TOP 10 OF 2010

I have been seeing that a lot of people have been doing posts about their top 10 of 2010, or something similar so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and do the same....Most of my picks are YA, but I believe 1 or 2 may be adult. They are also in no particular order, and if there is a series I am going to group those as one...if you haven't read any of these you should definitely check them out! And please comment and let me know what some of your top picks of 2010 are....

Jodi Picoult: The Pact

Published: September 2006 by HarperCollins

496 pages

(from Goodreads)

When a so-called "suicide pact" between their teenage children goes awry--leaving only one child dead--the parents, who have been friends for 18 years, find themselves caught up in an anguished courtroom drama.

Simon Holt: The Devouring (series)

Published September 2008 by Little Brown, Young Readers

240 pages

(from Goodreads)

THE VOURS: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.
When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.
To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?
The Devouring is an engrossing tale of terror that will have you wondering: what if your worst fears became your living nightmare?

Sarah Dessen: Dreamland

Published May 2004 by Puffin

250 pages

(from Goodreads)

Strange, sleepy Rogerson, with his long brown dreads and brilliant green eyes, had seemed to Caitlin to be an open door. With him she could be anybody, not just the second-rate shadow of her older sister, Cass. But now she is drowning in the vacuum Cass left behind when she turned her back on her family's expectations by running off with a boyfriend. Caitlin wanders in a dream land of drugs and a nightmare of Rogerson's sudden fists, lost in her search for herself.

Why do so many girls allow themselves to get into abusive relationships--and what keeps them there? In this riveting novel, Sarah Dessen searches for understanding and answers. Caught in a trap that is baited with love and need, Caitlin must frantically manage her every action to avoid being hit by the hands that once seemed so gentle. All around her are women who care--best friends, mother, sister, mentor--but shame keeps her from confiding in any of them, especially Cass, her brilliant older sister, whose own flight from home had seemed to point the way.

Lisa Genova: Still Alive

Published July 2007

300 pages

(from Goodreads)

This may be one of the most frightening novels you'll ever read. It's certainly one of the most unforgettable. Genova's debut revolves around Alice Howland - Harvard professor, gifted researcher and lecturer, wife,
and mother of three grown children. One day, Alice sets out for a run and soon realizes she has no idea how to find her way home. It's a route she has taken for years, but nothing looks familiar. She is utterly lost. Is her forgetfulness the result of menopausal symptoms? A ministroke? A neurological cancer? After a few doctors' appointments and medical tests, Alice has her diagnosis, and it's a shocker -- she has early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
What follows is the story of Alice's slow but inevitable loss of memory and connection with reality, told from her perspective. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversational thread, the story line of a book,
or to recall information she heard just moments before. To Genova's great credit, readers learn of the progression of Alice's disease through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so they feel what she feels -- a slowly building terror.

Melvin Burgess: Smack

Published May 1999 by HarperTeen

304 pages

(from Goodreads)

An uncompromising, compelling and true-to-life story of two teenagers drawn into the dangerous and destructive world of heroin addiction. This tour de force by an acclaimed and provocative writer should become a definitive teenage novel on this subject.

Ellen Hopkins: Crank

Published October 2004 by Simon Pulse

537 pages

(from Goodreads)

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina -- she's fearless.

Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul -- her life.

Melissa Marr: Wicked Lovely

Published June 2007 by HarperTeen

328 pages

(from Goodreads)

All teenagers have problems, but few of them can match those of Aislinn, who has the power to see faeries. Quite understandably, she wishes that she could share her friends' obliviousness and tries hard to avoid these invisible intruders. But one faery in particular refuses to leave her alone. Keenan the Summer King is convinced beyond all reasoning that Aislinn is the queen he has been seeking for nine centuries. What's a 21st-century girl to do when she's stalked by a suitor nobody else can see? A debut fantasy romance for the ages; superlative summer read.

Carrie Ryan: Forest of Hands and Teeth

Published July 2009 by Gollancz

310 pages

(from Goodreads)

In Mary's world there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve.
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her.
And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Kelley Armstrong: The Summoning (series)

Published July 2008 by HarperTeen

390 pages

(from Goodreads)

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

Terri Blackstock: Covenant Child

Published May 2002 by Thomas Nelson

305 pages

(from Goodreads)

Beautiful, three-year-old twins Kara and Lizzie Holbrooke live a charmed life with their widowed but doting father, Jack. When Jack finds love and marries again, it seems all their lives will finally be "happy ever after." That new life shatters when Jack and his wealthy parents are killed in a plane crash. Jack's new wife, Amanda, inherits the family's estate but fails to gain custody of the twins.
Devastated but bound by her covenant to care for the girls, Amanda manages the estate, hopeful she'll be able to return it to Kara and Lizzie one day. Meanwhile, the twins grow up in an abysmal home environment with distant family members and become hard-drinking, shoplifting, promiscuous teenagers.
After years of trying to reach them, Amanda is finally able to offer them love, comfort, wealth—the life they have always wanted. But when all you've known is deprivation, how can you believe a gift of grace? When you've been lied to for so long, how can you ever know the truth?
Intensely involving, emotionally charged, and infused with hope, Covenant Child is an inspiring story that challenges us to embrace the life God holds out to us.

Ben Sherwood: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

Published May 2005 by Picador

200 pages

(from Goodreads)

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.

I had a lot of other favorites but I wanted to narrow the list down. This was very hard to do because I wanted so many to be on this list so I tried to have a little bit of a variety. Can't wait to see what are your tops of 2010.

Until next time, Have a good "read"...

Check them out!!

This is a meme where I highlight a certain book vlogger. I spend a lot of time on You Tube and have met a bunch of wonderful book people there and I wanted to introduce more people to them.
Liz from Elizzie Books is so funny! I love watching her videos. She does reveiws on (at least lately) middle school books and comics, etc. She also does reviews on YA. You have to go view her channel and subscribe. Her mannerisms always make me laugh!

Until next time, Have a good "read"....

SLEEPLESS by Thomas Fahy

Sleepless by Thomas Fahy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

SOMELSE WILL DIE SOON she tells herself.
SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE AND I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE.
A few days after the first time you walk in your sleep, you kill someone. That's how the end begins.
Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead.
Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure out what's behind the murders--before anyone else dies.
Thomas Fahy, author of The Unspoken, which Pubishers Weekly called, "a page-turner that just might keep readers up at night," again brings readers a nail-bitingly horrifying novel.


This book earned 3/5* from me. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either.

The book is about a group of kids that go to New Orleans with one of their teachers to help with Habitat for Humanity to help to earn some college credits. While there they witness something horrifying and they all agree to keep quiet about it.

Shortly after returning home they slowly start having nightmares. Nightmares that seem too real. In the meantime, students are dying or being right out murdered by other students with no apparent motive.

Soon the kids that are having the nightmares open up to each other to learn that they are all having the nightmares. And because these nightmares are so real and just plain scary they decide to stay with other during the night to prevent anyone from falling asleep.

After a few days, they start to get a little bit more suspicious about why this is happening and they start to put things together. What they suspect is happening is basically true, but who they suspect is behind it all is where they are wrong.

This story is very descriptive. Especially during the death scenes which I liked and which definitely qualified this a horror story.

The characters were OK. I don't think that I connected with any of them and I don't think that you really got to know their personalities that much. But it wasn't horrible. The horror aspects and the descriptions offered in this story is what made me give it a 3*.

View all my reviews

New website

I was browsing the Internet like I do every day and I typed in "obsessed with books" into the Google search engine and this website came up from Barnes and Noble that I didn't know existed. It is all about people and their love of books. It is a mini documentary and very cool!

There are several different videos where people talk about their love of books plus videos on other subjects pertaining to books (of course). You can even submit your own video to this website (need to read guidelines). This website is so interesting to me because I love watching other people talk about their love of books and I see that there are people that are worse then me. LOL!!

Go check it out! I know that is exactly what I am going to do now...

Until next time, Have a good "read"....

A BLUE SO DARK by Holly Schindler

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.


This book is told through the eyes of Aura, whose mother has schizophrenia.

Aura is only 15 (I think I said 16 or 17 in my vlog), but she didn't have her license yet. Anyway, her father left a few years ago when he couldn't deal with her mothers health issues anymore and started a new life and family for himself, and thus didn't want to be involved in Aura and her mothers anymore.

This left only Aura and her mother to fend for each other. At first Aura's mother was doing OK, but slowly, and then faster and faster it started spinning out of control! Her mother was off her meds which helped to keep her stabilized and this was taking its toll on her.

Poor Aura was left to take of her mother all by herself. She called her father once and her best friend, but neither of them wanted to be bothered or could be bothered. With no one there to help, Aura started missing a lot of school, driving illegally to get chores done (since her mom couldn't) and just trying to keep the bills paid and the house from burning down (which almost did happen).

Aura was trying to keep her mothers sickness a secret because she didn't want her mother to be taken away like her grandfather was years ago for the same thing. There was a lot of hostility between Auras mom and Auras grandma because of that and so Aura was doing what she thought was best.

Before you knew it though, everything got too much for Aura and her mom spiraled down and way out of control and Aura had no choice but to go call her grandma and involve her.

This story is about loyalty, family, friends, mental health and what we do for the ones we love.

Aura was a very strong character for being able to take care of her mom the way she did, but I also was a little annoyed with her at times because when things were getting really bad, I was yelling at the book..."Tell someone! Tell someone!"...I really like Auras grandmother too because she was def a strong lady who wasn't too proud to admit to her mistakes and try to make amends. And she doesn't quit trying when she met with resistance which I really admired.

View all my reviews

100+ Reading Challenge for 2011

I don't know why but I cannot sleep. It is 3:51am and I have been up since 3:30am and I didn't go to sleep until after 1am....I guess I could've just rolled over and shut my eyes again instead of going on my laptop. See that is the problem, my "laptop". If I had to get out of bed to get on the computer I wouldn't be on it right now. Anyway....

While I was browsing the Internet I came across a reading challenge for 2011. Instead of the 50 book challenge for the year, which is just too easy for us speedy readers, I came across the 100+ reading challenge for the year. I found this over at: My Overstuffed Bookshelf.

DETAILS:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2011. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

Books read in 2011

DASH AND LILY'S BOOK OF DARES by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.


I give this book a 3.5/5*. This wasn't the sort of book I would normally pick for myself to read, but with all the positive reviews on it and the gushing accompanied with mention of this book I thought I would check it out for myself. Besides, I loved the cover!

This book is about 2 teenagers, Dash and Lily (as the title tells us), who communicate by writing in a red notebook and leaving it in different places around town. Until they finally meet face-to-face (and even though they con't with the notebook).

The notebook comes about because Lily's older brother thought it would be something fun to do. He started the first few pages of the notebook with a scavenger hunt of sorts, except instead of finding objects, the founder of the notebook, had to find words. Fill in the blank. Then Lily left the notebook in between other books at the huge bookstore that she visited all of the time.

Basically the person who found the notebook was dared to do what was asked in the notebook and if they didn't want to then they were told to please put the notebook back where they found it.

Well, Dash happened to be the person to find the notebook and he went ahead and did what the notebook asked of him. The last thing the notebook asked was for him to leave the notebook along with book of his choosing with a certain store employee. And this begins the exchange of the notebook and the dares inside between Dash and Lily.

They each open themselves up a little bit each time in this notebook, which seemed fine since they didn't actually know the other person.

This goes back and forth this way for a few days until Lily forgets to leave the notebook one time and instead leaves something else accidentally, and because of this she is afraid that she will never hear from Dash again (although she doesn't know his name at this point).

But because of the accidentally left item, Dash seeks her out. Unfortunately the first time he comes face to face with her isn't the best time for her, and once again she thinks she has blown it with him.

This book alternates between Dash and Lily's voice. One chapter is Lily's voice (Rachel Cohn) and the next chapter is Dash's (David Levithan). There are also other characters in this story that you get to know and who have wonderful or unique personalities and become almost more then secondary characters.

This book is basically about two strangers getting to know each other through a series of dares and writings in a notebook. They neither see or speak to each other until days later they seek each other out. This book isn't love at first site nor is it all lovey dovey, which I am so glad that it wasn't. But it was honest, I think, about some teens today.

I loved the sarcasm and the witty comebacks of both Dash and Lily, but especially Dash. I loved Dash's friend, Boomers innocence. And I really like Lily's aunt, Mrs. Basil E. She was so witty and fun.

If it wasn't for these characters I have to admit that I wouldn't have liked this book much. I like my books to have high drama in them and this did not. It was though, a feel good, fun read.


View all my reviews

24hr Read-a-thon

How is everyone today? Good, I hope! Hopefully you are not caught in the blizzard. So, I have noticed that when I start off my blogs talking about random things or giving bits of info that pertains to date, time, etc-it doesn't always make sense when you read my blog because I schedule my blog in advance. So if I say a book comes out tomorrow, it probably came out last week, so sorry for the confusion. I just have a lot of things that run through my head at once and I have to get it all down or I go nuts! But, I don't wanna have a bunch of posts out in one day so I try and space them out....anyway....

I was reading the blogs I am following and I came across Musings of a Bookshelf girl and she is talking about doing a 24hr read-a-thon!! How awesome and challenging does that sound?? I guess she did the Dewey 24hr read-a-thon a few months ago and has decided to do it again. This one is supposed to run from Monday January 3-Tuesday January 4 (8pm-4pm)...you should keep track of your videos by blogging, taking pictures, videos or such (Twitter) about the book(s) you are reading and what you are doing to keep you awake. What music are you listening to, videos watching, etc.

This is the perfect day for me to participate in this because I am off on Tuesdays and I start physical therapy that Tuesday so I can read (maybe) while that is happening....or not. If this is something you would be interested in doing head on over to Musings of a Bookshelf girl and find out more information.

Until next time, Have a good "read"...

Beautiful Cover!

As I am half asleep, but yet can't actually sleep, I stumble upon a book that is coming out tomorrow that I didn't even realize. So I had to show you guys because the cover is what caught my eye and then when I read what it was about that drew my interest even more. I have never read anything by this author before but I heard she was good.

The colors in this cover are eye popping! The long dark hair and the way it blows to the side. The close up of the face. I love it all....Even the font that the title is in....

"Roses & Bones: Myths, Tales and Secrets" by Francesca Lia Block

(Bind up)

Published: December 21, 2010

STORK by Wendy Delsol

Stork by Wendy Delsol

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.


Another book that I give about 3.5/5* to. I finished this book in one day because the writing style was so good and I couldn't stop reading it.

This story is about a girl named Katla who recently moved to Minnesota with her mother, who recently finalized her divorce with Katla's father. Katla is originally from California and so is not used to the cold weather in Minnesota. On top of trying to get used to the climate change Katla is trying to make new friends.

One night while working at her afi's (grandfathers) store she notices the fabric store across the street has a light on inside and so she goes over to check it out. As soon as Katla enters the store he life begins to change.

Katla is told that she is a Stork. Not only does she find out that she is a Stork, but she is the youngest that the society ever had. So now on top of getting used to the climate and making new friends, Katla also has to learn what being a Stork means and get prepared for her first "job".

This book is about magic, romance, friends and family. This book doesn't delve too much into Katlas role as a Stork, so I'm hoping that it is just a first book in a series or trilogy. I only gave this book 3.5/5* because of the lack of stuff pertaining to Katla and Storks and because of the lack of action and/or drama. It seemed as if this book was setting you up for more to come. I can see a next book having a ton of action.

I liked the characters in this book, although one in particular I didn't care for. What his true role ended up being I think came up too quickly and seemed kind of rushed at the end of the story and then he was gone for good. I really like Hulda, who is the society's first chair and I also liked Jack, who ends up being Katlas boyfriend, but not without some serious tension and anger between the two first.

If this ends up being a stand alone book then I am disappointed because of the lack of anything really happening. But, if this ends up being the first in a series or trilogy then it isn't bad because it seems to set everything up for us.

View all my reviews

Winner for my CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!

The winner for my Christmas Giveaway is Richard from Devvour Book Reviews! Congratulations Richard and you will be receiving Kristin Cashore's book "Graceling". I hope you enjoy it and have a Merry Christmas!

How do you organize your books?

So how is everyone doing on this Wednesday before Christmas? I hope everything is going good and that everyone has all their shopping done or at least almost done...presents wrapped and under the Christmas tree. Which we just did today in fact. And which we do every year at this time, otherwise my kids will be shaking and feeling their gifts to see if they can guess what they got...sneaky! (My dad used to go seek out his gifts and do the same thing...and he always guessed right!)

Anyway, I was thinking about the books and the GC that I will be receiving for Christmas this year and then thinking about my bookshelf and how I am going to make room for the new books. Before I just redid my bookshelves I had my books organized alphabetically by title. I also had the paranormal, vampire, scary, etc on one bookcase and the other more realistic, etc on my other bookcases, along with some of my adult fiction. But then I got bored with that and so I took everything off the shelves and just put them back up with hardbacks being first and paperbacks coming after those, in no particular order...

So how do you organize your bookshelves? I would love to get some ideas because I know I will be re-doing mine again sometime soon...

Until next time, Have a good "read"....

Check them out!!

This is a meme where I highlight a certain book vlogger. I spend a lot of time on You Tube and have met a bunch of wonderful book people there and I wanted to introduce more people to them.

Devvour Book Reviews is somebody that I recently came across. His name is Richard and he just joined in October. So far he has been doing hauls and book reviews. Go to his channel and check him out!!

Until next time, Have a good "read"...

Off the Shelf 2011 Reading Challenge

So how are you guys doing with getting ready to start all of these new challenges out their for the new year? I am so super excited and I hope that I remember to keep updated on all of them. Haha!

So far I am participating in the "2011 Debut Author Challenge" hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, "100+ Books read in 2011" hosted by My Overstuffed Bookshelf and now I have added another one..."Off the Shelf Reading Challenge" hosted by Bookish Ardour.

This latest challenge will be great for me as I have a never ending TBR pile. I swear my bookshelves are overflowing with all the books that I HAVEN'T read yet, because when I read a book I take it off the shelf and pack it away usually.

This challenge will be perfect for me so I can hopefully have some incentive to start making some sort of dent in my pile of books here. So if you have any TBR books laying around your house you might want to check out this challenge too.

The challenge begins on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December 2011

Note: This challenge is to read those books you own copies of, but have never got around to reading. If you don't have many that you own, but have a massive TBR shelf you're welcome to read those ones as long as you don't add new ones. You don't need to actually get rid of your books after you've read them, this is just to read them.

How To Participate

1. Decide which challenge level you'll be doing (further below) - do not include books that you buy from the start of this challenge.
2. Grab the code for the badge down below and post it on a side bar or in a signature (if you want to participate, but aren't blogging, on a social network or forum - Submission For Non Bloggers).
3. Create your own post to let all your readers know you’re taking part in the challenge and at what level (if you're really proficient you can list your books!). Make sure to link back to this page with either one of the buttons or a text link..
4. Use the link form below to enter into the challenge by sharing your challenge post url and your name (either your name, blog name, or both).Please don't use the comment form to participate, only to comment on the challenge or something else..
5. Submit your reviews (if you choose to review them, but that is optional) on the review page.
6. When you’ve completed you’re challenge let us know on the completion post. If you're using a tag or category I recommend sharing the link back to that so everyone can find them

Challenge Levels

1. Tempted–  Choose 5 books to read
2. Trying – Choose 15 books to read
3. Making A Dint – Choose 30 books to read
4. On A Roll – Choose 50 books to read
5. Flying Off – Choose 75 books to read

For extra hard challenges

1. Hoarder – Choose 76-125 books to read
2. Buried – Choose 126-200 books to read

I have picked to do "On a Roll"....I know that I should be able to read at least 50 books from my TBR pile, but if I read more that will be a plus. At least I won't feel pressured....

Waiting for Wednesday

Waiting for Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. This is a meme where you post an upcoming book that you are eagerly awaiting.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Published: March 22, 2011

(from Goodreads)

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister’s face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah’s world stopped that day and she’s been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn’t feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah’s longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it’s up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return’s destruction?

Top 11 Anticipated Reading List for 2011

This was a tag started by Richard at Devvour Book Reviews. I own all of these books and even though there are a ton more that I am excited to read these are top on my list!

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

I had a life anyone would kill for.
 
Then someone did.
 

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.
Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

I actually gave this book 3.5/5*.

This book started out really good for me, but then just turned OK. A light read is what I would call it and not a book that I would normally read because I like my book to have some sort of drama in it. Not a bad book though by any means and one I am sure a lot of people would like even if it stayed that way through the whole thing. But it didn't...About half way through the story it got a lot better.

This story is about a girl named Emma who has been in foster care since she was little and now that she is turning 18 she is going to be basically kicked out of the foster home she is in now to go live on her own. Before this finally happens her foster brother shows her a video of a girl that looks exactly like Emma. Emma finds this girls facebook page and contacts her telling her that they may be twins, not knowing what to expect. But within minutes she has a reply back telling Emma to meet this girl somewhere the next day and here starts the mystery and intrigue of the story. When Emma arrives at the designated place nothing goes as she plans. She never meets the other girl and she is pulled into a crazy and dangerous world where she knows nothing and no-one and has to learn as she goes.

Emma finds out that the girl who she thinks is her twin (Sutton) is actually missing and she is forced to step in and impersonate her. Trying to fool everyone into believing that she is Sutton while she is trying to figure out what actually happened to Sutton. All she knows is that something bad happened to her and everyone is a suspect. There is a lot of suspense and secrets being revealed. Definitely a who-done-it book...as soon as they have you looking at one character you find out it wasn't them and you are turned towards another to exam.

All of the twists and suspense is what made this book for me. I liked the way the story was written and I liked how Sara put Sutton's voice into the story too.

I liked most of the characters, except for Garrett (Suttons boyfriend) who seemed too "whipped" for me.

This book ended off in a good way. One chapter closed and the next book will begin the next chapter. I am not going nuts anticipating the next book but I am curious to know who was involved in Suttons disappearance.

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HUGE Book Closeouts Haul 12/17/10

Small B&N haul 12/16/10

I just realized that I haven't been posting my hauls on here! So the next few are from the past week...enjoy!

More changes...

I have been taking a little break from doing certain posts because of my hectic schedule leading up to Christmas, and during this little break I have been thinking about my blog. I think that I may do away with some things that I originally started, such as, "Check them out" and "Guest reviewers". When you first start something you have to try different things and see what works and what doesn't, and with my schedule I don't think that I can be tied down to doing a post every day of the week. I will still be doing those posts but probably just not on a regular basis.

I hope you still follow me and I hope that I still get new followers but I have to work out the kinks right now and figure out what is going to work long term for me. If anyone has any suggestions on what they like to see or what they would like to see in the future please let me know.

Thank you and Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!!

Until next time, Have a good "read"...

Major Gleek Freak-You Tube channel...Check him out!!

OK, so as you probably know, I spend a lot of time on You Tube. I have a channel on there and just love the book community! Anyway, I stumbled across another channel called Major Gleek Freak. He is 13 years old and likes reading and loves Glee! : ) I like watching his videos because he knows more about just what books he likes. He also knows things about them, such as if they won any awards, etc. He also has a good personality. You should really check him out and subscribe to him...especially if you have a son/daughter, niece/nephew, etc. Or even you like reading middle school books...

Where, oh where....

I really wish it was Christmas already. I am as bad as the kids because I want my gifts NOW...LOL! I keep trying to talk my husband into letting me have at least one of them now, especially since I already know what I am getting...but he still refuses. I guess it is a good thing that everything was shipped to his dads house, otherwise I don't know how much longer he would be able to hold out. And then, when Christmas did come I would probably be bummed that I already got my gifts.

Anyway, this post is about where you like to read? Or where can you read? I have been off of work for the past week and I thought it would have been the perfect opportunity to read a lot...but that didn't happen as well as I thought it would. Basically because I can not just read anywhere.

I have tried to read in multiple places over the years but it just doesn't work out.

• In the car-nope, motion sickness
• On the couch with the hubby-nope, because I can't tune the TV out
• In the same room as the kids-nope, because I can't tune the kids out
• Doctors office-nope, because I start to people watch (distraction)

and on and on it goes, til the only place left that I can read is in my room, all by myself. No distractions. Complete silence.

I am so envious of others that can just bring a book with them where ever they go and read no matter where they are at. If I could do that I would blow through more books then I do now.

Does anyone else have the same problem that I do? I would love to hear it so please leave it in the comments.

Until next time, Have a good "read"....

What book next??

So, how is everyone doing today? Is it snowing by you guys or do you just have tons of snow from the weekend? They actually called a snow day for my kids today and when I looked out my window this morning I didn't see anything exciting....must be bad other places. My kids were excited so that is what matters..LOL! My daughter even wore her pj's inside out last night ( she said it was supposed to bring luck for a snow day )...

Anyway, I was wondering how you guys chose which book you are going to read next? It used to be that I would get a bunch of books from the library and I would put them in order from the least pages to the most and read them in that order, but now that I have been having a little bit of an addiction buying books lately I am having a hard time choosing which book to read next.

First, I separated my paranormal, vampire, werewolf, etc books from my realistic, nothing spooky books and alternate between those two. One day read something from A and the next time read something from B. Which is working for me, but then how do I chose which book to read from A and which book to read from B?

So then, I alphabetized them and thought I would just go in that order, but then sometimes a book that would've been next doesn't grab my attention right then or it was too long and I didn't wanna read a long book right then.

And finally, I tried to read books that have been sitting on my shelf longer then others, but that didn't always work either, because sometimes I really wanted to read the new release NOW...So now what??

So tell me...how do you decide which book you are going to read next when there are so many to choose from?

Check them out!!

This is a meme where I highlight a certain book vlogger. I spend a lot of time on You Tube and have met a bunch of wonderful book people there and I wanted to introduce more people to them.
CADL stands for Capital Area District Library. (from CADLs profile page)-
The Capital Area District Library serves most of Ingham County except the City of East Lansing. CADL operates thirteen libraries and a bookmobile, which stops throughout the County. All of these locations share resources and provide residents of each community with access to all materials and services offered by CADL.


This channel does quick but thorough book reviews. Go "check them out" and subscibe!






 

INFINITE DAYS by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?


I really, really liked this book. I would have given it a full 5* but there were a few things that I didn't care for. Either way though, it still gets 4.5*!

This story is about a girl named Lenah who is a vampire but wishes to become human. She wants so badly to become human that she gets her wish for a short period of time. This was able to happen through a ritual performed by another vampire. A ritual that was never successful before. But, this was performed behind the backs of the others in Lenah's coven and when they find out about it they find her and turn her back into a vampire. The only problem is is that she has retained some human abilities, if you will, and this seen through the eyes of Lenah's coven labels her weak and weak vampires must be killed. And so you have the coven after Lenah and Lenah trying to defend herself.

During Lenah's time as a human she meets a boy named Justin and they end up dating for that brief time that she is human. She also meets a boy named Tony who she starts off being really good friends with but who stops talking to her because he becomes jealous of her relationship with Justin. There are other characters in the book but they are more secondary characters and you don't really learn a whole lot about them (except for the 4 men in Lenahs' vampire coven).

You do learn things about Lenah's coven. The men in it and how they came to be vampires. You also learn a great deal about the vampire who turned Lenah, Rhode. I really liked Rhode and was sad to see what became of him. I wish he was in the story longer.

This book reminded me of "Interview with the Vampire" when it talked about the vampire coven and such. I really liked how the story kept taking you back to the past (1700, 1800 and 1900's), and then back to the present again.

I also really liked Lenah's voice too. How she talked, the words she used, the way she said things. It was like I could hear her in my head. And that is another thing that reminded me of the "Interview with the Vampire"-the whole narration thing.

The story itself was very good and the execution of it was well done. I liked most of the characters except for the "three piece"...a clique of girls...there was nothing to them. They were just some shallow girls that are in mostly the beginning of the book, but who you don't get to really know and then they aren't there anymore.

I didn't care for how when Justin falls for Lenah and breaks up with Tracy, Tracy just disappears from the story. I guess I was waiting for some retaliation on her part. It was like it was building up to some sort of confrontation, but then nothing happened.

I also didn't care for the battle at the end. It happened to quick for me. And I am not sure why Justin was there because he didn't do anything.

All in all, I recommend this book to everyone. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel due out in early 2011!

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Waiting for Wednesday

Waiting for Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. This is a meme where you post an upcoming book that you are eagerly awaiting.

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Published: March 1, 2011

(from Amazon)

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

THE SKY ALWAYS HEARS ME AND THE HILLS DON'T MIND-Kristin Cronn-Mills

The Sky Always Hears Me: And the Hills Don't Mind by Kirstin Cronn-Mills

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Morgan lives in a hick town in the middle of Nebraska. College is two years away. Her mom was killed in a car accident when she was three, her dad drinks, and her stepmother is a non-entity. Her boyfriend Derek is boring and her coworker Rob has a very cute butt that she can't stop staring at. Then there's the kiss she shared with her classmate Tessa...
But when Morgan discovers that the one person in the world she trusted most has kept a devastating secret from her, Morgan must redefine her life and herself


I would consider this a coming of age book about a 16yo (soon to be 17) girl named Morgan who has a lot going on with her life.

Let's see, she lives with her step-mom, her alcoholic father (her mom died when she was 3) and her two younger brothers. She has been dating Derek, who is on the football team, for 2 years now, even though she isn't that popular and even though she isn't completely sure about their relationship anymore. She has a grandma (her father's mom) who is always there for her and who is her everything, and a girl that lives behind her that has a crush on her. Oh yeah, and not to mention the boy that works with her that is also interested in her.

So, yeah, Morgan has a lot to deal with. She goes through a lot of emotions in this book and a lot of mistakes. She also finds out some secrets and learns how to forgive. I liked how Morgan was a tough girl and didn't give in to peer pressure but stood by what she believed and didn't care what others thought of her.

I liked the way this story was written and I liked the characters, although the only one that you really see any development with is Morgan and possibly her father.

You learn that people are not always what they seem to be and you learn that sometimes it is better and easier to forgive.

A book about love, friendship, family, anger, sadness, understanding and forgiveness.

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BITTER FROST by Kailin Gow

Bitter Frost by Kailin Gow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

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.

 

I would say this book is about a 3.5/5*. I only say that and not give it anything higher because the book was so short.

Even though the book was short I believe it still executed the story really well.

The story starts off on Breena's 16th birthday. For as long as she can remember she has always dreamed about fairies and pixies and a place called "Feyland". The dreams would often leave her thinking about them long after she has woken up and she would end up doing paintings of parts of the dreams because they were still so vivid.

Her best friend, Logan knows all about her dreams and doesn't judge her or make fun of her. In fact, he is very supportive of them and seems to be very interested in them also.

Everything used to be only in her dreams until the day of her 16th birthday when she believes she sees a pixie on the side of the road when the bus drives by. When she reveals this to Logan he acts as if he believes her too when this should be just a bunch of nonsense. Since when do pixies exist??

The story really starts to take off when Logan comes over to Breena's house to make her a birthday dinner and they are visited by a pixie. And not just any pixie, but the "King Pixie", who tries to get Breena to come with him. And then before you know it, they are joined by a Fairie! And the Fairie whisks Breena off to Feyland where it seems everywhere you turn someone is after Breena.

Here is where you learn the truth about Breena and Logan, and you learn a little bit of history on Feyland. There is also lots of action despite the few pages that are in the book.

The characters are great and the storyline, although done before, is still told really well.

This is the first book in the trilogy and I will be definitely picking up the other two.

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SHARP TEETH by Toby Barlow

Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

An ancient race of lycanthropes has survived to the present day, and its numbers are growing as the initiated convince L.A.'s down and out to join their pack. Paying no heed to moons, full or otherwise, they change from human to canine at will—and they're bent on domination at any cost.

Caught in the middle are Anthony, a kind-hearted, besotted dogcatcher, and the girl he loves, a female werewolf who has abandoned her pack. Anthony has no idea that she's more than she seems, and she wants to keep it that way. But her efforts to protect her secret lead to murderous results.

Blending dark humor and epic themes with card-playing dogs, crystal meth labs, surfing, and carne asada tacos, Sharp Teeth captures the pace and feel of a graphic novel while remaining "as ambitious as any literary novel, because underneath all that fur, it's about identity, community, love, death, and all the things we want our books to be about" [Nick Hornby, The Believer].


I wish they had 1/2 stars because I would give this either a 2.5 or a 3 possibly..??

I am not sure what I actually think of this book. It is written in verse which makes for a quicker read but also a read without too many details.

The story is about 3 different packs of werewolves. Basically they are all after each other, but this story focuses on one pack in particular. In this pack there are a few people that betray the pack and join the enemy pack. Due to this there is a lot of sh*t going on.

It reminds me of different gangs (more like the mafia or what have you) trying to claim their territory. The packs are trying to recruit more people to make them stronger.

The story jumps between the different packs and then Det. Peabody (who is called anomynously by somebody involved with the packs but not an actual werewolf). You don't get too much detail but yet the story still gives you enough information for you to understand what is going on.

I really don't know what to feel about this book. I didn't feel much either way about it. It was like someone told me a story and now it is over. Not bad, but nothing memorable either.

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GODLESS by Pete Hautman

Godless by Pete Hautman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

"Why mess around with Catholicism when you can have your own customized religion?"
Fed up with his parents' boring old religion, agnostic-going-on-atheist Jason Bock invents a new god — the town's water tower. He recruits an unlikely group of worshippers: his snail-farming best friend, Shin, cute-as-a-button (whatever that means) Magda Price, and the violent and unpredictable Henry Stagg. As their religion grows, it takes on a life of its own. While Jason struggles to keep the faith pure, Shin obsesses over writing their bible, and the explosive Henry schemes to make the new faith even more exciting — and dangerous.
When the Chutengodians hold their first ceremony high atop the dome of the water tower, things quickly go from merely dangerous to terrifying and deadly. Jason soon realizes that inventing a religion is a lot easier than controlling it, but control it he must, before his creation destroys both his friends and himself.


I would give this book a 3.5/5*, or possibly even a 4*. This book was 196 pages long and the story was well written.

This is a book about a teenager named Jack, who lives with a mother who is determined to prove that her son is sick. With what, who knows...every time he coughs, sneezes, sleeps too long or drinks too much she is sure that there is something wrong with him and so she has him at the doctor all the time getting tests done. And then there is his father who is a lawyer but also who is very religious. He has his family attend church every Sunday and Jack has to attend TPO classes, which is similar to bible study classes, once a week. The problem with that is that Jack doesn't believe in God.

And that is what the story is about, without all the talk about God. Jack and his friend are hanging out by the town's water tower one day when Jack has an ephinany. Why not make the water tower a god?

So Jack starts asking his few friends if they want to join him in worshipping this water tower. What starts out as a joke of sorts develops into something more during only a few weeks time.Something that started off as something innocent and just for fun ended up becoming something a little more serious and ended up changing people's lives.

Jack had gotten 4 of this friends to join him and together they came up with a name for their "religion" and a set of commandments. Also, one of the kids started a "bible" of sorts.

Jack didn't think that anyone would take this whole water tower as being a "god" thing seriously and so he continued on with it. Before you knew it they were all climbing to the top of the water tower for a "midnight mass". All of them, except one. One who was afraid of heights.

While up on the top of the water tower they thought it would be fun to go SWIMMING inside the tower and so they cut off the lock and dove in. Into this tower of drinking water for the town! When they had enough they got out and started to get their stuff back on. But while one of them was trying to get his boots on he slipped and something terrible happened.

Something that almost ended up being fatal made the kids open their eyes and see what they were actually doing. I am sure the fact that they all got in trouble with the police and with their family also had something to do with it.

Jack got blamed for the whole thing even though the whole thing was not his fault, but his father said that his friends are always going to do what Jack says. OK, I understand about peer pressure, but there are some things you just have to take responisibilty for for yourself and I think that this was one of those things.

Just when we think that everything is over and they all had learned their lesson and came to their senses that a water tower simply cannot be a "god", the boy that didn't climb to the top of the water tower does something very shocking.

This book was a coming of age story and even though it is about discovering who God is or isn't, it isn't heavy at all on religion. Even people who don't believe or are unsure of what they believe can read this book without feeling like they are pressured into thinking one way or another.

I really liked how this story was written ( and even though I only read 1 John Green book-An Abundance of Katherines...this book reminded me of the writing style of Green) and the character development was well done.
If you haven't read a Pete Hautman book you should check out this one.


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FADED DENIM by Melody Carlson

Faded Denim: Color Me Trapped by Melody Carlson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads.com)

Emily faces an uphill battle against unrealistic body image and eating disorders. A serious issue affecting girls everywhere presented in fiction form. Includes discussion questions.

I give this book a 3/5* because it was a good story and it had good character development.

This story is about a teenager named Emily and her best friend Leah. Emily is jealous of Leah because Leah is tall, skinny and pretty and Emily is overweight. Emily used to be the skinny one and Leah the overweight one until a few years ago when they switched bodies, it seemed.

Leah tries to tell Emily how she can lose weight and take better care of her body, but the ways that Leah recommend to her (eating fruits and veggies, drinking tons of water and exercising) seem to take too long for Emily to lose any weight. Emily gets frustrated and during a trip to Chicago with Leah to attend a 2-week modeling school class, she meets some other girls who give her tips on losing weight fast.

Before you know it, Emily has turned into an anorexic. People start to notice and become concerned for her but Emily denies it and tells herself that she is fine. That she can control it and go back to eating "more" once she reaches her ideal weight.

This book deals a lot with God and prayer and it gives the message that all you need is to let God into your life and pray and allow God to direct your life and everything will fall into place.

If you don't care for books that involve God or religion then I wouldn't read this book.

The plot of the story was really good and the character development was also really good. Especially the development of Emily and Leah, the two main characters. Although at times I thought Emily was a brat and was shallow and selfish...she always seemed to come around.
This is one of the books in the "True Colors" series. These books cover serious topics concerning teenagers.

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Revised and Reprints

So, I have been reading for as long as I can remember and I am obviously an avid reader, but I never paid attention to how exactly a book came to be or the different issues of books out there, until the other day when I was shopping for, what else, but books. I noticed for the first time, next to the title or publication date that it said "revised"....

I tried googling what that meant exactly but for some odd reason I can't seem to find a solid answer. I came across Yahoo answers, but there are different answers there. A few people said it was whenever they had to print more books and then someone else said that it was when they changed something about the book, whether it be the cover or the size of the book.

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the two? Revised and reprinted? Revised seems obvious. That something has changed, so they "revised" it, but what about "reprint". I will keep looking and will update this blog when I come across the "correct" answer.

Until next time, Have a great "read"...