Happy New Year + Fave Books of 2009!

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I hope you all have fun bringing in 2010, and remember be safe!

For my last post in 2009, I made a list of all my favorite books this year (in no particular order)!


Kissed By An Angel Trilogy by Elizabeth Chandler + City of Glass [Mortal Instruments, Book 3] by Cassandra Clare (I read the previous two books in 2008)


Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles + Stolen Lives by Malika Oukfir


I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak + Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick


Legacy by Cayla Kluver + The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy


Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater + Jennifer's Body by Audrey Nixon


The Sultan's Favorite by Anne Burnside + Tempted by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast


Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman + The Only Alien On The Planet by Kristen D. Randle


Hate List by Jennifer Brown + Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Waiting On Wednesday! (Dec. 30, 2009)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Turning Book 1: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 288

Summary: Mary Richards is a normal sixteen-year-old girl living in Manhattan. Well, almost normal. She goes to private school on the Upper East Side, having been saved from a life of squalor by an adoptive family. But she's also slowly transforming into a cat. Struggling to hide her physical metamorphosis, Mary discovers that she isn't alone. A whole race of cat people prowls the streets of Manhattan at night, including Mary's long-time crush, Nick. Aside from heightened feline senses, hanging out with Nick is the best thing about discovering her inner kitty. But Mary's transformation is special and could decide the outcome of a citywide turf war. She must decide whether to embrace her powerful feline side and become a pack leader or go back to being a normal teenage girl. Can she land on her feet or will curiosity be her downfall?

My Thoughts: I love the sound of this book, a possible modern twist on Catwoman? I really look forward to its release! *Meow*

Movie Review: James Cameron's Avatar

I usually don't review movies, but I'm making an exception for Avatar. I saw it on Saturday and I was blown away! It was one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. The world that James created was breathtaking...I literally wish our world looked like that. I also fell in love with the characters, especially with Jake and Neytiri (picture above.) This movie moved me emotionally and I couldn't help being connected to these characters and their lives. Me and my boyfriend definitely list this movie as our favorite of 2009. If you haven't seen it yet, what the heck are you waiting for!? :)

Below is the trailer...

Book Review: Last Kiss by Jon Ripslinger

Last Kiss by Jon Ripslinger
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 288
Received From: Store Bought

Summary: Billy O’Reilly, a farm boy in rural Iowa, has been secretly dating Lisa Wells, the popular, wealthy daughter of the president of the local college. It’s a complicated relationship: people of HER class don’t associate with people of HIS class. Her controlling father does not approve of the relationship, her “real” boyfriend is growing suspicious, and her troubled stepbrother is adding to the drama by stirring up trouble. Billy’s life is thrown into turmoil when Lisa breaks up with him and then is found murdered the next morning. A series of circumstantial evidence points directly to Billy who, along with his best friend, Windy, launches his own investigation to clear his name and find out what really happened to the girl he loved. This gritty, fast-paced teen mystery will appeal to both reluctant and dedicated readers.

My Review: Last Kiss had an interesting premise and was very well written. I enjoyed the characters, especially Billy. He was very smart and likable, it wasn't hard to warm up to his personality. The negative aspect occurred when I reached the middle of the book, I got a little bored and kept putting it down. Fortunately, towards the end it took a turn for the better. The shocking twist was crazy, I would of never expected the outcome of Lisa's murder. Overall, it was an okay read, it's light yet dramatic. The summary just didn't live up to my expectations, I wanted more romance with Lisa and Billy, but I didn't get it.

My Rating: 4.0 out of 5
Author's Info:


Jon Ripslinger (Davenport, Iowa) is a writer and a former high school English teacher. He was a participant in the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop and is the author of several published short stories and two other novels for young adults.

Monday's Question of the Day! (Dec. 28, 2009)

*You are welcome to use my meme - just credit me please*

Question: Out of all the books you've read in 2009, which one sticks out in your mind?

My Answer: I few stick out in my mind, Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Legacy by Cayla Kluver, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, and Hate List by Jennifer Brown. I loooove all these books!

I'd love to know your answers, so leave me a comment :)

IN MY MAILBOX (Dec. 27, 2009)

Credit goes to: The Story Siren for 'In My Mailbox' / Inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie

I was too lazy to take a picture ;)

For Review:
-Explorer X-Alpha by LM Preston
(Special thanks to LM Preston)


Books Won From Contests:
-Sliding On The Edge by C. Lee McKenzie + Bag of Candy (Yummy!)
(Special thanks to Briana from The Book Pixie)

Books that were Gifts for X-Mas:
-Pretty Little Liars Box Set (Pretty Little Liars, Flawless, Perfect + Unbelievable) by Sara Shepard
-Killer: Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard

Other Goodies:
-Hangover DVD
-The Sims 3: World Adventures Expansion Pack

I'd love to hear what you got this week! :)

Friday Finds on Saturday + Happy Belated X-Mas!

I just want to wish everyone who celebrated X-Mas, a happy belated!

Credit goes to MizB from Should Be Reading.

A Funny Thing About Love: Dancing Queen/Prom Crashers/Drive Me Crazy by Erin Downing
Genre: YA/Romantic Comedy
Release Date: August 24, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 752

Summary: Dancing Queen - Who needs Prince Charming if you've got a rock star? It's official. Olivia is a superfreak. Sure, she may have landed the hottest internship at an übercool TV music station. And yes, she's chilling with A-listers in London all summer. But when she meets her very first pop star, she gets caught in a revolving glass door and falls smack down on her bum -- all in one quick motion. Luckily, Rocker Boy thinks Liv's quirks are adorable. He takes her clubbing at the hippest spots! Liv may be clumsy on solid ground, but on the dance floor she sparkles. The summer's just begun and she's already captured the spotlight -- and a celeb's heart, too. Now if only she was sure he's the right guy...

Prom Crashers- Will you go to the proms with me? It was love at first sight for Emily and Ethan. But then Em lost his number and, with it, all the hope of finding a real boyfriend before the end of senior year. All she knows about Ethan is his first name, that he has a supercute smile, and that he's going to a prom this month. Which high school? That's anyone's guess....Em enlists the help of her three best friends, who quickly score formal wear and hail a limo. Together, Emily, Max and Sid vow to find Ethan, to find a cure for senioritis, and most important, to find true love--one hilarious prom night at a time.

Drive Me Crazy - Kate’s tote is packed and she’s ready for a road trip! She and her two best friends, Sierra and Alexis, are geared up for a week of fun and freedom on the road to their family lake houses in Love, Wisconsin. Best of all, when Kate reaches Love, she’ll be reunited with Lucas, with whom she shared a steamy end-of-summer kiss last year. Kate can’t wait to see Lucas again and pick things up exactly where they left off. Then Kate gets some seriously bad news: Alexis’s sarcastic, condescending, hot-but-he-knows-it cousin is crashing the girls’ road trip. Adam bugs Kate in every possible way. Now Kate just wants to get the road trip over with so she can spend the summer in Lucas’s arms. But the road to Love is full of surprises…

Perfectly Dateless: A Universally Misunderstood Novel by Kristin Billerbeck
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: July 1, 2010
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 256

Summary: Daisy Crispin has 242 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem--her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, has to wear lame homemade clothes, and has no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem. Can she talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempt to completely ruin her life? With hilarious and truthful writing, Kristin Billerbeck uncovers the small--and large--mortifications that teen girls encounter. Readers will fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family, and friendship.

The Mosts by Melissa Senate
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 240

Summary: Madeline finished freshman year at Freeport Academy just as invisible as when she started. But after a summer in Italy with her sophisticated aunt, she returned as a sophomore with cool clothes, European attitude, and a hot new boyfriend, Thom. Maddie's part of the in crowd . . . the Mosts. Her best friend, Caro? Most Beautiful. Her other friends, Fergie, Annie, and Selena? Most Stylish, Most Hilarious, and Most Hot, respectively. And Madeline? Most Popular. Her life is great. While it lasted. Now Thom's moved to California-so Maddie's no longer the girlfriend of a popular guy. The guy Caro likes only has eyes for Madeline-can you say social suicide? And a group of misfits at school are begging Madeline to help make them over. Madeline knows there's a fine line between being a Most . . . and being a Not. She doesn't want her status to change . . . but what if she doesn't have a choice? Fun summer fiction from Melissa Senate, THE MOSTS is sure to be a favorite among tweens and teens looking for a great beach read.

Vote for Best Blog of 2009!

Hey everyone, first of all Merry Christmas Eve! Or if you don't celebrate Christmas, happy holidays :) The lovely Natalie from Mindful Musings is hosting the best blog of 2009 poll, and I am tied for Eighth Place! How awesome is that?? I want to give great thanks to those who nominated me in the first place, I honestly love all of you! Anywho, if you can find the time to swing over to Natalie's blog to vote for me, I'd appreciate it very much! Thanks again! Also, make sure you vote for all the other amazing bloggers too.

Vote for me in Natalie's poll (located in the left sidebar) here

Book Review: How To Date A Vampire by Sophie Collins

How To Date A Vampire by Sophie Collins
Genre: Young Adult Dating Guide
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Spruce
Pages: 127
Received From: Publicist

Summary: This is a fantastic magazine-style guide to romance for young teens...with a twist! For any girl looking for a boy who's more Cullen than caveman, this book is your helping hand to a happy ending. A vampire boy is smart, he's sexy, and he's waiting to discover someone a little bit different; so use this little lifesaver to show him what's so special about you and set his pulse (if he had one) racing. Of course, if like Bella or Buffy, the man of your dreams is more than just a high school crush, you won't find help in the problem pages. Luckily for you, this book is packed full of quizzes, charts and failsafe advice, from finding out if the guy giving you sleepless nights is a real vamp or a fanged faker, to great date ideas that don't involve Type-O milkshakes. With space to write about your own close encounters, plus style advice and beauty tips that are sure to slay him on sight, this is the only guide you'll ever need to spotting a vampire and knocking him (un)dead.

My Review: How To Date A Vampire is one of the cutest vampire handbooks I've ever seen! It was literally like flipping through a vampire friendly magazine. I really felt like I could catch a cold one just by following Sophie's dating tips. I loved the colorful pages and the artwork was adorable! Anime seemed to be the inspiration behind the artwork which is pretty cool. Sophie presented every type of scenario with a vampire, everything from the early stages of dating to the sad break ups. My favorite part of the book were the quizzes, they were meant for us human girls but also for that boy vampire of your dreams. Overall, a super cute read and I thoroughly recommend it if you're looking to catch a vampire. Also, it's definitely a fun read that has the ability to put a smile on your face.

My Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Author's Info: Sophie Collins, when she isn't romancing vampires, is a writer and editor who has authored books on subjects weird and wonderful as Victorian shadow casting and reading dogs' body language. Her books include Tail Talk (Chronicle, 2004), A Sussex Miscellany (Snake River Press, 2006), and Scoop (The Book People, 2007). She currently lives, works and dates the undead in Sussex.

Monday's Question Of The Day! (Dec. 21, 2009)

*You are welcome to use my meme - just credit me please*

Finally! Back to regular programming, sorry I've been M.I.A. for a few days now. A few announcements, I've decided to extend my Book of Choice giveaway until December 25, here is the link if you haven't entered yet. Also, I didn't do an IMM since I received none for review and didn't even have time to buy any new books. Okay then, below is Monday's question...thanks to those who didn't forget about me while I was gone ;D Oh and I almost forgot, I unfortunately had to change my comments setting, I no longer receive comments from anonymous users because I was getting bombarded with spam. I'm sure a lot of bloggers are experiencing this issue. It sucks but it was becoming ridiculous since I had to delete them daily. I hope you all understand!

Also, I am now affiliates with Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic, her blog is freakin awesome! I've been following her since the beginning so go visit her site :)

Question: What catches your eye about book covers?

My Answer: My eye mostly appeals to sexy, dark, urban fantasy YA book covers. Lately they've been doing great with covers, example, Fallen by Lauren Kate. It's dark yet strikingly beautiful. But, sometimes the thing that captures my attention is the title of a book. If it sounds cool it just might turn out to be a great read so I sometimes take my chances on that.

I'd love to know your answers, so leave me a comment :)

Friday Finds! (Dec. 18, 2009)

Credit goes to MizB from Should Be Reading.

The Best And The Hardest Thing by Pat Brisson
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: May 13, 2010
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 244

Summary: The story of a good girl gone bad Fifteen-year-old Molly Biden has always been studious, dependable, some might even say saintly. And she’s sick of herself. So when she spots mysterious bad boy Grady Dillon, she devises a plan to make herself over into someone new, someone who will attract Grady’s attention. She succeeds—but a little too well.
When Molly discovers she’s pregnant, she’s forced to make the hardest choice of her life. This addictively readable portrayal of Molly’s struggle to accept her pregnancy and the fact that her life will never be the same is told entirely in poetry, from sonnets to haiku.

Somebody's Crying by Maureen McCarthy
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: July 1, 2010
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 384

Summary:When Alice looks up and sees Tom staring at her, everything closes down around them and becomes very still. No one is breathing. No one else is in the room. Tom feels as if he can see right into the soul of Alice Wishart. It lies open before him, like a wide, long pane of glittering glass. So delicate and beautiful and . . . ready to break. Three years have passed since the murder of Alice's mother, but still the killer is unknown. Alice, her cousin Jonty, and his friend Tom are drawn together by the mystery, but what is each of them hiding? Will their secrets bind them tighter or tear everything apart? Maureen McCarthy's intensely real characters will draw readers deep into a world of suspicion, betrayal, desire, and redemption.

Thin Executioner by Darren Shan
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: August 1, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 496

Summary: In a brutal nation of warriors, Jebel’s family holds the highest honor: his father is executioner. But Jebel is considered too thin to compete to replace him. Humiliated and furious, Jebel vows to regain his honor in a quest to petition the fire god for invincibility. The journey is long, filled with unknown monsters. And by the end of it Jebel isn’t quite sure what he wants anymore. In Darren Shan’s imaginative first standalone novel, he explores themes of religious tolerance and cultural understanding, and champions the idea that peace is often the bravest choice of all.

I'm so tired...

Hey everyone! I'm just letting you all know that I won't be posting for a few days, I have so many things going on. I'm working a lot and have a final coming up so I'll probably post around the weekend. I'm so tired! I just want to sleep :( Anywho, I should have two reviews up soon! Okay well, see you guys in a few days and please don't forget about lil ol' me! :)

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, do the following:

• Grab your current read
  -Open to a random page
  -Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's mine:

"She unlocked her bedroom door and scampered out of the room. I waited a minute, opened the sliding-glass door, stole silently across the deck, down the stairs, and fled into the chilly night. I knew I'd lost her. I felt it in what was left of my crushed heart." Page 65 from Last Kiss by Jon Ripslinger.

*Look out for my review soon!




""At Red School, we let you pick a new name. One you might like better than Andrew. A new name means a whole new start. Changing your name is something every child at my school gets to do. How does that sounds?" Interested, Andrew nodded. He had never really liked his name in the first place." Page 27 from Red School by Bryce Holt.

*My review coming soon as well!

Monday's Question of the Day! (Dec. 14, 2009)

*You are welcome to use my meme - just credit me please*

Thank you to Nikki from Ramblings of a Bibliophile for the great question! :)

Question: Which do you prefer, Hardback or Paperback?

My Answer: I definitely prefer Paperback, it's so much easier to read. However it can also be annoying because the book develops creases in the bind. A lot of books do come out in hardback so I have no choice but to buy them but at least the cover stays in tact:)

I'd love to know your answers, so leave me a comment :)

IN MY MAILBOX (Dec. 13, 2009)

Credit goes to: The Story Siren for 'In My Mailbox' / Inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie

For Review:
-Rising Shadow by Jacquelyn Wheeler
(Special thanks to Jacquelyn)
-How to Date a Vampire by Sophie Collins
(Special thanks to Jennie from Octopus Books USA)
-By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
(Special thanks to Jennifer from Disney Publishing)

Books Won From Contests:
-Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors
(Special thanks to Kim @ The Book Butterfly)
-The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley
(Special thanks to Shellie @ Layers of Thought)
-Flowers in the Attic + Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews
(Special thanks to Taren @ The Chick Manifesto)

Books Bought:
-Blood Ninja by Nick Lake
-Alvor by Laura Bingham
-Fallen by Lauren Kate

Other Goodies:
-The Original 365 Amazing Trivia Facts Calender + X-Mas Card
(Huge THANK YOU to author E. Van Lowe for this surprise X-Mas gift, you're awesome!)
-Snow White DVD
-Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince DVD
-The Ugly Truth DVD from Netflix

I'd love to hear what you got this week! :)