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

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:

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  •  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?

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.

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

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!

1. Read at least 1-2 books a week, and post up the reviews ASAP*
2. Post everyday, or every-other-day.*
3. Improve on how I've been writing my reviews.
4. Become more efficient at contacting Publishers and Authors about interviews, as well as becoming more organized.
5. Comment on other blogs more often!!!*
6. 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

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

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!

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

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.