Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

I see him and know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever.

kayla is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying—and thrilling—gene that will change her life forever.

lucas is dangerous, gorgeous . . . and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way.

As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny.


Oh, wow. I don't know what to say about this book. I kind of like the series as a whole. But this one was the one I liked the least. I found that the relationship between Kayla and Lucas was really obvious before it happened.
Some good things about this book were that it kept me reading and I couldn't put it down.
I recomend this books to people who are fans of paranormal/romance/werewolf books.

Create a Cover!

Got his idea from The Story Siren

CREATE YOUR DEBUT YA COVER

1 – Go to “Fake Name Generator” or clickhttp://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

The name that appears is your author name.

2 – Go to “Random Word Generator” or clickhttp://www.websitestyle.com/parser/randomword.shtml

The word listed under “Random Verb” is your title.

3 – Go to “FlickrCC” or clickhttp://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/index.php

Type your title into the search box. The first photo that contains a person is your cover.

4 – Use Photoshop, Picnik, or similar to put it all together. Be sure to crop and/or zoom in.

5 – Post it to your site along with this text.

TV Can Make a Bibliophile Not Want to Read!?

Something has been happening to me, which is very out of the ordinary. There have been a lot of times recently where I actually don't want to read. Why is that, you ask? One of the reasons is a very common source of distraction. That form of distraction is Television! In this post, I will be telling you three shows that have been making me put off reading, because I love them so much!
So, here we go!

Number 1: Doctor Who

Ok, this show is one of my favorites. Not only does it satisfy the Sci-Fi nerd inside me, but, I mean, the characters are BRITISH! I think, the worst part of my obsession with this show has to be that, when it isn't on TV. I can find episodes on numerous websites.
The Doctor is really awesome, and the journey's that he and his companion's take are really cool.

Number 2: 10 Things I Hate About You

Not only do I love this TV show, but I also love the movie. I actually recently bought the movie, so I can watch it whenever I want (WHOOO!)
This show is one of the main reasons I look forward to Tuesday's. It is really really interesting. And, I have to admit, I have a bit of a fan-girl crush on Patrick Verona (he is totally the bad boy xD). I love how the sisters are polar opposites. One of them is into being popular and brand-names and stuff, and the other one is earth-friendly, a feminist, and totally doesn't give a crap about popularity (I like her the best).

Number 3: Being Human

I totally only saw this show like 4 days ago. But, I LOVE it! It's another british one, and its paranormal! How could you possibly get any better!? Hehe.


So, those are some of the TV show's I LOVE. You can blame them for my lack of reviews.

An Interview with Malinda Lo

So, I recently had the wonderful opportunity to interview Malinda Lo, the author of Ash. Here is the interview:


1. So, both covers of Ash are gorgeous. What are your opinions on them? Do you have a favorite?

I love both of them! They are totally different, obviously. I feel like the U.S. version is more about Ash's internal state of being, whereas the U.K. one is a more external representation of the idea of "Cinderella."

2. What made you decide to write a fairy tale book?

Some of my favorite books when I was growing up were fairy tales and retellings of them, so I wanted to write a book I wanted to read.

3. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Don't give up! You have to believe in yourself.

4. Who are some of your favorite authors?

Robin McKinley -- I absolutely love her fantasy novels and fairy tale retellings. More recently, I've become a big fan of Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Fire. And I'm currently rereading Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, which is brilliant.

5. Is there anything you would like to add?

It is quite an astonishing experience to have my novel -- a thing I made up in my head! -- coming into the world and into the hands of readers. I am so excited. :) I hope that Ash speaks to many of you.

Ash by Malinda Lo

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted. The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

This was a really good book. Malinda Lo did a wonderful job writing her debut novel. It is a wonderful re-telling of a well-loved story.
Malinda Lo's novel was a truly grabbing read. Im normally not a person who reads many fairy tales, but I loved this!
Malinda wrote I nicely paced book!
I strongly recommend it!

SCHOOL!!!

Ok, so for me, school starts tomorrow. Which, is a totally weird thought. Summer went by way too fast.
Compared to many of my friends, my summer was very boring. But, I loved it. Yes, I stayed home a lot. And, yes, I didn't spend every waking moment with my school friends. But, it feels like I didn't need to, in order to have a good summer.


In the past couple months I -

read A LOT
watched RENT and Spring Awakening at least 10 times each.
discovered my love for Doctor Who
had awesome late night skype calls to a few bloggers
wrote A LOT
spent time with my family
met some debs.
became obsessed with the show and movie 10 Things I Hate About You
re-discovered my love for movie's from the 80's and 90's
finally met another blogger
listened to a lot of music (especially from musicals)
made a Harry Potter wall in my room
had one of the most awesome birthdays I have had in awhile (Chatzy B-Day was amazing)


I know that isn't a very "eventful" summer. But, I loved it. Like (probably) many bloggers, one of the times when I am most happy is when I'm near books and people who like books. This summer was a mixture of books, bloggers, music, family, and musicals. I love all those things, which means that I was almost always having a good time. Wether I was reading, singing the RENT soundtrack at the top of my lungs, IM'ing other book bloggers, or going on a boat with my family.

During the school year, I will try and post every day and I hope that this year will be as awesome as summer was!

I also have a contest going on, here.

Best Wishes,
Zoe

Waiting on Wednesday

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain December 22, 2009

A prodigal son

A dangerous love

A deadly secret . . .

I stood back and watched his movements. Daniel had that way about him that could shut me down in an instant. . . . I kicked the gravel a couple of times and worked up my courage again. “Tell me . . . I mean . . . why did you come back? Why now, after all this time?”

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in blood. But she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel's dark secret . . . and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.

Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

This book was written by David Levithan, must I say more?

First there is a Before, and then there is an After. . . .

The lives of three teens—Claire, Jasper, and Peter—are altered forever on September 11, 2001. Claire, a high school junior, has to get to her younger brother in his classroom. Jasper, a college sophomore from Brooklyn, wakes to his parents’ frantic calls from Korea, wondering if he’s okay. Peter, a classmate of Claire’s, has to make his way back to school as everything happens around him.

Here are three teens whose intertwining lives are reshaped by this catastrophic event. As each gets to know the other, their moments become wound around each other’s in a way that leads to new understandings, new friendships, and new levels of awareness for the world around them and the people close by.


This book was absolutely marvelous. I know I say that for a lot of books, but marvelous is the only word I can seem to conjure up to describe this book, and even that, doesn't express how much I loved it. Some people may find it hard to write about the 9/11 and how life was afterward, but if it was hard for Mr. Levithan, he didn't show it. Most of the time I don't really like when a book changes different points of view. But, in Love is the Higher Law, it helps the story smoothly move forward.
This was a heartwarming story about three friends, and how they lived after the terrible events of 9/11.

Something Like Fate

Ok so, I just found this cover of Susane Colasanti's next book, called Something Like Fate.
I have read two of Susane's books and I loved them. I have yet to read Take Me There, but hopefully I will soon.
Isn't the cover of this gorgeous! It looks like it will be a really good book! I can't wait for it to come out!

Coming to Bookstores Near You ---- May 13, 2010

Book Signing!

Yesterday (August 24) I went to a book singing at an indie bookstore called Book Passage. It's a really cute bookshop!
The authors that were signing were:
Malinda Lo (Author of Ash)
C. Lee McKenzie (Author of Sliding on the Edge)
Sarah Quigley (Author of TMI)
J.A. Yang (Author of Exclusively Chloe)
Cheryl Renee Herbsman (Author of Breathing)

This was an incredibly awesome book signing! First, somebody who worked at the bookstore introduced the authors. Then, there was some "Forced Mingling". We split up into 5 groups and each group got an author. In the my group we introduced ourselves and told each other who we were. The author that joined us was Sarah Quigley.
Normally when I go to book signings, I am really shy and don't really talk to the authors ( I am really shy in person). At this signing, I surprisingly talked to people.
I liked it because it was serious, but relaxed.
So, now its picture time!

In the above picture, here is the people (listed from left to right): C. Lee McKenzie, Cheryl Renee Herbsman, Me, Sarah Quigley, Malinda Lo, and J.A. Yang.



Above are the books I got from the signing. Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman which I have already read and I loved it and Exclusively Chloe by J.A. Yang which I have yet to read.
SWAG!!!! Haha. So after the event, a few of the authors were giving out some swag! From Cheryl Renee Herbsman, I got 2 Breathing bookmarks. From Malinda Lo, I got two Ash book cards (one of which is signed). And, from J.A. Yang, I got a business card.


This book signing was awesome! It was one of the best I have been to.
All the authors are amazing!

Upcoming Reviews...

Ok, so I am going to tell y'all about some reviews that you will see here in the next month or so...


Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne
Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne
Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne
Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
Ash by Malinda Lo
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble
Bran Hambric by Kaleb Nation


So, those are some review to look forward to. There will be more, I just have to read them first.

Best Wishes,
Love,

Zoe

MeMe's!

I found this on Khy's blog, and thought it would be fun to do!

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?

Trade Paperback. They are cheaper than hardback and easier to read than mass market paperbacks. Hardbacks cost more money and I usually only get them if I must must must get the book. Mass Market Paperbacks are so small! I don't really like that. The look mini next to my hardbacks and trade paperbacks, which doesn't look very nice.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

I go to Barnes and Nobles more, but I really don't have a preference.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

Bookmark! I don't remember ever using dog-ear as a way to mark pages. I don't get why someone would want to, but thats just my opinion.

Amazon or brick-and-mortar?

Brick and Mortar. I admit, I LOVE looking at books. I could spend hours in one spot just looking at books. It's a horrible obsession. On the bright side, I am always entertained when Im bored!

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?

I organize my books by how much I like them. So, the first two authors on my bookshelf are John Green and David Levithan. (Because they are AMAZING)

Keep, throw away, or sell?

I am a book pack-rat. So, I rarely give away books, I almost always keep them. But, when I do give them away, I give at least 1 box full away.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

KEEP! Dust Jackets are almost always pretty.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

I remove it, because I don't want it getting banged up when Im reading the book.

Short story or novel?

Novel. Short Stories are always so... short...

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

I have never actually read Lemony Snicket. So, I would have to say Harry Potter. HP was the series that made me want to read.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

Chapter breaks. It's easier and I remember the book better.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Dark and Stormy! They almost always seem more interesting.

Buy or borrow?

Despite the fact that I borrow books a lot, I would rather buy them.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?

All 3. If I see a book that I keep hearing good things about, I will probably read it.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

Either way. I love both!

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?

I only morning-read in extreme cases. There have been some books where I will read it 24/7. I finish my homework and I read it. I wake up and I read it. I sometimes read in the afternoon. But, I usually read at nighttime. Its quiet.

Stand-alone or series?

Stand-alone, unless its the type of book where you just want MORE.

Favorite series?

It is way too hard to decide. Harry Potter, maybe? I don't know.

Favorite children’s book?

I loved anything by Dr. Suess.

Favorite YA book?

YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE ME CHOOSE!?
Anything by John Green, David Levithan, Maureen Johnson, Markus Zusak, Lauren Myracle, Scott Westerfeld, Sarah Dessen, Lisa McMann.
Some of the un-released books that I LOVED are Beautiful Creatures (December 2009), Hate List (September 2009), The Naughty List (February 2010).

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Oh, wow. I don't know. A lot of the books I read I talk about with other people.

Favorite books read last year?

Once again, I don't know. Last year was the year I crashed head first into the book communtiy. So I read a lot of amazing books. All the authors I listed under the favorite YA Book question, I read last year. I think my top four are Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska by John Green and Boy Meets Boy and Wide Awake by David Levithan.

Favorite books of all time?

TRICK QUESTIONS! All the books I previously mentioned. Harry Potter because I can re-read them and never gt bored.

What are you reading right now?

Uhhh.... many many books. Some are:

Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

What are you reading next?

My TBR pile is pretty big, so I don't know.

Favorite book to recommend to an 11-year-old?

HARRY POTTER. Seeing as I was 11 approximetly 2 years ago, when I didn't read a lot. I don't really know. But, if they haven't read Harry Potter, they should totally read it!

Favorite book to re-read?

Looking for Alaska by John Green. I have to get a new copy because I have re-read it so many times.

Do you ever smell books?

Possibly...
I mean, how can you not smell books? New books smell good and old books smell this really cool smell in which you know its an old book.
*Hopefully, you don't think I'm weird*

Do you ever read primary source documents like letters or diaries?

No.

---

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Ooo. Good question. The Vampire Academy books. I have the first 3. And I want to read them, but for some reason I never have.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
Remus Lupin from Harry Potter! (hehe. I like werewolves, they are awesome) Wes from The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. (I would love to see his art and he seems like an interesting person) Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska. (So many reasons, but no real reasons. I imagine it would be a strange/weird/exciting experiance to meet her)

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Books I read in school! Yes, I know a lot of people would probably say that. But, though there were some books I liked, there were a lot that I fell asleep during.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. In History last year, I did a report/presention where I had to "be" Jane Austen. As much as I wanted to read Pride and Prejudice, I didn't. Everyone in my class assumed I read it.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book?
I don't think so.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP.)
It's hard to recomend a book to someone you don't know well. But I think a lot of people generally like vampire books. So maybe something paranormal?

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?
Hmm. I don't know. Some ancient language. I would love to go to a different country and be able to read some ancient artifacts with writing on them. Sanskrit? Arabic? French? I don't know. There are so many languages!

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?
Looking for Alaska by John Green. I will never get tired of that book.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead—let your imagination run free.
First of all, there would be my favorite authors coming in at least once a week for reading and signings and other sorts of bookish gatherings.
It would be organized by my own special organize system (Which, believe me, if very confusing. Re-Organizing my books is STRESSFUL). All an authors books would be together.
There would be a state of the art sound system. Because, when taking a break from reading, dance parties are always fun.
One side would have a fairly big window (with a good view) next to a huge compfy couch (Yes, light hurts to look at, but I like sitting on couches next to a sunny window and reading.
There would be multiple computers around. (Complete with TweetDeck, Skype, and other awesome programs.)
It would also have posters displaying pictures from my favorite musicals. (RENT, Spring Awakening. Yay!)
And, lastly...
It would also have a great big fire-place. And plenty of comfortable chairs and couches.

In My Mailbox

Beautiful by Amy Reed (finished this, like it a lot)
Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton
Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
Never After by Dan Elconin
Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White (This was AWESOME)

Shiver by Maggie Steifvater

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.

This book was intense. I loved it.

It was addiciting from the very start. This was the first books by Maggie Steifvater that I have read, and it made me want to read more that she has written.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shiver, and I hope that others who have/will read it, like it as much as I did.

Castration Celebration by Jake Wizner

This book is hilarious!

Did you know that in imperial china, eunuchs had their testicles, penis and scrotum removed?

Olivia does. She's done the research--after walking in on her dad fooling around with one of his grad students. On her ay to an arts summer camp at Yale University, she's decided to write a musial called Castration Celebration.

Max, on the other hand, is a big fan of the penis--intact. As an actor, he always has the right line, especially for the ladies. He's going to camp to hone his skills, both acting and otherwise. And when Olivia and Max meet...oh, the drama! Olivia and Max have their roles down pat. Before camp is over, they'll preform Olivia's musical onstage and in real life--though the ending may turn out different than either expects.


People who are easily offended shoulodn't read this book.
I read it straight through, and laughed most of the way. The hilarity of it was refreshing and came easily, making this book a quick read.
I think, that, if you don't get offended easily, and you like a good laugh. This book is for you.

Waiting on Wednesday

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green April 6, 2010


This book is written by two of the best authors in YA (in my own opinion). John Green's books are hysterical and grabbing, while still being serious. And, David Levithan's books are heartfelt and addicting. I'm sure they are a great writing pair and I can't wait to read this book.

Happy Anniversary

So, It's my mom and dad's 19th wedding anniversary! I am incredibly happy for them and I hope that there will be many more to come!

An Interview with Jennifer Brown

So recently, I had the chance to interview Jennifer Brown, who wrote Hate List (released September 1, 2009). Here it is:


1. What made you decide to write about a school shooting?
Not to get all cosmic on you or anything, but I don't know how much I chose this story and how much this story chose me. In other words, I wasn't really looking to write a book about a school shooting. In fact, I was, at the time, really only considering myself a humor-writer. I didn't even tell my agent that I was working on Hate List until I was finished with it -- and I was so nervous to tell her about it, even then! Afraid she'd tell me to stick to the humor. But I couldn't ignore this story. It just really really wanted to be written. The idea for Valerie's story came to me, and I followed the idea.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
This is the flawed thinking I had when I was starting out: "Writing comes easy to me, so it must be an easy job." WRONG! You have to work constantly, seek criticism openly, leave your ego at the door, assume you're nowhere near as brilliant as you think you are, and sometimes just blindly follow faith. It's not an easy job. It's a lot of work. A lot of learning. And you will have really really bleak moments where you question whether or not you can even do this and you want to give up. Some people may even tell you that you should give up because "publishing is dead" or "you'll never make any real money at it." You can't give up. You have to keep writing for the love of the craft and the faith that it'll all work out in the end. The writers who do that are the ones who succeed in the long run.

3. How hard was it writing a novel that was about such a serious topic?
It was hard, no doubt about it. But I believe in the messages behind the book -- really believe in them! -- and I think it's an important topic to talk about. Bullying still exists and it still hurts and can still cause major damage... sometimes in a global way. Here's the thing: I think a lot of adults believe that "teen angst" and the feelings teens feel are minor and passing, but they're not. They're just as real and as big as it gets. I can still -- 20 years later -- feel the sting of being bullied when I was Valerie's age. It still hurts. You never know what's going on inside someone's head... how they're "taking it"... even if you think you really know that person.

All of that said, it is a horrifying subject to tackle, and I was glad to have my column to balance out my work every week. I created and re-lived some pretty painfully emotional stuff. Switching over to humor once a week was a big help for me, personally, to keep emotionally balanced.

4. Is there a certain place where you do all of your writing?
During the school year I write solely in my office, but over the summer when the house is a little busier, I rely on the laptop, and do most of my work on it. I kind of hate writing on the laptop (it feels so... small), so I can't wait for the school year to start again! However, that said, all of Hate List was written at my kitchen table because I didn't have an office yet. So I had this desktop and all these notes and papers and books and dictionaries and cords and stuff on the kitchen table. It was good to get an actual desk!

5. Is there anything you would like to add?
I don't want anyone to think that the purpose of Hate List is to "blame the victims" of a school shooting or to "excuse" the shooter or shooters. Clearly, there is nor ever could be an excusable reason for someone to do such a thing, and nobody deserves to die for taunting someone, or even for bullying them. I think the message I'd most like to see readers take away from reading Hate List is that we need to understand one another better... to look deeper than what's on the surface. Was Valerie a victim? Definitely. But was she also a villain? Maybe. And a hero? Yeah. It's possible to be all at once... possible for all of us.

100 Followers Contest!

Hey everyone!
I currently have 98 followers, which means I am 2 away from 100 followers! So, in celebration of that, I thought I would have a contest! The winner will receive:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
An Animal Print Pen
Animal Print Sticky Notes
A Troll Doll


To Enter:
Leave a comment (with your email)
+1 Post about this on your blog (post link in your comment)
+2 If you subscribe
+3 If you are already a subscriber


Unfortunately, I can only ship to US residents. Sorry.

Contest Ends:
September 7, 2009

In My Mailbox

So, this week in my mailbox. I got three books. Those books were:

Darklight by Lesley Livingston
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (I have already read this. It is AWESOME.)
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

New Bookshelf!!!

So, some of you may know that my bookshelves have recently been overflowing. Just as I was about to start stacking my books on the floor and in weird hidden places in my room, I got an email from someone at CSN Office Furniture.
They are giving me the opportunity to review a piece of furniture of my choice.
The website has a lot of choices to choose from and makes it really easy to find what you are looking for. You can narrow your searches by price range, style, material, and more things that will help you find what you need!

I really like the bookshelf that is pictured above. I feel that it will hold my books well and fit in the small room I still have left in my room. And, I know that even when the general shelves are full of books, I will be able to use the top to store some book-stacks. If you want to find really great furniture than I would highly suggest going here. They have really good prices and free shipping. What's not to like?

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

Addicting!


What if the guy who took your breath away was the only one who could help you breathe? Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels and working at the library. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.


I started reading this book at midnight, with hopes of reading the first few chapters. My plan didn't go as I expected. I ended up going to bed at 3am. I loved this book. And, it pulled me in. To the point of me only stopping when I was done reading the book.
Cheryl Renee Herbsman created amazing characters. There was one part when I wanted to jump into the book and continually slap Jackson. Then, on the next page, I would want to go and hug him.
This is a breath-taking book.
The characters came alive, and I loved it!

Captivate Cover!

So, many of you probably know about Carrie Jones' book Need. It came out earlier this year. I read is straight through and loved it. Some of you may also know that there is a sequel that will be coming out. Carrie just posted the cover of that sequel on her website. The book is called Captivate, and the cover is gorgeous. Here it is:
I am in love with this cover. It is awesome.

Captivate comes out January 5, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday

THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN by Josh Berk
February 9, 2010


THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN tells the hilarious story of Will Halpin, an overweight deaf teen who spends his first year at a mainstream high school looking for love, failing Algebra, unraveling the school's social scene, trying to get invited to the greatest party ever … and, oh yeah, solving a murder.

Give up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Wonderful!

Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts over “breathers.” Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody…and Cass loves dirt. She’s on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass’s whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim’s life, she’s surprised to realize he’s not so bad—and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance….

This book was really good. I read it very fast, not because I was rushing, but because the words flew off the page. Megan Crewe wrote a beautiful story, that I will always remember.
Cass learned a really important lesson. Don't judge a book by its cover. By that, I mean that she learned to get to know humans and that sometimes aren't that bad.
This was a good and engaging book that I enjoyed a lot.

In My Mailbox

How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity
Thirst. No.1 by Christopher Pike
Hold Still by Nina LaCour
Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Boyology by Sarah O'Leary Burningham

A crash course in understanding boys Boyology delves into the many mysteries of teen guys dissecting flirting tactics offering dating suggestions and providing tips on forming solid friendships. It's an up-close-and-personal look at boys in their natural habitats with analyses by teen girls and insight from the boys.

This is a teen self-help book. It explores everything from crushes to kissing. This book is likely to be very helpful to teens. The constant colors and little cartoons will also bring in teen girls.
I'm not normally one to read a book like this. But, it was an honest and interesting book.

What Are Some of Your Favorite Books?

Hey everyone!
I was wondering what some of your favorite books are. Some of mine include (in no particular order):


1. Looking for Alaska by John Green
2. Paper Towns by John Green
3. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
4. Wide Awake by David Levithan
5. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
6. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
7. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
8. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson


So, those are some of my favorites. What are some of yours?

Sprout by Dale Peck

How many secrets can you hide in plain sight? Sprout Bradford has a secret. It’s not what you think—he’ll tell you he’s gay. He’ll tell you about his dad’s drinking and his mother’s death. The green fingerprints everywhere tell you when he last dyed his hair. But neither the reader nor Sprout are prepared for what happens when Sprout suddenly finds he’s had a more profound effect on the lives around him than he ever thought possible. Sprout is both hilarious and gripping; a story of one boy at odds with the expected.


This was a really good book. Yes, it took me awhile to get into and yes, I put off reading it. But once I finally sat down and started reading. I couldn't put it down.
Some parts of this book were laugh out loud funny. Whereas other parts were incredibly serious.
Sprout tells his story with wit. He is a boy with strong opinions who wants to share them. While he is trying to do this, he has the voice of his English teacher, Mrs. Miller in his head telling him to censor himself. Because, if he didn't nobody would like his writing because he cusses or talks about himself being gay.
This book wasn't the best and wasn't the worst. I think some may enjoy it, whereas others probably won't. I personally liked how it was honest and had Sprouts opinions, while still being funny. I am looking forward to more books by Dale Peck.

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

I am totally looking forward to the second book!

Dad? Zombie. Mom? Long gone. Me? Well, that's the scary part. The Real World is a frightening place. Just ask sixteen-year-old orphan Dru Anderson, a tough girl who has taken down her fair share of bad guys. She's armed, dangerous, and ready to kill first and ask questions later. So it's gonna take her a while to figure out who she can trust . . . Dru Anderson has been 'strange' for as long as she can remember, travelling from town to town with her father to hunt the things that go bump in the night. It's a weird life, but a good one – until it all explodes in an icy, broken-down Dakota town, when a hungry zombie busts through her kitchen door. Alone, terrified, and trapped, Dru's going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. The monsters have decided to hunt back – and this time, Dru's on their menu. Chances of survival? Slim to none. If she can't last until sunup, it's game over . . .


At first, I didn't really get into this book. But, after awhile I started to love it!
Lili St. Crow wrote a thrilling paranormal book!
Graves was adorable. He was so cute and serious. He made the story more funny then it already was. I found it amazing how calm he acted when he got bit.
Christophe was just plain amusing. I don't know why, but I just found him an amusing character to listen to.
This was a very good and grasping book.

Waiting on Wednesday

I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
January 26, 2010


Algonquin “Ali” Rhodes, the high school newspaper’s music critic, meets an intriguing singer, Doug, while reviewing a gig. He’s a weird-looking guy—goth, but he seems sincere about it, like maybe he was into it back before it was cool. She introduces herself after the set, asking if he lives in Cornersville, and he replies, in his slow, quiet murmur, “Well, I don’t really live there, exactly. . . .” When Ali and Doug start dating, Ali is falling so hard she doesn’t notice a few odd signs: he never changes clothes, his head is a funny shape, and he says practically nothing out loud. Finally Marie, the school paper’s fashion editor, points out the obvious: Doug isn’t just a really sincere goth. He’s a zombie. Horrified that her feelings could have allowed her to overlook such a flaw, Ali breaks up with Doug, but learns that zombies are awfully hard to get rid of—at the same time she learns that vampires, a group as tightly-knit as the mafia, don’t think much of music critics who make fun of vampires in reviews. . . .

Hate List by Jennifer Brown (Realeased September 1)

This was an amazing book!

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets. Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.


This is one of the best books I have read this year. It was a touching novel, that will be and currently is loved by many readers.
While reading this, I was holding back tears. By the end of the book, the tears rolled out.
While some people may be against a book where the topic is a school shooting. But, I personally think this book will help people. Because, sometimes we don't realize what can happen if we make things like a Hate List. It may be a joke (when originally made), but people may take it seriously.
This was an amazing book, truly a must-read. Jennifer Brown is an amazing author.

Are U 4 Real? by Sara Kadefors

Kyla is exactly the kind of girl Alex could never talk to in real life. She’s a gorgeous, outspoken L.A. girl who parties to forget about her absent father and depressed mother. He’s a shy ballet dancer from outside San Francisco who’s never been kissed. Luckily, when these sixteen-year-olds meet for the first time it’s not in real life—it’s in a chat room, where they can share their feelings of isolation and frustration away from the conformity-obsessed high school scene. Alex and Kyla quickly forge a friendship that’s far from virtual— maybe they’re even falling in love. But what happens when the soul mate you’ve never met moves from online to in person?


This was a really cute and heartwarming book.
Are U 4 Real explores the online chat rooms, and just what can happen in one of them. This book was wonderful. I couldn't stop reading it.
Sara did a really good job writing this.
But, I kind of had mixed emotions about the characters.
Kyla complains A LOT. Don't get me wrong, she has things to complain about. But, personally, I think Alex had it worse. And, he handled his situation better than her.
If you want to read this, you can.
It isn't bad. But I'm not crazy about it.

Books Read in July

1. Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
2. Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors
3. Are U 4 Real? by Sara Kadefors
4. The Treasure Map of Boys by E.Lockhart
5. Once was Lost by Sara Zarr
6. Give up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
7. Blue Moon by Alyson Noel
8. Waiting for You by Susane Colastanti
9. Ash by Melinda Lo
10. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
11. Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman
12. Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow
13. Psychic Academy, Volume 1 by Katsu Aki (manga)
14. Psychic Academy, Volume 2 by Katsu Aki (manga)
15. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
16. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
17. Sprout by Dale Peck
18. Boyology by Sarah O'Leary Burningham
19. I Can't Keep My Own Secrets:Six Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure
20. DupliKate by Cherry Cheva

The Release of Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink!!!

So, today is the release of a book. That book is:

PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS by MICHELLE ZINK

Here is the Summary-


Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.



Since I epicly fail. I haven't read this book. I am going to start it today. But, I have heard a boat-load (and more) about how good it is.
Michelle Zink, besides writing a good book. Is also a very kind person. She is fun to talk to and genuinely nice.
I think you should all check out this book. I know, I haven't read it. But Im sure its going to be amazing.


Congratulations to Michelle Z. on the wonderful release of this wonderful book.