BAM Book Reviews

GIVEAWAY: Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto!

2011-09-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! It's giveaway time :)

I've been given the opportunity to host a giveaway for the newly released HADES by Alexandra Adornetto, the sequel to HALO. I have not read either book yet but I most certainly will since they both sound absolutely fantastic! Here are the giveaway rules:

You do not have to be a follower of BAM Book Reviews but it would be appreciated if you guys would follow!

This giveaway is only open to residents of the US and Canada. Sorry guys!

If you are a follower, you will get an extra entry but don't bother lying! Your entry will be completely deleted if you do.

Here's the description and trailer for HADES:

Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces. When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth. Can Jake be trusted in this wager?And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany –and readers – wondering if he is so good after all. It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love -to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades

Click HERE to enter and good luck! :)

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher

2011-09-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (April 2008)

Source: Received from author for review

Edition: Hardcover

Pages: 356

Rating:

With her mother ill, it’s up to fifteen-year-old Ruby Jacinski to support her family. But in the 1940s, the only opportunities open to a Polish-American girl from Chicago’s poor Yards is a job in one of the meat packing plants. Through a chance meeting with a local tough, Ruby lands a job as a taxi dancer and soon becomes an expert in the art of “fishing”: working her patrons for meals, cash, clothes, even jewelry. Drawn ever deeper into the world of dance halls, jazz, and the mob, Ruby gradually realizes that the only one who can save her is herself. A mesmerizing look into a little known world and era.

Ten Cents a Dance is a very fun and light read and I knew immediately that I would enjoy this book because I've always been interesting in the jazz era. I really like the plot of the story, it was unique and interesting and it definitely kept me captivated. Ruby is a likeable character and her charisma with the neighborhood bad boy is enticing.

Fletcher's writing ensures that you can fully picture and imagine the jazz music, the dancing, the costumes and everything in between, which allowed me to fully appreciate the novel. Ten Cents a Dance is a perfect book to read during summer and it reminds me of the movies Grease and Dirty Dancing (amazing movies!), so if you enjoy jazz era dancing, high class clubs, lowly gangs and much more then Ten Cents is the perfect book for you :) There's really nothing bad about this book, while it might not be super amazing, it is definitely worth a read. It's an exciting book, something fresh and different from all the paranormal romance novels out there!

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

2011-08-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Razorbill (August 2007)

Source: Bought (B&N)

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 332

Rating:

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

I've owned this book for longer than a year now and kept putting it off because the synopsis didn't really pull me in as much as I would've liked it to. Vampires are fun and all but the whole guardian thing seemed a little unappealing at first. But, since I've heard so many people rave about it, I figured I would give in and finally allow myself to indulge in it.

The first few chapters were a little slow (just like mostly any other book I've read) but it finally picked up and I was officially curious about how the story was going to play out. I really like Rose's sense of humor and how she approached gossip situations... hilarious! (By the way, the whole time I was reading this book I saw Mila Kunis playing Rose and Skyler Samuels playing Lissa.) Dimitri was absolutely to die for. Such an swoon-worthy character whom I predict will get even hotter as the series continues.

So from the paragraph above, I'm sure you can tell that I really loved the characters. The plot? It was good. Wasn't the most exciting plot but I feel like it's going to get much better as the series continues. This is the start of a series after all which sometimes can be the least action packed. I definitely have high hopes for the rest of the series and can't wait to get started on them =)

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love by Trisha Telep

2011-08-11T15:13:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Running Press Kids

Source: Publicist

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 432

Rating:

For those who thirst for accounts of paranormal romance, Trisha Telep has compiled some of the most thrilling takes of forbidden love in this collection. First crushes and last rites; dark spells and bright magic; forbidden lovers and enchanted beings -- and always, always the hungry games of desire. Pucker up for a darkly sweet collection of ghosts, shape shifters, fairies, unicorns, vampires, and demons in tales from today's biggest writers of the paranormal persuasion.

I hate giving a book a bad rating, especially in this situation. I was pondering what I should rate Kiss Me Deadly because I really don't think it's a crappy book. Some of the stories were kind of interesting but the reason I'm giving this book such a low rating is because of the style. After reading this book, I've finally decided that anthologies aren't for me. I wasn't a huge fan of them before reading this book but I thought it was just the book itself I didn't like, not the actual format. After reading Kiss Me Deadly, I'm positive that I should probably just ignore anthologies from now on.

Confession time: Some of the stories I didn't actually read all of the way through. I just kind of skimmed through them which led me to getting confused which then led me to move on to the next story. Sometimes I read the whole story, sometimes I didn't. I'm not going to review each story because I didn't really read all of them... but my favorite was probably The Spy Who Never Grew Up by Sarah Rees Brennan because Peter Pan is in it =P

Like noted above, this book isn't bad! I just didn't enjoy the style but if you like anthologies and paranormal romance, then this may very well be the book for you! Watch out for a giveaway in the future!

In My Mailbox (40)

2011-07-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie and created by Kristi from The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

(All titles are linked to their Goodreads page.)

People Mentioned:

Lauren from 365 Days of Reading --Thanks Lauren!

Review:

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

Bought:

The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Won:

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Delirium by Lauren Oliver Giveaway

2011-07-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I'm back with another giveaway. Unfortunately I haven't had much time to read because I've been moving into my new apartment! But hopefully after I move, I'll be able to read a bit more and post some reviews!

I have an extra copy of Delirium which I haven't read yet, but if you'd like to check out a review, a good friend of mine (Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic) just reviewed it at her blog so click here to read that. I actually bought a copy of this book at Sam's Club and then went to BEA and got a copy signed. Since I don't really need two copies, I figured I'd give one away!

You don't have to be a follower of BAM Book Reviews to enter, but it is much appreciated since I bought the book myself and will be using my own money to ship it.
I will only ship to the US (sorry, I'm a poor college kid!) but if you have someone in the US that is willing to ship the book to you, I will ship it to them no problem!
Lastly, if you are a follower, you get an extra entry. But be warned, I DO check if you follow me and I will delete not only your extra entry but your original entry if you lie.

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Click HERE to enter and good luck!

The winner of Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver was Rae from Throuthehaze Reads.

In My Mailbox (39)

2011-07-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver Giveaway

2011-07-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Like I mentioned in my BEA vlog, I accidentally got an extra copy of Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver. Before anyone judges, I would like to explain myself =P. The first day BEA had a book drop (basically just a hand out of unsigned titles,) and I grabbed a copy of Liesl and Po. The next day, Lauren Oliver had a signing for Delirium so I thought I would get an autographed copy. It turns out that Lauren Oliver was signing both Delirium and Liesl and Po so I got a copy of both without remembering of previous copy I received the day before. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the giveaway!

Since I am going to be spending my own money on shipping costs, I would really appreciate it if you would follow BAM Book Reviews, but it is not required to be able to enter.

This contest will be limited to just US citizens, sorry! =( I promise I'll have an international giveaway for a special occasion. The giveaway will end July 23rd at 11:59 PM.

Click here to enter the giveaway!

We meet Liesl the night after the day her young father has died. That same day she is visited by a ghost, Po, an eight year old boy who lives on the other side, the territory between life and death that runs parallel to the living world. Po has come to tell her that her father is stuck on the other side, and that she is the only one who can help him cross over. A couple of wooden boxes. Some ashes. Some magic dust. A ghost, its pet, and a boy who forgot to wear a hat in the cold. From these seemingly odd, random characters Oliver weaves the enchanting story of how, with the aid of Liesl, these elements come together over the course of one week to restore love and luster to a world gone grey and heartless.

**The winner of Ordinary Beauty (signed) by Laura Wiess was Indigo from Shattered Prose**

The Forbidden Game (The Forbidden Game #1-3) by L.J. Smith

2011-07-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: Publisher

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 768

Rating:

To lose the game is to lose your life in bestselling author L.J. Smith's
THE FORBIDDEN GAME.

To capture the love of Jenny Thorton, Julian--a visitor from a dark world--draws Jenny and her friends into forbidden games; the contest for a human soul. The prize is Jenny's freedom. The stakes are all of their lives. Jenny's friends are determined to help her win. But Julian is the master of the Game. Jenny's most desperate fight will be with him, this eerily handsome boy with electric blue eyes. He knows her deepest secrets, her darkest fears. He has almost infinite power. And the only thing he wants is for Jenny to surrender to him--body and soul.

L.J. Smith is one of my favorite authors. I find most people enjoy her books but not a lot of people find them amazing, aside from myself. Her books are always really good, in my opinion, and The Forbidden Game is certainly no exception! This book is really cool, somewhat scary and different but I love the originality and the concept of the "forbidden game" in the novel.

The book is very fast paced and compelling. The beginning is intruiging and I was already engrossed in the story by the second chapter. For me, The Forbidden Game is an excellent book, maybe not because of the way it's written but because it took me on a rollercoaster ride of obssesion, love, nightmares and much more. Several chapters in the novel or in other words, several of the characters' nightmares were definitely scaring me as I read and I'm not one to get scared by books or movies easily. That was one of the reasons why I couldn't put the book down. It made my heart race and my blood pump in anticipation. There's also several plot twists that I really didn't see coming and although all three books are excellent in this omnibus, the first book of the three is by far the best. As for the conclusion of the trilogy, I find it to be kind of a cliffhanger ending with which L.J. Smith could definitely get right back into in a spinoff series of sorts.

As for the characters, I love all of them especially, of course, Julian! He's one of the most complex and mysterious characters of all I've read about. I believe that he in fact did love Jenny but his view of love is quite different from the average person's view of love. All of the characters are likeable and endearing in their own way which is also another reason why I love this book!

I recommend this book to those who like a good thrill and those who are fans of Jumanji and the Saw movies! Obviously the book is not half as gory as the Saw movies but there some definite similarities :)

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire

2011-07-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Egmont USA (May 2011)

Source: Publisher

Edition: ARC

Pages: 397

Rating:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

I don't know where to start with this review. I loved every single part of it and I don't really have anything bad to say about it. I'll start off with the characters. I. Love. Emerson. Her personality is adventurous and very relatable and her name is incredible! Last semester (in college) I had to read a few of Ralph Emerson's essays so I'm actually pretty happy with myself that I know where the name came from. Michael is a total swoon-worthy MC who I fell in love with more and more every page. One of the reasons I liked him so much is probably because Emerson couldn't have him! I'm a sucker for forbidden love, in case you didn't already know ;)

It took me a few chapters to really get into the story but once I was, I was hooked. The plot was pretty fast paced, but to be honest, the plot isn't what made me fall in love with the book. The characters are what made me fall in love. Their personalities, their physical attraction ;), and the individuality.

It's taken me quite a while to write this review because I really had to think about why I loved the book so much. Other than the reasons listed above, I simply just connected with the story. I laughed and cried because I truly cared about these characters. Lastly, the cover is incredible if you couldn't tell, which was half the reason I chose this book for review.

The Exiled Queen (Seven Realms #2) by Cinda Williams Chima

2011-06-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Source: For Review

Edition: ARC

Pages: 586

Rating:

You can't always run from danger... Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean danger isn’t far behind. Han is hunted every step of the way by the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family set on reclaiming the amulet Han stole from them. And Mystwerk House has dangers of its own. There, Han meets Crow, a mysterious wizard who agrees to tutor Han in the darker parts of sorcery—but the bargain they make is one Han may regret.

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna runs from a forced marriage in the Fells, accompanied by her friend Amon and his triple of cadets. Now, the safest place for Raisa is Wein House, the military academy at Oden's Ford. If Raisa can pass as a regular student, Wein House will offer both sanctuary and the education Raisa needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen. The Exiled Queen is an epic tale of uncertain friendships, cut-throat politics, and the irresistible power of attraction.

After reading The Demon King, which is the first book in this amazing series, I jumped right into The Exiled Queen because I was so excited to read more. I thought the first book was amazing but let me tell you, the second book is far better. To be honest, I didn't expect much from the series but little did I know that it is probably one of the best book series I've read. The action is non stop and the world of the Seven Realms is enthralling! I loved reading every single page of this book and it continued to surprise me until the very end. There's just the right amount of comedy, suspense, romance, ect. in the novel.

As for the characters, I once again enjoyed the different perspectives of the story. Han still remains one of my favorite characters as does Micah. I always like the antagonists in novels because I find them more interesting and they add spice to the story! Princess Raisa surprised me quite a lot and I definitely enjoyed the romantic development between her and several characters. She also grew as a character and I liked how she was more herself in this novel than in the first one.

There's honestly nothing bad I could write about this book or the series! I thought that the story became bigger and better, very unique and captivating. I love the size of the books because there's no possible way that a series this amazing could be told in less than 500 pages! I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the next book, which I believe is entitled The Gray Wolf Throne, and I certainly recommend this series to everybody.

Laura Wiess Signing + Giveaway

2011-06-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

Yay! Another giveaway! I went to my local Barnes and Noble during the week and saw a sign that Laura Wiess was going to be signing and almost had a heart attack. No one ever signs around my area that I'm interested in. I liked Such a Pretty Girl and am very excited to read Ordinary Beauty and I love the cover. I made sure that I took advantage of this opportunity and got an extra copy for one of you!

Since I used my own money to purchase the book, I would like to ask you to show your appreciation by following BAM Book Reviews! I won't limit the contest to just my followers, but if you follow our blog you'll get an extra entry for the giveaway! =)

Click here to enter! Giveaway deadline: 7/9

Laura Wiess and I! She was so sweet!

What you'll get if you win:

Ordinary Beauty by Laura Wiess *SIGNED*

Ordinary Beauty Magnet

MTV mini-notebook!

*SIGNED*

Ordinary Beauty:

How can you make someone love you when they won’t?
And what if that person happens to be your mother?
Sayre Bellavia grew up knowing she was a mistake: unplanned and unwanted. At five months shy of eighteen, she’s become an expert in loneliness, heartache, and neglect. Her whole life she’s been cursed, used, and left behind. Swallowed a thousand tears and ignored a thousand deliberate cruelties. Sayre’s stuck by her mother through hell, tried to help her, be near her, be important to her even as her mother slipped away into a violent haze of addiction, destroying the only chance Sayre ever had for a real family.
Now her mother is lying in a hospital bed, near death, ravaged by her own destructive behavior. And as Sayre fights her way to her mother’s bedside, she is terrified but determined to get the answer to a question no one should ever have to ask: Did my mother ever really love me? And what will Sayre do if the answer is yes?

This book sounds AMAZING and I bet it's just that. Good luck to all that enter! =)

**ALSO**

The winner of the Over the Moon giveaway was Amanda from That Teen Can Blog! Thanks to everyone who entered!

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II

2011-06-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Caught this video over at Katie's Book Blog!

Briana: Oh man =( This is so sad! I literally cried while watching this. I can't believe Harry Potter is almost over. I grew up with this and took it for granted. Now the final movie is coming out and I'll never wait in line at midnight to see a Harry Potter movie, ever again. This is such an epic trailer. I'm definitely going to re-read the book and I'm sure I'll cry just as much as the first time I read it.

The Quest for Merlin's Map (The Jumper Chronicles #1) by W/C. Peever

2011-06-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Savant Books and Publications LLC

Source: Publicist

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 296

Rating:

Charlie is an awkward twelve-year old living a normal life till he is abducted and thrust into a world of ever-looming danger, a world of Magic, of Angry Gods, and Creatures that are should only exist inside of fairytales.

Charlie and his three friends must unravel the mysteries of their new found abilities, save the father Charlie has never known, and uncover a secret that will change their lives forever.

When I got a request to review this book, I was uncertain about whether or not it would be something I would enjoy. Whenever I get a request, the first thing I look at it is the cover to see if it attracts me. I know that's not the way I should judge a book by first impression, but that's just how I've always been! With that said, I'm not attracted to the cover. It's a nice cover, but it just doesn't look like my type of book, at first glance. However, The Quest for Merlin's Map, pleasantly surprised me with it's lovely characters and intriguing plot.

During the first 100 pages, the story was moving pretty slow for me (but that might've just been because I was in a reading rut!) Once I got past that point, I became attached to the characters and was finding myself getting nervous for them during their adventures.

Now, some of the reasons why I didn't give The Quest for Merlin's Map 5 butterflies instead of 4: I found the story to be pretty predictable at times. While I was reading I would take a guess of what would happen next, and half the time my guess was correct. I personally just like a bit more of an unpredictable plot. Also, I did find quite a lot of similarities between the characters of The Quest for Merlin's Map and Harry Potter. The characters go to school in a castle very similar to Hogwarts, the three main characters are two boys and a girl, the headmaster is very old and wise, etc. I don't read a whole lot of MG, so maybe these similarities are common among quite a few MG? I'm not sure.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and would recommend it to anyone that likes Harry Potter and/or Percy Jackson. I'm looking forward to the next installment in The Jumper Chronicles.

Over the Moon Giveaway

2011-06-08T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! So I got this book quite a while ago for review and it just wasn't for me. The idea of this book is so intriguing but for some reason I just couldn't get into it. However, that doesn't mean one of you won't like it! I would really appreciate whoever entering the contest be a follower of BAM Book Reviews, since I will be spending my own money on shipping costs, but I won't limit the contest to just the followers.

When seventeen-year-old Tiana moves to Hurricane, Utah, her comfortable world is turned upside down as she traverses the rough waters of adjusting to a small town and new school. Her father insists they were supposed to move here for some unknown, important purpose, and the voice in her head tells her not to argue. After resigning herself to being a miserable outcast, Tiana finds that she is not only accepted by most of the students at her new high school but is also the recipient of unwelcome attention from the opposite sex.

But then she meets the mysterious Andrew Martin and is soon Over the Moon crazy about him. Andrew seems to be the perfect boyfriend: protective, tender, good with her parents, and a fabulous kisser. But he also has a few unusual qualities: an intuitiveness that borders on mind reading, a touch that seems to heal, and almost superhuman strength. Tiana marvels at his talents but doesn't seriously consider the implications until she can no longer ignore the clues: Andrew does not belong on Earth. When Andrew admits his true identity, Tiana enters a world previously unknown to her and is plunged into mortal danger as it is Andrew's sworn duty to combat evil, extraterrestrial villains who wish to invade Earth and enslave mankind. Join Diane Daniels for a romantic adventure in Over the Moon, which will take you to a world where the impossible comes to life.

If you're interested in entering the contest, click here. The contest will end Saturday, June 25th at 11:59 PM.

BEA/IMM Vlog

2011-06-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

PART ONE:

PART TWO:

Breaking Dawn Part 1 Trailer

2011-06-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

Briana: So. Frickin. Impressed. Everything about this teaser trailer made me squeal and jump and smile, etc. I think I almost died when Edward broke the bed. I didn't expect them to show that, at all! So excited to see the feathers ;) OH and the baby bump scare in the end?! AWESOME. This movie will be epic. I know that not everyone loved the book, but I think everyone will enjoy the movie. The only negative about this trailer? Edward's hair in the wedding.

Arielle: I completely agree with Briana! I am so impressed with this trailer. I almost didn't expect it to be that good. I haven't really been keeping up with any BD info since I am not a huge Twihard, but once I saw this I immediately got excited for November. I am thinking this movie with be MUCH better than the past three.. which is so exciting! I believe that even non-Twilight fans would find this trailer intriguing!

Marisa: I also definitely agree with Briana and Arielle :) I've been waiting for this trailer for quite awhile now and I'm definitely satisfied with it! I totally thought that they wouldn't show anything of the wedding or the baby because those are really important parts of the book but I'm so glad they did! It looks super awesome and will probably be the best movie yet :) I'm excited! Oh and I agree with what Briana said about Edward breaking the bed, really unexpected and awesome :)

My First BEA Experience (Part 1)

2011-06-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I attended the infamous Book Expo America! Yes this post is a little late, but I couldn't find my camera cord and well, you know... there has to be pictures in this post. So I borrowed a camera cord and am so ready to show you guys the amazing-ness of BEA, or at least what I was able to capture through a lens. I'll try my best to go in depth enough but not too much so it's ridiculously long!

Day One (Sunday): I arrived in NY around 4:00, as far as I remember. Lexie and Jen (read below for info on bloggers) picked me up at Port Authority and took me to the hotel so I could drop off my bags. After we dropped off my bags, we went back to Port Authority to grab some grub and then back to the hotel! That night, my roomies Jen, Lexie, Taschima and I compared our schedules for BEA. It was a pretty relaxing night and was good to rest before the madness about to come our way.

Day Two (Monday): I am not a morning person, but I have to say I didn't mind getting up early on Monday since we were going to have an exciting, yet another relaxing day. We went to the Javits Center and then headed to the... HARRY POTTER EXHIBIT! Not as exciting as Harry Potter World (FL), I know. But don't get me wrong, there aren't any complaints here! If you guys are in NYC, definitely spend the $25 (?) and visit the exhibit! Anyway, my roomies and I met up with Emily, Nikki and Danielle!

After the HPE, we went to get pizza in a church. Yep, you read right. We had pizza in a church, specifically John's Pizza (Danielle's recommendation.) Before Teen Author Carnival, we headed to The Strand bookstore. This was my first downfall of NYC. I purchased 14 books at The Strand. Now that was fun carrying around NYC; can you say blisters? Teen Author Carnival was a really fun experience and SO many people were there! I kind of wish we wore badges like we did at BEA so we would know who everyone is! =P

At one point after TAC, we met up with Amelia and Tegan! Sadly, Amelia didn't come to Dave and Busters with us for dinner, but dang that food was GOOD. Is there any way to request to bring a Dave and Busters to my town? Later that night we came back to the hotel and just hung out for a while and compared schedules once again.

I'm waiting for Jen to post her part 2 so I can look at that to make sure I don't miss any events that went down since I was with her pretty much 24/7. Is that cheating?

Bloggers:

Lexie is from Poisoned Rationality.

Jen is from Reading with Tequila.

Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic.

Emily from Red House Books.

Danielle from Frenzy of Noise.

Nikki from Wicked Awesome Books.

Tegan from Poisoned Rationality.

Amelia from Imagination in Focus.

Non-bloggers (AMAZING people):

Taschima's mom Suzan!

Taschima's friend Chaz!

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

2011-06-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

Published: May 2011

Source: Barnes and Noble

Edition: Hardcover

Pages: 416

Rating:

Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move - four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself - whoever that is. Perhaps her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out. (Barnes and Noble)

Sarah Dessen has hit another one out of the park. I fell in love with this book immediately. Dessen’s books have always captivated me from the beginning, and this one was no exception. Mclean, a senior in high school, has been living with her dad ever since her parent’s scandalous divorce. Her father is a restaurant consultant that jumps from job to job meaning they move constantly. Mclean has moved four different times in two years. Every time she moves, she creates a different persona – Liz, Beth, Lizbet, etc; she enjoys deciding who she will be instead of what people think she should be. Except when they move to Lakeview, Mclean decides to stay Mclean. She doesn’t completely understand why at first, but throughout the book she begins to realize she enjoys being Mclean much more than her previous personas she thought she liked.

The story is like any other from Dessen: charming, funny, witty, touching, and thoughtful. Unlike other Dessen books though, this one focuses more on the family aspect instead of completely focusing on the life of the main character and a certain boy. The story feels real based on the related circumstances. Everyone, at least once in their life, tries to find themselves, and in What Happened to Goodbye, this is exactly what Mclean is trying to do. She needs to decide who she really wants to be and if she will finally let people get close enough to have lasting relationships with them.

However, this book is not without a good-looking, charming guy. Dave, Mclean’s neighbor, is the extremely smart, cute, and all around great guy that Mclean is afraid of. She doesn’t know if she is ready to get close to anyone since her and her father may relocate at any point. But as the story unfolds and some things turn sour, she finds herself relying on Dave and needing him more than she expected.

What Happened to Goodbye does not disappoint for us hardcore Dessen followers. It will have you laughing, thinking, and maybe even tearing up a little bit. I recommend it to any new and old Dessen readers.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

2011-05-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Published: April 2005

Source: Borrowed from friend

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 352

Rating:

Race White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiancé, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself. (Barnes & Noble)

From the very first page, I was absolutely hooked onto Something Borrowed. I could not put it down. The novel as a whole is witty, charming, a little mysterious, and extremely funny and entertaining even during the more serious parts of the book. It had be laughing and gasping out loud as the story unfolded.

Rachel, the main character, is turning thirty. And while she has an amazing job in Manhattan, her life is far less glamorous. Although her life isn’t all too terrible, her dreams of having a husband and a family by the age of thirty have yet to come true. While she has enjoyed single life, it becomes more prominent to her that she wants to find a husband when her best friend, Darcy, becomes engaged. Darcy and Rachel have been friends since childhood; they grew up living across

the street from one another. Darcy is outgoing and flirtatious, whereas Rachel is level-headed and focused on her career. But one night, the night of Rachel’s surprise 30^th birthday, changes everything.

After a long night of partying with friends, Rachel admits to her feelings for Darcy’s fiancé – Dexter, who Rachel met during law school and then ultimately introduced to Darcy figuring they would be better off with each other because of their stunning good looks and confidence. Throughout the novel, Rachel battles her feelings for Dex while trying to be a good best friend to Darcy. The story continues to unfold as the affair between Rachel and Dex grow; it is up to the both of them to determine if this is merely a pre-marriage fling or if it is the real deal in which Dex will call off his wedding to be with Rachel.

I completely recommend this book to everyone. Although, it is a little PG-13, so read with caution. But it was an enjoyable and quick read. The sequel to Something Borrowed is Something Blue which I am adding to my reading list.

Review Policy

2011-05-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

[We would really appreciate any authors/publishers/etc. reading our policy before emailing us!]

Firstly, I would just like to point out that BAM Book Reviews is primarily devoted to YA book reviews and news. Every so often we may review a book that isn't YA, but for the most part that is our main focus.

Genres we accept and/or consider:

YA (Any sub genre except non-fiction)
MG (Usually don't accept, but will consider)
Adult Fiction (Usually don't accept, but will consider)

Genres we don't accept:

Non-fiction (Biographical, Informational, Self-help, etc.)
Graphic Novels
Westerns
Also, we don't accept e-books.

[For any genre not listed above; please ask us about so we can give you an answer of whether or not we're interested and also so we can add it to one of the lists above for future reference.]

About our reviews:

All three of us are currently students so it may take us anywhere from a week to a year to review a book. We will always provide an honest, critical review of the book. We try to be as polite as possible when writing a bad review and in no way do we tell our readers not to read the book. We strongly believe that one man's trash is another's treasure (for lack of better words.) If a book is sent unsolicited to one of us for review, we will consider it but do not have to review it. If we aren't interested in reading it, then we'll either have a giveaway, donate it to a blog tour, or give it to a fellow blogger.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask us (preferably) through email. You can either email us at the address we share (bambookreviews [at] gmail [dot]com) or directly to one particular reviewer. Our personal email addresses should be to the left unless we (for some reason) took it down or would rather not have it posted publicly.

**Lastly, we are in no way paid for our opinions. We're sent books for free in exchange of a 100% honest review.

Old Cover VS New Cover: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

2011-05-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

Old:

New:

Uglies wasn't my favorite book but one thing I did like was the cover. These new covers are nice, don't get me wrong, but they're so... white. So as you can probably tell, I like the old covers more. What about you guys? Which covers do you like and why?

The Amanda Project Contest!

2011-05-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Michele from Plum Willow (a really cool website that lets you share your outfit creations with other fashionistas and shop) contacted me so I can let you guys know about an awesome contest!

You might remember that I reviewed The Amanda Project by Stella Lennon a while back, and the winners of the contest will receive an autographed copy of the latest Amanda Project novel and also a $50 gift card to their favorite store on Plum Willow!

For more contest details on how to enter, click here.

Back in Action!

2011-05-06T17:27:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! :D

So as you can tell from the title, I'm back! No more school for me... at least for a few months :P. Thank you to everyone that stuck with BAM Book Reviews during the dreadful school year, we really appreciate it! For the summer: I'll be reading all of the books in my review pile plus a few that I've bought over the past few years.

Also, in a few weeks I'll be in NYC for BEA! :) SO excited. Leave a comment telling me if you'll be there so we can meet up and take pictures! I'll be rooming with the lovely Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic and the also lovely Lexie from Poisoned Rationality. I'll be taking a ton of pictures and will try my best to get as many books to giveaway to you guys!

Other things I'll be doing this summer:

Going on vacation to Mexico. I am super pumped for this, especially for the plane! I've never been on one and I love heights so I'm assuming I'm going to enjoy it. Oh yeah, Mexico will be fun, too.
Moving into my very own apartment! No more dorm rooms, hallelujah! I'll make sure to post pictures, not like anyone cares, but it'll be pretty cool to document such a sweet experience.
Also, like I said above, I'll be going to BEA. This is probably the most exciting experience of my life. I've never been to BEA and I do plan on moving to NYC after college so it'll be pretty amazing to see what it's like to live there for a week.

I think that's all I really have to say as of now but I am super excited to get back in the habit of reading and also checking my favorite blogs!

The Scarlet Letter (Readable Classics) by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Wayne Josephson

2011-03-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Readable Classics

Source: Author

Edition: Paperback

# of Pages: 210

Rating:

Readable Classics gently edits the great works of literature, retaining their essence and spirit, and making them more enjoyable and less frustrating for modern readers.

Puritan Boston, 1600's -- Beautiful, defiant Hester Prynne commits adultery, refuses to name the father of her illegitimate child, and is condemned to wear a scarlet A on her breast for the rest of her life. She becomes the first true heroine of American fiction.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 masterpiece was the first American novel to explore the moral struggle with sin, guilt, and pride; the conflict between the heart and the mind; and the deadly consequences of not being able to forgive ours
elves and others.

Miss me? It's been a while since I've reviewed a book and it's funny because I'm not actually reading this book just for pleasure, it's for school too. That shows how much time I have... This is a hard book to review because I'm not just reviewing one author's work, I'm reviewing another's work also.

I enjoyed The Scarlet Letter although I got bored at times. It was mysterious, yet somewhat predictable. Romantic... yet lacking. I really wish they could have showed the romance that happened before the prosecution.

As for Wayne Josephson, he did a great job making the book an easier read. This is the first book I've read for a literature class that I didn't fall asleep reading! If Readable Classics has another book that I'll need to read for a literature class, I'm definitely going to have to grab it!

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-03-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Published: August 2009 by Scholastic Press

Source: Received for review

Edition: Hardcover

Number of pages: 392

Rating:

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

At first, I was totally excited to read Shiver because I had heard and read so many good things about the book. I had presumed that the book was going to be excellent and although it was good, it definitely wasn't excellent.

The characters in the book are very likeable and charismatic but I didn't particularly like Grace. I thought that her love was rushed and that Grace was more in love with the idea of her wolf than with Sam himself but that's just my opinion. I also didn't like how Grace's world completely revolved around Sam after she had met him in person. She didn't care about her school life or her friends, all she wanted to do was to be with Sam. I like main characters who have strong backbones and can be independant, not lovestruck girls like Grace who only think of their significant other. Aside from that, I thought that they did have good chemistry and Sam's perspective of the story was great to read.

I also thought that the book didn't exactly have a plot. Sure, there were a few unsolved mysteries and it was about Grace and Sam's love but other than that, I felt like there was nothing leading to an exciting ending or any big twists in the storyline. My opinion probably differs from a lot of other reviewers but for me, the development of the book wasn't interesting or exciting enough. The beginning was intriguing and the end was great but the middle wasn't very good.

Now that all that has been said, I can say that after all I did enjoy the book as a whole. I thought that it was very well written and captivating at some points. There were a few good twists in the book and I particularly liked the ending. I wanted to start reading Linger right away. I probably made it seem like I didn't enjoy the book but I did. It wasn't a great book but it was pretty good and I recommend it to those who love werewolves, teen love and a cute, simple read. Oh and the cover is beautiful!

The Demon King (Seven Realms, #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

2011-02-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

Publisher: Hyperion, October 6th 2009

Source: Received for review

Edition: Hardcover

# of pages: 512

Rating:

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell. For as long as Han can remember, he’s worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They’re clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he’s never been able to get them off.

While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father’s family at Demonai camp – riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.

Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.

Wow this book was really really great! Cinda created an awesome world filled with magic, wizardry, betrayals, deaths and romance all wrapped in one action packed book. I had read reviews of the book and had definitely heard good things about it but I really didn't know what to expect upon starting it. I usually don't like books with medieval themes, such as the kings and queens ruling sort of thing but to be honest, The Demon King was not politically boring at all. I absolutely loved the storyline revolving around the queens of Hanalea and the whole Queendom of the novel.

The characters in the book are so kick ass and unforgettable. Han, the main character, has a very raw personality and I absolutely loved reading his story and what he did to survive as an "ex-thief" in the poor side of his town. His background is mysteriously unknown and the silver cuffs around his wrists make you wonder what had happened to him in the past and as you read, the truth surfaces. The other main character, Princess Raisa, was also so very awesome. I loved reading from her perspective and I found myself really getting into her tangled love life with two very handsome and dangerous men ;)

Although the book was amazing, I found the beginning of the book wasn't as gripping as I would have liked and it took me a while to really get into the story but aside from that I thought that the book was original, suspenseful, gripping and eventful. I couldn't of asked for a better storyline and cast of characters. I recommend this book to everybody, you seriously need to read this series. It's freaking awesome! Stay tuned for my review of the second book in the series, The Exiled Queen.

The Pace by Shelena Shorts

2011-02-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing, August 2009

Source: Received for review from author

Edition: Paperback

# of pages: 302

Rating:

Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time. Intensely fascinating and rich with determination, The Pace brings together romance, mystery, and suspense in a compelling bond that is sure to have readers asking for more.

First of all, I want to apologize for my lack of reviews on the blog and for all the book reviews that are now long overdue. I feel terrible but unfortunately school and such has taken over. Though, as of now, I'm going to try to and write more reviews. Starting with The Pace by Shelena Shorts :)

This book was pretty interesting right away and I liked Sophie a lot as the main character, there was just something different about her. Weston was also somewhat different from other male characters I've read about and I loved how he wasn't a vampire, werewolf, fairy, ghost or any other average supernatural creature. Shelena pretty much invented her own twist of a paranormal creature and I liked how Weston actually had a few weaknesses. I also thought that the chemistry between the two was well described and written.

As a whole the book was very good and I loved the flashbacks and the twists throughout the book. There were several parts in the book that surprised me and as the story went on, more and more things started to unravel and finally at the end Shelena finishes with a huge cliffhanger! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the good cliffhanger here and there but only when I can go out and buy the next book right away to figure out what happens. Unfortunately, the second book in the series isn't available in Canada yet, I think, so I'll have to wait for it!

Some things I didn't like about the book were that some parts of Sophie's and Wes' relationship felt rushed but I can understand why. I know that a lot of people have said that this book reminds them of the Twilight saga and it in fact did remind of me of the books too but I still enjoyed it and in all honesty, almost all books are similar these days.

To conclude, I recommend this book to all you teens who are in need of a fast-paced, heart pumping good read with a thrilling storyline.

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

2011-02-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) by Charlaine Harris

*May contain small spoilers if you haven't read the entire series

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board

I've read the entire Sookie Stackhouse series AND I watch/am an avid fan of True Blood so I'm really excited for when the 11th book in the series is coming out!! The date is supposedly around May 3rd 2011 :)

Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4) by Sara Shepard

2011-01-17T06:24:00.000-08:00

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Bought (Barnes & Noble)

# of Pages: 352

Rating:

Four pretty little liars' charmed lives have turned into living nightmares.

Emily's been shipped off to Iowa to live with her überconservative cousins. Aria's boyfriend is behind bars—because of her. Spencer's afraid she was involved in Ali's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse: She's clinging to life in the hospital because she knew too much.

If these girls don't start listening to me, Hanna's going to look like the lucky one.

Once again, Sara Shepard has written another fantastic addition to this series! This was probably the most intense book of the four that I've read so far. It had me guessing at the end of each chapter and most of the time I was wrong with my predictions :P

I won't say what, but you do get some important information from this book! I'm kind of nervous for the next book (Wicked) because I almost feel like there isn't much left to the series other than to find out one other answer :P But I'm sure they'll give us more secrets and hopefully more mystery also!

Book Blogger Hop (5)

2011-01-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

Hi there hoppers :) Thanks for visiting BAM Book Reviews and make sure to leave a comment so I can come check out your blog too!

Question: "Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it?"

Answer: I read YA because I feel like I can relate to it the most right now. I know someday I might want to grow out of it, but I can't imagine myself doing that. I love everything YA has to offer. Young love, discovering yourself, and other touching subjects. Oh, and the covers are a lot cuter than any other genre I know of ;)

Perfect (Pretty Little Liars #3) by Sara Shepard

2011-01-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Bought (Barnes & Noble)

# of Pages: 320

Rating:

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four perfect-looking girls aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.
Aria can't resist her forbidden ex. Hanna is on the verge of losing her BFF. Emily is freaking out over a simple kiss. And Spencer can't keep her hands off anythingthat belongs to her sister.
Lucky me. I know these pretty little liars better than they know themselves. But it's hard keeping all of their secrets to myself. They better do as I say . . . or else!

Wow! This series just keeps getting better and better! And while I do love the TV show on ABC Family, I have to say that the books are twice as intense, thrilling, steamy, and overall better! The whole time I was reading this book, I was thinking to myself "Why don't they keep the TV show closer to the book!? There would probably be a lot more viewers!" Oh well, I'm sure they have their reasons. :)

Every chapter of this book had me on the edge of my seat with my emotions on a rollercoaster (like the sick ones at Six Flags!) One chapter, I was thrilled; the other, I was depressed; then a different chapter, I was angry! It's crazy how emotionally involved I get when reading this book.

I loved all of the characters and they became a lot more complex this time around. Especially Spencer. And man, I think I'm in love with Lucas :P I already went out and bought books Unbelievable (#4) and Wicked (#5).

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

2011-01-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

Publisher: Scholastic

Source: Bought (Barnes & Noble)

# of Pages: 398

Rating:

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

(THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!!!!! IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK YET AND PLAN TO IN THE FUTURE, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!)

I can't believe it took me this long to pick up this book. I've had a (signed ;]) copy of this book with me for a few months now and had two friends read it before I did! I'm not sure if it was just the distraction of school or because I was afraid of what might happen, because Suzanne Collins doesn't seem like the type of author to leave a happy ending.

Now onto my thoughts... I think I'll start off with the negatives: The first 2/3 of the book was dragging on for me. I wanted to be blown away by each chapter and never want to put the book down, but instead I was putting the book down to clean my room, grab a snack, and even go downstairs to see w
hat my mom was doing. Gale's character just didn't live up to standards for me! I thought it was going to be a huge choice for not only Katniss, but for me also to have to choose between the two guys! I drool over a good love triangle and I assumed that's what I would get in Mockingjay. But instead, Gale seemed like he was more interested in the rebellion then trying to win Katniss over. That might sound foolish of me to have that opinion, but damnit I wanted a good love triangle! I was dying to see Gale try to show Katniss why he deserves her and why she should be with him, but unfortunately I never saw that.

The positives: Th
e last third of the book was pretty awesome. I'm glad that there was some grief to go along with some happiness. I have to admit, I was pretty shocked when Katniss shot Coin, but I was also shouting (silently) "YES!" I had the biggest smile on my face when Peeta came back to District 12. The two of them being together makes so much sense. They've both been through so much and they're both a little messed up from it, but they can be messed up together! :) Wow... that sounded wrong.

Anyways, overall I enjoyed the book. It was a good conclusion to a fantastic series and although I may not have liked everything that went down, I don't think I would change it if I could.

House of Night Contest!

2011-01-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there lovelies!

I have just been informed that St. Martin's Press is throwing a fabulous contest in which the prize includes for one lucky fan and their guest to fly to Tulsa, Arizona to tour the sites from the books and have lunch with the authors, P.C. and daughter, Kristin Cast!

The lucky winner will receive a 3-day, 2-night trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma for two people which includes airfare, hotel accommodations, a tour of Tulsa and lunch on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 at the Chalkboard Restaurant with the authors. In order to enter the promo, they must answer three questions about the series.

Click here to enter the contest and also find more information. For the contest rules, click here!

St. Martin's Press (being as generous as they are!) are also giving away the chance to win 1 of 30 complete sets of House of Night books (via the House of Night Facebook fan page!) Click here to check that out!

Below is the book trailer for the newly released book in the series, Awakened! Enjoy and good luck! :)

Update from Briana!

2010-11-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

Hello my lovely readers/fellow bloggers! I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting anything lately, not ONE review since I left for school. It's been unbelievably busy and I rarely find the chance to get on Blogger. I have been reading though. So far I've read Frankenstein, Dracula, Paradise Lost, parts of The Holy Bible, and Heart of Darkness. As of right now I'm in the process of reading The Medic by Leo Litwak (History course), I am Legend by Richard Matheson (Monster Literature), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (to review for the upcoming movie!), and Mockingjay. Yes, Mockingjay. I STILL haven't read it. I'm so disapointed. But I did get people on my floor to start reading The Hunger Games! :) Oh, and I also got people to start reading Salvaged by Stefne Miller! I love recommending books to friends lol!

Anyway, that's about it for me. I will definitely be reading during the holidays and posting as many review as possible!

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

2010-11-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hey guys!

It's GIVEAWAY time :)

I received two copies of Pluto's Ghost by Sheree Fitch in the mail, one for review and one for a giveaway! The contest ends November 20th and I'll notify the winner by email. The book is an ARC edition and you get a maximum of 5 entries. Open to residents of the US and Canada!

ENTER HERE!

Pluto's Ghost isn't a very well known book but it does sound excellent! Here's the synopsis of the book and the cover:

"Murderer. It's one kick in the belly of a word isn't it? Has a taste, too. It tastes like barbed wire and has wild hyena eyes. Murderer. Murder-her. Did he? Did I? That's when I remember what I want to forget."

Jake Upshore has loved Skye Derucci since before he can remember. Volatile, complex and frustrated (he's got a label disorder from all the labels he's been given) at the best of times, Jake's on a desperate quest to find Skye before she aborts the baby he believes is his. As he hurtles headlong toward certain tragedy, Jake relives the fatal choices he's made and the powerful forces that have led him to this to end. A gripping thriller and a heart-wrenching love story, Pluto's Ghost is a raw and powerful novel about anger, escape, and redemptive love.

Good luck to you all :)

CSN Bedspread Review

2010-10-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long since I've been on here! Sorry about that :( School is kicking my butt and I haven't been able to get ANY reading done. I've been reading books for school, but that's it. I haven't even gotten to read MOCKINGJAY yet!!! Anyways, a few weeks ago I got asked to review something from CSN stores. If you guys don't remember or don't know, I reviewed an amazing bookshelf for my dorm room which you can read here.

I chose to improve my dorm room once again, so I decided to get a new bedspread! I was supposed to have a roommate but since she didn't come back to school this semester, I have a room all to myself with two twin beds. I decided to push my two beds together and make one huge king size bed!

So... here's the before picture.

& here's the after!

Let me just say that I am much more than pleased with this bedspread. It's absolutely gorgeous and makes my room feel so much more homey. My room doesn't even feel like a dorm room anymore! The shipping was pretty fast, about 3-4 days, and it's just as pretty in real life as it was online. Thank you CSN for this amazing opportunity!

PS... If anyone has sent me a book for review and I haven't gotten the chance to review it yet, I apologize! I plan on getting to it as soon as possible!

Another Amazing CSN Opportunity!

2010-09-28T17:26:00.001-07:00

Hello my lovely readers! I'm oh so excited because I got asked to review a product from CSN, or give away a gift card. Since I'm giving away a gift card already, I figured I'd review something! I'm pretty sure that I want a new comforter for my dorm, so I think I'll go with that. I was supposed to have a roommate this year, but it turns out she transferred, so now I have two twin beds which equals a king size! I'm going to push the two of them together and have one amazing big bed! Nice right? Anyway, when I was looking at comforters I also came across platform beds. These beds are so awesome!

Aren't they awesome?! I especially love the bed with the drawers. I have so many clothes and that would definitely come in handy! Anyways, I'm very much looking forward to reviewing a product and I'll be picking out a winner for the gift card tonight! Good luck! :)

Queen in Exile by Donna Hatch

2010-09-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Queen in Exile by Donna Hatch

Publisher: Walnut Springs Press, March 23rd 2010

Pages: 373

Edition: Paperback

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: A

Summary:

Rumors of war hang over Princess Jeniah's peaceful country of Arden, a land that shuns both magic and warfare. Following a lifelong dream, Jeniah forms a telpathic bond with a revered creature called a chayim, who is prophesied to save her kingdom. But when a Darborian knight comes upon Jeniah with her chayim, he sees only a vicious monster about to devour a maiden, and he slays the beast.

Devastated by the loss of her chayim, and fearing that her own magic is evil, Jeniah doubts her destiny. When an enemy invades Arden City, they slaughter the people, storm the castle, and execute the entire royal family except the princess. Rescued by the knight who slew her chayim, Jeniah is now heir to the throne of Arden and the only hope for freeing her people from tyranny.

On the run and hunted by enemy soldiers, Jeniah must place her life and the fate of her kingdom in the hands of this trained killer. Torn between embracing her destiny as queen of Arden, and her love for a mere knight, she must ultimately rely on her magic to save herself and her people from death and tyranny.

Review:

The summary for this book made it sound like an action/adventure/romance/paranormal novel. And that's exactly what it was! I loved every single moment of this book :)

To start, Jeniah is princess of Arden but she certainly doesn't act like any ordinary princess! She's brave, adventurous, different and has special magical abilities. I'll just say that I loved reading the book from her perspective BUT you also get to read it from Kai's perspective, which made it all the more interesting. The book started off very strong, with a captivating beginning. You are immediately introduced to both main characters and you feel as if you've known them forever. Kai is probably one of my favorite male characters that I've read about. He's obviously handsome and is dangerously skilled in combat, which makes him the perfect bodyguard for Jeniah. They embark on an amazing journey together and you get to see their relationship develop throughout that adventure.

As the novel progresses, it just gets better and better! There's a ton of action and suspense moments in the book and a few twists too! I loved the new mythical creatures introduced in the novel such as chayims, wrywolves and duocorns. Well wrywolves are just another type of werewolf species but still, I liked how Donna included some differences between the two. For me, the end of the book was spectacular. It was amazing! I finished this book in three days because it was so gripping. I'm really hoping for a sequel.

I recommend this book to everybody! Do yourself a favor and go pick it up RIGHT NOW.

CSN Giveaway!

2010-09-07T12:30:00.001-07:00

Hello lovelies! So sorry I haven't been posting ... well... at ALL! But I do have a nice treat for you today. CSN contacted me and asked me to either review or host a giveaway and since I reviewed something last time, I'll give something away to one of you this time! Click HERE to enter the contest and good luck to all of you! :)

The contest ends September 28th!

CSN Preview

2010-08-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Hello lovelies! CSN offered to let me host a giveaway on their behalf for a $60 gift card for any of their stores, and they have A LOT!

As a college student, I really try to make my dorm feel like home and with a modern chair the room really has a cool feeling to it. I'd love to get this chair even though it doesn't match anything in my room!

Anyways, check out all they have to offer at http://www.csn.com/ and I'm sure there's at least 20 things you'll have your eye on by the time you're done looking.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

2010-08-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Publisher: Hyperion, May 2008

# of pages: 400

Source: Library

Edition: Hardcover

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: C+

Summary:

Phoebe is just your typical goth girl with a crush. He’s strong and silent…and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is happening. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. They are coming back to life, but they are no longer the same—they stutter, and their reactions to everything are slower. Termed "living impaired" or "differently biotic," they are doing their best to fit into a society that doesn’t want them.

Fitting in is hard enough when you don’t have the look or attitude, but when almost everyone else is alive and you’re not, it’s close to impossible. The kids at Oakvale High don’t want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn’t breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the differently biotic from the people who want them to disappear—for good.

With her pale skin and Goth wardrobe, Phoebe has never run with the popular crowd. But no one can believe it when she falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids. Not her best friend, Margi, whose fear of the differently biotic is deeply rooted in guilt over the past. And especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has just realized his feelings for Phoebe run much deeper than just friendship. He would do anything for her, but what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

Review:

I really wish I liked this book more than I did! It took me forever to read, a week and a half I believe... which is usually kind of long for me.

The concept was really interesting and I was so excited to read it, but the plot just didn't do it for me. Nothing really caught my interest enough to make me keep reading, I basically just kept reading because I have to review Passing Strange, which is the 3rd book in the series and I'd really like to be updated on the first two books.

The characters were fun and lovable, but I didn't have that connection that I wish to have with every character I read about. Phoebe was strong and I liked that, but her personality was just as boring as the color of all of her clothes, black.

I know this is a short review and I'm sorry for that, but I honestly have nothing else to say about this book. I hope I like the second one better!

Arson by Estevan Vega

2010-08-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

Arson by Estevan Vega

Published: May 4th 2010 by Tate Publishing

Pages: 318 pages

Rating: B-

Summary:

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl-who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin-moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. Using what he fears the most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

Review:

I have very mixed thoughts about Arson. I'm still not quite sure if I enjoyed the novel or if it just fell flat for me.

To start, this is the first novel by Vega that I've read so I wasn't too sure about his style of writing or if I would like the book. The summary did intrigue me though, so I gave the book a shot. Arson started off strong and I was eager to read on. The main character, Arson, was troubled and had secrets that I yearned to know more about. I thought he was kind and had a strong heart especially with the guilt he deals with throughout the book. His ability to create fire also adds more spark (no pun intended ;D ) to his personality.

As you read further into the book, things get a little bit odd, for example the way his grandmother acts around him. She is definitely not loving or sane in my opinion but the reasoning behind that does gets explained. I also thought that although Arson started off well, the development and plot of the book were very poor. The middle section of the book really had no point to it except maybe to emphasize the feelings Emery and Arson were developing for each other but that dragged on a bit too long for my taste. As for the conclusion of the book, it was excellent. There was excitement and twists in the plot that I totally didn't see coming and Vega ended the book with an awesome cliffhanger!

To finish, I wouldn't say that Arson was great but it was a good book. It's worth it to read it when you have the time.

CSN Spine Bookcase Review

2010-08-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hello my loves! I was lucky enough to get a bookcase from CSN to review! As some of you may know, I'm in college and I just moved into my dorm yesterday, and dorms are NOT big at all. It's a challenge to find room for everything you brought and the book shelves they have to not fit my requirments :P

Here's a picture of the room itself (my side) so you can see how small it is.

And here's a picture of my lovely bookcase.

And here's a picture of how well the bookcase fits in with my other furniture.

The bookcase is incredible, it was actually fun to put together (not hard at all), and the shipping was amazing. It took 2 days for the bookcase to get to my house and did I mention FREE shipping? Pretty awesome.

In My Mailbox (38)

2010-08-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Overall!

For Review:

The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes

The Jumper Chronicles by W.C. Peever

Bought:

Kiss of Life (Generation Dead #2) by Daniel Waters

So what did you guys get in your mailboxes? Let me know in a comment so I can come see your post! :)

Book Blogger Hop (4)

2010-08-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hey hoppers! Welcome to our blog! :) I hope you enjoy although we haven't really had the time to post much this week.... and I'm STILL reading Generation Dead. It's taking me long enough huh?

Question: How many blogs do you follow?

Answer: Oh wow... I think around 200 or so. There are so many awesome blogs out there, I just can't help it! How about you guys? Let me know through the comments or leave a link to your blog!

In My Mailbox (37)

2010-08-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Overall!

Good Reads Swap:

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Barnes and Noble:

World War Z by Max Brooks (for school)

2010-2011 Planner! (for school... I love planners! I probably would fail out of school without one! :P)

Ebay:

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter (I have the 2nd and 3rd book, but still don't have the 1st!)

Review:

Over the Moon by Diane Daniels

**That's it for books this week!! What did you guys get?

Book Blogger Hop (3)

2010-08-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Hey there hoppers!! :) Welcome to BAM Book Reviews! Just to let ya'll know, I'll be reviewing an awesome spine bookcase from CSN this week! I'm so excited to put it together and see how it works with my books (including textbooks) yuck. I'll be bringing it to my dorm at school where it's very, very tight.

Question: How many books do you have on your TBR shelf?

Answer: This is embarrasing... over 60...

How about you guys? Leave me a link to your blog so I can check it out! :)

Wishlist Wednesday (27)

2010-08-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! :) I haven't done a Wishlist Wednesday in forever and I thought I'd change it up a bit. Usually I just pick random books that I've had my eye on. From now on, I'll actually be picking books from my Barnes and Noble wish list. I'm going to start from the bottom of the list, which are books I picked out as early as 2008.

To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker

Once caught, it’s harder still to let a pirate go
When Annalisa Townsend’s ship is set upon by pirates in search of her father’s treasure, one of the crew, James Sterling, discovers her in the hold. When he moves to take her necklace, she begs him not to, as it is all she has left of her mother. He accepts a kiss in exchange for the necklace. “A fair trade, m’lady,” he tells her afterward, before disappearing.
A year later, with a forged letter of marque, Annalisa is intent on hunting down the wretched James Sterling and reclaiming her father’s treasure from him. But now she’s in danger of him stealing something far more vulnerable this time: her heart.

PS: Let me know what you thought of this book if you've read it! I'd love to know!

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

2010-08-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

# of pages: 352

Source: Gift

Edition: ARC

Genre: Adult Fiction

Rating: C-

Summary:

Can we save ourselves, or do we rely on others to do it? Is what we believe always the truth?

One moment June Nealon was happily looking forward to years full of laughter and adventure with her family, and the next, she was staring into a future that was as empty as her heart. Now her life is a waiting game. Waiting for time to heal her wounds, waiting for justice. In short, waiting for a miracle to happen.

For Shay Bourne, life holds no more surprises. The world has given him nothing, and he has nothing to offer the world. In a heartbeat, though, something happens that changes everything for him. Now, he has one last chance for salvation, and it lies with June's eleven-year-old daughter, Claire. But between Shay and Claire stretches an ocean of bitter regrets, past crimes, and the rage of a mother who has lost her child.

Would you give up your vengeance against someone you hate if it meant saving someone you love? Would you want your dreams to come true if it meant granting your enemy's dying wish?

Review:

I think I'm done with Adult Fiction for quite a while. I gave it a shot mostly because I was embarrased to still be reading YA. I'm 19 now and I thought it was time for me to at least try to read something that's meant for my age group. I don't care anymore though. I love YA and I won't let something as little as age keep me from it.

I liked Change of Heart at first... it was pretty good and very interesting. The book had alternating points of view from four different characters, which was the biggest thrill of all, unfortunately.

I've been reading this book for about 2 weeks and I've only gotten to page 158. I can't possibly read any more of this book right now. Maybe I'll return to it someday, but as of right now, it's absolutely tedious.

The plot won't move so that means the pages won't either... because I keep falling asleep when I try to read it... Come on Jodi Picoult: I loved your book Perfect Match! It was one of my first reviews (I bet that's easy to tell... not my best writing.) hehe. I have two other books by her that I haven't read yet: The Pact and My Sister's Keeper. I've heard wonderful things about both and hopefully I will like them a lot more than Change of Heart!

Book Blogger Hop (2) & Winner of Salvaged by Stefne Miller

2010-08-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

First of all, the winner of Salvaged by Stefne Miller was kjovus! I sent them an email and if they don't get back to me within 48 hours, I'll choose another winner!

Happy belated Friday everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend, I spent most of mine watching Gossip Girl :P Season 3 was pretty amazing and heartbreaking. The end was just wow and I can't wait until Season 4.

For all of the hoppers, welcome! I hope you enjoy my blog and make sure to leave a comment so I can come visit yours!

Question: Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?

Answer: Not really. Sometimes I'll have the TV on pretty low but I find music to be distracting for some reason.

CSN Review Teaser!

2010-08-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hello my lovely readers! :) So as some of you may know, I went on a cruise this summer to the bahamas and a few other places. The only thing that really bugged me is when I picked up my luggage right after leaving the ship, it was so hard to find! All of the luggage looked the same and I wish I had a different pattern or color to make it stand out. Well, I couldn't find any cute luggage in the department stores I went to... but CSN has tons of different kinds of luggage that I wish I knew about.

They have AMAZINGLY cute luggage that I want to get my hands on! Like this adorable pink one...

Or this fierce giraffe print one!

So go ahead and take a peak at what CSN has to offer! They have over 200 stores to choose from also!

Me? I'll be reviewing a bookcase since I have no more room left for my precious books :(

Infinity (Chronicles of Nick, #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

2010-08-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Published May 2010

448 pages

Rating: B-/B

Synopsis

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity. Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu. As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

My review

I'm going to divide this review into two paragraphs. One paragraph will be the negative aspects of this book and the other paragraph will be the positive things. We'll start with the negative.

First of all, I didn't really fully understand what the plot of the book was. I think that Sherrilyn wrote another series about Dark-Hunters so maybe I should have read that series before reading this book. There were too many characters to follow and too many different types of supernatural creatures in this novel for my taste. I didn't know who or what half the characters were and some of them just completely disappeared for the rest of the book! I felt like there were so many loose ends in the book and the character development was poor so I couldn't really connect with any of them. I was also confused about which storyline to focus on and there were too many different things going on in the book.

Now for the positive :) I like Nick as the main character. He's funny, polite, brave, charming and an all around likable character. I thought that the plot, though at times confusing, had a lot of potential and the action in the book was great. I really enjoyed the ending of the book, I love big explosive endings and Infinity finished with a bang. The book also had a hint of humor and romance included, which is always good.

To finish, I thought Infinity was a good book but it wasn't amazing. Read it when you have time
but I wouldn't put it at the top of the to-read pile.

The Girl Made of Cool by Alan Fox

2010-08-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

The Girl Made of Cool by Alan Fox

Publisher: StoryFocus Communications

# of pages: 240

Source: Author

Genre: Adult Fiction

Rating: D

Summary:

Here, Fox tells the story of a young man and woman who are falling in love with each other, but the young woman doesn't know it. She believes that she's falling in love with the man's far more handsome, more perfect friend. ... As the story unfolds and deepens, we see how these two highly talented young men must suffer, struggle, and wage battle to woo this young woman. This, as all the while, she grows into an ever greater beauty, a more charismatic personality, and an all-the-more alluring woman. ... This, as all the while, this young lady grows to become an elegant woman made of shining love and elusive cool. -- Also featured here in this collection, you will find: The Novel "HELL HAS BLUE SKIES" -- A love story about intense relationships in an office, whose unusual line of business is to train people to become 'world-class experts.' And the short story "THE LOVELY LADY AT THE LOVE MUSEUM" -- A colorful tale of romance and high-level maneuvering in the big city.

Review:

Okay... So I've never written a review where I've given the book a rating under a C-. A first time for everything right? I started this book with an open mind and couldn't even finish it. I was bored and put the book down plenty of times making excuses like "have to clean my room" or "I'm hungry" or... you name it.

The characters were hard to relate to and I never really made that connection with any of them. I really wanted to try and finish the book, but my motivation was completely shot during the process of reading it.

Hopefully someone else will enjoy this book more than I did, so look out for a giveaway.

In My Mailbox (36)

2010-07-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Overall!

For Review:

The Girl Made of Cool by Alan Fox

Passing Strange (Generation Dead Serires #3) by Daniel Waters

Bought (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/):

Dracula by Bram Stoker (School)

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls Series #2)

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Bought (Walmart):

Under the Dome by Stephen King

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Series #1)

Library:

Generation Dead (Generation Dead Series #1) by Daniel Waters

Good Reads Swap:

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Book I'm Currently Reading...

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

What a long IMM post right?! I took that picture on the 4th of July ;) Pretty cool huh? Anyways, leave your link below so I can check out your IMM post too! :)

Business Vs. Pleasure Books Poll

2010-07-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hello my lovely readers! :) So this upcoming Fall... I'll be reading some awesome books for school, at least I hope they're awesome! These books include Dracula, I am Legend, World War Z, and even The Holy Bible: King James Version. So I'm going to make a poll that I'd really appreciate you to participate in. I won't be getting tons of YA reading done, so I was wondering if you'd like me to post reviews of the books I'll be reading in school, mainly novels and sometimes poetry. I'll give you the list below of the books I'll be reading and I'll put the poll in the right sidebar. So please, please participate! I would love your opinion on this.

Intro to Literature:

The Holy Bible: King James Version

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Monster Literature:

Beowulf by Seamus Heaney (Translator)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (again)

Dracula by Bram Stoker

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

World War Z by Max Brooks

Layout Change!

2010-07-30T21:11:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! If you haven't noticed... the blog has been under quite a bit of construction over the past few days. I just wanted to give a big jumbo credit to the lovely girls that did it for me! Cara from Chasing Words!!! As you can tell, she did an amazing, fabulous, incredible job! I love how the layout looks, very neat and clean. If there was ever any tweaking that I needed, she did it happily. I adore this girl for making my blog look professional and amazing... for FREE.

& second, the lovely girl who did my beautiful header is Katie from Sophistikatied Reviews. She made 3 absolutely incredible headers and I chose the one above. What do you guys think? I love it and will probably keep it forever!

Besides their sweet talent for HTML... they both have great book blogs that I love reading! Check them both out! :D

Book Blogger Hop! (1)

2010-07-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Happy Friday :) This is my first week participating in the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jen over at Crazy for Books ! Thanks for coming to visit our blog and I hope you enjoy it and maybe even decide to follow! Let me know you've been here so I can check your blog out too... since I don't have the time to check out hundreds of blogs... I can only get to 50, maybe 75. :)

Question: Who is your favorite new-to-you author this year?

Briana: Most definitely Stefne Miller! I read her book Salvaged and fell in love with it! The characters were amazing. I have a giveaway going on here at the blog so if you'd like to check it out, go ahead and click here. There's a link to my review on the giveaway post if you'd like to check that out too!

Thanks for visiting everyone! :) Have a wonderful weekend!

Giveaway!: Salvaged by Stefne Miller

2010-07-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Yay!!! Finally the giveaway for Stefne Miller's book, Salvaged! Sorry it took so long to get this giveaway arranged... I was at the beach!

So here's the deal, I reviewed Salvaged a week ago Stefne has been generous enough to provide a copy for a contest! I thought the book was fantastic and I think you guys will agree so go ahead and enter! :)

Contest Deetz (or commonly known as details...):

The contest ends at 11:59 PM, August 7th
This contest is open to residents of US only! Sorry :(

To read my review of Salvaged just click here and to enter the giveaway click HERE!!!

Under Construction!

2010-07-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

BAM Book Reviews is going under construction so please just bear with us! :)

Salvaged

2010-07-21T23:47:00.000-07:00

Stefne Miller

352 Pages

Published May, 2010

Rating: A+

'My body was being torn apart, and my stomach felt as if it exploded. The pain was excruciating, and I was aware that I was dying... 'Mom?' My vision was murky, but I could see her face. It was bloody, and her eyes were large and full of fear. Her voice calmed. 'Get out of the car, Attie.' Her words sounded crisp and clear. I looked into the backseat in search of Melody and found her lying covered in blood in a twisted heap on the floor. I turned my attention back to my mother and out of the corner of my eye saw fire. 'Get out, Attie!' 'Mom?' Everything went dark.'

Attie Reed should have died in the wreck that stole the lives of her mother and best friend. But her life was spared. Why? When Attie moves to Oklahoma to stay with the Bennetts for the summer, she hopes she has left her nightmares behind. But her battle is far from over, and Riley Bennett steps forward to help her fight the nighttime monsters. As the battle wears on, Riley begins fighting monsters of his own: his feelings for Attie. And Attie realizes she must begin to face the monsters of the night herself if she wants to conquer them for good. Can Attie's life be Salvaged?

I always get a little nervous when I write my reviews. Why? Well, I've never been the best writer and I really want to get my points and feelings across as clear as possible. Sometimes, I manage to do that, sometimes I don't. Whether I give a book an A+ or a D-, I always try to let the readers know exactly why I did or didn't enjoy the book (without spoilers [unless noted], of course). My absolute biggest worry about writing this review is that I won't be able to express how much I really adored it and why... but I'll give it a shot.

When I was about to start Salvaged, I was pretty excited. I cherish a good love story and I was in dire need of one. The cover was cute too, which never hurts! Little did I know what I would be getting myself into...

This book made me laugh, cry, smile, pout, and even make the little "awwww" noise out loud! Riley and Attie got to know each other really well through out the book, and I got to know them really well too. I did get frustrated with Attie at times mostly because of her insecurity issues, but then I always remembered what she went through and why she must be feeling this or that way about herself. Riley on the other hand is a dream and a half. Edward Cullen/Jacob Black/Noah Calhoun/Romeo... who?

I knew that the book was Christian once I started it but I didn't expect Jesus to be a main character. It took me by surprise and I loved reading the parts of the book where he made his appearances. He had the type of personality anyone could love, just like most of the other characters in the book. There also wasn't any sex or racy behavior, which is really quite refreshing!!!

Just a warning though: This book kept me up until 4:30 in the morning. This book will grab you and not let you go. You might feel like you regret it the next morning, especially if you have to get up at 7:30 for a doctor's appointment like I did... but in the end it was worth it!

This may sound a little bizarre but I almost feel like the book respected my wishes and took the exact turns I hoped for. Needless to say, I loved every single part of this book and I may just have to read it again someday (and I rarely if ever re-read a book).

Oh, Stefne also told me about a great price on her website for her book! Bookstores and Amazon are selling it for $24.99 but you can get it $10 cheaper and SIGNED!!!

http://www.stefnemiller.com/

Also, look out for a giveaway here on the blog! Stefne was generous enough to provide a copy of Salvaged for one of you lucky readers!!!

Birthday Contest Winners!

2010-07-21T08:51:00.001-07:00

Thank you to all who entered the Birthday Contest!

There were very few who entered, but that means a better chance of winning for those who did enter!!

I decided a few weeks ago to do things a little differently since the whole Sarah Dessen books didnt come in the mail when expected so I decided to change it up a bit. Both winners will receive THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins because that book is one of my favorites! And they will also receive some other goodies that will be a surprise, ha. Because I love surprises!

And the winners are...

Kaylee from Kaylee's bookshelf!

and

PeechieKeen from All Aboutt the Wordplay!

So congrats girls!

I have sent you both an email, so please send me your address so I can get these presents out as soon as possible! Probably out by next week!

-Arielle :)

The Secret Diary of Ashley Juergens

2010-07-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

Ashley Juergens

240 Pages

Published June, 2010

Rating: C+

I got called into Principal Miller's office again. She handed me a notebook. This notebook. She told me keeping a journal is an excellent way to express oneself. So I have to write in this stupid thing and turn it in at the end of each month.

Little does she know what she's in for. With everything that's been going on—Amy's band camp pregnancy, my parents' divorce, a secret wedding—it's practically one- stop shopping for all your Grant High gossip needs.

Property of Ashley Juergens. Read at your own risk (especially you, Amy).

Let me start off by saying I love The Secret Life of an American Teenager, the TV show. Since I love the show, I figured I would love the book too. I liked the book, but to be honest it felt like I was watching a re-run of the show and I'm not a huge fan of re-runs... I don't even re-read books (not even the ones I LOVE) ! When I know what's going to happen and there aren't any kind of surprises in it for me, I get bored and tend to stop reading... which is kind of what I did with this book. I read a little more than halfway into the book and stopped.

I really loved Ashley's attitude through out the book though! It was almost more entertaining than the plot sometimes. The plot was entertaining; But, I read something about the book having exciting new moments from episodes (to be aired) so needless to say, I was a little disapointed. One of the main reasons I read the book was to read a few sneak peeks of new episodes. I guess that was old news though... because the whole book had nothing to do with episodes even close to airing now. And even though I didn't read the whole book, I looked ahead... to the last few pages... and everything was still a little too familiar (old) to me.

I really wish there was some dialogue. I never thought dialogue was so important until I read this book. I think I NEED dialogue in order to get through a book now, which may be a reason why I didn't get all the way through this one. I didn't want to give this book that bad of a rating because I think someone that hasn't seen the TV show yet, might really enjoy them; Or someone that LOVES the TV show more than anything will really like them!

PS: Keep an eye out for a giveaway because I think one of you will like this book a lot more than I did!

Two Questions: (Nora Roberts & Blog Layouts)

2010-07-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hello my lovely readers! I could really use your suggestions, help, and advice on two things I've been thinking about for quite a while.

So first...

Nora Roberts. I hear she is quite an amazing writer. I would love to try out one of her books and see how I like it. There's a teeny, weeny little problem though. She has written well over what, 150 books? Is there ANY suggestions to what books of hers I should read? What's one of YOUR favorites so far?

& Second!

I've been looking for a new layout for the blog and I really don't want to spend $100 dollars on one, even though they're absolutely fabulous. So my question is, is there anyone out there that can suggest a cheap/free layout site? Or even better, is there anyone out there that's good with HTML and would be a doll and help me make one?

I would really appreciate your feedback guys! :)

Girl Parts

2010-07-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

John M. Cusick

240 pages

Published August 10th, 2010

Rating: B-

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat “dissociative disorder,” he can’t get enough of luscious, redheaded Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Severed from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up to her, knowing that she isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal “companion” is about to become her own best friend.

It was such a relief to be connected to a simple, 200 pager instead of big, chunky 400 pager. Don't get me wrong I love to read, but unless it's one of my favorite books, I can only take so much of it. Girl Parts was the perfect length, not too short and not too long.

The characters were really fun to read about, especially Rose. Don't get me wrong, I loved Charlie and David was fun too, but Rose was just wonderful. I loved her curious attitude and also how pure she was!

Girl Parts was a pretty quick read; there wasn't a lot of boring parts, but not a lot of exciting ones either. I felt like the story kept building up, only to realize that there wasn't much it was building up to. The story was good, I guess I just wish there was more (depth) to it.

The whole idea behind Girl Parts was so interesting! I've never read a book about robots and now that I know what I've been missing, I'll have to check some more out.

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, #5)

2010-06-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

Richelle Mead

490 pages

Published May 2010

Rating: A+

Synopsis (contains spoilers for those who haven't read the the other books)

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong… After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives beyond the Academy’s iron gates to begin. But Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri, and he's out there, somewhere. She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

My review

Okay so I know I didn't review the other books in the Vampire Academy series but I received Spirit Bound for review so here goes!

I. LOVED. IT. This series is just too amazing. I loved the other books but Spirit Bound was just.. wow. I'm speechless. Spirit Bound continues after Blood Promise, with Rose and Lissa about to graduate and let me tell you, there's more drama than ever. The plot was excellent and the beginning had me hooked right away. Richelle brought new aspects to the storyline and revealed new things about spirit users, which was awesome to know. She's one of my favorite authors.

Rose is obviously one of my favorite heroines. She's beautiful, courageous, strong, hilarious, etc. I just love reading the books from her perspective. Everything she does is either funny or dangerous. I also love every character in this series, good or bad. They all have very deep personalities and wild characteristics that make the books so enjoyable. The characters have to go through even worse stuff in Spirit Bound and it was fun to see Lissa and Rose outside of the Academy with two awesome characters accompanying them, Eddie and Adrian. Oh and we can't forget our lovely bad boy, Dimitri! I love the turn of events in this book for him, Rose and Adrian.

Any bad things about Spirit Bound? No way! Well it was too short for me, I never wanted the book to end. I never thought that it would live up to my expectations since Blood Promise blew me away but Richelle continues to surprise me. Spirit Bound takes you on an unforgettable adventure that makes your heart race. I can't wait to read the last book but I'll also be disappointed to see the series end. If you haven't read these books yet, add them to your to-read pile! One of the best books I've ever read.

Birthday Party! aka, a contest! :)

2010-06-29T16:31:00.001-07:00

Hey All!

Well in a few weeks, July 20th to be exact, is my 20th birthday!! And I am really excited. I thought that it would be really cool for me to have a contest for my birthday and spread a little love and give you guys presents! (AKA Books!)

I will be giving away presents to two lucky people who will receive two books! The first winner will be able to choose from four books and the next winner will get the remaining two. All four books that I plan to give away are some of my favorites, so I hope you all like them too or if you havent read them, then you definitely should!!

Here are the four books! :)

Three are by Sarah Dessen and one is by Laurie Halse Anderson.. two of my all time favorite authors!

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

& Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

I hope all of you will enter! Because I really want to give away some books! Ha. I love giving presents to people and since its my birthday I decided that since I'll most likely be getting gifts from my parents (hopefully! haha), I should give some gifts to you guys! And its been awhile since we have done a contest!

So here are the rules! They are easy! Don't worry!

US residents only please! 13 years or older.

POST ALL ENTRIES IN ONE (1) COMMENT!

+1 for commenting

+2 for following.. old or new!

+3 spread the word! Via twitter, blog, wherever! Only once gets you +3, anything more than that will still just get you +3. INCLUDE LINKS!

+4 for telling me the best birthday gift you have ever gotten!

Thats a total of 10 total entries you could get, so enter! :)

Contest Ends July 19th!

And I will announce the winner a few days later!

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT OR ELSE YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE CONTEST!!

So Enter!! :)

In My Mailbox (35)

2010-06-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Review:

Girl Parts by John M. Cusick (This sounds extraordinary!)

The Secret Diary of Ashley Juergens by Ashley Juergens (I love the show, The Secret Life of an American Teenager, so I'm super excited to read this one!)

Salvaged by Stefne Miller (NEED TO READ!)

**What did you guys get? :)

Leaving Paradise

2010-06-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Simone Elkeles

Published 2007

303 Pages

Rating: B+

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.

(from BN.com)

Let me first say that this book was pretty close to amazing. It had everything a book should have: desire, love, broken hearts, honest perspectives, amusement, and a good ending. I fell in love with book within the first few pages. I was hooked from the get-go.

The book is told from two points of views: Caleb Becker's and Maggie Armstrong's. They are two very different individuals but have something in common they both cannot stand to live with.Leaving Paradise is a book about their struggles. They both try to find peace after what happened that night. In short, Caleb was drunk driving and hit Maggie and from that point on everything was different. Caleb was put into a juvenile detention center and Maggie was in the hospital and undergoing major therapy, but now it’s a year later and much has changed but not necessarily for the better. Caleb is free, and Maggie is still living with her disability while trying to accept the fact that her life has completely done a 180.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I was surprised at a few of the twists it had. There were some things I didn’t expect but they made the book so much better. Not only was this book different from the average teen novel, but it was one that left me thinking about the little (or big) things in life that affect others. I definitely recommend this book to teens (and even adults) everywhere. The ending was unexpected, but it pulled the book together perfectly.

Uglies

2010-06-27T17:22:00.001-07:00

Scott Westerfeld

Published 2006

448 Pages

Rating: C

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

At first, I really didn't enjoy this book that much. The first 200 pages or so bored me to death and I just wanted to put the book down and and host a giveaway. I thought maybe someone else would like it more than I would, because it's a pretty popular YA series.

After the first 200 pages, things started to pick up and I started to get more engrossed in the story. The plot and characters became more refreshing and the entire "feel" of the book took a 180 for me. Do you ever pick up a book and just not even want to read it because the feel of it just doesnt do it for you? That's what I felt in the beginning of Uglies.

Am I going to read the sequels? It depends. As long as I have other books to read, I probably won't end up buying Pretties. What I mean by that, is my TBR (To Be Read) list is never-ending so as long as I have something else on my shelves, chances are... Pretties will not be in my shopping cart.

Overall, the book itself isn't a bad one; it's just not my preference.

Back in Action!

2010-06-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

I'm back from my marvelous vacation and I'm ready to get back into my reading routine. I did get some reading done while sitting by the pool, you know, getting my tan on. I FINALLY finished reading Uglies! I'm so proud of myself for finishing it and I honestly didn't hate it like I thought I would.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my charger for my camera, so I don't have tons of amazing pictures to share. My mom bought some disposables thought so hopefully I can find someone's scanner to use so I can show you the pictures of me holding a stingray! By the way, they're incredible creatures, so gentle and sweet.

This is a beautiful little part of Nassau that I found that I just needed to take a picture of.

This is a monkey made of towels that the staff put together, hanging near our TV.

I took this picture of the beautiful view from my balcony on the ship. Waking up to that... is unexplainable.

Anyways, I'm back in action and ready to roll. Bring on the books :)

M.I.A.

2010-06-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hey guys :) On Saturday at 9 AM I'll be heading to New York to get on a big boat. :D I'll be going to Florida, the Bahamas and a few other private islands. I'm so excited and I will be reading at night when I can, but I'll have no internet service available to post. The boat actually has a library and I'll definitely be checking it out. My mom looked at me like I was a nutcase when I said that. She said, "You're going to be on a wonderful cruise, going to amazing beaches and you'll be in the library? It's obvious that you're meant to be an English major."

Anyway, I'll miss you guys dearly! To anyone that's holding a contest, if I happen to win it while you're gone... if you wouldn't mind waiting until next Saturday that'd be great. But if you'd like to give it to the next person that's okay too.

-Briana

Booking Through Thursday (12)

2010-06-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

Do you prefer reading current books? Or older ones? Or outright old ones? (As in, yes, there’s a difference between a book from 10 years ago and, say, Charles Dickens or Plato.)

Briana: I don't usually read older books. I love to read new books because I can definitely relate to them more... but I'm sure older books are fun too. For example, I loved reading MacBeth in school. That was fantastic!

Flawless (Pretty Little Liars Series #2)

2010-06-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Sara Shepard

Published 2008

352 Pages

Rating: A+

(The summary contains spoilers of book 1, Pretty Little Liars.)

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

Wow. Just wow. I am amazed and completely in love with this series. Just call me hooked!

Okay, so I have to admit that I was a little nervous to read Flawless, because... well you know how sequels can be sometimes. I loved the first book and I really hoped the second was just as good. Little did I know that it wasn't just as good... it was better!

Just like the first book, Flawless started off with a flashback scene of Alison. As important as that first section may be, it's probably the most boring part of the book. But I get through it and then get right on to the good stuff, Chapter 1!

I think I forgot to mention in the review of Pretty Little Liars, that the chapters rotate between the 4 girls' (Aria, Spencer, Hanna, & Emily) perspectives. At the end of every chapter, there was a cliffhanger and I could not wait to get back to that girl's perspective. But then I got to the next girl's perspective and didn't want to leave that chapter. And the cycle goes on and on.

Although the first half of the book was awesome, the second half was incredible. Suspense, glamour, surprises, oh my!

-Briana

P.S. I'm going to try and read Uglies for the umpteenth time. I need to atleast finish the book before I give it a bad review. I'll feel like I'm being unfair otherwise. Anyway, I really hope it gets better!

In My Mailbox (34)

2010-06-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Briana: Sooo, this week was the week of my birthday and my mother got me a few books :)

Burned (House of Night Series #7) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
Flawless (Pretty Little Liars Series #2) by Sara Shepard
Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

** I kept the sticker on Burned because I didn't think you guys would believe me if I said I got the book for only 11 dollars!! && No, I've never read The Outsiders, crazy right?

Booking Through Thursday (11)

2010-06-10T11:37:00.001-07:00

Do signed copies excite you? Tempt you? Delight you? Or does it not matter to you?

Briana: I love getting signed copies! It's an autograph from the person that just created a story good enough to get published. It's definitely exciting because the person that just created an amazing story didn't just have a printed copy given to you by the publishing company. They took the time to sign it and I feel it's so much more personal, even though they probably sign 100 books a day lol.

Burned (House of Night Series #7)

2010-06-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Published 2010

323 Pages

Rating: B+

(The summary contains spoilers of books 1-6)

When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames….

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

(END of spoilers)

I'm so happy to say that even though Tempted didn't impress me, Burned did. I definitely felt an improvement, not only with the story itself but also with the slang. There wasn't as much of "I heart you" and "bullpoopie" kinds of phrases. There was still a lot of planning instead of doing in this book, if you know what I mean. The whole book was basically just talking about plans and right at the last 50 pages or so, something finally happened.

The connection between Stevie Rae and Rephaim is what really kept me reading. I can't wait to see it progress more and more through out the series. I'm definitely feeling a little beauty and the beast story going on here.

Something that I noticed that kind of bugs me is there are a lot of similarities between True Blood and House of Night. I'm wondering if the Cast's consciously got the ideas from the show or if they got them without even realizing they might be accidentally ripping the show off. The white bull, the horns, visiting the queen for help, and some other things I can't really remember right now.

Did any of you guys notice the similarities too? I'd love to know what you thought.

-Briana

P.S. It's my birthday! :)

Paper Towns

2010-06-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

John Green

Published 2008

305 Pages

Rating: B-

Who is the real Margo?

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew…

(from back of book)

There were parts of this book that I absolutely loved, but there were also parts of the book were I wish John Green either didn’t put in or wrote differently. Paper Towns is funny, compelling, thought provoking, and adventurous.

Paper Towns is divided into three parts: The Strings, The Grass, and The Vessel. Each section has its own quirkiness and excitement that keeps you on the edge of your seat. In the first section, the Strings, you meet Quentin Jacobsen and Margo Roth Spiegelman. They are both in high school but aren’t necessarily friends with one another. They have been neighbors since they were young and Quentin (Q) has had a crush on Margo ever since he could remember. But one night, Margo surprises Q at his bedroom window and takes him on an adventure/revenge trip of a lifetime. He believes this is a starting point for their friendship to blossom but the next day at school makes him rethink that thought.

The second section, The Grass, is kind of the mystery part of the book. Q and his friends plus a few of Margo’s friends try to uncover the secrets of Margo and what made her do what she did. This is the part of the book that is extremely thought provoking, as you read you try and figure out the clues along with Q and the gang. I was determined to uncover Margo’s secrets before Q, but that didn’t work out so well. Q definitely has a knack for discovering things that other people cannot.

The third section, The Vessel, is probably the funniest part of the book. Q and the gang are on a mission to get to Margo before she does anything she might later regret. This part of the book is divided up by hours and it describes the roadtrip to Margo. There are definitely some hilarious parts in this section, but also in the sections before.

The really big problem I have with this book is the ending. It was a decent ending, but I guess I expected something a lot more intense. But this ending is good with the fact that the reader can kind of guess what happens with Q and Margo.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this book. It had many great qualities and John Green wrote another winner. I believe most young adults would enjoy this book, especially if they are looking for something just a little bit different than what they are used to reading.

-Arielle

The Hunger Games Trilogy

2010-06-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

Long time since I have been on the blog, and for awhile now I have been thinking about leaving the blog altogether, but I have yet to decide completely on what I will do. But on another note, this post is focused on The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

The reason I decided to write a post veered towards these books is because my younger sister is currently reading them after I have been telling her for months and months to read them. At first, she resisted and said she didnt think they would be very good books; but, now that she has finished the first one she is very much in love with them - as am I (and I am sure many of you are as well).

These books are first and foremost excellent young adult books. They are full of excitement, pain, love, friendship, shock-and-awe scenarios, and much much more. They have readers captured from the first page, and will leave them wanting more every page they turn.

This post in dedicated to the wonderful work of Suzanne Collins. But her work isnt over yet. After the first two installments of The Hunger Games, there is still a third Hunger Games book yet to be released.

The third, and final book, of the Hunger Games Trilogy is called Mockingjay which comes out on August 24, 2010 (a little over two months away!!). The synopsis from BN.com is as follows: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Not only am I excited to read this book, but I am also sad that it will be the final book. I feel like these books can be read by young adults but also by adults. Everyone will find something in these books that they like.

I am also pleased to say that they will be creating a Hunger Games movie that is supposed to come out in 2011, but I really dont know how well that isnt going. But I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will in fact have a movie, because I think it could be a really great one if they work hard at it! Here is a post by Marisa about the Hunger Games movie.

For those of you that have no idea what The Hunger Games or Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins are, I recommend reading these books as soon as you can! And if you need further proof that these books are awesome you can read reviews by Briana (here for Catching Fire), and by me (here for a dual review of The Hunger Games) & (here for Catching Fire).

I know this has been a long post, but I really just wanted to reiterate the fact that YOU need to read these books! They are truly amazing and will leave you craving more of Katniss and Peeta!

-Arielle

P.S. Hopefully I will be able to do some more stuff with the blog now that it is finally summer, and I do have some time to read if I am not working!

Booking Through Thursday (10)

2010-06-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've done one of these but here it goes!

Which do you prefer? Short stories? Or full-length novels?

Briana: Definitely full-length novels! I hate only spending a few pages with a character compared to hundreds, especially if I love the character.

(Marisa and Arielle may post later.)

Tempted (House of Night Series #6)

2010-06-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Published 2009

319 Pages

Rating: B-

(May contain spoilers for anyone that hasn't read Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed, and Hunted.)

So…you’d think after banishing an immortal being and a fallen High Priestess, saving Stark’s life, biting Heath, getting a headache from Erik, and almost dying, Zoey Redbird would catch a break. Sadly, a break is not in the House of Night school forecast for the High Priestess in training and her gang. Juggling three guys is anything but a stress reliever, especially when one of them is a sexy Warrior who is so into protecting Zoey that he can sense her emotions. Speaking of stress, the dark force lurking in the tunnels under the Tulsa Depot is spreading, and Zoey is beginning to believe Stevie Rae could be responsible for a lot more than a group of misfit red fledglings. Aphrodite’s visions warn Zoey to stay away from Kalona and his dark allure, but they also show that it is Zoey who has the power to stop the evil immortal. Soon it becomes obvious that Zoey has no choice: if she doesn’t go to Kalona he will exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. Will Zoey have the courage to chance losing her life, her heart, and her soul?

I definitely did not enjoy this book as much as the others. It's been a while since I've read the other books in the series, so I can't quite remember what happened in what book, but the other books, from what I remember, were so much more entertaining and exciting than Tempted.

I did like this book so don't get me wrong. The characters were funny and attractive, but definitely annoying. I don't know how much longer I can take the whole "I heart you" instead of "I love you" crap. I know they're probably aiming for a younger audience than 19 (I'm actually still 18, but I'll be 19 in exactly a week!) but I read a lot of YA books and I never seem to have a problem with the tween lingo.

Through the majority of the book, I kept wondering when the climax would come and what it would be. It finally came right at the very end, but I feel like that and maybe two other things were the only exciting events that happened in the book. The whole book seemed like it was just revolving on plans to destroy Kalona.

I am excited to read Burned, the next book in the series so I can see if anything else exciting happens, but I really hope I'm not disapointed. I feel like a B- is being very generous, but I've been reading this series for a while now so I guess I'm being a little biased.

-Briana

In My Mailbox (33)

2010-05-23T01:27:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Briana: So... I did not get any books this week :( I'm really trying to cut back on the buying until I read through a good chunk of them. But, I did get something I've been looking forward to!

My birthday is in a few weeks and this was an early gift because of a great sale. I'll be taking pictures of the books "in my mailbox" rather than just posting pictures of the actual books though :)! What did you guys get in your mailbox? Leave me a link to yours so I can check it out!

(Marisa and Arielle may post later)

Revelations

2010-05-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

Melissa de la Cruz

Published 2008

300 pages

Rating: A-

Synopsis (may contain spoilers for those who haven't read the first two books in the Blue Bloods series)

Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk behind the closed doors of New York City's wealthiest families? They're powerful, they're famous... they're undead.

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question--is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When one of the Gates of Hell is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Carnavale rages on. And in the end, one vampire's secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone.

My review

Well I thought Masquerade was good but Revelations just brought things to a whole new level. I regret saying that I never really expected much of the Blue Bloods series but it did impress me and I simply cannot wait for the other books following The Van Alen Legacy to come out! The series is added to my favorites now for sure after this book. The book follows the characters on their ever lasting battle with the Silver Bloods or more particularly, Leviathan and Lucifer. Instead of Italy, the characters travel to Rio de Janeiro where history was made in the Blue Bloods society.

As for the characters, Schuyler, Jack and Oliver become even more tangled together than before and Bliss.. well don't get me started on her ;) I feel like Revelations was a huge turning point in the series. Their were so many secrets that were revealed about the characters, I couldn't believe it!

To finish, the book definitely exceeded my expectations. The twists and turns were never ending and the entire book had my heart racing. I seriously finished it so quickly because it was just that engrossing. My only problem with it would be the short lenght of the novel. Melissa packed everything together that it just all happened too fast for me all at once, especially near the end. Speaking of the end, I was mind boggled by what was discovered about a certain character. I never would of expected that. For those who read the series, I'm sure you know who and what I'm speaking of. Read it! The title of the book says it all.

-Marisa

Pretty Little Liars

2010-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sara Shepard

Published 2007

304 Pages

Rating: A-

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.

Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.

But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Pretty Little Liars! Although I felt like some parts of the book were a little unoriginal (maybe a little too much like Gossip Girl), I came out of the book feeling grateful to have bought it.

I kept hearing great things about this book on different kinds of online forums, so after thinking about whether or not this book would be worth the buy, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.

This book had a good amount of steamy scenes, without going overboard with details. I'm not going to lie, a little girl on girl action happens in this book and normally I would be a little "eh" about reading them. I have absolutely nothing against gay/bisexual/transgrender lifestyles, I just wouldn't be that crazy about reading about them because I felt as if I couldn't relate. After I read this book though, I found it to be pretty interesting! It was love shown in a totally different way than what I'm used to knowing and Sara Shepard wrote it in a beautiful way.

The suspense was just right! It kept me reading but I also felt like I had time to breathe in between crazy events. Basically it wasn't too much or wasn't too little.

Everything in this book had such a perfect balance for me and I can't wait to go forward with the rest of this series!

The TV series is starting on June 8th on ABC Family and I can't wait to watch it!!! :)

-Briana

Masquerade

2010-05-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Melissa de la Cruz

Published 2007

320 pages

Rating: B+/A-

Synopsis (may contain spoilers for those who haven't read the first book)

Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help--her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city's wealthy, powerful, and unhuman--a true Blue Blood affair.

But it's at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second installment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.

My review

After reading Blue Bloods, I was excited to get started on Masquerade. I thought that Blue Bloods was great but Masquerade was even better! It continues right off where Blue Bloods ended, with Schuyler and Oliver running off to Italy for help involving the Silver Bloods mystery. In New York, as said above, Mimi is planning an extravagant masquerade party. Strange things occur at the ball, such as passionate kisses with masked gentlemen. Everything is changing in the Blue Bloods society and not in a good way..

This book was far more enjoyable for me than Blue Bloods. I understand more about the characters now and I really liked the turn in Mimi and Jack's relationship. I wanted to know more about their past lives and Masquerade reveals a lot more not only about them, but about a few other characters' true personalities and qualities. I also loved how Schuyler and Jack's relationship blossomed into something bigger and more exciting. It kept things exciting.

As for the plot, I thought it was fantastic and Melissa de la Cruz included more action, more romance, more mystery, etc. Secrets (that I was dying to know the truth about) surfaced and I was hoping that they would be revealed quickly but obviously you're kept in the dark for awhile to keep things exciting. I thought that everything about the book was very satisfying but I have to admit that it took me awhile to finish the book, for the simple reason that although it was exciting, I just wasn't interested enough for it to keep me up at night, reading whenever possible. But it's not that big of deal since very few books have ever had that impact on me.

I recommend this series to everyone! For those who thought Blue Bloods was just okay, take a chance on Masquerade since it is a great sequel, way better than the first book in the series. It was an awesome read for me. Also, look out for my Revelations review coming up soon!

-Marisa

In My Mailbox (32)

2010-05-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Briana: I haven't gotten much lately since I was away at school, but in between breaks I did manage to pick up a few goodies.

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

The only thing that makes St. Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls bearable for Jane is her best friend Ally. But when Ally changes into a whole different person literally overnight the fall of their senior year, Jane's suddenly alone--and very confused.

Turns out, Ally has sold her soul in exchange for popularity--to a devil masquerading as a sophomore at St. Teresa's! Now it's up to Jane to put it all on the line to save her friend from this ponytail-wearing, cupcakenibbling demon . . . without losing her own soul in the process.

This book has been on my B&N wishlist since 10/23/08. It's about time I got it huh? I actually went to Borders and saw it for 3 dollars, in hardcover! I couldn't believe it.

Speak Softly, She Can Hear by Pam Lewis

New York City, 1965: Two Manhattan prep school students, Carole and Naomi, make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation. Eddie, a slick Upper East Side dropout, is handsome, fatally charming, and more than willing to help the girls accomplish their goal. But on one bitterly cold holiday weekend in an isolated cabin deep in the Vermont woods, a horrifying twist develops in the plan. Before the night is over, a stomach-turning secret is sealed between friends, setting in motion a series of events that will have dire and far-reaching consequences.

I saw this at the recommended table at Barnes and Noble, and I wanted to buy at least one book in celebration of summer :)

(Marisa and Arielle may post later)

Back for the Summer!

2010-05-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

After tons of amazing adventures in college, I'm finally back home. Although I'll miss all of the crazy times at school, I'm so extremely excited to be back with my lovely books and talking about them with all of you! Before I start talking about books, I wanted to show you guys what happened during my school year.

The first exciting thing that happened is I joined a sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha. :) I'm in the top left corner with the Little Red Riding Hood costume on.

Another really exciting thing that happened is... my friends and I bought ducklings! I know it sounds crazy but it was a really spontaneous moment and it was fun hiding them in the dorms for a few weeks :P The one on the top is Lewie, he's mine. The one on the bottom is Chunk, and he's my friend Kim's.

Those are the only big things I actually have pictures of, but it was a good year and I hope yours was good too :)

I'll be posting reviews probably by the end of next week, I have to catch up on my reading big time!

-Briana

Blue Bloods

2010-04-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Melissa de la Cruz

Published 2006

302 pages

Rating: B+

Synopsis

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.
The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think.
Could those vampire legends really be true? Steeped in vampire lore and set against the heady backdrop of the rich, young, and powerful in the heart of New York City, Blue Bloods will be devoured by Melissa de la Cruz's legion fans.

My review

A twist of Gossip Girl and House of Night, this book surprised me with the brilliant story Melissa de la Cruz has created. I'm an avid fan of vampires but to be honest, it does get a bit boring to read the same thing over and over again. That was definitely not the case with this book! It was a whole different take on vampires for me. I loved how they're quite human and civilized, unlike Hollywood's version of a vampire. Blood sucking monsters with no trace of humanity left. The blood suckers in this book are classy, sophisticated, designer wearing socialites. They love attending traditional balls and high class events. Their status is determined by wealth and heritage.

The main character, Schuyler Van Alen is a misfit. Her past is very tangled with secrets and shame. She doesn't wear designer clothes and she hangs out with "losers", her best friend Oliver Hazard-Perry JR. and an outcast Dylan Ward. The three of them form their own group and are scorned by their peers particularly Mimi Force, queen of their school. When Schuyler becomes a Blue Blood she discovers a whole new world. She feels new cravings and is starting to fit in more. Jack Force, Mimi's twin and "soul mate", has even taken a special interest in her and Bliss Llewellyn, Mimi's "best friend" has befriended the trio of misfits. When deaths present themselves in the Blue Blood world, Schuyler joins forces with Oliver, Bliss, Dylan and Jack to figure out who is killing off Blue Blood teens.

I have to admit that I wasn't really sure if I would enjoy Blue Bloods but the book was actually great! It had an amazing plot with characters to relate to and laugh with. The mystery was great and the book kept me guessing till the end. I became fond of Bliss, Dylan and I hate to say this, but I even like Mimi. She's an interesting character and I can't wait to know more about her and Jack's past lives. Speaking of that, I also loved the special powers the vampires had in this book. They were totally different and interesting! I wish Melissa would of included more action and steamy romantic scenes in the story but it was a good book nonetheless.

-Marisa

Jekel Loves Hyde

2010-04-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Beth Fantaskey

Publishing May 2010

288 pages

Rating: B+

Synopsis
Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship. To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

My review

The main character, Jill Jekel, is small, timid and quiet. I loved her. At first, she seems to be very vulnerable and weak but by the end of the book I found her to be courageous and strong. She was very interesting and I felt like I could relate to her, differences aside. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book from her perspective. Speaking of that, I also loved the odd times where the story was being told by Tristen.

That leads me to evil Mr. Hyde himself. Tristen was a very complex and mysterious character. I liked him from the beginning but I never really fully understood who he was. His life is filled with secrets and unanswered questions but as you get deeper enthralled in the mystery of his "curse" things become clearer and secrets are revealed. Him and Jill are like opposite people but yet they're also alike in many ways. Which is why I loved the chemistry (aha) between them.

I really liked Jekel Loves Hyde. From the first page, I was intrigued and wanted to figure out how the story would develop. It had a great plot, full of mystery and I loved how Beth retold a great classic story in a new and exciting way. I love the whole idea.

Although I really enjoyed the book, I feel as though there was something missing. The book felt rushed to me. At the end of the book, everything happened at once in a matter of about five pages. And romance! I feel like there was barely any romance. It was mostly fighting and physical tension. But other than those two minor things, the book was great! Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is still my preferred book of Beth's but this one did not disappoint either.

-Marisa

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

2010-03-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

Marisa:

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she’s had it with being her mother’s keeper, so she packs her bags and heads to stay with her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie. Soon, she finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone wants something from her, even her newfound friends and family. Suddenly, life with her alcoholic mom doesn't sound half bad, and Dana would do anything to escape Avalon and get back home. Too bad both her friends and her enemies alike are determined not to let her go . . .

This book sounds interesting! I also love the cover :)

(Briana and Arielle may post later.)

In My Mailbox (31)

2010-03-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Marisa: There was an awesome discount on some books at Chapters so I bought a few interesting ones this week.

The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson

A series of mysteries.

An explosion of truths.

The Explosionist: Someone sets off a bomb outside fifteen-year-old Sophie's boarding school, but no one can figure out who. The Medium: Soothsayers and séance leaders are regular guests at her great-aunt's house in Scotland, but only one delivers a terrifying prophecy, directed at Sophie herself. The Murder: When the medium is found dead, Sophie and her friend Mikael know they must get to the bottom of these three mysteries in order to save themselves—even as the fate of all Europe hangs in the balance. Set in a time of subversive politics, homegrown terrorism, and rapidly changing alliances, The Explosionist is an extraordinarily accomplished debut novel for teens that delivers a glimpse of the world as it might have been—had one moment in history been altered.

The Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth

Emilia Finch and her cousin Luka are gypsies. They live a strongly traditional life, rich with story, music, dance, and magic, governed by the laws of the clan and the ways of the road. To the repressive Puritanical government of 17th century England, however, the gypsies are thieving, fortune-telling vagrants who are most likely allies of the devil. Soon, a series of terrible events lands the family in jail, charged with murder. Emilia and Luka manage to escape, promising to bring back help and free them. But how? Emilia believes in the legend of the charms: it is said that the luck of the Rom soured after a long-ago gypsy matriarch broke her chain of charms, giving one charm to each of her five children. If they can gather the charms from the families, Emilia thinks, the strong magic of the Rom will somehow bring her family freedom. Luka, on the other hand, is more practical - he wants to enlist the help of the other clans to help the Finches escape. Emilia and Luka must race through the countryside, navigating a hornets' nest of Rom-hating Puritans, Royalist spies, and traitors, if they are to complete their quest before the magistrate delivers a death sentence.

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

In a world in which elegance, beauty, and singing ability are revered, Aza is bulky, awkward, and homely. Her saving grace is that she can sing and has a gift of voice manipulation that she calls illusing. Through a chance meeting at her familys inn, a duchess invites Aza to act as her companion and accompany her to the palace to attend the kings wedding. When the beautiful new queen discovers Azas gift for throwing her voice and for mimicry, she sees a way of protecting her reputation and disguising her own lack of talent. Pressured by the womans threats upon her family, Aza deceives the court into believing that Ivi is a gifted singer. When the ruse is discovered, Aza is forced to flee the castle in order to save her life. Through her adventures, she discovers her own strength of character, learns about her true heritage, and decides that her physical appearance is not worthy of the stress and worry she has wasted on it.

All of these books sound so interesting and I can't wait to read them! PS look out for my review of Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey!

(Briana and Arielle may post later)

Betrayals

2010-02-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

Lili St. Crow

Published 2009

304 pages

Rating: A-

Synopsis (contains spoilers for those who haven't read Strange Angels)

She’s no angel . . .

Poor Dru Anderson. Her parents are long gone, her best friend is a werewolf, and she’s just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn’t entirely human. (So what else is new?)

Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England School for other teens like her, and there’s a big problem— she’s the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn’t be so bad, but Dru’s killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . .

Can Dru survive long enough to find out who has betrayed her trust—and maybe even her heart?

My review

Betrayals starts right off where Strange Angels ended. Dru is now at the Schola, a school for teen dhampir and wulfen. She thinks she's safe from Sergei... but little does she know that she's even closer to danger than she was before. Someone in the "Order" wants her dead. Someone is working with Sergei. Many things are going on behind the walls of the Schola.. lies, tension, romance, danger and worse.. betrayals.

First off, I really loved Strange Angels so I was pretty excited to read this. If you liked the first book then you'll definitely love the second book in this chilling series. I must say that Betrayals was better than SA. It had more action, a better plot, etc. The book was just all around very good and entertaining.

The characters in the book were actually very enjoyable and awesome. I love Dru as the main character too. She's a strong female heroine with a soft side and a tendency to run headfirst into danger. Graves is interesting and totally different from any other book character. He's funny, sweet, charming. You gotta love him! And then there's Christophe. If you've read my SA review then you know that he's my ultimate favorite! He's so mysterious with so many different sides to him. I also really loved the new characters in this book.

To finish, this book kept me interested from page one and didn't disappoint. The plot was excellent, the characters were excellent, the action, the suspense, the drama... all excellent. I just wish that there was more romance and that the book's sentences were easier to understand. Some were very weird and didn't really make sense to me. Other than that, I completely recommend this book to everybody!

-Marisa

Cat the Vamp

2010-02-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

Christina Martine

Published 2009

221 Pages

Rating: C+

As a child, Catherine Taylor never understood why her parents were so secretive and distant. After the death of her grandmother, Cat’s parents take her to a mysterious castle called Blacklune. They explain to her that they, and she, are vampires, part of a hidden community co-existing with humans. Now that she’s of age, Cat will be initiated into the community and undergo a period of training in its methods and morals, along with several other vampire students her own age.
At Blacklune, Cat meets a young man who had appeared to her in dreams, Morgan. She and Morgan form an instant bond, but success with their vampire lessons doesn’t come so easily. Tempted by the lure of blood and the powers they now have, Cat and Morgan push the limits over and over, ignoring the concerns of their classmates and the scolding of their teacher, River. As they become ever more reckless, Cat and Morgan risk going too far. It’s only when serious harm comes to someone else that they realize they have to control themselves--and it may be too late.
(from publishers website)

If I had to describe Cat the Vamp in three words, they would have to be: dangerous, sexy, but incomplete. I felt that there could have been more to the story. Martine could have expanded her characters greatly, but also the story line. Don’t get me wrong, her characters were established and their personalities were identifiable, but they fell flat at times. I wish that they were more three dimensional, instead of the two dimensional characters that most of them were. Her characters personal lives before they came to Blacklune were a little hazy and they could have been discussed more to make the story seem more intimate. Also, at moments in the book the writing seemed a bit choppy – example: the main character, Catherine, and her new found love interest, Morgan, would be eating breakfast in the ballroom and in the next paragraph they would be roaming around town at night. The story line didn’t seem to flow as well as it could have. I do feel the book could have been longer and have a little more plot included, but it really was enjoyable to read because it was a different kind of vampire novel, one that I think people might like reading. And it was a quick read, which was a plus.

Going back to what was said earlier, the book was also dangerous and sexy. It is not the average teen vampire novel. Cat the Vamp is something more dark and mysterious. Since most of the characters are merely bystanders, they are extremely mysterious. Especially the “head vampire”, River. He is very dark and sort of lurks in the corner throughout the whole book. Morgan seemed to be an all around good guy and a total sweetheart. His affection for Catherine was genuine and Martine shows that well. Catherine Taylor a.k.a Cat, the main character, could be rather moody and it was difficult to like her, but the idea of her is very well put out there. The characters were relatable, especially for those who remember their first love. Altogether, the story line greatly reflects the teenage world of today, you are faced with doing what is right and doing what makes you happy and learning from your experiences. Beware, at times it does get a little inappropriate between Morgan and Cat; and there is some use of crude language and also the presence of drug use, but that adds to the story as it evolves. I’d say that this book is most suitable for high schoolers, mainly anyone over 15 or 16 years old.

All in all, this story is enjoyable if you want a dangerous vampire book, but at times it lacked plot and character development. I rated a C+ because I feel that there could be a lot more put into the book, and if it had some more "oomph" to it, I would have rated it most likely a B.

-Arielle

For more information on Cat the Vamp or the author, Christina Martine, visit this website HERE.

Update!

2010-02-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

Hey you guys!

I am not sure if you guys remember me since I have been gone for quite some time. Ha. And I will probably be gone for a while, but hopefully I will be able to make some appearances on the blog here and there. I just wanted to give you a update on whats going on with me! Lately, I havent been able to read..but yesterday I got a book in the mail called Cat the Vamp by Christina Martine and that has gotten my full attention! I will hopefully be finishing it within the next couple a days and I will then be reviewing it for you guys! It has been forever since I have reviewed a book!

Here is the synopsis for Cat the Vamp and its front cover.

They never imagined the temptations of power, love and blood...

At Blacklune, Cat meets a young man who had appeared to her in dreams, Morgan. She and Morgan form an instant bond, but success with their vampire lessons doesn’t come so easily. Tempted by the lure of blood and the powers they now have, Cat and Morgan push the limits over and over, ignoring the concerns of their classmates and the scolding of their teacher, River. As they become ever more reckless, Cat and Morgan risk going too far. It’s only when serious harm comes to someone else that they realize they have to control themselves--and it may be too late.

You can check out the website for the book HERE.

I miss you all!

-Arielle

In My Mailbox (30)

2010-01-29T09:39:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Marisa: Hey guys! I haven't been blogging lately and I miss it so much but I'm trying to be on as much as I can. I received two awesome books in the mail this week. They both sound so cute and fun!

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

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

Love the cover! Can't wait to read/review it!

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty! When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe? The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

Another cute and fun read :D

That's all I got in the mail this week! What did you guys get?

(Briana and Arielle may post later)