Interview with KATE O'HEGARTY (author of Mieradome)

I am so thrilled to do my first author interview with Kate O'Hegarty! Kate wrote Mieradome which was  published on July 30, 2010. It was published by Authorhouse and has 340 pages.

   Mieradome is "like a twisted Alice in Wonderland with a zing of dragons, leprechauns, Faeries, & doppelgängers!" It has been featured in the June/July 2010 issue of Girls Life Magazine, Fantasy E-zine, Faerieworld.com and Faerieworld 2010 summer reading event. You can purchase Mieradome at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders, IndieBound and Authorhouse.

This book sounds very good and I am hoping to get my hands on it pretty soon so I can do a review on it....but in the meantime, here is my interview with Kate O'Hegarty.

1. Is this your first book?

Yes. This is my first published book.

2. What age is this book written for?

My book, Mieradome, is written for ages 11+

3. Where did you get the idea for this book?

I got the idea for this book from my own paternal family heritage and coat of arms. I have a video here that I discuss that topic. 

4. How long did it take you to write this book?

It took me about 1 year to write the bare bones of the story and then a couple more years to fill in the gaps and make everything flow together.

5. Where you trying to convey a message through this book? and if so, what message was that?

Mieradome is ‘like a twisted Alice in Wonderland’, about a young faerie girl Amavia who is on a search of self-discovery. The book is essentially about good and evil and how that can sometimes over take us. It is also about the duality of our internal natures, the yin & yang.

6. Where is the best place for you to write?

Best place for me to write is in a comfortable chair sitting with my laptop in my lap.

7. When/where do you seem to get your best ideas?

I get my best ideas when I’m traveling. I think being out of my normal routine helps because it gets me thinking ‘outside the box’. I tend to think more creatively and find ideas that can actually add up and work together to form a cohesive storyline.

8. Did anyone inspire you to write?

C.S. Lewis is a great inspiration on taking a small idea and then expanding on it. George Lucas (the filmmaker, who is from my hometown), showed me that people from small towns can dream big and go somewhere and be successful.

9. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes! I have always wanted to be a writer. I can’t quite imagine being anything else. I love to research ideas and think about things around me, and how I can make a story out of that.

It was such a great honor to be able to interview Kate and I look forward to reading Mieradome.  If you haven't, you should also pick up a copy. I would love to hear what you think of it-as I am sure Kate would love to hear about also.

Here is look at the trailer too....to get you more hyped about the book!





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

VESPER by Jeff Sampson

Vesper by Jeff Sampson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. And she’s definitely not the kind of girl who starts fights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.
The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the same old boring Emily, but by night, she turns into a thrill seeker. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soon Emily realizes that she’s not just coming out of her shell . . . there’s something much bigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely— something not human?
As Emily hunts for answers, she finds out that she’s not the only one this is happening to—some of her classmates are changing as well. Who is turning these teens into monsters—and how many people will they kill to get what they want?


I really wasn't sure what to rate this book but I am thinking more towards a 4, especially if it is a series. If it isn't (but I really think it is), then a 3 because there are lot of unanswered questions.

Anyway, let me start out by saying that this was a fast read because of the number of pages, size of font and the non-stop action going on.

This story is about a girl named Emily who keeps to herself and is a homebody. Staying in watching horror movies and reading books. She has one friend named Meghan, who is moody and almost a loner like her. The story opens up letting us know that a teen, also by the name of Emily, has been murdered but nobody knows anything. And from then on strange stuff starts happening to the main character, Emily. The strange things only happen at night time though and she is aware of what is going on. It is like one minute she is the quiet insecure Emily and then after a certain time she transforms into the "wild" Emily...the "outspoken" Emily...and along with that she possesses a few powers.

A few nights of this and her best friend and her family start to notice that something is going on...but that isn't the extent of it...no, something much worse is going on besides for Emily's personality changes...there are other changes occurring also. Emily becomes entangled in some dangerous stuff and is out trying to find answers to a bunch of questions.

This book has you wondering what the heck is going on and wondering if you are actually going to find out, but by the time you are reaching the last 1/3 of the book you start to get your answers. There is mystery, intrigue, murder, paranormal, betrayal, deceit, action and some sort of cover up going on.

A great 1st book to a series. Can't wait to see what the next book is going to be about.

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Content Labels

So this new topic has been popping up around You Tube lately (don't read a lot of blogs so not sure if it is showing up around the blogosphere too)...anyway, it is about content labels on books.

Everyone has their opinions on this and I didn't think it would be such a heated discussion until I posted my topic video and started getting comments from everyone.

I think that books should have some content label on them like movies and music do, and like I just found out, like manga does also. All it has to have is something small on the bottom of the back of the book or on the inside flap. Mostly for YA books I think...I think those are the books that have a blurry line.

Younger and younger kids are reading YA books but not all YA books are appropriate. I am not talking about any kind of censorship because I don't agree or support that, but I think that giving people (mostly parents) the heads up of what is in a book can be nothing but a good thing.

Not all parents read and even the ones that do, they don't always have the time to read a book before their kids to see if it is appropriate for them or not. And yes, there are reviews out there but they don't always state if their is something inappropriate in them for younger audiences because that is usually not why they are reviewing the book.

You can watch my video here and let me know what you think of this either in the comments section of my blog or on my video...I would love to hear what you think about this.

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

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Another book that I had no interest in at all and didn't even think twice about not buying the book. That is, until I seen the author talk about the book in a YouTube video and just the way she talked about it and just the way SHE talked made me what to try this book out and I am so glad that I did!

This book was nothing like what I thought it would be like. When I heard that this took place in space I pictured "Star Trek" or the like and that is something I really am NOT interested in so the book held no interest for me....BUT it was not like that!

There were so many different elements to this book. It was truly amazing...This book is about a girl named Amy that gets frozen along with her mom and dad while on Earth so that they will be able to be unfrozen when they reach the new planet that they are headed for. It is supposed to take them 300 years to get there and they are going there so they can start new life there. Amy's parents are in the military and hold jobs vital to helping life on the new planet thrive.

But while aboard the ship someone unfreezes Amy prematurely (luckily she survived that) and she is forced to be awake years before her parents and she is forced to try and adjust to this new, strange life aboard the ship.

The problem is is that life aboard the ship is so very different from what life on earth was like and Amy runs into quite a few problems...not to mention that someone is attempting to unfreeze (murder) a lot more of the people on the ship.

This all makes for a very intriguing book! But I have to say that there were a few things that I was not too thrilled with...mostly the "Season"....other than that this book to me was amazing! The characters were great and they really brought this book to life. It was like I was watching a movie in my head...

This book has so much to it. There is mystery, murder, suspense, truth, lies, advanced technology that is so neat to read about...dictatorship...altering of emotions....man, the things that you read about in here is scary if you think that our life could be headed that way in the very far future...

Cannot wait to read more from Beth Revis! Pick this book up if you haven't...you will not be disappointed...

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NIGHT RUNNER by Max Turner

Night Runner by Max Turner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
For Zack Thomson, life in the Nicholls Ward wasn't so bad. After his parents died, he developed strange allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home. But that all changes the night a stranger on a Harley crashes through the front doors and tells him to run. Along with his best friend Charlie and a girl he may or may not be falling in love with, Zack does just that: run. Under the cover of night, hiding amongst the shadows, he races for the truth.

Let me first start off by saying that this cover is so very cool....It is so much better in person...the eyes on the cover like glow or something. Anyway... : D

This wasn't a bad book, but there was something missing in it for me and I can't quite put my finger on it. I know there were some places that were a little slow to me or that I just didn't care for, but otherwise the book was good.

This book is about a boy named Zach who is in a psychiatric facility because both of his parents had died and he was left with no one to take care of him, and he has this rare disease that nobody is completely sure of what it is or how to exactly help him. Nobody, except for one nurse, Nurse Ophelia, at the facility.

Zach isn't crazy, but because of his disease he does have some weird habits, rituals.

The first part of the story is about Zach in the facility and his rituals, and then all of a sudden one night he has a strange, unexpected visitor (actually two visitors) and this changes his life completely. Before he knows it he is on the run from the police and some guy he has never heard of, but what he doesn't realize is is that the people he was told to stay away from are the ones that are trying to help him.

This book is full of action, some humor (characters snide comments, etc) and a little bit of stuff to make you want to gag (or at least I did)....

There is a part after Zach escapes the facility that I didn't care for too much and it started to slow down for me, but then after that it picked back up again. I didn't understand or care for some of the decisions Zach made or was thinking about making. Some of them seem to premature for me and just didn't fit for me. And I wasn't to keen on the fact that the characters in this book accepted Zach's diagnoses so easily.

There is a sequel to this but I am in no hurry to read it. Don't get me wrong, this was a good book, but not something I am crazy about.

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HERE LIES BRIDGET by Paige Harbison

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

Heroine, Bridget Duke, rules her high school, but when she crashes her car and ends up in limbo, she must confront the people she has wronged, all of whom want her to go to hell. The outcome of these meetings will decide her final destination.

Another great book! Or at least I thought so. I understand there have been mixed reviews on this book, but I really enjoyed reading it and didn't come across any boring parts at all. The only reason I gave this 4, instead of 5 stars, is because there were some questions left unanswered.

The book is divided into two parts: before the car accident and after the car accident. I really liked that and I absolutely loved the authors writing.

This story is about a girl named Bridget, who is a stuck-up, spoiled rich bitch! Literally! And I actually went to school with a few girls like this....so sad...

Bridget lives with her step-mother and her dad (when he is there, because he travels for work) and she is resentful of this. Her mother "died" when she was little so she hasn't taken well to her step-mother, who Bridget thinks is just trying to "take over".

Bridget has such an awful attitude that no matter where she goes she creates havoc. She doesn't know how to say anything nice and she only wants what is best for her regardless of who she hurts in the process. And surprisingly, with an attitude like hers, she is still the most popular girl at school. I always wonder how that happens...hmmm....

Until one day when a new girl comes to their school and things start to change for Bridget and she starts to lose ground. People don't seem to be as interested in her anymore and her "friends" start to speak up for themselves. Confused on what is going on and determined to win back what she is losing Bridget plans a party that backfires on her and things start to unravel.

Bridget becomes so upset by this that. that she takes off in her car and gets into a car accident and ends up in limbo. While there, she is forced to walk in the shoes of some of the people that are close to her and who she ended up affecting by her attitude.

If only people were really forced to have to do this in real life to help them open their eyes and see what they are doing to others. Sometimes people hurt others without even meaning to and they don't know about it. Well, Bridget sure found out awhole lot by doing this, and this did open her eyes and make her realize awhole bunch of stuff.

Luckily she was given a chance to correct her wrongs and try to make things better; or the best they could be made. What I liked is that not everything was made OK just because she told people she was sorry.

This is a book I would highly recommend picking up. And I can't wait to read what else this author has planned...

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THANK YOU-100 followers!!

I just wanted to do a quick post saying "THANK YOU" to all my followers!! I have reached 100!! and I am so happy to know that there are so many people out there following my blog. I started this blog as an outlet for me to express what I felt about books through book reviews and just my random thoughts and I never thought about the people that would be interested in what I had to say....so THANK YOU guys so very much!!

LEAVING PARADISE by Simone Elkeles

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.
After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.
Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.
What can I say? Simone Elkeles has done it again! This is the second book that I have read from her and I loved this book also!

This book is about two teenagers Caleb and Maggie who go through something together, but it affects their lives differently. Caleb ends up in Juvenile Detention for a year and Maggie ends up in the hospital and therapy for a year.

After Caleb is released from Juvenile Detention, both teenagers have to figure out how to put their lives back together. What they soon realize though is that their lives have changed and can never be put back to the way it used to be.

Maggie has to learn to be the person she was before this incident and not hide the way she has been since. She also has to deal with her feelings towards/about Caleb. Before the incident they were friends, but after she isn't so sure. There are so many emotions that Maggie deals with and she doesn't really have anyone to turn to. Nobody understands how she feels. Nobody, except the one person that she shouldn't be confiding in.

And Caleb has to learn how to fit back in at school and how to deal with all of the feelings he has going on inside of him. He knows that things have changed since he has been away and he is trying not to fall back into his old ways.

This books deals with forgiveness, understanding, love, trust and friendship. There is drama, romance and a secret in this book that surprised me when I found it out. I knew something was up, but not that!

I believe that the teenagers dealt with this a lot better then the adults and I also believe that sometimes in life the adults can learn something from those younger then them.

If you haven't read this book or do not have it on your TBR list I suggest that you add it. A great book that you won't regret reading!


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CHASING BROOKLYN by Lisa Schroeder

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
 

I have a thing for books written in verse. Everyone that I have written (OK, there hasn't been that many) have really touched me. I find them to be very raw and to the point and I like that.

Chase Brooklyn is about a girl names Brooklyn who loses her boyfriend in a car accident the year before and then her boyfriends best friend ends up dying recently. She is still trying to get over her boyfriend, Luccas, death that this just sets her back again.

Nico, Luccas brother, is still trying to deal with his brothers death also, and he loses himself in running. But when he finds out about Luccas best friend, Gabe dying he becomes angry and distant.

All of a sudden strange things start to happen that pull Nico and Brooklyn together. What starts off as something hard for them to deal with, turns into something beautiful and healing for them both.

This book is about, once again, forgiveness, love, friendship, romance and trust.

Since this book was written in verse, the 412pgs blew by so quickly. If you haven't checked out this book yet you really should pick it up. It is a quick but deep and meaningful read.

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Restless souls and empty hearts
Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.
Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.
As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

Chapters?

Hey, everyone! Hope everyone is doing OK today....I am cuddled up in a blanket sitting at my kids computer because the charger for my laptop broke and so I am waiting for my new one to come in the mail....

Anyway, I just got done doing a book review on XVI by Julia Karr and I was mentioning in my You Tube review how the book had short chapters. And that got me to thinking....what do people think about chapters?

I love short chapters. Rather it is because I feel like I am meeting a bunch of small goals on my to completing a book or rather it is a good stopping off, breather, etc spot (the end of the chapters), I'm not sure, but I don't feel overwhelmed like I do when I read books that have loooong chapters.

What do you guys think about chapters? Or do you not think anything about them? Love to hear what you think...

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

PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

I have really been on roll lately with reading such great books! But now that I said that I am going to start running into the opposite. Haha!


Anyway, this book gets a 4.5 stars from and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by it. I wasn't intertted in reading it at first because I haven't been in the mood for paranormal lately, but with the great reviews around this book, not to mention I got it for $5!, I decided to pick it up...and then if I didn't get a request to review it soon it would still be sitting on my bookshelf.


I am so glad that I picked this book up. Let me start off by saying that it definitely is not a blood sucking, killing type book. Nothing scary or the like. No, but it is action packed, suspensefilled and loaded with fun and witty moments. Not to mention the love triangle that we all love.


Evie is the 16yo that lives at the IPCA and she is the main character who tracks down paranormals and tags them with an ankle braclet. Not much fun for her and she is starting to getting antsy. Evie wants to go to highschool and she wants to kiss a boy. Because of this she starts to get a bit rebellious that leads to a little bit of chaos and some fun moments.


If it wasn't for Evie I don't think I would have given this book as many stars as I did. She definitely made the book!


There are an array of paranormal characters in here and it is interesting to hear some tidbits about them. They range from vampires and werewolves to mermaids and hags....


If you are looking for a fun and witty book, but one that has action and some drama in it you should pick up Paranormal by Kiersten White!


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XVI by Julia Karr

XVI by Julia Karr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)



OK, I sense a theme coming on...every book lately that I was hesitant on buying I ended up really liking. This one, for example...

This is a debut novel from Julia Karr who moved to Chicago when she was 15, thus where the book takes place. I grew up in suburbs of Chicago so I was able to visual everything in this book so much more. It is always a plus when you are familiar with places or things in books.

Anyway, this book was so good! I read this book in one sitting and was up til 1AM reading it. I was determined to finish it before I went to sleep and it definitely wasn't hard to do because I didn't want to put it down.

For anyone that has heard of this book I am sure that you have heard the word "sex" when the book was talked about. Teens and sex to be more precise; and this was the reason why I was hesitant to pick it up. I didn't want to read a book that was all about teens and sex regardless what the story was actually about, but let me say that this book about more then that.

This book is basically about how the government controls everything we do. They can hear what we say when we are in the privacy of our own homes and if they don't like what we are talking about they can come and arrest you. They can see what you do and they can track where you are. (unless you chose at the age of 16 to get the GPS tracking device removed...yes, the GPS tracking device...)

This story follows Nina while she navigates her life the months before turning 16. When girls turn 16 they receive a "XVI" tattoo on their wrist telling everyone that they are legal and that they can have sex. Most girls and parents are excited about this. They even have magazines and classes in school teaching girls the ways to act and dress to get boys attention. That is one thing that I couldn't get my brain around though since now we teach our girls the opposite.

Other then just highlighting that this book is all about government control and about a group of people called the "Non cons" who are against government control...and what ensues is action, suspense and drama.

If you haven't, you need to pick up this book. It will be definitely worth it!!

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Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

THE UNIDENTIFIED by Rae Mariz

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.

When a group calling themselves The Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.
I started off liking this book a lot and in fact I continued to like this book all the way through to the end. So you are probably wondering why I gave this only 3 stars, right? Well, actually I would give it 3.5 stars and the reason for that is because although this book was good, nothing happened in it to make me get excited.

This story is about a girl named Kid who is enrolled in "The Game". It is a school of sorts where the sponsors have control over what is going on. They know everything that you saying to your friends over your intouch@, that is supplied by these sponsors. Everything you do in this "school" you are doing to make the sponsors happy and to try and get yourself into the next level. Not everyone is accepted into this "school" and not everyone makes it through to the end.

There are different cliques there and as in any school, you have the outcasts and the "popular" kids. Kids that get "branded" are the most sought after. Everyone wants to be their friends and the sponsors want them to sign on with them also. The "branded" kids get a ton of free stuff and get invited to the best things.

Kid is just an average student with very few friends, until she witnesses a anti-sponsor(corporate) prank. Now she can't stop thinking about it and digs deeper in to see who is involved. Because of this the sponsors start to take notice of her and she signs on with two of them. But being "branded" isn't always as good as it seems and Kid finds that maybe she was better off being unnoticed.

The world that Rae Mariz built for the story was great and that is the thing that I really liked, but there wasn't much action or drama. There was some, but it was so low key that I read this book with the same emotion through out. That is what made me give this book only a 3.5 starts instead of higher.

I will definitely check out more of Rae Marizs writing and I do recommend this book to others, I just wish that there was more "stuff" that would of happened...


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ACROSS THE UNIVERSE bandwagon...

When I first heard of this book I was intrigued, but when I heard that it takes place in Outer Space, I wasn't so much anymore. I am not a sci-fi fan and I never cared to watch Star Wars, Star Trek or anything like that.

I really tried to get into the craze that everyone else is in over this debut novel by Beth Reeves, but it just wasn't happening. Until.....I seen this author interview on You Tube and checked out this website about the book. This website is very interactive and I think it has just about sold me to at least check the book out.

Does or did anyone else feel like I did about this book? Just wasn't excited about it? Or am I the only one?

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

HOLDUP by Terri Fields

Holdup by Terri Fields

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

DANGER: ROBBERY IN PROGRESS Police are uncertain how many hostages are being held.
It’s an ordinary Saturday night for the teens working at Burger Heaven—until, suddenly, guns are drawn and threats made. Jordan’s just working here part-time, after school, but she’s suddenly put in charge when the manager has to leave. Joe has never even gotten so much as an after-school detention. So how is it that this Saturday night, he’s at Burger Heaven, waving a loaded gun, yelling at the employees to get down on the floor NOW! Dylan has always succeeded at his twisted plans—until this Saturday, this robbery, where everything has gone wrong. And now, surrounded by police outside, Dylan’s life will never be the same—and neither will the lives of his hostages.

I can't really put a star rating on this...it was a quick read but intersting at the same time. I would definitely say that it is something to check out, but nothing spectacular...

This story is told in the viewpoints of 9 different characters, but although there are so many differnt characters it doesn't get confusing.

The book is also split up into 3/4 different sections....before the holdup, the planning of the holdup and during the holdup...then 1yr later.

Before the holdup you meet the different characters and they each get a chapter. The chapters though are only a few pages long which is kind of nice.

Then during the holdup each character only gets a paragraph and you keep getting bounced from one persons thoughts to another. Once again, this isn't confusing, but rather interesting I think.

This book is about, obviously, a holdup. Two teenagers holdup a burger joint but things don't go exactly as planned. One of the teenagers doesn't realize what he has gotten himself into until it is too late.

This book is also about decisions. We make just over 600 decisions a day and this book is about how just 1 of those decisions can alter ours lives forever.

So although not a great book, still interesting enough to pick up and read....

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BEASTLY by Alex Flinn

Beastly by Alex Flinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

This is the first fairy tale re-telling that I have ever read and I enjoyed it.

I am not the type of person to watch movies more then once (except musicals; especially Grease) or re-read a book because I already know what is going to happen and I get bored easily. So....even though I have never read "this" book, I have seen and read Beauty and the Beast before, and because of that some of the book got a little boring to me because I already knew what was going on.

That being said, I still recommend this book because it was a good book. The beginning and the end were the parts that really interested me and I really liked Alex Flinns writing.

I like how the main character Kyle was transformed and I really appreciate what he learned about the way he used to treat people. There is something to be learned with this story and it teaches a good lesson.

If you haven't read this book I would pick it up sometime.

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What do you do with your books?

I was sitting here looking at all of the books that are on my bookcases, and I realized that all of those books are my TBR ones....all the ones that I have already read are packed away....so I was thinking, what is the point??

What is the point of buying books if I am going to just pac them away when I am done reading them and what is the point of buying books in a series that match (all PB or all HB) if I am just going to pack them away when I am done reading them?

I don't know about you guys, but I think I need to get another bookcase so that I can put the books that I have read on that one and display them. That is one of the reasons why I buy books, right? So I can admire them?

I know that I definitely buy books based on their covers (yes, very shallow, but I love beauty) and because of that I should be showing them off even after they have been read.

What do you guys do with the books you have finished reading? Do you pack them away, put them back on a bookcase/shelf, or do you give them away/donate/sell them? I would love to hear what you guys do and maybe it will me some other ideas on what to do with mine.

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

THE WATER WARS by Cameron Stracher

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.

I was excited when I first got this book because the story sounded really good and the cover is awesome! But then I read the book and became disappointed.

I am not saying that this book isn't worth reading, because I am sure others will surely love it. I though, had to give it 3 stars because there was just something missing from it and it just fell kind of flat to me.

This story is set in the future, although I don't know exactly when, and water is very scarce. There are no more "states", but instead "republics" and there is a war going on.

Two teenagers, Vera and Will (brother and sister), meet a new kid one day and after only hanging out with him for a short time he turns up missing. Vera has the bright idea to go looking for him because certain things point to something bad that possibly happened to him. (why would a teenager who hardly knows someone risk her life for them?)...and her brother Will agrees.

This idea of theirs ends up turning into a not so good thing, and before they know it, they are kidnapped by two different types of people, almost drowned, shot at and in the middle of a war of sorts with other people.
There is definitely non stop action in this book and it seems that every chapter has something new going on, but it all happens over the course of one (or a few) days and because of this things seem to happen really fast and there doesn't seem to be too much substance to anything.
The story is about people fighting for water, but it doesn't seems to hit the mark on that. I wish that this story was more in depth and stayed focused a little longer on certain elements of the story.

As for characters...I didn't really like Vera's character because she literally was a no body, but she is put up like she is a huge hero, when she really didn't do much. I started to like Kai (their friend who went missing), but he wasn't in the story that much and Will wasn't too bad. I think the character I liked the best was Ulysses...a pirate who took Vera and Will under his wing....

All in all, not a book I would read again and one I will soon forget I am sure, but like I said before, I am sure others will enjoy this book.

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LOCKDOWN by Alexander Gordon Smith

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Furnance Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.

Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world.

OMG!!! Another amazing book! I am so glad that I bought this book and I cannot wait for the next one to come out...

This book is a horror/creepy/action book and it does not disappoint. It is the first book in a 5 book series and these books will definitely be pre-ordered asap.

Alex is the main character in this book and he is framed for murder and sent to The Furnace Penitentary. A prison that was built 5-6yrs ago to house kids (up til the age of 18) that are convicted of serious crimes. There is no parole at this prison, so once you are sent here you will stay here until you turn 18, when you are then transferred somewhere else.

This book is about Alex trying to acclimate to his new surroundings and trying to fit in with the new people he is housed with now.

Alex holds onto the hope that he will leave this place someday and is constantly keeping his eye open for someway to escape.

The first half of this book is about the different things that go on at the prison and it introduces you to the different characters in this book. There are some really creepy characters in this book, including the warden, the guards and some weird people that come sometimes in the middle of the night. *Warning: if you are prone to nightmares, do not read this book before bedtime.* I couldn't put this book down and was constantly either at the edge of my seat because of the non-stop action or gripping the covers because of the horror/creepiness in it.

The second half of this book was about Alex discovering a way to escape and him and his friends making a plan and executing that plan. Although the book ends right before you find out if they escape or not....what a cliffhanger!
There is so much that goes on in this book that you won't want to stop reading. The detail in this book is amazing and the character development is great. Although Alex did annoy me at times because of how stubborn he is!

Please, if you haven't read this book yet, go out and get yourself a copy and start reading asap....

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LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave "the Great Perhaps" even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.
OK, I know everyone has loved this book and I have heard nothing but rave reviews on it and have had tons of recommendations, but I just didn't couldn't find the "wow" factor...

I didn't think that is was terrible...not at all! But it just didn't do anything for me. I think that John Green's books have a deeper meaning to them and I just don't see it. As this is the 2nd book by him that I have read and have felt the same thing about.

This book is divided into two parts; "before" and "after"..."Before" a certain tragic event and then "after" the certain tragic event. I didn't really get into the "before" until I started reading the "after". The "before" is basically you getting to know the characters and what happens at the boarding school that they are at. Certain traditions and such...To me nothing much happened. There wasn't really any drama, not much romance, etc. Well, OK, I guess there was but just lightly touched upon. Somebody compared this book to "Stand by me", the movie and I can agree with them. Although the movie I loved.

The "after" part really held my attention because the tragic event has passed and it is the aftermath where everyone is trying to deal and trying to figure out what happened. I guess these are the types of books I really like. When something happens...something deep, something meaningful. I am not good at having to "find" the meaning, etc.

So, no this book wasn't bad, but it just wasn't entirely for me. Please still try this book if you haven't because there are way too many positive and raving reviews on this book for you not to try it.

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GLASS by Ellen Hopkins

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Crank. Glass. Ice. Crystal. Whatever you call it, it's all the same: a monster. And once it's got hold of you, this monster will never let you go.
Kristina thinks she can control it. Now with a baby to care for, she's determined to be the one deciding when and how much, the one calling the shots. But the monster is too strong, and before she knows it, Kristina is back in its grips. She needs the monster to keep going, to face the pressures of day-to-day life. She needs it to feel alive.
Once again the monster takes over Kristina's life and she will do anything for it, including giving up the one person who gives her the unconditional love she craves -- her baby.
The sequel to Crank, this is the continuing story of Kristina and her descent back to hell. Told in verse, it's a harrowing and disturbing look at addiction and the damage that it inflicts.

OMG! That is all I have to say about this book. Once again, Ellen Hopkins has made me stop and think...stand in shock and try to digest what I have read....

This book follows her first book Crank, in which we meet her daughter Kristina and follow her introduction and downfall with "crank" or crystal meth...The first book tells us awhole lot, and this is a continuation of that story.

These books are LOOSELY based on her daughter but still real none-the-less...To know that this stuff really happens to people, to families....

In this story, Kristina deals with the "monster" and learning to be a new mom. This book is milder then the first one but still pretty harsh.

This book deals with denial, love, forgiveness, tough love, choices, failure, and much more. Decisions are made, or attempted to be made and promises are broken. Secrets are told and tragedies occur.

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CHOKER by Elizabeth Woods

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)
Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.

Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

Wow! This was unlike any other YA book that I have read before and I am so excited to read more from this author.

When I was about half way through I was thinking that I knew what was happening and I already knew I would give this book a 4 stars, but at about pg. 173 things changed and I realized that I what I thought I knew I actually didn't know and by the end of the book there was no way I would be giving this book any less then 5 stars!

This book is about a girl named Cara who is in HS and who is somewhat of a loner. Although she is on the track team she doesn't have any friends who she talks to outside of school and barely anyone that she even talks to inside of school.

When an incident happens one day at lunch and people start teasing her about it she get really depressed. Then one day she gets out of the shower to find her childhood best friend in her room. Nobody knows she is there and Cara's parents don't like her and since she has run away they will tell the police if they find out she is there, so Cara keeps her hidden in her room.

Next thing we know a girl from school is found dead face down in her pool, apparently from drowning and a week or so later the girls best friend ends up missing. Something is definitely going on, but what? Aside from this sad and scary news, Cara is starting to get friends and the boy she has had a crush on is finally noticing her.

But then things start to come together, and what you think was, isn't and who you thought you knew, you don't.

The ending to this book was great!! I love these types of books and Elizabeth Woods doesn't fail to deliver. This book is for sure a psychological thriller!

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Books I'm planning to read...

So I was thinking of some posts to write and I thought I would do one on the books I am PLANNING on reading for the numerous challenges that I am participating in in 2011.

The challenges I am participating in are:

• The Chick lit challenge hosted by Chick Lit Plus
• Off the shelf hosted by Bookish Ardour
• 2011 Debut Author hosted by Story Siren
• 100+ Books hosted by J. Kaye (but you can sign up here)
• 350+ pages hosted by What's your story

I am not going to list all the books for all the challenges because obviously that would be A LOT! and also because I don't know everything I will be reading or even what I plan to read on some of them as of right now....

So....for the Chick Lit challenge I finally have it down to the 10 books I will definitely be reading plus the 2 debut ones that I haven't chosen yet....

1. Beastly by Alex Flynn
2. Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
3. Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
4. House Rules by Jodi Picoult (counts also for 350+pg)
5. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (counts also for 350+pg)
6. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
7. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley (counts also for 350+pg)
8. Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch
9. The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
10. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

For the 350+ pages challenge I have 20 books picked out plus the ones above from the Chick Lit challenge that will also qualify.

1. Burned by Ellen Hopkins
2. Glass by Ellen Hopkins
3. Identical by Ellen Hopkins
4. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
5. Gone by Michael Grant
6. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
7. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
8. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
9. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
10. Impossible by Nancy Werlin
11. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
12. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
13. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
14. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
15. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
16. I am number four by Pittacus Lore
17. Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
18. Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
19. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
20. Before I fall by Lauren Oliver

Those are in no particular order. They will be read by whatever I am in the mood for at that moment. I am going to try and read one book from one challenge and then another book from another challenge and so on. And if books cover more then one challenge, even better! I already own all of these books and these challenges are a great way to get me to read them before reading newly bought books first.

I am not going to list the books I am going to be reading in the Off the Shelf challenge (which I chose to read at least 50). But, if you want to see what those are check out my You Tube video here.

Maybe this post gave you some ideas of books to read for some of your challenges or maybe you discovered some challenges you want to join now. Whatever the case, have fun this coming year and read lots!

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

TWENTY BOY SUMMER-Sarah Ockler

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"
According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie—-she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.
Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.


It seems as if everything I am reading lately has been 5 star books. I am usually very hard to please, so these ratings must be true...

Twenty Boy Summer is about 3 teenagers, Frankie, Anna and Matt. Frankie and Matt are siblings and Anna is the best friend who lives next door. They have spent their whole lives together, inseparable. Until Anna's 15th birthday when things change for 2 of them and a secret is kept from one of them. Then less then a month later, Matt dies.

After Matt dies everything is confused and everyone is just trying to cope. To figure out how to go on living without him there with them. Then, Frankies parents decide that they will go back to their vacation home this summer (the one they go to every year, except for the year Matt died) and try to go on. This turns out to be both a good thing and a bad thing in itself. And this year will be the first year that Anna joins them.

Twenty Boy Summer got its title because Frankie decides to do exactly that. She convinces Anna that they need to meet a boy a day and their goal is to try and help Anna give up her virginity since Frankie has already given up hers. But once again, the story is so much more then that.

If the story was mainly about that I wouldn't have liked it, but that was only part of the story. During their time on vacation, Anna and Frankie discover a lot of things about themselves and each other. And they do the typical teenage things; sneak out, meet boys, go to parties....

This book is about loss, friendship, love, forgiveness, acceptance and so much more. I had put this book off for so long and almost put it up on goodreads to swap before even reading it because I didn't think it would be a book for me. I don't like romance, chick-lit, mushy books. Everything I thought this book was. I am really glad that I gave this book a chance before dismissing it.

This is definitely a book to be read. And Sarah Ockler has a new book that just come out called, "Fixing Delilah" that I also heard was really good.

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UNLEASHED by Kristopher Reisz

Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(from Goodreads)

Daniel Morning seems perfect -- handsome, charismatic, intelligent. But living up to everyone's expectations has cost him the right to make his own decisions. The urge to shatter those expectations is beginning to gnaw at his insides.
Then Daniel meets Misty. She's smoky, rebellious, tender...and much more. She decides to let him into her pack of outcasts -- and in on their little secret: She and her friends have learned to shapeshift, and have been prowling the night as wolves.
Daniel soon falls in love with the primal sensation of shifting, just as he's falling in love with Misty. The freedom to follow his most basic instincts is like nothing he's ever felt. But Daniel will slowly come to realize that such freedom comes at a price....


I loved this book! I can't even tell you in detail what it was that I loved, but I just loved it...
After I read the first 100 pages, I posted on Goodreads that there wasn't any drama or action, and there wasn't. But it seemed that after that things started happening.

This book was about a senior named Daniel who was the star athlete, academic, popular kid-just all around shining star-and it is also about a senior named Misty, who is the complete opposite. She doesn't care about much and is about to give up on everything.

Then Misty meets Daniel and things start to change for her. The only problem is is that Daniel is dating Angie and he is leaving for college after graduation.

These obstacles seem to be put on the back burner for awhile though (except for the Angie thing because Daniel breaks up with her to be with Misty). Daniel refrains from telling Misty about college because he doesn't want her to think he isn't worth her time.

When Misty starts to trust Daniel she decides to introduce him into the pack, which consists on her twin brother and their two best friends. But the pack is more then just the four of them. It is also a ritual that they do prior to turning into werewolves!

Of course this freaks Daniel out at first, but the more he thinks about it and thinks about Misty, the more he is open to this whole thing. He actually looks forward to it because it is the time that he can actually be himself and not have to worry about anything or anyone else. But not everything that the pact does is innocent and people start to get hurt.

People are physically hurt, betrayed, heartbroken...there is abunch of typical teenage angst, a lot of ego issues and people being put in their place.

This books covers family, friends, love, anger, forgiveness, growing up, etc.
The characters in this book were great and the character developement of both Misty and Daniel was spectacular. I loved watching them grow.

Even without the werewolves this book would have been great! But the werewolves gave it a different spin.

If you haven't read this book you really must! This is the first book I have read by him, but I am absolutely going to check out another one of his.

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CATCHER, CAUGHT by Sarah Collins Honenberger

OMG!! Let me just say that this book was phenomenal! Not at all what I was expecting. Upon first seeing the book I have to admit that the cover did nothing for me, and sadly, I am one who DOES judge a book by it's cover. So seeing that the cover wasn't anything special I thought the contents of the book would be the same way, but I was very wrong!

The story is about a teenager named Daniel that has leukemia. It starts off shortly after him and his family find out about this awful news and takes you through almost the next full year of his life.

The story is told from Daniels point of view, his words. He talks about the people who are closest to him in his life. His parents, his two brothers, his best friend Mack, and then towards the middle of the book a girl that has recently moved into the neighborhood. Daniel takes us into the lives of everyone and how they feel and what they think of his leukemia. How something like this affects people in different ways. And most importantly, how it affects Daniel, which nobody seems to think to ask about.

Daniel is a very strong character who doesn't wallow in self-pity nor does he complain about the little life he has left. Instead, he just goes along with what his parents think is "best" for him. His parents are against Western medicine and the present way of doing things, treating things. His parents were hippies and still hold onto a lot of the things they use to do and use to believe back then, so Daniels mom is in contact with a woman who tells her what herbal stuff to give Daniel to help him. Unfortunately none of this seems to be working and soon enough, Daniels mom (and his father reluctantly) opts to keep Daniel home from school for fear of the exposure of all the germs from all the people there.

But doing what they think is best for their son turns out to be a battle that they aren't prepared for but are willing to fight no matter the cost. Where they live it is considered child abuse to not give your child whatever medical treatment the doctor deems necessary to save their lives (in this case Chemo and radiation), so there is a court document forcing them to get Daniel started on those. But Daniels very sick and before they can start him on the Chemo and radiation the doctors have to try and stabilize him.

By this time Daniel realizes that he should be able to make his own decisions concerning his life and he starts to stand up for himself. You definitely see Daniel grow and develop in this story.

The other characters in this book are well written also. I like the fact that you get to know the parents and his two brothers and that they are not just barely glanced over. They come alive, especially his mother. And I really like his girlfriend, Meredith, who loves him and stands by him regardless that he is so sick.

The only thing that I didn't care for in this book is how it ended. I feel it ended kind of abruptly. But other then that this is a must read!!