In My Mailbox: Week 48

Borrowed from the library:

Flawless by Lara Chapman

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?

This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.



Divergent by Veronica Roth

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place her in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

Read & Watched in November

BOOKS
1. Spider's Bite - Jennifer Estep
2. Dead Beautiful - Yvonne Wood

3. Turned - Morgan Rice

4. Uncommon Criminals - Ally Carter

5. Once Dead, Twice Shy - Kim Harrison

MOVIES
1. Chalet Girl
2. Teen Spirit

3. Dirty Deeds

4. Country Strong

5. Inglourious Basterds

6. Idiocracy

Book Review: Bloodlines

Title: Bloodlines

Series: Bloodlines #1
Author: Richelle Mead
Published: August 2011

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.
Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

My Thoughts: This book is set in the same world as Vampire Academy, but with a different narrator. I wasn't sure if I was going to like Sydney as a narrator or not, since I didn't feel like I had gotten to know her enough in the Vampire Academy books. But, as I read Bloodlines, I started to like Sydney more and more. She's loyal, passionate and fair. While she isn't as strong or protective as Rose, she has a softer and more emotional side, which I really enjoyed seeing.

Both Rose and Dimitri make an appearance in this book, but I have to say that it felt a bit weird to read about them from Sydney's point of view.

Along with Sydney, Adrian, Eddy and Jill are the main characters of this book. I loved to read about Adrian & Sydney's constant banter, and how they slowly became friends. Jill was a pest in this book, she acted so selfish and whiny all the time. And Eddie, he still felt like a background character.

This book started out slow, but slowly grew more charming, exciting and fun! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series, a series which I'm sure will grow into a series just as good as the Vampire Academy!

Rating: 4 of 5

Book Review: Past Perfect

Title: Past Perfect

Author: Leila Sales
Published: October 2011

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.

Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….

My Thoughts:
Don't judge this book from it's cover! (Not that it is anything wrong with the cover) I did, and this book was not what I expected! What did I expect? Well something funny and a little crazy I guess. What did I get? Something much better than that!

Chelsea had been hoping that she could escape her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village, the recreation park where she practically grew up, for a job in a place with air condition. But - against her hopes, she is forced to work there yet another summer. At least her best friend gets a job there as well...

The colonial village might look calm during the days, but at nights when the tourists and grown-ups are long gone, a war is going on between the teenagers working at the Colonial Village - and those working at the Civil War Reenactment-land across the street.

When Chelsea is kidnapped by some Civil War Reenactors the event is the beginning of an ugly war between the two villages where every dirty trick is allowed. But the kidnapping is also the beginning of a forbidden love story between Chelsea and the Civil War reenactor who kidnapped her...
This book had me laughing out loud, smile until my face burst and most of all - left me with a wish of working in a recreation park. All workers seemed to have a blast! Imagine dressing up in gowns which where high-fashion hundreds of years ago, to speak in an old-fashioned way and to say goodbye to all modern technology; cell phones, ovens, zippers - you name it! Sounds interesting and strangely fun, doesn't it?

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (11/16)

Title: Kiss Crush Collide
Author: Christina Meredith
Release Date: December 27, 2011

Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her.

Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.

Sounds good, doesn't it? :)

Book Review: The Pledge

Title: The Pledge

Series: The Pledge #1

Author: Kimberly Derting

Release Date: November 15, 2011

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution.  

Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed.  

Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

My Thoughts:

Magic, dystopia, mystery, romance - this novel has it all!

Charlie was a great character. She was caring and loving, but she wasn't weak or stupid. She didn't trust anyone - even if they were hot and charming.

Charlie wasn't the only good character in this book - I liked them all! Protective and noble Max,  mysterious and conspiring Xander, the sweet and helpful best friend Aron, and Brooklynn the beautiful girl with hidden depths. Derting made me care for each character, and she made them all likeable and interesting in their own way (Queen Sabara was not likeable of course! She was pure evil, so the feelings I got for her were more like hatred).

Although this is a dystopian novel, that part didn't take overhand. I am sure the great characters and the sweet romance will win readers over - dystopian fans or not!

I liked The Pledge far more than I liked The Body Finder, Derting's first book. And I am already awaiting the sequel, which i'm afraid won't be published until next year at the earliest...

Cover Thoughts:
Absolutely stunning! Definitely one of my favourite covers this year.

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Guest Post: Derek Clendening

    Of all the classic monsters, vampires have the most visibility and staying power, because they also offer the most opportunity. Zombies seem to be gaining speed, but for the time being vampires are still on top of the heap. Indeed, vampires have often been noted for being attractive, sensual creatures. Edward Cullen has continued that notion. But there are so many more possibilities.

    I once read a vampire titled Blood Road by Edo Van Belkom, which was the first I’d read in which the ugly vampire was tackled. He was the antithesis of the attractive vampire as played by Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Robert Pattinson. His teeth were so broken and sensitive that he had to suck blood through a straw. This vampire might not be breaking any hearts, but he was an interesting change of pace.

    I recently wrote a short vampire story (to be published in a forthcoming collection) in which the vampire fed on human fat rather than blood. In this case, the vampire is symbolic. I wrote the story because I’ve decided to put an end to my weight and eating issues and this is my way of symbolically driving a stake through the heart of those problems once and for all. In this case, the vampire represents the proverbial monkey that’s been on my back for a long time.

    Damien Masonite in The Vampire Way kind of embodies a number of the aforementioned. He’s an attractive teen vampire. However, he isn’t the kind variety. Still, there’s plenty of reason to care about him. He has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders between grieving for the father he’s had to euthanize, and rebuild his family at the age of eighteen. This character is a return to the scary vampire in YA, you could say, but I think it’s a welcome return. Vampires, at their core, are supposed to be scary. Still, there is no question that vampires will always be multi-dimensional. I know Damien Masonite is.


Derek Clendening is the author of The Vampire Way (2011). He also writes paranormal and dark novels and short story collections for adults, as well as YA vampire novels for younger readers.

Read Derek Clendening's blog here

Eighteen year old Rick Thompson is a marked man. When Damien Masonite comes to his school, he knows something is up. And when his friends start falling to vampire attacks, he knows that he and his girlfriend Laura are next. The quest to understand immortality, true love and undying friendship compromise his safety even more. Can he keep his best friends, his true love and keep his mortal life?

Cover Combat: The Sky Is Everywhere

In Cover Combat I compare Swedish covers to the US and/or UK covers of the same books.

Today, I'm comparing the covers of The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson.

US cover:

Swedish Cover:



Title: "The Sky Begins Here"

Which cover is your favorite, and why?

I like the simplicity and the bright colors of the US cover, the Swedish cover looks pale when you compare the two. On the other hand, I like all the details in the Swedish cover - the instrument, the boy on the skateboard, the photo etc. - and the house looks like it could be Lennie's.

Vote for your favorite cover in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday (11/9)

Title: Catching Jordan

Author: Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: December 1, 2011

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.


Sounds good, doesn't it? This one is on my wishlist for Christmas :)

Mini Reviews: The Eternal Ones, The Juliet Spell, Misfit

Title: The Eternal Ones
Series: Eternal Ones #1
Author: Kirsten Miller
Published: 2010

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was...

I had high hopes for this novel, but sadly it didn't deliver. If I had borrowed this book from the library, I would have returned it right away without finishing it. But as it was, this was the only audio book I had, and I had to listen to something while trying to fall asleep...

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be confusing. There are parts set in the past, and parts set in the present, and there are several narrators. I had a hard time keeping track of what had happened, and when it had happened.

Another thing I disliked was the religious part of the novel, Haven's grandmother (who was such a mean person!) was very religious, and was certain that Haven had been possessed by the devil. Because of all religion and preachyness I thought this book was set a few decades back, but I don't think it was? Another thing that had me confused in the beginning was Haven's best friend Beau - I couldn't figure out if it was a boy or a girl! haha
This book wasn't for me, but you might like it.

Rating: 2 of 5


Title: The Juliet Spell
Author: Douglas Rees
Published: September 2011

I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it—even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part.I didn't get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren't any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I'd cast the next best—a Fame spell. Good idea, right?

Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William's younger brother. Good thing he's sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and—ahem—maybe a little bit hot. But he's from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him—cars! And cell phones? Ugh. Still, there's something about him that's making my eyes go star-crossed....

The Juliet Spell was a fun and light read. If you like theatre, and Shakespeare above all, you're going to love this book!

The main character, Miranda, is so desperate to follow in her mother's footsteps, that she makes a spell in hope of getting the lead role in her high school play. But instead of landing her the role as Juliet the spell gives her Shakespeare, not the Shakespeare but his less-known brother - Edmund.

 

 

Edmund was a fun and bubbly character, at times a bit too enthusiastic. He reminded me a little bit of Puck from the Iron Fey series.

This book has theatre, a little bit of history, friendship and a little bit of romance. Sometimes it got a little to theatrical for my taste, with Miranda and her friends using dramatic old-fashioned language, but as I mentioned before, if you're into theatre this might be the book for you!

Rating: 3.75 of 5

Title: Misfit

Author: Jon Skovron
Published: August 2011

Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential.

What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.

This book was something of a roller coaster, it certainly had its ups and downs! I think the idea of Jael being a half demon was interesting and definitely had potential. But instead of focusing on Jael and her destiny I think this story "spaced out" a bit, more than once which made the book thicker, confusing, and harder getting into.


There where some parts of the book that were good, and would have been even better if they had been processed and more developed. And there were some less interesting parts that easily could have been removed.


The characters were also a problem for me, they were all alright - but nothing more than that. And if you don't care too much about the characters, then really, how fun is the book to read?

Rating: 2 of 5

Read and Watched in October

Books:

1. Virtuosity - Jessica Martinez

2. The Pledge - Kimberley Derting

3. Beauty Queens - Libba Bray

4. Bloodlines - Richelle Mead

Movies:
1. A Perfect Man
2. LA Gigolo

3. GI Joe: The Rise of the Cobra

Book Review: Personal Demons

Title: Personal Demons

Series: Personal Demons #1
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Published: 2010

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.
What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.
But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

My Thoughts:
I have mixed feelings about this one. Some parts of it was fantastic - original, and dramatic. Other parts were predictable and cheesy. The language were sometimes too flirty and sappy to seem realistic, and I blushed while reading.

Frannie was an alright character, though I couldn't make her very different personal traits fit together into one believable person. On one hand she was flirty and somewhat a player, on the other hand she was a girl who wasn't afraid to get dirty while working on car engines, had lost her faith in God, and was blaming herself for her brother's death.
Overall this was an okay read, but I was expecting more than that, so I got a bit disappointed. I won't walk through fire to get my hand on the sequels.

Cover Thoughts:
Am I the only one getting 80s Nancy Drew vibes from this cover?

Fun-Post Friday: Top 100 YA Books

I'm sure most of you have seen this list already - I don't know where it originated but it has found its way through numerous blogs. This list lists the Top 100 Most Popular YA Books - the bolded ones are the ones I have read.

Top 100 Most Popular YA Books
1.Alex Finn – Beastly (No, but I've seen the movie)
2.Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3.Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4.Ally Condie – Matched
5.Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
6.Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7.Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8.Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)9.Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10.Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11.Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
12.Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)
13.Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14.Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15.Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16.Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
17.Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3)
18.Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19.Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20.Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
21.Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22.Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23.Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24.Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25.Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26.Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27.Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28.Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29.J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30.James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)
31.James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32.Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33.Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34.Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35.John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36.John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37.John Green – Looking for Alaska
38.John Green – Paper Towns
39.Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40.Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2) I own the 2nd but haven't read it.
41.Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42.Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43.Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44.Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45.Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46.Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47.Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48.M.T. Anderson – Feed
49.Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50.Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51.Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52.Markus Zusak – The Book Thief
53.Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54.Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55.Mary Ting – Crossroads
56.Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57.Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58.Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59.Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60.Meg Rosoff – How I live now
61.Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62.Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63.Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64.Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65.Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66.Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67.Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68.Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69.Neil Gaiman – Coraline
70.Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71.Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72.P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
73.Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74.Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75.Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick; Norah’s Infinite Playlist (No, but I've seen the movie)
76.Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77.Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) (Again, seen the movie)
78.Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79.S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80.Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81.Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82.Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83.Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84.Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) (I love the TV series!)
85.Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2)
86.Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3)
87.Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88.Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89.Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90.Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91.Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92.Stephanie Meyer – The Host
93.Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
94.Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95.Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96.Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
97.Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98.Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99.Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100.Wendelin Van Draanen

Result:
36 out of 100! I'm pretty happy with that result, since many of these books aren't available in my country. To tell you the truth, there are several books on this list that I never have heard of!
How many of these have you read?

Waiting on Wednesday (10/19)

Title: Amplified

Author: Tara Kelly
Release Date: October 25, 2011

When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it. . . . In this fresh new novel by critically acclaimed author Tara Kelly, Jasmine finds out what happens when her life gets Amplified.

Sounds pretty good, don't you think?

In My Mailbox (week 41)

From the Library:


Bloodlines - Richelle Mead

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood





Dead Beautiful - Yvonne Woon

On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.

After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine. It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.

Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.




Once Dead Twice Shy - Kim Harrison

Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.
Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff.

Book Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Published: 2010

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew—just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident.

So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident.

Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road—diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards—this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! It was so sweet and fun. My three favorite ingredients; love, summer and road-trips, where all in there. Seriousness, pain and sorrow where mixed together with love, friendships, easygoingness and laughter into a perfect blend.

Amy and Roger were very likeable and realistic characters, they both had problems and flaws. I loved how they grew close to each other during their road-trip. From barely talking the first time, to sharing their emotions, opinions and thoughts on any matter.

Amy was, as the summary says, devastated about her father's decease, and she was blaming herself for his death. Even if her sorrow always was present in the book, it was far from dominating the story.

The icing on the cake for me was all photos, playlists, receipts and drawings inside the book (see photo above). This definitely added something extra to the book and made Amy and Roger's tour seem even more realistic. What is more, it also made me dying to go on a road trip myself! There are so many places to discover!

Rating: 4.75 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (10/12)

Title: As I Wake

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Release Date: September 2011

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

I've liked all of Elizabeth Scott's books that I have read so far, but this one sounds a little bit different from them. Interesting!

Mini Reviews: The Sky Is Everywhere, The Sweetest Thing

Title: The Sky Is Everywhere

Author: Jandy Nelson

Published: 2010

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey.

But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it.

 But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

The Sky Is Everywhere has gotten a lot of praise, and rightfully so.
 In this novel Lennie deals with her huge sorrow after her sister's death. Beside her is her flower-crazy grandmother, girl-crazy uncle, her sister's boyfriend Toby, and Joe, the new boy in town.

I'm usually not a fan of "dysfunctional" families, but this family was an exception. They shared love and sorrow, good and bad, and there were so many heart-warming moments in this book.

I absolutely loved all notes Lennie left behind her, it could be a poem about her relationship with her sister or a memory of a random moment they shared together. These memories were written down on papers, old receipts, house walls - any available spot. I feel like we not only got to know Bailey through these notes, but also got to know Lennie a bit better.

If you're looking for a great contemporary read filled with everything from love and happiness to trouble and sorrow, this is the book for you.

Rating: 4.25 of 5

Title: The Sweetest Thing

Author: Christina Mandelski

Published: May 2011

In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she's decorating a cake. Unfortunately everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable.

But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems - only her dad's about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed.

Using just the right amount of romance, family drama, and cute boys, The Sweetest Thing will entice fans with its perfect mixture of girl-friendly ingredients.

First off - how I would have loved to see all Sheridan's cakes! Her creations sounded absolutely beautiful! And how fun wouldn't it be to be a cake decorater?

While I was a big fan of Sheridan's cakes, I sadly didn't like her personality as much. She acted a bit too childish - and selfish. I wish she would have been happier for her father's sake, and tried to understand him, and get to know him, a bit better. After all, he was the parent who decided to stay with her and raise her, not the one who ran away and forgot about her.

Sheridan was naive when it came to her mother, she didn't want to see the truth so she pictured her mum as a hero instead, a hero who would come running as soon as Sheridan needed help. So, does Sheridan find her long-lost mother? You have to read the book and see!

Rating: 3 of 5

In My Mailbox (week 40)

From S&S Galley Grab:


The Pledge - Kimberly Derting

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….



Legacy - Molly Cochran

When her widowed father dumps 16-year-old Katy Jessevar in a boarding school in Whitfield, Massachusetts, she has no idea that fate has just opened the door to both her future and her past. Nearly everyone in Whitfield is a witch, as is Katy herself, although she has struggled all her life to hide her unusual talents. Stuck at a boarding school where her fellow studens seem to despise her, Katy soon discovers that Whitfield is the place where her mother commited suicide under mysterious circumstances when Katy was just a small child. With dark forces converging on Whitfield, it’s up to Katy to unravel her family’s many secrets to save the boy she loves and the town itself from destruction.


Two interesting books this week! Did you get anything fun in your mailbox (or inbox)?

Cover Combat: Starcrossed

In Cover Combat a US/UK cover is competing against the Swedish cover of the same book. It's up to you, as the readers, to decide the best cover!

Today I am comparing the covers of Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.

US Cover:



UK Cover:



Swedish Cover:

My Thoughts:

For me, this is a race between the US cover and the Swedish cover. The US cover is very beautiful, but would be even better if the girl wasn't cut off. I like the Swedish cover as well, the gold/black combination looks striking. So I leave this one up to you;

Which cover is your favourite, and why?

Leave a comment! :)

Read my review of Starcrossed here!

Waiting on Wednesday (10/5)

Title: Deadly Cool

Author: Gemma Halliday

Release Date: October 11, 2011

First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?

As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.

I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.

Yay, a YA mystery! There are not too many of those on the market, and this one sounds particulary good.

Top Ten Tuesday: Endings That Left Me With My Mouth Hanging Open

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Book Endings That Left Me With My Mouth Hanging Open

1. Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead

2. Demonglass - Rachel Hawkins

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J. K. Rowling

4. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

5. Frostbite - Richelle Mead

6. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Read & Watched in September

Books:

1. The Sweetest Thing - Christina Mandelski

2. Past Perfect - Leila Sales

3. Misfit - Jon Skovron

4. Personal Demons - Lisa Desrochers

Movies:

1. Prom

2. Revenge of the Bridesmaids

3. Fired Up!

4. Rio 3D

5. Die Hard: With a Vegeance

6. New In Town

7. Colombiana

8. Home Fries

9. EverAfter

Book Review: Fairy Bad Day

Title: Fairy Bad Day

Author: Amanda Ashby

Published: June 2011

While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot.

Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well!

Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?

My Thoughts:

Fairy Bad Day was, just like the title hints, a fun read! Even if it dealt with death and danger, it was a fairly fast and light read.

The main character, Emma, was a really cool girl. She had humour, and was the best of her classmates at slaying supernatural beings. So, naturally she was devestated when she wasn't assigned to the most attractive job as a dragon slayer. Not only because she had most experience in that area, but mostly because her mother was a dragon slayer - until she was killed.

Not only one, but two surprising secrets were revealed near the ending - and they really took me by surprise. Well done, ms Ashby!

Cover Thoughts:

Love it! The outfit, the sword piercing the butterfly (or is it a fairy?) and the girl's pose - just fierce!

Rating: 4 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday

Title: Angel Fire

Series: Angel #2
Author: L. A. Weatherly
Release Date: October 1, 2011


This is the thrilling second chapter in the electrifying "Angel Trilogy".

Angels will never be seen in the same way again. Gorgeous, charismatic Alex has the courage and skill of a trained Angel Killer. Unique, dazzling Willow has the beauty and power that comes with being half-angel. As the power of the malevolent Church of Angels grows, now it's up to Alex and Willow to train a new team of Angel Killers. Willow soon finds her half-angel identity met with hostility by some of the other AKs, while privately, she must wrestle with the knowledge that her father, Raziel, is a depraved, evil angel. However, while life in the AK training camp is tough, at least Alex and Willow are together. But when Alex discovers that the death of his brother and fellow Angel-Killer, Jake, was linked to a secret CIA mission to defeat the angels, he is forced to leave the camp to complete his brother's work... without Willow. Alex promised Willow he would never leave her, but with the fate of the human race at stake, destiny has ruled that Alex and Willow must be parted once more...

I really enjoyed Angel, the first book in this series (read my review here) and I hope this second one is just as good!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want To Re-Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Books I Want To Re-Read

1. The Harry Potter series - J K Rowling
2. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
3. The Tomorrow When The War Began series - James Marsden
4. Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

5. Evermore - Alyson Noel (I wasn't a big fan the first time around, and I want to see how I like it now)

6. The Night World series - L. J. Smith

7. Hex Hall series - Rachel Hawkins

Mini Reviews: Heist Society, A Perfect Proposal, Forgive My Fins

Title: Heist Society
Author: Ally Carter
Series: Heist Society #1
Published: 2010

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind.

Then a powerful mobster is robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back.

First an all-girls school for spies, and now a family full of master thiefs? I don't know where Ally Carter gets her ideas from, but I love her imagination and concepts!

Just like the Gallagher Girl books, this book contains a possible love story - but that is not the main storyline. Heist Society is about so much more - values, friendship, family, and bravery. There is no doubt that Kat is a smart girl, she wouldn't have been able to be a successful thief otherwise, but she also has compassion, wit, courage and integrity.

Heist Society is an adventurous and thrilling read , and I will happily read the sequel (Uncommon Criminals).

Rating: 3.75 of 5

Title: A Perfect Proposal
Author: Katie Fford
Published: 2010

Sophie Apperly's family has never taken her seriously. Fiercely academic, they see her more practical skills as frivolous whilst constantly taking advantage of her. So when her best friend Milly invites her over to New York, she jumps at the chance. It'll do her ungrateful family good to do without her for a while. What s more, she's on a quest America holds the key to solving her family's financial woes, even if they don't deserve her help.

From the moment Sophie hits the bright lights of Manhattan she's determined to enjoy every minute of her big adventure. So when an evening at an art gallery throws her into the path of Matilda, a spirited old lady who invites her to Connecticut for Thanksgiving, Sophie willingly accepts, much to the dismay of Matilda's grandson Luke. Undeniably attractive but infuriatingly arrogant, he is very protective of his grandmother and seems to doubt Sophie's motives for befriending her. No match for the formidable Matilda, he eventually admits defeat, but first he has a proposal to make. He'll help Sophie in her quest to save her family from financial ruin if she repays the favour. But just what does she have to do in return...?

It's not often I read adult novels, but when I do I prefer to read books like this one! A Perfect Proposal is a chiclit novel - but it's not all glamour, beauty and gossip. No, A Perfect Proposal has heart and humour.

Sophie is a down-to-earth heroine who is kindhearted and intelligent.
Luke is a successful business man who likes living a luxury life, but he is suspicious of the people around him, thinking they're after his family's money.

When Sophie and Luke meet, they immediately dislike each other, but with a little help from Luke's grandmother Matilda, these two very different people might end up tolerating each other after all...

Rating: 4 of 5

Title: Forgive My Fins
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Series: Fins #1
Published: 2010

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Forgive My Fins is definitely a fun read! I loved Lily - she was a hilarious character. She had a short temper, spunk, spirit and humour. She was hilariously bungly, ungraceful and frank. I LOVED Lily's sea slang, she used words like "Blowfish" and "Son of a Swordfish" as foul language. Although Lily was sweet and funny, I found her a bit naive and irritating at times.She was so hung up on the thought that Brody was the love of her life, although she didn't really know him at all. Quince was a great character, and I loved when he called Lily "princess" - so hot!

Rating: 4 of 5

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

1. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

2. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

3. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

4. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver

5. Delirium - Lauren Oliver

6. Jessica Darling series - Megan McCafferty

7. The Books of Bayern & The Princess Academy - Shannon Hale

8. The Dust of 100 Dogs - A.S. King

9. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret - Judy Blume

10. Shift series - Rachel Vincent

In My Mailbox (week 37)

From Simon & Schuster Galley Grab:

Past Perfect - Leila Sales

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.

Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it…

Fake Me a Match - Lauren Barnholdt

Avery LaDuke is in the market for a new best friend. Her former BFF, Sophie Burns, dumped her to hang out with the popular crowd at school. But the good news Avery's getting a new sister who's bound to be her new BFF too! Blake is her age and she's from New York. How cool is that? But things don't go quite as smoothly as Avery hoped. And what's with Blake becoming BFFs with Sophie? Huh?? That wasn’t supposed to happen!

When Avery gets put in charge of the eighth grade charity project, an on-line matchmaking service, she thinks she can use this project to get Blake back on her side. She decides to fix the matches so that Blake gets matched with Sam, the most popular boy in school, but when the matches come out something has gone seriously wrong! Not only is Avery matched with Sam, but the class advisor knows that someone tampered with the program. On top of that, Avery discovers that she actually kind of, sort of, likes Sam . . . and he likes her back. Torn between the guy she likes and her sister/best friend, Avery is left wondering: is there any possible way she can keep them both?

Home For the Holidays - Heather Vogel Frederick

This Christmas season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of holiday-themed adventures! But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls. On a Christmas cruise with their families, Megan and Becca fight over the dashing son of the ship's captain. Cassidy and her family fly back to California to visit Cassidy's sister Courtney... but when the West Coast causes homesickness for their former life in Laguna Beach, the family begins to question what state they should call home. And a disastrous sledding accident causes both Emma and Jess to completely change their holiday plans.

Between squabbles, injuries, and blizzards, everything seems to be going wrong. Will the girls be able to find their holiday spirit in time for Christmas?

Virtuosity - Jessica Martinez

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?
Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

I really hope I'll have time to read all of these before they expire! :P

Thanks S&S!

Book Review: The Iron King

Title: The Iron King

Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: Iron Fey #1

Published: 2010

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

Then a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My Thoughts:

Take a little bit of Narnia, some faerie traits from Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series and threw in a couple of characters from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mix it all together, and then season it with an Alice in Wonderland feeling. What do you get? The Iron King of course!

I was a bit reluctant of reading this book at first. True, I had heard great stuff about it, but faeries still weren't my thing. Then an opportunity that was too good to pass up on turned up, to download the book for free. I'm not one to pass up on free books, so I downloaded it right away! But the book stayed unread on my computer, I choose to read other books instead.

Then one day I finally started reading it, only to stop again about 20 pages in. The story seemed a bit too, I don't know, childish, and I once again read other books instead. Then months later I finally got back to it, read past page 20 - and immediately got sucked in in the rich and imaginative story!

Meghan was a good character, a sweet and honest girl although maybe a bit too naive at times. Puck was amusing, and seemed to be on Meghan's side, but again he is a faerie and can therefor not be trusted. Ash was from a rival faerie court, and had his own agenda and plans involving Meghan. He was cold and distant at times, but could be incredibly charming and helpful the next. No wonder this series has divided readers into Team Ash and Team Puck!

Rating: 4 of 5

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read Because of Another Blogger

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Books I Read Because of Another Blogger

This list could have maybe a hundred books on it! The number one reason why I buy or borrow is because I have read great reviews of them on book blogs. I had to narrow down the list a bit though, so here are the ten books I'm most happy were recommended to me:

1. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

2. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

3. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

4. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

5. The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey

6. She's So Money by Cherry Cheva

7. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

8. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

9. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

10. In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg

In My Mailbox (week 36)

Audiobook from the library:

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.

I haven't read too many reviews of this book, and didn't quite know what to expect when I borrowed it. I'm a few chapters in now and haven't made up my mind wether i like it or not yet. It's fun at times, but mostly just weird!

"Blogger" Help Wanted!

Hi y'all!

During the past weeks I have had some problems with blogger, mostly while posting comments and publishing blog posts. Since I'm not too good at this computer stuff, I figured I'd better ask you for advice! Here are my problems:

* Blogger won't allow me to publish comments on blog posts:

I am being asked to log in, which I do, then the following phrase appears: "Your current account does not have access to view this page" and then It's suggested that I publish my comment as Anonymous.

* I'm not able to publish my blog posts. The "publish" button doesn't work, so I have to click save, go back to all posts, select the post I want to publish and then click "publish selected posts" at the bottom of the page.

* When I want to edit my posts after they have been published, neither the "publish" nor the "Save draft" button is working, so there is no way I can save my changes...

* While writing blog posts, I'm not able to select parts of the text (for example select a word and change it to bold, italics etc.)

Does anything of this sound familiar? Do you know how to solve my problems?

Every little bit of help is appreciated - all these problems are starting to get on my nervs!

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels I'm Dying To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Sequels I'm Dying To Read

1. Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3)

Hex Hall was really good and Demonglass was awesome. If this trend continues, Spell Bound is going to be epic!

Ever since the thrilling and chaotic cliffhanger Demonglass left off with, I've been dying to read this third book, and I still have half a year to go until March 2012, and Spell Bound's release!

2. Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3)

Perfect Chemistry is one of my favorite books of all time, and Chain Reaction isn't too far behind. Still, I haven't had the chance to read the third, and final(?) installment in the series!

3. Strange Fate (Night World #10)

The release date for this book has been pushed back several times, and last time I checked the expected publication date was February 2014 (!)

What do you think, will the people who read this series when it first was published back in the 90s still be waiting by then? I really like this series, and I hope this 10th book will get published!

4. City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)

Read and loved the previous three books, still haven't read this one. Why?

5. If I Die (Soul Screamers #5)

This series is great, plus I'd like to have some more Tod in my life!

6. Bloodlines (Vampire Academy Spin-off)

Okay, not exactly a sequel, but the first book in the Vampire Academy spin-off series!

7. Silence (Hush Hush #3)

Nora and Patch have been through so much together, and in Silence their fate will be decided, once and for all.

8. Dreamless (Starcrossed #2)

Sequel to Starcrossed, the fabulous 2011 debut

9. Goddess Interrupted (The Goddess Test #2)

Sequel to The Goddess Test, the fabulous 2011 debut.

10. Out of Sight Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5)

This series is one of my guilty-pleasures, and the last book (Only The Good Spy Young) was by far the best book yet! Plus, cliffhanger.

I have probably missed tons of highly anticipated sequels, feel free to remind me of them in the comments! Which books are you waiting for?

Book Review: The Body Finder

Title: The Body Finder

Author: Kimberly Derting

Series: The Body Finder #1

Published: 2010

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

My Thoughts:

I had read a lot of great reviews about not only this book, but the entire series. Needless to say, I wanted to read it too! So I finally got my mind out of the gutter and bought it myself! Did it live up to my high expectations? Not really. But was it a good book? Yes!

Starting off, I think Violet's "talent" was both well-developed and well-explained. She could sense dead bodies, and she didn't come to ease until they rested in peace. I liked how Violet didn't want to play the heroin. In many novels the main character is determined to find and stop the bad guy, even if it they put themselves in danger. Violet on the other hand, was glad and content to be at home, letting the police do their job.

Jay, Violet's best friend, and also the boy she is starting to fall for, was such a great guy! He was really sweet, funny and understanding of Violet's ability. He was there to comfort her, there to cheer her up and there when she needed help. I wish I, and everyone else, could have a best friend like him! :)

All in all, a good and well-written novel with the right amount of mystery, romance, friendship and danger.

Rating: 4 of 5

In My Mailbox

From my very generous cousin:

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Published: 2010

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew—just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road—diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards—this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

Title: Prep

Author: Curtis Sittenfeld

Published: 2005

Lee Fiora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when her father drops her off in front of her dorm at the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. She leaves her animated, affectionate family in South Bend, Indiana, at least in part because of the boarding school’s glossy brochure, in which boys in sweaters chat in front of old brick buildings, girls in kilts hold lacrosse sticks on pristinely mown athletic fields, and everyone sings hymns in chapel.

As Lee soon learns, Ault is a cloistered world of jaded, attractive teenagers who spend summers on Nantucket and speak in their own clever shorthand. Both intimidated and fascinated by her classmates, Lee becomes a shrewd observer of–and, ultimately, a participant in–their rituals and mores. As a scholarship student, she constantly feels like an outsider and is both drawn to and repelled by other loners. By the time she’s a senior, Lee has created a hard-won place for herself at Ault. But when her behavior takes a self-destructive and highly public turn, her carefully crafted identity within the community is shattered.

Ultimately, Lee’s experiences–complicated relationships with teachers; intense friendships with other girls; an all-consuming preoccupation with a classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush; conflicts with her parents, from whom Lee feels increasingly distant, coalesce into a singular portrait of the painful and thrilling adolescence universal to us all.

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