Fans of Fiction

Review: The Word Gang

2012-02-20T23:23:00.000-06:00

"The Word Gang" is the story of three kids in school who start using big words to be disruptive.

KalishaJackson is a girl with a stomach-churning secret - she cut school for a yearand never got caught A new year begins. Kalisha decides to go back to school.While waiting for the bus she sees an old man struggling with a cart full ofgroceries. She stops to help and meets Albrecht Spinoza, a man who can speakseventeen languages, but who's had no one to talk to since the death of hisbeloved wife, Rosa.

Kalishais late the first day setting off a conflict with her teacher, Jack Ralston.She's been stuck in something called "Project Restart," a strange newprogram in which the penalty for not doing well is a special classroom inJuvenile Hall. Mr. Spinoza gives Kalisha a copy of the Compact OxfordDictionary. But the more "big" words Kalisha learns, the lesseveryone understands her and the madder Jack Ralston seems to get. Which toKalisha and her new friends sounds like fun - and a great way to destroyProject Restart.

Thatis, if they don't get "trammeled," "proscribed," or"incarcerated," first.

- Goodreads

Stats:

- Format: ebook

- Publisher: Precipitation Press

- Release Date: December 8, 2010

- File Size: 490 KB

Favorite Quotes:

"Kalisha felt safe in a library, hidden in the tall book stacks. She once called them “canyons carved by a flood of ideas” in a poem."

“Remember Kalisha, the third definition of a word can be as important as the first.”

"Each word was like a miniature history lesson."

“The more one studies language, the more one learns the power of words. The power to attack. The power to destroy. Ordinary people do this.”

"All words are ordinary, once you know them."

Review:

The Word Gang byMark McKenna is about a girl named Kalisha who is placed in an experimentalprogram for troubled students called Project Restart. She had skipped almost the entire school yearthe year before and this was her new school’s response to dealing withthat. While Kalisha had reasons for skippingschool (her parent’s divorce, her best friend had a baby and dropped out, beingresponsible for taking care of her younger siblings), she knows that it was wrongand that her parents will be disappointed in her when they found out. She is nervous about returning to school butfinds comfort after meeting an elderly man named Mr. Spinoza. Mr. Spinoza is a widow who is wrapped up inwriting his “philosophy” and has become a recluse. The pair find common ground over their loveof reading and learning new words.

In Project Restart Kalisha meets a couple of boys that shequickly becomes friends with-- BD and Sahmbaht. Both have their own issues and reasons for being in this classroom. After Kalisha stands up to Mr. Ralston (thevice principal and powerhouse of the program), they become eager to joinher. They begin referring to themselvesas “The Word Gang” and learn outdated and difficult words to use in class. Mr. Ralston doesn’t understand what they’resaying and implements a new policy that bans the use of “mocking language.” Their continued use of these words sends themon the fast-track to being kicked out.

I really liked the idea of this book. It’s nice to read about students who findenjoyment out of reading, even if the root of it is to embarrass theirteacher! I have to say that the book kindof lost me right away in the beginning with the fact that no one had noticed thatKalisha had skipped a whole year of school. Are there really school districts that don’t turn these cases over tothe juvenile court system? The bookjumps to the differing perspectives of the characters and shows their innermonologue; this was a good way to get the background on everyone. Another problem that I had was that theteenagers’ thoughts and dialogue didn’t seem realistic a lot of the time (for “troubledyouths” none of them really behaved that way). BD in particular threw me off; it seemed that he was talking about hisfather’s alcoholism and abusive behavior every time he spoke to someone when atthe beginning of the book he was very private about this topic. I found that all of the main characters’attitudes and behaviors changed quickly after very little happening in theirlives.

I absolutely love Mark’s website (www.thewordgang.com) and the extra informationthat he provides. There is a freeReaders’ and Teachers’ Supplement to the book that contains descriptions of thecharacters (I almost think it might be better to start with reading these andthen read the book), synopses of all of the chapters, footnotes, discussiontopics, and common core writing assignments. This is a great start for any teachers who want to include the book intheir classroom reading. He also goesinto detail about how he became a writer and the long process he wentthrough. It’s nice being able to make aconnection to him and know how passionate he is about his work.

Must Read Monday (#16)

2012-02-20T16:24:00.000-06:00

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The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

On your post, you'll make an acrostic puzzle (think of it as an overview/book blurb type of thing).

For specific ways to build your puzzle, click here, but pretty much any style of acrostic is welcome.

When you leave comments on other posts, be sure to mention whether you're adding that book to your TBR pile, and what part convinced you to do so.

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday Week #15:

Eve Quinn @ Eve Quinn's Notebook (The Hunger Games- Peeta)

I'm totally a Gale supporter, but Eve painted the perfect portrait of Peeta. I love that the last line left it open. If I hadn't read The Hunger Games, I'd wonder whether or not they explore their relationship. My favorite line: Eloquency, intelligence, and kindness his greatest arsenals to defend her. Lyrical and poetic, as always Eve Quinn!

Remember, you must follow the winner to participate this week!

This week's topic: A character you love to hate

(Let's be honest, if an author can write well enough to evoke such strong emotion, he or she is meant to be an author, so we want to read their book!)

Mine:
Tall
Handsome
Ethereal

Kind to let the girls dance when
Each is supposed to be mourning the loss of their mother.
Escape is what he
Provides-- to a magical silver world,
Endless grace, ghostly shadows, dancing waltzes. He teaches Azalea the
Right moves, but his sinister secret leaks out--his name becomes a promise.

Here's my review, if you need more convincing.

*Next week's topic:
A book you read in one sitting (or as close as you could get with eating and potty breaks:).

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#16)

2012-02-19T02:13:00.000-06:00

This meme is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. It's a chance for book bloggers to post about what books they received over the week.

Books I bought:

Signed books donated by generous authors (a million times, thank you!) for our high school's Swine Week charity- Oklahoma Project Woman (so these aren't mine. They're being put into a basket which I most definitely will bid on):

Sarah Ockler's giving all three of her books! She is one of my all-time favorite authors.

Jennifer Echols said I can pick one. Any advice? I've only read Going Too Far, and I'm not sure if I want to scare parents by the title of that one. The book basket will be up for silent auction.

Julie Kagawa is donating one of her books from the Iron Fey series!

Janette Rallison said she'll send a few, but I'm not sure which titles yet (hers are spread throughout; my computer wasn't cooperating).

If you haven't checked out Brodi Ashton's new release yet, Everneath has great mythology incorporated!

But I Love Him- one of my favorite contemporary reads of 2011!
Hooray for hilarious Robin Benway! I can't wait to see which one she sends us. These books will make you laugh out loud.

(A student obtained this one from the House of Night series, signed by P.C. and Kristin!)

What did you get this week?

No Must Read Monday today...

2012-02-13T17:00:00.003-06:00

I know that this might result in a bunch of you stomping around and ripping up bits of paper, but I'm playing catch up on grading today. Thus, no Must Read Monday:(

Thank you for being loyal and stopping by to check though. I actually shouldn't even be on here right now. In fact I need to get off in 3...2...

In My Mailbox (#15)

2012-02-12T13:16:00.003-06:00

In your mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. It's a chance for everyone to display the books they bought, checked out, or obtained over the week:)

Incarnate

Glamour

The Revenant

Beyond the Farthest Star

The Hereafter

This week I have books donated by authors for my school's Swine Week auction. My 2nd hour is making a book basket, and so far, we've been promised signed copies of the following books! All proceeds go to Oklahoma Project Woman, which provides breast education, mammograms, and surgical procedures for women without health insurance (see below's post). *If you have any ideas of authors to approach that might be generous, let me know!

What did you get this week?

Putting Together a Book Basket...

2012-02-09T16:52:00.002-06:00

So I'm very excited about a project my 2nd hour English class is doing! For Swine Week, my high school's main fundraising event for a chosen charity each year, we are raising money for Project Woman. It's based out of Tulsa, OK and it provides breast health education, mammorgrams, and surgical procedures for women without health insurance. Two years ago, the kids raised over $527,000 for the Jimmy Everest Cancer Center, and last year they raised $418,000. It's incredible to see them work toward a goal and surpass it, all for charity.

Getting back to the project...we're putting together a book basket for the silent auction during Swine Week. I'm having my students write a letter to their favorite author explaining what Project Woman is about and why they'd love an autographed copy of the author's book to include in this basket. We haven't written our letters yet, but I've been to the local bookstore in Edmond, Best of Books, and they graciously donated a signed copy of Hereafter.

I need your help! Any ideas of things to include in our book basket, especially if no authors respond? Do you have any recommendations of authors I can contact that might contribute a book?
Since we're in Oklahoma, we'll probably contact people on the Sequoyah list of award winning books. If you were to bid on a book basket, what would it have to have in it???

Thanks for your suggestions:) Even the non-readers in my class are getting excited about contacting authors. I will most likely end up bidding on the basket...which my kids laughed at.

Must Read Monday (#15)

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

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Thanks for stopping by! I'd be doing a lot more posting if I wasn't so busy with work. Luckily, during the post-game show of the Superbowl, I've found a few minutes to come up with this week's Must Read Monday! (It's a total bummer that the Patriots lost:( )

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday Week #14:

Kristan @ Lost Amongst the Shelves (Hollowland)

I've never been tempted to read a zombie book. Her acrostic did it for me! My favorite lines:

"Life has become desperate, outrunning gangs of survivors, escaping polygamists cults
And fearing a bite all for a little boy with the immunity." Love all the parts of the plot she pieced together in both these lines! The polygamists cults part definitely makes me curious...

Remember, you must follow the winner to participate this week!

This week's topic:
(a little twist) A fictional character you'd want as your best friend (the acrostic can be the name, but make sure to mention the title of the book in your post)

I definitely was thinking girls, but then this guy popped into my head, and he was such a good friend to the main character, I had to choose him. If things happened to stretch past the BFF level, well, I wouldn't have minded:)
Here's mine, from Jodi Meadows' Incarnate:

He sees her as Special, even though she has no soul
Gentle, caring, an Amazing musician,
He saves her, not only froM drowning, but from herself

Here's my review! This is a new one you do not want to pass up. It has dragons, mythology, reincarnation...I could go on.

*Next week's topic: (since I'm liking this character thing...) A character you love to hate

(Let's be honest, if an author can write well enough to evoke such strong emotion, he or she is meant to be an author, so we want to read their book!)

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

Must Read Monday (#14)

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

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The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday Week #13:

Jinky @ Jinky is Reading (Push)

Several great ones, again, but I loved the way Jinky's last line connected with the entire acrostic..."to break the Hell of a life by pushing forward and onward." In four short lines, she really illustrates an awful childhood and the desire of the main character to persevere.

I haven't read this one yet (or seen the movie), but now it's on my TBR list.

Remember, you must follow the winner to participate this week!

This week's topic:
Favorite self-published book (or, if you don't have one, a book that is underpublicized that more people should know about)

Here's mine:

Tyler is a fantasy, someone Anna can't
Have
Even she realizes she's not his type

Sleeping brings her nightmares of a
Panic-filled school, their school,
And it's being shot up
Carelessly, by someone she knows
Emotional connections are made

Between Tyler and Anna on that staircase, they must save
Every last person.
Tyler finds Anna at school, and she knows. He
Was there. They had the same dream.
Entwined in an alternate reality, that starts and
Ends with the closing of eyes
Neither knows if it's too late to stop the bullets.

Here's my review.
I barely touched on the major storyline. There were lots of other exciting twists and turns in the suspense-filled The Space Between by Alexandra Sokoloff.

*Next week's topic: (a little twist) A fictional character you'd want as your best friend (the acrostic can be the name, but make sure to mention the title of the book in your post)

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

Must Read Monday (#13)

2012-01-22T21:34:00.000-06:00

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The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winners of Must Read Monday Week #12:

Pamela @ At Home Between the Pages (The Scorpio Races)

and

Eve Quinn @ Even Quinn's Notebook (The Host)

These ladies did such an awesome job that I had to pick both!

Pamela's grabbed me from the start: "Thisby is an island Haunted by Evil, flesh-eating water horses..." How can you not want to pick up that book. Plus her last two lines were, "Except there can only be one winner. So let the games begin." She did an excellent job on imagery and details.

Eve Quinn consistently has a meaning in every word she writes, and all the lines tell the story superbly. Loved everything, including the description "Everyone has succumbed to the souls," but her last line is awesome: "Two souls, two different loves, one shared body, and one intricate bond between captor and captive."

I'm impressed!

Remember, you must follow both ladies to participate this week!

This week's topic:
An amazing controversial/banned book (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged#2010)
You can check the top banned books each year on this list up to 2010. I found mine by looking at the "frequently banned classics" list.

Here's mine:

Allegory of the Russian Revolution, children
Need to know of the millions of innocent souls taken by Stalin.
In the story, the animals revolt,
Make their own rules
Agree to never sleep in a bed, stay in the farmhouse,
Live like the humans.

Fight for power ensues between the smartest pigs, Snowball
And Napoleon. Snowball wants to build a windmill for electricity.
Raising puppies up as killers, Napoleon desires complete and utter control.
Maybe humans should be the role model, not the enemy.

This book was banned because "Orwell was a communist" and the phrase "masses will revolt" was used in the text. Also, in some editions there were pictures of pigs drinking alcohol, which were found to be contrary to Islamic and Arab values.

Let me stand up so I can fall back into my chair shaking with laughter (mostly of the ironic kind). So books can be banned on hearsay? I also can't imagine a group of teens saying, "We now feel called to rebel."

*Next week's topic: Favorite self-published book (or, if you don't have one, a book that is underpublicized that more people should know about)

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

Tawny Stokes- Static and Demon Whisperer

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

Spotlight on author Tawny Stokes

If you haven't checked out Stokes' books yet, here are two must-reads. Intriguing plotlines mixed with bits of evil and sinister, you will find yourself immersed in her storytelling with little time to come up for air.

"During the summer before her senior year, 17 year old band groupie, Salem Vale, has been following her favorite punk rockers, Malice, from gig to gig hoping that one night she might get backstage and meet the sinisterly sexy guys. She’s been saving her virginity for the lead singer Thane. One fateful evening she gets her wish. It’s a dream come true.

Except the dream turns to a nightmare when she wakes up in a dumpster, tossed away like yesterday’s trash, with no memory of what happened the night before. She feels strange, different, as if something is trying to get out. Soon she realizes she’s changing…turning into something not quite human.

Now a hunger deep inside claws at her to feed, to siphon energy from those around her. Before she can do just that, Trevor, the band’s roadie shows up and stops her from killing. With his help she learns to control the hunger inside, because he’s just like her. And in return he wants her help to do one little thing…
Help him kill the members of Malice." -Goodreads

PRAISE FOR STATIC:

“Everything about the book (Static) from the characters to the plot, was unique, and exciting.” – Bree, The Awesome Magic Attic YA book blog

“Static is fast-paced and I couldn't put it down once I got into the story. I finished it in a matter of several hours! I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone, male or female, book-lover or not, because the sheer awesomeness must be shared with the entire world! How can awesom-ocity of this level not be recognized by everyone on earth? Pick up a copy as soon as you can, and if you don't, then you're seriously missing out.” – Cade, Braintasia Books blog

_____________________________________________________________________________

"Awake after a year-long coma, where he literally spent in hell, Caden Butcher, 17, developed a special power. He can speak to demons in their own language. This new trick helps him take over the family exorcism business, from his broken alcoholic father. Having to take care of the finances, Caden makes a decent income getting rid of demons. He’s known as the young whiz-kid exorcist to the stars, obtaining most of his work in Hollywood. But what others don't know is the exorcisms are all staged with the help of his best buddy, a demon he met in hell named Dantalion (Dan).

When an exorcism goes wrong, Caden discovers the demon inside a teen girl is not the run of the mill malicious entity but an adversary from down under who is hell bent on Caden’s destruction. The International Order of Exorcists, an organization that tolerates Caden at best because of his respected father, starts their own investigation because of his screw up.

Now with the help of his demon buddy, and Caden’s girlfriend Aspen Spencer, a skilled necromancer, Caden must track down the rogue demon before he can expose Caden as a fraud and destroy everything that matters to him in his life, ending his reign as the one and only Demon Whisperer." -Goodreads

Demon Whisperer is an excellent read that I couldn't put down. Check out my review here.

Also, stop by Tawny's webpage at http://tawnystokes.com/ for more info. on her work and where to purchase it.

Must Read Monday (#12)

2012-01-15T22:23:00.000-06:00

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Happy 3-day weekend:) I hope you get Monday off, too. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great man...it is definitely right that we honor him as such.
So...I put this up a little early with the thought that those of us who don't have work tomorrow might be up surfing the blogosphere. And also, some people around the world are already experiencing their Monday.
Hope you have some time to share a book title with us!

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday Week #11:

Valette M. @ Book Snatch (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Valette did a great job of telling the story, even using repetition -- "Do not kill a mockingbird." My favorite line was "In the night, a knife flashes, someone saves..." She mentions lots of characters, including Boo Radley. Once you hear that name, how can you not want to read this classic? I definitely enjoyed it in school!

Remember, you must follow Valette M. to participate this week!

This week's topic: Book with a wonderful ending

Here's mine:

Top student Macy
Has a summer job at the library and
Endless hours of SAT studying to occupy her

Time while her boyfriend is away.
Running miles to forget
Until she sits still,
Thinks about her dad's death in the silence.
Her mom needs help during

An open house one night, and Macy
Bumps into a crazy, spirited
Overstretched crew of caterers
Unintentionally sucked into
Their creative chaos,

Following a wild urge to try
Out something in addition to her
Runs, Macy meets Will of Wish Catering. Around
Every corner, his surprises sneak up:
Vulnerable, insightful, artistic.
Even she has to admit that life is a
Rollercoaster ride best enjoyed with love.

*Next week's category: An amazing controversial/banned book (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/banned/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/free_downloads/2011banned.pdf)
If you need to reference the most recent list of banned books, click the above link.

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#14)

2012-01-15T13:36:00.001-06:00

Hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is a chance for bloggers to share what new titles they received, bought, or checked out over the week.

Christmas gift from my grandma-in-law (forgot it last week):

A friend's first published book (got it signed yesterday!) :

I won't put the covers up of the educational ones I received, but I won a door prize at a conference and was able to choose up to $100 free books from Bigbee Learning Resources:

iWrite- Using Blogs, Wikis, and Digital Stories in the English Classroom
Papers, Papers, Papers- An English Teacher's Survival Guide
"Is It Done Yet?"- Teaching Adolescents the Art of Revision
Strange Bedfellows- Surprising Text Pairs and Lessons for Reading and Writing Across Genres
CrunchTime- Lessons to Help Students Blow the Roof Off Writing Tests

What lovely literature did you get this week?

Feature & Follow Friday (#12)

2012-01-13T23:18:00.001-06:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read-- a chance for bloggers to hop around and discover new things about each other (plus new blogs!).

Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

I'm very eclectic when it comes to music. Bands/artists you must check out if you haven't, even if they don't come out with a song this year:

Adele (so young, so soulful)
Sara Bareilles (maybe she and Adele could be best friends?)
Lady Antebellum (sweet cross-over melodies)
Gavin DeGraw (such catchy tunes, even if the hits come once every 4-6 years)
Paramore (such angst, such raw emotion)
No Doubt (where have you gone, Mrs. Stefani?)
Alanis Morisette ('cause she's so ironic!)
Taylor Swift (just don't get on her bad side)
Any Glee soundtrack (AMAZING!)
All Saints (anyone ever heard of these girls?? My idols as a teen!)
Phantom of the Opera soundtrack (just saw this on broadway but have always adored the score; Andrew Lloyd Webber's a musical genius)

What music do you like? Maybe there's something I should be listening to that I didn't mention?

If you haven't already, check out Parajunkee's new meme, Social Hop.
You can link up your Twitter and Facebook fan page.

Review: Demon Whisperer

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Format: Kindle ebook
Page count: 223
Would appeal to: Those who like supernatural elements, including zombies and demons

Caden Butcher. His name falls gracefully off the tongue. At first I thought it was weird but fitting, seeing as how he exorcises demons; but after a while, it perfectly fit his personality. A little sexy, a tad daring. The story is narrated by Caden, and it's sweet how much he likes his girlfriend Aspen. I could tell how much she turned him on, so I was surprised that his thoughts didn't go a little more into the great beyond of inappropriateness. His scheme with Dan to make a quick buck off the Hollywood elite is quite clever, and at times, he even had me convinced he'd done tons of real exorcisms in his 19 years. The infused Latin definitely gives an element of realism to the story. The plotline about the lack of closeness between Caden and his dad was also realistic, though it was still obvious he looked up to his dad in a huge way.

My favorite character was Dan, the demon freed from hell by Caden. He has a penchant for shoveling down pizza, which fits a gluttonous demon. A pretty nonchalant guy, he speaks as little as possible but has Caden's back when all is said and done. Plus, it's refreshing to find a good-looking character who doesn't flaunt his looks. I like the idea that just because he is a demon from hell, he isn't necessarily all bad. He was just trying to survive underground, the same as Caden.

Aspen was also a pretty kick-butt girl, an apprentice to her mom who raises the dead. Overall, the minor characters, including the coffeehouse girl Saleisha, were very two-dimensional-- the quirky sides of their personalities are well developed.

Stokes does a great job of revealing details in pieces so the reader craves more. I liked not knowing all about the inside (the seven layers of hell) until Caden's mind is ready to remember it.

I was a little surprised that the public in the story knew about zombies, but I shouldn't have been because everyone was so interested in demons.

Parts seemed slightly repetitive, especially the words "padded" (as in walking) and "folded" (as in folding pizza into the mouth). There are also far too many times Caden has to swallow bile that's rising in his throat or try to control the contents of his stomach from coming up. This makes him seem a little too sensitive, even though I liked knowing he was vulnerable and scared. Also, a few grammatical errors occured here and there (not counting Canadian spellings), but nothing that hindered the story.

The ending fell short for me; it was too punny and maybe like a forced lesson. It is good to know, however, that there will be a second installment to come in March. I hope it contains a little romance and a lot more Dan:) After reading this piece by Stokes, I look forward to delving into her other book, Static.

First off, Tawny Stokes writes with such a natural flow that it was easy to dive right into the first chapter. After that, time simply flew by. Five hours later, I'd finished this book! With memorable characters, a constant building of action, more than one plot twist, and chapter hooks, this story took me in a direction I'd never thought I'd go, let alone enjoy: demons.

Must Read Monday (#11)

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

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I hope everyone had a great end to 2011 and some sort of holiday vacation! It's time to bring back Must Read Monday:)

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday Week #10:

EVERYONE! (And I can totally do that!) Great job, ladies! Way to end the year with a bang. (If you're participating this week, you don't have to follow everyone, but at least leave comments.)

This week's topic: Favorite book you were forced to read for school, classic or not!

Here's mine:

Just a sweet child, treated as
Anything but by Mrs. Reed, her abusive aunt.
Not soon enough, Jane is sent away to school, but forced to
Endure more torture, alongside kindred soul, Helen.

Epidemic in the form of typhus sweeps the school, and claims Jane's only joy.
Years later, Jane becomes a governess for
Rochester, for whom she secretly falls, but
Even he harbors a twisted secret that could destroy their seemingly perfect love.

*Next week's topic: Book with a wonderful ending

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#13)

2012-01-08T01:42:00.001-06:00

It has been a crazy week, but I had to stop reading to blog about the books I got that I'm beyond excited to read! Kristi at The Story Siren hosts this meme where bloggers can showcase any books they received over the week.

Bought with Christmas Giftcards:

Giveaway Win from Pawing Through Books:

What did you get in your mailbox this week??

Review: The Fate Of The Muse

2012-01-04T11:47:00.000-06:00

Trouble is stalking Marina. She’s already escaped the clutches of her formidable foe once, but fate has even more trials in store for her. There are evil plans in the works– plans that threaten both her and her newly found family.
As she struggles to come to grips with her unwanted powers, outside forces threaten to tear Marina and Ethan apart, making her doubt their vision of an idyllic future together. Can first love be true love?

- Goodreads

Stats:

Format: ebook
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 16, 2011
File Size: 531 KB

Favorite Quotes:

"I walked slowly back towards Evie, feeling the laces of my mental corset cinching back in, constricting more tightly with each exhale, once again, making it almost impossible to breathe."

"It felt like I was gliding on the edge of an infinite universe, and I was mercifully completely caught up in the rapturous sensation of forgetting."

"After flying over thousands of miles of open ocean, the island of Maui rose up from the sea like a faceted stone, cloaked in velvety green. Deep blue water lightened to a turquoise ring around the gemlike island."

"I always thought that being in love would be smooth sailing on tranquil seas. Instead, I felt like I was being tossed around in a violent storm with only a few fleeting moments of calm."

"They were bizarre and otherworldly, but almost unbearably beautiful to look at."

"Hurting someone as good and kind as Abby would be doubly evil, like killing a unicorn."

Review:

The Fate Of The Muse is the third book by Derrolyn Anderson in the Marina's Tales series. It follows Marina in the aftermath of some bad experiences from the second book. Marina has been summoned to meet with a council of mermaid/human hybrids due to the attention that her muse powers are drawing. It is crucial that people remain ignorant of the mermaids' existence for the very real fear of being hunted, captured, etc. She learns that she has many additional abilities that the others do not have; she becomes afraid of what they'd think if they knew the full extent of what she can do. The Edwards family is continuing on with their plot to breed mermaids for their personal use and Marina is vital to their success.

I liked this book the least so far. I kind of had the same problem with it that I did in the second- there are so many elements to the story that it ends up detracting from the main conflict. The pace seemed very slow and it came across as simply trying to stretch out to create more books. I'm also having an increasing problem with Marina's muse powers. More abilities are surfacing (and becoming more powerful) and it's getting to be too much- in my mind I compare it to a little kid who pretends to have super powers and keeps adding new ones in order to be the best (I can't die, I can shoot lasers from my eyes, I can read people's minds, I have razor-sharp claws, and I can fly!).

I'm sure at this point you're thinking that I hated this book- not true! There is still something very captivating about Marina and her story. She continues to date Ethan (whom fully redeemed himself in my eyes) and they map out their future together. There are a few hiccups in their relationship (an ex-girlfriend, the return of Kimo, and Aunt Evie's continued desires for a wealthier mate for Marina), but overall their bond is strong. I am hoping that their relationship continues to grow and gets juicier ;) He seems to be coming to terms with Marina's love for the sea and takes a huge step in trying to enjoy it with her.

I have always enjoyed the author's detailed descriptions of the fashion, parties, and all things girly in her stories. The pictures that she creates are vivid and a fun touch. There is a lot more of this due to the prom, a trip to Paris for fashion week, and a Hawaiian photo shoot.

One thing I didn't like that had nothing to do with the story itself was the cover of the book. The previous covers were drawn and this one is a picture. Obviously this is no reason to not buy a book and read it, but I thought the others matched the fantastical storyline better (plus I thought the pictures of Marina were pretty!).

I have read other reviews of this book and it seems that I'm in the minority for not liking it as much as the others. What can I say, some stories aren't for everyone!

2011 End of Year Book Survey

2012-01-01T22:17:00.000-06:00

The Perpetual Page Turner is hosting an end of the year book survey that can be completed at any time. I'm watching The League (great series) with my brother and husband, and figured I could multitask:)

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

(Favorite ARC to be released in 2012: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows)

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
Crossed by Ally Condie. I was highly anticipating the sequel to Matched because Condie is a beautiful writer, but it fell a little short of my expectations.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?
Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I hadn't heard anything about this book when I bought it, and it made me cry at the end. Plus, I was blown away by Oliver's writing.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
It's probably a three-way tie between Matched by Ally Condie, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Divergent by Veronica Roth.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
Gone by Michael Grant- Kids with powers forced to run society: way better than Lord of the Flies!

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
Lauren Oliver and Sarah Ockler, hands down

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan- there were a lot of science fiction elements in this, but I found them interesting instead of confusing.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace. It consumed me completely. I had to know if Ann would realize Conner's abuse had gone too far.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
Crossed by Ally Condie

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

11. Most memorable character in 2011?
Adam in Where She Went by Gayle Forman, a sexy musician (Close second- infuriatingly cocky Noah Shaw in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- The descriptions from Death about the colors of things are unbelievable.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
Stolen by Lucy Christopher- My heart was breaking near the middle and the end when Ty's vulnerable and sweet side was revealed. Gemma knew she should hate her captor, but he was only human.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- How could I wait with all the hype?

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?
From Where She Went by Gayle Forman
"I look at her there in the shadows of the shut-down city, her hair falling onto her face, and I can see her trying to figure out if I’ve lost it. And I have to fight the urge to take her by the shoulders and slam her against a shuttered building until we feel the vibrations ringing through both of us. Because I suddenly want to hear her bones rattle. I want to feel the softness of her flesh give, to hear her gasp as my hip bone jams into her. I want to yank her head back until her neck is exposed. I want to rip my hands through her hair until her breath is labored. I want to make her cry and then lick up the tears. And then I want to take my mouth to hers, to devour her alive, to transmit all the things she can’t understand."

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?
Definitely Delirium before Pandemonium comes out, and also The Hunger Games before the movie comes out:)

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

The ending of Delirium (did you love it or hate it?) and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (practically all the scenes where they almost kiss, such fabulous descriptions!).

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?

I started by blog in the summer of 2011, and the blog I most admire with the sweetest person ever is Kristan's Lost Amongst the Shelves blog. Go check it out!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2011?

Remembrance review- Michelle Madow is a super sweet lady. I was really nervous to put up a review for her blog tour because I didn't absolutely love the book as much as others. However, I worked really hard to include the positive and negative aspects of the book and was really proud of it when it was finished.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
I definitely need to put up some discussion related posts...didn't do that this year.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?
Not many are coming to mind, but I do appreciate Kristi @ The Story Siren's views on Ten Things I Dislike About Your Blog. I could relate to a lot of what she said and also was pleased to find out my blog didn't have a lot of the elements she considered annoying. Posts like that are helpful to new bloggers, as long as they keep in mind that opinions are subjective.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Sonia Gensler, author of The Revenant, offered a creative writing workshop at the school where I work. It was great to see the kids interested and asking thought-provoking questions. Plus it's always great to get signed swag!

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?
So I started a Must Read Monday meme, and the best moment was when I saw one of the participants embed a link on her comment that said "My MRM". Gave me little tingles inside:)

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge Sign-ups had 118 views! We already have over 300 participants:)

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
My Far From the War review. 56 people viewed it, but no one left any comments:(

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Best of Books gives a 20% teacher discount:)

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Since I started blogging in the summer, I didn't really know about the challenges. This year I plan to do two!

Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

I definitely need to read Shatter Me! I keep hearing such great things about it.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I hope to include more book related discussions on my blog and interact with my followers more through comments. Who doesn't like a comment?

Happy 2012, everyone! Here's to losing ourselves in fiction the whole year long:)

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge Day #1

2012-01-01T12:35:00.002-06:00

So much for my blogging break until the 3rd:) I almost made it.

HAPPY 2012!!! I was in NYC on Dec. 23rd, so I saw the ball in Times Square, just had to watch it drop on TV.

Just wanted to remind everyone that Evie @ Bookish, along with this blog and eight others, are hosting the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge, and it has officially begun!

Pick your those books that have been collecting dust on the shelves and read away! Here are the different Levels:

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

There are mini challenges each month for an opportunity to win prizes! Join us so you can shorten your own personal TBR pile.

The first book on my list hasn't actually been collecting dust, but it is a 2011 book, which means it's eligible for the challenge:

Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Click here to learn more about this awesome challenge. Sign ups continue throughout the year.

In My Mailbox (#12) Christmas Edition

2011-12-25T09:35:00.003-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! It's also my birthday:) I may not have received all my books yet (we switch to b-day mode at 2 p.m.) but I wanted to share the ones I did get because they are the top four on my most coveted new releases of 2011!

Before I take a break for the holidays (until January 4th), I needed to do one last In My Mailbox.

If you've never participated in IMM before, Kristi @ The Story Siren hosts. We get to share all our book-related acquisitions for the week.

Christmas Presents:

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Bought:

Checked out from school:

I assigned this one to my pre-AP kids over break. Needless to say, after seeing the 580 page total, they were less than thrilled. It's been a year since I read it, so unfortunately, this has to take precedence over all other books. But...if you haven't read it, it's AMAZING.

What did you get this week?

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS...I'll be back in January.

Must Read Monday (#10)

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

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The meme has hit double digits:) I think the most people we've had participate one week is seven, but I don't mind. I'm going to keep going and hope that more people join. Hopefully you enjoy Must Read Monday as much as I do!

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday week #9:

Valette @ Book Snatch (Mistborn)

Although it was Valette's first time participating, she wowed us with her acrostic, as evident by all the comments that agreed on the same favorite line: "Bones swallowed for a masquerade." Also, the ending, "Never Give In," gives me the sense that the characters would rather go down fighting than stop standing up for what they feel is right. Great job, Valette!

REMEMBER: You must follow the winner to participate this week!

This week's category: Best rainy day read (you could think snowy day read, if you prefer!)

The Enclosure protects the islands of

Honor's world.

Earth Mother and the Corporation have protected citizens from

Outside weather, in fear of

The flood that destroyed the Old World.

Honor's family doesn't follow the rules,

Especially the one about having a second child, and

Rarely do they make curfew. They do

Sing songs, which

Is almost as bad as not worshipping Earth Mother.

Determined to fit in at her new school, Honor tries

Enlightening her mind,

Opening her heart to the rude little girls, who already

Follow the rules

There is one boy--

Helix, who is different, he's

Eager to find his missing parents

Interesting

Secrets are discovered by the teens

Like how those who rebel

And refuse to be ruled by seemingly

Nice Earth Mother

Disappear without a trace.

Here's my review.

*Next week's topic: Favorite book you were forced to read for school, classic or not! There has to be one good one in the bunch!

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#11)

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. It's a chance for book bloggers to show off the books they acquired over the week.

From NetGalley for review:

Giveaway wins (from Colleen @ Les Livre's Spreading the Gospel of Austen Giveaway):

I've actually not heard of Persuasion before (oops!). I'm interested to read Pride and Prejudice first though, since the Kiera Knightly movie version was so well made.

I'm on a book buying hiatus until Wednesday, when I'm going to a Scholastic warehouse book sale! That will be dangerous...for my wallet, at least.

So, what did you get? It's getting so close to Christmas, and I don't know about you, but it's getting so hard for me not to pick up any books on my Christmas list!

Review: Incarnate

2011-12-17T21:02:00.002-06:00

"NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?"
-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: HarperCollins
Release date: Jan. 31, 2012
Page count: 384
Unique elements: World building incorporates mythology, includes dragons
Would appeal to: Readers interested in reincarnation, a good fantasy, fabulous writing

Favorite Quotes: (will be checked against final publication)

"Gradually, the cloud-diffused sunlight sank toward the horizon, silhouetting the snowy peaks on my right."

"Snow sparkled in the moonlight, deceptively peaceful with its smothering silence."

"He played my notes again, but instead of stopping after, he played the most amazing thing my ears had ever heard. Like waves on a lakeshore, and wind through the trees. There were lightning strikes, thunder, and pattering rain. Heat and anger, and honey sweetness."

"The market tents were bright bruises against the Councilhouse and temple, cloth mazes that made every turn a wrong one."

"Rarely does romantic love transcend incarnations. Rarely. Some souls, however, were created as matching pairs. Every generation, these souls are drawn together, regardless of their physical forms. Their love is pure and true."

"Murmurs hissed again, rippling like a sheet flaring over a bed."

I will never stop gushing about this novel. I'm still thinking about it. I will buy it when it comes out and read it again. This is a MUST READ for 2012!

Jodi Meadows is a gifted wordsmith. Did you read the quotes above?

This story incorporated so many ideas. The first time I read a reference to a he/she, it stumped me, but soon the reader finds out that souls can be reincarnated in a body of any gender. Also, love can transcend reincarnation for certain souls, which is seen by the rededication ceremony for Tera and Ash, both females, in the town center. I loved that their party was a masquerade, the idea being that true souls in love could find their mate no matter what mask he or she was wearing.

Ana is the first-ever new soul to be born. She is looked upon as an outcast because she prevented another soul that everyone loved from coming back. Her emotionally abusive mother, Li, moved into the country so she wouldn't be embarrassed by Ana. Li's lover, Menehem, left shortly after, which is part of the reason she is so bitter. Ana decides to get away from her mother's torture and journey to the city of Heart to research whether or not there are others of her kind.

Along the way, there is the threat of Sylph, dark shadowy creatures that leave nasty burns on a human body. They have the power to kill. She is chased by several of them straight over a cliff.

Lucky for her, Sam is in the woods, and saves her from drowning.

As a character, Sam is sweet, gentle, intelligent, musically inclined. Qualities Ana is at first hesitant to believe could be shown toward her as a No Soul. He attempts to convince her that her soul is a New Soul instead, and she should think more highly of herself.

The two new traveling companions reach Heart, where Ana is openly discriminated against by its citizens. She is allowed to be watched over by Sam, according to the Council members, as long as he gives them progress reports on her abilities as a student. She must learn a trade to be useful in her next life, if she is even reincarnated.

Everything changes when Li comes to Heart and tries to reclaim custody of Ana. Taken away from the comfortable home she has molded with Sam, Ana must escape a massive dragon attack and the eerily beating white walls of the town temple, where Janan, the possible creator of the world, may or may not live. The dragons always fly straight to its tower, but they can never destroy it.

Some of the descriptions of the temple (primarily inside), confused me and became hard to imagine. But that didn't take anything away from the entire book. There are two great twists at the end. I'm so glad this is only the first in a series.

The slowly blossoming romance between Sam and Ana caused me to continue reading as much as the gorgeous writing and unpredictable plot. I so wanted them to move faster, but Ana's low-self esteem and Sam's confusing signals prevent this from happening. I love that music is such a huge focus in the book and that Ana is quick to pick up the piano. When you discover where the title comes from, you'll sigh with contentment.

Bravo, Jodi Meadows. This story is creative, action-packed, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Without authors like you, I'd never pick up a book.

*This book was provided to me by the publish in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Future of Us

2011-12-17T20:00:00.001-06:00

"It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.
By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present."
-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: Razorbill
Release date: Nov. 21
Number of pages: 356
Would appeal to: Facebook lovers:)

This book ended before I was ready for it to be over!

I accidentally returned the library book before I could write down my favorite quotes, but they were mostly smartalec remarks by Tyson, one of Josh and Emma's friends. Most of his lines made me laugh.

Everytime I write a Facebook status now, I think, "What would my 16 year old self have thought that I was doing in the future because of what I typed?"

I'm serious.

The idea of this was genius. It brings those of us who were around during the AOL 100 free hours craze fond memories. Technology was still relatively new, as far as the internet was concerned, in the mid-1990s.

I loved Jay Asher's writing in Thirteen Reasons Why, which is why I was so excited for this one! I haven't read any of Carolyn Mackler's writing. Asher's writing didn't leave me with a stunned feeling like in his first book. The prose throughout the book was simple and lacked his unique make-you-shiver descriptions. However, after the first 50 pages, every last sentence of a chapter was some sort of clever cliff hanger or funny statement that made me hungry for more. The book is told in alternating voices; Emma has a chapter then Josh. I enjoyed getting inside both their head's. Especially Josh's.

The minor characters had quirky traits-- Kellan only eats french fries for lunch and Tyson tends to lace statements with sexual innuendo. I enjoyed witnessing Tyson and Kellan's on-and-off again relationship, as I know so many people who really dated like that in high school. Another touch of realism is added through the best friend relationship of Josh and Emma. Six months before the start of the novel, Josh misinterpreted her feelings and ever since, they've avoided each other like crazy. One little AOL CD changes all that.

Everytime Josh or Emma makes a new decision, something they wouldn't have done before if they hadn't read their future on Facebook, the future changes. I can only imagine the fun the authors had in thinking up statuses and what teens might interpret from those statuses. After all, we tend to be both really descriptive and really vague when we want to be on status updates. This website changes their entire line of thinking; who they will marry, at what age they will have kids, and what kind of house or job they would have constantly fuels every decision.

Most of all, I like the underlying theme that appearances can be deceiving. Such a cute read worth checking out!

Review: The Moon And The Tide

2011-12-14T19:36:00.000-06:00

“Just when things seem to be all figured out, Marina discovers that there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than she ever imagined. When a terrible accident exposes her secret, she discovers that her whole life has been one big lie, and has to cope with more than one kind of betrayal. A dangerous enemy arrives on the scene, putting her bravery to the test and forcing her to use all of her new-found talents to protect her family. Will good win out over evil? Can love triumph over jealousy?”
- Goodreads

Stats:
• Format: ebook
• Publisher: Self-Published
• Release Date: March 28, 2011
• File Size: 588 KB

Favorite Quotes:

“I craved the feeling I got flying through the surf, free from reason and all sense of time. It could only be compared to an addiction; I needed more and more danger to get the same thrill. I could see the trajectory my behavior would take. This was bound to end badly.”

“The gently waving kelp beckoned me; I could feel the ocean swells in my bones.”

“It was soothing, comforting to stop worrying, to give in to the sensation of freedom and power that the vast amount of water ahead of me provided.”

“Evie used to say that depression was simply anger without enthusiasm.”

Review: The Moon And The Tide is the second book in the Marina’s Tales series by Derrolyn Anderson. In the first book Marina discovered that her mother was a mermaid and that that is why she is so drawn to the ocean. This part of her story focuses on her acceptance of who she is and embracing the mermaid part of herself.

Right away in the first chapter the story kind of lost me- the recap of the first book was in too much detail and seemed out of place. A lot that was shared didn’t seem important to the continued plot. I did not enjoy this book as much as the first and I think a lot of that had to do with Ethan, Marina's boyfriend. He continues to worry about Marina and try to prevent her from going to the sea but his behavior borders on being controlling. While I understood that his behaviors were out of fear for Marina’s safety, sometimes it was hard to like him. He has some redeeming moments and I started to like him again towards the end of the book.

Where the story did grab and hold my attention was the addition of Kimo, a Hawaiian professional surfer that becomes interested in Marina. He isn’t in the book that much, but enough for me to really like him. He is laid back, likes to have fun, and is a total flirt. I loved the direction the story took when Kimo began vying for Marina’s attention.

Marina continues to have difficulties with other relationships in her life but struggles the most with Evie. Her Aunt Evie has also taken a controlling edge and Marina is not sure what to make of her motives. Evie has been keeping her own secrets and Marina strives to discover them.

My favorite aspect of the book was the descriptions of the sea calling to Marina. Marina begins to view her desire to be in the sea as an addiction; she begins lying to others, sacrificing sleep, and taking dangerous risks. The author’s way of writing these descriptions was amazing and had me completely captivated. Overall, I liked this book but not as much as the previous. There were too many things going on in the story and it came across as a bit choppy or thrown together; I would've preferred a narrower plot with more details. I am still very into the storyline and am excited to read the third book and find out what’s next for Marina!

Must Read Monday (#9)

2011-12-11T22:00:00.000-06:00

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The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winner of Must Read Monday week #7:

Donna @ The Happy Booker (Will Grayson, Will Grayson)

I must say, this lady has a poet hiding inside her! Favorite lines: "Stealing the spotlight, Tiny obsessively seeks love in neon lights." Just the fact that there are two Will Graysons is enough to make for some pretty hilarious possibilities, and it sounds like the story lived up to those expectations.

REMEMBER: You must follow the winner to participate this week!

This week's category: A book that you're thankful someone recommended to you.

Here's mine, recommended by numerous other bloggers:

Ann recalls it Backwards

a year of Ups and downs with Connor

and now, a shaking heap on The floor

bruIsed by his hand

Lying in the remnants

Of glass shards:

the heart she gaVe him,

the heart she prayEd would bring back his smile

he's only flasHes of the boy she fell

in love wIth

his sMile's not enough anymore

Here's my review of this story. It's powerfully told starting from the present, when the worst abuse has taken place, and going backwards, to when Ann and Connor first meet.

Now it's your turn! What is a book you are thrilled someone told you to read?

*Next week's topic: Best rainy day read

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winner from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#10)

2011-12-10T23:43:00.001-06:00

Kristi @ The Story Siren hosts this fun meme where bloggers can share the books they've collected over the week (by any means!).

Giveaway Wins

From Ruby @ Ruby's Reads

From MaryAnn @ Chapter by Chapter

For review from publisher:

From the library:

Let me know what you got!

Feature and Follow Friday (#11)

2011-12-09T20:24:00.001-06:00

Yay for Friday! I can't tell you how bad I needed this weekend.

Follow Friday is a meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read where book bloggers can hop around, leave comments, and answer a question each week. It's a fun way to get to know one another.

Q: Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

I'm actually going to go with a classic here: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

Time and time again, I hear boys say this is one of their favorite books. That. Is. A. Serious. Accomplishment. Especially when it comes to teenagers.

Pretty much anyone and everyone can relate to some aspect of this book. Darry, the older brother, looks after the younger brothers, Ponyboy and Sodapop (talk about memorable names). Here, both sibling rivalry and loyalty to family are explored. The boys belong to the poor group of guys known as the Greasers (themes of class divisions, friendship, rivalries). The guys crush on the girls of their rival game, the Socs. Fights go down, people get stabbed. More themes explored, such as the redeeming of an indivdual. Later we have a robbery, a shooting, a couple of deaths. A trial. A family growing closer.

Awesome action. Boys getting in trouble but coming to each other's rescue. Plus, S.E. Hinton's narration as Ponyboy comes through as both natural and compelling. If you're not a reader by nature, it sucks you in!

Can't believe she wrote this book in 10th grade and got the call the day she graduated high school in Tulsa, OK, that it would be published. Talk about the best present ever.

Oh, and the movie adaption of the book is pretty good too.

What is a title you think everyone should read?

Must Read Monday (#8)

2011-12-05T06:10:00.001-06:00

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Hey everyone! So I'm sick, but I still have to run off to work in a few minutes. I was going to postpone MRM until next week since I haven't yet had time to pick a winner and make an acrostic, but I thought instead we could link up one of our neglected book reviews and continue with the category "A book you were glad someone recommended to you" next week.

I'll include the linky. Just choose any review that you think needs more attention!
Anyone can participate!
Have a great Monday.

Here's mine:
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Review: Everneath

2011-12-03T21:30:00.001-06:00

"Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's..."
-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: Harper Collins
Release date: Jan. 24, 2012
Page count: 370
Will appeal to: Mythology lovers, fans of fantasy

Favorite Quotes: (will be checked against final edition)
"He gave me a smile that I could have sold on the internet for money."

"Last year, I'd left my dad in the heat of an argument. I threw despicable words at him and then walked out and never came back."

"Lacey had spent the week leading up to football camp telling everyone who would listen 'What happens at camp stays at camp,' which made it sound like camp consisted of a craps table, tequila-lime shots, and tangled sheets."

"I tucked this moment away. In the dark, dank world of the Tunnels, I would call upon this memory. And there would be a flicker of candlelight. If only for a moment."

If you love mythology, this is a great pick for 2012. I requested the book specifically for the cover, but the plot also intrigued me. Anything about souls catches my attention.

Basically sweet Nikki is known to her friends and boyfriend as Becks, as her last name is Beckett. After being heartbroken by her boyfriend, she runs to a person she knows can take the pain away: Cole. He's a musician, and also an immortal. Nikki becomes the person who gives him energy in the Everneath during the Feed. They are wrapped together in the dark for an entire century (only months in the real world), her life dwindling as he becomes stronger. I love the opening because it describes how it feels for her body to come away from his after fitting together so perfectly for so long. It is rare that one survives the Feed, let alone doesn't age, so Cole realizes his Nik is special (love that the author chose to have only Cole refer to her as Nik). He asks her to go with him and become a queen. Instead, she chooses to go back to the surface. She's informed she has six months until the creatures of the Tunnels come to get her and take her back to use as a battery; fuel for those of the Feed. Cole shows her a glimpse of this horrific life, but still, she must say goodbye to the father and brother she left so suddenly, and maybe even the boyfriend she can't stop thinking of.

Jack-- such a perfect, short name. I really liked him. The way he gently lets Nikki take her own time to talk to him. The way he never gives up after school, taking every new development as a sign of her healing. The entire school thinks Nikki was on drugs and ran away, as well as her father who is mid-election and defending his mayoral seat. The reader learns how broken Jack was after she left. How he secluded himself and lost friends over his behavior. Jack's adorable, sad, but seriously in love.

For me, Nikki and Jack were destined to be together. Their relationship is both fragile and solid. Jack is okay with a friendship after so much time, as long as he can have her back in his life.

Cole is the wedge that comes between them. Even though he is majorly annoying, popping up at every opportunity in Nikki's room, he wants to be loved and has a vulnerable side. I can see why Nikki is so attracted to him in the first place; he's older, interesting, and can make her feel better.

Within chapters, the time stamp jumps around from the past to the present. Then, the time counts down so the reader can see how many days remain for Nikki. An impeding sense of doom lingers as she gets closer to leaving a second time without explanation.

The story develops into a fact-finding mystery that Nikki needs to solve to stay on earth. The Daughters of Persephone is mentioned by a crazy woman from the soup kitchen Nikki volunteers at. The myth of Orpheus going to the underworld to retrieve Persephone is explored, and Nikki can see lots of parallels between his tale and hers with Jack.

I thought the world was thoroughly developed by the author, Brodi Ashton. The plot does a good job of answering questions a little at a time, so as to entice the reader to continue. It's interesting that the immortals can suck off layers of people's emotions to make them feel better, and the worst emotions, stress, fear, anger, pain, are the first to go. It becomes addictive for the human, which is how Nikki falls into his trap.

The end was surprising because it had two major twists, one of which I should have seen coming.

I was freaking out when I read the acknowledgements because I spotted the name Jenni Elyse, a fellow book blogger, who read an early draft of this novel. Yay, Jenni!

Although the writing style didn't knock me off my feet, the plot kept me engaged, and the romance grew very strong. I look forward to seeing what the next book in the series brings, especially when it comes to sweet, lovable Jack!

*This ARC was provided to me by the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Far From the War

2011-12-03T20:24:00.001-06:00

"Economic ruin and partisan rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war."

-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: Roche Harbor Books
Release Date: Sept. 17, 2011
Number of pages: 366
Would recommend to: People who enjoy politics, young readers looking for a unique topic, military brats

Favorite Quotes:

“It was as if the city were on pause, stopping to commemorate some important moment in ritualistic silence, taking a breath. This moment of silence, this moment devoid of man made things, ended as it had to, and restored to the city its usual soundtrack of shouts and machines.”

“It’s an odd thing when the vision for one’s life collapses, when a dream dies. Those who’ve never had dreams might imagine it to consist of despair, depression and prolonged bouts of purgative weeping. The death of a dream is, in fact, far less dramatic. It consists of a sudden feeling of foolishness and embarrassment, a sense of being childish, usually recognized by the dreamer as maturation rather than capitulation.”

“With the glare out of her eyes, she could finally read the officer’s name. It was something heavily laden with consonants and unpronounceable, a telemarketer’s nightmare, Polish or Russian maybe.”

“’You never went to parties or anything?’ ‘Not those kinds of parties. I’m not sure why, but hanging out in the woods with a bunch of d-bags drinking cough syrup was just never my idea of a good time.’”

“’You show me a boy my own age that doesn’t waste half his life playing video games, and I’ll marry the bastard on the spot.’”

I went into Far From the War after a string of dystopians. I didn’t read much of the summary before I accepted the request. I knew it was set in the future and involved a second civil war in the U.S.

At first I was daunted; in the first hundred pages you have a lot about politics. It’s stuff the average person can understand. Couple that with Jeffrey David Payne’s very distinct writing style that is characterized by an expansive vocabulary, and I was more than intimidated.

With that being said, I adored this book and am really glad there are two more to come. The very serious subject of war made much of the text somber or tense, but I also was surprised with fun bits of humor laced in character dialogue.

I’ve not read anything like it before. As I said, Payne’s writing style is unique, not the typical YA that I’ve read. It’s descriptive in a refreshing way, the kind that illicited an “I never thought about it like that.” His nature descriptions were beautiful. At times I was aware it was written by a male because it was different and more objective than anything I would ever think. It’s told in third person limited, focusing on Esther’s point of view. A compelling main character, she is very by-the-book when it comes to making a difference through politics, willing to work hard to advance. She had few friends back home but possesses a great wit, pulling sarcasm out of her pocket when needed. Esther lacks serious emotions until the war begins, and then, she keeps them in check to survive.

There is a great animosity that exists between the Democrat and Republican pages when Esther arrives in D.C., which is almost encouraged by the behavior of the adults in charge. The tensions foreshadow what is to become of the nation. Military rogue forces. Attacks on federal treasury buildings. Constant air assaults. A president in hiding. No one is safe as the war moves from the capital to the south and west; even civilians become desperate and barbaric.

Esther figures out what matters quickly; her friendships, and most of all, making it back to Orcas Island off the coast of Washington. Train delays, lack of cars to rent, grounded planes, and military barricades cause her journey home to turn into months instead of days. Along the way, she makes and loses friends, wanders through the wilderness near death, and must use a gun to protect herself from sex-deprived men and ruthless robbers.

The plot had several turns I didn’t anticipate. I enjoyed it when Esther accidentally reconnects with one of her former page friends in another state. At times it seemed impossible that she would ever see her parents again. Phone and e-mail communication with her parents is impossible, so she is on her own.

About two-thirds of the way through, I became completely absorbed with the story as Esther encounters romance with a boy (from McAlester, OK, which is near me!) who I wish I could meet in real life. It was nice that they had different backgrounds, money-wise, but none of that mattered to either of them, especially during wartime. I had wondered if any romance would be included at all, but it makes sense that Esther was focused on making it through one day to the next. The way the author described some of the scenes with them together may not have been as detailed as I usually like, but the scenes were still sweet and Esther-like.

I would recommend this book for the gorgeous writing style alone, but it is a book both boys and girls would enjoy because of its lasting impressions upon the mind. Instead of "Don't let history repeat itself," it's more like, "This is what could happen if we're not careful."

*This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Must Read Monday (#7)

2011-11-27T22:44:00.000-06:00

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After a long weekend, it's hard to go back to work or school (especially if you've just celebrated Thanksgiving!). That's okay, we'll make the best of it! Hope you enjoy Must Read Monday!

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

Winners of Must Read Monday week #6:

Kristan @ Lost Amongst the Shelves (Ella Enchanted)

and

Pam @ At Home Between the Pages (The Iron King)

Kristan did an excellent job of telling a story, including all the mythical creatures in her description. Favorite lines: "Every girl deserves a fairy tale and sometimes the Damsel needs to save the Prince." Love a strong heroine!

Pam made hers really mysterious by describing the portal and revealing the name Nevernever. Favorite lines: "Insecurity around every corner, yet Meghan must save Nevernever before it is
Gone forever." I love that it ended with a rhyme, whether it was intentional or not!

REMEMBER: You must follow these ladies to participate this week! *I've decided to pick one winner per week from here on out.

This week's category: A book that made you laugh out loud

Here's mine:

Three sisters in

High school

Expect nothing more than another year full of bickering

Eldest April is a studious perfectionist, her eyes
Xtra sensitive when she sees a flash of red from behind the driver's seat

Their car will crash in moments, a vision shows her
Right along with her, June discovers her power to be invisible, which she often wishes for
Anyway-- in school, she'd rather be left alone
Only May is left, and she can read minds,
Ready to conquer the world by pleasing one popular girl at a time
Determined to look out for her sisters,
Intelligent April cautions them to use their powers wisely
Nagging June starts to turn friends against each other
April, depsite her best efforts, is falling for a boy who makes her lose focus
Rebel May has to be tutored to pass
Yet another course--history-- by a lame Harvard-obsessed kid geek.

Sarcasm is her greatest tool.
Even when they don't want them, their powers stay
Comedy ensues as every chapter is narratored by a different sister
Recalling the same events in a different way
Endlessly hiding secrets from their divorced mother
Together, they find
Some common ground when June's life is threatened

Off the wall antics are
Fated to follow the girls through

Any task they take on

Playing with fire, all three
Rely on their power to help them find out
Items they would not otherwise have
Learned, sometimes, knowledge that hurts

Messy,
Adoring,
Youthful

&

Juicy,

Undeniably humorous dialogue

Never-ending laughs and

Even a few good sighs for a family healed by the supernatural.

I had a super hard time on this one and it's not one of my best! But it's late and I had to cheat on the X:)

*Next week's category: A book that you're thankful someone recommended to you

What's a humorous tale that left you in fits of giggles?

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the winners from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#9)

2011-11-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks, as always, to Kristi @ Story Siren to coming up with this meme so we can share with everyone how we've been blessed in books at the end of the week.

I feel like I had Christmas early! I never buy this many books, but I can't pass up a good sale. Thank you, Black Friday. Ignore my creepy eyes in this still frame below.

This vlog includes the following books that I purchased:
Tighter by Adele Griffin
Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
The Big Game of Everything by Chris Lynch
Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita
Gifts by Ursula K. LeGuin
Sophomore Switch by Abby McDonald
The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Below are all the books for review I received from NetGalley. I'm pretty spoiled at the moment.

What's in your mailbox?
And let me know if you watch vlogs at all or just glimpse at the list of titles that are included in the video.

Review: Remembrance and Guest Post by Michelle Madow

2011-11-26T21:58:00.000-06:00

Fans of Fiction is thrilled to be a stop on a book blog tour! Congrats to Michelle Madow for publishing her first novel!

It's still not too late to check out past (and future) blog stops for the Remembrance Book Blog tour. Hereis the link. Kudos to Amanda from Stuck in YA Books for hosting the tour.

Review (*The author provided Fans of Fiction with a copy in exchange for an honest review)

"New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.Remembrance GuestPost: Characters or Plot?"

-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Release date: July 27, 2011
Number of pages: 302
Would appeal to: readers who are interested in the idea of reincarnation, fans of romance

*Make sure to check below my review for Michelle's guest post!

First of all, I love the idea that the premise of the book was inspired by a Taylor Swift video! Very creative and cool. Not only that, but Michelle Madow is in college and she managed to find time to write a book that she started for a class. Impressive feat.

The cover draws the reader in as soon as she sees it. I love that the mask on the cover is similar to the description of the one the main character Lizzie is presented with in the story.

Lizzie is a confused girl with a low self-esteem. Mostly because she has two boys in her life who treat her like garbage. There's the long-term boyfriend, Jeremy, who spits insults at her left and right (including a nasty one right off the bat about her hair) and she sticks with him. They say people gravitate toward the comfortable. I guess that's true in this case. Jeremy likes speed, and insists on going fast even when Lizzie is uncomfortable. There are really no endearing moments that redeem his character, and the only reason I feel other girls crush on him is because he's co-capain of the soccer team. One of his most annoying qualities is that he must get better grades than his girlfriend, especially in French, or he sulks around like it's a giant surprise that she could beat him at anything.

Drew, the handsome new senior transfer, is mysterious and complicated. One moment he gives Lizzie the cold shoulder, the next, he's flirting with her. No matter how he treats her, she can tell there's an instant connection with him. The book opens with her first flashback of their previous life together as they're dancing at the Halloween dance.

The funny thing is, even though Drew acts like a complete prick at times, I wanted to know what was going to happen with their relationship. I felt Lizzie's pain (and possession) as she watches her best friend Chelsea go on dates with him and talk about how she's falling hard and fast. It's clear to the reader that Drew and Lizzie have a bond, but Chelsea seems to live in La-La Land and not notice.

Of all the minor characters, I liked Keelie the best. She is popular, but not snotty, and a friend to Lizzie even when Chelsea focuses on her own problems. I despised Amber, which I'm pretty sure was the point. She drapes herself across Jeremy. Even though Lizzie doesn't love him anymore, I can see how annoying that would be.

Both Jeremy and Chelsea constantly tell Lizzie she's changed (and not for the better). This was a tad annoying because it was clear that they should have been the ones to change, with their self-centered ways.

It was cool that Lizzie loves Pride and Prejudice so much, but it wasn't very realistic that she'd compare most every event in her life to something from the book. I did enjoy the gift the antique shop owner Alistair gives her that dealt with Pride and Prejudice. Their connection was fun, and the information he revealed as her "spirit guide" brought the reincarnation aspect full circle.

I felt that Lizzie's mother was acting strange at the beginning (but you later learn why). Even if my mom was out having dinner, she'd leave to pick me up if it was pouring rain outside. I turned out to like her later because she surprised me. I thought her career of a psychologist was introduced a little too late to be believable. It seemed more like a convenient plot detail so mother/daughter could talk.

I do love the connection between Lizzie's playing of the song Minuet and her flashbacks. I could picture the teeny piano practice room perfectly.

The story's detailed exposition kept me from completely immersing myself in this story. Many things were repeated, like verbs (for example, "wrapped" three times within two pages starting on 202), the outside description of Lizzie's house, and the way an electric current ran through Lizzie's body when she touched Drew. I thought Lizzie overanalyzed things to the extreme. Sometimes, she repeated nearly the same thought in two consecutive sentences. Some chapters lacked action because of this, and the flow of the story's middle was slow for me.

Lizzie spends a great deal of the book worrying about what Chelsea will think when she finds out her feelings for Drew. When this situation is resolved, I didn't think Lizzie's reaction was believable because of what she first thinks after Chelsea tells all she knows in the bedroom scene near the end (sorry, trying not to give away spoilers!).

I will be interested to see what the sequel holds for all of the characters and cross my fingers for more flashbacks of Drew and Lizzie's old life together! If you want a light read with a hard-shelled male interest (who's soft and compassionate on the inside, and yeah, his crazy moods strangely lured me into reading more, and okay, he's kind of gorgeous), this is the book for you!

Guest Post by Michelle Madow (check out Michelle's cover design and book trailer blog tour contest by clicking here and go to www.michellemadow.com for more information on Michelle's writing).

Thank you, Jenna, for having me at Fans ofFiction for a guest post!

Jenna asked a great question for the guestpost, and I’m really excited to answer it for you all:

Did the characters of Lizzie and Drew inspirethe story, or did the story create the characters? In other words, for all thewriters out there, which comes first for you: characters or plot?

When I write a story, it’s always the plot thatcomes to me first. I’ll just be hanging out, and suddenly I’ll think, “Wouldn’tit be cool if (insert plot idea here) happened?” It’s usually some sort ofdaydream that I turn into a story idea.

With Remembranceit happened differently though, because the idea came to me from TaylorSwift’s “Love Story” music video. In the video, Taylor sees a guy while walkingthrough campus, and the moment their eyes connect, the scene flashes to the twoof them dancing at a beautiful ball dressed in clothes that appear to be fromaround the year 1815. The first thing I thought was, “Wow, they werereincarnated and didn’t remember their past lives until seeing each other forthe first time!” Then I thought, “Hey, that could be a cool book.”

I told my friends about my idea, and they lovedit! They kept asking me about the plot and the characters, so I started a plotoutline and character bios so I could have an idea of the story before writing.The whole story (plot and characters) formed together in my mind reallyquickly, and I knew I had to turn it into a novel so I could share the storywith others.

Since I create the plot before the characters,I like to create characters who are not preparedfor the story they’re about to be flung into. For instance, when Lizzie firstsees Drew, her soul mate from the past, she’s already in a long-termrelationship. This complicates the situation so things aren’t too simple forthe main characters. The best stories to read are ones where the maincharacters have to go through something challenging for them, so it’s good tocreate characters who are not ready for what’s about to happen to them. Thisallows them to make mistakes, grow, and change as the story progresses. It’ssomething I always try to remember when creating characters to go with myplots.

Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy Remembrance!

Be sure to check out Remembrance on Amazon, Barnes& Noble, and TheBook Depository.

Feature and Follow Friday (#10)

2011-11-25T11:19:00.001-06:00

It's that time again (I almost forgot!). The lovely Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read host a Friday blog hop where bloggers answer a question and discover the awesome blogs of others.

Q: It’s Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. so we want to know what you are Thankful for – blogging related of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?

I totally started the blogging world blind. I went to a workshop at an OWFI writing conference, and one of the workshops was about how important it is to build connections through blogging. After looking at the blogs of some wonderful women I hung out at the conference with (Brandi Barnett, Sonia Gensler, and Lisa Marotta-all three very supportive ladies), I was inspired to start my own! It didn't look that hard:) After a few personal posts on Jenna's Blog, I stumbled across Sab's YA Bliss. From its design to her candid reviews, her blog was engaging, and I decided I had to change my blog's focus right away to also reflect my passion for reading.

There are two bloggers I really look up to: Kristan from Lost Amongst the Shelves and Sheree from Beckoned by Books. These two started blogging just about the same time as me. I've asked both of them for help on numerous occasions, and they are always there with a kind word and encouragement! They aren't just sweet to me; they comment on others' posts all the time and seriously spread joy in the book blogging community. I really wish we all knew each other in person because I bet we'd get along fabulously. Thank you both!

I'm thankful for all the marvelous ladies who've participated in my Must Read Monday meme (in addition to Kristan and Sheree)- you are all so creative and incredibly awesome! (Jinky @ Jinky is Reading, Aimee @ Getting Your Read On, Pam @ At Home Between the Pages, Susanne @ A Reader in Time, Hira @ Views and Reviews, Donna @ The Happy Booker, Chrissie @ Once Upon a Series, Michelle @ Much Loved Books, Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature, and Amy @ Amy's Book Den).

I'm thankful to all of my followers and commenters! There's nothing that will make your day like seeing you have a new comment, as we all know:) The book blogiverse is so friendly. I'm thankful for my best friend Ashley who also post reviews on this blog. We have the same taste in music, movies, and books.

Also, it's pretty cool that there are people willing to send out free copies of books in exchange for a review. Many thanks are extended to the publishers and authors who send their "babies" out and have blind faith that some readers somewhere will like it. You make our task as reviewers that much more thrilling.

Brenda Price, my high school's librarian, has done so much to promote my blog among faculty/staff and students! I love discussing books with her, and her enthusiasm about YA lit encourages me to continue. Thanks, Brenda, for being an inspiration!

As far as books go, I'm thankful for every book I've read. Whether good or bad, I have taken something away after the last page is turned. Without literature, a big chunk of our world would be flat. Most recently, I'm grateful for the books that have made me cry. For an author's words to draw that kind of response out of a person, it is a work of brilliance: The Book Thief, Delirium, Stolen, Mocking Jay.

Phew, that's a ton. I just acted like I was giving an Academy Awards speech or something:)
So what are you thankful for (blogging-related, of course!)?

Huge Holiday Giveaway: Justin's Book Blog

2011-11-24T12:34:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm content, just watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, and seeing the Hello Kitty blimp made my day that much more special:) I'm taking today (between making a meal, grading research papers, and reading) to catch up on some giveaways. This one is really cool.

I love reading boys' thoughts on books, and Justin @ Justin's Book Blog has some really awesome opinions! He is holding a tiered giveaway until Christmas. Following is not mandatory, but the more followers he has, the higher he will raise the prize. Right now, he's reached 300 followers, so one winner will receive $50 towards the Book Depository! The highest prize includes $100 towards the BD and 3 ARCs (including one of Everneath, which I just read- it was awesome!).

So stop by his blog if you have time today. You may be the lucky winner...

Now I'm off to dream about the smell of turkey in my house and plan my 7 a.m. trip to Half-Price books for Black Friday.

P.S. I'm thinking about ways to make my reviews more juicy but concise, so if there's anything you're always curious to know about a book that you wish bloggers would cover, let me know!

Review: How to Save a Life

2011-11-22T23:26:00.001-06:00

"Jill MacSweeney just wants everything to go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. You can't lose one family member and simply replace him with a new one, and when her mom decides to adopt a baby, that's exactly what it feels like she's trying to do. And that's decidedly not normal. With her world crumbling around her, can Jill come to embrace a new member of the family?

Mandy Kalinowski knows what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, she knows she wants a better life for her baby. But can giving up a child be as easy as it seems? And will she ever be able to find someone to care for her, too?

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about what it means to be a family and the many roads we can take to become one."

-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Date of release: Oct. 18, 2011
Number of pages: 341
Unique elements: Told from the perspective of two girls with extremely different lives
Would appeal to: Fans of Saving June, fans of Sarah Ockler

Favorite Quotes:

"Her eyes are ice blue, light and clear, the kind of eyes you see on certain sheepdogs."

"There might be a pair [of gloves] in my messenger bag, but it's too dark and deserted to be standing around digging in my bag like a perfect target, asking to be bludgeoned."

"On Sunday, I wake up after noon, and if I weren't starving, I would pull the covers back over my head and stay here in my death spiral of self-loathing."

"It's comforting, in a way, to know that just because we had a moment yesterday doesn't mean every conversation has to turn into an emotional root canal."

"'He's not that tough. He won't even go into a 7-Eleven if there's a homeless person out front.'"

Families come in all shapes and sizes. We can't choose what family we're born into. Both Jill and Mandy, the story's alternating narrators, know this well.

Jill is pretty moody and rude to her mom. I'd expect that of a person who has lost a father who was just like her in personality. Her mom is also over fifty and about to adopt a baby without having signed any legal paperwork. Her life pretty much sucks, she thinks, but don't worry: there aren't exaggerated pity-party scenes.

Mandy faces her own downward spiral. She's 18, pregnant, a high school dropout. She longs for the trust that Jill's mom, Robin, has conveyed over the internet. She wants a good home for her child, so she packs up and leaves behind a home where her mom mostly cares about looks and her mom's boyfriend is not a nice man. Mandy is extremely naive and lacks people skills but also has a whimsical opinion of love. Her character has a distinct prose style and I was never confused about which of the girls POVs I was reading. Mostly, I felt sorry for Mandy, as it seemed she would be better suited for life in an earlier era (her beliefs/style had a lot to do with how she was raised though). Mandy understood specific types of crying, like the quiet kind that lasts for hours or the gut-wrenching kind that makes you want to throw up.

The romance in this book was pretty good, I must say. Even though I could have done with a little more, real life isn't always like that. The romance that is present is not overdone. I could feel Jill's anticipation while she was working a shift at Margins, waiting to see someone she didn't realize she had feelings for. As far as details, I've had enough of electrifying tingles running-up-the-arm in recent YA. This had anything but mundane descriptions.

The relationship of a comfortable, long-time couple is explored-- Jill and Dylan. Jill can be separated into two personalities; before her dad died and after. Even though Dylan is the guy who's remained loyal through a couple of breakups, they both realize they're growing apart. There is nothing wrong with Dylan. I thought he was quite considerate. It was an interesting choice that he wore eyeliner, but it's reflective of the times and it made his face stand out in my mind (just like the liner:)

I loved Ravi. Indian descent (so refreshing!). Admirer from afar. Trying to be all grown-up with his loss prevention job. Jill constantly has the urge to spill all these personal details when she's around him, something she can't do with Dylan. I mostly think of Ravi as a gentle intellectual. The author uses an old recurring yearbook first mentioned by Ravi to help Jill realize she's become another person than the smiling sophomore on its pages. In fact, she's kind of a cool person when he's around.

What I enjoyed most about this story is that Zarr takes the ordinary and breathes life into it. Working in retail is no cup of tea, and although their weren't grumpy customers, I smiled at the mention of secret shoppers and closing early. What could have been boring exposition on high school classes were livened up with lunch scenes and bits like Dylan's band being called the Potato Rebellion. The syntax never felt awkward or un-teen-like. From Mandy's man-pleasing obsessed mother to awkward thirty-something Alex on the train, even the secondary characters were three-dimensional.

It was extremely easy to relate to pieces of each girl's story, even though the girls themselves were complete opposites. The back and forth narration added to the depth of the story, as readers see two worlds collide and work out their differences. I had a hard time putting this one down because I needed to know the direction in which the plot was headed. I was a little nervous at the first sign of Mandy wanting to not give up her baby.

If you're looking for a contemporary read with personality, How to Save a Life is the book to pick up (plus, at random times thoughout your reading, the song "How to Save a Life" by The Fray will pop into your head).

*Thank you to Hachette Book Group, who provided me with a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Review: Crossed

2011-11-21T21:25:00.000-06:00

The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

-Goodreads

Stats:

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release date: Nov. 1, 2011
Format: ARC paperback
Page count: 367
Unique elements: Chapters alternate POV- Ky then Cassia

Ashley's Review

Favorite Quotes:

“In some ways I likethe dirt. It works into every crease of my skin, makes a map on the back of myhands. Once, when I felt very tired, I looked down at the cartography of myskin and imagined it could tell me how to get to Ky.”

“And it is strangethat absence can feel like presence. A missing so complete that if it were togo away, I would turn around, stunned, to see that the room is empty after all,when before it at least had something, if not him.”

“The poems and storieswe shared with each other could mean what we wanted them to mean. We couldchoose our own path together.”

“I thought I loved herand wanted her before, but as we walk through the canyon together I realizethis could be more than a new shade. A whole new color.”

Review:

Crossed, the second book in the Matched trilogy, focused on Cassia’sattempt to find Ky in the Outer Provinces. The point of view (POV) in the story alternates between Cassia andKy. I loved “hearing” Ky’s take onthings and knowing what he was doing. Inthe last book he was such a mystery and it was nice to get a clearer picture ofhim. I liked the set up of changing POV,but I found the chapters to be choppy. Isuppose there’s no way to really segway between them in a smoother manner but Istill found it a bit distracting. SometimesI became confused about whose POV the chapter was in; I frequently had toreturn to the chapter title page to remind myself.

Icannot help comparing the love triangle between Cassia, Ky, and Xander to Twilight’s triangle between Bella,Jacob, and Edward. Cassia and Ky seem tohave been brought together by fate or destiny. They had an instant and bone-deep connection in Matched and it continues in this story. Xander is Cassia’s best friend and is herMatch. She loves him and would be happywith him, but in a way she’d be cheating the both of them if she remained withhim. I believe that she has alreadychosen Ky over Xander (whether she fully acknowledges this or not) and thatXander deserves to know this and have a chance to find his soulmate as well. I continue to be a huge fan of Ky and hisrelationship with Cassia.

Xander makesa surprise appearance in the book before Cassia goes off the grid. I was excited when he showed up for his visitand wanted a reminder of his charm and wit. His role in the book was extremely small and seemed kind of unnecessary. His visit seemed like more of a “hey, don’tforget I’m in the book, too!” Cassia’smemories of him seemed more important to the plot and her confusion about beingwith Ky.

Ipurposefully didn’t read Jenna’s review of Crossedbecause I didn’t want any details revealed or to be influenced by heropinion. While I didn’t read her review(and still haven’t!), I did talk to her about it. She told me that she found it a bit boringand was a little disappointed. I enjoyedthe book more than she did and wonder if that doesn’t have to do with mylowered expectations from talking to her. We both had been waiting anxiously for this book to come out and it mayhave been built up in our heads. I agreethat it was a slower plot without much action, but I thought it was sweet. The biggest thing to me wasthat Cassia and Ky found each other again. I enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the final book!

Jenna's Review

Favorite Quotes:

"With a piece of soap the color of this month, of November, I scrub my fingers one last time."

"We're lucky there is no snow: and the air is desert-cold, a sharp, thin cold that tricks you into thinking you aren't thirsty, because breathing is like drinking in ice."

"Ky watches me with that look in his eyes, the one sad and full of love at the same time, the one he gives me when he knows something I don't, something he thinks has been stolen from me."

"'River. That's one of the words we need,' and the way he says it, the way his mouth looks and his voice sounds, makes me want to leave these papers alone and spend my days in the painted cave or one of the little houses or down by the water, trying only to solve the mystery of him."

I reread Matched again so I'd have all the little details fresh in my mind. I'm glad I did because not much from the first book is explained again. There were several memories for both Ky and Cassia that had me going, "At least I remember that part." So for anyone who didn't read the first book or read it a year ago, I wouldn't be surprised if you're left scratching your head in confusion.

As far as sequels go, this one really let me down. It felt like merely an in-between: how do we get the characters from point A to point C? This describes Cassia's and Ky's desert journey in great detail. Probably too much detail. Flashbacks help develop character motives (mainly Ky's), but the action falls short.

Because the characters are running from Society, the book takes place almost solely outdoors in the Carvings. At times the red-gold rock scenes were too overwritten. Water/rain was described as being gold and silver in flashlight beams. It did strike me as pretty the first time, but then it was mentioned again. Still, there were some phrases that captured my interest. When Cassia and Indie climb the rock face of the Cavern, Cassia thinks, "I wish the rock would hold us, cradle us back as we cling to it, but it doesn't."

Several times a sentence tried to sum up a thought or a lesson (not just at the end of chapters). Some of them were excellent, some of them just seemed placed for the sake of having the characters come to a realization. After-school special lines, if you will.

The thing I'd most anticipated was the telling of the story from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view. I enjoyed Ky's much more. I'd actually have liked it if the whole book had been from his perspective, but then the reader wouldn't have seen Cassia during her journey to find him or learned about her experiences with Indie.

I appreciated the addition of some new characters; young Eli was my favorite because he was like Cassia's brother, Bram. I also admired Hunter's dedication to his sick daughter Sarah. The story about why the farmers painted blue lines all over their arms was creative. Indie was a strong survivor and an asset to Cassia's survival, but I'm not sure I grew to like her by the end.

What I didn't expect to feel: I wanted Xander in the story more. I'm definitely not a fan of the Cassia/Xander hookup, but he was doing all this sexy whispering to Cassia when he visited her at the camp. And then you read all these hints about Xander having a secret (that went on for such a long time) and I just really wanted to know what it was. It's revealed--not to worry!

I did like that there were a few different love stories: Vick and Laney, then Hunter and Sarah's mother. There is an underlying message that not all love ends happily. Will it carry to the third book with Cassia and Ky? They had quite a few secrets. There is a part where Cassia catches Ky destroying something important to her and I felt she severely underreacted. Even after their ups and downs, somehow I can't help thinking they'll end up together.

Cassia has a view of Xander that is super similar to Bella's thoughts about Jacob (yes, from Twilight). With Xander, it's a different kind of love, less complicated; but it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The passage where she thinks these thoughts seems selfish but definitely human. Comfort does not equal love. I frequently wanted to yank Cassia by the hair and scream, "Make a decision!"

Seriously, they both love you, but there's only one real choice. Even her heart knows it. The "settle" option never works.

The ending was very mysterious, an interesting lure for readers: which HE is Cassia actually planning to meet with?

I've got to cross my fingers for the third book. I need action, suspense, and a whole lot more details in the romantic scenes! I know Ally Condie has got it in her!

Must Read Monday (#6)

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

<div align="center"><a href="http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com" title="Fans of Fiction"><img src="http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z366/angelalwayz26/chicks3.jpg" alt="Fans of Fiction" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thanks for stopping by! We'd love for you to join the fun.

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

So...several sweet and wonderful people voted for me to be the winner from last week. I'm not going to do that, but I'm touched that you liked my acrostic about The Book Thief!

What wonderful posts there were last week:)

Winners of Must Read Monday week #5:

The Happy Booker (The Mists of Avalon)

and

Aimee @ Getting Your Read On (Between Shades of Gray)

It was The Happy Booker's first time to participate, and her words swept me away! Ironically, one of her lines was "Truth often hides in shades of gray" which is the close to the title of the book Aimee chose! There is an urgency and suspense about each line of her acrostic. Plus, I love the word entwined. I didn't know Lancelot offers his love to her. I've definitely been convinced to pick up this book!

Aimee chose a WWII book that sounds absolutely heartbreaking. My favorite lines: "What is a life Worth? Her brother was worth a pocket watch." I can tell this one is so powerfully moving that you will need to bust out the Kleenex box. Also, her one line descriptions-- "demoralized, tortured, starved"-- really tell a story in themselves.

REMEMBER: You must follow these ladies to participate this week!

This week's category: Fantasy (or some book with fantastical elements)

Here's mine:

Everyone over aGe 15 disappears suddenly
technology ceases tO exist in the Fallout Alley Youth Zone

a dangerous struggle for power eNsues

whEn kids start developing powers, all bets are off

*Next week's category: A book that made you laugh out loud

What's an amazing fantasy that we must get our hands on?

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the two winners from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
This meme is for BOOK BLOGGERS ONLY.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

In My Mailbox (#8)

2011-11-20T09:01:00.001-06:00

Kristi at The Story Siren hosts this great meme where bloggers can share their new book acquistions for the week:)

Bought after winning an Amazon giftcard from Amanda at One Minute Books:

Loving the potential of this book. Because Delaney's mom has died, she flies cross country to meet her real dad, a man and life coach she's never met. He reveals that he's a Fairy Godmother (I double checked- they don't use "Fairy Godfather!), and the gene is hereditary. Soon, Delaney is acting as someone else's f.g. complete with her own chopstick wand. Think I'll read this as part of the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge.

What's in your mailbox this week?

Favorites in the TV Fall Lineup

2011-11-16T19:00:00.001-06:00

Primetime TV is addictive, especially when new shows come out that are as hilarious as these.

Series: The New Girl

Starring: Zooey Deschanel

Raves:

Main character, Jess, sings songs about herself and what she's doing
Three guy roomates agree to a fourth female roommate who found their add on Craigslist
Jess is guy-clueless
Roommate Schmidt is obsessed with Cece and thinks he has came, but she's a model
Nick and Jess would make the perfect couple
Justin Long's eccentric character starts dating Jess (and I think it's brining out Nick's jealous side)
Theme song "It's Jess!" ends in the boys holding up a picture frame around her face

Rants:

There was a really cool African American dude on the first episode who was never heard from again.

Series: Whitney

Starring: Whitney Cummings

Raves:

Whitney and Alex are the cutest TV couple ever (this could have something to do with them play fighting all the time/being sarcastic like me and my husband)
Great jokes
Nothing extraordinary happens, but viewers can relate to the mixups/fights between couples
Favorite episode: When Whitney tries to enjoy Alex's interests by playing racquetball and loses majorly, then whoops Alex at basketball, her "hidden talent." He's a super sore loser (it's funny to watch him pout). Seriously, I know a ton of boys that hate losing!

Rants:

None at all!

Series: 2 Broke Girls

Starring: Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs

Raves:

Max (Dennings) is hilarious: talented and sarcastic with a soft spot for animals. She says every comeback I wish I'd thought of
Caroline (Behrs) balances her out as a rich-turned poor college grad who's good at business
Johnny is a hot graffiti artist who has a thing for Max and their chemistry is palpable
Max keeps a pet horse on the little porch of her apartment and takes a giant shovel to clean up its poop when they go for walks
The owner of the diner where the girls work always has on DJ sized headphones and the chef is always making sex jokes (no, I wouldn't want that in a real workplace, but it's funny to watch)
At the end of each episode, the running total that the girls have saved for their cupcake business appears (and either goes up or down)

Rants:

Again, no complaints!

What have you been watching in between books?

Review: Between The Land And The Sea

2011-11-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

"Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. Just a few weeks after moving to the beach town, sixteen year-old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can manage to survive her increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to unlock the mystery of her past and learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her... and maybe even find true love along the way."

- Goodreads

Stats:

Format: ebook

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: March 19, 2011

File Size: 460 KB

Favorite Quotes:

“The dense fog blurred everything at a distance, and I had the sensation I was walking along in a bubble created by my own little field of vision.”

I’m sorry to report that this is the only quote I highlighted during my reading- I got so into the story that I forgot to make notes!

Review:

Between The Land And The Sea is the first book in the Marina's Tales Trilogy by Derrolyn Anderson. In this book, Marina has spent her life traveling the world with her father who does research in agronomy. Marina is sent to live with her aunt Abby and her cousin Cruz so that she can spend some time in a regular high school and meet people her own age. Marina immediately feels at home and is glad that she came to this small town.

Although Marina cannot swim, she is drawn to the ocean and can't seem to stay away. She begins to have strange encounters with different sea animals and meets a mermaid named Lorelei. Marina's mother had died during childbirth and Lorelei tells her a secret about her that explains a lot of the strange happenings.

Admittedly, I love love-stories. I'm a total sap when it comes to them and Ethan, Marina's love interest, couldn't have been more perfect. He is sweet, thoughtful, and really goes out of his way to help Marina and take care of her. Their relationship is adorable from the very beginning and I was rooting for them throughout the entire book.

I thought that the descriptions in the book were really good; I was definitely able to picture the scenes and the people. There were a few typos in the book, but nothing that distracted me too much.

While the book is centered around Marina's sea-life woes, I felt it to be more of a love story (or a flirtatious, high-school relationship story). I really enjoyed reading this book and was interested in finding out what was going to happen. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and finished in one day. I am really excited to read the next two books in the trilogy and am glad that I didn't start the series before they were all published!

2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge- Sign Ups

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

Here's an opportunity for you to dust off those books just sitting on your shelves-- the one's you've been meaning to get to for months. This challenge will help you get to that long list of To Be Read books. Even better, there will be opportunities to WIN PRIZES, share reviews, and participate in mini-challenges all year long. The brainchild of Evie at Bookish, this challenge has 10 fabulous cohosts (we're thrilled to be one of them!).

Challenge Guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan. 1, 2012 - Dec. 31, 2012.
As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!
Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!
You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge.
You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Sign-ups will be open until Dec. 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS.
If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.
You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels:

1-10 - A Firm Handshake

11-20 - A Friendly Hug

21-30 - A Sweet Kiss (I hope to make it to here for now!)

31-40 - Love At First Sight

41-50 - Married With Children

Hosts: Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions

Wrap-up POST Schedule:
January - Donna (Theme: Let It Snow + Book Cover Challenge)
February - Nicole (Theme: Un-requited Love/Love Gone Wrong + Advice Column Challenge)
March - Rie (Theme: Green or Pinched + Green Cover Challenge)
April - Bonnie (Theme: Easter + Mini Challenge)
May - Christa (Theme: MayDay - Disaster Books! + Cover Disaster Challenge)
June - Jenna (Theme: Camping + Sentence Challenge)
July - Rie (Theme: International Day + Cover Comparison Challenge)
August - Angel (Theme: Summer Memories + Send Your Fav Character On Vacation Challenge)
September - Nicole (Theme: Life Changing Books + Mini Challenge)
October - Caitlin (Theme: Thanksgiving Theme + Share-A-Book Challenge)
November - Vicky (Theme: Spooky Halloween + Book Puzzle Challenge)
December - Evie (Theme: Xmas Bliss + Book Bachelor Challenge)

Here's what I'm planning on reading during the challenge:

*How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

*Across the Universe by Beth Revis

*Hold Still by Nina LaCour

*Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan

*Bunheads by Sophie Flack

*The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson

*The Unidentified by Rae Mariz

*Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

*The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

*Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn

*Harry Potter (Books 3-7...I know, shameful!)

*Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

*Confessions of a Call Center Gal by Lisa Lim

And many, many more.

What are you planning to read? Don't forget to include your ideas in your sign up post!

Must Read Monday (#5)

2011-11-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

<div align="center"><a href="http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com" title="Fans of Fiction"><img src="http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z366/angelalwayz26/chicks3.jpg" alt="Fans of Fiction" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Welcome. It gives me warm fuzzies just to know you've stopped by. Read on to participate in Must Read Monday:)

The goal of the Must Read Monday is to find share your love of great books with others in the hopes that they'll add a new title to their To Be Read list.

Your job is to create intrigue for other hoppers. What makes your book so swoon-worthy? What do you absolutely have to mention so they'll read it?

It's all about powers of persuasion, people:) You might have to think a little, but channel that inner-creative goddess (or god).

I will feature two bloggers who had the most creative posts the following week, and those will be required follows if you wish to participate again.

You guys are getting so freakin' good at this! Really; I need to make a book of all these acrostics. Again it was such a hard decision!

Winners of Must Read Monday week #4:

Jinky @ Jinky is Reading (A Monster Calls)

and

Sheree @ Beckoned By Books (Burned)

Both of these ladies used a letter of the title to start each line (which can sometimes be the hardest way to build your acrostic).

Jinky often has humor in her acrostics, and this one is no exception. I'm pretty sure we're all in agreement that her line, "Er, it was the book that she could not finish (cancer claimed her)." When all else fails, put an interjection. Loved it! I also appreciate an ending with a question that creates intrigue.

Sheree started by describing the protagonist's struggles, which creates immediate conflict. My favorite line: "Determine her destiny, and eventually, her demise." Powerful ending. I feel like I know all about the book without having a specific spoiler.

REMEMBER: You must follow these ladies to participate this week!

This week's category: A book so powerful that it changed you in some way.

Here's mine:

True, I rarely remember names, but

Here's a story about the second world war

Enemy slander aimed at one particular religion

Blood was shed so freely

One day equaled thousands of collected souls

Out of the events, I remember the colors;

Kids, adults, and teens are all the same to Death

Then came little Liesel,

Her orphaned state one to pity

In all the madness, she discovered books

Even her foster papa encouraged her dangerous habit

For when you're hiding a Jew from Hitler, what harm can a book do?

Never has a book made me cry so hard or during so many parts. I am fascinated by WWII stories, yet this was so powerful and different than anything I've read. It'd be a good read for those who deny the existence of the Holocaust. Markus Zusak writes with the most beautiful imagery imaginable, creates loving characters, and explores the war from the perspective of Death. Amazing.

What book has changed you in some way?

*Next week's category: Fantasy (or some book with fantastical elements)

Guidelines:

Must become a follower to participate.
Follow the two winners from last week to participate.
Grab my button to place in your post.
Make sure you have a backlink in your post to each weekly post I put up, not just to my website.
Where it says your name please include name @ blog name Ex: Jenna @ Fans of Fiction
Your exact post URL is the one that goes in the linky box, not your website.
This meme is for BOOK BLOGGERS ONLY.
Don't just hop around; leave comments! We all love reading what others have to say.
Enjoy!

Feature & Follow Friday (#9)

2011-11-11T18:09:00.001-06:00

Parjunkee's View and Alison Can Read host this Friday blog hop so book bloggers can get to know a little bit about each other through weekly questions.

Question: In light of 11.11.11 and Veteran's Day tell us about your favorite solider and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or real life.

I have to say, last week's question was pretty fun, but I love my soldiers! I've been a military brat my entire life, lived on base, gone to DODDs schools overseas.

My favorite soldier is my dad. He retired after 22 years in the Air Force. He fought in Desert Storm. We were so blessed he never had any long or hard deployments. He is my hero because he provided for my family and instilled a love of country in us. He is still helping our troops by working with a contracting company. It's his job to inspect Navy base housing to make sure it's safe for soldiers and their families before they move in.

My other two favorite soldiers are my parents-in-law. My father-in-law is a retired Navy officer. My mother-in-law is currently a two star admiral in the Navy. She just returned home from a one year deployment to Bahrain. I'm so proud of what they do every day to serve our country. I haven't met any better leaders.

My little brother also just joined the Navy. He goes to basic in May.

Happy Veteran's Day. Thank you to all those who've served our country and defended our freedom.