In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

I don't normally get books and haven't been online in a while (My work now has software so I can only get on at home) so imagine my surprise when I opened my mailbox to find this:

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. I cannot wait to read it. I have been waiting on it to come out and my library has not even ordered a copy and I have stopped by the bookstore a few times and they didn't have it.

Tangled-Caroyln Mackler

I have read a few of Carolyn Mackler's other books and really liked how she wrote. When I found out that she had a new one coming out I was excited and put myself on the waiting list at the library. I was finally able to read it this weekend.

There are 4 teens that end up in Paradise together and become connected. Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen. The book is broken into 4 parts, one for each teen. Jena is a bigger girl that is shy around boys, Skye is the actress and Jena's sometimes friend (Their mothers are friends). Dakota and Owen are brothers. Dakota is a playboy and Owen is a blogger that doesn't know how to be social.They all learn about themselves. They start in Paradise and then their lives continue.

I like Carolyn Mackler and her writing. This book just didn't do it for me. It was quick and easy, but I felt that I didn't get to really know the characters since they only had one part each. Sure they showed up in others but it wasn't the same. What I did get to know about the characters I loved and wished that she had taken it further. I will continue to read her books though.

Dear John Trailer

I am not sure how the movie will go, but I really like the cast so I may still see it. I hope you enjoy it.

Dear John-Nicholas Sparks

I am slowly working my way through Nicholas Sparks' books. When I started seeing the trailers for this movie I realized that I needed to read this book. One because it looked good and two in case I decide to go see the movie when it comes out.

John is in the Army and he goes home on leave one Summer. While home on leave he meets Savannah who is also there for a month. During the two weeks that they had together they taught each other about themselves and they planned to stay together even with John in Germany and Savannah in North Carolina. Then September 11th happened and they were not expecting that or what comes next.

I really enjoyed this book like I enjoy all his other books. I love good written love stories, love stories that could be real. Savannah and John were a great couple and I felt their pain, love, and happiness while reading this book. Nicholas Sparks can write great characters with a lot of depth and I enjoy them each time.

Not My Daughter- Barbara Delinsky

This was my first experience with Barbara Delinsky.Quite honestly a non-Ya book in a while aslo. It was good and I am glad I read it.

Susan is the principal of a local high school in a really small town. She is also the mother of a high school senior that made a pact with 2 other friends to get pregnant. The book follows the 3 girls and their life while pregnant and also Susan and the other mothers as they cope with the news.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. The writing was almost in the middle of Marian Keyes and Jodi Picoult, 2 authors I enjoy a lot. I say read it!

Another great contest

Mrs. Messi over at Mrs. Messi's Musings is having a great giveaway: $10 starbucks giftcard, $10barnes and noble gift card, or $10.00 Babys R Us gift Card.

Waiting on Wednesday

Yes I know it is Thursday. I had a busy day yesterday!

Waiting on Wednesday wan introduced to me by Jessica over at Reading is Sexy. It is a feature for bloggers to swoon over upcoming releases they can't wait to get their hands on.

Today's Pick:

Title: The Brightest Star in the Sky- Marian Keyes
Release Date: January 21, 2010

Genre: Chick Lit

From Amazon:

Marian Keyes's inimitable blend of rollicking humor, effervescent prose, and stories that deal with real-life issues have captivated readers around the globe. She is one of the bestselling authors of women's fiction in the English-speaking world. Her new novel will delight fans of Candace Bushnell's darkly comic sensibility and Sophie Kinsella's fast-paced action. The Brightest Star in the Sky follows seven neighbors whose lives become entangled when a sassy and prescient spirit pays a visit to their Dublin townhouse with the intent of changing at least one of their lives.

But what will this metamorphosis be and who will the sprite choose? There's Matt and Maeve, the newlyweds struggling to overcome the first obstacle in their storybook romance; Lydia, the brassy but vulnerable cabbie; Katie, the just-turned-forty PR executive searching for a more gratifying life; and the eldest resident, Jemima, currently playing hostess to her son Fionn, who is in town to star as the hunky gardener in a hot new television show.
Keyes's universal themes and appealing characters have made her an international phenomenon, and are sure to conquer a wider American audience. With The Brightest Star in the Sky, she delivers another satisfying story charming in its wit and surprising in its depth.

My Take: I love Marian Keyes and her writing. She can write characters with depth and who you want to curl up with and read about. Plus she writes it as chick lit so it has the humor, but women's lit so it has the deeper issues also. I am ready for it to come out.

Beautiful Creatures-Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The beginning was a little slow, but once it picked up it picked up. I sat one night and read 200 pages. I even forgot to eat. I really don't know how to review this book without giving a bunch away so I will do a quick short review.

Ethan lives in small town Gatlin. Everyone is the same until Lena shows up. Lena is different than the other girls and Ethan is drawn to her and into her crazy world. Throughout the book we learn about Lena and what makes her and her family different. The book is told from Ethan's point of view.

I can't say more how much I liked that the love story was just that a love story not a love triangle. The action was great and the characters well written. All the stories were woven together great. A must read

Sweethearts- Sara Zarr

Where do I start with this book? The wonderful writing? Great characters? Heartfelt story? How about all of it? This book was a more serious, but still wonderful YA book.

Jennifer and Cameron were bestfriends in elementary school, in fact they were each other's only friends since they were outcasts. Then one day something happens and then Cameron is gone. Jennifer then moves to a new school and becomes "Jenna" the polar opposite of Jennifer. She is happy and then one day Cameron is back and going to her school. Jenna's world is turned upside down and now she isn't sure who she really is.

This book was great. It went a lot deeper than I expected it too. I loved all the characters and sat and read it in one sitting. Jenna/Jennifer was a great character and I really felt for her.

A to Z Author New Challenge

I have decided to do an A-Z new author challenge can be first or last name the author just has to be new to me not a new author all together.

A
B-Jennifer Brown-Hate List
C
D-Barbara Delinsky-Not My Daughter
E-Ellen Hopkins- Crank
F
G
H-Jennifer Hubbard-The Secret Year
I
J-Anna Jarzab-All Unquiet Things
K-Lauren Kate- Fallen
L
M-Lisa McMann-Wake/Fade
N
O
P-Mary Pearson-Adoration of Jenna Fox
Q
R
S-Lisa Schroeder-Chasing Brooklyn
T
U
V
W-Rosalind Wiseman- Boys,Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials
X
Y-Richard Yates- Revolutionary Road
Z

In my Library Bag(2)

In my library bag is my take on The Story Siren's In My Mailbox since I am trying not to buy books (it never works)

Revolutionary Road-Richard Yates
Hate List-Jennifer Brown
Lament: the faerie Queen's Deception-Maggie  Stiefvater
Not My Daughter-Barbara Delinsky
Fade-Lisa McMann
Fallen-Lauren Kate
Chasing Brooklyn-Lisa schroeder
Also in transit:
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove-Lauren Kate
Boys, Girls, and other Hazardous Materials- Rosalind Wiseman.

Bought: (1.00 for both at Library)
Bend In the Road- Nicholas Sparks
The Choice-Nicholas Sparks

Considering I have a ton to read at home I better get a move on.

The Secret Year-Jennifer Hubbard

I got this book from Jessica over at Reading Is Sexy. I got it yesterday after lunch and I couldn't wait to go home and dive right in. I dove in alright. I dove in and finished it. It was that good.

Julia and Colt are from different sides of the track. She is rich and he is not. They start a secret relationship that lasts for a year. When Julia dies in an accident Colt has to deal with his grief without letting others see and with having no one to help him. Then he gets Julia's diary that she wrote for him. The journal entries show us insight to Julia and her year with Colt. While reading the diary Colt is working on understanding his feelings and moving on with life, but is that possible?

If you read and liked Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher I think you will love this. I honestly could not tell this was Ms. Hubbard's first novel. She captured Colt great and I loved his family and his sidekicks. Plus there is a nod to The Outsiders and I loved that book.

In My Mailbox(1)

In my mailbox was started by The Story Siren as a way to show off the books that we get.

In my mailbox:

Jessica from Reading is Sexy sent these two my way. I can't wait to dive into them.
The Secret Year-Jennifer Hubbard
The Unwritten Rule-Elizabeth Scott

Bought:

Bloom-Elizabeth Scott

Giveaways around the blog community

1. Eleni over at /-La Femme Readers-/ is doing a 2010 book of your choice giveaway. Deadline is February 15, 2010.

Angie over at The Adventures of a YA Novelist is giving away an ARC of her book Everlasting 

Cindy over at Princess Bookie is giving away 4 books for her NewYear giveaway

Sab over at  YA Bliss has a list of giveaways on her sidebar

Brittlit over at Reading Nook is giving away a 2010 release to the 1st place and a 2009 release to the 2nd place winner.

Over on Only Sexy Books Allowed she is giving away an ARC of Something Like Fate by Susanne Colasanti.

I will try to do this when I see great contests.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is something I picked up while reading the blog Reading is Sexy. It is a chance for bloggers to show what book they can't wait for.

My Pick: A Match Made In High School- Kristin Walker

Release Date- Februray 4, 2010

Genre- Young Adult

From Goodreads:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

My take: What is not to love about a senior project that includes a fake marriage. I can't wait to see what trouble comes of this project and the pairings.

A reading/Book Poll

I found this as an old post on The Story Siren and decided I wanted to do it. What are your answers? Mine are below:


Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
If I snack it is popcorn.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?
No writing at all it irritates me

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?Laying the book flat open?
Bookmark that is usually a piece of paper

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?Fiction
Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point?
I don't have to do end of chapters, but I really like to so I try to do it.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
no

What are you currently reading?
I'll finish The Adoration of Jenna Fox tonight and start Beautiful Creatures. Also working on my reread of Babyville for WBC.

What is the last book you bought?
Bloom

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time?
one at a time unless one is a reread

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
I like to read on my lunch break in my car because I have no distractions. Otherwise at home after dinner.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
No preference although I am finding myself reading a lot of series now

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Jane Green, Jodi Picoult, and Sarah Dessen

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
Just by size and then by author/series if I have them.

Hush, Hush-Becca Fitzpatrick

I have seen reviews for this book everywhere that were good. I have a tendency to get books that get rave reviews and get excited to read them only to have them fall short and get disappointed. That in mind I decided to go into Hush, Hush knowing as little as possible about it. It worked because I ended up loving the book.

This is a story mostly about Nora and Patch. Nora doesn't like boys at her school and her friend Vee is always trying to get her to go out. Then one fateful day in biology her teacher decides to change the seating and Patch is her new partner. From then on weird frightening things are happening to Nora and she isn't sure why.

This book is action packed. Some of the things are about out there, but if you look past all that and focus on the plot and the characters you will not be sorry. I also saw that a sequel is coming out in October and I can't wait.

My Blog is Turning 1

Tomorrow will be a year since I started this blog. I hope that this year I can grow the blog. I hope to have more features, better reviews, more followers, and contest. I hope to have a giveaway for my first year. Since it would be for my followers what would you like for me to give away:

1. A book (Name ones you would like)

Or

2. A giftcard

I hope you stay with me and that 2010 is much better than 2009.

Twenty Boy Summer- Sarah Ockler

Twenty Boy Summer is told by Anna. She goes on a 3 week summer vacation with her best friend Frankie after they were faced with a tragedy. They named their vacation the Absolute Best Summer Ever. The summer was supposed to help them forget the tragedy that Anna didn't really want to forget. They make a plan to meet 20 boys during their time at the beach.

During their time at the beach both Anna and Frankie both learn about themselves as well as the girl that they thought they had already knew everything about. The girls had been friends since they were babies and they had lived next door from each other.

The characters were not flat and they had many layers. I really felt that I got know them and their families and feelings without having so much detail that I couldn't use my imagination also which I love.

I can't wait to read her new one that will be released sometime in 2010.