In My Mailbox #10

My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Bought From Half Price Books:

  For Review: 

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting Review

TITLE: The Pledge

AUTHOR: Kimberly Derting

PUBLISHER: Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster)

PUBLICATION DATE: 11/15/2011

PAGES: 323

MY RATING:

INSIDE COVER SUMMARY: In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a in the class in the eye while they are speaking in their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max, who speaks a language she's never heard before...and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills become real emergencies and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This was a pretty good book. It does not make my top list of favorites, but I did enjoy reading it. The twist in the middle of the story was pretty predictable, but I still enjoyed reading everything as the details were revealed. I have a slight problem with the love story in this book. I don't know if everything happened too quickly or what, but I just feel like the love between Max and Charlie is too forced. It doesn't feel natural.

CHARACTERS: I am so jealous of Charlie's ability. I think it would be amazing to automatically understand any language. It would be so helpful in communicating with people, and I just think it would be fun. My favorite character in this book was Angelina. She was so cute and sweet and I just wanted to pick her up and protect her from everything.

COVER:  I like the cover a lot. I love the faded word 'PLEDGE' with the design. and I like the dark and mysterious vibe it gives off.

*I received this from Amazon Vine for Review

In My Mailbox #9

My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Won from Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead:

The Alchemy of Forever Review (ARC)

TITLE: The Alchemy of Forever

AUTHOR: Avery Williams

PUBLISHER: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

PUBLICATION DATE: 1/3/2012

PAGES: 256

MY RATING:

BACK COVER SUMMARY: After spending six hundred years on earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches, but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to swap bodies with other humans by jumping from one vessel to the next, taking the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.

When sixteen-year-old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, Sera accidentally takes over her body. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling for the human boy who lives next door. She knows Cyrus will stop at nothing to find her...and by staying she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care for in great danger. But can Sera give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. The summary on the back cover is pretty indepth, and I'm actually glad that I didn't spend a whole lot of time reading it, I just skimmed over it, because in my opinion, it tells you way too much about the story line. I feel like there's not much else in the story itself that isn't on the back cover. 

I loved the concept of the book and what the book could have been, but for me the story just didn't do it for me. I felt like I needed more to be happening. I wanted Sera to go out and do something about what was happening. 

The ending got to me though. It was really the only point of the story that made me go "WOAH" and because of it, I feel the need to read the next book in the series.

CHARACTERS: The main character, Seraphina, was a character that I enjoyed. She carried guilt and other emotions that were very relate able. Noah, who was the love interest, was very sweet and genuine. 

And then there's Cyrus, the antagonist. I want to know more about what makes him tick and just how far he is willing to go and what he will do.

COVER: It's okay. Not my favorite cover, but I do like the purples and blues.

*I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine for review.

In My Mailbox #8

My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Books Won:

From Mary @ Book Hounds






From Kimberly @ The Windy Page

Card Share #4 (Challenge)

Supplies Used:

Ribbon - Offray
Letter Stickers - Making Memories; "Tiny alpha black on white"
Buttons - Michaels
Flowers - Recollections
Sparkly Brad - Recollections

Challenge - Just Us Girls - Images with Buttons

Card Share #3 (Challenge)

Supplies Used:

Paper - Authentique "Blissful" Collection
Ribbon - ebay
Flower - Recollections
Chick Sticker - Recollection
Happy Easter Stamp - Inkadinkado; "Happy Everything"

Challenge - Craft Your Days Away - "Get Stitchy With It"
                    Crafty Purple Frog Challenge - Flower Power

Card Share #2 (Challenge)

Supplies used:

ribbon - Michaels
Buttons - Michaels
Flowers - Recollections
Butterfly - Recollections
Paper - Recollections: Animal Kingdom Paper Pad
I <3 U - Colorbok

Challenge - Simon Says - Love is in the Air
                    Mark's Finest Papers - Shaped Cards
                    My Sheri Crafts - At Least 2 Hearts
                    One Stop Craft Challenge - Hearts and Flowers with Ribbon
                    Squiggles and Giggles - All Loved Up
                    2 Sisters Challenge Blog - I heart You
                   Card Crafter's Circle - Valentines Loves Hearts
                   Card Makin Mamas - Valentine
                   Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - Love is in the Air

Digital Layout Share #4 + Freebie

I created this simple layout using the My Memories  Digital Scrapbooking software. All of the elements I used for this layout came from a kit from My Memories. Below is a link to the kit for you to download and use yourself -- Free!

Click the picture to be taken to the download page!

And don't worry if you don't have the My Memories software. These files are all JPEG and PNG files so they can be used with any software you have!

**Leave me a link to a layout you created with this kit and I will send you a link to 2 more super cute freebies!**

If anyone is interested in the My Memories software check my sidebar for a code to save you $10 off the purchase price.

Dead to You by Lisa McMAnn (ARC)

 

TITLE: Dead to You

AUTHOR: Lisa McMann

PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)

PUBLICATION DATE: 2/7/2012

PAGES: 256

MY RATING:

 BACK COVER SUMMARY: Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family.

It's a miracle...at first.

Then the tensions start to build, and his family starts falling apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together.

But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked.

Something unspeakable...

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I just finished reading this book and I had to hurry and write a review for it. I want to scream after reading this book. It got my heart rate up and I flew through the last few chapters. The book is a really quick read, and the story line is pretty slow moving, but it is really interesting. While I was reading it, I wanted to know more about how Ethan was feeling and what he was going through. The ending made me so mad. I feel like I need closure that I didn't get, but at the same time I still feel it was really good.

CHARACTERS: I didn't really feel particularly tied to any of the characters. None of them had anything quirky about them, they just all seemed like normal everyday people. I did really enjoy the character of Gracie though. She is Ethan's younger sister who was born after he was abducted and whom, the beginning, Ethan refers to as "the replacement child." She was just really cute and made me laugh.

COVER: The cover of this one is very creepy.

*I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine for review.

Project Tell Taylor Swift

Michelle wants to know, what inspires me?

I'm going to take this question and relate it back to my scrapbook and cardmaking, since I post about these on my blog. I am inspired by colors and scenery and other people's creations. I love things that are bight and cheery, things with lots of color.

Here are just a few things that have inspired me:

 

TAKEN FROM MICHELLE MADOW'S BLOG POST:

WHAT IS "PROJECT TELL TAYLOR?"

As a lot of you know by now, my debut novel Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. I talked all about it in a blog entry a few months ago, discussing how Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. I even wrote a letter to Taylor Swift and sent it to her, along with a signed book!

It's been a few months now, and I have yet to hear back from Taylor that she received the letter and book. I don't even know if she ever saw it (I kind of doubt she did). 

I really want to tell Taylor about how inspiring she and her music have been to me, but since Taylor Swift is an international superstar, she’s a little hard to reach. This is where YOUR help comes into play! I am giving away the biggest prize pack I've offered yet, and the ways to enter to win are by telling Taylor Swift about Remembrance. 

The Goal: Get Taylor Swift to Tweet about Remembrance!

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BOOK:

 Summary From Goodreads:

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

READ BELOW TO WIN AN AWESOME PRIZE PACK:

a Rafflecopter giveaway