2011 Debut Author Challenge!

Hey guys. I've pretty much stopped blogging all together. I just don't have the time to do it any more. That being said, I would love to be able to participate in the 2011 debut author challenge hosted by the Story Siren. So what I'm going to do is participate in the challenge, but also post my reviews on Goodreads and Amazon that way people will actually get to read them as I know I don't have a lot of traffic to my blog.

As for the list of books I'm hoping to read, I have no idea what I'm going to read, there's so many that look so great. I'm just going to be adding books as I pick them up to read them.

So, if you want to participate too head over to The Story Siren.


1. This Girl is Different by JJ Johnson (Blog) (Goodreads) (Amazon)

Awesome Contest!

Leilani from Leilani Loves Books is having a 100 Follower and Birthday Bash!! Lots of contests and prizes. Info taken straight from her blog:

Hey Guys!!
Yes! I am super close too 100 followers and my birthday is coming up!
So, in honor to this I am having a 100 follower Birthday Bash!
Here's how it works:
Starting June 11th to August 13th (my birthday) I am going to have a list of contests. On August 13th I will have the names of all of the winners.
I will have separate posts for each contest and their will be rules there.

So Click the Button below to join in the fun.

Giving the Moon

Giving the moon - www.givingthemoon.com

“Giving the Moon” is a book of short stories on the thin line between life and dream, between reality and fiction. Several have already been published online and in print, some published for the first time. The book is due to be published in a few weeks, but the site is already up, with some sample stories.

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Muffins and Mayhem

TITLE: Muffins and Mayhem (ARC)

AUTHOR: Suzanne Beecher

PUBLISHER: Touchstone

RELEASE DATE: June 2010

PAGES: 230

MY RATING: (3.5 out of 5)

BACK COVER BLURB: More than 350,000 people have joined Suzanne Beecher's online book club at DearReader.com and her daily column--which offers her candid, thought-provoking reflections on life--has inspired countless readers. But it was on of her readers who inspired her: A forty-three-year-old mother of three who was dying of cancer asked Suzanne for advice on what she could leave behind to help and guide her children after she was gone.

Deeply affected by the woman's story, Suzanne recalled the photo albums and recipe box passed on by her grandmother. She urged the woman to create a similar cache of memories for her three kids--and the idea for this book was born.

Gathering thirty wonderful recipes and the memories surrounding them, Suzanne shows us the author as a child who learned to cook when she was just eight years old while singing backup to the Monkees, a woman who struggled with difficult parents, a hardworking mom who loved making cookies for her kids, a recovering addict, and a writer who has learned much along the way by remembering that love is the most important thing in life.

This beautifully written celebrating of food, friends, and family will nourish Suzanne's numerous fans and those who have yet to discover her simple, homespun magic.

MY REVIEW: I had so much fun reading this book. I love that the book is a compilation of a bunch of short stories all rolled into one bigger story--the story of Suzanne's life. Some of the stories were sad, but Suzanne was able to overcome those situations to become the person she is today. Most of the stories were humerous and made me crack a smile. I loved looking at the pictures at the beginning of each chapter and the recipes at the end of the chapters made my mouth water. I cannot wait to try the cinnamon roll recipe and the candy cane cookies recipe. The only complaint I have about this book is that I wish there was an index in the back for each of the recipes that way I could find them easily.

*I was provided a copy of this book by BookTrib.com.

Before I Fall

TITLE: Before I Fall

AUTHOR: Lauren Oliver

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins

PAGES: 470

MY RATING: (2 out of 5)

INSIDE COVER BLURB: What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High--from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

MY REVIEW: I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. I had read lots of greats reviews of everyone loving this book so I had high hopes for it, but it just wasn't great for me. Reliving the same day over and over, while there were some differences, overall the same series of events seemed to happen to often. I thought most of the characters were way too shallow and the ending didn't leave me satisfied at all. On a positive note, I really love the cover of the book :)

Pretty Little Liars 1-4

TITLE: Pretty Little Liars (1), Flawless (2), Perfect (3), Unbelievable (4)

AUTHOR: Sara Shepard

PUBLISHER: HarperTeen

MY RATING: (3 out of 5)

SUMMARY (from Amazon): Among the mega mansions and perfectly manicured hedges of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, everyone has something to hid--especially four very pretty little liars.

High school juniors Spencer, Hannah, Aria, and Emily have been keeping secrets ever since their best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, disappeared three years ago. But when the girls begin receiving threatening notes from someone named "A," their secrets--the big ones, the little ones, even the long-buried ones--no longer seem safe.

MY REVIEW: I had been wanting to read this series for a while and I came across the first four books on the bargain table at Books-A-Million so I couldn't pass them by. I enjoyed this series so much. The characters each have their own personality and they are all easy to relate to. My favorite part about the books is the note at the very end left by "A" just for us. I think that's really unique, and it definitely made me want to read the next book that much faster. I hope that I'm able to pick up the rest of the books from this series soon and I'm really looking forward to the TV show that's coming out in June.
 

Amazing Contest Craze over at Princess Bookie!

Princess Bookie is having an amazing contest craze with contests all day long today! Don't miss out!

My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters

TITLE: My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters (ARC)

AUTHOR: Sydney Salter

PUBLISHER: Graphia

PAGES: 345

MY RATING: (3 out of 5)

BACK COVER BLURB: For Jory Michaels, it all comes down to her nose. The big, bumpy monstrosity she calls the Super Schnozz makes her feel different from everyone--her classically good-looking family, her cute-as-a-button best friends, and her gorgeous crush. Jory wants nothing more than the join the "Nice Nose Club" before the start of her senior year. So she gets a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer. She even keeps a notebook filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor. But Jory's quest for cosmetic perfection is unexpectedly derailed when she discovers the people she longs to be like are not as perfect as they seem; and she finally finds a place--and a person--that make her feel like she fits in.

In her hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel, Sydney Salter delivers a story about broadening your horizons, accepting yourself, and finding love right under your nose.

MY REVIEW: This book was so much fun to read. The main character, Jory, is awkward, clumsy, and unconfident--basically a normal girl for her age. These characteristics caused Jory to create some happenings in the book that almost made me feel like I was on a ride at an amusement park because of all of the emotions that went along with the events. I enjoyed the fact that Jory isn't perfect, it allowed me to relate to the story in a way that does not usually happen for me.


I won this book in a contest at Writer Musings.

Book Review Wednesdays

The Vampire Watcher's Handbook

TITLE: The Vampire Watcher's Handbook

AUTHOR: Constantine Gregory

PUBLISHER: Piatkus Books

PAGES: 160

MY RATING: (3 out of 5)

GOODREADS SUMMARY: The Vampire Watcher's Handbook presents a wealth of information on the lore and history of vampires, covers all the various major traditions of this much-discussed revenant. From how to dis-tinquish a 'real' vampire from a 'wannabee' (which helps avoid those embarrassing staking mistakes), to effective means of escap-ing unscathed the clutches of a ravenous creature of the night, this is a comprehensive look at the ways and means of the Undead. The Vampire Watcher's Handbook is 'reprinted' from a turn-of-the-century compendium of the craft, complete with the annota-tions of the book's original owner (whose name and fate remain unknown). For those who wish to pursue a career path as the scourge of the vampires, it includes lists of necessary equipment and essential knowledge for hunting and retiring all the various types of bloodsucking fiends (stakes and holy water not pro-vided). But it also includes many useful tips for those for whom bird watching and trainspotting have lost their charm and who now wish to observe in their natural habitat this most compelling of unnatural creatures, without ending up on the dinner menu.

MY REVIEW: This was a really fun book to read. The pages were filled with handwritten notes throughout the margins, making it look as if this book was someone's personal journal. It was really interesting to learn about the history of vampires and the differences in vampires throughout different countries.

Book Review Wednesdays

Amazing Contest at Bloody Bookaholic

You don't want to miss this one!


As of now there are going to be 7 winners and up to 28 books. It is big, it is weird, it is awesome!


Winner number 7 gets 1 book.
Winner number 6 gets 2 books.
Winner number 5 gets 3 books.
Winner number 4 gets 4 books.
Winner number 3 gets 5 books.
Winner number 2 gets 6 books.
Winner number 1 gets 7 book.


This one is the biggie. When we get all the way to 7 YOU get to choose your books and not from the list, but from either The Book Depository or Amazon. (There's a limit of 10 dollars per book).


And there's more! If I get to 800 followers I will add books (the amount will depend). Same as if I get to 850 or 900.


http://bloodybookaholic.blogspot.com/2010/02/ridiculously-awesome-contest.html

Win a Nook!

Enter at: http://shilohwalker.com/excerpt_broken.htm

Shattered


Quinn Rafferty is working as a bounty hunter and bail bondsman in St. Louis when a new neighbor catches his eye. He’s tempted by her beauty—but he knows from experience that anyone desperate enough to live in his building is damaged goods. Besides, he has his own soul to mend before he can worry about anyone else.


Desperate


Sara Davis is on the run, but not for the usual reasons a woman goes on the lam. She’s not an abused wife, and she’s not a criminal. But she does have a plan for her future. And as much as she finds herself attracted to her gruff, tough neighbor, she can’t risk telling him the secrets she’s hiding. There’s just too much at stake.


Driven to desire…


But Quinn must get closer to Sara when she turns out to be the target of his new missing persons case, and he discovers that there is something more complex and dangerous to her than he thought. Now, both Quinn and Sara will have to expose their true feelings—as well as their fragile hearts—if they hope their love will survive…

EXCERPT
He opened the door—

And stopped dead in his tracks as somebody all but fell into his arms. Somebody…a woman. And not Theresa.

He caught her just above her elbows, automatically steadying her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice soft and low.

Then she lifted her face and Quinn found himself gazing into the biggest, brownest eyes he’d ever seen in his life. Feeling a little dazed, he studied her face while she stammered out another apology.

Quinn barely heard it.

He was too busy staring at her mouth. A very pretty mouth, a cupid’s bow mouth slicked with deep, vibrant red. Under his hands, he could feel silken smooth skin and unable to resist, he stroked a thumb along her inner arm.

Her skin was soft, soft and warm. He was also pretty sure she had the creamiest, most flawless skin imaginable. Her shoulder-length hair was a shade caught between blonde and brown, nondescript, but for some reason, he found himself thinking about tangling his fingers in that hair and holding her head still while he kissed that red-slicked mouth.

Well, hello…

YA Reading Challenge

The Mini--Read 12 Young Adult Novels


My Progress:
13/12


My List:
1. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
2. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
3. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler
4. Night World No. 1 by L.J. Smith
5. My Big Nose & Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
6. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

7. Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

8. Fallen (ARC) by Lauren Kate

9. Beautiful Creatures (ARC) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

10. Demon Princess: Reign or Shine (ARC) by Michelle Rowen

11. Three Witches (ARC) by Paula Jolin

12. Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

13. Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

Click on the Links for my reviews.

100+ Reading Challenge

My Progress:
60/100

My List:

1. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
2. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

3. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler

4. The Power Of Love by Elizabeth Chandler

5. Soulmates by Elizabeth Chandler

6. Night World No. 1: Secret Vampie by L.J. Smith

7. Night World No. 1: Daughters of Darkness by L.J. Smith

8. Night World No. 1: Spellbinder by L.J. Smith

9. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

10. Freaks and Revelations by Davida Wills Hurwin

11. My Big Nose & Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter

12. The Vampire Watcher's Notebook by Craig Glenday

13. Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

14. Fallen (ARC) by Lauren Kate

15. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

16. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

17. Demon Princess: Reign or Shine (ARC) by Michelle Rowen

18. Three Witches (ARC) by Paula Jolin

19. Magic Under Glass by JAclyn Dolamore

20. Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

21. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

22. Flawless by Sara Shepard

23. Perfect by Sara Shepard

24. Unbelievable by Sara Shepard

25. The Hollow by Jessica Verday

26. The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

27. Before I fall by Lauren Oliver
28. The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

29. Muffins and Mayhem (ARC) by Suzanne Beecher
30. How To Be Popular by Meg Cabot

31. Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman

32. Under the Dome by Stephen King

33. My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffen

34. I Was A Teenage Popsicle by Bev Katz Rosenbaum

35. Wake by Lisa McMann

36. After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy
37. I Has A Hotdog

38. Keep Sweet by Michele Dominguez Greene

39. The Poker Diaries by Liza Conrad

40. Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton

41. The Fallen by Thomas E. Sniegoski

42. Leviathan by Thomas E. Sniegoski

43. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

44. Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger

45. After by Amy Efaw

46. Night World No. 2: Dark Angel by L.J. Smith

47. Night World No. 2: The Chosen by L.J. Smith

48. Night World No. 2: Soulmates by L.J. Smith

49. One Night That Changes Everything (ARC) by Lauren Barnholdt

50. Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala

51. Night World No. 3: Huntress by L.J. Smith

52. Night World No. 3: Black Dawn by L.J. Smith

53. Night World No. 3: Witchlight by L.J. Smith

54. Wish by Alexandra Bullen

55. Public Affair, Secretly Expecting by Heidi Rice

56. Wild Fling or a Wedding Ring? by Mira Lyn Kelly

47. Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

48. Avalon High by Meg Cabot

49. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
50. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
51. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
52. Remember me by Christopher Pike
53. The Return by Christopher Pike
54. The Last Story by Christopher Pike
55. Swoon by Nina Malkin
56. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
57. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
58. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
59. 32AA by Michelle Cunnah
60. Five Things I can't Live without by Holly Shumas

Click on the links for my review.

So I was 40 books short. I had a lot going on this year though with moving and everything so hopefully this year I can do better!

The Dark Divine

TITLE: The Dark Divine

AUTHOR: Bree Despain

PAGES: 372

MY RATING: (4 out of 5)

INSIDE COVER BLURB: Grace Divine--daughter of the local pastor--always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

MY REVIEW:First of all, I absolutely love the cover of this book. I am obsessed with purple and I really like covers that are dark and fairly simple.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was suspenseful throughout the entire story. I was a little bit confused throughout the first part of the story as to what was going on, but that's what made the story good for me. I didn't have any major clues early on as to what was going to happen when I got further into the book. The ending of the book left the story open for a sequel, which I hope will be out soon because I cannot wait to see what happens next (assuming there's going to be a sequel).


I won this book in a giveaway at Fantastic Book Review and it was personally signed to me.

Book Review Wednesdays

Shiver

TITLE: Shiver

AUTHOR: Maggie Stiefvater

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press

PAGES: 390

MY RATING: (4 out of 5)

INSIDE COVER BLURB: The Cold.

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

The Heat.

Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

The Shiver.

For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human--and Grace must fight to keep him--even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

MY REVIEW: First of all, I love that the writing in this book is in blue ink instead of black, that's just awesome :). The book itself was a very good read. I liked how it was written from both of their sides so that you could see each of their views on what was happening. The story moved fairly quickly and kept me wondering if and when Sam would change into a wolf again. I think the only problem that I had with this book was how fast Sam and Grace seemed to fall in love. I know that they had watched each other for many years before Grace knew that it was Sam that was the wolf, but to me it seemed they moved rather quickly and there was no build up of their relationship.

I'm looking forward to the next book, Linger, and I wonder if it will have green ink in the pages as the cover is green :0

Book Review Wednesdays

Kissed by an Angel

TITLE: Kissed by An Angel

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Chandler

PAGES: Book 1-230, Book 2-225, Book 3-235

MY RATING: (5 out of 5)

BACK COVER BLURB: A love beyond life...a danger beyond that.

When her boyfriend, Tristan, died, Ivy thought she'd lost everything, even her faith in angels. But now she's discovered that he's her guardian angel--his presence so strong that she can feel the touch of his hand, the beat of his heart. Ivy needs Tristan now more than ever because he knows she's in terrible danger. Only Ivy's guardian angel can save her, now that his killer is after her.

But if Tristan rescues Ivy, his mission on earth will be finished, and he must leave her behind forever. Will saving Ivy mean losing her just when he's finally reached her again?

MY REVIEW: I absolutely loved this book. It's actually three books in one: Kissed by an Angel, The Power of Love, and Soulmates. I think that if I had picked up the first part of the story as a book all by itself, it wouldn't have been as good. The first book starts out building up the relationship between Ivy and Tristan, and because after reading the back of the book I knew that Tristan was going to die, I was kind of just waiting for that to happen. I guess I wish I hadn't read the back of the book because it did give a lot away. But either way, I still really enjoyed the book. I loved the relationship between Ivy and Tristan. You could tell it was pure and true. As I read the book I could feel the feelings of both Tristan and Ivy (the book is told from both of their perspectives, jumping back and forth). Great book overall.

http://cymlowell.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-review-party-wednesday-starts.html

Eye Contact

TITLE: Eye Contact

AUTHOR: Cammie McGovern

PAGES: 288

MY RATING: (4 out of 5)

INSIDE COVER BLURB: As children wage mock battles in the playground of Woodside Elementary School, two students, a little girl and boy, seem to vanish, last seen heading across the soccer field toward the woods behind the school. Hours pass and then only one of them, Adam, a nine-year-old boy with autism, is found alive, the sole witness to an incomprehensible killing. Barely verbal on the best of days, Adam has retreated into a silent world that Cara, his mother, knows only too well. With her community in shock and her son unable to help with the police investigation, Cara tries to decode the puzzling events.

When another child goes missing, Adam's mother realizes that only she can unlock her son's silence and interpret the changes in Adam's behavior not only to help him through the trauma, but also to help the police catch a killer. And as she moves closer to exposing the truth, her unsettling past begins to emerge from the shadows. In her desperate desire to protect her child from real life, has she made his world a more dangerous place?

A thrilling novel of psychological suspense and a gripping tale of a crime that strikes at the core of a small community, Cammie McGovern's heartrending novel is, above all, the powerful story of the tender and complex bond between a mother and her young son.

MY REVIEW: I had never heard of this book or this author before, but stumbled upon the book at a bookstore in the bargain bin, and I'm really glad that I found it. The book was suspenseful the whole way through. I found myself wondering throughout the whole book if anyone was ever going to be able to get Adam, who is autistic, to tell what happened that day in the woods. I would definitely recommend this one to everyone.

Book Review Wednesdays

Graceling

TITLE: Graceling

AUTHOR: Kristin Cashore

PAGES: 471

MY RATING: (2 out of 5)

BACK COVER BLURB: Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

MY REVIEW: I've seen so many great reviews of this book and how everyone loved it, but I just couldn't get into it. I really wanted to be able to like this book, and I hoped it would get better as I read further into it, but it didn't. I don't know, it was a very good idea for a story and Cashore's writing was fine, but the story line didn't do enough for me. It was very slow moving and it didn't seem like there was much going on in the story. I just think the story line could have been 'beefed up' a little more; adding in more action instead of just a long walk through the forest.

Anyone else have any opinions on this one?

Dizzy

TITLE: Dizzy

AUTHOR: Cathy Cassidy

PAGES: 247

MY RATING: (3 out of 5)


BACK COVER BLURB: It's Dizzy's birthday. Every year she looks forward to only one thing. Not a huge present. Not a fabulous party. Not even a cake. Just a letter, or a small homemade something. It isn't what comes every year, it's who it comes from. Dizzy hasn't seen her mother in eight years, and the only time she hears from her is on her birthday. It's the only thing she has ever been able to count on from her mother her whole life. But this year Dizzy's mom has a surprise for her. And Dizzy will never be the same....

MY REVIEW: This was a really cute book. It was very predictable, but it was still really good. It didn't take me very long to read it, as it's a pretty short book, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The character relationships are interesting and the whole book was just fun.