Best Books Of 2011

So 2011 is almost over. That means it's time for 2012 and a whole new crop of books. So let's take a moment and talk about the books that we thought were the best of the year. It can be any category you like.

My favorite books were definitely the Hunger Games trilogy. I can't wait for the movie to come out in March.

What was your favorite??

Double Duty

Hey everyone!!
Hope you all are reading some great books. If so, I'd like to ask you to put them down for a second and check out my new jewelry blog & store.

The blog is: http://www.creativeloveaccessories.blogspot.com/
The store is: http://www.bonanza.com/booths/VantiC

Thanks for your time!
Happy reading!

Hunger Games!

I'm really excited right now! I know it's almost 3 am and I should be sleep but I'm up on amazon looking at books. I'm excited because I finally decided to buy the first Hunger Games book. I've had it on my borrow list on booklending.com for months and there's a long list of people waiting to borrow it. It was only $4.69 for the kindle so I figured why not? I hit the one click button & now it's sitting on my kindle waiting for me to read it. I plan on starting it once I finish the books I'm reading now.  I've heard great things about this trilogy so I'll be sure to post a review once I finish the book.

Later Utopians!

Fresh Writes Spotlight: Trinity Faegen

 Trinity Faegen wasn’t always a writer. She had an illustrious career as a Campus Cop in college, led many children astray as a camp counselor, and decorated Christmas trees for sweet, and notsosweet, little old ladies. Eventually, she became an accountant and spent a lot of time counting money – not her own, unfortunately – earning the handle, The Countess. Trinity loves metal and rock, the Rocky mountains , chocolate cake and college football. She’s not a fan of sappy stuff and hypocrites. Mostly, though, she loves to write. Trinity lives, writes and ruins her hearing listening to metal on headphones in the outback of Texas with her husband and a mean cat.

The Mephisto Covenant

At a new school in a different state, living with relatives she’s never met before, Sasha tries to fit in while resisting pressure to join a secret society who follow a mysterious immortal called Eryx.  Thinking it’s imaginary and ridiculous, she refuses and becomes a target for the Ravens, who make her life miserable.  Her only friend is another new kid, Jax, who she can’t stay away from, even after she discovers he isn’t exactly a regular guy.

Eternally eighteen, Jax and his brothers exist only to keep Eryx from his objective to take out Lucifer, abolish free will and claim the souls of mankind.  The son of a dark angel, Jax struggles to resist his dark side by clinging to the Mephisto Covenant, the promise of peace in his twisted soul if he can love selflessly.  Only a descendant of Eve’s daughter, born before Original Sin, can love a son of Hell, but in a thousand years, they’ve found just one, and Eryx killed her to prevent the possibility of more Mephisto.

Jax is desperate to keep what Sasha is a secret from Eryx until he and his brothers can take out the threat of the lost souls, but as they grow closer, he becomes more confused about what it means to love someone and begins to wonder if he’s equally dangerous.  Can he take her into immortality to save himself?  Before it’s over, he will face his darkest hour, Sasha will be forced to make an impossible choice, and Eryx will come one step closer to the gates of Hell.

This book will be released September 27, 2011. The price is $11.37 on amazon and B&N, $9.99 Kindle edition & $10.19 Nook edition. Books a million is charging the full retail price of $17.99 but an online order price of $12.18

Short Stories

Earlier today I started reading a short story titled The Smell of Magic by Mike Lewis. It was freebie I got from amazon.com (it's now back to $0.99). I'm about 33% done and it's interesting so far. It's the 2nd short story I've ever read. Hard to believe? I'm liking short stories alot more lately because you can read them quickly and it's usually just that one book. From an earlier post you know how I feel about series books. Sometimes I just want to read one & be done.

So tell me, what short stories have you read lately that you'd like to share with others?

Book Collector

I have come to accept that I'm a book collector and will probably never read all the books I have, especially since I get more free ones every week. I don't buy dtb (dead tree book in the kindle world) as often anymore because the books I want are often available on the kindle but I do still buy them. I actually bought one about 3 weeks ago titled Black Widow from Garden Ridge for $3. It seemed interesting but I have no clue when I'll get around to reading it. I have about 450+ books on my kindle and have only read like 2. Most of the books I've been reading on my kindle have been borrowed from booklending.com.

So what about you guys? How many books do you have and how many have you read? Do you collect faster than you can get through them? I know it's a book lover's dream to have an unlimited supply of books but it does make for a hard time when choosing what to read next.

What's hot on your shelf?

So, I know I haven't written on here in a bit, I've been busy getting readjusted to my class schedule. I took a trip to Books-A-Million and saw a bunch of books I'd like to read sometime in the near future. It got me wondering, what books are you guys interested in? What books can you not wait to buy & read?

Check It Out

So, over the past 2 weeks or so I have read a series called The Frost Series by Kailin Gow. If you haven't read it or even heard of it then I think you should check it out. The books are pretty short and you can easily read through each book in about 4-5 hours. They keep you interested and you won't want to put them down.
If you don't want to buy them, I understand, I didn't buy them either. You can borrow them from a friend who has them or if you have an ereader try borrowing them on that. I have a kindle so I get my borrowed books from lendle.me and booklending.com.

Here's the synopsis of each book:
Book 1 Bitter Frost:

All her life, Breena had always dreamed about fairies as though she lived among them...beautiful fairies living among mortals and living in Feyland. In her dreams, he was always there the breathtakingly handsome but dangerous Winter Prince, Kian, who is her intended. When Breena turns sixteen, she begins seeing fairies and other creatures mortals don t see. Her best friend Logan, suddenly acts very protective. Then she sees Kian, who seems intent on finding her and carrying her off to Feyland. That's fine and all, but for the fact that humans rarely survive a trip to Feyland, a kiss from a fairy generally means death to the human unless that human has fairy blood in them or is very strong, and although Kian seemed to be her intended, he seems to hate her and wants her dead.

Book 2 Forever Frost:

Breena's entry into Feyland is marred by danger and beauty. A prisoner in her own palace, she longs to see and touch her forbidden prince Kian. Yet her heart is also still with her friend Logan. The discovery of a long-lost figure in Breena's life propels Breena into the heart of fae politics. In a stunning turn of events, Breena suddenly finds herself faced with the most heartbreaking decision in her entire life.

Book 3 Silver Frost:

Enter the world of Feyland, where beautiful strong fairies have been at war for years. Breena, the beautiful half fairy, half human princess from Oregon, has ascended to her rightful place in Feyland, as Queen of the Summer Kingdom. Being Queen isn't at all what she expected. Now the weight of Feyland falls heavily on her shoulders. The landscape of Feyland is scattered with the silver blood of fairies, turning the once whitish blue frost of the Winter Kingdom to silver frost, and danger lurks everywhere including within her own court. Secretly in love with her intended Winter Prince Kian, now Breena is faced with the realization of war, and the possibility of Kian as her greatest enemy. To help her navigate through the politics within her court and Feyland, help comes in the form of an old friend. Before she knows it, Breena's heart is torn between two loves, just as torn as Feyland. The fate of Feyland depends on her choices, can she make the right ones even if it means turning away from her love forever? A pivotal book of the bestselling Frost Series, about the Winter Fey.

Book 4 Frost Kisses:

Feyland is thrown into turmoil once again as the Summer Queen Breena s fate leaves the land of strong, beautiful, and dangerous fairies in chaos. An emerging danger has arisen deep in Feyland, and all must take sides. Sacrifices will be made, and not everyone will survive. How far would you go for love?

Book 5 Midnight Frost will be out Fall 2011!

what kind of setting do you prefer?

So i'm laying in bed playing word search on my kindle & listening to music on it for the first time ever. I've never put music on here before because I felt it was kind of unnecessary for me. I don't listen to music while I read & I actually hate any kind of distracting noises. So it made me wonder, what's your favorite way to read?
Do you like absolute quiet or some background music? Sitting inside or relaxing on the front or back porch? Poolside in the summer? Do you eat while you read?
Just curious

I usually prefer sitting in my living room in our comfy chair or the couch or sitting outside on our porch eating ice cream. I never listen to music while I read but that's just me. What about you?

Isn't just one enough?

So a few days ago I went to Barnes & Noble to go look around and find some new books I might be interested in reading. As I was walking through the isles of young adult/teen fiction I noticed something..... EVERYTHING seemed to be apart of a series. There were all these books and all had sections with the same spine decorations! The only difference was a color or a number added. Series! One series I saw had 12 books and didnt seem to be ending yet. I found a few books that were singles but as I took it out and read the descriptions I noticed they all were debut books from new authors. Some were already advertised as being book 1 of a trilogy or series and some just looked like they could go either way. My bet is that if that first book is successful there will be more.

Seeing all this kind of annoyed me. Why can't authors just write a single book and then move on to the next?? Why does everything have to be dragged out through 3+ books? Now I understand that some books are good as trilogies or series but every new book doesn't need to be that way. Most are just filled with fluff and a love triangle. The real plot lines get lost after the first 2 or 3 books.

Another reason I don't like series is because I hate waiting. When I read a book I generally like to know the resolution of the problem and then move on to another book. I don't want to wait months to find out the solution and then have another problem arise. Besides, by the time the next book comes out I probably would have forgotten things that happened in the previous book. I would prefer to read all the books at the same time but that could be alot when series have up to 12 books in them.

Sorry for the rant. I just think that not every teen book on the market should be a series. People get tired of them and like to read a variety of different things. I wish a few authors out there would write a few standalone books for people like me.

What's your take on this subject?

What I'm Reading

Hey guys, today I started a new book titled Bitter Frost by Kailin Gow. I'm 3 chapters in and it's pretty good so far. Here's what it's about:

All her life, Breena had always dreamed about fairies as though she lived among them...beautiful fairies living among mortals and living in Feyland. In her dreams, he was always there the breathtakingly handsome but dangerous Winter Prince, Kian, who is her intended. When Breena turns sixteen, she begins seeing fairies and other creatures mortals don t see. Her best friend Logan, suddenly acts very protective. Then she sees Kian, who seems intent on finding her and carrying her off to Feyland. That's fine and all, but for the fact that humans rarely survive a trip to Feyland, a kiss from a fairy generally means death to the human unless that human has fairy blood in them or is very strong, and although Kian seemed to be her intended, he seems to hate her and wants her dead.

If this seems interesting to you then buy or borrow a copy and join me! Happy reading!

What Do You Like To Read?

Hey everyone!
If you could read any type of book what would you read? Do you like books about vampires, pixies, fairies, royalty? Do you like action & adventure, mystery, comedy?

What's your theme of choice when it comes to reading books?

What I'm Reading

I recently started a new book titled Need by Carrie Jones. It's pretty good so far. Here's the synopsis:

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

If you want to read along with me then feel free. I am reading a borrowed Kindle edition but you can get a physical copy or an ebook copy. If you read along please come to post your thoughts on the book.

Fresh Writes Spotlight: Tara Hudson

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Tara Hudson graduated with a degree in law, mostly because she believed all the horror stories about English majors and their careers in the food-service industry. Luckily, she soon remembered how much she loved telling ghost stories, particularly to her girlfriends who liked visiting abandoned cemeteries as much as she did. Tara currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband, son, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets.

Hereafter Discription:

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, hereafter is a sensation you won’t want to miss.

Hereafter became available on June 7, 2011 so go out and get your copy! You can buy this book from Amazon for $11.49 (Kindle edition for $9.99), B&N for $11.37 (NookBook for $9.99) & Borders for $17.99

Review: Beach Road by James Patterson

So I recently read a book called Beach Road by James Patterson & Peter de Jonge. Here's a quick synopsis of the book:
The gripping Beach Road returns to the world of the Hamptons, where Patterson set The Beach House (2002). Tom Dunleavy is a small-time lawyer who lands a big case when three young men he plays basketball with are found shot to death execution-style at a billionaire's basketball court. The evidence points to a rising high-school basketball star, Dante Halleyville, who scuffled with one of the other young men earlier on the day of the murder and who apparently was seen disposing of the gun used to commit the murders. Tom reluctantly takes the case, convincing his ex-girlfriend, Kate Costello, a high-powered lawyer in Manhattan, to help him prove Dante innocent. The novel races toward a conclusion so shocking that even longtime Patterson devotees won't see it coming.

Overall I give the book 2.66 bookmarks and here"s why.

Storyline- 3 bookmarks
The overall plot of the story is a very good one. A smalltime lawyer trying to help a seemingly guilty man not go to jail. The way everything is set up (learning the characters, the crime) was pretty good. It sure helped to understand why the suspect was chosen & why everyone feels the way they do in the book. The storyline is pretty easy to follow but every now & then there are new twists that may seem confusing at first. There are surprises that you won't see coming but it all makes for a good story.

Characters- 3
There are several main characters in the book. In the front there is a list with a quick description of each one. You learn more about each one by the chapter setup. Each chapter is told in the point of view of a specific character so you get to know their individual thoughts & feelings. I like that approach. I must tell you though, everyone is not who they appear to be!

Overall writing- 2
The overall writing of the book got a 2 because I didnt like how the chapters were divided. I told you that each chapter is told in the point of view of a different character but too often in the book consecutive chapters were in the view of the same character. You could have 3 or 4 chapters from the lawyer followed by 2 chapters from the suspect. I wish they would lump it all into one chapter.
I also gave it a 2 because of the chapter lengths. Each chapter is about 2-3 pages long, which makes the multiple single character chapters even worse. You get 4 chapters from the same person all 2 pages long when it could have been a single 8 page chapter.


If you're looking for a good summer read I do suggest this book. It's pretty easy to get through in a few days & it's very entertaining. If you do read be sure to come back and tell us all what you think of it!

What I'm Reading

So I know I said that was reading The Talisman but I decided not to and read a few other books first. So now I'm reading Beach Road by James Patterson. Anybody who likes mystery/thriller books will like this one. Here's a synopsis taken from jamespatterson.com

Welcome to Beach Road
Tom Dunleavy has a one-man law firm in legendary East Hampton. But his job barely keeps him in paper clips. His principal clients make a living serving the rich. The billionaires and megacelebrities swarming the beaches already have lawyers on their payroll.
EXPENSIVE
Then a friend of Tom's is arrested for a triple murder near a movie star's mansion. Tom knows in his gut that Dante Halleyville is innocent. Dante asks him to represent him in what could be the Trial of the Century.
EXCLUSIVE
Tom recruits Manhattan superlawyer Kate Costello to help. She's a tough hire, because Kate is his ex-girlfriend-but she agrees. In their search to find who really executed three locals, Tom orchestrates a series of revelations to expose the killer-and what emerges is staggering.
EXPLOSIVE
The final scenes of Beach Road unveil a truth that will leave readers gasping in shock. Written with the precision that has made James Patterson America's #1 suspense writer, Beach Road is his most thrilling novel ever.

I've started this a few days ago but it's a pretty easy read. The chapters so far are about 1-2 pages long so if you want to read along feel free to do so.

What I'm Reading

Yesterday I started reading a new book. It's by no means new in the literary world, just new to me. It's called The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub. It's a giant book with 654 pages! It's divided into four parts with a total of 47 chapters. It's been around for a while so it should be an interesting read. Here's the plot summary from amazon's wikipedia.

This book charts the adventure of a twelve year old boy named Jack Sawyer. The adolescent hero sets out from Arcadia Beach, New Hampshire in a bid to save his mother, who is dying from cancer, by finding a crystal called "the Talisman."
The premise of the novel involves the existence of a parallel world to Earth, called "the Territories", a strange fantasy world with ties (though these ties did not exist at the time of publication) to King's The Dark Tower. Individuals in the Territories have "twinners," or parallel individuals, in our world. Twinners' births, deaths, and (it is intimated) other major life events are usually paralleled. Twinners can also flip, but only share the body of their alternate universe's analogue.
In rare instances (such as Jack Sawyer's), a person may die in one world but not the other, making them "single-natured" and giving them the ability to switch back and forth between the two worlds if taught how. Jack is taught how to "flip" by a mysterious figure known as Speedy Parker, who may be a gunslinger named Parkus in the Territories. In his world the beloved Queen Laura DeLoessian, the twinner of Jack's mother (a movie actress known as the "Queen of the B Movies") is also dying.
Various people help or hinder Jack in his quest. Of particular importance are the Werewolves, known simply as Wolfs, who inhabit the Territories. These are not the savage killers of tradition. They serve as royal herdsmen or bodyguards, and can sometimes under stress voluntarily change to wolf form. A sixteen-year-old Wolf, simply named Wolf, is accidentally pulled into America by Jack Sawyer and adopts Jack as his herd, serving as his companion. Wolf is extremely likeable, kind, loyal and friendly, much like a dog, though his wolf nature shows through on occasion. On the other hand, some have joined the antagonists who are trying to stop Jack.
As the story goes back and forth between the Territories and the familiar United States, or "American Territories" as Jack comes to call them, Jack escapes from one life-threatening situation after another. Accompanied by Wolf and later by his childhood friend Richard, Jack must retrieve the Talisman before it falls into the hands of evil schemer Morgan Sloat, Richard's father, who, we later learn, was Jack's father's business partner before arranging to have the latter murdered. He wants to seize their business from Jack's mother. Morgan Sloats's twinner, Morgan of Orris, also plans to seize the Territories in the event of Queen Laura's death.

If you're interested in reading this with me then pick yourself up a copy. The kindle edition is $7.99, hardback & paperback can be bought from amazon starting at $0.18 from sellers.

School Finals

Hey guys, I know I haven't been updating this as often as I should be. I'm still in school and it's the end of the year so I've been spending my time studying for finals but it'll all be over this week and then I can get back to blogging regularly.
See you guys soon!

Recommendation Wednesdays

So I know that this is hours late, but you can all still participate.
What books do you recommend people check out this week?
Today I finished reading the Trylle Trilogy and am on book #3 in the My Blood Approves series. Both sereies are written by Amanda Hocking and are very good. You won't want to put them down once you've started.

Recommendation Wednesdays

It's that time once again people! Time to tell the world what you have been reading lately. Was it good? Think the world will like it? Then tell us what it is!
Recently I bought Water for Elephants because I heard from several different people that it was a really good book and I want to read it before I see the movie. So what do you recommend people read?

Fresh Writes Spotlight: K. Ryer Breese

K. Ryer Breese lives in Denver. He’s worked as a clinical researcher, a short order chef, a film critic, a patient advocate, and a teacher. He does not, as far as he knows have an super powers but he has had three concussions.

Description:
When seventeen-year-old Ade Patience knocks himself unconscious, he has the ability to see days and decades into the future. But Ade isn’t a do-gooder. He doesn’t see the future for profit or out of good will. No, Ade knocks himself out ’cause he’s addicted to the high he gets when he uses his powers. Besides, he’s learned the hard way that you can’t change the future once you’ve seen it.
Living a life filled with deliberate fights, car accidents, and other concussion inducing activities, Ade’s memory is failing, his grades are in a death spiral, and both his best friend and his shrink are begging him to stop before he kills himself.
But that all changes tomorrow.
Tomorrow the girl of Ade’s dreams arrives at Mantlo High School. He’s seen her before, in a vision, and he’s waited seven hundred and twenty nine days for her to show up. When she does, he’s sure his life will suddenly be wonderful.
If only it were that easy.
Little does Ade know that the girl of his dreams has a boyfriend and, worse, she has an addiction of her own. To win her heart, Ade’s going to have to go clean and do the one thing he knows he can’t: Change the future.

Recommendation Wednesdays

Hey guys, it's that time off the week again! Time to share your favorite books. What have you read lately that you think others will enjoy?
I've started reading the Trylle Trilogy & My Blood Approves series both written by Amanda Hocking. So far I love both series and if you haven't read them yet I think you all would love them too!

Coming Soon Sundays

Yes I know it's Tuesday already, my internet was out so I wasn't able to post this weekend. So here are some books that have all come out today. Check them out!

In The Shadow Of The Lamp
Written By: Susanne Dunlap
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 304 Pages
Price: $16.99 ($9.99 Kindle)

Description:
It's 1854 and sixteen-year-old Molly would give anything to change her circumstances as a lowly servant in a posh London house. So when she hears of an opportunity to join the nurses who will be traveling with Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, she jumps at the chance. The work is grueling, the hospital conditions deplorable, and Miss Nightingale a demanding teacher. Before long, the plight of British soldiers becomes more than just a mission of mercy as Molly finds that she's falling in love with both a dashing young doctor and a soldier who has joined the army to be near her. But with the battle raging ever nearer, can Molly keep the two men she cares for from harm? A love story to savor, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes imagining of the woman who became known as "the lady with the lamp.

My Unfair Godmother
Written By: Janette Rallison
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Price: $16.99 ($9.49 kindle)

Description:
Tansy Miller has always felt that her divorced father has never had enough time for her. But mistakenly getting caught on the wrong side of the law wasn' texactly how she wanted to get his attention. Enter Chrysanthemum "Chrissy" Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining, er, high heels. Chrissy is only a fair godmother, of course, so Tansy's three wishes don't exactly go according to plan. And if bringing Robin Hood to the twenty-first century isn't bad enough for Tansy, being transported back to the Middle Ages to deal with Rumpelstiltskin certainly is. She'll need the help of her blended family, her wits, and especially the cute police chief 's son to stop the gold-spinning story from spinning wildly out of control. Janette Rallison pulls out all the stops in this fresh, fun-filled follow-up to the popular My Fair Godmother.

What Comes After
Written By: Steve Watkins
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 334 pages
Price: $16.99 ($9.49 Kindle)

Description:
A gripping portrait of a teen’s struggles through grief and abuse - and the miraculous power of animals to heal us.
After her veterinarian dad dies, sixteen-year-old Iris Wight must leave her beloved Maine to live on a North Carolina farm with her hardbitten aunt and a cousin she barely knows. Iris, a vegetarian and animal lover, immediately clashes with Aunt Sue, who mistreats the livestock, spends Iris’s small inheritance, and thinks nothing of striking Iris for the smallest offense. Things come to a head when Iris sets two young goats free to save them from slaughter, and an enraged Aunt Sue orders her brutish son, Book, to beat Iris senseless - a horrific act that lands Book and his mother in jail. Sent to live with an offbeat foster family and their "dooking" ferrets, Iris must find a way to take care of the animals back at the farm, even if it means confronting Aunt Sue. Powerful and deeply moving, this compelling novel affirms the redemptive power of animals and the resilience of the human spirit.

The Gathering
Written By: Kelly Armstrong
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 368 pages
Price: $17.99 ($9.99)

Description:
Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.
It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

In My Mailbox (2)

Hey guys, sorry this is so late! I was out of town this past weekend and when I came back my internet was out. It's back up now and all is right with the world. So now let's get into the books I've acquired over the week (April 3-9). IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

From Smashwords

Meet Me At Midnight
Written By: Jami Agurto
Reading Level: Young Adult

Description:
Kloe is having dreams of a dead guy, but when she meets Carson he is the guy of her dreams... really. little does she and Carson know his crazy ex has a secret that will change their lives forever and take them on a journey of a life time.

The Call
Written By: Merrill Gemus
Reading Level: Young Adult

Description:
Tania is the new girl at school and she caught the attention of Simon. Unfortunately, every other guy is already calling dibs on her. Simon becomes more attracted to Tania, but is unable to strike up a conversation with her. Determined to catch her eye, even though he knows she is out of his league, he asks his closest friend, Mark, for her number. Will he be able to claim Tania's heart?

You Never Cared
Written By: Michele L. Montgomery
Reading Level: Young Adult (Gay & Lesbian)

Description:
Jordan is a golden child—wealthy, popular, the self-professed ruler of the senior class. Jordan is also a bully, a bully whose group of friends mercilessly tormented seventeen-year-old Casper for being different, for being poor, for suffering silently. Random acts of abuse from his classmates were par for the course in Casper’s life, until one night, the bullying evolved into a hate crime and he, unable to endure, longing for peace, finally took his own life.

You Never Cared is the heartbreaking tale, told in Jordan’s words, of a life stolen, of love lost, and of a soul compromised. But ultimately, it is a story of forgiveness and redemption. As Sammy, Casper’s friend and lover, attempts to cope with the anguish of his boyfriend’s loss, Jordan attempts to own his part in the crime, trying to make amends but knowing his only hope is to carry on Casper’s legacy, to work to build a better future for boys and girls who, like Casper, just need a strong voice to encourage and stand up for them.

From Amazon

The Lipstick Laws
Written By: Amy Holder
Reading Level: Young Adult

Description:

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of her perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.

For April Bowers, Britney is the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't know she exists. One lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.

But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag, and April decides it's not worth the cost. Inspiring and empowering, this is the story of one girl who decides to push back.

 

Wings (free with Bonus material)

Written By: Aprilynne Pike

Reading Level: Young Adult

 

Description:

Fifteen-year-old Laurel has led a sheltered, homeschooled life in a very small town, so when her parents decide to move and enroll her in high school, she has trouble getting used to her new life. A life, as it turns out, that’s not at all like those of other kids. One clear sign is a winglike blossom that blooms on her back. Oh, and her new best friend, the scientifically minded David, reveals under a microscope that her cells are more plant than animal. But it takes an encounter at her old home with the handsome but decidedly different Tamani to convince her that she is a faerie. She also learns it’s up to her to save her land from the evil influences that are trying to take it away from her and her family. This first novel is clearly designed to attract the Twilight set, though there’s significantly less edge (and blood). There is, however, a familiar triangle. Will Laurel choose solid, steady David, or will she be unable to resist Tamani’s lure? Stay tuned. Fine escapist fare, this neatly mixes the everyday with the otherworldly.

 

Paid In Blood

Written By: Mel Odom

Reading Level: General (adult)

 

Description:

The death of a fellow NCIS agent in North Carolina leads Will Coburn and his special team of naval crime-scene investigators to discover a drug-and-arms smuggling ring. The investigation leads them to a U.S. military base in South Korea. When a body is stolen from a crime scene, the team discovers that their suspect is not who he seems. Nuclear weapons have gone missing, and it's a race against time as the NCIS team uncovers the true face of evil.

 

The Secret Holocaust Diaries

Written By: Nonna Bannister

Reading Level: General (adult)

 

Description:

Russian refugee Bannister (1927–2004) rarely spoke about her brutal experiences under the regimes of Stalin and Hitler, not even to the American she married after the war. In this memoir, she reveals how a privileged childhood in the 1920s and '30s gave way to horror and loss in the 1940s. Although the sound quality of this production is poor (lots of rustling papers), Rebecca Gallagher does reasonably well with the multiple languages and wisely avoids attempting to replicate European accents. What is irritating, however, is the constant interruption in the form of unnecessary editor's notes, which make the narrative choppy and disjointed. More helpful is the seventh disc, which contains an interview with Bannister's husband and son, a precious audio reminiscence from Nonna herself, recorded in 1993, and abundant PDF materials, including maps, photographs and genealogical data. A Tyndale hardcover. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

 

The Golden Acorn

Written By: Catherine Cooper

Reading Level: Young Adult

 

Description:

When Jack Brenin finds a golden acorn lying in the grass, little does he know that it is the beginning of a thrilling and magical adventure. Just an ordinary boy, Jack has been chosen for a hugely important task, and enters a world he believed only existed in legend. Full of twists and turns, talking ravens and mischievous Spriggans, 'The Golden Acorn' is a hugely entertaining and exciting tale from a very talented new author. Your kids will love it, and so will you! This brilliant story deservedly won the Brit Writers' Awards 2010 for unpublished writers and has now been published by Infinite Ideas.
The much awaited sequel 'Glasruhen Gate' is out this February.

Delivered With Love
Written By: Sherry Kyle
Reading Level: General

Description:
An old love letter found in the glove compartment of a young woman's inherited 1972 Volkswagen propels her to leave her life in Los Angeles and go to the small town of Capitola, California. There her dream of finding the writer of the letter leads her on an unexpected journey that changes her life forever.

Claire James, age twenty-three, is ready to make it on her own.  When she's fired from her job as a waitress and subsequently kicked out of her sister's home, she sees it as an opportunity to start over.  But even before moving, a thirty-five-year-old love letter written to her mother keeps Claire stuck in the past.  Michael Thompson, a middle-aged real estate agent, wants to keep the past where it belongs--at least until his grown daughter is married.  But, then a young woman comes to town . . .

Fresh Writes Spotlight: Angie Smibert

Angie Smibert was born in Blacksburg, a once sleepy college town in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. An unrepentant geek, she grew up playing with her father’s electron microscope, watching Star Trek and Doctor Who, reading the classics, and making up stories in her head about being out among the stars. In a more down-to-earth ambition, she wanted to be a veterinarian. Organic chemistry had other ideas. But she always had those stories in her head. Eventually, after a few degrees and few cool jobs—including a 10-year stint at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center—she wrote some of those stories down. She’s published many short stories, for both adults and teens.
Ironically, her first novel, MEMENTO NORA, has nothing to do with space, but it did put her biology degree to good use. Finally.

Memento Nora Description:
In the not-so-distant future, Nora, the popular girl and happy consumer, witnesses a horrific bombing on a shopping trip with her mother. In Nora’s world, terrorism is so commonplace that she can pop one little white pill to forget and go on like nothing ever happened. However, when Nora makes her first trip to a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic, she learns what her mother, a frequent forgetter, has been frequently forgetting. Nora secretly spits out the pill and holds on to her memories. The memory of the bombing as well as her mother’s secret and her budding awareness of the world outside her little clique make it increasingly difficult for Nora to cope. She turns to two new friends, each with their own reasons to remember, and together they share their experiences with their classmates through an underground comic. They soon learn, though, they can’t get away with remembering what the powers-that-be want them to forget.
Angie Smibert’s remarkable debut novel about the power of memory takes readers on a thrilling ride through a shadowy world in which corporations rule the government and consumerism is praised above all.

Memento Nora became available on April 1, 2011 so go out and get your copy! You can buy this book from Amazon for $10.59 and B&N, Borders & Indiebound for $16.99

*Author bio & book description taken from classof2k11.com

Recommendation Wednesdays

Alright everybody, it's that time of the week again! Time to share. I want to know what books you have come across that you think the world should read also. What books would you like for me to read and review? It can be from any genre you like.
These posts only work if you all get involved and comment, so let's share!

For starters, I just read a book called Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford. It's a regular fiction book (not YA) but it's really good. It's about a woman post divorce who spends a year finding her voice and learning to cook. Very entertaining!

How Do You Read?

Here's a question for all you reading buffs out there. How do you get your books and how do you read?
I used to read paper books and get them from a variety of places. 90% of my books came from Barnes & Noble. That was my go-to store. I haven't borrowed from the library in about 4 years. Now as you know I have a kindle and so most of my books come from amazon.com, smashwords.com and I even borrow some from booklending.com.

So join in the conversation and tell how you read and where you get your books from!
It'll be fun to see all the methods of getting books out there.

What I'm Reading

Today I finished the book I was reading titled Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford and have started a new book. This book is The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder. I did a spotlight post on this book last Thursaday and now I am finally reading the book (it just came out today on kindle). If you would like to read along with me then feel free to do so and post your thoughts.

Quick Description:
At Penford High School, Brittany Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone’s life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.

For April Bowers, Brittany is the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don’t know she exists. One lunch spent at Brittany’s table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.

But Brittany’s friendship comes with a high price tag, and April decides it’s not worth the cost. Inspiring and empowering, this is the story of one girl who decides to push back.

UPDATE APRIL 5, 2011

I am now also reading the first book of the Trylle Trilogy titled Switched by Amanda Hocking. I resquested to borrow it and the request came through so I'll be reading two books at once. I'll also be reviewing both of these books so be on the lookout for that.

Quick Description:
Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy...

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

Coming Soon Sundays

Hey everybody! Here are the books that are coming out within the next week (today- April 9th). They are all being released on April 5th so mark your calendars!

City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments, Book 4)
Written By: Cassandra Clare
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 432 pages
Price: $19.99 (Kindle edition $9.99)
Description:
Who will be tempted by darkness? Who will fall in love, and who will find their relationship torn apart? And who will betray everything they ever believed in?
Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge.
In the heart-pounding fourth installment of the Mortal Instruments series, the stakes are higher than ever.

Plague: A Gone Novel
Written By: Michael Grant
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 512 pages
Price: $17.99 (Kindle edition $9.99)

Description:

It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.
But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape—or even survive—life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

Where She Went
Written By: Gayle Forman
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 pages
Price: $16.99 (Kindle edition $10.99)

Description:
In the three years since the tragic accident Mia barely survived in If I Stay, she and high school ex-boyfriend Adam have lived separate lives on opposite coasts. But then Adam, now the dissatisfied front man of popular LA-based band Collateral Damage, stops over in New York City for one night before kicking off the European leg of his tour. It happens to be the same evening that Mia, now well on her way to becoming a renowned cellist, is performing at Carnegie Hall. Adam buys a ticket, planning to slip in and out, but Mia spots him and for the first time in years they’re face-to-face with each other and their shared past. Over the course of one evening, as Adam and Mia traverse the city’s streets, they relive the four days Mia spent in the intensive care unit as well as her departure to Juilliard and from the life she knew.

Jasper Jones
Written By: Craig Silvey
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Price: $16.99 (Kindle edition $10.99)

Description:
Charlie Bucktin, a bookish thirteen year old, is startled one summer night by an urgent knock on his bedroom window. His visitor is Jasper Jones, an outcast in their small mining town, and he has come to ask for Charlie's help. Terribly afraid but desperate to impress, Charlie follows him into the night.

Jasper takes him to his secret glade, where Charlie witnesses Jasper's horrible discovery. With his secret like a brick in his belly, Charlie is pushed and pulled by a town closing in on itself in fear and suspicion. He locks horns with his tempestuous mother, falls nervously in love, and battles to keep a lid on his zealous best friend. In the simmering summer where everything changes, Charlie learns why the truth of things is so hard to know, and even harder to hold in his heart.

Viola In The Spotlight (Viola in Reel Life)
Written By: Adriana Trigiani
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 288 Pages
Price: $16.99 (Kindle edition $9.99)

Description:
I am in the midst of a conundrum.
Viola is finally where she belongs—back home in Brooklyn, where there are no khakis or sherbet-colored sweaters and people actually think her yellow flats are cool. With two whole months of nothing to do but hang with her two best friends, Andrew and Caitlin, this is going to be the best break ever!
But her BFFAA, Andrew, has started acting weird around her, and a new boyfriend has her friend Caitlin ditching her every chance she gets. When Viola's roommates from Prefect Academy show up for a visit, she starts to wonder—is Brooklyn where she wants to stay? When a tragic event shakes everyone's world, Viola realizes it's not where she belongs that matters—it's who she's with that really counts.
In this heartwarming follow-up to bestselling author Adriana Trigiani's teen debut, Viola in Reel Life, Viola just may be ready to get out from behind her trusty video camera and take the starring role in her own life.

In My Mailbox

So here's a quick rundown of the books I've gotten over the past week. Some of these you may want to check out yourself. Note they were all free!

From Smashwords

The Truth Lies Beneath Your Eyes
Written By: Nzingha Keyes
Reading Level: Young Adult

Description:
High School, love triangles drama and war. What else can go wrong when you wake up and go to school one morning and find yourself kidnapped on the other side of the world with people who know more about your past than you do yourself?

The Accidental Rebel (short story)
Written By: Joshua Graham
Reading Level: Adult Fiction

Description:
Stacey Tanner flees a stalking psychopathic ex-boyfriend and confronts all of her worst fears in one fateful evening.

*This is free on smashwords with a special code
Coupon Code: QV73F
Expires: April 5, 2011

From Amazon

The Homecoming
Written By: Dan Walsh
Reading Level: Adult Fiction

Description:
No sooner is Shawn Collins home from the fighting in Europe than he's called upon to serve his country as a war hero on a USO bond tour. Others might jump at the chance to travel all around the country with attractive Hollywood starlets. But not Shawn. He just wants to stay home with his son Patrick, his aging father and to grieve the loss of his wife in private. When Shawn asks Katherine Townsend, Patrick's former social worker, to be Patrick's nanny while he's on the road, he has no idea how this decision will impact his life. Could it be the key to his future happiness and the mending of his heart? Or will the war once again threaten his chances for a new start?

The Maverick Experiment
Written By: Drew Berquist
Reading Level: Adult Fiction

Description:
Breaking all the rules, a battle-hardened group of fighters confront Afghan terrorists on their own terms In wartime, some operations have to be conducted outside the normal lines of authority. Nowhere is this more true than in modern Afghanistan, the setting for this riveting military thriller. Derek Stevens is an experienced interrogator fluent in multiple languages and highly trained in weapons and escape and evasion techniques. He is the ideal candidate to lead a crew on a top-secret mission into Afghanistan to neutralize Taliban leaders. That mission, as it turns out, is much more challenging than even he had expected. Stevens’ assignment leads him and his maverick warriors through the most dangerous prison in Kabul and into the Pakistani heartland of the terrorist resistance. Working deep undercover, they deliver tough justice to the world’s toughest terrorists. Drawn from the author’s own experiences with the U.S. intelligence and Special Operations communities, The Maverick Experiment reveals the inner workings of the international intelligence machine and the gritty, blood-soaked reality of life on the front lines of the war in Afghanistan.

The Icarus Chronicles: Flight of the Hero
Written By: Monica Shaughnessy
Reading Level: Young Adult

Description:
No description on Amazon

Elisha's Bones
Written By: Don Hoesel
Reading Level: Adult Fiction

Description:
Every year, professor of antiquities Jack Hawthorne looks forward to the winter break as a time to hide away from his responsibilities. Even if just for a week or two. But this year, his plans are derailed when he's offered almost a blank check from a man chasing a rumor.
Billionaire Gordon Reese thinks he knows where the bones of the prophet Elisha are--bones that in the Old Testament brought the dead back to life. A born skeptic, Jack doesn't think much of the assignment but he could use the money, so he takes the first step on a chase for the legendary bones that will take him to the very ends of the earth. But he's not alone. Joined with a fiery colleague, Esperanza Habilla, they soon discover clues to a shadowy organization whose long-held secrets have been protected . . . at all costs. As their lives are threatened again and again, the real race is to uncover the truth before those chasing them hunt them down.

When Is A Series Too Much?

So we all know that authors love to write book series and that we love to read them. But my question to you today is have you ever gotten tired of a series? Have you ever thought that it was becoming too much and needed to end? I think it's cool to read 4 or 5 books about a certain person but once you get to book 15 and book 20 I lose interest. It's only so much you can do with those characters before things get cheesy and stupid.
So what book series have you read that you felt lasted too long? Do you even like to read series books at all? Join the discussion below!

Books Turned Movies

I have a question.
How do you all feel about books being turned into movies? I mean, do you like seeing so many books hitting the big screen or do you think it's getting out of hand? This came across my mind earlier today when I saw a preview for the new movie Jane Eyre, which is a book written by Charlotte Brontë. I Am Number Four is another recent movie that got its start from a book. We can't forget about the highly popular Harry Potter and Twilight series. I've heard that the House of Night book series will also be turning into a movie. Can't complain on that one though, since I love the series. I know this practice is good exposure for the authors because many people run out to read the book before the movie comes out so they can compare the two, but I'm starting to feel as though it's getting to be a bit too much. It seems as if half the movies that come out came from a book, as though nobody can come up with their own good original movie. That's just my opinion though.
What do you think?

Check It Out!

So when I was in Books A Million the other day I came across this book. It came out in 2010 but I had never heard of it or the author & I figured many of you haven't either so I'm sharing it with you. The book is called TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow. Check out the trailer for it here. Looks interesting doesn't it? The cover art is what initially caught my eye. It looks like a poster for a new movie. So in case you didn't really get the plot from the trailer here's the written synopsis.

Maddy should have died in a plane crash. Liam should have died at sea when the Titanic sank. Sal should have died in a tragic fire. But a mysterious man whisked them away to safety.

Maddy, Liam, and Sal quickly learn that time travel is no longer just a hope for the future; it is a dangerous reality. And they weren't just rescued from their terrible fates. . . they were recruited for the agency of TimeRiders created to protect the world from those seeking to alter the course of history for personal gain. By reliving the highly documented events in New York City on 9/11, they can closely monitor history for any deviations—large or small. When just such a change is detected, they are alerted that a threat is at hand unleashing the evil of the Nazis to wreak havoc with Earth's present and future. Can Maddy, Liam, and Sal fulfill their destinies as keepers of time to save the world from utter destruction?

An exhilarating adventure that shifts readers back in time to Nazi Germany and then forward into an ever-changing present.

 

If this book sounds interesting to you, i'd suggest reading it. I will be and will let you know when I start in case you want to read along. This book is available in hardcover for $16.99 and paperback for $9.99 from Borders, Barnes & Noble & Books A Million and is available from Amazon for $11.55 hardback, $9.99 paperback and $9.34 kindle edition.

 

I'd also like to add that there is a sequal coming out called TimeRiders: Day of the Predator on October 11, 2011. The price for that is also $16.99 but Amazon is taking pre-orders for $11.46.

 

Happy reading!

Fresh Writes Spotlight: Amy Holder

Amy Holder is a new teen fiction author born and raised in upstate New York. Her love of books began at a young age and never left. This eventually led her to want to write her own wonderful stories instead of settling for only reading the words of others. This led to the creation of.....
THE LIPSTICK LAWS.

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.

For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.

But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?

Amy Holder has written a book that combines common teenage issues with humor in a way that every teenage girl will be able to relate to. This book is available to buy now  for $8.99 and is on preorder now for the kindle. It will be delivered to the kindle on April 4th. Get yours from Amazon.com, B&N.com, Borders.com or indiebound.org.

*The book description was taken from amazon.com

Books A Million Run

So today I went to Books A Million for the first time ever. It was pretty nice in there and and filled with every book you can imagine. i spent a good hour in that place and could have spent another hour there if I hadn't gotten hungry. I went up and down the isles looking for interesting books to add to my TBR (to be read) list. I came out with a pretty long list of books to read and some I'd love to review for you all. I read all types of books but I really do love YA books (young adult) the best, so that's what most of the books on my list are. The next step is to figure out which books and series are available for the kindle and then read those first. I prefer to read on the kindle than to read an actual book. It's more convenient to me but that's just my opinion. Like I say, it doesn't matter how you read as long as you do.

Recommendation Wednesdays!

It's raining where I am today and it's the perfect weather to sit in bed with a cup of mango tea and read on my kindle. I love all types of books and don't stick to one or two categories because there's a world of great books out there. So today, I'd like to know what books you like to read.  What books would you like to share with the world and have us read? I may even do a review of some of the books you suggest. So don't be shy.... tell the world what you think we should be reading!

What I'm Reading

I've recently started a new book named Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford. It's basically about a lady named Rachel Goldman who is recently divorced and living on her own. She is taking a break from her job and living off the money she has saved. When she realizes the money's going faster than she planned she knows she has to change her habits. She learns to cook for herself and gets back into the dating world and starts a blog to document it all. I'm only a few chapters in but this book is very lighthearted with some good humor placed in there. I'm loving it so far and hope you will too. I downloaded this to my kindle a while ago when it was free but it's only $8.59 right now if you want to read along with me.

Rekindled My Love of Reading

So, I have always been an avid reader but ever since I started college I have had less & less time to read for fun. Pretty much all my reading has been from textbooks for class but I decided to make the time to get back to pleasure reading. To help in thisI bought myself an Amazon Kindle 3G. Let me tell you, I love it! It's so lightweight and portable which is what i needed. I hated having to carry a big book around in my bag along with my notebook & textbooks. The kindle is amazing, I currently have more than 150 books loaded on to it. The best part is that I only paid for about 5 of them and none of those were more than $5.00. Whenever I read from now on it will be on the kindle unless that specifc book isn't available for it yet. Right now, I am reading a book titled Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford. Stay tuned for the review when I finish it!

So I want to know, do you have a kindle? If so, how do you like it? If not, would you consider buying one or do you prefer paper books instead?
Whether reading on the kindle or a paper book the important thing is that we are all reading.