Reviewabook123

Review: Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga

2010-01-11T21:17:00.000-06:00

Title: Goth Girl Rising

Author: Barry Lyga
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Over-All Rating: 4.0/5.0

Summary (from Amazon): "Time is a funny thing in the hospital. In the mental ward. You lose track of it easily.

After six months in the Maryland Mental Health Unit, Kyra Sellers, a.k.a. Goth Girl, is going home. Unfortunately, she's about to find out that while she was away, she lost track of more than time. Kyra is back in black, feeling good, and ready to make up with the only person who's ever appreciated her for who she really is. But then she sees him. Fanboy. Transcended from everything he was into someone she barely recognizes. And the anger and memories come rushing back.
There's so much to do to people when you're angry. Kyra's about to get very busy."

My Review: When I began to read Goth Girl Rising, I had the idea of a humorous, getting revenge on all the things that went wrong in your life, type of story. Well, it was close, but in a way, it was far from it. When you read about a person being released from a mental hospital, you know your in for one heck of a ride.
My thougths as I began the book? Well to be honest, it started off kind of slow. You weren't really sure what was happening, and the reasons for everything Kyra mentioned along the way, but it all connected as the story went on.
The whole plot was unique in its own way, and it kept you going, even if the action had slowed down.
The story itself led you on a roller coaster of emotions, making you wonder what kind of twists and turns were coming your way.
I felt sympathy for Kyra, and sometimes I wondered why in the world she did some of the things she had done.
I have several complaints though. A lot of the time while reading the story, I only felt like I was "reading" words, not really being placed within the setting. Ever had that feeling? Sometimes, I felt like I couldn't connect in with the story, or I didn't feel like I was in the setting of the book. Does that make sense?
The book was written in sections.
One of the sections was named "The last time I saw her." This goes back to the last time Kyra saw her mom in the hospital, dying of cancer. I found it unique how it would start, then end, then begin with the exact same beginning, except more of the story would be added each time, until it ended. I thought that was pretty cool, because I haven't seen that in a story before this one.
Although Kyra was stubborn, and sometimes mouthy, I found her to be more strong than any of the other characteristics. Yeah, some parts of the stories she had silent parties with the rest of the goths, involving drugs. But she refused to give her self away, and become a slut like her other two friends, as well as most of the school. I was happy for her.

Overall, I found the story to be within the coming of age type, because she delt with a lot that teens go through today. Whether it be drugs, sex, or suicide, she got through it all, and set some good examples. And as I read on, and got to know the characters more, the more I got into the story, so it's not like you're going to be confused while reading it.
Cover Rating: 7/10

*Since the new FTC laws had passed, please assume that all reviews come from books authors/publishers send me in exchange for a truthful review, unless noted otherwise. I do not recieve an income for my blog.

Teaser Tuesday+Waiting On Wednesday

2010-01-06T19:06:00.000-06:00

Sorry about not having my Teaser Tuesday post up yesterday! It totally left my mind since I had a review to come up with as well as schoolwork to finish. So, I'm going to post it up today, as well as my Waiting On Wednesday post!

Teaser Tuesday:
If you are interested in participating in Teaser Tuesday, here is what you have to do!
*Pick up the current book you are reading and open to a random page.
*Choose 2 random sentences from that page to share.
*Make sure it is nothing that will give away too much of the story.
*Post the author and title of the book as well, and have fun!

Title: The Seven Rays
Author: Jessica Bendinger

Teaser's:

"I blinked and the dots appeared as Shirl vanished."
"I woke up a few hours later to the sound of my mother crying in the other room"

Well, I hope you enjoy those teasers! I absolutly love the book so far, so I can't wait to put up the review as soon as I'm finished. Here is my Waiting On Wednesday choice, my very first one of 2010! Wow...

Title: Numbers
Author: Rachel Ward
Release Date: February 1, 2010

Description (from Amazon): "Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem's world is about to explode!"

What do I think? Definetly different from anything I have ever picked up at the library, that's for sure! Even though it may sound wrong, the idea of the whole story seems unique and in its own way, captivating! I am hoping for my bookstore to come in with this book when it is released next month, because I am most likely going to buy it. As for the author, I haven't read anything by Rachel Ward, but it sounds like she is a very creative person, and a good writer!

The cover? Well, it ties in with the description pretty good! The cover is what really caught my attention when I first saw it. It is unique in my opinion, and would stand out and catch a persons attention in a book store, which is what you want, right?! Great job on the cover art!

Gothgirl Rising update: I know I had promised for the review to be posted the other day, but I couldn't get that to happen like I said. So later tonight, it will be posted and ready to go! Also, expect my review for The Seven Rays to be up in a couple days as well!

It's Monday! What are you reading this week?

2010-01-04T21:29:00.001-06:00

First off, I want to thank J. Kaye's Book Blog for coming up and sharing this weekly meme. Click here to check her blog! If you are new to this like me, here are the guidline's if you are interested:

- Share books you have finished the previous week
- Share books you plan to read and possibly finish for this week.
Books I have previously read:

Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga. I planned to review it tonight and have it posted, but I had fallen behind because of schoolwork. This review is going to take me some time to create and put up because I have so much I want to share with you guys!

Books I have started for the week/Plan to finish:
The Seven Rays by Bendinger
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

FTC Regulation On Blogger's?

2010-01-02T20:49:00.000-06:00

I've heard about a possibility that a FTC regulation law may be passed concerning blogger's who review items that are mailed to them, or reviewing items, such as books. But I am not too sure if it had passed, and I want to make sure what it is about, so I won't get into trouble with the law. Could anyone inform me on what I should be doing to be on the safe side?

I'm participating in 2010! Challenges and Meme's.

2010-01-01T19:26:00.001-06:00

A new year, and a fresh start at blogging! For this year, I plan to participate in more challenges than the past year I've been blogging! These challenges include:

The list I am beginning to create on my sidebar, showing the titles I plan to finish before 2011.
The A-Z Book challenge.
52 Books In 52 Weeks Challenge
And I'm going to take another shot at the 100 Book Challenge, though this past try didn't exactly work.
Read’n'Review 2010

So, there you have it. If I happen to come across any other challenges I am willing to take part in, I will definetly leave you a post.

As for weekly meme's, I want to get more involved. I am planning on doing the following:

Waiting On Wednesday
Teaser Tuesday
What are you reading on Monday's? (Though, I am not too sure what the rules are for this one, I had visited a blog that had a post)
In My Mailbox
Booking Through Thursday

If you know anything about the Monday Meme could you please clear me up on the process of posting the meme?

I am feeling pretty confident about the challenges I am signing up for. As for the meme's, I cannot wait to leave posts! I wish I was creative enough to make my own meme. I will be adding the buttons for the events and memes, along with a link to the blog who had come up with the event as well.
Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful New Year!

Currently Reading(s): Goth Girl Rising

New Year's Resolution and Challenges For '10

2009-12-31T20:20:00.001-06:00

Ok, so it's time to get serious about the New Year, which, if I may mention, begins tomorrow! So, I have come up with some resolutions regarding my blog, and the reading I will perform this year!

Read at least 1-2 books a week, and post up the reviews ASAP*
Post everyday, or every-other-day.*
Improve on how I've been writing my reviews.
Become more efficient at contacting Publishers and Authors about interviews, as well as becoming more organized.
Comment on other blogs more often!!!*
Stick with one layout for at least 2 months before chaning it again (Personal LOL)

Well, I think I may have covered most of my Resolutions regarding my blog. If I think of more I will definetly post them. What are your resolutions, if any?I have also been having trouble finding some new Reading Challenges to participate in. Can anyone help me find some interesting ones I might be interested in?

Contests for my sidebar

2009-12-30T20:53:00.003-06:00

Since I still have quite a bit of space on my sidebar, I was thinking I could gather some contests happening around the blogosphere, and add them to my sidebar. If you are hosting one, or know of someone who is hosting one, I would love for you to leave a comment to this post, or email me at reviewabook123@yahoo.com, so I could post them up here!

If you decide to do so, please include the name of the blog and a link. As well as what the promoter is giving away and the ending date! Thank you so much!

I will also be going around searching for some contests myself, and asking for permission to put the information on my blog!

New Year's Resolution: For my Blog

2009-12-30T18:59:00.002-06:00

Wow...
Has it been a while since I typed a post for my blog. It's kind of depressing. And well. I hope none of you have forgotten about me or this blog!

Because for the new year, I PROMISE to be more worthy of my reviews, my blog, and my wonderful followers. I have to admit, I haven't been in the mood to touch a book, or to bother writing up a post coming up with excuses. The reason? There are no excuses! I've realized I've been spending all the time I used to spend reading some amazing books, on Facebook, or watching TV, or schoolwork! And I REGRET it A LOT. I cannot believe I have thrown pretty much all of my hard work away because of some laziness!

And I got to thinking. I'm going to change it! What a greater way to begin in the brand new year of 2010, since it's only what... 2 days away?!

Well this is going to be my New Year's Resolution! To start my blogging again, and reconnect with my book blogging friends, and the amazing Authors and Publishers that helped me along the way!

I'm back everyone, and with a bang! Haha!
Please, please, please forgive me for being MIA the past couple weeks...ok, months!
But I will not be missing for that long again!

I'm planning on organizing my blog, following up on some of the recent comments that were posted, and getting my books organized on my TBR list.
And now, I am super excited to be back in the blogging world! Oh how I've missed it!

In My Mailbox!

2009-10-17T14:07:00.005-05:00

I am so glad to be back in the book blogging community! I am terribly sorry for being MIA for the longest time, and Im sorry about all those blog posts that kept leaving excuses. Trust me, there will be no more of those.

So, Im starting off with an IMM post, which was started by the Story Siren!

The Bought:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

The Borrowed:

Sophmore Switch by Abby McDonald

Need by Carrie Jones

The Recieved:

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Maximum Ride: School's Out-Forever

Maximum Ride: Saving The World, And Other Extreme Sports

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

Maximum Ride: The Dangerous Days Of Daniel X (by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge)

Maximum Ride: Daniel X-Watch The Skies (James Patterson and Michael Ledgwidge)

Maximum Ride: Max

Maximum Ride: Manga edition, #1

(all Max Ride Books were written by James Patterson! Thank you so much Dina, for sending all of these books out to me!)

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush posters!

Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Captivate by Carrie Jones

Invisible Lines by Mary Amato

wow..that was a great week! So, what did everyone else get?!

And thanks to Dina V. and Becca Fitzpatrick for the books and promo items! It is greatly appreciated!

Review: Jumping Off Swings

2009-10-14T19:18:00.007-05:00

TITLE: Jumping Off Swings
AUTHOR: Jo Knowles
PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press
OVERALL RATING:

Summary:

Ellie just wanted someone to love her. To protect her from the cruel and complicated world around her. As well as the scars and painful memories that engulf her from the carefree past she used to share with her best friend Corinne. But nothing is that simple anymore. The trips to the swings in the neighborhood park no longer mean the silly competitions to swinging the highest, or jumping the farthest.

Nothing has been the same ever since that night when Josh deserted Ellie in the backseat of the van, to tell his friends how far they had gone. Nothing has been the same ever since Ellie had started this new trend.
Not only had Ellie been effected by the unexpected pregnancy. But so has Caleb. Ever since grade school, Caleb has always had feelings for Ellie. Not the feelings every other guy in school said they had for Ellie. But the true, caring feelings. The feelings where he would hurt just as much as Ellie if anything happened to her. And now? He is devastated. Even though he is friends with Josh, he doesn't understand what Josh and the other guys are thinking. Even if they don't know about the pregnancy. Maybe it's because he has a mother he can go to for help and advice, unlike Josh, who's mother lives at the soup kitchen, and a father who is either rocking out with his so called band, or snoozing off a 6 pack.
Eventually, Ellies stomachs grows more noticeable. As well as everyones attitude toward her being pregnant. The word SLUT is forever engraved on her locker, her parents seem to want to be away from her, and Josh stays his distance. Remembering the desperate and sad look her eyes gave off as he abandoned her in the backseat of the van. What will Ellie do when it comes to giving birth to the baby filling the empty space inside of her?

Review:
Jumping Off Swings tells it like it is. The novel allows you to view the hardships, sadness, and the tough decisions that had to be made, through the eyes of friends, family, and enemies as well.
Everything expressed throughout the book, was raw, real, and without any doubt, painful. Having to see someone who was once full of life and happiness, now crushed by several guys, and a pregnancy that she is left to deal with, must have been the hardest part to read about. Everything was put together so well, there isn't one thing I would change about this book. Though. If I could. I would help Ellie, but the truth within each page is what brought me even closer to understanding the message. Feeling awful and hopeless for Caleb, knowing he is watching the one person he once cared so much for, crumble to pieces, is what really bothered me as well. I could hardly stand it at first, though, things did turn out for the best.
I cannot describe the feelings and emotions I felt while reading this book. It will effect each reader differently, and that is why I urge you to read it. It is worth your time.

Happy "Release" Day....

2009-10-13T16:45:00.004-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE NEW RELEASE OF HUSH, HUSH!

And to Becca Fitzpatrick for creating this awesome day!

CONGRATULATIONS BECCA!

I have heard so many excellent things on this book, I don't know where to begin! Luckily, I had recieved an ARC, and will read and review it ASAP!

Happy Birthday and Congrats!

Cirque Du Freak Giveaway!

2009-10-12T16:28:00.004-05:00

Its time for another awesome giveaway, don't you think?!

Well, if you thought so, you got it!
Have you ever heard of the hit series, Cirque Du Freak? I have! Well, did you know it will soon be released in theatres? It will be coming out on October 23rd, and it is called The Vampires Assistant. Sounds awesome, doesn't it!

Here is some more information if you are interested in learning more about the movie/book:

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular series of books
by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a
200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a
fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the
night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill
his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

Book Info:

3 Titles:
A LIVING NIGHTMARE * THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT * TUNNELS OF
BLOOD
Do you love to be scared? Then don't miss the terrifying adventure
that
begins when Darren and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the
CIRQUE DU
FREAK, a wonderfully bizarre and creepy freak show. Brace yourself
for thrills
and chills as the boys witness a parade of grotesque creatures
and face their
deepest fears by entering the darkest world of the vampire.
In the
blood-curdling tradition of Anne Rice and Stephen King, CIRQUE DU
FREAK will
have you shrieking for the next horror show!

You can visit the site here or watch the action packed trailer by clicking this link
So are you interested yet? If not, keep reading! *Trust me*

How to Enter?
Since Cirque du Freak has caught much attention lately, you get the chance to chose your favorite Cirque du Freak t-shirt saying, by voting below! You must vote in order to be entered, and it will be tallied as one point. Once you have voted, let me know by commenting to this post, letting me know!
Also, those who are now following, will get 2 extra entries, once they vote on the shirt saying, and letting me know by commenting!
New followers as of today? You get 1 extra point added once you vote! Just comment to let me know!
The Prize?
Two lucky winners will each receive a book set, complete with 3 books from the Cirque du Freak series! As well as a Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant Locker Mirror! Totally cool!
1 Entry by Voting for the t-shirt saying below
An additional 2 entries for past followers
1 additional entry for new followers, as of today!
1 additional entry for blogging about this contest on your sidebar or blog post!

Older Followers= 4 Entries if you did them all
Newer Followers as of today= 3 if you did them all!

Want to become a fan of The Vampire's Assistant? Click here to become one, by following the facebook fan page!
Hurry! Contest ends in 2 weeks!

Vote Here!

I'm sorry ='(

2009-10-09T18:29:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone. I feel terrible about not having a review posted for EVER. Its just that I have been super busy, and have been fighting a reading slump that never leaves.... I know, that has been the excuse for the longest time, but it's just that I haven't had the energy to read, even though that may sound ridiculous to some people, but I'm sure some of you understand what I am going through?

So, the past couple days that big pile of review books that need to get read have been mocking me, to where I feel this heavy guilt build up every time I look at them (Sometimes I try so hard not to) I have decided to get at least 2 books read this weekend, and get back on track!

My choices:
1) Jumping Off Swings
2) Maybe Hush Hush
or...Meridian...or Eyes Like Stars...

Probably Jumping Off Swings and Eyes Like Stars/ Hush Hush....
Ugh, decisions!

On the other hand, there will be a big contest/promotion being posted up tomorrow, so check back for that, and I am planning on getting my sidebars filled tonight, so they wont be so empty!
Thanks for being patient everyone! I greatly appreciate it!

Winners Of The Max Ride Prize Pack Promo....

2009-10-05T17:17:00.002-05:00

Here is the moment you all have been waiting for...those of you that entered for the Prize Pack anyways! Thanks to Random.Org, It had chosen 2 lucky winners, to each receive a Maximum Ride Prize Pack!

So, the winners..............

Lyndsey and Raelenna!

Congrats!!!!

Please, email me with your mailing address, so they can be shipped out to you! And, I will be posting about another awesome promotion sometime this week, so stay tuned!

Promtion and Review Update!

2009-10-01T22:38:00.003-05:00

Ok, so here are a few updates. I'm sorry I have been lacking on reviews. School and reading slumps don't mix well. But I'm finally pulling myself out of the horrible slump!! Yay! So expect some reviews being posted for sure!

And my contest winners for the Max Ride Promotion will be posted tomorrow evening, so check back tomorrow to see If you were one of the lucky two!! Also, I have rounded up a few authors to kick off the Authors, We Know Your Secret 2010 Book Countdown. Unfortunately, I need some more time to get things prepared foe this new meme, and I apologize. If you are interested on learning more, I did a new post about it below.

A new promotion will begin tomorrow as well, so check back!!!! It's going to be exciting! Thank you for being so patient with me! I am no long MIA! Woo hoo!

Authors, We Know Your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown: Clearup!

2009-09-28T17:16:00.003-05:00

Ok... So maybe i made things a little too complicated about my new meme! But dont worry! Im going to clear some things up in this post for you.

The Rules And Regulations:

1) Any blogger can participate, as well as any author and/or publisher that will have a 2010 Book Release.

2) You must post at least 1-2 times minimum for AWKYS (What to post, and such will be found at the next section)

3) You must fill out the participation form at the bottom of this post, if you are able to do this meme.

4) Please, post the image of this meme to your sidebar and/or blog post, leaving a link to THIS post where new bloggers can learn about this as well.

5) HAVE FUN!

How It Works:

Authors, We Know Your Secret is a 2010 Book Countdown, where you can ask permission from the author and/or publisher of your choice, who may have a 2010 book release, that you are looking forward to in 2010! If you have an author that has accepted this meme, you may either interview, host live chat, promote a giveaway-promotion, etc, to get there 2010 Release as far out as possible to other bloggers who may be interested. But once you get your author, would you please email me at reviewabook123@hotmail, with the date your promoted author will be hosted on, so I could do a daily update of AWKYS around the blogosphere? Please include your blog name/link as well, so I could do an easy hyperlink to you. Authors, you can email bloggers to, if you want to be promoted for your 2010 Release. Just include some info on your book, so us bloggers can take some additional interest in your title. A trailer, summary, photo, additional info site links, your blog link, and possibly a teaser, would be some of the best options!

Posting:

Ok, so maybe you are too busy, or do not have an author/publisher to promote one week. THAT'S OK! I know how busy a schedule can get, so don't take this meme like a job or whatever. Its just for fun! Just let me know WHEN YOU HAVE AN AUTHOR to promote, so I can add the details to a daily/weekly scoop post on AWKYS! I plan for this meme to kick off October 1st, and I already have some authors pending their decisions, or who have already scheduled some dates! The sooner the better! If your author decides to let you promote their book by a giveaway- or swag giveaway, that's awesome! Please be sure to thank the authors, and let me know, so I could add those details in a post for you as well. The items you are giving away, and ending date would be great to add in as well.

This meme will end January 1st, 2010. I'm thinking about coming up with a Best Author-Book Choice poll, or something like that, to spice up the ending of the 1st Annual: AWKYS!

So, does this clarify things a bit? Basically, it's kind of like Author In The Spotlight, with more promotion opportunities, as well as strictly 2010 Book Releases, and Upcoming Authors of 2010. And what do you think of the name for this meme? I kinda like it.... Please, remember to add the meme button to your sidebar, as well as the starting date and LINK TO THIS POST! Thank you so much, and if you have anymore unanswered questions, or comments, let my know via email or comment to this post.

Authors, are you interested? Email me as well, or a blogger who is taking part in this challenge!

Sign Up Here:

**Instead, just leave your name, email, blog link, posting decisions, such as how often you think you'll post, etc. to a comment for this post!**

[To copy image, just copy and paste into word document, then upload to sidebar, until I can get a link-to widget to make it easier and faster for you]

2009-09-28T15:58:00.002-05:00

Here are some upcoming awesome contests and promotions!!

First off. I have a Max Ride Promotion going on now, and ending soon!

My next promotion:
Cirque De Freak prize packs!!!!

later promotions:
1 winner will receive 2 books by Amber Kizer: Meridian, and One Butt Cheek At A Time!
1 winner will receive a hardcover of Path Of A Hero!

And there may be even more coming since my new meme will kick off October 1! Also if the posts I have made about the 2010 meme, didn't make sense. I Will make a clearer post tonight explaining it better!

In my mailbox!

2009-09-27T14:46:00.002-05:00

IMM was started by the amazing Story Siren!!

Here's what I received this weekend!

The borrowed:
None

The bought:
None (Haha I'm broke at the moment =O)

The received:

-Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
Release Date: October 27, 2009
Copy provided by- InGroup
Summary(Provided By Amazon)-"Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.
Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world."

Title: Dreamhunter
Author: Elizabeth Knox
Copy Provided By: InGroup
Summary (provided by Amazon): "Grade 5-9–Laura Hame and her cousin Rose, 14, live in a recognizable early-20th-century society, realistically portrayed but for one thing: the Place, discovered about 20 years earlier by Lauras father. It lies outside geographical boundaries, and only select people are able to enter and experience dreams there. These dreamhunters then perform their received dreams for large theater audiences, and those in attendance go to sleep and experience them. At the time of this story, dreams have become big business and are embroiled in issues of social control (especially the control of prisoners) and power politics. When Lauras father disappears, the girl takes enormous risks first to try to find him, and then to complete his mission. While the author leaves tantalizing clues throughout the novel, the plot moves slowly at first. However, patient readers will find themselves rewarded by the riveting action in the final third of the book. Relationships between the characters, especially Laura and Rose, are given center stage, but their interaction flags in the middle of the book. Particularly touching is the relationship between Laura and a golem-type creature sculpted out of sand in the magical world of the Place. Dry, unchanging, with nothing either fully living or dead, no wind or sounds, it is eerily suffused with atmosphere and powerfully portrayed. This novel, the first of a duet of books, concludes neither with a cliffhanger nor at the end, but in the middle of the action. It will appeal to lovers of fantasy set in the real world, who will eagerly await the resolution in the second volume.–Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. "

This is the best week I've had so far lately, but I'm expecting more things coming my way, including some Hush Hush swag!! I am super excited for that! Also, expect a review in the next day or so! Please, comment and tell me what you think!

I also have the first author lined up for the "Authors, We Know your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown" which will kick off October 1st! So stay tuned to the upcoming event you can participate in! It's going to be a blast!

Weekend Reading List:

2009-09-25T17:54:00.003-05:00

To get back on track with my reviews, I'm planning on doing a weekend reading list!

Books That Need To Be Reviewed:

*Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick!
*Max by James Patterson (Click here to win 1 of 2 sets in my current promotion!)
*The Texicans by Nina Vida (AITS coming soon!)
*Praying For Snow by Jennifer Reynolds
*Her Strong Tower by Victoria King
*Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith**
*Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox**
*Meridian by Amber Kizer
*Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
*Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
*Rumer & Qix by Kathleen S. Wilson

What I plan on finishing this weekend? Crazy list above huh?! haha!
**Jumping Off Swings
**Hush Hush?
and maybe....
**Rumer & Qix.....

That's my REVIEW pile! I still have to read all of the books I have bought yet! Trust me, you DON'T WANT to see that list! haha!

I'm also going to be getting my blog organized, so I'll be online for a while! Email me at reviewabook123@yahoo.com if you would like to chat! I'd love to chat with some other bloggers!

Also, dont forget to read about my new Meme, "Authors, We Know Your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown!" Scroll down and check out some of the posts describing how this benefits authors, publishers, AND bloggers! It's going to be a blast, so sign up!

"Authors, We Know Your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown" details!

2009-09-24T22:00:00.003-05:00

I've decided to stick with the name for my new 2010 book countdown meme to be "Authors, We Know Your Secret!" Do you like it? Also, if you are interested, the button for this new meme is posted on the sidebar, or below on the post explaining some things about this event...

Anyone can participate, once it begins on October 1st. Just sign up on the sign in sheet posted below, so I know who all is doing this as well.

RULES:
*You must promote an author/book that is coming out in 2010 at least 2 times a week or more, depending on your schedule. I understand if you cannot make a post, or there isn't enough time, but just let me know via email if you cannot make a post.

*Email me once you get an author, so I can post about it on my blog, so everyone else knows who is interviewing/promoting who. (More Details Below)

*If you are participating, please put the button with each AWKYS post, or to your sidebar with a link to THIS post.

*2010 Book Countdown will end January 1st, 2010!

Email me to schedule a post:
*please provide your blog link, date for interview, Person(s) being interviewed, any type of giveaway as well as special offers being added to your AWKYS post. Please, let me know at least 2 days in advanced when you have an interview/promotion set up regarding AWKYS 2010 countdown. I would love for you to do this so I can post about your blog post and get the authors, as well as you, more views.

Does this post make sense? If not, tell me to clarify better! More details coming soon!

BONUS TIME!!!:

Those of you who spread the word on this new meme by linking, and giving the title, plus the button, will each receive an extra entry to my Max Ride Promotion! Please, let me know by commenting to this post, that you have done so. You must have entered the contest first, before receiving any bonus points. If you have not yet entered, please read the post carefully here.

*Post to sidebar, or blog post
*Include: Button(

),
*Title (Authors, We Know Your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown),
*Link to THIS post, and/or this summary: "If you are interested in learning more about the undiscovered 2010 YA book releases, or want your book promoted, then go Here(Link to this post)"

Comment once you have done so, leaving your link to the post, or sidebar.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ON THIS NEW MEME!
AUTHORS, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, EMAIL ME AT REVIEWABOOK123@YAHOO.COM
BLOGGERS, EMAIL, OR SIGN UP WITH THE SHEET ON THE LAST POST, LETTING ME KNOW YOU ARE DOING THIS MEME!

New Meme Button + WOW

2009-09-23T19:26:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone! I have a button for my new 2010 book countdown Meme! And I think I came up with a name for it as well: Authors, We Know Your Secret! 2010 Book Countdown. What do you think?! I love it! If you have a better idea, let me know!

Here is one of the few buttons I will create for you to post on your blog to help spread the word! And I'm still coming up with the whole MeMe, so please be patient! I am planning on starting this on October 1st, so bloggers, please do your part by spreading the word to other bloggers, or even authors if you'd like! I'd really appreciate it! So, here is the button (also posted on my sidebar):

So what do you think?! I kinda like it!
And bloggers?! Please, let me know if you'd like to participate in this meme by signing up below, or commenting to this post! I'd love to send out info to you all to keep you updated! And remember! Spread the word about this!

If you have no idea what I am talking about, please refer here for some details on this new Meme!

As for my WOW pick:

TITLE: Bleeding Violet
AUTHOR: Dia Reeves
PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
RELEASE DATE: January 5, 2010

SUMMARY (provided by Amazon.com): "Love can be a dangerous thing....
Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.
But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe. "

Awesome right?! Haha I know! It sounds very interesting, unique, and mysterious, AND a YA hit! I hope I could host the Author for my new meme to help promote this book, even though it probably will be big without the help of me. I also read that the majority of the buyers for this book, also bought Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick!!! (review coming soon)... I cannot wait for this! Expect a countdown for Bleeding Violet to be posted to my sidebar soon! What do you think?

MeMe Sign Up: Authors/Bloggers/Publishers

New Meme for bloggers, authors, and publishers!!

2009-09-20T12:39:00.007-05:00

I know what new meme I'm going to do, but please tell me if there is already something out there similar that has been created in the past! I'm not trying to steal your Wonderful ideas!

So since 2010 seems to be getting nearer I thought Id start a 2010 book countdown, since there has been a great deal of books every one is looking forward to next year... So... Why not do a countdown type thing that gives authors a chance to get their book even more publicity before it's due publishing date in 2010? Publishers, you can do your part as well by promoting your company by giving exclusives, special offers, Interviews and updates to keep bloggers on track with your upcoming releases!!
Bloggers? Have a book you want to share with the rest of the book community you think will be a hit? Then email me with the title, publisher, release date, summary, and maybe even a teaser or book trailer if possible! Maybe I could even come up with an interview we could do to share your thoughts and opinions on your pick!

The process? Hmmmm.. Everyday would be pretty hard to keep up with, along with the fact that I might not be able to get upcoming releases to fill in the next several months. Maybe, once I get started and see if any authors or publishers start asking me to promote them, then I could do this more often. So I may just post every other day or every 3 days until things get sorted out.

Buttons for this meme will be available for others to use for their sidebars to help spread the word to others who may be interested as well. I will post a poll asking what you think about this meme either below this post or on the sidebar where you can share your opinion!

Authors or publishers please dont hesitate to contact me at reviewabook123@yahoo.com if you would be interested in being scheduled for a certain time. I will try and make it work! Also, please include some useful and interesting info on your book if you are offering for me to

promote your release.

Is this new meme making sence? And what should it be called?......

Friends Of The Library info!

2009-09-14T19:59:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone! Several things: a review will be coming in very soon, so don't give up on me now, and my Max Promotion will be running until October 1st! I am sending out emails to some book bloggers to spread the news, so you are most likely to get one very soon! Also, expect several memes and a new one created by me, this week!

But the reason for this post is very important!
I have been informed through email by Jessica that there is an awesome book directory you can find online. Not only books are there but magazines, CDs, etc! I guess instead of it being explained by me, which can get confusing? Here, just read the email that was sent to me.

"All across the nation, many Friends of the Library organizations hold book sales that feature cheap books that were either donated or removed from circulation. Typically these sales sell books, CDs, magazines, and DvD's for rock bottom prices. A typical sale will sell most of their items for under 3 dollars.

Being charity organizations, these Friends of the Library organizations often have limited resources to advertise and promote their sales. As such, many people are never made aware of the excellent deals they are missing within their own communities. That's where booksalemanager.com comes ins. We are attempting to bridge the gap between Organizations looking to more effectively advertise their sale, and people looking to find more places to get good deals on books and media.

Friends of the Library organizations and other non-profit groups can freely advertise their sale on our site. Our site currently has 2500 active listings, and we have been adding over 100 everyday.

People looking to find sales can use our powerful search tools to find these sales. They can search by state, zip code, sale size, and date ranged. Furthermore, people can create an account and save sales to their calendar to help them better track the sales they want to go to. You can also sign up for notifications to be emailed when a new sale in your area is listed, or a reminder email a few days before the sales on your calendar so you don’t ever miss a sale you want to attend.

I believe book sales are a great way to find bargain books and media while at the same time supporting the local libraries and non profits we all know and love. It's a total win-win."

Very informant I'd say! So what do you think? Awesome and money saving right?! It definitely is a win-win! Thanks Jessica!

Maximum Ride: Max Prize Pack Promotion! Must READ!

2009-09-10T19:23:00.012-05:00

Yes, you read the title right! I am going to be hosting a HUGE Maximum Ride Prize Pack Promotion here at reviewabook123, all thanks to Dina Vathis! Thank you! And guess what?! There will be 2 winners that will each receive a prize pack with 8 books per pack!

I AM SO EXCITED!

The (2) Winners Will Both Recieve Each Of The Following:

Maximum Ride: Max (paperback)
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (paperback)
Maximum Ride: School’s Out – Forever (paperback)
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports (paperback)
Maximum Ride: The Final Warning (paperback)
Maximum Ride: Manga (paperback)
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X (paperback)
Daniel X: Watch the Skies (hardcover)

First things first:

ENTER TO WIN A SET OF JAMES PATTERSON PAGETURNERS!
MAXIMUM
RIDE – IF SHE LIVES, THE WORLD LIVES, IT’S THAT SIMPLE.

Read “MAX”
- the newest book in the bestselling Maximum Ride
series.
On sale in paperback 09/01/09!
Still reeling from their most recent
adventure, Maximum Ride and the rest of the flock must head out to sea to
uncover the secret behind a brand new series of disasters—fish are dying off the
coast of Hawaii , hundreds of ships are being destroyed. As if that
weren’t enough, they’re also being tracked by a criminal mastermind with, oh
yeah, an army of mercenaries. Can the flock save themselves and the
ocean, and the world, from utter destruction?

**The Fine Print: IMPORTANT!**

The Maximum Ride: Max Promotion is open to legal US residents who are at least
13 years of age as of August 24, 2009. There will be two prizes for each
Promotion. Each prize consists of the following eight (8) books: Maximum
Ride: Max (paperback); Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (paperback); Maximum
Ride: School’s Out – Forever (paperback); Maximum Ride: Saving the World and
Other Extreme Sports (paperback); Maximum Ride: The Final Warning (paperback);
Maximum Ride: Manga (paperback); The Dangerous Days of Daniel X (paperback); and
Daniel X: Watch the Skies (hardcover). The approximate retail value of
each prize is $72.00. Winners will be confirmed on or about September 28,
2009 by email. Prizes will only be shipped to confirmed winners with
addresses in the US . Prizes will be shipped within 30 days after a selected
entrant is confirmed as a winner.
JAMES PATTERSON
MAXIMUM RIDE: MAX (Paperback Release)
ONLINE BOOK CONTEST

Entrants who follow and post promotion on their sidebar and/or blog post will earn an extra entry! Please, fill out all of the required information below in the entry box, and you will be entered for your chance to win 1 of 2 prize packs!

Contest ends October 1st!

Waiting On Wednesday

2009-09-09T18:19:00.003-05:00

This week, there are so many books that I am looking forward to, I just couldnt post one. And I guess it's alright, since I havent done a WOW post as often as I should...

Title: Perfect Mistake (Privlege #3)
Author: Kate Brian
Pub. Date: Oct. 27, 2009
Summary: "Kate Brian's Beautiful Disaster brings Ariana Osgood back into the life she is accustomed to, the only questions is, what will she do to hold onto it "

Why this one? Duh! Kate Brian of course! She is one of my most favortite authors ever, and Private/Privlege series has to be the top selling series! Awesome job Kate!

Title: Scandal (Private Series)

Author: Kate Brian

Pub. Date: March 9, 2010 (Make it come faster please!)

Summary: "Kate Brian's Private series gets even better when Reed returns from her horrific vacation. "

Why this one? Wow! Another book being published by Kate Brian! Though, I havent finished the series yet, I am glad that there is one more being added so it wont end as fast! (yes, it's that good of a series!) Maybe I could snag an ARC?

New Weekly Meme for Reviewabook! And Update!

2009-09-08T17:51:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I have posted up a popular meme, so I figure, why not come up with my own! My idea? Well... that... needs some more details and such to make it entertaining and worth reading and waiting for. But, what I was thinking was on every Tuesday, or every other Tuesday, I could post a live conversation with a generous author via email. I'm not so sure on details and such, but if any blogger out there that might have a creative idea, please email me!!! I need help! Haha!

Authors? What can your part be? Simply email me once I get things figured out, and we could go over the process together! I will definitely get you in for a date on any Tuesday, if that particular date is open. Also, don't forget, if you would like to be promoted in any way, whether it may be through a contest, Author In The Spotlight, book information, or exclusive information on your current or upcoming book. Its that simple! I'd love to help you out through promotions!

Other updates? My blog hasn't been updated as much, and I am sincerely sorry! I guess I couldn't blame it fully on schoolwork, but in some way, laziness? School has drained me. Oops... did I just blame it on school again? Bah, oh well.

I AM NOT FORGETTING ABOUT MY SITE! Just thought you should know! I plan on getting on a schedule (thanks to Laina for the brilliant inspiration) and getting in more reading time and blog time!

Also, if you haven't noticed, I have a new theme. What do you think? I love it! It's exactly what Ive been looking for! And I know, some people emailed me recommending 3 columns, but this one is the one that stuck out the most to me, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Expect a WOW post tomorrow, and a book review coming soon, as well as several Author Interviews, and an awesome promotion coming soon as well!!!

Now, off to school work! I'll keep you updated on any other things I had forgotten to mention in this rather long post! Thanks, and be watching for that promotion post!!! Trust me, it's going to be totally worth it!
And thanks to those who had entered the furniture contest as well! That was awesome, wasn't it?!

The winner is....!!!!

2009-08-31T22:43:00.002-05:00

Is anyone interested in knowing who the lucky winner of the furniture contest is? I thought so! First, there was only one winner, so if you didn't win, I'll be posting about a five winner book promotion that is going to be totally awesome, along with several other contest coming up later! Also, is anyone else out there that hasn't posted a review for a long time? I feel terrible for not updating as much ad I used to. I really want to apologize! I am so sorry! School has started last week and I already have quizzes coming up this week which I need to cram for! Another update: expect several author interviews coming up. Along with several reviews if I can get time to read and post.

Enough of my blabbing. Let's get to that lucky winner! Before I forget (haha) thanks to everyone who took the time to enter and spread the word! You did fantastic! And thanks to all of my new and old followers for following! It is greatly appreciated!

Now what was I going to say?...... Hmm. I guess that was it.....
*Smacks head and wonders if I'm losing my mind*. The winner! That's what I almost forgot to mention!

And the winner is.....*drumrolls fingers on desk for dramatic effect XD*
!!!!!Celeste!!!!!!!

I will be emailing you shortly for your prize choice and mailing address! And don't forget, those of you that didn't win, I will be posting about a huge promotion for you to enter tomorrow! Stay tuned!

Contest update: winners?

2009-08-30T22:36:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let all of the contestants of the furniture contest know that the winners will be posted tomorrow evening! I know, it was supposed to be posted today, but I have to be honest. I was busy and it slipped my mind until now! I'm sorry! And thanks to all that entered and gave me their opinions on how to make my blog a better place. I will get a new layout and construct a new sidebar, but in the meantime, since school has started, I just haven't had as much time as I would like to do more reading and blog stuff! I'm sorry everyone! I am not forgetting about my blog! I promise!

The Birthing House Exclusive Info!

2009-08-25T21:04:00.003-05:00

The Birthing House by Christopher Ransom is a new supernatural thirller published by St. Martins Press. Publisher's Weekly said: ""“A blend of supernatural horror and psychological thriller, Ransom’s impressive debut chronicles a couple’s descent into madness after they purchase a 140-year-old Victorian house in rural Wisconsin . . . this addictively readable ghost story will keep readers up all night, with the lights on, of course.” Kinda creepy huh? Still want more info? Then keep reading!

Here is the awesome trailer!

If you are interested in learning even more, then click here to go to the official website!

Do you have a ghost story you have experienced or have been told? Then share it with other people who would love to hear about it, including the author of The Birthing House by clicking here!

Interested in some cool photos?! Here is the link that will get you there!

Wanna get a sneak peak of the book? The first 2 chapters are available here! Yes! You read this right! Click here to read the first 2 chapters of The Birthing House by Christopher Ransom!

In My Mailbox!

2009-08-23T10:09:00.003-05:00

Here's what I got this week! IMM was started by the story siren!

The Borrowed: None

The Bought: None

The Recieved (For Review):

Rumer And Quix by Kathleen S. Wilson

Summary: ""Rumer, a petite apprentice reporter for the 31st century Global Quotidien with a flair for fashion, loves zipping across Nanjing with her loyal sidekick, Qix, in search of stories. But now, she’s furious with her boss for asking her to cover the exploits of Alfa, the planet’s wealthiest mega-conglomerate. Her parents died in an Alfa accident and she can’t understand how he can be so insensitive. She escapes into the indie networks and soon finds herself puzzling over an image of a bizarre nature sighting. Ever since the flora and fauna were replaced with Alfa’s Syncov™ replicas eons earlier, sightings like this have been routinely dismissed. When ethereal voices relay a message confirming Rumer’s hunch that things are terribly amiss, she slips away on a globe-trotting quest for answers. An epic battle is brewing between Dr. BigCo, the powerful Alfa CEO, and his nemesis, MoNa, the vulnerable matriarch of the cosmos. Will Rumer be able to turn things around before it’s too late?

Meridian by Amber Kizer

Summary: "Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain. Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos. "

Max: Maximum Ride #5 by James Patterson

Summary: "The fifth entry in Patterson's all-ages Maximum Ride fantasy/thriller series finds the teenaged title character facing her greatest challenge yet. Max, leading her flock of virtually indestructible part-human/part-bird hybrids, must rescue her human mom, kidnapped by a criminal mastermind with an elaborate plan to wreak worldwide ecological catastrophe. But in order to rescue her, 14-year-old Max and the five younger members of her flock (genetically developed by an environmental group) must team up with the U.S. Navy to determine why millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii. All this, and Max is falling in love, too. Patterson doesn't spend much time on character development, opting to propel his wild story with quick action scenes, plenty of dialogue and chapters seldom longer than three or four pages; unfortunately, though, life-and-death situations are often solved by implausible plot turns. Max narrates with a precocious, snarky voice, but makes it relatively easy to jump into her complicated tale midstream. Not surprisingly, the open-ended conclusion begs for a follow-up; it's also little wonder that a movie franchise is in the works. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. "

(All Summaries From Amazon)

So that's what I got this week! I am super excited for all of the books I had received! All 3 of them look and sound great! There's my batch for the week! What did you get?!

Waiting On Wednesday!

2009-08-19T20:45:00.002-05:00

Yay! I remembered it was Wednesday! Haha! So here is my WOW post for this week!

Title: Vintage Veronica

Author: Erica S. Pearl

Summary(From Amazon): "Veronica Walsh is 15, fashion-minded, fat, and friendless. Her summer job in the Consignment Corner section (Employees Only!) of a vintage clothing store is a dream come true. There Veronica can spend her days separating the one-of-a-kind gem garments from the Dollar-a-Pound duds, without having to deal with people. But when two outrageous yet charismatic salesgirls befriend her and urge her to spy on and follow the mysterious and awkward stock boy Veronica has nicknamed the Nail, Veronica’s summer takes a turn for the weird. Suddenly, what began as a prank turns into something else entirely. Which means Veronica may have to come out of hiding and follow something even riskier for the first time: her heart. "

Release Date: March 9, 2010

Why I'm excited?
Because it sounds like a really cute book that would turn out to be entertaining as well! The whole plot sounds scandalous in its own unique way, as well as the character Veronica. Overall, it sounds cute, fun, unique, and a coming out type of story. Now, let's discuss the cover! Haha! Simple, yet themed and cute, I absolutely adore it! The cover looks as cute as the story sounds! The colors and theme flows great together! What do you think?

Waiting On Wednesday

2009-08-05T12:28:00.002-05:00

Sorry about my lack of W.O.W posts! Also, just a reminder that I have a contest going on right now, for a chance to win a book shelf of your choice, or a computer desk!

This weeks pick:
The Everafter by Amy Huntley
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
Summary: "Madison Stanton doesn’t know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this — she is dead. And alone in a vast, dark space. The only company Maddy has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things she lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that, with these artifacts, she can reexperience — and even change — moments from her life.Her first kiss.A trip to Disney World.Her sister’s wedding.A disastrous sleepover.In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and frightening truths about her life — and death. "
-From Amazon

-The Summary: I think the summary is what really drew me in. It seems like such a mysterious, and dark book that would have surprises and detail to keep you entertained.

-The Cover: The cover caught my attention, but not as much as the summary did. I guess, the cover did make me want to read the summary in the first place, and I do love the colors flowing through the cover.

-The Title: Awesome! Simple, yet mysterious and entertaining. It draws you in, making you wonder what the book is about. I love this chosen title! It works great with the summary!

So there you have it! The break down! Overall, I cannot wait to read more about this book! And better yet, the release day is coming up! Yay!

Furniture Contest!

2009-08-02T14:42:00.006-05:00

Are you in desperate need of a new book case, or even a computer desk? Then this is a contest for you!
First off, before I get into more detail, I want to thank Jonathan Papp from Office Furniture for giving me this wonderful option! Thank you!

I will be giving choices for the winner to choose from, so you have more of a variety to look at, than what I would choose for a prize.

First things first:
*Contestants must be from U.S to enter, sorry international readers!
*You must be or become a follower to enter.
*You must comment to this post leaving your name, email and/or blog link for 1 entry.

Entries:
There will only be a max limit of 3 entries per person.
1-Comment on this post
2-Link/Blog about this contest, including contest details, direct link, and ending date (August 29th)
3- Email me, telling me what I could change about my blog to make it better, simpler, or more interesting. Also, tell me how you like my reviews, or posts in general. What are the positives, and negatives?

Here are the options!

~Book Shelves/Storage Shelves~

#1-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Winsome-82430-WN1087.html
#2-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Mylex-42340-MEX1062.html
#3-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Mylex-42350-MEX1064.html
#4-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Mylex-42344-MEX1061.html
#5-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Ameriwood-Industries-03113-GM-03153-GM-AR1070.html
#6-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Winsome-92314-WN1020.html

~Computer Desks~

#1-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Studio-RTA-207XX-SR1156.html

#2-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Sauder-400586-SAU1061.html

#3-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/OSP-Designs-KK203R-OSP1180.html

#4-http://www.csnofficefurniture.com/Sauder-401806-SAU1049.html

Contest will end August 29th. I will email the winner, asking for their mailing address.

Now, let the contest begin!

Expect a review(s) this week, and a few other posts as well!

Email: reviewabook123@yahoo.com

Follower shout-out!

2009-07-26T08:20:00.002-05:00

I'm sure other bloggers have done something like this, and I have felt guilty for not doing anything to appreciate all of the awesome followers and readers I have been getting! Many of you have been visiting my blog ever since my first post, and I want to thank you for that! Also, thank you to all of my followers for making my blog a better place! I love to open my blog page and seeing all of the people that find my blog interesting enough, even when I haven't posted in days or weeks. I want to say thank you to all of the visitors. Followers, and the people leaving positive comments, for making this blog happen! Thank you so much!

I also want to apologize for the major lack of reviews. No, I am definetly not deserting my blog, I love it too much to do that! I have been going through a major reading slump, but I think Im getting over it now! Please, be patient until the next review comes in!

The winners of the 5 HP book giveaway announced!

2009-07-23T14:02:00.002-05:00

Here are the 5 winners of the newly released paperback version of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows, including the 10th anniversary gold pin!

The winners were chosen by a randomizer!

1. Shooting Stars Mag (Lauren)
2. Robin_Titan
3. Mari (Perfectly Imperfect)
4. Becca Fitzpatrick
5. Diana_Dang

Please, email me and send me your addresses so I can get these prizes shipped to you!

Thanks to all who entered!

My game plan (sorta)

2009-07-21T07:57:00.002-05:00

If you've been wondering where I have been lately, and why my blog hasn't been updated as much, I'm sorry for abandoning it!!! I have honestly never been so busy! Between practicing my driving, studying for the three quizes we take in drivers ed, friends coming back from vacation, and always feeling guilty while looking at that big stack of books just needing to be read (haha), I've hardly had time to enjoy my site, as well as other sites. My plans?

Read and review Praying For Snow, then post up an author interview for July.
Post up the five winners for the paperback HP books TONIGHT!!
Read and review Eyes Like Stars
And post an amazing giveaway where the winner gets to chose what they want (stay tuned for details)

So there you have it! Expect me to stick around!

Reminder for contest

2009-07-16T16:41:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I just wanted to remind you of my 5 book, HP giveaway, ending soon! You can click the link on my sidebar or search for it, and enter! Learn how to gain extra entries as well. I also want to apologize for the lack of reviews being posted! Thank goodness drivers ed will end this week! Then I can get back into my usual routine! Thanks to all of my followers and readers for being patient with me! I greatly appreciate it!

In my mailbox

2009-07-11T17:09:00.003-05:00

Heres my IMM post for the week!

I didnt get very many books, only 2, but I am very happy for getting them!

IMM was started by The Story Siren.

The Borrowed:

**None**

The Bought:

**None**

The Recieved:

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

-Summary (From Amazon): "For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life. "

(ARC provided by the help of the author, and publishing company. Thanks!)

Release Date: October 13, 2009

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

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

(ARC provided by Publishing Company)

Release date: August 11, 2009

Busy, Busy, Busy...

2009-07-08T23:06:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm sorry about the lack of posts this summer, but everything has been so hectic! My average book reading list for the past couple months have only been 2 books a month! Eek! My reasoning for less posting includes Drivers Ed, which is for 2 1/2 weeks, half the day, chores, and just tiredness.... Ahh, another reading slump :(

Anyways...Expect an Author In The Spotlight Post later this month, and maybe 2 reviews. Once I get through with Drivers Ed, I can guarantee you more reviews!

I'm sorry for the delay, I hope you understand my busy schedule!

AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY 5 BOOK GIVEAWAY, HAPPENING NOW!

Review Planning

2009-07-05T20:00:00.001-05:00

I know a lot of you have noticed a decrease in reviews being posted, but everything has been so hectic this summer so far, that I hardly have time to even look at a book (OK, maybe I take tons of glances at my bookshelf, but you get the point). So, for this week and/or possibly next week, here are some titles I plan on finishing and reviewing for the next 2 weeks.

The Physick Book Of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe- a book I desperately need to finish as well...
Peace, Love, And Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle
Praying For Snow-a review book I need to finish in order to interview the author for AITS, and it looks and sounds awesome as well!
Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
I also need to finish How To Buy A Love Of Reading........

Hopefully I get these read in the next 2 weeks... Wish me luck!

In My Mailbox

2009-07-02T20:39:00.002-05:00

Here's what I got this week!

-IMM was started by The Story Siren!

The Bought

*None*

The Borrowed

*None*

The Recieved (for review)

-Eyes Like Stars

Summary:
All her world’s a stage.
Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.
That is, until now.
Enter Stage Right
NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.
COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.
ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.
BERTIE. Our heroine.
Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.
Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.
Open Curtain

(Summary Provided By Amazon)

**Arc Provided by InGroup**

Eyes Like Stars will be released July 7th

Ok, I only recieved 1 book this week, but many people are anxious to get this one, so I can't wait to read it because of the popularity it has scored over the past few months...

I also have a question about this one...Is it going to be in a series?

What did you guys get?

5 BOOK GIVEAWAY+ COLLECTORS ITEM!

2009-07-01T08:24:00.001-05:00

In celebration of the new, anticipated movie, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, and the upcoming release of the paperback version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, I will be giving away five copies of the new paperback version book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, which is released on July 7th!!!

ALSO: Included with each book, there will be a celebrating 10 years, gold collectors Harry Potter pin!!

The Rules?!

-U.S Only

-No P.O boxes

-5 winners only.

I'm really sorry if these rules restrict you from being able to enter, I hope you are able to win this or get this elsewhere!

Entering, and additional entry options:

1 entry: Comment to this post, including your name, email, and/or website

2 entries: Put this contest on your sidebar/write a post with the link, prize, and ending date.

3 entries: Follow if you don't, or if you already are a follower, let me know

Overview:

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will hit theaters this summer – the 6th film in the series. Why not catch the finale NOW by reading the page turning final installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – released in paperback July 7th. It all comes down to this - a final face off between good and evil. You plan to pull out all the stops, but every time you solve one mystery, three more evolve. "

The ending date will be July 19Th, so hurry and enter! This is definitely a contest I would enter in because of the Collectors Pin, and the newly released paperback version of the book, which comes out July 7th (if I haven't mentioned that already) !!!

Thank you so much for the 5 donated copies, and pins, Dina!

If you are interested in learning more about the Harry Potter series, click here for additional information!

In My Mailbox

2009-06-28T15:11:00.003-05:00

Hey! Sorry about not posting my IMM post last Sunday, so I am just including it in with this one!
IMM was started by The Story Siren!

The Received (for Review):

Praying For Snow by Jennifer Reynolds
Three Roses For Pearl by Julia Johnson
The Texicans by Nina Vida

The Borrowed:
Madapple by Christina Meldrum
Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
Peace, Love, And Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

The Bought:
Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
Swoon by Nina Malkin
The Devouring by Simon Holt
Walk of the Spirits by Richie Tankersley Cusik

I had also received 2 awesome promo items in the mail. A GhostGirl devotional candle(saweet!), which looks awesome!! And I had also received a 10Th anniversary, Harry Potter and the Sorceress Stone, golden pin! I absolutely adore it, and there will be an upcoming contest, where 5 winners could get one!!!! (so stay tuned!)

What did you guys get???

What do you think of...

2009-06-25T13:27:00.002-05:00

Has any book blogger out there read How To Buy A Love Of Reading? I am reading it, and well....I don't really know what to think of it. I find the writing style very complex, and all of your attention has to be focused on the book while reading. I just don't know about it. I think the whole story line so far is very unique and good, it's just, been kind of hard to get through. What do you think?

Contest Winner, and Award!

2009-06-20T21:29:00.004-05:00

Thanks so much for being patient about posting the winner for How To Buy A Love Of Reading! I was really busy this afternoon, so I couldn't get to it. Also, expect IMM to be posted up tomorrow as well.

So, I'm sure you are pretty anxious to see who the winner is for How To Buy A Love Of Reading, so here is the winner!!

Congratulations: Suzane from http://chickwithbooks.blogspot.com/!

I am going to be emailing you soon, so please get back to me!

Thanks to everyone who has entered, I really appreciate it!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And as for the award, thank you so much Cassandra, for giving me this award!

Ok, so I wasn't sure what to post about this, so I just copied the paragraph from Cassandra.

"This blog invests and believes in the Proximity - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

1. Addicted to books 1993
2. The Story Siren
3. The Page Flipper
4. Another Page Is Used
I'm sorry, but I can only post four because I need to get off soon! I hope you enjoy your awards!

Reminder For Contest!

2009-06-19T19:39:00.003-05:00

Just a reminder, that tomorrow at 6:00pm central time, will be the last day to enter my contest for How To Buy A Love Of Reading.

If you haven't entered, click the My Contest tab below the header! Thanks to everyone that has entered, and will enter soon!

Total Look Alikes!

2009-06-19T14:55:00.002-05:00

As I was talking to my friend Laina, she sent me two book pictures, and I was shocked to see how identical they look. Literally.

Here they are:

Kind of creepy, huh?

At first I thought they were in a series, but noticed the 2 different authors, Bree Despain, and Meg Cabot.

Every little detail in both pictures is pretty much the same. The material whisping off at the end, and the same colored toe nail polish.

What do you think?

-look alike idea inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Review: Th1rteen R3asons Why

2009-06-16T20:47:00.006-05:00

TITLE: Thirteen Reasons Why

AUTHOR: Jay Asher

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

What would you do if one of your classmates died?

What would you do, if you could have saved them?

Most of all, what would you do, if you were part of their suicide?

And...What would you do if you received audio tapes that tell the story of Hannah, and the 13 reasons why she committed suicide?

The package arrived at Clays house after school. But when he opened it, surprised to see tapes, labeled with numbers, and rules on what to do during each tape, each one containing a sad story, Clay begins to hear Hannah's story, before she ever popped a bottle of pills.

And sadly? He is one of the 13 exclusive people that will have their lives changed forever, in only one night.

Come along on Clays journey around town, as he visually watches the snowball effect that ruined Hannah's life, how it all started, and how it all desperately ended. Though, the signs were vague in the moment, before Hannah ever made the fatal choice, they now become clearer as he looks back when the signs were blasting in front of his, and his classmates, eyes. The way she cut off most of her long hair, and gave away her things, both being signs of future suicide, he should have known. But she wouldn't let anyone connect with her, because she lost her trust to anyone that tried to help. How? Her first kiss....Ruined and changed her reputation. The way people viewed her physically? Now they just want a piece of her for themselves. Her home? No longer a safe haven.

Listen to the story of a girl being used, lied to, and becoming ripped to pieces as she tries to save herself. And her life.

You may be shocked to learn how one of Clay's friends played a major role in her final days, and the fact that she could have changed one thing to lessen the chances of her death, as well as another classmates death.

Will Clay listen to all of the tapes? Or will he decide not to listen to them, which could turn these cassette's into a public show?

MY THOUGHTS:

Thirteen Reasons Why is a book that will bring you to tears, but will keep you coming back for more.

I loved how the story began with him sending out the package to the next "victim", even though you had no idea what it had to do with in the story, it made you wonder what was next.

As I got farther into the novel, it became more and more crazier, I can't even think of a better word to explain it. My feelings towards the book as it got farther into the plot, became more deeper, and sentimental.

For one thing, I thought Hannah was crazy at the beginning, but the snow ball effect kept getting worse and worse further into the plot, and sometimes I thought she did things on purpose to give her an excuse to kill herself.

And as for Clay Jensen, one of the causes of her suicide, and the main character of the story, my heart went out to him. I felt every single one of his emotions as he listened to a voice he will never hear again, explain everything from a tape player. If I were him, I probably never would've been able to handle listening to all 13 stories. I couldn't even handle seeing an empty desk, and know, someone could have changed the direction Hannah was going in, if they caught the signs. One thing, I feel strongly about, is Hannah, being somewhat of a selfish person? I think she took the quick way out of life, and couldn't handle the stress we all go through sometimes. Maybe some of it was really bad, but she could have talked to someone about it, instead of kept it inside. But, then again, I wasn't the one listening to all the false rumors, or being lied, cheated, and used.

I hated how Clay blamed himself for not saving Hannah. Her mind was made up. I don't think she tried hard enough to get the help she needed, or change the way she was going. But the more her story continued, the more desperate I felt to save her myself. And I think that is what made this whole story unique. Everything she said, and Clay did, made me depressed while reading it, and I would hate to be the 13 people to receive the tapes.

Thirteen Reasons Why was a beautiful, sad story that made me cry, and made my throat burn with sadness. Everything was connected together, in a sick twisted way. Everyone had a reason to be one of the causes, even if it was only a short add on to the snow ball effect. Each person, including Hannah, played a major role in her final decision.

I creepy sense came over me, and I couldn't control my feelings anymore. I never would have thought such a story like this existed, and I hate the fact, but love it at the same time, that I even read this book. I will never forget this story.

Review: Ghostgirl

2009-06-14T21:13:00.012-05:00

TITLE: Ghostgirl
AUTHOR: Tonya Hurley
OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5.0

Ever Feel Invisible?

Ever feel like you are a waste of space, another person to suck up the air?

Meet Charlotte Usher, because chances are you probably haven't, even if you went to school with her the past years. A positive start makes a positive year right? A new wardrobe, act, and self esteem, Charlotte is ready to be a part of Petula's popular status. To be like her. And well, to basically get her boyfriend as well. Damen. The hottest guy to ever walk the halls of Hawthorne High.

But thanks to a gummy bear, and Damen, Charlotte meets her end. Now she will be invisible for good. Not to the other dead students though. Sadly, after getting her toe ring that explains her death, and meeting a girl named Piccolo Pam, she is now a part of Dead Ed. But all the students in dead ed have their stories on how they made it here. Charlotte just doesn't want hers to end. Sadly, she can't get the living kids that share the school with her to notice her, once again.

That is what Dead Ed is for, though. Explaining to them they are in this world for a purpose, and exploring the things they can and can't do.

And just as she had one enemy, Petula, in the living world, she now has an enemy in the dead world. Prue.

As fast as Charlotte arrived in this different world, it's soon going to come crashing down in attempt to be part of the living again. To be part of it though, you have to overtake someone who is willing to give up their body. And that's when Petula's gothic sister, Scarlet, comes in. The only living person to be able to see Charlotte, Scarlet understands the importance of Charlotte's plans, and that is to keep Damen from failing his classes, so he still can go to the dance. And possibly go with Charlotte as Scarlet.

Putting time into getting her noticed in the real world, is taking away from what is more important now. Her only home, as well as all the other Dead Ed kids. Hawthorne Manner, is about ready to be taken from them for good. The students must find a way to keep it as their place, without haunting it, or having it demolished. And everyone needs to pull their weight in order for it to happen...Including Charlotte.

What will it take for Charlotte to realize death is her destiny? Will Hawthorne Manner, once again, become theirs? And what is really up with Prue, the mean dead girl who can never give Charlotte a chance? Most of all, will someone realize what is going on between Charlotte and Scarlet, and ruin it all for them both?

The One will have to rise above the others, and realize once and for all, this is the destiny. Will it be too late for her to realize it though?

MY THOUGHTS:

Where to begin..... Tonya Hurley twisted a unique plot along with a heartfelt story line, almost too perfectly together. It was a fun, yet a sad read, and I felt as desperate as Charlotte while reading Ghostgirl. I never believed a story could be as well mixed as Ghostgirl, but after reading the book, it proved me wrong.

The idea for this story was amazing! I felt that the plot was fast moving, but not fast enough to make me confused. The whole theme to the story, was unique by its self. Everything tied in perfectly together, and it couldn't have been written any better. I felt sorry for Charlotte, but I also understood why Prue was so harsh on her during the end. She wasn't letting go, even if it was hard. At the climax though, it was all worth it. Everyone was shown who they really were without the maggots crawling on them, or the translucent skin decaying off of their frail bones.

One thing though, bothered me. I guess it was the fact that the story didn't include not one little thing about the parents of the dead kids. Maybe it would've been a little too much being added in with the story and all, but it did keep me thinking and wondering.

One more unique thing, I forgot to mention, was the beginning of each chapter. There were short messages telling you about things Charlotte should have kept in mind, and what we should think about on a daily basis. A few include: "If it's meant to be, then it will be" or "Time will tell all things" and so on. Another thing added in each chapter are quotes that have some role within the story. I found several that I absolutely love: "All that we see or seem, Is but a dream within a dream" by Edgar Allan Poe, along with: "And there was a beautiful view, But nobody could see. 'Cause everybody on the island, Was saying: Look at me! Look at me." by Laurie Anderson. I believe those to be 2 of the most powerful quotes included in this book. Overall, the uniqueness, plot theme, and overall fun mixed with the story, were definitely amazing.

In My Mailbox: HUGE POST!

2009-06-12T17:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, so maybe it's not that huge, but it's a pretty big one to me! This was started by The Story Siren!

The Borrowed: None

The Recieved/For Review: None

The Bought:

...before I start this list, I just want to make things clear. All the paperback books I bought were only $1.49, and the 2 hardcovers I got were $3.00. Guess where I got them? .....At a garden store. I know! How odd.... How could you not take such an offer? And believe me...There were thousands of books just laying on tables, piled high.

So, here it is:

Are You Alone On Purpose? by Nancy Werlin

Summary: "Alison Shandling and Harry Roth would seem
to have nothing in common. "Queen Nerd" Alison sticks with one close friend and
stays out of trouble; her parents have enough worries dealing with her autistic
twin, Adam. Harry, a bully, runs with the popular crowd and delights in
embarrassing his widowed father, a not terribly intelligent rabbi. But a bitter
set of coincidences draws Alison to Harry: her mother, infuriated by the rabbi's
insensitivity to Adam, tells the rabbi that she wishes his son were handicapped
too. When Harry is paralyzed in a diving accident, the rabbi sees it as divine
punishment and tries to atone by showering Adam with attention. First-novelist
Werlin compensates for the unlikely plot and the even less likely romance that
develops between Harry and Alison by investing her characters with rich, strong
personalities. She alternates between Alison's and Harry's perspectives to round
out the reader's understanding of both families."

Confessions Of A Not It Girl by Melissa Kantor

Summary: "Besides being named after an
obscure Renaissance painter (turning the name "Jan" into "Yahn,") and having a
butt so big that it "belongs in the Guinness Book of World Records," high school
senior Jan Miller also has the dubious honor of being best friends with Rebecca
Larkin, recently named one of CHIC magazine’s New York "IT" Girls. Add a
ridiculously huge crush on new-boy hottie Josh Gardner to this list of woes and
sympathetic readers can see why "life would be so much simpler if guys were like
mood rings, and they changed color when they liked you." It will take more than
just Rebecca’s easy assurances and a few pints of Ben & Jerry’s for Jan to
come to terms with her own inner "It" girl (or lack thereof)."

What Happened To Lani Garver by Carol Plum-Ucci

Summary: "The folks on Hackett Island, near
Philadelphia, are not too friendly to newcomers. Anyone the slightest bit
different is eyed with suspicion, as Claire found out when she missed a year of
junior high due to leukemia. Now she works hard at fitting in, following
treacherous but popular Macy's lead, hiding her passion for the guitar, and
never talking about her fear that her illness will return. Or her nightmares. Or
her eating disorder. The boys of Hackett Island's "in" crowd are members of the
"fish frat"--hunky sons of the local fishermen--and their horseplay even among
themselves is brutal and edge-of-danger.
And then Lani Garver shows up at
school, a tall, thin, strangely androgynous person. "No. Not a girl. Sorry," he
says pleasantly when Macy questions him about his gender with vicious curiosity.
But Claire, much to Macy's disgust, is drawn to Lani, and his wisdom and
kindness begins to heal her. He takes her to Philadelphia to meet his artistic
friends, talks sense to her about her eating disorder and her blind devotion to
Macy, finds her a therapist. Who is this Lani Garver? He resists "boxes" like
"gay." Even his age is a mystery to Claire. Strangest of all, could he be a
"floating angel," as his friends at the hospital seem to believe? Meanwhile, the
fish frat are closing in for the kill, and when their harassment turns lethal,
Lani shows a terrible side of himself Claire has never seen."

The Last Universe by William Sleator (One of my favorite
authors)

Summary: "Teenagers Susan and Gary live
in the house that has belonged to the family for generations. Now Gary has
contracted a disease that has him confined to a wheelchair and traveling to the
hospital regularly for transfusions. Susan is unwillingly spending her summer
vacation pushing her brother through the garden and woods of their peculiar
estate. Gary has been reading about quantum physics, a subject in which
Great-Uncle Arthur won an international prize many years earlier. He is also the
one largely responsible for the creation of the garden and just possibly the
maze that no one has ever seen except from one window in the house. Gary is
convinced that his illness has somehow triggered a quantum event that is
responsible for the bizarre changes he and his sister are finding each day. He
also seems to be getting better after each visit to the garden and so Susan
finds herself torn between her fear of it and her fear for her brother's life.
Sleator is a master of suspenseful science fiction and that mastery is evident
here. The action is slow at first, but as the garden begins to change, the pace
picks up correspondingly. Ultimately Susan must brave the maze on her own when
Gary is rushed to the hospital. The twist at the end is entirely logical (if
anything about quantum can be) and entirely shocking."

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally
Carter

Summary: "Cammie Morgan, 15, is a student at
Gallagher Academy, a top-secret boarding school for girls who are
spies-in-training. She studies covert operations, culture and assimilation, and
advanced encryption, and has learned to speak 14 languages. Her troubles begin
when she falls for Josh, a local boy who has no clue about her real identity.
Keeping her training secret forces her to lie to her new love, which leads to
comic complications. Subplots include Cammie's relationship with her mother–the
headmistress at Gallagher–and her grief over the loss of her father, who died
while on a spying assignment. The teen's double life leads to some amusing
one-liners, and the invented history of the Gallagher Girls is also
entertaining, but the story is short on suspense. The stakes never seem very
high since there are no real villains, and the cutesy dialogue quickly becomes
grating"

Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson

Summary: "Ashley has enough problems in her life
already, starting with the complexities of her crowded but loving working class
family -- her extremely pregnant mother and her three exuberant and prom-crazy
aunts, and her cab-driving father and three younger brothers, who think nothing
of happily trashing the kitchen in a game of hot dog baseball. Then there’s Mr.
Gilroy, the evil vice principal of discipline, who has Ashley on endless
detention, her awful job at EZ-CHEEZ-E, where she has trouble seeing the
customers through the eyeholes of her rat costume, and her good-looking but
lowlife boyfriend TJ, who wants her to join him in a future as depressing as the
dank one-room apartment he has so proudly rented for them. Not to speak of Nat’s
loony grandmother, who wears her red bathing cap even when she’s not doing the
backstroke in a wading pool, babbles at Ashley in Russian, and spits on the
floor to show her disapproval.
But in the end it’s grandma with her skill at
baking (pastries to bribe the custodians) and sewing (a magical prom dress) who
saves both the prom and Ashley’s belief in herself and her future in this
delightful and heartfelt novel."

The Red Queen's Daughter by Jacqueline Kolosov

Summary: "Orphaned as a young girl because
of the imprudent marriage of her mother, Queen Katherine Parr, Mary Seymour vows
never to fall in love-and under no circumstances will she marry. Lady Strange,
her mysterious guardian, offers the young woman an extraordinary alternative to
marriage: Mary is to become a white magician who will join Queen Elizabeth's
court and ensure the success of the Virgin Queen's reign. Accompanied by her
magical hound, Perseus, Mary sets out to learn the properties of different
stones and the art and precision of natural spells. Soon after her sixteenth
birthday, she joins Elizabeth's court as a lady-in-waiting. Upon her arrival,
Mary realizes that Elizabeth's court is rife with men and women who are vying
for power. The most dangerous of all is Edmund Seymour, Mary's disturbingly
handsome cousin. From the moment she meets Edmund, Mary has to fight her growing
attraction, especially once she discovers that he is a black magician, the dark
mirror of her own self. But, despite the threat Edmund poses to Mary, he seems
to be the only one who truly understands her. When Edmund becomes involved in a
plot against the Queen, Mary finds her beliefs tested in ways she never could
have imagined. "

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

Summary: "Megan Meade, 16, is a soccer star
whose parents are military lifers. When her mother and father are again
stationed overseas, she decides to stay with family friends in Boston. She is
immediately overwhelmed by the seven McGowan boys, each of whom embodies a
stereotype, e.g., genius, jock, rebel, etc. Shockingly, Megan falls for Evan,
Mr. Popular. Also shockingly, Evan has a mean girl girlfriend, Hailey, who is
trying to make Megan's life miserable. Will Megan become the team's starter?
Will Evan fall for her charms? Will readers care? The answers to these questions
are pretty obvious. "

Dramarama by E. Lockhart

Summary: "She was just big-boned, big-nose Sarah
living in Brenton, Ohio, where, as she puts it, "committing suicide would be
redundant." Then she meets Demi, who is trying hard to be
invisible--surprisingly easy considering he's black and gay. Alone they are,
well . . . alone, but brought together by their love of musical theater, they
light up. All this might sound like a stereotypical take on gay men and the
women who love them, and there is some of that, but there's also so much more.
The renamed Sayde and Demi make their way to a summer theater camp, and that's
where things change. Encouraged to become part of the ensemble, Sayde finds she
is too opinionated to do that, even as it turns out that she is less talented
than she believed. At the same time, Demi is discovering that he's a star who
can hang out with actual boyfriends rather than Sayde. "

Alternate Covers: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

2009-06-11T15:12:00.003-05:00

While looking for book images to add to my TBR list, I came across 2 different covers for the book I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You. I'm always used to seeing cover 1, but once I saw cover 2, it looks really mysterious, and if not, a little more better? I don't know which one I like best... I think the first one looks a little bit more fun than the 2nd one, but the 2nd one looks more mysterious? I don't know how to explain it... Maybe the 1st explains the story more?

Cover 1

Cover 2

Waiting On Wednesday #2

2009-06-10T21:08:00.003-05:00

Eeeek! I just remembered it was wednesday!
Here is my W.O.W post for this week!

Crashed by Robin Wasserman (Sequel To Skinned)

"Months have passed, and in that time, Lia has joined Jude and his roving gang of mechs, an eclectic collection of bored teenagers looking for trouble, and uniquely capable of finding it. It’s a carefree life at first, but as the download process becomes more common, the opposition to the process becomes more vocal - and more hostile.Lia gets swept up in the idea of being a revolutionary and fighting for a cause, but as the plans escalate, she starts having second thoughts — especially when she figures out Jude’s real agenda. Yes, he’s loyal to his cause — fiercely, desperately, blindly loyal. But only to his cause. Not necessarily to his people. In the end, Lia must make a choice. How many people — mechanical and organic — is she willing to hurt to protect her freedom? How far is she willing to go to protect the people she loves? And, when she betrays Jude—as she eventually realizes she must—how will he take his revenge?"

-Summary From Amazon

To be honest with you, the first book, Skinned, is still sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be opened. I really want to read it before the sequel comes out, because it looks and sounds really good. I can't wait for sequels to come out, even if I haven't read the first one. Anyways, this one looks just as good as the first one! And it sounds good too!

June-Author In The Spotlight

2009-06-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Please welcome E.S Brenwalt to this months Author In The Spotlight! He is the author of Cyan's and Magus' adventure in Path Of A Hero. Here is the interview!

1) When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

It was back in the spring of 2003, back when I wrote the very first version of "Path of a Hero," although back then it was called "Chronicles of Hero." There was this little fan site for Harry Potter that created a sister site developed for role-playing purposes. The site has been long gone now, but when it was first put up, I decided to create a character for the fun of it all, and that character was Cyan, as well as Magus. A little ways into the role-playing thing, and I was inspired by another user to create a back story for my characters, and when I made it, I really liked what I did and decided to do a rewrite only a couple of months later, better and longer. It was after that when I realized that I truly wanted to be a writer, to go to the places that only my imagination could take me. And I knew that Cyan and Magus would be the first.

2) If your interest wouldn't be in writing right now, what would you most likely be doing?

After spending the last six years of dreaming of nothing else but writing, I would be surprised if I ever became anything else. But if I never realized my talent of being a writer, then I guess I would have pursued my childhood dream of being an airplane pilot. I always dreamed of flying, and I still do sometimes.

3) Were there any particular people in your life that inspired you to write about Cyan?

To be truthful, not so much. I lived a secluded life up until a few years ago, so the only person that I would relate Cyan with in the real world would actually be myself, personality wise that is. If I ever put Cyan in a certain situation, he would handle it in a way that I myself would do it.

4) Who is your favorite author, and why?

There are so many great authors out there, well-known and not so well known alike, that it's hard to pick just one. However, I would definitely have to narrow it all down to one British woman named Joanne Kathleen Rowling, because before I ever read a Harry Potter book, I was far from being a big book reader, let alone an aspiring author. In retrospect, I learned to love reading and writing because of Harry Potter, and so JKR has to be on top of my favorites list.

5) Where do you like to write most?

In my room, where there can be no interruptions. I live in a house that is occupied not only by me, but my parents, two of my sisters, and four children, sometimes six or seven if we're babysitting my other siblings' kids. With so many living in one house, privacy fast became an issue that I have established years ago. No one is to bother me while I am in my room, mainly because I keep my door locked.

6) What is the best advice you could give to inspired writers?

Never give up. It is only over when you say it is. Also, to anyone out there who has dreams of becoming a professional author, remember that there is a lot of hard work to become successful. It's not all about writing a bestseller; that is only a part of it. The big challenge is getting people aware of it, and the only way to do that takes three things: Determination, Imagination, and Persistence.

7) Was there ever a time where you didn't want to write at all?

Only before I ever wrote my first story six years ago, mainly because the thought of writing never occurred to me. Otherwise, I can not wait to get back to writing.

8) Do you get writers block often? If so, what do you do to get over writer's block?

I sometimes get writers block, or sometimes I would write something, but never really felt satisfied with it, and I can not press onward unless it is taken cared of. In order to fight that slump, all I have to do is just take a break and think the whole thing over in my head, maybe even sleep on it. That always helps, because once I get back to it I delete what I did not like and replace it with what I do like. I do not think that I get such a bad case of writer's block that all I can conjure up in my mind is a big black blank.I would also like to take a moment to mention that I also suffer from time to time Writer's Distraction, Writer's Delay, and Writer's Fatigue more often than I would want.

9) Who inspired you to write fantasy, or any other story you have written in the past?

I mentioned this before, but way back on that role-playing site, I was inspired by another user, whose name I sadly can not recall (though his username was "Headache"), who started a back story for his character. So that one person from long ago actually helped push me in the direction to make a story for my characters Cyan and Magus (if he ever reads this, then I must say, "Thanks Headache!"). After that, the rest just came to me, where encouragement and praise from my family helped me become a better writer. During my homeschooling even, my mom would allow me to do a creative writing homework assignment so that my typing and writing would improve.

10) Are you working on anything right now?

Yes, I am. At this time, I am writing a short story that is based on some characters from my book, set before the events of "Path of Hero." I hope that putting it up on my website will help people become interested. Then, after that, I am going to get started on the sequel.

11) How long did it take you to get Path Of A Hero published?

A surprisingly short amount of time. First off, being completely new to the whole thing, I had no idea on how the publishing industry worked. I thought all I had to do was send my story to somebody who might be interested and see what happens. Then I found out that publishers will only accept manuscripts via agents, or that most, if not all, asked you to pay thousands of dollars to publish your work. So after months of trying to figure it out, the actual "finding" a publisher did not take long at all. I was surfing the web, trying to find someone who would do fantasy novels, and I came across a place called Publish America. I liked what I read, and seeing as they were offering their services for free (meaning that I did not need to pay them a dime to publish my book), I decided to go with them. After submitting my story, signing a contract they sent me, a few things here and there, and I was officially a published author as of last December, and I hadonly signed on with Publish America a few months prior to that.Best decision I ever made. Despite all of the hardwork that it actually takes for me to get people to so much as spare a passing glance at my book, it still makes me really happy and proud that I did it.

If you are interested in purchasing Path Of A Hero, click here!

Thanks so much E.S Brenwalt!

Does the text overlap?

2009-06-07T21:40:00.001-05:00

I was wondering if the text on the main post body overlaps with the sidebars? On one of my friends computer, it does, but for my other friend, it looks fine.

Please, let me know if it does, and if it bothers you. Or, if should change it completely!
Thanks!

In My Mailbox

2009-06-07T10:08:00.003-05:00

This was started by The Story Siren!

This week was an O.K week, I guess, considering I received 2 books!

The Borrowed: None

The Bought: None

For Review/The Received:

GhostGirl: "Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep.And if I should die before I awake,I pray the popular attend my wake.Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal. If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is. In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we'll go to be seen. "

Ghostgirl-Homecoming: "Heaven couldn't be a phone bank, could it?Charlotte Usher discovers that the afterlife isn't quite what she pictured when she's forced to intern at a hotline for troubled teens. Before she can officially cross over, she'll have to be a source of guidance for one such teen. The problem is she doesn't have much advice to offer since dying hasn't exactly boosted her confidence level. But when Hawthorne High's leading, love-to-hate cheerleader Petula and her gothic little sis' Scarlet find themselves suddenly resting-in-peace in comas, Charlotte's opportunity to save them will prove to be the risk of a lifetime-for all of them. "

I think these books look so cool and unique, but come on, the summary is too. I've never heard or seen of such things in a book, or the way the book was created. I'm fascinated! Haha, well, I can't wait to review these!
What did you get in your mailbox?

AHHHHHHH!

2009-06-06T22:03:00.002-05:00

I really want to apologize for the often changing of backgrounds. I feel like I can never find the right one. It's either too dark, or too regular....I want to find one with 2-3 columns, link list at the top, and really unique! I hope this one is not too dark for you guys, please let me know if you like it or not.

If you want to email me a link that has really good blogger templates, let me know! I would love to take a look!

Again, please forgive me. I'm sure it has been driving some of you nuts!

Waiting On Wednesday

2009-06-04T16:33:00.002-05:00

Sorry about the late W.O.W post! I'll try to post them on time!

This week, I cannot wait for...

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Release Date: August 11, 2009

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

To by quite honest, the cover is what really caught my attention. And, then, once I read the summary, it sounded quite intruiging. Jumping Off Swings sounds like a true coming of age story, and and haunting one as well. I hope to read this soon!

Review: David Inside Out

2009-05-29T23:44:00.004-05:00

TITLE: David Inside Out

AUTHOR: Lee Bantle

OVERALL RATING: 4.0/5

David Dahlgren loves the feeling of wind hitting his face, his feet slapping the ground at an even pace, winning for his cross country team. But he also loves something else. Something he would be criticized for if anyone found out. But does he even know it himself yet?

David has always had a thing for other guys, even if he is dating a girl to cover for it. Not wanting to go through the harsh judgement of his peers, and team mates, he turns to his "girlfriend" Kick to get him out of the picture for good. Thoughts crowd his mind every time he sees his friend, who also happens to be somewhat gay, and sometimes the thoughts make him feel uncomfortable, or not normal, but he knows he cannot help it.

The rubber band never did the trick. It only made his wrist sore after a thought provoked his mind, sending him into fantasies about Sean, or his other gay friend Eddie, whom he stopped talking to for a while. Every time him and Sean are together, it feels right to kiss or do other things they keep hidden from others.

At school though? Sean stays clear of David, for fear of his rich friends throwing him out of the pack. It's finally David's turn to come clean about himself, and his friends. The Gay Hot line only worked for a while, and the Gay Bookstore didn't do much help, other than finding him another romance novel. Will he finally admit to his girlfriend the reason for never wanting to kiss or be together alone? And will he finally admit his true feelings for other guys to his mother, and secret lover?

MY THOUGHTS:

This coming of age book was far different than what I had thought it would turn out to be. Yes, I knew the main character David, was gay and all, but I didn't think it would go into full detail when he and another guy were together. The story seemed, in a way, depressing. I hated the main character for keeping it a secret, but I knew it would've been hard for him to come right out and say he was gay.

The book gives the reader incite as to how it feels to have a secret that could tear your life apart, or piece it back together, and that is what made it unique. I loved how the book told the story of someone becoming who they were, and it was truthfully versed.

Though, it could have had less detail in some graphic parts, because I became somewhat uncomfortable with the details and such.

Personally, I didn't have a problem with David, and who he was, but I hated all the kids who did harass him and Sean, or Eddie.

The plot was very fast paced at times, but slow at other times as well. It did pick up when you became bored, so that was a plus. The plot itself was unique, and far different than what I had expected as well.

If you are looking for something to read, I suggest you try this out.

It will be released this month.

ARC provided by InGroup.

EXTRA 2

2009-05-28T21:15:00.004-05:00

Here is today's chance for you to win extra entries in my current giveaway! Click here for rules for the EXTRA segment.

The first 3 people to respond to this question by writing 1 paragraph, will receive 1 extra entry in the book contest. But you have to have already gained at least 1 entry before doing this! Click here to see how if you haven't yet! How did you get into reading? Was it a book you read, a friend, a librarian, a teacher? If you can remember, did it make you want to start blogging about books?

Just write me 1 paragraph answering the question! I
will add in your extra
entry asap!

Thanks!

I took the quiz!

2009-05-26T12:15:00.002-05:00

If you aren't sure what quiz I am talking about, it is a book personality quiz that tells you what kind of reader you are, and the most common types of books you like to read or look for while shopping for them.
At first I was thinking "this quiz can't possibly know what kind of reader I am!" But I was totally wrong! This describes the type of reader I am, and I couldn't even put it into the terms it gave me if I hadn't of taken it!

It turns out I am 3 different types:

Your responses showed you fitting into three different personalities:

Involved Reader: You don't just love to read books, you love to read about books. For you, half the fun of reading is the thrill of the chase - discovering new books and authors, and discussing your finds with others.

Exacting Reader: You love books but you rarely have as much time to read as you'd like - so you're very particular about the books you choose.

Eclectic Reader: You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or limited range of authors.
These are very detailed in my opinion, because all 3 of them describe me perfectly. I totally adore the first one, Involved Reader, because I ABSOLUTELY love to read book blogs, and about books, and all of that jazz. It does give me a thrill on other readers opinions and their views. Everyone gives me ways of looking at something differently than what I would expect, and that is exactly what the reviews on different blogs show! Ha, and the Exacting Reader is somewhat like me... I do have time to read and all, it's just sometimes I don't feel like it.

Such as now, I am so ashamed of myself for the month, because I have only read ONE BOOK! AHHHHHHH! That's horrible, but if you have ever gone into that dreadful non-reading faze where picking up a book for a while will just kill you, then you understand. But, I think I am getting over that now (hopefully because I am getting tons of review books in the mail!!!) So, let's just pretend this month of reading never happened.
And as for the last one, I am totally open to new authors, because how are you supposed to find your favorite if you don't try new things? I have so many "favorite" authors, I don't really have a #1.

Hopefully I can get 1 or 2 books done before June comes!
If you still haven't taken this quiz, what's stopping you!!! Get with it! Ha, I'm just kidding, but you really should check it out by clicking here! If you do decide to take it, please, let me know if you blog about it by commenting! I'd love to hear from you!

SURPRISE!

2009-05-25T16:25:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone knows about my current contest! If you would like to enter, wait! I want to make this one interesting, and fun for both you and me! So, if you want to win your very own copy of How To Buy A Love Of Reading, keep reading this post!

Ok, so if you want to get bonus, I mean bonus, entries, then keep reading!
Every 3 days, I will be putting up some extra fun stuff for you, so you can earn up to 5 extra entries added to your total!
Here is what you can do so far to get several extra entries from the original post:

1 Entry= comment to this post,
including your name, blog link, and email
2 Entries= Post this contest to your sidebar along with the ending date, prize,and link to this
post.
3 Entries=Follow me if you already aren't, or if you
do, tell me along with all the other things needed in your comment!

Every time I post up your new opportunity to win this book, it will be titled Extra 1(2,3,4,5....) so you know when to look out for it!

BUT! In order to get some extra entries, you HAVE to comment to the original post here! Just follow the rules once you read through it.

Extra 1
~Rules~
1. Write and post a paragraph to this entry, how reading
has changed your life, and how it has played a positive effect on you,
individually.
2. Write another paragraph after that, on how it has
changed others around you.

Honestly, when I hear I have to write a whole paragraph+ on something that is hard for me to think of, I tend to just not do it. Your comment doesn't have to be a paragraph, but it has to be more than 2 sentences, obviously.
The first 10 people to reply to this post with the following rules posted above, will get 3 extra entries added to their total. But remember, you must comment to the original post, gaining at least 1 entry before doing this!!

In My Mailbox

2009-05-24T17:12:00.003-05:00

The Borrowed:

None

The Bought:

(Surprisingly None!!!!)

The Recieved

Pure from pulseIt

Sumary from Amazon: Tabitha and her four best friends wear purity rings, a visible reminder of their promise to remain virgins until they marry. At fifteen, it is mainly these purity rings and what they stand for that have kept them together. But now things are changing--and boys come into the picture. And when Cara breaks her promise, it turns their friendship upside down. Morgan and Naeomi and Priah drop Cara, refusing to be friends with her, leaving Tabitha split between staying loyal to Cara and disliking the fact that she broke her promise...will they five of them ever be able to make up their differences? Pure is a fresh, funny, and wise new novel that addresses everything from family differences and friendships to boys and religion. Tera Elan McVoy's writing is, plainly speaking, wonderful. She effortless captures the emotions associated with the apprehension and joy of first love, the anxiety and anguish of friendship troubles, and the uncertainty of beliefs in a large and diverse world. Tabitha is an extremely grounded and likable character who readers will easily be able to relate to and empathize with as she tries to find a balance between being loyal to herself and her beliefs, being loyal to her friends, and most importantly, being loyal to God. McVoy's personal, down-to-earth writing style and sense of how teens operate--in speech, attitude, and thoughts--is very obvious, making it seem as though Tabitha's world is your own. Pure is a wonderfully positive, realistically complicated, and sweetly romantic read that will challenge and strengthen your beliefs in friendship and God.

Perfect Chemistry from bookdivas

Summary from Amazon: "When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart."

Contest!

2009-05-21T15:03:00.003-05:00

Hey! If anyone is interested in winning the book How To Buy A Love Of Reading, here is your lucky chance!

RULE:

Have to comment with your name, blog link (if you have one) and email.
Cannot enter more than once, unless you forgot to include some information in your original information.

HOW TO GET ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

1 Entry= comment to this post, including your name, blog link, and email
2 Entries= Post this contest to your sidebar along with the ending date, prize, and link to this post.
3 Entries=Follow me if you already aren't, or if you do, tell me along with all the other things needed in your comment!

I hope you enjoy this contest, and thanks so much Tala, for donating a copy!

Contest ends: June 20th! Good Luck!

Freak The Mighty

2009-05-20T22:18:00.004-05:00

TITLE: Freak The Mighty

AUTHOR: Rodman Philbrick

ATTENTION CATCHER?- Medium

OVERALL RATING: 3/5.00

Judgment. The first thing that comes to everyone's mind when they see the giant and muscular Maxwell Kane is his murderous father, then the silent voice inside of their head, telling them to run for their life. But little do they know, Maxwell looks stronger on the outside, than he does on the inside.

Everyone that judges him though, lowers his self esteem, causing him to sink deeper in the "down under", away from his grandparents, and well, he has no friends. Until he meets Freak. Interesting right? It gets weirder.

It might be shocking to find out that Freak is only a fraction compared to the size of Maxwell, but his I.Q is far better.

On that hot summer day, meeting Freak was a tad bit scary, considering he was acting like an out of this world alien, his mouth shouting out words Maxwell didn't even know existed. The Fair Gwen, Freaks mom, was scared to find out that Freak would soon have a friend 10 times bigger than him.

But the team, "Freak The Mighty" must face larger problems than the street prowler bullies, or the secrets being hidden from them both, and the soon to be operated on Freak. A long lost relative will soon meet Maxwell, a murder and a liar, and just maybe, his father.

Will Freak survive his surgery, transforming him into a "robot", and will Maxwell finally come across the truth?

MY REVIEW:

I'm kind of confused on what to say about this short book. It made me experience mixed emotions, and kept me confused on my whole thinking during this book. The book wasn't what I had expected at all, because it was more of an emotional, humorous book, than what I was expecting. Some parts were really cute and funny, like when Freak pulls out his dictionary, ashamed of Max's inability to understand the English language, or when they become the undefeated "Freak The Mighty."

But, I do have to warn you, the ending is very sad, because it explains how Freak has a very serious medical issue, when his insides continue on growing, but he stops. I felt really bad for them, but I knew they didn't care what others thought, because they lived in their own world, one no one else would understand. That world is the only place they fit in, because in the real world, they don't.

The message was a very teachable one being displayed as well. It shows that you can only judge someone, after you have lived in their shoes for a while. Many people may not have expected what Freak and Maxwell go through on a daily basis, but the book shows a great inside as to what it's like to be them.

It's a great emotional mix.

Do you ever....

2009-05-19T21:41:00.002-05:00

I was wondering if I am the only person that loves to read sometimes hates to read?

It's kind of like I am almost too lazy to read, or I just absolutly don't feel like it....

It's really weird, but I got through this "phase" almost every other month, and it drives me crazy!

So, I was wondering if any other bloggers/readers out there know what I am talking about, and know how to snap out of it?

Please, tell me I'm not the only one!!!!

Template Problems!

2009-05-18T21:34:00.002-05:00

Hey! As you can tell, I've been trying to find a new template that I will enjoy for a while, but I cannot seem to find one, or upload one successfully.

If there is anyone out there that would teach me how to upload a whole new template by email, that would be great!!!!

Here's a few templates I would love to have as possibilities:
http://www.eblogtemplates.com/grungy/
http://www.eblogtemplates.com/solipsus/

Please, email me at reviewabook123@yahoo.com, if you are willing to help me get a new layout, and if you know what to do to help!!
Thanks so much!

In My Mailbox

2009-05-15T16:38:00.003-05:00

This week, I have recieved:

The Borrowed-

Freak The Mighty

The Bought-

WinterGirls

The Recieved-

How To Buy A Love Of Reading (for review)

The 2 winners are!!!!!!!!

2009-05-12T19:30:00.000-05:00

Wait for it..............................
Wait for it......................................

Almost.........................................
Here.......................................................

The 2 winners to recieve their copies of Elijah's Coin are.................

Just.Me

-----------------

Pam!

Email me in the next 2 days, or there will be a new selected winner!

Email: reviewabook123@yahoo.com, and send me your mailing address so the author can send you his autographed book!!!

Awards

2009-05-10T09:23:00.004-05:00

Wow! I got 2 more awards this week, and I am really impressed!
For the first award, I want to thank DeSeRt RoSe for giving me the "#1 Blogger Award!" I have no idea how I am going to pass this one along, because I love all the book blogs! I know this is probably going against the rules, when the real rules say to pass this onto several blogs you think are "#1", but I'm just going to give this award to anyone who reads this post! So, consider yourself #1!!!

As for the next award, thanks to Ashley for giving me the Kreative Blogger Award! The rules for this one include:
*Post 7 things you love
*Give award to 7 other bloggers who are creative.

7 things I love:
1. Reading

2. Thunder-Storms

3. Doing handstands

4. That feeling you get once you start a really good book. (Is it just me?)

5. Drumming

6. Writing stories

7. Blogging about books

I'm going to do 4 bloggers this time, because I think everyone deserves this award!!!

1. The Book Muncher

2. Tasha

3. The Brain Lair

4. Robin_Titan

(I couldn't get the "#1 Blogging award uploaded!! Sorry!)

In My Mailbox

2009-05-06T18:14:00.002-05:00

Since I havent done this weekly meme for a while, I'm going to combine everything I have gotten in the past 3 weeks. Yes, it's not that much, but at least it's something.

THE RECIEVED:

SleepAway Girls from Bookdivas.
Perfect Chemistry from Bookdivas. (I haven't gotten this yet, but I will be getting it in the next day or 2 hopefully.)

THE BORROWED:
Nothing at the moment!

THE BOUGHT:

Gossip Girl (Finally found a copy in another town!)
DreamLand

Julia Johnson: Author in the Spotlight, May!

2009-05-04T16:39:00.003-05:00

Please welcome May's Author In The Spotlight, Julia Johnson!
Before we take off with this awesome interview, I want to apologize with my lack of reviews. When summer vacation hits, there will definitely be more! Next week (Monday) Mysterious Monday will return as well!
Now, here is the Author In The Spotlight!

Julia Johnson

Author of: Jewels Treasured By Her Family

Click here to buy.

When did you know you first wanted to become an author?

I have been writing since I was a kid, it was a great outlet to express my feelings. It brought a calmness and comfort to me. I have known writing gives me a voice to my inner thoughts. I have many journals, short stories, and other writings I have done through my life. It has only occurred to me in the last few years “I am an author.” When I wrote my first manuscript and the publisher accepted was when I then realized a dream fulfilled. It is so exciting to have two books published now; Jewels Treasured by Her Family and Three Roses for Pearl

2. What did you always dream of being while growing up?

I had a bad childhood, so my biggest desire was to have a loving husband and large family with many children. I thought it would be the most wonderful thing to be a teacher because they got to teach and love children. The truth is these dreams have come true on many levels in my life. I believe in dreams and goals because they do come true. I have been married to my very loving husband for going on 26 years; I have a wonderful married daughter and two young grandchildren. I also got to be apart of children’s lives when I worked in a childcare center for ten years. I love children and their honesty.

3. How do you come up with character names?

I have been studying people very closely all my life, which has helped me in my creating characters and their names. I have been known to use people who have or are in my lives names. I think coming up with Characters and their names are like the frosting on the cake of each project. I do think my characters are believable and relatable. I have a gift of coming up with characters.

4. If you weren't an author right now, what would you most likely be doing?

In my life I never had the time to devote to my writing until now. Unfortunately I had to go on work disability which opened the door of time to write. If I didn’t have my writing to keep me busy I would try to find another outlet to create because I am an artist at heart. I have done some drawings, painting and creative lettering. I do spend much of my time with my grandkids because they are very important to me.

5. Is there a specific process you do before writing a story?

No, I don’t go by any special process, I just write until I can’t. I am tripped up by grammar and spelling so it is important for me to edit, edit, and edit more. I feel I have a few struggles in my writing that maybe others don’t face. I am dyslexic, bi-polar and suffer from depression. This is why I am amazed that I have achieved any success. In my books I have a theme of overcoming and doing the best to live worthy lives.

6. Do you have a comfort food, or snack that you usually eat while writing?

I drink coke zero like water and water but don’t eat much when on a serious writing session.

7. Where do you like to write?

I have a back office in my home. It is full of windows and the bright sunlight shines in when I am there. I have a CD player, printer and my PC and am ready for the thoughts to flow!

8. Who is your favorite author and why?

In the past two years I have been doing reviews for other unknown authors, mostly from the same publisher as myself. A.W. Nutter, Curtis E. Gibson, Melissa S Diaz, Susan Beth Nemitz, Norma Davis, BJ Myers, and Dave Sheed are a few of the very talented ones I have read! So I have to admit I have not been reading many mainstream well known authors for while. I want to say each of these authors kept my attention and have wrote very good books and well worth the time to check them out: on publishamerica.com.

9. Do you get stressed while writing? Or get writer's block a lot?

I don’t crowd myself with overwhelming time restrains so it takes off the stress. I do get writers block but know it is temporary because my imagination is always in overdrive.

10. What time of day do the ideas come to you the most when trying to think of a new story to write?

There is no time of day I get ideas, because everything tends to give me inspiration. I like to think out my stories pretty far along before I write them out.

Awards!

2009-04-25T19:26:00.004-05:00

Wow! This week I have been awarded twice!

Thanks so much to Steph for giving me the "Lets Be Friends" Award! Thanks!

And, thanks a lot Robin for giving me the "One Lovely Blog Award" Thanks so much!

Ok, so for the Friends Award, here are the rules: Give this award to 8 people who you aim to be friends with. A very honorable award!
My 8 people:
1. The Book Muncher
2. The Story Siren
3. Lauren
4. Book Girl Reviews
5. Michelle-thebookjunkie
6. ReviewerX
7. The Page Flipper
8. Book Fanatic

As for the One Lovely Blog Award: Pass this award on to 15 other newly discovered bloggers! Ok, so since I haven't discovered that many, I will only do a few that I came across:

1. SilviapisYAbooks
2. Wondrous Reads
3. Book Fanatic
4. Alea

I hope everyone enjoys these awards!

--Enter My Contest!

Contest!

2009-04-23T17:38:00.008-05:00

It's time for a contest! Not just a contest. A SPRING-FLING contest!!!

So, in the celebration of spring and Steve O'Brien's book, Elijah's Coin, I will be giving away 2 donated copies of Steve's book, Elijah's Coin!

Just leave your name, email address and/or blog link in a comment to this post!

1 entry: You must leave your name, email, and/or blog link in a comment to this post.

2 entries: Leave your info provided above to this post, and put this contest onto your sidebar with the link. Email or comment telling me you have done so.

3 entries: Blog about this post. Provide the link, the prize, and the ending date. Email me once you have done so, or comment to this post once you have done so.

4 entries: Follow me if you already arent!

FOLLOWERS WILL GET AN EXTRA ENTRY ONCE THEY COMMENT WITH THEIR INFORMATION!

Email: reviewabook123@yahoo.com

Ending Date: May 12th.

DID I FORGET TO MENTION THAT THESE 2 BOOKS ARE SIGNED??? PLUS, EACH BOOK COMES WITH 2 ETCHED COINS!!!!!

Buggy Crenshaw and The Deadwood Principle: Revolution!

2009-04-17T17:01:00.009-05:00

TITLE: Buggy Crenshaw and The Deadwood Principle: Revolution!

AUTHOR: R.M Wilburn

OVERALL RATING: 4/5.0

Once again, as another adventure ends, yet another is to begin.

Buggy Crenshaw was meant to save the world. After-all, that is what her parents have been saying all along. Her mother, a refuser, and her father, a disastrous bungler, have kept the secret from Buggy and Frank for so long, it now comes out in the open.

Buggy is magic herself. But what powers is she capable of forming?

She soon, will find out.

Ever since she was captured by the sticklers, locked in the cage surrounded by them with her 2 friends, Veronica and Sid, she begins to talk to her brother Frank through her mind. The door that keeps the invaders out will have to be shut, because if they find out the secrets they share, all will be lost.

Buggy knows that the Witch Gladys Watchfly was innocent, that she never killed the Deadwood brother, but it seems she was the murder to the rest of the townspeople. Somehow though, she wants this to be a secret.

Once Buggy learns why the Sticklers have trapped them, she is shocked. The Trinity? What is the Trinity? They go along with this, so the three kids trick the sticklers into letting them go. After fleeing, Buggy comes across a mysterious person who just so happened to cross paths with Buggy and her friends. Was it destiny? Did Buggy's mom want this to happen? The person is known as Skinny Strongheart, leader of the Haflings. What are Haflings? They are people that were once regular citizens, but somehow fused with their talismans due to 2 evil doctors. From ducks, to dogs and so on, the kids look strange. But there is a story behind everything. What is theirs? How are the 2 evil doctors tied in with Sid?

Buggy begins to trust Stongheart, though he is a bit mysterious. After learning that the Sticklers are teaming up with the odd wolves against the greater good, the team must act fast. Before it's too late. The wolves are lead by their leader, Grayham. But in order to defeat the oncoming army, they must fix the Old Guard, and turn them back into forest trolls. How does Buggy undo what she did in the past?

Just as Buggy thought her dad stopped causing trouble for the already confused and terrified townspeople, his actions are just beginning. He just so happens to hold the mighty Golden Sword, the worst thing for a bungler to have.

But why are the townspeople building boats and floating away on the sea created by Syd?

The main problem though is finding the Urns for the spirit of the Rebel phoenix before the harvest moon is to set.

As the three kids take off, they have lots of time on their hands. Who is controlling it? Will they be able to find all 3 urns, and summon Tara Foxpride for her wise words? And, what secrets are about to be revealed that will shock you? Turn the page, and find out.

Knowing too much can be as dangerous as knowing to little.

MY THOUGHTS:

Wow. R.M Wilburn has done it again. Only better. I loved the adventure and secrets that was shared in this story.

It was a fresh and exciting read, especially if you read the last 2 books. Though, I read the 2nd one a few months ago, and couldn't remember some of the characters and sayings that appeared in the last 2 books, R.M Wilburn did an excellent job in bringing them back, without saying flat out what their roles were in the other books. She blended that in extremely well.

Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that the ending left you hanging. I loved the characters attitude also. I know this may sound a bit odd, but I loved how they showed true emotion to everything that happened. In other books I read, the characters that were supposed to save the world, or something risky, would just say "I can do it! I am powerful aren't I?!" But Buggy wouldn't be that way. She would have the attitude of "Ok, lets re-think our plan, and hope it works" kind of way. I don't know if that makes sense, so you will have to read this book yourself if you want to find out what I mean.

But...There was some disappointments as well. I think there were too many characters written about, and some only showed up but once or twice through-out all 393 pages. The book was, in a way, too busy. I think if it was tuned down just a bit, it would of been a tad better. I loved the secrets though. They were shocking and made me wonder how the author created such an excellent creation!

A fanatic, adventurous read I recommend to anyone.

Path Of A Hero: Rewrite

2009-04-17T15:55:00.007-05:00

OK, so I decided to make a rewrite for the review for the book Path Of A Hero. Here it is, in full detail!

TITLE: Path Of A Hero

AUTHOR: E.S Brenwalt

OVERALL RATING: 3/5.0

After an unexpected attack on the country Trino, Cyan, who is in the midst of becoming a true Samurai, he must become one fast. Why? Because Fenx, the second commander of all the orcs, dragons, and all the other ugly creatures fighting for the evil side are overcoming all of the good forces.

But there is something far more growing. Something no one else could cure, other than Cyan. His void. The void that has built up ever since the dreadful day his caring parents were killed by Fenx himself. So, now that he is living at the School of Magic, he must train, to start his path towards manhood. Months pass, battles rage on, and Fenx and the mighty Abyss are still successful.

Until Cyan decides to go to battle. Cyan must face the dark creature himself. As the personal battle between Fenx and Cyan rages on, cyan becomes weak. But one specific magical creature decides to stand up to save Cyan from death. Magus, the talking rat will soon befriend the uprising warrior, Cyan, though become quite a nuisance as well.

After learning that the Abyss has stretched across other lands, become once again, more powerful, Cyan knows it will take a greater power than himself and Magus to defeat the expanding enemy. Perhaps, a sword. But not just a sword. A magical one. Masamune. After learning of its powers, abilities, and current keeper, Cyan must battle to succeed this swords strengths. The evil keeper of it. Sa'Phi'Ro.

Will he overcome the holder so he can clain vengeance against the abyss, and Fenx? Most of all, will his void grow too far for him to stop it, turning him into his very own enemies and the killer of his parents?

MY THOUGHTS:

While reading this book, I came across somethings that bothered me. Some things were good as well also. The things that bothered me would be the repetitive plot. I guess there wasn't any new, fresh action. Though the characters were far different than what I have ever read, sometimes they would seem, in a way, boring, or annoying. Cyan was fine, it was interesting hearing his thoughts and ideas, but Magus, the magic rat, seemed either too happy or too sarcastic. Though, I know he tried to brighten up the times that were rough, he seemed almost as if he was from a different time era.

I did like the idea of the story though. It was exciting, and unique. The imagination part of it was fantastic, and so was the writing style. There was quite a bit of action, orc killing, and war, and that didn't really appeal to me as much, though it was necessary for this kind of story. Overall, if you are looking for something different, or adventurous to read, then this would be a recommendation.

If you are interested in the book, or learning more about the author, click here to visit E.S Brenwalt's website!

Mysterious Monday #2

2009-04-13T21:45:00.000-05:00

This Monday's book is called Blue Moon.
Release Date: July 7, 2009

What do you think it's about?

It looks kinda like a book revolving around witch-craft maybe? Or like a secret society that is into magic? Sounds and looks kinda strange...

In My Mailbox

2009-04-13T15:23:00.002-05:00

This segment was started by The Story Siren!

The Borrowed-
None

The Recieved-
None

The Bought-
The Forest of Hands And Teeth
The City Of Bones

I feel really guitly buying these two books because I took the money out of my "laptop" fund. So far I have close to $550 saved, and I am going to buy my laptop near the end of the year, so I think if I save and spend wisely then I will be ok.
I cant wait to get started on these two books once I get done with my review books!!!!

Zombie Chicken Apocalypse Award!

2009-04-09T21:35:00.002-05:00

Thanks so much Taschima, for giving me this awesome (and somewhat humurous) award!

Anyways, here's the 5 other bloggers I will be passing this award out to!

Kelsey
Laina
The Book Muncher
Lexi
Ashley

Waiting On Wednesday!

2009-04-08T19:21:00.005-05:00

Here is my post for Waiting On Wednesday!

Title: Radiant Darkness
Author: Emily Whitman
Release Month/Day: April 28, 2009

Summary: "He smiles. "Hello."
It's a deep voice. I can feel it reverberate in my chest and echo all the way down to my toes.
I know I should leave, but I don't want to. I want to keep my senses like this forever. I'm all eye, all ear, all skin.
Persephone lives in the most gorgeous place in the world. But her mother's a goddess, as overprotective as she is powerful. Paradise has become a trap. Just when Persephone feels there's no chance of escaping the life that's been planned for her, a mysterious stranger arrives. A stranger who promises something more—something dangerous and exciting—something that spurs Persephone to make a daring choice. A choice that could destroy all she's come to love, even the earth itself.
In a land where a singing river can make you forget your very name, Persephone is forced to discover who—and what—she really is."

Summary from Amazon!

I think this sounds like a very intriguing book. It sounds like an adventure, and the cover is really mysterious as well! What do you think? Have you heard of this book?

And...I came across another book, I just couldnt pass up, so here it is!

Title: Once Dead, Twice Shy
Author: Kim Harrison
Release date: May 26, 2009

Summary: "Madison is dead. After she fled her prom with a mysterious guy and ended up in a crashed car—only to survive and then be struck down by this guy’s magical sword—she has existed in a curious state of purgatory. She still walks around, interacts with others, eats, and sleeps, only now she does so in the company of Barnabas, a light reaper—a kind of angel who fights off dark reapers trying to harvest the souls of people about to make fate-altering decisions. There are also timekeepers, dark wings, guardian angels, seraphs, and magical amulets. If you’re already clutching your head in despair, you won’t be alone: the architecture of Harrison’s world is confusing even after several explanations. However, for ardent fans of the good-looking undead, this has plenty of verve, an enjoyable role reversal (Madison is constantly rescuing the good-guy hunk), and is quite fun when the supernatural characters are placed within a regular high-school milieu. Like it or not, a sequel is rising from the underworld as we speak"

Summary from Amazon!

So? Thoughts???

Also Known As Harper

2009-04-05T21:15:00.004-05:00

TITLE: Also Known As Harper

AUTHOR: Ann Haywood Leal

OVERALL RATING: 3.5/5

Everything has gone down hill, not only for Harper, but for her mother, and little brother Hemingway, ever since her daddy has up and left them. Just as her daddy's cure for sadness was drinking, poetry and writing is Harper's cure. After all, her name comes from her mothers favorite writer.

But when Harper's mom can't gather enough money to pay the rent and other bills, they are moved out in a flash. Mostly because Winnie Rae Early's mom decided to throw everything out onto their bare lawn, leaving it sit out for hours.

After coming to the nearest and cheapest hotel (only because Winnie's relative cleans it daily and cuts down the price for them) trying to get everything together. Harper knew her mother would never write like she used to, her brother would never stop waiting for their long lost father to come back and rescue them from debt, and she would miss the poetry contest for sure if her mother would still need to her watch Hemingway while she was job hunting.

But could an elderly women, a brother and sister, and a death change this crucial cycle?

MY THOUGHTS:

After reading several summary's on this promising book, I found it not to be as good as I thought. I guess what I mean to say is, there wasn't much action occurring as I would've liked. Though, it was a deep book that made me realize not to be as judgemental on people that are different. This is a brilliant awakening to those who have judged, or have been judged. . Feeling bad for the main family, I knew they could overcome everything that happened to be in their way, because they had love, and care guiding them through the tough times. When I was reading this, it gave me a sense of Hershey Herself because the main characters Hershey and Harper were facing the same issues, and struggles.

Even though there wasn't as much action as I would of liked, it was also sort of bland. I guess there could be more detail within the pages to give it a more friendly feeling, or interested type feeling.

Overall, it was a quick and mostly enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Mysterious Monday

2009-04-04T20:35:00.003-05:00

Ok, I really want to start an event that deals with books (obviously) and came up with Mysterious Monday.

What's it about, you ask? Well...It's where you get as many books as you want and put a post up with the pictures. Since they arent out yet, there will be no description, and the visitors that come to your blog have to guess what they are about!

And since the title to this post is named Mysterious Monday, this will happen every monday.

If you decide to do this post at your blog, let me know! I'd really like it if you would include my link though. Here it is!

TITLE: Devoured

AUTHOR: Amanda Marrone

What do you think this is about?!

Author In The SpotLight ~April Edition~

2009-04-03T10:00:00.001-05:00

Author: Steve O'Brien
Author Of: Elijah's Coin

Please give a warm welcome to this month's Author In The Spotlight guest star! Steve O'Brien!I recently reviewed his book, Elijah's Coin, which I loved! If you are interested in learning more about the book, click here for my review, or click here for Amazon's Summary. Anyways, here is the amazing interview! Hope you enjoy it!

Q: Is there a certain character that inspired you to write about in your book Elijah's Coin?
A: The two main characters, Tom and Elijah were the inspiration. A young man about to embark on a destructive course and an unlikely mentor with a mysterious past. Dr. Olin Summerlin was a fun character to develop as well, but the main two characters were what drove the book.

Q: How did you come up with all of the rules that Elijah taught Tom to live successfully?
A: With two children at home I became interested in personalities that they admired. Unfortunately, the personalities tended to be celebrities with questionable techniques for becoming famous. I started thinking about success and was disappointed that success for young people was tied to achieving fame through different forms of self promotion—some of it involving dangerous activities. In the book I laid out some rules that I believe are the true road to success. Not success seen through modern culture, but success in living a purposeful life. Giving to Get is the key to success. The rules set out by Elijah are design to help focus on Giving to Get and being true to values that make for a better society. The rules are things I’ve personally witnessed and ways to model oneself for a productive life.

Q: If you weren't an author today, what would you most likely be doing?
A: I am a full time attorney, so writing is not my main occupation. If I weren’t writing, I would probably use that time in some form of teaching or mentoring. The book is a means to distribute the principles I’d like to convey to students or mentees.

Q: Have you ever met anyone as inspiring as Elijah King in your life?
A: Elijah King is a combination of several people I have met in my life. Many times we learn valuable lessons from people we barely know—or from people who don’t even realize they are teaching us a life lesson. I wanted to capture that thought through a character and it became Elijah King. All the characters tend to be combinations of people I have met, which make them a composite of many people. I have told several friends that they should look for themselves throughout the book. The feedback I have gotten from that thought has been astounding.

Q: Would you ever want to continue Elijah's and Tom's story in another book? Or would you rather keep it a mystery to the readers?
A: I haven’t planned out a sequel, but have been asked repeatedly. With Tom moving to Washington at the end of the book, there may be a story to be continued. Also Elijah King and his coins is a concept that could launch several stories. I’d better get to work on that.

Q: How did the story plot of Elijah's Coin come to you, and when?
A: Tragically, I spoke to a friend who was an alum of Virginia Tech in the days following the school shooting. He was devastated by the news and the visuals of what happened. He could barely speak about it. That conversation made me think about how young people get off the track--and why? I wanted to write a story that showed how, through human contact and a few guidelines, a person can get back on the right path. I had the idea for a mysterious mentor and learned about the story about the prophet Elijah and his coins from Jewish teachings. The idea was to bring the story forward to modern times, but also give Tom examples of success in doing so. The first part of the book is learning the lessons—being a mentee. The second part of the book is about taking those lessons, living your life through the lessons, and becoming a mentor to others—all done in a fictional setting. The book is didactic, but I wanted to frame it in a fast paced story. The lessons could have been written as a non-fiction, self help guide, but I wanted it to be a story that could engage the reader first, and then hopefully teach a valuable lesson or two.

Q: Is this your first book ever written?
A: This is the first book I have published. I have a few other nearly completed manuscripts. I have written for many years, but mostly for my own pleasure. I decided to start with Elijah’s Coin. Who knows where it will go from here.

Q: How do you relate to Tom?
A: I wanted Tom to be a model for a life turn around. He suffers a terrible tragedy and begins shutting down. I wanted to show how a person could re-energize their life and get back on a path to success. Not only to get his life back on track, but to become someone who could help others. It doesn’t happen through introspection, it happens through interaction. Mentors largely teach people how not to repeat their own mistakes. To take that life learning as a step up the ladder, then model appropriate behavior and give back. My wife and I founded The Elijah King Charitable Foundation and portion of the proceeds from each book go to programs to help disadvantaged youth. The book is about giving to get. Those who buy the book are doing that automatically. Then, of course, I hope they pay it forward with the coins and the message.

And the winner is...

2009-03-26T20:28:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry about my winner not being posted up right away! I had so many things to get caught up on this week, I have hardly the time to update my blog! And because I didnt get the winner up like I promised, each person that entered for their chance to win a signed copy of Jewels Treasured By Her Family will get an additional entry!!!

So, here it is!

The winner is......

Megan!

I have already emailed you! Congrats!!!

And thanks for everyone that participated in my contest!!!

The Silent Note

2009-03-21T20:53:00.003-05:00

TITLE: The Silent Note

AUTHOR: Patrick Davis

OVERALL RATING: 3.0/5.0

The whole love saga began with a death, and an old piano. Maria, John's wife, always loved to collect antiques, wondering what their story was. Not understanding exactly what Maria meant, and why she loved to collect things that were of no use in the technology era, their current era, John though, would soon to find out.

Sadly, Maria dies of an internal illness, leaving her husband, John, and six year old daughter, Melissa with many of the old antiques she collected through-out her short lived life time. Including a piano that holds a daunting love story, ready to be unveiled.

When John's life can't get any more depressing, he discovers a box holding letters, a photo of a man and lady dated back to the early 1900's, and a heavy fountain pen, hidden inside of the piano while fixing the tune. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he begins to read letters sent and received between a girl, and gentleman, calling upon each other for visits. Elsa and Grant have been writing back and forth in the span of 2 years, also visiting for holidays. Elsa, who loves to play the piano, and has a very unique talent, cannot let a relationship get in between her love affair with music. Planning to be a music teacher, she must focus on her future only. Not relationships, or callings. But Grant is too good to be held up. A pure gentlemen of his time. She knows he cares deeply for her, but she can't lose interest in her piano skills, or becoming the music teacher she has always wanted to become.

The letters display this feeling, but the deeper the letters get, the more Elsa is determined to be with Grant. Even though her father has a hard time dealing with the fact that his only daughter could be proposed to any second, he cant seem to let her go.

Meanwhile, John must find out what happened to Elsa and Grant when the letters give no more clues as to what happened between the loving couple. Not knowing how many secrets that one piano holds, John must unlock the secrets that have been kept inside for so long. How far will he go to find the truth?

MY THOUGHTS:

Yes, the title is a very intriguing one at the most. Including the summary on the back, making the reader want to know what that one silent note has to do with the story, but I for one, didn't care for it. You had to be really patient to get through it, and some parts just dragged on, or could have been left out. I also came across repetitive words between sentences that really bugged me. The letters between Elsa and Grant were very interesting, and in a way haunting. It seems so long ago that these letters were written. It took a while to get into the whole story line, but at the beginning of the end, it really starts to pick up. Obstacles begin to unravel, and that's when it becomes very interesting.

This book, I couldn't connect, or understand the characters at all. I felt as if I were just staring at words on a page, not really becoming a part of the story. There wasn't much action involved, and that might of been part of the problem of me disliking this story. The story itself was in a way, depressing. Just because the death of John's wife, Maria, and while reading the old letters. It made me feel as if time is going way to fast, even if this book was a work of fiction. Overall, I don't think I would really recommend this book. In less your into historic romances, or mysteries, I don't think you would get much out of this book. There is a second book to this one, called Return to Kingston. I doubt I will read that one.

In My Mailbox

2009-03-20T19:20:00.004-05:00

This week I got:

Invitation Only: A Private Novel

Summary: Reed Brennan's future is looking as bright as the two-karat diamonds in her new housemates' ears. Being accepted to the most prestigious private boarding school in the country wasn't enough for Reed. She had to break every rule to do it, but she has accomplished the impossible:
Reed is a Billings Girl now.
And with her new status come respect, envy, and, most important, opportunity. Not to mention the parties. Unfortunately, at the next illicit party in the Easton campus woods, her roommate snaps some pictures of Reed in more than one compromising position. She uses the photos to blackmail Reed: Dig up dirt on the most powerful and popular Billings Girls or she will have Reed expelled.
And speaking of parties, the Legacy is coming up. It's the invitation-only Halloween party in NYC and it's rumored that Thomas -- Reed's MIA boyfriend -- will be making an appearance there. Too bad Reed isn't even close to invited.
Life as a Billings Girl is every bit as glamorous as Reed imagined. What she didn't bargain for is the tangled web of private lies these girls weave.

Also Known As Harper

Summary: Harper Lee Morgon is an aspiring poet, which isnt surprising, seeing as how she's named after her mama's favorite writier, Harper Lee. And life is giving her a lot to write about just now. Daddy up and walked out, leaving them broke. Then Harper's family gets evicted. With mama scrambling to make ends meet, Harper has to stay home from school to take care of her little brother, Hemingway. Their whole world has been turned upside down, which Harper could just about handle--if it wasnt for the poetry contest at school. If only she could get up on that stage and read her poems out loud...

The One

Summary: Chloe Gamble knows three things: she's better than the tiny Texas town she grew up in; there's just one person she can trust; and she wants to be famous. And what Chloe wants...Chloe gets.

Ok, so these are all the books I have recieved this week. I know I will enjoy them all!

I had recieved Invitiation Only from Amazon.com

Also Known As Harper from InGroup

The One from PulseIt!

Review will be up soon!!! This event was started by The Story Siren!

Teaser Tuesday

2009-03-17T17:33:00.002-05:00

OK, so this is my very first Teaser Tuesday event, and I am excited! I figure I need a break from the book report in which I am creating at the moment, so here it goes!

..."What the hell are you guys doing?" I whimpered, squeezing my eyes closed. The banging, mercifully, had stopped. I pressed both palms into my forehead to keep my brain from gouging its way out.

"It's chore time, new girl." Noelle said...

The book this snippet came from is called Invitation Only by Kate Brian. It is, of course, a Private Novel, that I had just received today from Amazon, my very first order from them too!!! I read a few pages out of it, and I am already hooked. Too bad I need to finish my other review books before I even get to the first chapter... Hope you enjoyed my very first Teaser Tuesday!!!!

If you are like me, and want to start this awesome event, here are the rules!

Grab your current read, and let the book fall open to a random page.
Share 2 teaser sentences from that page, between 7-12 lines.
Share the title of the book that you are getting the shared teaser from.
Try to avoid spoilers.
So get started!!!

Reminder For Contest!

2009-03-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hey! I just wanted to remind you all that my contest is still running! 1 lucky winner will get a chance to win a signed copy of Jewels Treasured By Her Family. I also reviewed this book, so search for the title on the search button on my sidebar! If you have not yet signed up for my contest, click here!

I also want you all to know that I will be having an upcoming Spring-Fling Contest, where there will be two winners, for a surprise copy of a book! Stay tuned! If you would, please put my first contest onto your sidebars, and notify me once you have done so! Thanks so much!

Alternate Covers: Living Dead Girl

2009-03-12T15:51:00.003-05:00

I was searching on google looking for book covers for my new header, when I went to type in Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. Thus, I came across a new cover!

I'm not exactly sure which one I like better. I think the first one displays more of the moral story, while the second one leaves you wondering a bit more what the book is about. I think the second one is cool because it is simple, yet mysterious. But I like the second one also because of how cool, and meaningful it is once you read the book. So, which one do you like?

Waiting On Wednesday:

2009-03-11T20:55:00.005-05:00

I have just started the Private series, and I absolutely love how it is written, and all the characters through out it. Even though I will only be starting on the second installment of the series, I look forward to finishing it.

So, as I was searching the web, I came across the next book to the Private Series! It is called Suspicion. A very Suspicious title huh? Well, as you can tell, I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on this book after I get done with the rest of the books.

And then there is this book, which is already out, but I am going to be getting it for my birthday in June. So technically, its not out yet for me! I'm sure you all have heard of it, or at least read it. It's called Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It looks and sounds super good, so I cannot wait to get this in a couple of months! Here is a summary:

"When Clay Jenson plays the casette tapes he received in a mysterious package, he's surprised to hear the voice of dead classmate Hannah Baker. He's one of 13 people who receive Hannah's story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide. Clay spends the rest of the day and long into the night listening to Hannah's voice and going to the locations she wants him to visit. The text alternates, sometimes quickly, between Hannah's voice (italicized) and Clay's thoughts as he listens to her words, which illuminate betrayals and secrets that demonstrate the consequences of even small actions. Hannah, herself, is not free from guilt, her own inaction having played a part in an accidental auto death and a rape. The message about how we treat one another, although sometimes heavy, makes for compelling reading..."
Now you all know why everyone is talking about this book! Can't wait!

Rubies In The Orchard

2009-03-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

TITLE: Rubies In The Orchard

AUTHOR: Lynda Resnick

OVERALL RATING: 2.0/5.0

Rubies In The Orchard is a book that tells you how to jump start your own business successfully. To start that business, you need to find your Rubies in the orchard. In order to be successful, you need to think inside the box, and become one with your thoughts, and concsiounce. Don't listen to the negatives people may throw at you, but follow what you believe, and what you think is right for you and your ideas. Starting off a business with confidence is your best source of positive relations. What ever you are trying to sell, make sure it is something you would buy if you were the consumer of the product. Make it a dependable product that will last through-out a long period of time. When jump starting a business, do your homework! Research what other things companies have done to make them successful in the long run, and get advice. Whether it be pomegranates, bottled water, game boards, etc. it should be what the consumer has in mind, and more! This book supplies much info for one who is interested in profiting in the marketing/company world.

MY THOUGHTS:

I honestly have to admit it without being too cruel. I disliked this book so much. It was not something I was interested in, or will ever be interested in. The facts were great, though for someone who wants to be enlightened in all this marketing and product info, but not for someone reading it for the joy of reading. Finding myself very confused in some of the messages the author was trying to display, I felt like giving up on this read. But I pulled through as best as I could, finding myself bored with the text. Don't get me wrong, there were tons of facts, and ideas within the hardcovers, but it didn't brighten my attention anymore than what it was. One thing that really caught my attention was the fact that this book was supposed to help the reader uncover the hidden gems in THEIR business. I felt this whole book was a boasting session. It didn't help you that much, other than teach you what the author had done through-out her business. Honestly, I didn't learn much. It talked about money, and how much they spent in advertisement, research, etc, I felt as if this was more of a biography other than a self-help genre. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone that is reading for the fun of it. You have to be down-right serious about starting a business if you read this book... I hate to be so harsh.

Private

2009-03-10T21:26:00.004-05:00

TITLE: Private

AUTHOR: Kate Brian

OVERALL RATING: 4.0/5.0

Reed Brennan has escaped her home of lost hope, onto a campus full of hope. New beginnings, fresh start, different people, and then there's the Billing Girls.

It doesn't take long for Reed to discover them, since they are the most popular, smart, and rich girls on campus. The extra info comes from her newly made friends, who can be a little annoying from time to time. The beginning school day starts off with a strange encounter with Thomas, a dreamy popular boy, who is in which rich, and don't forget, his parents donate a big wad of cash from time to time.

Reed tries to be successful in this new, prestigious school, but she begins falling behind, on her new scholarship she in which won. What will it take for her to catch up? The Billings Girls.

Reed, a.k.a, Glass-Licker, to Noelle, the leader of the Billings, gets to know her more, almost too much. They agree to help her, after several meetings at lunch, and several risky missions for Reed to go through. Grades begin to catch up, the teachers don't seem to get any brighter or nicer, but Thomas becomes more unresisting... Until the secrets unravel.

Are the Billings Girls somehow connected to Thomas's filthy plan? Or did the Billings plan to ruin it for Reed?

MY THOUGHTS:

This book was a fresh read, that I couldn't put down, for the most part. I loved the mysterious sense of this novel, leaving me hooked until the very end. But some parts were less extravagant. The little, less important ones were the most boring, but I was luck it picked up from where it left off. My thoughts are pretty good on this book, nothing majorly wrong with it. I am becoming more and more in love with books like these, thanks to Kate Brian's other start-off series, Privilege. I loved the characters in this plot, and how it ended. They were ordinary, not your typical every day superhero. The feelings were so true, I felt as if I were right there with Reed, trying to become part of The Billings. Noelle was a very different character. At times she could be a real snot, other times she could be very sensitive towards Reed when it came to Thomas. But I think this book went to fast, and kind of left the reader confused. More detail, and events should of taken place. Otherwise, this was a pretty worth reading book!

Author In The SpotLight! ~March~

2009-03-07T12:00:00.002-06:00

Please Welcome Marchs' Author In The SpotLight!

L.M Owens!

Please leave your comments!

1) What are some of your favourite hobbies?

Aside from writing, I love music, knitting, quilting, gardening, hunting, fishing, and spending time w/ my family

2) When writing, what do you do for brainstorming?

I dont really brainstorm, everything is in my head, I also write names and other ideas down as they come to me so they are readily available should I get stuck on something.

3) Do you ever get bored with writing?

No way, that would be like getting bored with icecream, with so many flavors how could you possiblly get bored?

4) What are some of you favorite authors/books and why?

Dean Morrissy, his artwork and his stories are amazing (even though he writes for children) and he gets the imagination going into overdrive. The Dragonlance Series is awesome, again they too kick the imagination into high gear, especially those written by Margret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Terry Pratchett is another one who winds up the imagination. Not only is he a great writer but he also puts humor in his stories, and we could all use a laugh now and again. I also like crime novels, both fiction and nonfiction such as "Presumed Guilty" The Scott Peterson case...excellent read and a BIG eye opener.

5) Where do you like to write the most?

I would love to have a log cabin up in the mountains of Maine to do my writing in the peaceful serenity of nature, however I dont have that luxury so I am stuck in my little office at home.

6) Do you go through writers block a lot?

Not really, my biggest problem is concentrating on one book at a time. I have so many in my head sometimes I think it will burst.

7) Do you have any funny childhood/teen-hood memories that make you laugh?

Oh boy do I! I was a goofy eccentric kid. One memory that comes to mind is when I was about 9 yrs old I wanted to be a standup comedian so, I went around to my family & friends, my friends parent, my parents friends, teachers and anyone who would listen and serveyed them as to whether I was funny or not.

8) When do you write the most?

I am at my best between 8 and 11 am. When I am writing a mannuscript, I let it be known to everyone not to call me before 11 in the morning Mon-Fri. I view this as my "work" and I hate the interuption in my thought process, sometimes you lose a good flowing sentance or paraghraph due to interuptions and I hate that.

GREAT INTERVIEW!

L.M Owens is the author of Darious, Prince Of Legend and Darious, Master Of Dragons!

Contest!!!

2009-03-04T19:20:00.003-06:00

Do you remember my review for Jewels Treasured By Her Family, and how I said it was such a great book?

Well, 1 lucky winner will get the chance to win a signed copy, including 3 bookmarks, for Jewels Treasured By Her Family!

Here are the rules:

You must live in the U.S. Sorry!
You MUST comment to this post including your name, email, and/or blog link to get at least 1 entry

Additional Entries:

For 1 entry: Comment to this post, including email, name, and/or blog link
For an additional entry: Post this contest to your blog, including the link, the prize, and when the contest ends. Email me once you have done so, so I can mark you down!
For 2 additional entries: If you are already a follow, you will recieve 2 additional entries once you comment to this post! If you DO NOT, but will begin to follow after you read this, you will get 1 additional entry! 2=followers/1=nonfollower that will begin to follow! Once you follow me, email me or tell me at this post!

I will also include a random question every other day on the sidebar...the first person to email me with the correct answer, will receive an extra entry automatically! This event starts once I get 4 contestants to this contest! Once you have already answered 3 of the questions, you cannot answer anymore!!! I will keep track!

CONTEST ENDS: March 24Th!
EMAIL: Reviewabook123@yahoo.com
Maximum entries you can get: 6 per person!
Minimum entries you can get: 0 or 1
Special Thanks to Julia Johnson for donating a copy!

House of Night, Hunted sneak peak! Exclusive previews ahead!!!

2009-03-03T18:53:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone! I am so excited to let you all get a sneak peak of the upcoming book to the popular series, House of Night, called Hunted!!

"...The House of Night is a thrillingly engaging book series from St. Martin's Press. The series follows 16-year-old Zoey Redbird, who gets “Marked” by a vampyre tracker and begins to undergo the Change into an actual vampyre..."

Below is an exclusive book trailer for the upcoming novel!

You can click here to go directly to the youtube channel, supporting this book also.

Cool trailer huh? If you want to read the very first chapter to this thriller, click here!!!

For an audio clip of the second chapter:

“ ”

Hope you enjoy all the provided info! I know I did!

Elijah's Coin

2009-03-02T16:10:00.006-06:00

TITLE: Elijah's Coin: A Lesson For Life
AUTHOR: Steve O'Brien
OVERALL RATING: 5/5

That one robbery changed Tom's life forever, other than the sick murder of his innocent mother. Tom seeks revenge for the person who broke into his house while his mother was home alone. He seeks revenge for the man that changed his life. But he find yet another man that will forever change his hectic, criminal life. In a positive way.

Elijah: Strange, old, wise, speaks of nonsense
Tom: Criminal, practical, pathetic, lonely, taker-not a giver.

During a stupidly planned break in, Tom was caught. But something strange happens. After cleaning up the mess of an attempted run from the store, a man named Elijah stops him. Not to arrest him though. To enlighten him. And that's when his life was changed for the better.

..."What do you seen when glancing at a fence post?" He noticed the look on my face. "Think about it before you answer."
..."I don't know. You see...I guess you see, between the fence posts, and after a while you cant see the fence posts as they go by. Kind of like a sideways movie"
..."Okay, now we're getting someplace. You know what you see between the fence posts?"
..."I have no idea. What?"

..."Life."

From Elijah's Coin, Page 23

Now the lesson begins. Tom is sent on a mysterious quest, he is yet to solve. After meeting up with 3 people who have had their lives touched by Elijah,Tom must figure out what Elijah tried to teach him. His quest begins to figure out this odd message veiled between the gift of giving, and the act of taking. But when he visits a local city Mission, he discovers one of the three guys died. But he lived to give.

When going back to Cashions to start the second meeting with Elijah, he realizes after several frantic bangs, yells, and a pathetic plea to the police to search for him inside, that an Elijah King never existed. Ever. At least, not in this lifetime. The only thing that he is left with that keeps him from believing the meeting was a dream, includes the two gold coins given to him, by Elijah himself. Even the coins are odd. One side, marked with the 2 letters EK and a weird design, along with the other side marked with G2G. Jumping to conclusions, he believes EK stands for the initials of Elijah King. Makes sense, right?

No sightings of Elijah have been declared, leaving Tom to fend for himself on this awkward journey. Determination full-fills Tom, and he sets off to find Elijah himself. But he found him where he least expected him.

Elijah King

1898-1964

He taught us how to live.

In all things you must give in order to get.

To be successful, evoke kindness.

Observe, think, believe, act

Years have past, Tom learned. But one thing may turn him into the wrong person he once was. A man. A man that effected his life so much in the past. A man that came for Tom's help, sent by Elijah himself. What will Tom do when the past comes to haunt him?

MY THOUGHTS:

This book was so powerful, I felt as if I were the one living the message. Everything was so thought provoking, and strong, I couldn't believe one person could come up with something so deep. There were so many twists, turns, happy, and sad moments. By the time I finished this book, I was left deep in thought, just thinking about it for myself, and what it meant for me. I don't think there are any words out there to explain how deep, and emotional this book reached. I believe it has changed me in a way, only you can discover by reading it for yourself. Watching Tom elope into a totally different person that once turned to crime to avenge everything bad in his life, into a person that gives, cares, and puts time into other people, not himself, was very interesting. There were so many powerful quotes in this book, I wrote some of them down, hoping to memorize them. You will definitely be enlightened by this powerful, meaningful book.

I highly recommend this to anyone.

And, I was thankful enough to receive 2 of the coins Tom got from Elijah! I will include pictures later, so we can all share the message these coins carry!!!

Alternate Covers! City of Ashes!

2009-03-01T18:39:00.005-06:00

Ok, I was looking for a summary for the book City Of Ashes, and came across a completely different cover!

Here is the original:

And here is the other:

Personally, I like the first one. Its much more detailed, and more provoking than the other one. Though, the second one is a little bit more mysterious looking.
Which one do you like?

Also, do you like my blog layout? Just wondering!

Hoppergrass

2009-02-28T22:05:00.005-06:00

TITLE: Hopper Grass

AUTHOR: Chris Carlton Brown

OVERALL-RATING: 3.5/5.00

I was a victim of circumstance.

Bowser is forced to do time at The Hill. No matter what the circumstance was, he was the victim. The past is the past, we move on. But this time, the past will become the present.

Story Time, and Hill Time, which consists of constant, use-less work, is the daily process. Plowing the fields that feel as if there is no end, by hand in the heat of the day is the lesson the boys are taught. You measure Hill Time in progress.

A long life ahead of Bowser starts off with a bad beginning with a black boy nicknamed Nose. Becoming the worst enemies at Belmont, they must face off in secret wars. Fights erupt between the two groups. Bowsers (the whites), and Nose's (the blacks). Blood is the only thing shared between the groups. But when going down a hall, Bowser is beckoned by Nose to come visit with him in a small room.

Bowser follows. Expecting the worst, things turn out for the best. A new friendship blooms, fury dispersed, and hope bursts. Keeping their new friendship a secret, not one person knows of it. Except Mr. Woodrow. A black man that helps out at the facility.
But when a white boy is killed while on duty pulling a stump out of the ground, Nose looks as if he is guilty of murder. Even though Bowser wasn't there to witness the crime scene unfold, he knows he needs to defend Nose, no matter what secrets unravel, mysteries emerge, or even if it means risking his life to go deeper. Teachers are guilty, and the truth is hidden. But what will it take for someone to believe him. No matter how ugly the secret can be?

"O Lord my God, in thee do I take refuge;

save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,

lost like a lion they rend me, dragging me away,

with none to rescue."

MY THOUGHTS:

The title took me off guard while I was in the process of reading this book. Not knowing what a simple little bug had to do with such a story, it came to me at the very end. It resembled the past, and a friendship that cannot be broken.

But I had a problem with the way the book was written. I felt as if I couldn't connect with the plot, or its characters at all. It felt as if this whole story happened in a day, even though the book said weeks. It just went by so fast, my mind was in one time frame. The detail was fine, nothing bad about that. But the ending really caught my attention. It wasn't what I was expecting. AT ALL. Some things were confusing though. I think the author rambled on about some things, but went right on through more important stuff that should of been talked about more. None of the characters came clean to me, and I was a bit disappointed.

Somehow though, there was something I really enjoyed. The Message. The whole meaning to the book. Simple, yet deep, it took time to get into. I really can't describe what I learned from this book, I think everyone will learn something different in their own way by reading this.

Honestly, mixed emotions are flooding my mind, so I cant really tell you if I liked it, or disliked it. Not sure if it's just me, but it went by fast.

I have a fabulous Blog?

2009-02-27T20:42:00.003-06:00

Awesome! I just recieved this award from Laina! Thanks so much!

So now, here is what I have to do, along with the other 5 people I will be handing this award out to!

*Say five things you are addicted to

*Nominate 5 other bloggers/people with this award.

Here are the five things I am addicted to!

1) Reading/books....duh!

2) Writing poetry, stories, etc

3) The computer (a habit I NEED to break soon)

4) Food!! (who isn't?)

5) The outdoors in the summer/spring/fall....I hate winter!

5 blogs I nominate inlcude:

*The Book Muncher

*Another Page Is Used

*CupCake Witch

*The Story Siren

*The Page Flipper

I hope you enjoy this award as much as I did!

IN MY MAILBOX...week 3

2009-02-21T19:43:00.003-06:00

Ok, I havent gotten any review books this week, but I think Im going to in the near future...I'll keep you posted.

THE RECIEVED:

none

THE BOUGHT:

*You Are So Undead To Me

**Private by Kate Brian

(I feel very, very oh so guitly about buying these books, because I took it out of my "Laptop" fund. I've been saving ever since '08 to get a nice laptop, and promised not to spend a penny... As you can tell, its hard to not keep a promise when it comes to buying a book with money to be saved.

THE BORROWED:

None

Spud

2009-02-20T20:24:00.004-06:00

TITLE: Spud

AUTHOR: John van de Ruit

OVER-ALL RATING: 4.0/5.0

Everything is extra-ordinary around Milton (nick-named Spud.) After all, he is the grandson of the whacked out Wombat. His dysfunctional parents send him off to an all boys boarding school in South Africa, trying so hard to adapt. Everyone gets nicknames. He becomes Spud. (You will have to read this to find out why!) The boarding house in which he lives, is called the Crazy Eight.

This particular group of boys, including Spud, Gecko, Simon, Boggo, Mad-Dog, Fatty, Vern, Simon, and Rambo begin to do the craziest of things (refer back to nickname of their house!). Swimming at the lake, regardless of what the rules are for the school, lying about what they were doing when coming back from the lake, and more.

1) Thou shalt not disobey those in authority.

2) Though shalt not behave in a depraved fashion

3) Though shalt no tease my cat.

4) Though shalt not waste toilet paper

5) Though shalt not play with yourself( or others) after lights out.

6) Though shalt not go night swimming.

7) Though shalt not play darts (a bit strange considering lack of a dartboard)

So there you have it. Rules, rules, rules. Vern is Spuds cubicle mate, who is known as the bed wetter, and is a little sphycotic. Fatty, the one who wants to set the record for the longest fart (gross!), and Gecko, the one who comes down with the strangest diseases and illnesses. Spud is just a spud, none-the-less. Until, play auditions. Having the voice of an angle, he enrolls in the play Oliver. Amanda, one of the girls from another boarding school, who comes to audition as well, begins to make Spud dream about her and a hamburger she begs him to eat. Not knowing what the hamburger means, Spud takes it as a sign. But he is already dating The Mermaid, a girl back in his South African Community. He is torn between girls. So, his friend Gecko, guides him through the rules of girl dating. (which is weird, since he doesn't have a girlfriend).

In the meantime, caught between the play, girls, Wombat's crazy stories, dad's non-stop talk about how black Africans are going to take over the whites, Cricket competitions, and a mysterious under-wear thief, who has yet to be caught, Spud decides to make a name for himself. But what will it take?

MY THOUGHTS:

I have to be honest. The beginning was super slow and boring. I had no idea where the story was headed. All the names confused me, because there were so many that were important to the story. But, as I got further into this book, it dawned on me. There was no meaning to it! It was beginning to catch up. The plot became hilarious, and worth-while in the middle. I felt as if I were part of the Crazy Eight. The story became deeper, as Spud was caught between 3 girls. Only being 13/14, the relationships are becoming serious for his age, as well as the others. I do have one question though. Are kids/teens allowed to drink wine, and alcohol without getting busted for it in South Africa? The only reason I ask just a random question, is because there was quite a bit of it going on.

The ending is totally unexpected. Though I will not reveal it all, I will tell you one thing. Some one dies!!!! Yes! Through all the humor, love, rule-breaking, mean birthday presents, and book discussions, there is death involved!!!! Which, was super sad, I must say.

Overall, I do recommend this book. But I am warning you...SLOW BEGINNING! Parts made me laugh UN-controllable, so if your in the mood for a few laughs, this is a book for you! Oh, and there is some *adult content* involved. Not as bad, but they do mention a few in-appropriate things.

TAGS: alcohol, funny, humor, africa, boarding school, school, laugh, big, death, life, books, reading, list