Thursday, August 27, 2009

And the Winner is...

of Ruined by Paula Morris

The Ghost Blogger!!

Send me an email with your address within 48 hours to claim your prize and Congratulations!!!!!
Remember there's still time to enter my end of the summer + birthday contest-you can find the link at the top of my sidebar!

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday!

So sorry I haven't been posting lately! I've been working and getting ready to go back to school, it's just been SO hectic! But I'm back! And here's what I'm waiting for this Wednesday:


Michael and his friend Francis share a secret passion for Evgard, the fantasy world they have created together. But then Michael finds a note in his locker, revealing that their secret is out. He immediately suspects Francis, and tries to get revenge by telling the school bully—known affectionately as Shitley—that Francis is gay, which guarantees Francis is in for a pounding. But did Francis really betray his friend? Or is Michael really the traitor?

This gripping account of a troubled friendship unfolds both as a contemporary story and as a compelling glimpse into the world of Evgard. The Traitor Game tackles difficult issues without hesitation and will surely draw in gamer and fantasy fans as well as contemporary fiction readers.

Why I want this: The paperback version is being released in September so now I'll go and buy it! It just looks really riveting and different. Sometimes it's hard to find original voices out there and this looks like it'll be just that!

Happy Reading Everyone!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander

Almost-15-year-old Austin Gray is tired of standing at the curb and watching the parade pass her by. Literally. She decides this is the year she’ll ride on the hood of a shiny pickup truck in the annual parade, waving to the crowd and finally showing the town bully that she’s got what it takes to be the Sweetheart of Prosper County.

But far from simply being a beauty contest, becoming Sweetheart involves participation in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), raising an animal, and hunting or fishing. Austin will do almost anything to become Sweetheart, and has the support of her oldest friend, Maribel, her new FFA friends (including the reigning Sweetheart, and a quiet, cute cowboy), an evangelical Elvis impersonator, a mysterious Cajun outcast, and a rooster named Charles Dickens. If only her momma would stop overprotecting her, and start letting Austin live her own life. But Austin can’t move on until Momma moves on, too—and lets the grief of losing Austin’s daddy several years before out into the open.

The Sweetheart of Prosper County was such a lighthearted and heartfelt novel. I know lately I've been using cooking metaphors for my reviews but this reminded me of homemade cookies. With each ingredient being important and made special. The author put so much of her experience into the novel. I learned so much, like, I had no idea what grappling was until this novel. And I didn't know having a rooster as a pet could be so cool.

The characters in this novel were unforgettable. At the core of this novel was friendship and love. Each character had depth and identity that shone through each page. I think everyone can relate to Austin in some way-just trying to find that something that makes you special. Maribel and Austin's FFA friends were quirky, sweet, and I loved reading about them.

If I could live in a novel, I think I would live in this one. The story, character, plot, and setting all were so real. While I was reading I felt like I lived there my whole life. Sometimes you need a little small town lovin'. Everyone knows everyone and especially, helps everyone out.

I recommend this novel to anyone who's ever had a friend. Or has ever been a teenager. This novel is the perfect, real, coming of age story I've read in a long time. I loved it.

Rating: 4.5

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

And the Winner is...

Llehn!!!!

Congrats! You won Impossible by Nancy Werlin and Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway! I'll email you later to get your address!

Don't forget to enter my Super End of the Summer contest here. And there's still time to enter to win Ruined here!

Happy Reading!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

In My Mailbox (7)

Hey guys! So I got five books this week and they all look really good! And thanks, always, to The Story Siren for hosting this meme!

For Review:
Hottie by Jonathan Bernstein

Alison Cole's got it all: She's gorgeous, dating a steamy surfer boy, and has just been crowned Beverly Hills High Freshman Class President. Then during a special "symmetry" surgery, a lightning bolt zaps her, and Alison instantly transforms into Hottie—that is, a totally sizzling superhero with the power to shoot fire from her fingers!

Shunned as a Pyro-Freak, Alison must adopt dorky David Eels as her crime-fi ghting sidekick. Worse, she's falling for the one guy who wants to "extinguish" her forever, Junior Class President of Cuteness— and wannabe fi refi ghter—T. Hull. But she doesn't realize that a supervillain's lurking. . . .

Has Hottie met her match?

I got this one from 1 ARC tours-my review will be up soon!

How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn't made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea, and soon they form an unexpected friendship. It's not romance, exactly - but it's definitely love. Still, Bea can't quite dispel Jonah's gloom and doom - and as she finds out his family history, she understands why. Can Bea help Jonah? Or is he destined to vanish?


Swapping:

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.

All Megan wants is to be normal—and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.

Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party—the bloody kind.

Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life—and more importantly, homecoming—depends on it.

Pledged by Alexandra Robbins

Alexandra Robbins wanted to find out if the stereotypes about sorority girls were actually true, so she spent a year with a group of girls in a typical sorority. The sordid behavior of sorority girls exceeded her worst expectations -- drugs, psychological abuse, extreme promiscuity, racism, violence, and rampant eating disorders are just a few of the problems. But even more surprising was the fact that these abuses were inflicted and endured by intelligent, successful, and attractive women.

Why is the desire to belong to a sorority so powerful that women are willing to engage in this type of behavior -- especially when the women involved are supposed to be considered "sisters"? What definition of sisterhood do many women embrace? Pledged combines a sharp-eyed narrative with extensive reporting and the fly-on-the-wall voyeurism of reality shows to provide the answer.



Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger

Seventeen-year-old Samar — a.k.a. Sam — has never known much about her Indian heritage. Her mom has deliberately kept Sam away from her old-fashioned family. It's never bothered Sam, who is busy with school, friends, and a really cute but demanding boyfriend.

But things change after 9/11. A guy in a turban shows up at Sam's house, and he turns out to be her uncle. He wants to reconcile the family and teach Sam about her Sikh heritage. Sam isn't sure what to do, until a girl at school calls her a coconut — brown on the outside, white on the inside. That decides it: Why shouldn't Sam get to know her family? What is her mom so afraid of? Then some boys attack her uncle, shouting, "Go back home, Osama!" and Sam realizes she could be in danger — and also discovers how dangerous ignorance can be. Sam will need all her smarts and savvy to try to bridge two worlds and make them both her own.


Happy Reading Everyone!!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Super End of the Summer + Birthday Contest!

Hey guys! So I couldn't wait until Monday to post my last contest of the summer! It's a BIG one! I'm holding a contest for the end of the summer AND for my birthday (on the 25th)!!
Here's what you can win:

1. ARC of Shiver
2. ARC of How to Say Good-bye in Robot
3. ARC of As You Wish
4. ARC of Give Up the Ghost
5. ARC of Lipstick Apology
6. ARC of Devoured
7. ARC of The Sweetheart of Prosper County
8. Hardcover copy of Eyes Like Stars
9. Hardcover copy of Hannah (Daughters of the Sea)

And if THAT isn't enough if I get 150 followers one other winner will win a YA book pre-order of their choice via amazon.com!

How to enter:

+1 leave a comment with your email address, +1 if you tell which which of the books above you're most looking forward to
+4 comment on each review I post from now until September 1st (when the contest ends)
+2 If you are/become a follower
+5 If you blog about this, yes, an ACTUAL blog post (it can be combined with another post)!
+2 if you add me to your blogroll
+10 if you get 5 other bloggers to enter this contest (they have to tell me you referred them and if you get 5 each of them will get +5)

Of course, if I get MORE followers, let's say 175 then I'll add ANOTHER winner and batch of books!

Keep checking back also to find out more ways to get extra entries (I'll keep updating)!

YAY!!

Good Luck!!

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

First of all, let me say how much I love this cover! Maybe I'm just drawn to pink. But I love it, it's classic. I think it's my favorite Sarah Dessen cover yet.

Now on to the book, reading Sarah Dessen is like curling up with a blanket or pillow you've had since you were a baby. Or eating that casserole your mom has made you your entire life. It's comfort. And you know it's going to make you feel good. Sarah Dessen yet again delievers that kind of a story.

Auden is about ready to go to a very elite college. Something she's being aiming to do her entire life. When one of her brother's girlfriends brings her a gift of a picture frame that says "best of times" on it, Auden realizes that she doesn't have one single picture that she could put in the frame that would represent a best of times. So she decides to spend the summer with her dad, her much too girly stepmother, and her newborn sister who never stops crying in Colby.

Reliving childhood is something we try to do all the time. As big kids (teens+) we try to find crazier and more dangerous ways to that, to find that thrill we used to get so easily as a kid (paint-balling, sky-diving, etc...). Since Auden never had a childhood thanks to her scholarly parents who treated her as a adult her entire life, much too tired out from her colicky older brother, after she meets Eli she has a chance to do all the things she couldn't do as a kid. And Eli is finally getting over a tragedy that's been plaguing him.

Eli and Auden are magical together. The dialogue, as always, realistic and true. I felt like I was reliving me own childhood with Auden. Heidi, Maggie, and the other bright cast of characters really brought life to this novel and to Auden herself. The writing was flawless and everything else was just right. It seems to me as though Sarah Dessen tells the perfect story every time. I devoured this novel.

I recommend this book for every girl who has every fallen in love, or not fallen in love. Studied or played too hard. But especially for anyone who's ever experienced what it's like to be part of a family and true friendship

Rating: 5.0

Thursday, August 13, 2009

A Super Amazing Contest + Another Super Amazing Contest that Fights Hunger

There is an amazing contest going on at Cindy's Books here where you can win these books:
(copied from her blog)


1. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick ARC
2. Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen ARC
3. Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters ARC
4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ARC
5. Troy High by Shana Norris ARC
6. Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott ARC
7. Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn ARC
8. Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
9. Death by Series by Linda Gerber (3 books total)
10. a 5 dollar giftcard from Walmart (you can buy yourself half of a book with it, lol)
11. 3 Sarah Dessen books ( Just Listen, This Lullaby, Someone Like You)
12. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
13. Fire By Kristin Cashmore ARC
14. Last but not least, I have some extra amazon cards, so I will also include a preorder for CATCHING FIRE BY SUZANNE COLLINS. It will be shipped to on or around Sept 1st (whenever they ship it)
AND a book of your choice (under $15.00 please and it can be a preorder as long as it comes out in September-so many good books get released)


So I definitely think you should go there RIGHT NOW and enter! If you tell them I referred you then you get an extra entry as well! Yay for all!

Now for something on a more series note, everyone should go here and leave a comment. If Literanista gets 30 comments, General Mills will donate one box of cereal to a food shelter. Also, they'll donate over 3,000 boxes for every blog that participates. If she gets 30 comments you'll have a chance to win some cool beach things and a book of your choice. So go fight hunger! It's the easiest way to do it!

Did you know that there are more than 12 million children growing up hungry?

Hurry up and do something about it, because you can!

Happy Reading Everyone!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Sometimes a good-bye is just the beginning...

When Emily Carson's parents die in a plane crash, she's left with nothing but her mother's last words scrawled in lipstick on a tray table: "Emily, please forgive me."

Now it's fall and Emily moves to New York City— where she attracts the attention of two very different boys: the cute, popular Owen, and her quirky chemistry partner, Anthony. With the help of some surprising new friends, Emily must choose between the boy who helps her forget and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately heal.

Emily just found out that both her parents were killed in a plane crash. Now she has to go live with her aunt in bubbling NYC-much different from her hometown in PA. I was really engrossed with one of the two competing story lines in this novel. The one in which Emily heals by making new friends and trusting new people. I found that the secondary cast of characters were the most fun and interesting. Jolie was very real, and I really enjoyed her character. Trent was hilarious. I devoured the scenes where he was present. Lindsey, Anthony, and Carly were also very heartfelt and I enjoyed their "on screen" time as well.

The one aspect I felt was missing from the plot was the climax of the apology. I felt it was rushed and kind of unbelievable. The idea was there-and surprising, but I felt the author should have given more time to developing it.

Seeing Emily's growth from her tragedy was what made this novel such a gem. I couldn't begin to understand what it is like to go through sometime that horrifying but I felt the author really did well to make the novel heartbreaking, readable, and satisfying.

I would recommend this novel to anyone really. Anyone who has lost someone they loved, have gone to a new school, fell in love for the first time, or had any coming of age experiences. Emily's experience just happened to be one of the terrible ones but I think everyone will find something to love and have a lot of sympathy for Emily.

Rating: 4.0

Happy Reading!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Contest Monday!!

Hey guys! So here's another contest for your Monday!

You can win a ARC of Ruined by Paula Morris!


Here's how to enter:

1. comment telling me the scariest thing that's ever happened to you.
2. +2 for becoming a follower
3. +1 for being a follower
4. +3 for posting about this somewhere

Contest ends August 21st.

Good luck!

Happy Reading!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

In My Mailbox (6)

Hey guys!

Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting this meme.

I only got four books this week but they look promising!

For Review:

Hannah by Kathryn Lasky

Daughters of the Sea tells the story of 3 mermaid sisters who are separated at birth by a storm and go on to lead three very different lives. Book 1 is about Hannah, who spent her early days in an orphanage and is now a scullery maid in the house of rich, powerful family. She is irresistibly drawn to the sea and through a series of accidents and encounters discovers her true identity. Hannah realizes that she must keep the truth a secret but she also knows that soon she will have to make the choice - to be a creature of the land or the sea.


Swapping:

Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
A debut YA novel from a talented young author, this is the story of Parker Fadley—a girl too smart for her own good who, after one tragic night, decides to reject the popular life in exchange for one of solitude.

I'm really excited about this one!







Lost It by Kristen Tracy

What would you do... ...if your best friend were plotting the annihilation of a small, furry neighborhood poodle? Or if your parents up and moved to an Outward Bound-type survival camp in the middle of the desert? How about if your grandmother bought you new bras and underwear — and you actually thought they were a teensy bit, umm, sexy?

Most people would not react well.

Tess Whistle's junior year of high school is off to a fairly bizarre start. One might even say her life is spiraling out of control. But with her sense of humor firmly intact and her first real boyfriend on her arm, Tess is dealing with the ridiculous twists quite well, thankyouverymuch.

Just wait until her shoes explode.

Bought:

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips...conks her head...and wakes up in the year 1815!

There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily's family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily's cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex's heart, before her time in the past is up?

More Cabot than Ibbotson, Prada and Prejudice is a high-concept romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present.

I'm going to start reading!

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Memoirs

I think I'm going to spotlight two really great memoirs I've read that I think everyone should read.

The first is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth just lost the life she knew-her house, her husband. She decides to take a year a discover herself again going to Italy, India, and Indonesia.

This novel made me hungry. For gelato, for religion, and for love. I love traveling and hearing about all the different places she went to was like a journey for me, too. The religion sections of this novel weren't preachy-I felt enlightened to what other people believe. It was magical.

I think anyone who's interested in different cultures, food, and religion should pick this gem of a memoir up.


The second memoir I'm going to highlight is Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi.

Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the girls in Azar Nafisi’s living room risked removing their veils and immersed themselves in the worlds of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. In this extraordinary memoir, their stories become intertwined with the ones they are reading. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny and a celebration of the liberating power of literature.

I felt really connected to the people in the book club in this memoir. I loved the intricacies of their individual personalities. And I loved seeing them blossom as individuals. It was heart-breaking to read about the oppression they, especially, as women feel. I was truly touched by the freedom they found by reading.

This is a memoir nobody should miss. It's beautiful and heart-breaking and most of all eye-opening.

So those are my two suggestions for memoirs. I don't read a lot of them because I find that they hit a little too close to home sometimes. But I'm definitely open to suggestions.

What memoirs have you guys read and loved/would recommend?

Happy Reading!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater


the cold
Grace has spent years watching the
wolves in the woods behind her house.
One yellow-eyed wolf-her wolf-
watches back. He feels deeply familiar
to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat
Same has lived two lives. As a wolf,
he keeps the silent company of the girl he
loves. And then, for a short time each
year, he is human, never daring to
talk to Grace...until now

the shiver
For Grace and Sam, love has always
been kept at a distance. But once it's
spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam
must fight to stay human-and Grace
must fight to keep him-even if it
means taking on the scars of the past,
the fragility of the present, and the
impossibility of the future.

Wow. This is poetic prose at it's best. The language was musical and poignant. A smart read-there were so many references to poetry, music, art, and mythology that just blew me away. All woven into a beautiful tale of impossible love. I am flabbergasted at how exquisite this novel is. If I could, I would display this novel for all to admire like fine art. However, I know I will read it again and again.

Grace and Sam are in love. The kind of in love everyone wants. Magical, new, and true. I liked that it was written in alternating points of view. Both voices were strong yet each very different from one another. One thing they did share, however, was beautiful language. All the characters were superbly developed and each one found a small place in my heart. The plot was woven, it seemed, effortlessly-it never felt rushed or forced. The plot twists and turns came naturally and surprisingly. I loved every bit of this novel.

Even the title kept reappearing in the novel. I'm not sure what the author actually meant but I took it as a metaphor for love. How difficult is it for the rest of us to find original metaphors for being in love? And this gem appears making it seem like love is the most natural and versatile language of all. I'm envious of the author.

I can't recommend this novel enough. If you are a sucker for love stories, this is for you. If you like poetry, this is for you. If you like fantasy, this is for you. And for all others who just love a well-written story that will take you to another time and place, this is definitely for you. I can't say enough good things about this novel, so I won't-I challenge you to find your own words for Shiver by going out and reading it...now!

Rating: 5.0

Go out and read it!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Booking Through Thursday (1)


What’s the most serious book you’ve read recently?

Hmm...I had to think about what I considered a "serious" book. I thought about Perfect Chemistry because diversity is serious to me. Then I thought about Jellicoe Road because losing your mother is also very serious. But I think I'm going to choose The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson because I wasn't comfortable when I ended the book. There was no happy ending resolve.

Biomedical engineering is such a controversial issue. When is it okay? Is it okay when you're about to lose someone you love? Or is it never okay? Is someone who loses most of their brain still the same person after they're engineered? Do you still have a soul? Where is the soul located? I found myself asking all these questions after I finished the book.

I asked my mom and my boyfriend if they were about to lose me would they go through all of that trouble just to save a certain percent of me. They both said absolutely. My mom said she didn't care what she had to do, that she would never let me die.

What would you do?

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

At Fairfield High, everyone knows that south siders and north siders aren’t exactly compatible elements. So when cheerleader Brittany Ellis and gang member Alex Fuentes are forced to be lab partners, the results are bound to be explosive.

Neither teen is prepared for the most surprising chemical reaction of all – love. Can they break through the stereotypes and misconceptions that threaten to keep them apart?

This book was beautiful. When I first read the description I was like oh, Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, She's All That...but this book held it's own and was very original.

Brittany and Alex are two people destined to never be friends, let alone fall in love, but they quickly learn that they're not so different. Both the characters had a lot of depth and each had their own crazy families to deal with. Nothing Elkeles wrote about seemed untrue or over done. I felt that Alex's gangbanger status could have been easily over or under exaggerated but he was the perfect amount of bad boy who was such a complex and wonderful person as well. Similarly, Brittany could have been easily portrayed as an airhead but she was a funny and strong woman. I had such a good time learning about these characters and watching them grow together.

This book was real. The dialogue was quick and believable, the plot was fast paced without giving too much detail or leaving out too much. To say the least, this story was a roller coaster ride of emotion. I recommend this book to anyone who has a soft spot for genuine love stories. This book will melt your heart and leave you upset when your journey with these wonderful characters end.

Rating: 5.0

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Give Up the Ghost Trailer + Awesome Giveaway

Hey guys! So as you may or may not know, Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe is being released in a little less than a month! It looks like such a great book and I'm so excited to have a copy to review! There's also a really sweet book trailer of the novel, so check it out and let me know what you think!



And that's not all-Megan Crewe is giving away a bunch of AMAZING ARCs (including Catching Fire) and book swag on her site. All you have to do is tell your high school misbehaviors (and isn't that fun?). You can check that out here! It's a really awesome contest so you should all enter!!

Good luck and Happy Reading!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Contest Monday + Winner

So the winner of my last Contest Monday of The Comeback and Second Skin is...

Alex from A Flight of Minds!!

Congrats! I'll be emailing you as soon as I'm done this post!

As for this Monday, you can enter for a chance to win these two books:

Audrey Wait! by Robin Benway and Impossible by Nancy Werlin!

(only I have the hardcover which I couldn't find a pic of)

All you have to do is answer this question (since both books deal heavily with music): What's your favorite song and why is it meaningful to you?

+2 if you're already a follower
+1 if you start following me
+3 if you make a playlist of your favorite songs (I'm always looking for new music)
+3 if you blog about this!

Contest ends August 14th.

Good luck!!

Happy Reading!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

In My Mailbox (5)

This weekly meme is hosted by The Story Siren-check it out here!

For review:

Devoured by Amanda Marrone

Megan takes a summer job at the Land of Enchantment amusement park so she can keep an eye on her new boyfriend, Ryan, and his clearly-in-love-with-him best friend, Alexa. Okay, so Megan's not off to the best start. But things get even twistier when Megan starts seeing the ghost of her dead twin sister. Turns out, fellow employee Luke can see her too. Add in the fact that Megan's new friend Ari seems to have a crush on Luke, who seems to have a crush on Megan...well, it makes for a love triangle that's positively possessed.

It sounds great-I can't wait to read it!

From Amazon.com:


Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

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.

I'm reading this now as a part of the Diversity Challenge over at ColorOnline. And I'm LOVING it!


Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over...


Because my blogger is being ridiculous and I can't upload anymore photos without an hour ordeal here's what else I got:

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
A Cool Moonlight by Angela Johnson
Dream Factory by Brad Barker and Heather Hepler
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins

A great batch of books! :)

Happy Reading!

Books for Boys

As I'm sitting here thinking, there aren't too many boys in my life that I talk about books with. And the boys I have talked to about books, the books have never been anything outside of "classic" literature. I'm not sure why this is. It's as if the only books that have any merit are the ones deemed so by the (very) well educated (and well read) community. Now, I'm not bashing the classics, heck, that's what I study in school but I know that when I'm reading Dickens for class I'm not going to read Bronte before I go to bed at night. I want to read authors who are taking the stage now! There are great things happening in the literary world and I don't think great pieces of literature have to be around for a hundred years to be considered so. Maybe society has this stigma out there that boys can't read for pleasure. But I say that's ridiculous.

Here's some books I think boys like/would like if they picked up:

Wicked by Gregory McGuire-now this one has a female protagonist, but there's lots of political intrigue that I know boys would devour.

the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling-boy protagonist but it's written by a female (which begs the question, why do you think J.K. Rowling didn't use her full first name? Pick me, I know why! Maybe because people would over look a female author?)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-female protagonist AND written by a female. I know a guy who read this and loved it. Really, there isn't anything NOT to love. There's blood, politics, and survival of the fittest.

Looking For Alaska by John Green-neither written by a female or has a female protagonist but, again, I know a guy who read this and was amazed by it. I think everyone should read this title. It's one of my favorites.

Feed by M.T. Anderson- a super awesome female character. She's amazing and she's smart.. I think guys will like the crazy lingo and dig all the cool future gadgets but still love the story.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson- John Green, a boy if you didn't know, loved this novel. Biological engineering. What more could you want? Plus, it's well written. Such a great read.

There's just a few titles that I've read that I think boy will like/titles that boys I know have read and liked.

What do you guys think about this? Do you think boys read books with female protagonists? If not, why? What are some titles you think boys will like?

Happy Reading!

Ruined by Paula Morris

Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans, where she comes to spend the year while her dad is traveling. She's staying in a creepy old house with her aunt. And at the snooty prep school, the filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey seems to give Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda. Then one night, in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to talk to Rebecca, and to show her the nooks and crannies of the city. There's just one catch: Lisette is a ghost. A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle. As Rebecca learns more from her ghost friend - and as she slowly learns to trust Anton Grey-she also uncovers startling truths about her own history. Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?

This book was as much a historic delight as a ghost story delight. I really enjoyed learning so much about New Orleans past and felt I could really picture the setting of the story because the author spent so much time describing New Orlean's past and present. Every time I pass a cemetary now I get disappointed knowing that in New Orleans there are these elaborate tombs and elevated cemeteries.

I could tell that this book was written with a lot of love. The author put care into even the most despicable characters which made the book that much better. It was written so well, too. I felt like I wasn't reading, rather sneaking into the Lafayette Cemetary with Rebecca and watching the parades of Mardi Gras.

Exhilarting. That's what that last half of the book was. I never knew what was going to happen and when it did I had to have an inhaler on hand. It was the kind of ghost story I used to hear around my campfire (less paranormal and more human) and I think those are the scariest. The ghost had history and her own character and after I really was connected to her story then something happened that totally threw me off. In a good way. I didn't know what to believe until the end!

I reccommend this to anyone who likes history and truly just a well told story. It didn't have any superficial layers. If you like ghosts and curses you'll love the way this story fans out. I think the author did a fabulous job and I can't wait to read her again!

Rating: 4.0

Happy Reading!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

And the Winner is...

Wanda!!!

Congrats on winning The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks!! I'll email you later today or tomorrow!

I'll also have a review of Ruined today and it's the first day of August, woohoo! Start reading books for your diversity challenge, I know I am!

Happy Reading!
Related Posts with Thumbnails