just be Mimi, why does everyone have to add great-granddaughter of Adelaide Wallingford? Wallingford Theatre, it's where Mimi grew up, learned to be a great actress, and decided she wanted to do something else with her life. Mimi's mother thinks that acting is Mimi's dream, wrong. Romeo and Juliet has been her life for so long. She practically lives, breathes, and eats Romeo and Juliet.

She wishes to be anywhere other than on the stage for her final performance of Romeo and Juliet. The only thing she looks forward to in the near future is going to Los Angeles and staying with her aunt. All she wanted to do was finish her final performance and got to LA and visit UCLA and just take a break. That is until the night of her final performance when she is thrown into Romeo and Juliet, not the performance though, the reality.

She was no longer in New York City, but exactly where was she? Mimi was thrown into what she had lived for so long. Romeo and Juliet was actually coming alive right in front of her eyes. Verona wasn't just a place in a play anymore, she was walking the streets and breathing the air of Verona. Dressed as a Capulet and covered in garbage Mimi finds her way to meeting the real Romeo and Juliet. She just needs to make sure they are okay and that they don't die, Mimi wants to make a happy ending for them. Having her costar Troy Summer along with her isn't ideal for her though. Troy doesn't realize that it isn't a dream until a while after Mimi realizes it. Then again who blames him for thinking it is a dream? But will Mimi really risk her life to finish what she started? Or will she give up and let everything end up how Shakespeare wrote it?

My favorite line in the story was at the very end. The last paragraph. I think that this story gave a good message. This is what I got from it: You can't let everyone else write out your life for you, they aren't you, they don't know what you want. You have to stand up for what you believe and what you want, or you will never get it. You need to pursue your goals and your dreams. You can't sit back and let people run your life and expect to get what you want and to be happy. If you take control and if you are determined you can change anything.

This book put a new twist on Romeo and Juliet. The beginning was okay. The part that really caught my interest was the middle though. After Mimi was thrown back into Verona things got very interesting from there. I guess the wild chases and clever planning was just very intriguing to me. I also really enjoyed the ending. You can buy this at Borders or Barnes & Noble. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Romeo and Juliet or anyone who just wants a good read.

Update

2009-12-11T13:07:00.000-08:00

So today I was listening to this interview and I hear the name of my blog. It was pretty interesting. Here it is if you want to hear it(on the M.M. Anderson interview):
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thefunkywriter

Anyway, I finished reading Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick so the review should be up this weekend. I'm also almost done with Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors so that should be coming soon.

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

2009-11-29T11:06:00.001-08:00

Arriving in Rome was the last thing Princess Kleopatra Selene wanted. At least she had Alexander, her twin brother, to comfort her. Her parents, Queen Cleopatra and Marc Antony, were gone. Octavian planned to bring them into Rome, to do what enslave them? Force them into an unhappy marriage?

Octavian's nephew, Marcellus, greets Selene and Alexander when they arrive at the coast. The journey with Marcellus is a long one but when the children make it to Rome they get to live with Octavian's sister, Octavia, who is nothing but kind to the children. But Selene still has her doubts. Even though Octavian is impressed by her drawing ability and Alexander's ability with horses she still doesn't know why he is treating her well.

The Red Eagle's rebellion is all anyone in Rome can talk about for a while. All the Acta posted on the Temple doors. Slaves rebelling due to the acta posted on doors and windows.

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting from the beginning to the ending. It's a historical fiction. I had read one or two historical fictions before and this one interested me the most. In the back there is an "Afterword" and a "Historical Note". After reading everything else I read the Historical note and I was surprised to find out that most of the things that was written about actually happened. Michelle Moran obviously did her research. She made history come alive. She also wrote an Afterword which told about what happened to the characters in their life after this happened.

There is also a glossary because she uses a lot of foreign words. I think Michelle really excelled. Of the many characters there was all but one or two that didn't actually live 2,000 years ago. Selene was an inspiring and determined character. She wasn't afraid to stand up for what was right and what she believed in. In 422 pages I feel that I've learned a lot about how the Romans lived 2,000 years ago. This was very informative and entertaining and I enjoyed reading this. I Received this from the publisher, Random House. After that I also received bookmarks and an autographed book plate.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2009-10-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

The other day I came home to find a pretty big package for me. I opened it up and inside was a hardcover copy of Hush, Hush and 3 posters promoting the novel! I must say I am very excited to read this one! Hopefully I'll get to read it soon. So far I've heard only good things about this novel. I'm still working on reading Cleopatra's Daughter but i should be done soon since soccer season is ending and I'll need something to do before and after indoor I'll have tons of time to read! Which I am super excited for. I'm going to be receiving new books in the pretty soon hopefully I'll get one or two this week. My pile is building up for winter and thanksgiving break. Hopefully I'll be able to make it through the growing pile of novels to read.

As for reviews the review for Legacy by Cayla Kluver should be up soon. I had a small difficulty with it. When I was almost done with the review my internet crashed randomly and now I have to restart the whole thing. Oh well I'll get it done in the next week or so.

Apologies to Cayla Kluver and her team, sorry I haven't been able to get it up. More apologies to the other authors who sent books that I haven't gotten around to. Plus apologies to everyone who like to read my blog since I've been so inactive for the past 3 months. I'll assure you that I will be picking up in a little bit!

Want to win a signed Copy of Specials by Scott Westerfeld?

2009-10-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

Anyone ages 12-17 can enter this fiction contest to get a chance to win a copy and get their fiction piece printed in the first issue of Lit Mag. Two other people will also get their pieces out int he magazine.

"...The contest is open to all genres, but please avoid overly adult themes, graphic violence, and graphic sex. Please follow the submission guidelines found here."

"...If you'd like to enter the contest, email your submissions to submissions@yaliteraturereview.com. Entries should be sent as attachments and your email should include a cover letter, your name, your penname, your age and a brief bio. Be sure to note in the subject line of your email that it is a contest submission."

http://www.yaliteraturereview.com/contests.html

Good Luck!

The Market by J.M. Steele

2009-09-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Kate Winthrop- 71

Kate doesn't know about the market. That is until Gretchen tells her she is number 71. Horrified by her ranking Kate sets out to rise to the top and be the late bloomer. She enlists the help of her two best friends, Dev and Callie, to help her get too "Blue Chip" status.

Kate starts by getting a whole new wardrobe. All new vintage clothes are sure to help her along the way. To give her an even more edgy look she decides to change her name to Kat. All Kate needs to do now is get into the Proud Crowd and get one of those shiny "P" necklaces.

Armed with a new wardrobe, new haircut, and a new name Kate gets ready to take Millbank high and the Millbank Social Stock Market by storm. Let's just hope she doesn't get so obsessed that she forgets who her real friends are.

I thought this book was good. It was a very original idea. It's not about a popular girl. It's not a love story. It's about an unpopular girl and her climb to popularity. But is popularity really worth loosing your best friends and everything else? I don't think it is. Some people sacrifice their personal style to be cool and I think that this is what this book tried to address. Having all that stuff won't be worth much if you don't have anyone who really likes you to share it with. You can buy The Market at Borders or other book stores.

Internet Dating is not Like Ordering a Pizza by Cherie Burbach

2009-09-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Have you become frustrated with Internet dating?

If you've tried online dating and given up, or even if you thought the Internet wasn't right for you, this book will give you the courage to try again, this time armed with specific illustrations on what really works - from the profile through the dating stage.

Don't waste another minute wondering why some people seems to have Internet dating success while you're still waiting for a response to your online ad. Through dozens of concrete examples, dating expert Cherie Burbach will show you how to write an eye-catching profile, search for, and meet the right person online.

So I can't really say these tips work since I've never tried internet dating but some of the tips would probably work in normal dating. The tips seemed pretty good and well I bet they were since the author is a dating consultant.

I wouldn't recommend this to people under 20. Just because well it's just a bit odd when you are internet dating when you are 16. If you are trying internet dating and you can't find anyone who interests you or someone who is interested in you I think these tips would probably work.

Midnight Reflections by Katrina Michaels

2009-08-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Tara never asked to be a vampire. Actually she never even thought about it. Everything changes when Tara and Michael get into a fight about why Michael wants to be with her. When Tara wakes up from her three days of "sleep" she doesn't know what happened to her and why she is a vampire. To protect her sire, Alexander, Tara might just have to kill someone.

Tara becomes aware of the murders happening in her town when one of her close friends is murdered. Tara is determined to find out who is doing this and put an end to it. When she decides to get involved she doesn't realize the killer will decide to start toying with her. Tara is the only victim who doesn't look like the others though. Tara thought that if she just did a little investigating she might be able to get out if she wanted to but she's completely wrong. This just turned into a game of cat and mouse for Tara and the murderer.

Tara didn't get involved for nothing though. She simply wasn't satisfied with how quickly the investigations were moving. So she decided it would be fine to investigate herself and go to the police or the paranormal investigations. For a new vampire Tara is very bold. Like any parent Alexander doesn't approve of his second living childe getting involved. Tara just might be the asset to the investigation.

I thought this books was good. I probably wouldn't have picked it up in a bookstore. The cover wasn't very appealing. I'm not trying to say that the cover is everything it's just everyone judges a book by it's cover. I wouldn't say it's like Twilight at all for all you Twilight fans. First of all the vampires were like they are usually thought of in real life , they can't go out in sunlight, good sense of smell, all that stuff. It wasn't a love story, I'm not sure how I would explain it actually. I think Katrina did a great job. I will definitely read her next books.

When Katrina contacted me she said that she wouldn't really call it YA because of swearing and a lot of gore. I think that it is YA though. I would recommend it to YA readers and Adult readers. I recommended it to someone on Goodreads because they were looking for good vampire books. So I guess that proves that I would actually recommend it to people. As long as you don't have a weak stomach it's a great read. It's 284 pages. You can find it at Barnes&Noble or on Amazon.com.

Author Interview - M.M. Anderson

2009-08-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

1) What inspired you to write “Werewolf Dreams”?

My father was a New York City police officer. He was a handsome, baby-faced, hairy-chested, former middleweight boxer who had a witty-playful sense of humor, whose principles were honor, courage , and commitment. My dad adored his family, hated bullies, and he believed that kindness is too often confused with weakness.

In 1992 my dad was off duty when he happened upon a robbery in progress at a Radio Shack in Manhattan. He came to the aide of the store manager and customers, but sadly was killed in an ensuing gun battle. Being an author, I wanted to write a tribute to my dad. However, for a long while everything I penned came across as final and morose. For me my dad will always be very much alive, in my heart and in my actions. So I decided to honor my dad’s spirit. I made him an undead werewolf, and Seamus was born. However, the inspiration didn’t stop there. Werewolf Dreams has an ensemble cast. The book is full of memorable characters, characters inspired by real life people. Beware: anyone I cross paths with could potentially be my next muse… :~)

2) You are a young adult author. Did you choose this genre or did it choose you?

The genre chose me. When I first began sending Werewolf Dreams out to agents and publishers I assumed it was an adult novel, since there’s a whole lot of humorous gore in my book. I was, however, told that my situations and characters were “too wholesome” to be adult and either I should add more “titillating” situations or it was suggested that I explore YA. So glad I listened to that sage advise. I was able to keep my story in tact, and YA brought me into contact with an audience that’s so wonderfully full of enthusiasm. I’m here (YA) to stay!

3) What’s the main message you want readers to take away from book?

I want my readers to know that just like Seamus, they are worthy. It isn’t easy to be a teen. I’ve been there done that, and my children are now approaching the teen years so I get to see the angst from another vantage point. I want my children and my readers to remember that we all have gifts and talents, and just because we aren’t perfect, that doesn’t me we aren’t good enough to be part of a cool, select, winning team. In Seamus’s case, that team is the Hounds of the Gods!

4) Can readers expect more books written by you in the future?

Yes. I am presently working on Werewolf Love: Until Death Do Us Part. WD fans will learn much more about Sevlow in book two. Readers can sample the first chapter of book two at the end of Werewolf Dreams, an exciting teaser. :~) I also have a third Werewolf book outlined. It’s my plan to pen as many adventures of Seamus, Claudia, and the gang as my readers can stand!

5) When will “The Werewolf Dreams” be released?

I am happy to announce that Werewolf Dreams will be published and available on September 1, 2009. Pre-orders are available via Amazon.com.

6) Do you have a website for teens/readers to follow the characters from “Werewolf Dreams”? Or to follow you as an author?

I welcome teens/readers to chat with me, friend me, and follow my characters via any or all of these sites:

www.mmanderson.net

www.myspace.com/werewolfdreams

www.goodreads.com/author/show/2970334.M_M_Anderson

Thanks to Maria for sending me my free autographed copy and for working with me to do the fabulous contest that we had a while ago and for taking to time to answer questions. I'm looking forward to her next book Werewolf Love: Until Death Do Us Part and the third in Maria's debut series. If you walk into a Barnes & Noble be sure to request this book. It's also available on Amazon.com. You can read my review one of the August posts. You can also check out A Life Bound By Books to read Lisa's, the winner of the contest, review.

Cleopatra's Daughter contests

2009-08-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm back from band camp! So I've been asked to review Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran and she told me about a contest thing on her website. I decided I would share the link with you guys, too. One of the contests is for a chance to win a $250 gift certificate to Hollister. You have to read the book and write a review to enter but I haven't read it yet because my copy hasn't come yet. I haven't been receiving any books lately and I don't really know why. Hopefully I'll be receiving it next week or the week after. Anyways that isn't the only contest that you can enter on the website. There are three other contests. One of the contests you can enter to win a copy of the book and other ancient Roman artifacts like coins. Sadly I can't do the third contest though. I would but the clostest one to me is New Hope, PA and I looked it up on mapquest and I'm assuming it's about 4 hours away, then you have to add the time to find the bookstore. Although If you live near any of the locations on the list you could go to them and find the red ribbon[pictured above] by leafing through the book and win a neat gift basket including a copy of Cleopatra's Daughter, an authentic Roman artifact, Cleopatra earrings, and other Cleopatra goodies. If any of you win be sure to tell me. I'd love to know that I assisted in telling someone something and hearing that they won. Anyway here's the link http://www.michellemoran.com you have to go into fun stuff first and then click on contests to get to the contests I just mentioned.

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

2009-08-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Beka's journey continues in the second story. Now Beka is a dog. She has been one for five months. Already she has got a scent and she wants to sink her teeth into it. Beka has become friends with the Rogue of Corus, the king/queen of thieves, Rosto the Piper. Well, actually she has been friends with him since she was a puppy. She is also friends with Aniki and Kora who came to Corus with Rosto. Now all three of them are her room mates and Ersken is, too since he is with Kora.

Beka has the scent of a colemonger, the person who makes coles[fake coins] counterfeiter,the colemonger has spread coles all over in Corus's silver. Covering bronze piences with smuggled silver. Why would anyone do something like that? If they just wanted to get rich why not just steal the money instead of making the money worth almost nothing by spreading coles and causing prices to raise. Especially with Winter on the way.

Beka gets sent to Port Caynn to figure out what is going on since they are sure the coles are coming for Port Caynn. Beka and Goodwin go to Port Caynn to fix the problem. Tunstall can't go because he is in bed for almost two weeks because he got both of his legs broken during the Bread Riot. Beka on the other hand can go since her body hasn't had that much healing done by mages. When Beka walked out of her house to go somewhere she was attacked by two rats because she took their brother. Lucky for Beka she was young. Achoo also goes with Beka and Goodwin although Pounce is left behind because he has to take care of business. Achoo is a scent hound. The person that dumped Achoo on Beka abused her and he didn't let her have any fun now that Beka has Achoo she brings Schoo along on the trip. Who would have though Achoo would be a huge help. Expecially since Beka's only training as a handler was with Phelan who was her former handler,not the one who abused her.

Beka and Dale, one of the people to help her out at the bread riot, spend a lot of time together while she is in Port Caynn. Beka becomes close with several people and becomes enemies witha lot of people. Especially rats. Follow Beka on her journey through Port Caynn to find the colemorgers.

This book was great just as I said the first one was. Beka is one scarey girl. I wouldn't want to get into her way. The people Beka meets along the way are described very well. She gives all the details of what they look like and can also guess the age of the people. I guess that would come i handy to be a dog. I think Beka is an interesting character. She would rather be cracking skulls than sewing like the Lady would want her to do but she loves what she does even if the Lady doesn't. Beka isn't one of those girls that always needs a man, although she could have Rosto or Dale she doesn't need them. Although she does enjoy their company.

As I said in my review of the first book I'm looking forward to the third book. Hopefully Tamora is continuing the series. If there isn't a third book in the series I'm going to read the others be Tamora Pierce. Although I will be reading them even if there will be a third book in the series. You can find Bloodhound and Terrier in bookstores now. Terrier is 581 pages and I read it in five days. Bloodhound is 576 pages and I read it in two days. Although my ARC of Bloodhound was actually 531 pages because of an accidental reprint of some of the chapters at the end of the book. Oh well, I was going to buy a normal copy anyway.

Terrier by Tamora Pierce

2009-07-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

246 H.E.
Beka Cooper is a trainee in the provost's guard. Beka is a puppy but soon she will become a dog as long as she watches her back and doesn't get killed by any rats. Pounce her cat can talk to her and she and Pounce watch the lower city with the other dogs and puppies. Goodwin and Tunstall, Beka's dogs, train Beka on the streets. Goodwin is a tough dog and so is Tunstall and they are both senior dogs. Beka is the "pet" of Lord Gershom.

All Beka wants to do is chase rats and catch them so that they can go to the kennels and get what they deserve. Two cases catch Beka's the most though. The Shadow snake has been taking children for years. He asks for valuable items, if you leave the item he asks for you get your little one back if not he kills the poor kid. This huge issue of the Shadow Snake was always a tale that mothers told to their children adn "threatened" then with. Saying "If you don't sleep the Shadow Snake will come get you." Beka never knew this was happening in the Cesspool until Tansy Lofts, a friend of Beka's since she grew up in the Cesspool and then moved into Lord Gershom's house, had her young Rolond taken. All the Shadow Snake wanted was the very valuable fire opals that can be found in the Lower City even in the Cesspool. Crookshank, Tansy's grandfather-in-law and a big rat, never gave up the fire opals and caused young Rolond to die. Beka wants to save all the future kids from being murdered and get back at the Shadow Snake for Tansy and all the other mothers and fathers.

The other thing that catches Beka's eye is the Opal Murders. Beka can speak to the dead who have unfinished business, through pigeons, and several of them are complaining of getting work and not knowing where and being killed. Beka wants to make it all right before anyone else is killed but she can't be sure that that will happen.

Will Beka ever catch the Shadow Snake? Will she find the person in charge of the Opal Murders? This is the beginning of the story of Beka Cooper.

I loved this book. It's 581 pages long but it didn't take very long to read it. I read it in about five days. Beka was a great character. I just read the second one so the review for that one will be up soon. I loved them both. Beka's a hard working dog who just happens to love what she does. Especially when she goes on wild goosechases to get rats who need to be caged. Beka cracks skulls with her baton. Let me tell you I would never want to cross Beka. She's fearless.

I'm looking forward to the series continuing. I'm also going to read Tamora's other books. One that is about a desendant of Beka's named Aly. I think that will be good, too. I really wish the next book was out already. Even though the book is a bit of a fantasy it wasn't bad. Almost all of the stuff that happened in the book could have happened, long ago of course. The book cover was a bit shiney and metallic but I though it was nice that they added the pigeons into the background since they are a big part of the story.

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Heather Hepler & Brad Barkley

2009-07-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

Calliope, or Cal as she calls herself, doesn't want to move again. Every time they move she has to leave her favorite things behind. What's all this for though? Delores, Cal's mom, doesn't like to be at one place all the time, she doesn't have a steady job, and she and Cal left Cal's dad years ago. Delores decides to go to North Carolina to work at a Renaissance Faire. Cal thinks that this place is going to be just like all the others but it just might turn out to be different.

Eliot is the son of the owner of the fat camp. Well actually it's a christian fat camp. The campers go there to pray and learn about god while they learn to loose weight and control their diet. Eliot doesn't really like it there because they had to move away from the beach where he used to live before The Dad go in touch with God.

Eliot has been doing pick ups in the camp van when he sees Cal for the first time. For some reason he feels that he already knows her and has for his whole life. Even though he has never met her before. Cal and Eliot have an immediate connection. The two might just have to face some of the hardest changes of their lives when Cal's mom decides to move again and Eliot's father's obsession changes Eliot's family's lives forever. This might be the only chance that either gets at true love and two people could ruin things forever.

I thought this book was very good. I was looking at it on the shelf at Borders for a while and I'm glad I finally decided to buy it. The writing was very fluid. Both authors did very well when they tried to capture all of the little things that make someone fall in love. I'm definately going to keep reading books by these two authors. I think that the two seem like a great combination. If this book is any indication of what they have already written and what's to come I'll be happy to keep buying their books.

I really couldn't decide which character was my favorite. Eliot seemed like a great sweet guy. Even though he embarassed himself he kept going and never gave up. Then there's Cal who you can't help but feel bad for, she never stays in one place for too long, it's got to be a hard thing to just drop all of your favorite things and leave. Then again she is so strong because she knows there is a big chance that she is going to move again but she lets herself like Eliot even though she might have to leave him when Delores decides she wants to leave. Both of the characters are brave and determined to be together.

Werewolf Dreams by M.M. Anderson

2009-07-24T10:35:00.001-07:00

Seamus Sullivan used to be a wild child. He never wanted to be a werewolf. He never thought he would work for the New City Police Department. Seamus has been shot thrown out buildings and just about anything you can think of. Although the difference between Seamus and any other office is very big. Seamus can't die. Well actually he is dead already, undead. Wherever Seamus gets hurt his mysterious dog shows up. At least that's what the newspapers think. No one knows that the mysterious big dog is Seamus.

On top of being a police officer, Seamus always seems to see this phantom woman whenever he makes a kill. Seamus doesn't know that his phantom woman is actually Claudia Peña. Seamus takes her out on a date. He doesn't know that this date could cause him to loose his motorcycle and Claudia. He doesn't know that he might be meeting more werewolves and he might have to fight alongside them. Claudia is trapped in a tomb while Seamus is left to walk or steal a car to get home. Claudia only wants out. She is deterrmined to get back to Seamus as quickly as she can. Even if it means breaking out and ruining her clothes. Claudia is trapped in the tomb for a reason, to make sure that Seamus doesn't get distracted while he is fighting and so that she doesn't get hurt.

Will Claudia find a way out? Will Seamus and the werewolves win? Who are they battling anyway? Want to find out all you have to do is buy Werwwolf Dreams in September.

I really liked this book. Seamus is a guy that a lot of girls would want. Too bad Claudia gets him. The werewolves in this and all other werewolf books really raise the standards that girls already have for boys. They are just so sweet and strong and even though they smell like wet dog they are just irresistable. We all know how some people think of werewolves as bad, but let face it in most werewolf books, the werewolves are the good guys. I mean sure they kill but at least it's for a reason.

I liked how the chapters went between Claudia and Seamus and everything wasn't for just one point of view but two. You get to see what Seamus thinks and then you see what Claudia thinks. I'm very excited for the next book in the series, Werewolf Love:Until Death Do Us Part. M.M. Anderson is a great writer. Some nights I would stay up until 2 A.M. and still wanted to keep reading. I guess that shows you that it's a very good book. You can get Werewolf Dreams in book stores in September. Or you can go online to Amazon and pre-order it now.

Running with Werewolves Winners

2009-07-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Running With Werewolves Winners

Contest- Lisa Reeves
Drawing- Lisa Mason

Later this week or next week I'll be posting my interview with Maria.

Doesn't Taylor look amazing in this picture? Thank you Borders for posting this picture on Facebook!

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

Your tenth riddle is:
Of the opera but not a chap

This is your last riddle.

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Your ninth riddle is:
Pop singer with curving cones and feathers found after dark under covers

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

Your eighth riddle is:
Sullied scavenger victuals

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-16T16:48:00.001-07:00

Your seventh riddle is:
Common Korean surname perambulation

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

Your sixth riddle is:
A way to keep the linoleum shiny and used in heraldry to signify a second son

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Since the internet wasn't working when I tried to post the fourth riddle yesterday I'm giving you the fourth and fifth today. Remember to send me your answers in an e-mail. This is a caution to prevent cheating. My e-mail address is: yareviewsbylaurel[at]hotmail[dot]com
Also you can e-mail me with entries to the drawing if you feel that it is unsafe for you to put your e-mail on a comment. Good Luck!

Your fourth riddle is:
Passive irregular verb meets Yellowstone resident reverie

Your fifth riddle is:
Three chevrons and silly nonsense between the shin and the thigh

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

Your third riddle is:
Positioned gun hammer minding the gallinaceous gals

Running with Werewolves contest

2009-07-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Your second riddle is:
Slip one of these into a drink and call Stanley Kowalski’s wife

Running with Werewolves Contest

2009-07-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Want to Run with the big dogs?

Now's your chance! You can win a personalized copy of M.M. Anderson's debut novel Werewolf Dreams by correctly solving 10 mind-bending chapter riddles! We all know the bestselling vampire/werewolf series Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, with super hunky werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) who looks muscular like always in the picture to the left. How would you guys like a book where the characters are based on the hunky, rough, tousled guys that are our werewolves! Well now you have it. Maria portrays the anger and the feelings of the forever seventeen werewolf very well. These hot, and I mean hot, victims of fierce bitings are strong powerful "men" with a bad temper. I wouldn't get on their bad side if I were you.

Prizes:
There's more than one way to win. The word riddle winner will receive a personalized copy and second and third place will get an e-book of Werewolf Dreams. Enter a share with your friends drawing to win an autographed copy of Werewolf Dreams.

Rules:
To be included in the extra drawing you have to do one of the things that I am going to post. If you post about the drawing in one place more than once only one will be counted. The only exception is Blogger and anywhere that you can post and put a side bar. Also if you don't post the location of the post it will not be counted. You must post a comment with your e-mail address in it if you want to be entered. The only exception I have for this is if you can't post a comment using the tiny boxes please feel free to e-mail me. I still have your e-mail that way. My e-mail is: (yareviewsbylaurel[at]hotmail[dot]com)

Share With Your Friends Drawing:
+1 Leave a comment with your e-mail address.
+1 Become a follower or let me know if you are already one.
+1 Post this contest on a sidebar on your blog.
+1 Post about this contest on other sites. (Facebook, MySpace, Gather, Twitter, Random Buzz, etc...) [+1 for each post up to one per site]
+1 Come up with a question for Maria for the interview. [+1 for each question up to two questions]
Each point must have a link.

Chapter Riddles:
You will get ten riddles from the chapter that I just posted. One chapter riddle will be posted each day for ten days. You have two weeks to do all of the puzzles. The first one in with the most right will win a personalized copy of Werewolf Dreams by M.M. Anderson. Second and third place will win an e-book.
An Example of the brain teasing riddles:
Professional Football Teams
Army Bugs
GI [army] ANTS [bugs]
GIANTS Get it?

Your first chapter riddle is:
Not quite across town, where the flowers grow and autos shift into top gear.

Send your answers to the riddles to my e-mail address: yareviewsbylaurel[at]hotmail[dot]com

Thanks Lisa for bringing this to my attention even if it was unintentional! I don't want any cheaters! The only thing you can post is your entries for the drawing and if you don't feel comfortable putting your drawing entry on the post feel free to send it in an e-mail!

Werewolf Dreams by M.M. Anderson

2009-07-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Cool Werewolves, a hot heroine, and things that go bump in the night.

Chapter One
Park Patrol

The moon was a waxing crescent.
Officer Seamus Sullivan, New City’s lone werewolf
policeman, slurped the raspberry jelly out of a Krinkle
Kreme donut and lobbed the frosted dough lump out the
window of his blue and white patrol car. It bounced off the
rim of an overflowing garbage can and landed in the paws
of a ragged rat. Feeding Midtown Gardens residents wasn’t
the same as littering, not in Seamus’s mind, anyway.
“Park patrol,” groaned Seamus as he reached for a
cruller. An insatiable sweet tooth and wet dog body odor
were constant but bearable human-form werewolf traits,
although soggy canine funk insured that Seamus’s love life
remained nonexistent. Also on the downside list of werewolf
traits was the “never age” dilemma, which meant
Seamus would stay seventeen forever. On the totally
downside of werewolf was the “moon” matter, and as
Seamus had learned, the “controlling your anger” problem.
Both of these occurrences made him sprout coarse
black fur and razor-sharp incisors, which led to the “holy
smokes” response that prompted Sergeant Gaffney to
consult a lunar calendar and give Seamus blue moon vacation
time and full moon days off.
After a recent newspaper article appeared, the sergeant
also saw to it that Seamus was assigned solo nightshift
park duty, until further notice. Midtown Gardens was
closed to the public from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Seamus
and his New City Police Department radio car were posted
to make certain the park stayed vacant and graffiti-free.
“Sarge, what am I, a watch dog?” protested Seamus
when he heard about his new patrol detail.
Sgt. Gaffney didn’t respond, or look up from his desk
blotter. The reassignment wasn’t open for discussion.
Despite being annoyed and having a bruised ego, Seamus
decided he wouldn’t push the park patrol issue. He knew
Sergeant Gaffney had no choice but to protect his own
twilight career and Seamus’s hairy butt from controversy
and scrutiny, or worse.
Midtown Gardens duty notwithstanding, Seamus also
knew there was a definite upside to being an undead werewolf—
still living.
Seamus possessed an overzealous fight gene and never
retreated when danger reared its homicidal head. In his
four years as an officer of the law, Seamus would have died
many violent deaths had he still been a mortal.
On duty and off, Seamus hated bullies. They made him
react, and more often than not, lose his Irish temper. On
the offensive, Officer Sullivan experienced first-hand
what it was like to be stabbed, shot, bludgeoned, electrocuted,
squashed by a renegade train, pushed off a bridge,
and blown-up in a fiery skyscraper terrorist attack. He
walked away unscathed (usually on all fours) from each
altercation.
Eternal life undead had earned Seamus a slew of medals
for honor and valor, but it had also won him the unwanted
attention of Lyman Newlin, the formerly well-known
and presently crusty New City Chronicle police reporter.
The following editorial by Newlin appeared just prior to
Seamus’s park patrol reassignment:
Officer Seamus Sullivan from the 20th
Precinct seems to rise from the ashes
time and time again, like the mythical
phoenix. How does this young patrolman
defy death? Can survival be attributed
to a lucky break? And what about the
mysterious black hound that seems to
follow him around? Is Seamus Sullivan
New City’s very own superhero with a
canine sidekick?
The buried-on-page-nineteen blurb went unnoticed by
most New Citiers. Father X. Francis Benedict, however,
read the piece with rapt interest.
Mickey Stella, wanna-be wise guy, two-time jailbird,
part-time hit man, and small-time stolen goods fencer sat
alone at the end of the Cock of the Flock Tavern bar. He
puffed an unfiltered cigarette and nursed his fifth and
final bottom shelf double Scotch & soda. He’d been cutoff
by the bartender for uninhibited off gassing.
Mickey was low on cash and irritated about being
stood up by some guy who was going to cut him in on
some sort of great deal, moving stuff from an electronics
heist. Something to do with eye pads or pea pods. The
alcohol had made Mickey’s recall more foggy than usual.
Not to mention years of hallucinogenic drugs, lack of
exercise, and a diet high in partially hydrogenated oils.
Mickey liked to think of himself as a big guy, the
bouncer type. Mickey had horizontal butt crack on the
back of his neck and he could no longer bet numbers
higher than ten. Most people who knew Mickey referred
to him as a dumb, fat mook—even his mother.
Mickey knew this for certain because he used to go
with her to church.
Mama Stella lit devotional candles and prayed for her
only child every morning at 7:30 mass, “Dear Holy Mary
Mother of God, please watch over my dumb, fat mook
son and forgive me for whatever trespasses I did wrong to
give birth to such a loser. Amen.”
Mickey stumbled out of the Cock of the Flock Tavern
and squinted at his watch dial. It was either 12:10 or 2:00.
He couldn’t quite tell, but he was coherent enough to
know he had a transportation issue. Mickey hadn’t
considered finding a lift home, and he refused to take the bus
or subway, not at this late hour anyway, all the weirdoes,
too scary.
Mickey expected the guy with the goods to have wheels
and drive him back over the bridge to Sicily Town after
their deal went down. Mickey had planned to choke the
guy lifeless, bury the body, and keep the car for a few days.
Mickey’s Caddie was in the shop again and Mama Stella
wasn’t exactly generous with her antique Pacer. The moon
buggy sported a bumper sticker that read: HIT ME AND
WE EXPLODE TOGETHER.
That was Plan A. Mickey didn’t have a Plan B, and he
didn’t have return cab fare to Sicily Town. Not that any
New City taxi driver would have ferried Mickey over the
bridge to Sicily Town, not at such a late hour, for any
price, all the weirdoes, too scary.
With drunken clarity, Mickey decided to walk the six
and a quarter miles back to his basement apartment, the
studio he rented from his mother. Mickey hoped she wasn’t
waiting up, although he knew she would be. He pictured
her sour face glued to the kitchen window next to
the cellar door, waiting, watching, worrying. Mama Stella
wouldn’t let Mickey go to sleep without first giving her a
detailed account of his evening. Mickey had long ago run
out of credible fibs for his many midnight escapades,
especially fibs to explain all the digging that went on in
the vegetable garden after dark.
Four short blocks later, Mickey was bathed in sweat
and there was a raw spot on his inner butt cheek where his
size 48 briefs had crawled and bunched and began chafing.
“This freakin’ sucks!” screamed Mickey as he dislodged
the wedgie. A few slow steps later the wilted
traveler removed his sports jacket, and unbuttoned his
damp rayon dress shirt collar before cursing the heat,
which now topped the list of Mickey’s mounting aggravations.
Middle of the night and the mercury was still hovering
around a humid 85 degrees. Tomorrow snow was in the
forecast—that was springtime in New City.
A lone cab stopped for the light. Mickey ambled forward
and grabbed the passenger door handle, but not
before the driver caught sight of the Neanderthal wouldbe
fare in the rearview mirror, pushed auto-lock, and sped
away. Mickey tumbled onto the curb. It wasn’t his night.
“Eat dung! You diaper head, camel face, toilet… freakin’…
mother… ah, shit!” Mickey’s voice was hoarse from
too many smokes and chronic post-nasal drip. He now
had a rip in his sleeve and his elbow was scuffed. He sat
on the grimy concrete for a moment and tried his best to
contemplate the situation. The park loomed in front of
Mickey’s weary view. If he wanted to get home any time
before dawn he’d have to pick himself up and continue
walking.
Mickey decided Plan B was to skim a mile or so off his
impossible foot journey by cutting through Midtown
Gardens.
Mickey crossed the street and yanked the CLOSED
sign from the park’s entryway gate, bent it in half, tossed
it into the deserted avenue, and wished aloud in a flurry
of expletives that the discarded metal would tear through
the next passing cab’s tire.
Two hundred yards away, the clink-clank-clinking of
aluminum sign on potholed asphalt awoke Seamus from
a momentary snooze. The scent of sour body odor, blood,
tobacco, and cheap booze also reached Seamus long
before Mickey lumbered through the park clearing. The
trespasser stopped beside a lonely bench where he paused
to pee on an over-flowing garbage can. Seamus walked up
behind Mickey, flashlight in hand.
“Let’s go, Chief,” said Seamus.
Mickey jumped. “What the—?”
“Park’s closed. Or didn’t you read the sign before flinging
it into the street?”
Mickey finished urinating in silence, shook twice, then
pushed his pecker back into his fly and wiped a wet hand
on his pant leg.
“Prove I flinged the sign onto Garden Avenue, flatfoot.
Smells like a stinkin’wet dog around here.” Mickey sniffed
his own armpits.
“Emptied your tank, now beat it. If you wanna tip-toe
through the tulips, come back after 6:00.” Seamus
motioned with the flashlight beam, illuminating the
direction of nearest park exit. “Start walking.”
Mickey sat himself down on a park bench next to the
garbage can. “I ain’t going nowheres, flatfoot.”
According to the Police Handbook Course of Action,
Section 10, when dealing with an intoxicated person an
officer should:
1. Establish contact in a friendly manner and gain
trust.
2. Never be condescending.
3. Don’t debate.
4. Blame the reason why the person has to leave on
someone besides you.
5. Lie if you have to, to make them happy.
Seamus sighed. He hated dealing with drunks. The five
rules of law enforcement procedure never seemed to
work. He gave it a go anyway.
“Listen, Chief; it doesn’t look like you had such a good
night, but I don’t make the rules around here. Go home.
Things’ll be better in the morning.”
Mickey didn’t move or reply.
“The park is closed—you gotta leave.”
“Who says, flatfoot?” Mickey cocked his head and
glared at Seamus.
“I says.” Seamus folded his arms and stood erect, positioned
cop-style steadfast in a puddle of lamppost light.
Broad shouldered, muscular, 5’11”, clean-cut, baby faced,
Seamus didn’t look a day older than his forever seventeen
years.
Mickey grinned.
In one fast and fluid motion, Mickey grabbed the nearby
trashcan and crashed it across Seamus’s knees.
Seamus collapsed like a house of cards on a windy day.
Mickey followed with a second crushing blow to the
downed officer’s head, splitting it like a ripe watermelon.
Mickey rolled the bloodied, wounded policeman onto his
back and helped himself to the vehicle keys before removing
Seamus’s service revolver from its holster. He fired two
shots into the unconscious officer’s chest, stuffed the
smoking gun into his own waistband, and trotted towards
the radio car.
Seamus’s lupus conversion was swift and furious.
Mickey made it halfway across the clearing before he
heard the pursuing patter of paws. The cop killer slowed
his lumbering jog and glanced over his left shoulder. He
was eye-to-eye with a furious frothing werewolf.
“Big dog!” yelled Mickey, pulling the revolver from his
pocket. He didn’t get the opportunity to fire. An enormous
pair of razor-sharp jaws clamped over Mickey’s fleshy neck
with the force and speed of a guillotine. He was DOA
before his decapitated corpse hit the grass with a THUD.
By the time the frenzied werewolf had consumed
Mickey’s cirrhosis liver, not a trace of desecrated carcass
remained. It had burst into a momentary flame and vanished
into the darkness. Whatever personal articles were
left behind comprised a pile of soon-to-be-windblown
ashes.
Except the gun. It belonged to Seamus.
Seamus the werewolf loped back towards the patrol car,
his rage subsiding along with his consciousness. His stomach
was already beginning to boil and cramp. Don’t eat
drunks’ livers.
Seamus heaved and drooled and retched and hurled
Mickey chunks before catching sight of the familiar
apparition hovering above the grass. There she was again,
watching him from her glistening sphere of luminescence.
Seamus wagged his bushy black tail and whimpered an
affectionate greeting. He liked it when phantom woman
showed up to his kills in the buff. Tonight, however, she
was wearing pink paisley pajamas. All the same, nude or
clothed, she was hot.
It wasn’t long before Seamus’s vision faded to black.
Lights out.

Winner!

2009-07-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

We have a winner! The winner will receive an e-book of Dreams of Beauty by Aubrie Dionne. I won't keep you waiting any longer.

And the winner is...

*Paradox*
http://paradoxrevealed.blogspot.com/

Everyone check back on Friday for the start of my new contest! At the end of the contest check back for an author interview with M.M. Anderson. Also Check back on Wednesday/Thursday for the first chapter of Werewolf Dreams which links to the contest. You'll need to read it if you want to enter.

Dreams or Beauty by Aubrie Dionne

2009-06-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Emme is 20 years old and she still hasn't found the thing that she is "meant to do". Everyone around Emme knows what they are supposed to do even Jack and Stella her two best friends who are a year older than her. Thomas and Laura, Emme's brother and sister-in-law have been taking care of her since she was an infant and her parents died in a carriage accident.

Lets rewind time. Five years ago Stella, Jack, and Emme traveled through the woods. It started raining and The children, then fifteen, decided to go to the Hawthorne Estate for protection. They hid under the porch until Jack and Stella decided to go into the house to check things out. Legend has it that Davian Hawthorne, the man who lived in the estate, was cursed by a sorceress and disappeared for over a century. Emme is intrigued by the fabulous portrait of the young man. He was very handsome.

Fastforward five years and Emme has been having these dreams about Davian Hawthorne. When she sees Rosalie Hawthorne, Davian's neice, at the Harvest Celebration she wants to go and talk to her. And she gets the perfect chance when she finds something of Rosalie's that she has to return to her. Turns out Lilly,Rosalie's mother, is Davian's little sister who was about ten when he disappeared. Lilly is over a hundred years old by the time that Emme meets her but she just might be one of the only ways to get to where Davian is and find him and save Briarswood from Rosalie's wrath.

Emme goes on a journey to find Davian to save the town. Davian might just be the love of her life though. So really she is saving the town and herself. The journey is a long and treacherous one but Emme is determined to get to Davian in time before Lilly dies and Rosalie inherits the estate which turns out to be all of Briarswood and sells it so that factories can be built and homes can be torn down.

Will Emme find Davian? Will Davian fall for her like she fell for him? What will happen to Rosalie? Will Emme ever find out what happened to her parents and why they died? Will Emme get Davian back in time to save Briarswood and Lilly? Will Emme find out where Malicene went?

I thought this was a good book. Although it isn't out in paperback yet so you would have to get it online if you wanted to read it that's really one of the only downside to this book. Also the author is very nice and she very generously gave me an e-book of Dreams of Beauty and Voices of Ire which I'm also excited to read. Thanks Aubrie! I really enjoyed this book. It was placed in a time where they used carriages instead of cars to get places. Emme was a great character. Also if it weren't for Stella and Jack getting Emme to go into the Hawthorne Estate and see Davian's portrait she would have never known where to find him and Briarswood would have been filled with factories instead of residents and stores.

This book was 103 pages. I would read it again if I didn't have a whole pile of books to read. So I guess I'm kind of saying that I recommend it. Aubrie has also written several other books. Such as Voices of Ire, Night Dance, and Messanger in the Mist (which I'm excited to read). She also wrote several short stories, such as the Seasons of Fantasy series and the Carnival of Illusions series. Check out Aubrie's blog at http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com/ or under my stalkers column, her name on that is Aubrie.

Also if you comment on this post you will be entered into a drawing to win Aubrie's book, Dreams of Beauty. Although it is in pdf form [on the computer/e-book] because it isn't out in paperback. It was a very quick read even though it was on the computer. All you have to do is comment and you will be entered in a drawing the only thing I must stress is you need to put your e-mail in the comment! You will not be entered in the contest if you don't put your valid e-mail address! Good luck everyone!

The contest ends on July 6th. We will choose the winner on July 7th. The winner will be e-mailed a congratulatory notification and then will be e-mailed the e-book. I will also post on my blog who the winner is.

Contest for some amazing beachy reads

2009-06-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

If you want to win a huge beachy prize? If so go to http://www.royalreads.com/2009/06/just-beachy-reads-prizepack-giveaway.html to enter the amazing giveaway. There are three winners and each gets at least one autographed copy of a book by Kieran Scott a.k.a Kate Brian who I was just gushing over her latest release and I found this amazing contest right after I did that. Lucky me. The catch is it ends today June 29th so if you want to enter go do it now! your time may be up soon!

Happy Times!

2009-06-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished Beautiful Disaster By Kate Brian and I loved it! Anyway though I just figured out that two books by her are coming out around my birthday! Suspicion [Private Series] is coming out on October 8th, 10 days before my birthday not even two weeks! Also Perfect Mistake [Privilege Series] is coming out on the 27th , 8 days after my birthday! I'm sure that I won't have any trouble finding something to spend my birthday money on. Maybe someone will even get me a Borders giftcard for my birthday. That would be awesome. Anyway I still have a little time before my birthday but I'm already planning how I'm going to spend the money. Wow!

Also the month before my birthday Werewolf Dreams comes out! Also the release of that novel calls for a massive contest. Also I recently was told by the author Maria, M.M. Anderson, that she is working on the second in the series! More hot werewolf guys! *sigh* More muscles!

Which reminds me New Moon comes out in theaters in November! Taylor Lautner with his shirt off! He's so muscular. Also he's so much cuter with short hair! I've been on Team Jacob forever, but now all the girls see why I was. They called him ugly since he had long hair! How dare they! Now they see it was only a wig and that he is so hot. Lets hope there is a lot of Jacob with his shirt off in the movie. *sigh*

Thanks for voting!

2009-06-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

The winning choice was "millions of pages flipped daily". Thanks for voting! Now all I need to do is make a header for my blog with that on it and put it up.

Also check back tomorrow for a chance to win an e-book from Aubrie Dionne. All you have to do is leave a comment on my post with your e-mail address and you will be entered into a drawing.

The Band: Trading Guys by Debra Garfinkle

2009-06-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Tracie Lily Mark Sienna and George's band, Amber Road, is finally making it big. At least they think they are until something major happens after the audition at Waves. Amber Road goes out to the beach to celebrate. Aaron, Lily's brother, brings some beer. When Lily suggests that they all do a boyfriend swap after George leaves things really start to get messed up. Lily takes Mark, Sienna's boyfriend, Aaron takes Tracie, Carter's girlfriend, and Sienna and Carter stuck together and they really don't want to do anything since they might have just lost their boyfriend/girlfriend.

The thing is that this whole thing turns into a permanent thing and not just a fun little game to spend the night with someone else's boyfriend/girlfriend. Everything turns upside down and the friendships in the band might be lost. Sienna is still hoping that Mark still likes her until she is told that he doesn't. Carter still has hope for him and Tracie until he knows that she doesn't want him anymore when she breaks up with him for the two-timing Aaron. George really isn't in any of the drama because he left early and he is trying to get all of his band mates to lighten up and stop being so depressed. Tracie might be getting kicked out because of Aaron.

All that could go wrong has went wrong and none of the bandmates know if anything can be undone. None of them know if they are ever going to get their chance to be famous. No one in the band even knows who Amber road is and why their band is named after her.

Will Amber Road make it or will they crash and burn? Will anyone other than Mark figure out who Amber is or what happened to her? Will the bandmates stay friends? Will Carter and Sienna get over their ex-boyfriend/girlfriend?

I thought this book was okay. I kind of compared it to So Lyrical and Overnight Sensation by Trish Cook. Although I thought that the ones by Trish Cook were betterbecause they weren't just a bunch of people fighting over a bunch of guys/girls. Actually the "funny" thing is they are pretty much the same story. The main character even has the same name. I wonder if the authors even noticed that they had almost the same book with an alike storyline and the same character name. Seems kind of fishy if you ask me. The funny thing is that I bought the first one in the series of both of these series at the same time at the same place. Usually I don't compare books to other books but this one and So Lyrical were so much a like I really couldn't not compare them.

I have the whole series which is three books and follows Amber Road on their journey (at least that's what I'm expecting because well it is a book entitled The Band. I don't think it rated very high for me because I felt like I had read the story before but without so many people. Personally I don't recommend it because I just didn't find it that interesting because it was just a bunch of people fighting and they used the term "make love" a lot which I hate that term don't you why don't you just come out and say what it is called. I think that the term "making love" is completely creepy. Don't you guys? Anyways I recommend So Lyrical over The Band because So Lyrical is about two people who fall for each other and Trace who is in search of her long lost dad who she has never met. Overall I think it's a good storyline and everything even though I might not have done a very good job explaining that book.

Werewolf Dreams by M.M. Anderson

2009-06-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

YA Book Carnival at Bloody Bookaholic

2009-06-20T02:30:00.000-07:00

Check out the YA Book Carnival at Bloody Bookaholic for your chance to win one of two books.

Double the chance to win when you enter! She's giving away The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge and a surprise book. The first place winner will get their choice and the second place winner will get the other one. The contest ends on June 27th so go check it out now!

Go Enter At:
http://bloodybookaholic.blogspot.com/2009/06/ya-book-carnival.html#comments

Also enter to win Eyes Like Stars at the same blog. You will get a +2 for the YA Book Carnival if you also enter to win this one.

The Geography of Girlhood by Kirsten Smith

2009-06-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Okay so I'm not completely sure how to write a review of this so I'm going to use the summary from the cover.

As the ferry coasts into downtown,
All lit up and windy and magic,
I realize kids who grow up in cities
must never dream of
going anywhere else
because they're already there.

Penny Morrow is ready to escape the pocket of home, ready to be in love, ready to find her way in the world. Navigating the choppy waters of her life, she confronts the complicated truths of her not-quite-normal family, the highs and lows of high school, her lost mother and her lost best friend, and one alluring bad boy who just might be more adventure than she bargained for.

Written in raw, captivating verse, Kirsten Smith's powerful debut novel explores the heartbreak and humor of what it really mean to be a girl stumbling toward adulthood without a map.

I personally thought this book was completely confusing. The main character's name isn't even mentioned until page 23 and frankly I couldn't remember her name I had to keep going back to the one section to find it. Also it is written in verse which I always find confusing. On the upside though if you are looking for a quick read this is very fast to read. I read this during the school year and I got through it in two nights and I usually have a lot of homework. It's 184 pages. Although as you can see I found it very hard to write a summary of it and had to use the summary on the cover of the book.

This book did get several good reviews from great authors which are on the back so it might just be me that doesn't understand the storyline. Most of the reviews on the back say that it is very real and I do agree with that. Also Penny is fourteen so that might have been another reason for me not liking it because I'm fourteen and I'm just not really interested in reading about what goes on in my own life or at least some of the stuff that goes on because my life isn't that much like Penny's life. Well I'm not going to recommend it but I'm also not going to say to not go out and buy it.

Ever After by Rachel Vail

2009-06-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

Molly and Vicky have been best friends since they were really little. Until Grace comes it's good and the girls are having fun. Vicky doesn't trust Grace and doesn't get along with her because she thinks that Grace will leave them like their other friend left them.

Grace on the other hand doesn't understand why Vicky doesn't like her. Grace didn't force Molly to change. She didn't force Molly to steal the lifesavers or any other things. She didn't beg Jason to like her.

Vicky is getting upset because she feels like Molly is leaving her for Grace. Vicky also thinks that Molly has a crush on Henry, Vicky's brother and Molly's saxophone teacher, because she talks to him a lot and Henry thinks that Molly likes him too.

A lot changes on the day of Vicky's birthday party too. Henry's girlfriend and Grace get into this disgusting conversation at dinner and end up ruining Vicky's birthday dinner. Vicky storms up to her room and doesn't want to talk to anyone even Molly because she feels that Molly is turning on her. After Molly and Vicky get everything talked out Molly tells Grace she has to appologize to Vicky so she does and the girls end up doing something really bad.

I thought the book was okay. I would have been more interested if I was about two years younger. I would definitely say that this book is for younger audiences because it is about 8th graders well actually freshmen and it is over their summer before freshmen year. If you like reading about younger girls or girls your age getting into sort of fights then you might like this book but otherwise I would say not to go out and buy it if you like to read about girls older than you. The book is 171 pages. If I would have known that it was about 13-14 year old girls I probably would have never picked up the book because I'm going to be a freshman this year and I'd really rather not read about what is going on in my life and I would probably rather not look back on some of these kinds of things if I was older.

Kissing Snowflakes by Abby Sher

2009-06-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sam's dad remarried Kathy and now Sam and her brother Jeremy are on their honeymoon with them because her dad wants Kathy and Sam and Jeremy to bond. There is one little problem though, they are honeymooning in Burlington, Vermont at a ski resort and Sam doesn't know how to ski and she doesn't particularly want to learn either. Until she meets Drew and the other people in his ski class.

Drew is a ski instructor who went on the trails in the Olympics and has all the girls swooning over him. Sam sucks at skiing, she can't seem to get the foot work right and she keeps falling. Drew suggests a little one on one time and teaches Sam how to ski and how to kiss.

There is also that "creepy" guy, Eric who Sam keeps running into and not on purpose. Eric helps Sam through some sticky situations like when she got mad and went down the trickiest slope on the mountain.

Will Sam choose Drew? What about Eric? Will Sam and Eric become friends? Will they become more? Will Sam and Drew be friends after she leaves? Read this book to find out if any of these things happen.

I thought this book was good it was interesting how the author portrayed Sam trying to choose between the two guys and figure out what was going on with her and her best friend, Pheobe, and trying to cope with having to deal with a new stepmom. I thought it really did sound like a girl's, who was having a major turning point i guess you could say, thoughts and how they can be everywhere at once but in one second if she finds her "snowflake to kiss" her mind would go straight to him sometimes. Overall it was a good book. I also liked the cover. This book is 266 pages and was really good. So if you liked how it sounded then go out and buy it.

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

2009-05-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Cannie Shapiro settled into anonymously writing the Star Girl series in her townhouse in Philadelphia, starring the kick butt character Lyla Dare, after writing a fictionalized version of her own life. She settled into a life of watching her daughter Joy's drama rehersals and taking yoga classes. To Cannie everything seems right when they start preperations for Joy's bat mitzvah. Cannie is happily married to Peter Krushelevansky.

On the other hand, in Joy's world she is sick of her overbearing mom watching her constantly and not allowing her to do things like dress like the rest of the girls at school or straighten her hair. Also on thop of having an overbearing mom, she finds out that her mom wrote a book and it's not the most appropriate book. Joy finds this book so overwhelming that she has to black out some of the pages in the book.

Peter wants a baby. The search for a surrogate soon begins when they figure out everything. When they find Betsy, who gave birth to a baby for a gay couple and has done this before, they know that she would be a great person to help them. Betsy is a nurse and is married with 2 little boys.

I thought this book was good. It is an adult novel but I recommend it. Jennifer Weiner captures the mother-daughter relationship almost perfectly. Joy is like any typical teenage girl who is annoyed by her mom and doesn't want her constantly butting into her life. Although Cannie is totally oblivious to why Joy is acting so weird and what she is doing wrong. If it weren't for the novel that Cannie wrote in this i bet most girls would be able to relate to this book.

Tallulah Falls by Christine Fletcher

2009-05-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Tennessee!?
Why did Derek leave her alone in the hotel room? He took all her money except about a dollar. The worst thing was that she would never get to Maeve without money, food, comfortable shoes, or help.

All Tallulah had was a duffel bag of clothes and not even a dollar in change. She didn't even think to bring her sneakers she just thought that the boots would look so much cuter. Tallulah could only bring one pair of shoes so she had to pick one and she picked the wrong pair. Tallulah is stuck hitchhiking to get to Florida after Derek ditches her at the hotel and robs her in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee.

I have to get to Maeve. She needs these journals and me in Florida not Tennessee.
*Frantic phone calls to Maeve*
I'm stuck in Tennessee and I'm in jail! Come get me, come help me.

It's been over a week and no Maeve. After working at the vet's office for Dr. Poteet cleaning the cages isn't getting any better.

Tallulah and Maeve have been best friends since the motorcycle show. Debbie wasdaring but not very smart. Putting a knife down your shirt isn't the smartest thing, but why did Maeve come to Debbie's rescue when they didn't even know each other? Maeve kept calling Debbie this different name though, Tallulah. Maeve said "Trust me, it is" whenn Debbie tried to tell her that her name wasn't Tallulah and after being around Maeve for so long the name just stuck. Tallulah Addy.

Maeve might never show up. Tallulah can't stand to think that her best friend would just abandon her and leave her in Tennessee. Does Maeve even care? Why would she not want her precious journals? What is going on? Does Ruth even mind having Tallulah skeep on her pull out couch? How will Kile feel after Tallulah is gone?

I thought this book was ok, a little depressing though. When animals die in the book it kind of sad and when Tallulah runs into a little trouble on the road it is also really sad. I know she runs into trouble on the road doesn't sound sad but if you read the book you will realize why I mean that it is kind of sad and shocking. Tallulah is a very determined and strong character. She never gives up the hope that Maeve is going to come help her. At least she doesn't give it up until she figures out that she doesn't want Maeve to come get her. Tallulah may not be book smart but she finds ways to help people on the street. Tallulah is very brave and she could do anything that she set her mind to. I thought the book was ok, not an absolute have to read but a good read nonetheless. I found Tallulah Falls in a discount bookstore, I think we only paid about $3 for it so it was worth the $3 but like I said not an absolute must read. I like the cover for the hard cover (the blue one) but I think I like the cover for the parerback better.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

2009-05-12T18:16:00.000-07:00

Laurel has a normal if not perfect life. Her skin looks airbrushed and she has never had a blemish on her face. Until she starts going to public school after being home-schooled for so long. Laurel makes friends pretty easily. David is the sweetest, he asks her to eat lunch with him and when she says she wants to eat outside she eats with him.

Although when David asks her to go to the beach with him she can't because there is a softball sized zit on her back! What comes out of the zit isn't normal though. It's a flower, a beautiful growth that she has to hide from everyone but David and others of her kind. It takes Laurel a little while to actually believe that she isn't a person but a plant and that she is a faerie. How could this happen? Also there is something completely creepy about the guy that her mom is going to sell the land to.

Will Laurel ever figure out why the guy is so creepy? Will Laurel ever get to let her blossom out in public so everyone can see just how beautiful she really is? Is all of this the reason for her strange eating habits? Could it get anymore confusing?

I loved this book. I'm a little biased because the main character has the same name as me but it was a great book anyway. I liked that it wasn't just your typical faerie story but it was kind of saying that all other faerie stories were nonsense. It wasn't to imaginary though. I mean the plant thing probably wouldn't happen but anything else probably could. You can find Wings in bookstores now. Go out and get it.

Pretty Little Dirty by Amanda Boyden

2009-04-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Lisa thinks the life of her best friend Celeste is perfect. Sha has two sisters that help show her the way through High School, parents who care, and a big house. Lisa on the other hand has a younger brother who won't be any help guiding her through High School since he hasn't finished the experience yet, a mother who is mute and doesn't leave her room (and ends up going to somewhere with doctors that can take care of her), a father who doesn't really talk with her much, a medium sized house. Lisa pretty much moves in with the Diamonds and soaks in their normal family life of sitting down for dinners and talking.

When Celeste and Lisa go back to the Art Instutute over the summer the get to see Ess and meet Hank. But when the girls go over to Hank's house they get into some pretty bad drugs. They do that stuff pretty much all summer and almost the whole school year.

When the girls go to college they don't stop doing the drugs, the drugs just get worse than they already were. Celeste and Lisa agree to keep contact with eachother and call each other like 6 days a week. Celeste invites Lisa to go to California for Christmas instead of going home to Kansas City. While in California Lisa gets her first taste of how Celeste has been living since the beginning of the year.

I thought it was ok. I didn't like it as much as I like other books, the girls were a little over the top for me. The book was based in the 1970's so the girls weren't as up to date as other girls in books. I almost gave up reading this book a few times. But I can never do that for some strange reason I always want to at least finish it to see how it turns out in the end. So, I didn't really like it but if you want to try reading it go for it but, unless you like books like what I just described, I don't really suggest you read it.

Saints of Augustine by P.E. Ryan

2009-04-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Charlie Perrin and Sam Findley used to be best friends a little over a year ago until Sam unexpectedly broke it off. Charlie doesn't know what happened, if it was something he did or something that was bound to happen sometime. After Sam and Charlie stopped being friends, Charlie's mom went downhill and eventually died soon after. After the death Charlie got into some bad things and ended up owing $500 to someone he didn't want to owe it to and on top of that his dad stopped going out of the house and drinking constantly at night. And on top of that Kate Bryant, Charlie's girlfriend, doesn't like what he does and can't have a boyfriend who does the things that got him into so much debt.

Sam on the other hand knew why he had to break off his and Chalie's friendship. He kept trying to tell himself that it isn't true and that he can just go back how he was at the snap of a finger. Until he meets Justin, the confident sassy, gay guy? Melissa, Sam's best friend, says that they hit it off when they met. But is Sam ready to "committ to going to Justin's church"? But is Sam more worried about what Teddy, Sam's mom's homophobic boyfriend, will think about his new feelings than what he thinks about them.

Sam and Charlie run into eachother after something horrible happens to each of them. But will Sam want to be friends with Charlie again? Will Charlie even understand why Sam and him had to stop being friends? Will Charlie still want to be friends with Sam? Will Kate and Charlie stay together? Will Kate ever want Charlie back if they don't stay together?

I thought it was an okay book. I liked Charlie's parts but Sam's parts were a little boring for me. I always wanted to know what was going on with Charlie when I read Sam's chapters. P.E. Ryan shows the bond between two guys and the power that their friendship had over them. Even when they hadn't talked to eachother in over a year he shows that there is still some trace of their friendship that they are still willing to try and see if their friendship takes the same turn that it did before.

Soccer, school, etc...

2009-04-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry no posts lately. I've been really busy with middle school soccer and trying (but not succeeding) to get all my school work done.

Soccer news:
So I might have broken a bone in my foot which means I might be out for the rest of the spring season which will really suck so if I am out for the season I'll be pretty much hanging around middle school practices and going to games and going to Teal Wave games, too. I get my MRI Monday to see if it is broken so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I'll get the okay to play from the doctors and I'll be out on the field with the girls soon. Although if I do need to get a cast or whatever then I will still be able to go with the team to away games and cheer my team on to victory. Although I don't think my foot is that bad I have a feeling it is just a tissue bruise.

Book news:
Recently I got and ARC of Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce which is the second book in a series. The first one is Terrier. I haven't gotten Terrier yet but I'm looking forward to getting it so that I can read Bloodhound which I got from Random House (and took forever to get to my house). The book is pretty think but summer is coming up so I'll have plenty of time to read. Also I'd like to say that the book is coming out on the ninth of this month so if you want to get it you can get it in stores that day. Anyway, I'm on page 310 of Pretty Little Dirty and am almost done so that review should be up shortly.

Summer news:
My sister(Hillary) and I are planning on volunteering at the ASPCA to help out with the animals which should be fun. We will get to play with the animals and walk the dogs and do some dirty work and all of this will look good for colleges but that doesn't really matter, I think it would just be nice to help out the cute animals. If that sounds fun to you then you should check out your local animal shelter and volunteer to help out if you have extra time. Also during the summer I'll have soccer camp for the high school and band camp also. Which reminds me there are only 41 days in school left for my district.

So that's about it for now. I'll keep posting as soon as I can. If I don't have time to post I'll try to make time, but if I can't make time then I guess I'll post when I can and read when I can.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2009-03-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

Life will NEVER be the same

Melinda has the life of a typical sixteen year old. Although one of the most major things to happen that year is happening very soon. The moon is supposed to be hit by a meteor. As usual teachers are assigning massive amounts of homework about the moon. The moon is all anyone is talking about. Especially after the meteor hits the moon.

For some reason when Melinda looks at the sky after the meteor hit the moon, Melinda has the feeling that the moon looks just a little bit too big. Melinda just can't shake the topic of the moon especially with all the homework that is going to be due about it. This meteor hitting the moon is a huge disaster in the making.

While Melinda is in school it starts raining so bad that the kids can't learn or even stay in the classrooms. Melinda's mom comes to get her at school so that Melinda can help get groceries since the grocery store is selling huge carts filled with anything you can fit in for $100 each. What people don't know is that they will need to stock up with everything they can. Every little crumb and antibiotic counts when you are fighting for your life.

Melinda is going to have to face a very tough year and lets just hope that her, her two brothers, Jonny and Matt, Horton, her mom and Mrs. Nesbitt can survive the huge effects that the meteor has caused the earth to go through. It can't get that bad can it? It'll be over soon, right? Who knew that one event could change the life of every person in the world.

I picked up this book because I love the last name of the author. I mean it's so much fun to say. I have to say though that I'm glad that I picked it up. It's a great book. It's written like a diary. When I read books that are more like diarys I just feel more connected to the character. The things the character writing the diary makes you want to cry when she's going through hard times, punch something when she's mad, smile when she's happy, and laugh when she talks about things that seem to her funny but you wouldn't actually think they were funny in real life. With Melinda when she was writing she made me think about how lucky we all are that we are all well fed and not diseased.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you read this book it just might change the way you think about how you live and even if you think that you are the unluckiest person on Earth it'll make you think about how lucky you actually are. I agree with www.teenreads.com who said" One of the year's best books. You will read it in one sitting, fighting back tears as you bite your nails." I wish I didn't have school because then I could have never put it down. You can find the next book The Dead and The Gone in the irresistable series at book stores now.

The Breakup Bible by Melissa Kantor

2009-03-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Lewis always though Max Brown was the perfect guy until he broke up with her using the line "it would be better if we were just friends." Jenn is devastated when Max breaks up with her. Her mom and her mom's book club don't help either. All those divorcees who hate men. Although Jenn's mother doesn't hate men because Jenn's father divorced her mother because he actually turned out to be gay.

Jenn is having trouble imagining how she is ever going to get over Max, or how she is going to get out of her bed each morning. Jenn will have to see Max at the meetings for The Hillsdale High Spectator. The Breakup Bible that Jenn's grandmother isn't helping so far either. The Breakup Bible claims to be able to make Jenn the "happiest dumpee on the block" if she follows the "commandments." Jenn is sure that her and Max aren't over and this breakup was just a mistake.

Will The Breakup Bible actually help? Well, Jenn will just have to figure that out, unless she throws out the book before she is actually the "happiest dumpee on the block," and if you want to know how Jenn makes out you won't throw your Breakup Bible in the trash before you get to the true story of it.

Great Book. First of all I love the cover, mostly because it looks worn and i don't know I just think it's kind of eye catching with the bright pink and gold. When I looked at it the one time I thought "Is this ripped?" but no, it wasn't actually ripped. I know laugh at me because I was fooled by a fake scratch on a book. But as you all know don't judge a book by it's cover.

I liked the basic idea of the story, too. You know usually stories are about the girls finding love and it was nice to read about a girl losing love and how she dealt with the trauma and humiliation of being dumped by a hot popular senior. It kind of showed what girls are feeling after they get dumped by a guy that they thought they loved, without the girls pretending to be okay when they weren't. I highly recommend this book. It's a great read.

Paradise Lost by Kate Brian

2009-03-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Reed has almost been killed two times. Easton has had 2 deaths so far. It's not like Reed had suspected her best friend and roommate at the moment was the sister of Ariana and a psycho killer. On top of finding out that her best friend is a nutcase she looses her boyfriend Josh and can't seem to stop thinking about him and Ivy. The day of Kiran's birthday party she has a gun pointed at her by none other than Sabine DuLac, right as the gun is fired Josh pushes the gun away from where it is pointed at Reed and ends up pointing it right at Ivy, his girlfriend.

Now, Reed wakes up in the hospital and has to go see Josh, she makes him promise to keep her updated on Ivy's condition when she gets to talk to him. When Reed goes out to talk to Noelle and some other friends that are in the waiting room Noelle tells her that she should go to St Barths with her and the rest of the Billings Girls. Reed agrees.

After a long flight they get there and the island is the most beautiful think that Reed has ever seen. Until she sees Upton Giles who is the finest male in the entire world, not just on the island either. What Reed doesn't understand is why Upton is so interested in her though. Forget about the Upton Games Reed has metaled in the Upton Olympics. Along with Upton comes Poppy the girl that has known him for 18 years and is in love with him, except he doesn't love her back, or does he? Poppy is like one of those girls who thinks if you call someone "my boyfriend" so many times they think that the person is actually going to start believing that he is your boyfriend.

I love this series. It's my favorite series ever. I always tend to like the guy that Reed likes at the moment but I have to say that I liked Josh more than Upton because Josh just seemed so honest and so sweet, where Upton was a player and kind of seemed a little untrustworthy. Reed seemed so much safer with Josh and with Upton she almost died twice.

Sealed With a Diss by Lisi Harrison

2009-02-25T17:55:00.000-08:00

The Pretty Committee finally has the key to the secret room at OCD. But there's a twist, the have some challenges that they have to go through before they get to keep the secret room for 8th grade at OCD. One of those challenges is for the biggest party of the year, Skye Hamilton's end of 8th grade party. The girls all have to find HART guys to go as the guy to their celebrity couple that they pick. Massie has an added challenge that she has to set in motion though, she has to get Chris Abeley like Skye by her party and make Chris the Brad to Skye's Angie.

The girls are going through a major breakdown not knowing if they will be able to get dates to the party. Good thing they have the extra special device in the secret room. This extra device will make them boy-experts and help to get them dates for this very important party if they could just get into the room before the party. Will the Pretty Committee get into the room early? Will they all get dates? Will Massie get Chris to fall for Skye before the party?

So as you all know from my last Clique review I'm not a huge fan of these books. My opinion on these is that they are shallow. I didn't hate this one though it would have to be one of the better books in the baseline series. My two better liked ones are Sealed With a Diss and Kristen in the summer collection. I read this for another book review because the library at school does not have many good books believe me. If you have already read them and liked them i would recommend Sealed With a Diss to you but if you haven't read them I recommend you read a less shallow book and I guarantee you will like it better.

Paradise Lost Release!

2009-02-24T16:06:00.000-08:00

Paradise Lost was released today! I got it yesterday at Wal-Mart (I AM MAD AT Wal-Mart FOR RELEASING IT EARLY =[). My mom got it for me while I was at soccer and then she didn't tell me until we got home 30 minutes later, I obviously was very happy I got it though because I didn't think I would get it until this weekend. From what I know the series will have at least 14 books in it. Plus the run off series Privilege will have the second book Beautiful Disaster coming out in about 97 days. There is also the prequel also starring Ariana which is called Last Christmas.

Congratulations to Kate Brian/Keiran Scott on her 9th book in the Private series and her upcoming book Beautiful Disaster.

The Guy Next Door by Carol Culver

2009-02-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

Maggie has always wanted Ethan Andrews but with her braces and glasses she's afraid he'll never want her. On top of her worries about Ethan her parents are getting divorced and she has to move away from the posh neighborhood and her childhood home. It's not just the fabulous house that she will miss, it's Ethan. Maggie has lived next to Ethan for her whole life up until this divorce, and Ethan and her were best friends because of Maggie's competitive and athletic nature.

Maggie doesn't have the funds that she did before the divorce so she has to work. On top of having no funds her father is complaining about Maggie and her mother's excessive spending habits. Maggie gets the makeover of a lifetime before the class trip to Hawaii. This could not be a more perfect opportunity to win Ethan's heart.

Will Ethan like Maggie's new looks or will he go for another of the girls? More importantly will Maggie even have the guts to go after Ethan? Will Maggie go after him on the Hawaii trip or will she miss her chance and loose him forever?

This book is the 3rd in the Manderley Prep series. The series is a little dull at the beginning to tell you the truth I didn't like the books at the beginning but I read through and I ended up really liking them. The first one I kind of compared to Cinderella because the first one is pretty much a twist on the old Cinderella tale, the main character is even named Cindy. The second one I kind of compared to beauty and the beast because Victoria was a beauty queen, Miss Junior Hong Kong to be exact, and she fell for Gabe who is the environment obsessed child of her housekeeper. Now this one I haven't quite figured out which disney princess this is like but I'm sure I will.

If you're thinking that the disney princess-like plot isn't your thing, you should try reading it first. So far I don't know of any other books in the series but I'll be sure to watch out for the possibility of a next one.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

2009-02-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

So I went to a book store today and bought and got Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side signed. I'm posting pictures to show how obviously awesome this book is going to be.

Privilege by Kate Brian

2009-02-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

Ariana's back.
Let's step into the fence of the Brenda T. Trumbull Correctional Facility for a second: the baggy prison clothes, the psychotic therapist, the fattening food, the dog. I bet your thinking why is sweet innocent well-educated Ariana there. Well, Ariana isn't that girl you thought she was. She's a murder. Ariana was taken to the Brenda T. because she murdered Thomas Pearson and attempted to murder Thomas's girlfriend Reed when she found out it was Ariana.

Ariana's been locked up for 2 years. Her cellmate Kaitlynn is the sweetest most innocent girl Ariana knows and Ariana has no clue how Kaitlynn could be put in the Brenda T. for being framed for the murder of the best friend's dad.

Ariana will do anything to get out and stay out. On the day that the inmates get to go out and watch the fireworks over Lake Page Ariana plans to slip out underneath a hole in the fence where she constantly threw food so that Rambo, the psychotic therapist's (Dr. Meloni's) dog, could dig the hole so that Ariana could slip through while everyone was occupied by the fireworks. Who knows if this plan will actually work but Ariana is hoping that it will and that she will never have to be in the Brenda T. again.

Well, this is my favorite series ever it even tops Twilight. Yes this series is that good. If your looking at them on the shelves and you haven't read one yet and you think that look majorly cliquish or gossip girly, and you don't like those books let me just tell you they are nothing like those books. These books are pretty much about girls who have a lot of money and who go to private school, but one little thing is different from the rest of the private schools and Easton Academy, Easton deals with several murders.

When my sister sent me a text with the picture of my book in it I literally screamed. I was really excited to read it, I refused to read anyone's review on it (no offense) because I wanted to figure it all out on my own. I actually held off about a month and didn't read a word of any other reviews on this, and let me say I'm glad I did held off because some of the things were pretty shocking and it was so much better finding those things out on my own. This month the next in the series comes out! It's called Paradise Lost and it looks just so amazing. Paradise Lost comes out on the 24th. When I get Paradise Lost I will surly be walking out of Borders with the biggest grin on my face.

Kate Brian has written several other books such as Fake Boyfriend, Sweet 16, Private Series, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys, The Virginity Club, Lucky T, The Princess & the Pauper, and the NEW Privilege series. Kate Brian isn't her real name though. Her Real name is Keiran Scott. She wrote Geek Magnet and the Non-blonde Cheerleader series under her real name. I haven't gotten to read the non-blonde cheerleader series because I only have a non-blonde cheerleader in love but I'm going to get the rest of the series because it is sure to be a great book like all her others.

Wintergirls contest

2009-02-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

There is a Wintergirls contest being held at Hope's Bookshelf. Three people will win a copy of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Make sure to head over there and enter to win.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2009-02-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Katniss Everdeen is living in a household of 3 girls a goat and a cat. Katniss needs to hunt and trade to keep her family alive. Since the woods are forbidden for the people of the 12 districts to go into Katniss and Gale have to make sure not to let any people know that they are hunting in there.

It's reaping day! Two tributes will be picked to play in the anual Hunger Games that the capitol holds to keep the 12 districts in line. One girl and one boy ages 12-18 will be picked to participate in the games. Katniss makes sure to only let Prim, her 12 year old sister, put in only one slip. This obviously doesn't work though. Prim's name is pulled and Katniss can't let her go. Katniss volunteers to go for Prim.

When the games start Katniss has to survive and be the last one standing to return to her district living. Katniss sees a bow and arrow when the games are about to start. Although Katniss doesn't make it to the bow and arrow she does get a backpack filled with essential things that she needs to stay alive. Who knew the backpack she randomly grabbed could come in so much handy with it's sleeping bag, crackers, water bottle, and water purifying tablets. Katniss makes 2 alliances total. She also makes many enemies which are known as the careers. The careers are the people who train for the games in their districts, the districts who have careers are usually the districts that are bigger suck-ups to the capitol though.

I loved this book! It was amazing. Although part of the reason I read it was because it was recommended by Stephanie Meyer (who if you don't already know is the author of the amazing Twilight saga) on her website. It was also recommended to me by my sister Hillary, she said it was amazing. Now, I'm recommending it to everyone, because I thought it was so amazing and It's totally worth reading, so if you see it in a book store and you don't already have it I highly recommend you pick that book up. Then walk right up to the cashier to pay for it. Then you go home and read it. Trust me though, I don't normally tell people to do that so I guess this has to be a pretty amazing book if I'm telling you that.

I'm very excited for the release of Catching Fire which is the next in the series. This book is on my top favorite books along with Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, Private by Kate Brian, and How NOT to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler. Even though sometimes this book made me sad and then happy, and it kind of made me feel bipolar (even though I'm not), I still loved it so much and I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out.

Rich Girl by Carol Culver

2009-01-28T17:25:00.000-08:00

Victoria Lee lives alone in her parents' McMansion. She can do anything she wants without her parents knowing. Most high school juniors at Manderley Prep would be throwing parties constantly, but not Victoria. Victoria's trying to hook Steve Heller so she throws a party and sends him and invite and hopes that he comes. The night of the party it's almost 2 hours after the party was supposed to begin and everyone finally starts to show up including Steve and the water polo team. Steve and his friends show up already partially drunk and when Victoria sees him she also sees that someone brought a keg. Victoria doesn't know half that came to her party, but she does know she wants them out.

Victoria's annoying chemistry partner Gabe who would be hot if he just cut the hair that hung in his face constantly. Gabe likes to lecture Victoria about the emissions that her car is putting into the air. Gabe even goes to the car wash that Victoria signed up to do for the community service that each Manderley student is required to do to graduate. Gabe goes to the car was to lecture her on the pollution she is putting into the environment by useing detergent to wash the cars. Victoria learns that behind the annoying lectures Gabe is very artistic and is good at chemistry too.

Rich Girl is the second in the series of BFF novels. The first one was Manderley Prep. When I first started reading the series I didn't really like it. It took a while to get into but after I got into the series I really enjoyed them. So far Rich Girl would have to be my favorite but I still have one more to read which is called The Guy Next Door it sounds pretty interesting from the title. From what I read of this series they are love stories. The first one is kind of like a Cinderella type book. The second one I can't compare it to anything off the top of my head.

As for the characters my favorite girl would have to be Victoria and my favorite guy would have to be Gabe. I like Gabe because he's artistic, smart, he cares about the Earth, and he's hot. Most of the people in these books are really rich and Gabe is one of the poorer people stuck with all the rich snobby people. Victoria is interesting because she may not be the smartest girl in the school but she's deep, artistic (she likes to draw clothing and wants to become a designer), and she isn't wild (even though she has the house to herself she doesn't throw any wild parties or anything). In general I like the books especially since it's not written about the popular girls at Manderley Prep, it's written in the point of view of the unpopular girls. I liked to read about the unpopular girls in my opinion they are much more deep and more interesting overall.

Happy Meme

2009-01-27T16:49:00.003-08:00

I was tagged by Hillary for this meme. Thanks!

Rules of the tag:
- Link to the person who tagged you
- List 6 things that make you happy
- Post the rules, tag six others and let them know you did so
- Then tell the person who tagged you your entry is finished!

6 Things That Make Me Happy!

1) Reading books for fun ( some of the books they pick for us to read in school are so boring)
2) Soccer with Teal Wave and Cougars
3) Summer weather
4) Guys
5) Shopping
6) Playing Rock Band 2

I Tag:
Anyone who hasn't done it yet, because like my sister Hillary said I got this at the end and since repeating things is annoying and boring I'll just put it out there that anyone who wants to do it that hasn't can.

Okay well I got privilege today. I know it's so late and they are my favorite series so I was about to buy Privilege at Borders a few time but I held back so my mom wouldn't have to buy it twice even though she accidentally pre-ordered it with Envy which Hillary got today so I didn't get it until Hillary got Envy. When I was on the bus today Hillary sent me a text with my book in the picture and I literally screamed and everyone was asking me why I screamed. Privilege is obviously the next on my to read pile. I'm so excited to read it and when the others in the series come out I'm not going to get them a month after all the other people who are weirdly obsessed with that series like I am.

The Clique Summer Collection - Kristen by Lisi Harrison

2009-01-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

As you all know if you read the series Kristen isn't the richest girl in the Pretty Committee,shes actually the poorest. So while the rest of the her friends are out on vacations during the summer she's stuck at home tutor-sitting Ripple. While she's tutor-sitting Ripple she meets Dune, Ripple's hot older brother. Dune is one of the only guys that Kristen knows that understands how it is to not be rich. Dune's down to earth character draws Kristen in. Massie on the other hand doesn't like the fact the Kristen is crushing on Dune. When Kristen develops a huge crush on Dune she starts to hang out at GAS with him and his skater friends.

Kristen gets Ripple's advice on how to dress to impress Dune in exchange for information about Massie's shopping techniques. Ripple has Kristen dress in baggy gray shorts and a red sweatshirt which by the way is a bad choice because of the hot weather. When Kristen shows up at GAS the day she wears that outfit the one and only Skye Hamilton is there and flirting with Dune, but the thing that makes her mad is that she's wearing the dress that Kristen wanted to buy instead of the baggy unworthy clothes she was told that Dune would love so much. Will Kristen get Dune? and more importantly is what she's going to do make or break their relationship?

I'm just going to put it out there that I'm not much of a fan of these books. Now you're probably wondering why I read it if I didn't like the others. Well it's simple I had to do a review for my Language Arts class at school and figured since I was writing the review anyway why not put it on my blog, even though the one on here is way better than the one for school. On that note I actually didn't mind this one that much. I would recommend this book to people who read the rest of the series and liked them which is probably almost every girl in 8th grade to 6th grade.

Kristen would have to be my favorite character becaus

e she's not rich and stuck up like the rest. Even though Massie didn't like Dune she didn't toss him off to the side like Massie said to do. That proves that she's not just going to do something because Massie said to. She did it because she wanted to and she didn't care what Massie said. Kristen was actually my favorite character from the beginning of the series. You're probably wondering why aren't you. Well I liked her because she plays soccer and she's smart and athletic.

Off the Trails by Emily Franklin

2009-01-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

What more could Dove want she's finally going to see William again after months apart and be away from the cold for a while... well a job and a home would also help. Reunited with William isn't as great as she thought it would be. Dove had pictured them reuniting so many different times and is shocked that there isn't so much happiness when it finally happens. What she doesn't know is that her heart is in the wrong place and so is she.

Escaped from Les Trois Melissa's clothingless, loveless, jobless, and homeless. First thing to deal with is her lack of clothing. Dove insists on using her parent's off-limits charge account at Pulse a cool boutique that Dove told her about. While she is at Pulse Melissa is shopping and this assistant keeps insisting that she goes into a dressing room to try on the things that she decided to purchase, and when Melissa finds out it's Harley she's ecstatic. When love drops in Melissa notices that her heart's in the right place and so is she.

It's not Harley's first day on the island and not her first job when she meets up with Melissa when Melissa gets to Nevis and goes to Pulse to get some clothes since the airline lost hers. Harley's got a secret love and Melissa and Dove want to know about him and more importantly, HIS NAME! Harley is throwing a birthday party for Melissa and she needs a dress so she borrows a dress from Pulse and throws the party on this peir not thinking that she could loose her job and end up in debt. Emmy Taylor Harley's boss's daughter and someone who just happened to see her at the party wearing a dress that she didn't buy, Emmy tells her mother and causes Harley's job to be lost and $1500 in debt because she didn't properly rent the peir for Melissa's party. The constant fling Harley has with danger might mean the end of her job circuit, her relationship, and one of her friendships.

I've read the whole series so far and they are really good. There's never a dull moment in this series. I got the first book over the summer maybe a year or two ago and I was wanting to get the rest of the series to read, and was happy when I finally got it for Christmas this year. I'm hoping that she writes another one in this series because I really enjoyed the first three. I highly encourage any girl to read this book, and I say girl because I don't think that any guy would be interested in reading this, but it's a great read for a girl. I really liked this book.

Slippery Slopes by Emily Franklin

2009-01-11T06:51:00.000-08:00

Lily, AKA Dove, and Melissa are working at Les Trois, which is a skiing resort in the French Alpes. Harley is away in Nevis with the family they hosted at the chalet.
What could go wrong? A lot.

Lily de Rothschild, Dove, is a former society girl until her parents kicked her out of her cushy life because she fell in love with William and wanted to go with him. Dove has been working at the ski resort since the beginning of the skiing season and is saving up money to go to Nevis. William is working in Nevis and Dove has to save her tips and the money she gets from the resort for the plane ticket and their life when she gets to Nevis on New Years, to be with William. Her ex-boyfriend Max was the last family that stayed at the Chalet that she is working in and he said he would stay in the Alpes or go to Nevis with his family all Dave had to do was say what she wanted him to do.

Melissa is confused by the love triangle that she has with Gabe Schroeder and James Marks-Benton, who are both world class skiers, and who both "like" Melissa, at least thats what she thinks. Melissa breaks her ribs and has to go to the infirmary after trying to do a trick on the infamous rope on a closed trail. When she wakes up in the infirmary she finds that she isn't alone, Gabe came and stayed with her the whole time she was there with her 2 broken ribs. Melissa has to supervise the painting on the ice pond and plan the Winter Wonderland Ball. She's determined to make the ball the most memerable one of all, too.

Harley is away with Max's family catering to their needs in Nevis. She writes postcards and urgent faxes but never hears anything back from Dove and Melissa. She thinks that they are mad at her but turns out they aren't and they just weren't getting the postcards or faxes. Turns out that it's not all fun in the sun, Harley has troubles with the family and ends up jobless and penniless, until she meets a most likely soon to be celebrity chef and start to work as a hostess at his restaurant.

This is the 2nd in a series and was good along with the first one. I'm reading the last one right now and fromm what I've read along with the other two this is a great series. It's not a book about rich girls who are going to the ski resort as vacationers it's about the things that go on behind the scenes with the maids and the cooks and the hosts of the chalets. It's a great book and is a quick read when you get into it like I did, I read it in 2 days.

Emily Franklin also wrote the Principles of Love series and I have 2 in the middle of the series and am looking forward to getting the rest of it so that I can read it. From what I've read Emily Franklin is a great author, and I highly encourage people to read the books she's written. Personally I can't wait for the next one in the Chalet girls series to come out, and I'm hoping it'll come out soon.

At Face Value by Emily Franklin

2009-01-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

Cyrie Bergerac is charming and witty, but there's one thing that she thinks is keeping her from getting her crush, Eddie "Rox" Roxanninoff, her HUGE NOSE. Cyrie doesn't have many friends because people like to make fun of her huge nose, Leyla is one of the only people that don't make fun of Cyrie's nose, and is one of Cyrie's only friends. Leyla encourages Cyrie to go to a lot of the senior year parties and events so that she won't regret not going later in her life.

At the Night of Knights Cyrie and Leyla are talking to Eddie when Leyla runs off because of her nerves. Cyrie and Eddie look all over the school for Leyla but come up with nothing when they go to the drama room Eddie confesses that he likes Leyla but he doesn't know her well enough and he wants to get to know her better.

Cyrie tells Leyla and since Leyla is slightly tongue-tied but gorgeous they decide to e-mail Eddie so they make a new e-mail account so that they can both log on and Leyla can write the letters and Cyrie can edit them, since Cyrie is the editor of the paper, to make sure that Leyla spelled things right or that she used the right words or to add a few words here and there. What they don't notice is that this is going to be a horrible idea and it won't work as well as they thought it would.

I thought this book was great. It made me a little mad when Leyla got Eddie but in the end it all worked out. I'm glad that I saw this book up for being renewed on BookDivas even though I didn't get it through there, that's how I found out about it and I'm glad I did.

Even though Cyrie had all these witty comments for when someone insulted her nose or even hinted about it's size and was pretty nasty when it came to throwing those insults at the people, she was pretty much a character who meant good but couldn't show it as well because of the center of her face. Cyrie doesn't want to be friends with the people that insult her, and I don't blame her for that neither would I, so she only has a few friends and she knows that those people who don't make fun of her nose are the people she really wants to be friends with not the vapid popular people who do make fun of her. I liked Cyrie she wasn't like one of the girls that are so pretty and vapid that they get whatever they want, she was smart and not the prettiest but if she didn't have the huge nose thing going on she would have been pretty.

Fake Boyfriend by Kate Brian

2009-01-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

Ever have a friend who's boyfriend you can't stand but even when he royally messes up with her she just goes right back to him? Well Vivi, Lane, and Curtis have this problem with their best friend Isabelle who keeps going back to Shaun Luttig who has broken her heart numerous times, but this time Vivi is going to show Isabelle that there are other better guys out there.

Prom's 3 weeks away when Izzy and Shaun break up again after Izzy saw Shaun cheating on her with Tricia Blank. Vivi doesn't want Shaun to mess up prom for Izzy like he ruined her birthday by getting into an accident in her new car. To prevent her from going to prom with him Vivi and Lane come up with Operation Skewer Sluttig. Operation Skewer Sluttig involves Vivi and Lane make up a fake guy to show Izzy that there are guys who will respect her. When Izzy starts talking to Brandon, the guy they made up, Vivi and Lane instantly notice that she is getting much happier during school after talking to him almost every night. Izzy soon decides that this is the guy she wants to got to prom with even though he lives 2 1/2 hours away from her in Connecticut.

Vivi and Lane then have to find a guy who is so hot that Izzy won't be able to resist him. After failing at their first destination where the guys were hot but shallower than a puddle Vivi, Lane, and Curtis get the idea of going to Vivi's mom's auditions for Bye Bye Birdie which should be full of teens guys. Vivi, Lane, and Curtis meet Jonathan and persuade him to be their Brandon and take Izzy to prom for $300. For all Vivi knows Jonathan is the perfect guy for Izzy, but she doesn't notice that she could be making the biggest mistake of her life setting Izzy up with Jonathan.

I loved this book, like I love all of the other books that she wrote that I read. If I were Izzy I would have killed my friends by the time prom came around. Vivi was the pushy one that thought of the idea and I thought she was funny. Lane was a pushover but when they got her to speak her mind and not say yes to everything she was kind of hilarious I especially liked when she was in the car and yelling like a maniac.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it didn't have just one set main character it was kind of based on 4 people, but I got used to that easily. I would definitely recommend Fake Boyfriend to anyone.

How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler

2009-01-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

Sugar Magnolia Dempsey, aka Maggie, is always moving from one state to another never staying in one state for more that about eight months. Maggie is moving from Portland, Oregon to Austin, Texas this time and she's not excited about leaving behind another group of friends that will probably stop talking to her after a few months of her move. To stop the endless losses of friends Maggie decides to be so uncool any smart person would want to stay away from her. Maggie is going to begin Operation Avoid Friends (OAF) when she starts her new school.

On the first day of school Maggie goes in just her normal clothes and meets Miles who is one of the most popular guys in the school. Maggie also meets Caitlyn, Shanna, and Sharla who are part of the Austin Belles. Since Maggie is trying to stay away from the popular crowd she ignores Miles, and decides her normal clothes have to change and she'll have to totally commit to wearing the ugliest outfits she can find from the store her dad is running for his one friend.

Even though Maggie is dressing like a total moron she meets friends that she thinks she won't miss when she leaves for her next destination, but she starts to like the people that she would have avoided if she wanted to be popular. Maggie now has to avoid Miles and the Austin Belles to keep her plan in motion while trying not to get close to the people that don't care about her clothes.

I thought that How Not to be Popular was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. Maggie was a really interesting character. I thought some of the things she came up with to avoid getting hurt and losing more friends were hilarious. I loved that Maggie was never afraid to do something completely weird like dive into a duck pond with all of her clothes on. Maggie is full of spunk and is a really lovable character.

New YA Book Reviewer!

2009-01-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

I am a YA book reviewer and this is my new blog that I have created to post my reviews of the books I read.

Some of my favorite books include:

The Private Series by Kate Brian
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
How Not To Be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler
The Midnighters Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
Exit Here by Jason Myers

My older sister also has a ya book review blog, The Book Reader, which was the inspiration for my blog. (She's actually helping me a lot with the blog and probably will be for the first few months since she's been using blogger for awhile now and knows how things work.)