KD's Library

moonlight- Rachel Hawthorne

2010-01-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

Summary: from Amazon

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.

Review:

Fantastic! This, in all honesty, is one of my first werewolf books, and I LOVED IT! Moonlight is the first of a series called Dark Guardian and I'm very excited to see where Rachel Hawthorne takes the story.

The whole story was very intriguing, i was hooked the whole time. It was a quick light read for me that i very much enjoyed. The only thing that i might have disliked about the book was the ending, but besides this it was wonderful. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in werewolves or a typical love story with some twists.

Kd

Looking for alaska- John Green

2009-10-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

Summary: from back of the book
Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave "the Great Perhaps" even more (Franois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.

Review:

Unique I have never read anything like Looking for Alaska. I really had no idea what this book was about at first and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading it. The main characters Pundge, Alaska, and the Colonel were extremely interesting to read about. Not only the characters but the events that happen and things they get themselves into are amazing as well. John Green did an excellent job writing this, I was hooked the entire time. Looking for Alaska is definitely worth the read, I recommend this to just about anyone and everyone who enjoys a good book.

Slacking one month!

2009-09-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

So yes I have been a little busy this month. Which has unfortunately stopped my posts completely! Which was very naughty of me. But I did have some good excuses...
1. a week in Florida
2. a week as a counselor for a Christian camp
3. a week of volleyball camp
4. a week of tryouts
5. and a week in Tennessee for a family reunion in the mountains :D

However I could have been posting but I didn't because I am lazy. But this laziness will end today because School will be starting again! and I will be back on a schedule shortly.

So book blogging community I am officially back! yay

Yours truly,

Kd

Twenty Boy Summer- Sarah Ockler

2009-07-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

My rating: 5/5
Summary: amazon
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Review:

Perfect! This was such a perfect summer read for me. I actually read this while on my little one week vacation to Florida and this couldn't have been more perfect timing to read this book.

The mood of this book is all over the charts for me. It seems that it is Happy then sad then melancholy then blissful then aggravating then hopeful and etc. I loved how Everything almost took place on the beach or in beachy surrounding. It made me want to actually get up and drive to the beach.

I loved most of the characters in the book. Anna and Frankie were the perfect picture of best friends with Anna being more reserved and Frankie being more loud and "look at me"

Overall, the whole book was very well written and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a summer read or just a good book.

Kd

Vacation Time!!!!

2009-07-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

As of Tuesday the 14th of July I will be going away to the Beautiful, Sunny, and incredibly hot state of Florida! woot! And what can be better than this you may ask?... well I am going alone! Some would be saddened by this but in my case I am extremely excited that I don't have to be on a flight with my very annoying brother, who luckily visited my grandmother the week before. But don't get me wrong I do of course love my darling brother. :D

Here is my dilemma: I really don't want to go through baggage and stuff, which I also heard can be expensive, so I am only taking a carry on bag. Which means that I have to be selective in my clothes. But the real problem is my toiletry bag.

What is allowed!

A disposable razor?
my eye solution?
tweezers?

I'm so confused! If anyone could help that would be great!

Thanks!

Cindy Ella- Robin Palmer

2009-07-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

My rating: 3/5
Summary: from amazon

Prom fever has infected LA—especially Cindy’s two annoying stepsisters, and her overly Botoxed stepmother. Cindy seems to be the only one immune to it all. But her anti-prom letter in the school newspaper does more to turn Cindy into Queen of the Freaks than close the gap between the popular kids and the rest of the students. Everyone thinks she’s committed social suicide, except for her two best friends, the yoga goddess India and John Hughes–worshipping Malcolm, and shockingly, the most popular senior at Castle Heights High and Cindy’s crush, Adam Silver. Suddenly Cindy starts to think that maybe her social life could have a happily ever after. But there’s still the rest of the school to deal with. With a little bit of help from an unexpected source and a fabulous pair of heels, Cindy realizes that she still has a chance at a happily ever after.

Review:

Super Cute! Cindy Ella was a cute Cinderella story. If I could compare it to anything it would be the actual movie, a Cinderella story, with Hillary Duff in it. I found that the two stories were very familiar. Then again most Cinderella stories have the step sisters along with the stepmother, and then of course our prince charming.

Overall, I found that this book was a nice and light to read. The characters were done well, I especially love the attitude of Cindy. I also enjoyed the Instant Messaging conversations she would have. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and cute read.

The Abc's of kissing boys- Tina Ferraro

2009-07-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

My rating5/5

Summary: from back of the book

Parker Stanhope has played soccer practically since she could walk. And now that she’s a high school junior, everything she’s worked for is finally coming together. She’s paid her dues on the field, and as an upperclassman, she’s a shoo-in for the varsity team. But that’s not what happens.

This year, Coach Hartley moved up every JV player but two—and one of those two was Parker. Now, she’s stuck with the freshmen, her friends are cutting her loose, and her love of the game is seriously beginning to fail. But Parker is determined to get her life back. She has to get on the varsity team, and she has the perfect plan. All she needs now is the right kind of coach.

Review:

Loved it! This book was nothing and everything that I expected. I thought this was going to be a great book, but what I didn't expect was how this story was going to play out. I thought prior to reading this that it was going to be about Parker falling for an assistant coach or something. What actually did happen in however, was even better than I expected.

This story was too cute! The characters, Parker and Tristan were amazing. I especially love that That Tristan was younger than Parker. I think that that they over exaggerated on the horrors of freshman part, but maybe in some schools this would be a horror to date a freshman.

Overall, This book was the perfect light summer read I was looking for. I highly recommend it.

Kd

Wicked Lovely- Melissa marr

2009-07-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 3.5/5

Summary: from back of the book

Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries. Aiislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention. But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in this 21st century faery tale.

Review:

Wicked Lovely was my first faerie book and it blew me away. I never thought I would be the faerie type until I read this one!

Overall, the story was done very well. I thought that some of the characters could have been a bit stronger...but maybe they will get stronger in the next books. I would definitely love to know more about Kennan and Dona. Very good story, and I have a feeling it will only get better with the following books.

kd

Cedar Point! woot :D

2009-06-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I just got back from Cedar Point! woot. It was so much fun! To everybody who doesn't know where this is, it is in Ohio. The next day we went to soak city, it was a little rainy...but that just meant that we had short lines, or no lines at all :D

Has anyone else been to Cedar Point?

Strange Angels- Lili St. Crow

2009-06-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

1st I would like to apologize if I upset or offended anyone in anyway with my latest post on Michael Jackson. I was simply stating my opinion on the issue.

My rating: 4/5
Summary:from amazon

Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.)
Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?
Review:

I was so very excited for this one! I was simply ecstatic when I learned that I was getting it. This book did live up to most of my expectations, but for some reason I wished the author made Dru, our main character, more...tough? maybe have more of a backbone? I expected Dru to be a Tomboy, which she was, but I expected her to be a little more stronger(mentally and physically) But I now realize that maybe this is what Lili wanted for Dru's first book and maybe she gets stronger in the following.

Overall, this story was very good and action packed. I was just a little disappointed in Dru, but besides this the book was amazing! I am really looking forward to the following books to come.

Kd

Michael Jacksons Dead?

2009-06-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

So there you have it, our once great pop star is now dead. At the very early age of 5o. Listening to the radio this morning I was suprised to hear how everyone was saying how great of a guy he was?!?! I admit that his music was very good and he was a great part in our "musical history"? But you cannot justify this when he was such a sick man! He admitted to having boys sleep with him in his bed! And tells the world that everyone should do it. This is disturbing even if he claims that it was not sexual. Among other things that all suggest that this man was a nut and a creeper.

However I did notice that nobody actually said that they miss hime or that they were sad. Everything considered, yes, he was a great singer, no, he was not a great man.

Goodbye Michael Jackson

In My Mailbox- Vlog 6-21-09

2009-06-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is kind of off... but oh well. I got tired of trying to fix it so now I am just posting it :] This was originally done by the story siren so go check her out!

I bought two books this week:

Men in Black- Mark R. Levin
Ink Exchange- Melissa Marr

Trouble always comes in 3's

2009-06-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

This week has been too much for me. One person can only stand so much emotional stress in such a short time period! Lets just say that this week has sucked. All my issues are car related, and I am beginning to think that not only does technology hate me but automobiles do as well!
My mom told me today that trouble always comes in 3's, and after this week I cannot agree with her more.

1. My moms van is hit and we have to pay 700 dollars to pay for the bumper. (Which is not that bad...but still.)

2. Later that day around 10:30 PM I myself get pulled over in my mothers van (I am only 16) by an older than dirt cop that has nothing better to do than make my life miserable. He says to me "the license plate on the vehicle was expired two days ago." Give me a brake! The plate says June and if I am not mistaken it is still JUNE! There was no reason to pull me over! Regardless I still was upset and very emotional, even more so when I realized I forgot my license at home and could not find the registration! "Mam. I am going to have to ask you to step out of the vehicle." This brought even more tears as I am standing on Main Street at late hours in front of his sparkly-lighted car. I was given "48 hours to correct it."

3. In my own vehicle a couple days later I was going to a softball game and hit a van while trying to leave. This also brought tears (yes, I am an emotional person, which was enhanced by me being on my period.), as the dent was very significant and huge! The size of a basketball to say the least. Somehow I got out of this by "being on private property" or something.

I am now traumatized and without a car as it has been temporarily taken away by my parents due to the latest event. However, they were very understanding and I am blessed that they were more concerned for my safety.

Kd

The Awakening- Kelly Armstrong

2009-06-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

My rating: 4/5
Summary: from the back of the book

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. I'm a living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I can raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever. I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Review:

So I am officially in love with this series and am anxiously awaiting the third book The Reckoning! I love the whole paranormal theme of this book dealing with ghosts and such, as I have never read a book where there were people who talked to ghosts.

I was excited to read this and was not disappointed. There is a lot going on with Chloe's new found and explained power of being a necromancer, then we have Derek the werewolf, and Tori and Simon who are Sorcerers. These teenagers are faced with the Edison group who are definitely evil people who experiment and kill "troubled kids" such as themselves. We see a lot of "maybe" and "almost" relationships forming. Chloe who may have feelings for either or both of the brothers, Derek and Simon. Simon and Derek who both definitely maybe or kinda have feelings for Chloe... Then Tori who likes Simon, who doesn't return those feelings.

Overall, this story is a very good read. Once you start you can't stop.

Kd

Look alikes: Celeb version 2

2009-06-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I have been busy of late with all of the new and wonderful excitements of SUMMER! I have been neglecting my blog and I am sad because of it. So I have decided to do another look alikes because I am too lazy to post a review right now. Here they are...

For the Season we have the blond on the left looking a whole lot like Hayden Panettiere.

For Strange Angels we have Megan Fox. Not the best pick but it was all I could find. Some of my friends thought I looked a little bit like the girl on this cover when I asked them for an actress. hehe not really but I kind of have the same hair as she does.

You Guys can judge. Its not a very good picture but... Oh well. :D Now that I am looking at it I really dont think I look like her.

Summer!!!!!!!

2009-06-06T10:43:00.001-07:00

It is officially summer for myself and others who have also started summer! woot! Very excited and well....EXCITED! I can not wait for all the amazing things that I am planning to do. I am going to Florida, going to a cabin in the mountains in Tennessee, going canoeing, camping, partying, and so so much more!

What is everyone else doing this summer?

The Summoning- Kelly Armstrong

2009-06-01T00:32:00.000-07:00

My Rating:5/5

Summary: from amazon

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.
All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.
Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

Review:

My new favorite series, Darkest Powers! This is the first of the series and I immediately fell in love with it. I mean who wouldn't love the girl who sees dead people? Chloe is the cute girl goes to Lyle house to only find out that she is not as crazy as she and the nurses are keep telling her. From the other kids in the house she learns a lot about her situation and others like hers.

The characters of course were done very well with the very talkative Liz, The mean and questionably crazy Tori, Sweet and trustworthy Simon, then big, quite, and smart Derek. Of course you have Chloe who is about 5 feet and looks like a kid ofton until she dies her hair with red streaks. She is always trying to do the right thing and is also very sweet.

Overall, a quick and very good read. Recommended to about everyone!

The Season- Sarah MacLean

2009-05-31T00:05:00.000-07:00

My rating: 5/5

Summary: from amazon

In Regency London, Alexandra is about to embark on her first season of balls and dinners, and while nothing would steer her mother from the course of marrying off her only daughter, 17-year-old Alex is put off by men's seeming lack of interest in women with any amount of intelligence (Evidently, it scares eligible gentlemen off). Her opinions about romance change when she develops feelings for her brothers' friend Gavin, who is mourning the sudden death of his father (making Gavin the new earl of Blackmoor). Mac-Lean's debut is well paced, and as readers fill up on descriptions of dresses and society's rules, another plot line develops: Alex overhears a conversation proving that Gavin's father was murdered, and she puts her relationship, reputation and life in danger to help him.

Review:

The Season is now one of my favorites! I love the whole idea of girls in gowns, Balls, London, War, Boys, plotting, and a mysterious murder. I loved that this took place in the 1800's. I just love that time frame for a book! The Season definitely didn't disappoint.

I loved the Character of Alex. She was not your typical naive quite girl in the 1800's. Alex was the complete opposite and so were her friends Ella and Vivi. They were all smart, beautiful, funny, and cunning. But I have to say that my favorite characters were Alex's older brothers. They were your typically funny and hilarious brothers. The three of them were all over 6 feet and looked out for there sister in a friendly manner without letting her think that they really cared.

here is a section from the book that describes the 3 brothers....

The sons in question-- William, Twenty-three, Nicholas, Twenty-one, and Christopher, nineteen--shared other familial qualities with their father, however: They were devilishly handsome, with dark-as-midnight hair, strong jaw, regal noses, and full lips that had made the Stafford's legendary since the early days of kingdom....

And of course we have Gavin who is equally handsome and amazing if not more.

Overall, this was a great book with amazing characters and plot. Recommended.

Shrinking Violet- Danielle Joseph

2009-05-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

My rating: 5/5

Summary: from amazon

High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out -- doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T -- and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize -- Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare....

Review:

First, Shrinking Violet was Completely amazing, great, stupendous, and other adjectives I can't think of right now. The point is that I could not put this one down. It was a great twist of a Cinderella story only our Cinderella this time is a extremely quite and awkward girl by day and an amazing DJ at night. With the typical popular and distant step sisters and a step mother who tries way too hard to make the family perfect, Both are not shy about using all of her fathers money.

I loved seeing Tere or Sweet T slowly start to talk to Gavin and other people, not to mention the whole Amazing DJ part. Probably one of my favorite parts is when Tere's step mom takes her out to get a make over and seeing a hint jealousy they are done.

The characters were of course done very well. Tere was great coming out of her shell and all, then Gavin being the wonderful guy he is, then my favorite character "Pop tart" being sweet to Tere from the beginning even though she is quite flighty thinking that Tere is actually Deaf when she clearly can talk. But she was a great character to see helping Tere with the mystery of Make up and being her coach and supporter the whole time.

Overall, it was very good and expect everyone to go buy it when it comes out!

Jessica's Guide to dating the Dark Side- Beth Fantaskey

2009-05-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

My rating: 5/5

Summary: from Barnes and noble

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

Review:

Love, Love, Loved it! I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed reading Jessica's Guide. Beth Fantaskey is truly amazing. I loved the way she wrote this book, it included almost all my favorite things!!! I mean vampire royalty, secret princess, old castles, a tall dark and Handsome prince, a pact, evil plot, Romania, and did I mention Vampires? This is basically your vampire Cinderella story.

First, I loved almost all the characters, however I would have loved to see more personality in some of them. I thought that Jessica and Lucius were done very well, but I would have loved to see Jessica's uncles and family have more personality and Lucius's evil uncles have more scenes and personality.

Second, I really liked the letters from Lucius to his uncle. They definitely added more character and personality to him, as he is confessing what is taking place on his mission. We also get his point of view on some events, which is very nice!

Overall, I loved almost everything about this book! The plot, characters, and basically everything was great! I definitely recommend it and would love to see more from Beth Fantaskey. For instance.... A sequel???

Look alikes: Celeb version

2009-05-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

So last night when i was browsing through my google reader I saw that alea had some look alike. When I saw the one cover "skinned" I think it was the girl on the cover had a crazy resemblance to caridee off of Americas next top model! So I decided to come up with Celeb look alike for covers. hehe.... If someone has already done this then please tell me so I can give you credit!

1st of course my find of caridee... That looks like the girl on the cover of "Skinned"

Then we have Demi Lavoto looking like the girl on the cover of "Shes so Money"

And Finally Meaghan Martin looking like the girl on the cover of "Audry Wait!"

Love you Hate you Miss you- Elizabeth Scott

2009-05-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

My rating- 3.5/5

Summary: from amazon

Get this, I'm supposed to be starting a journal about "my journey." Please. I can see it now: Dear Diary, As I'm set adrift on this crazy sea called "life" . . . I don't think so.
It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her.
And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone now, and she doesn't want to talk about it. They wouldn't get it, anyway. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to have your best friend ripped away from you.
They wouldn't understand what it feels like to know it's your fault.
Amy's shrink thinks it would help to start a diary. Instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia.
But as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past wasn't as perfect as she thought it was—and the present deserves a chance too.

Review:

Love you. Hate you. Miss you. Is definitely one of my favorites of Elizabeth Scott. She writes about the realistic situations teens deal with all the time; drugs, death, drinking, sex, lying, and more unpleasant issues that most pretend are non-existent in our world today.

Elizabeth Scott writes of a troubled teenager girl, Amy. The whole story is based off of Amy trying to cope with the fact that her best friend is dead. Amy writes a journal of letters to Julia discussing memories, telling her that she is sorry, and about what is happening while she is not there.

This story was quite incredible and startling. It was definitely out of my usual range of books. I would recommend this to anyone who loved the book Cracked up to be.

Swine Flu- My school is closed!

2009-05-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yep so my school is now officially closed for Monday because a nearby school had a student who had swine flu. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. However, I will not refuse a day off if they are willing to give one. :D

Here's the website telling all about the incident and the following schools that will be canceled. H1N1 Virus closings

Does anyone else have these ridiculous closings at their schools?

Tennis

2009-04-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Woot! I won my match today against Alganac. which really wasn't much of an accomplishment as they kind of sucked. Go Richmond! I wanted to show you guys some pictures of me playing, but...I didn't have any... so these are from LAST year. Where are uniforms were very UGLY. So I covered mine up with our Neon Bright yellow shirts :D

Myself returning... (my hair looks pretty messed up)

Myself serving... wow that is such an awful toss!
I forgot how hideous those uniforms actually were. Yeesh! (Ugliest blue ever known to man, and then the tank top that you can't see was sweat stained from the previous user. *shudder*

My compulsive buys from Barnes and Noble

2009-04-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

Well... I kinda sort of have this problem with buying books....every time when I am close or not close to a bookstore. I'm sure I am not the only one with this "problem" as my family and some friends call it. They all think I'm insane. But I bought two books today! woot :D ...after being restrained by my grandma who wouldn't let me buy the 5 0r 6 books that I originally wanted to buy. This was after my reducing of my pile which consisted of about 18 books. But here are the two...

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries. Aiislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention. But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.

The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong

Chloe Saunders sees dead people. Yes, like in the films. The problem is, in real life saying you see ghosts gets you a one-way ticket to the psych ward. And at 15, all Chloe wants to do is fit in at school and maybe get a boy to notice her. But when a particularly violent ghost haunts her, she gets noticed for all the wrong reasons. Her seemingly crazed behaviour earns her a trip to Lyle House, a centre for 'disturbed teens'. At first Chloe is determined to keep her head down. But then her room mate disappears after confessing she has a poltergeist, and some of the other patients also seem to be manifesting paranormal behaviour. Could that be a coincidence? Or is Lyle House not quite what it seems...? Chloe realizes that if she doesn't uncover the truth, she could be destined for a lifetime in a psychiatric hospital. Or could her fate be even worse...? Can she trust her fellow students, and does she dare reveal her dark secret?

Fade- Lisa McMann

2009-04-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

My rating: 4.5/5

Summary: from Amazon

SOME NIGHTMARES NEVER END.
For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck.
Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open -- but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.
Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability -- and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared....

My review:

I thought that Lisa Mcmann did a great job with her sequel to "Wake". I had high hopes for this one and was definitely not disappointed. In this book you really got allot of answers dealing with Janie and her dream catchers power. We also get a better look about the relationship between, my new boyfriend(and not Hopes), Cable and Janie. You also get to see other relationships forming with Janie and Sir, and other characters, Which is always very nice to see.

This whole book was just done so very well to me! I loved the whole Idea of Janie getting involved with the police work that Cable does for Sir. I enjoyed the fact that you learn so much more about Janie's powers. (lol and yes I am aware of the fact that I have already said this, but...I thought it was worth saying again.)

Overall, I really have to say that I enjoyed this one very much! I can't wait for the third book to come out "Gone"? (Is that right) This is a very good and different series and would recommend it to just about anyone!

Kd

Awards

2009-04-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

I have been awarded! Woot! :D

I have been nominated by Black Rabbit Ink

This award is given to new blogs and blogging friends.
The rules to follow are:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 or 5 in my case other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

My Nominations... (which have been shortened due to that I have not discovered many others due to my lack of time. sorry!)

1. LiyanaLand!
2. silvia pi's ya books
3. Romance Sap
4. Bookmania
5. Michelle's Bookshelf

In my mailbox (or what I bought from the book store)

2009-04-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted one of these for a few weeks so I am just going to post the relatively new books I have bought or received.

Borrowed:

The season by Sarah Maclean:

Willow by Julia Hoban

Bought from Barnes and Noble:

Jessica's Guide to dating the dark side

What I saw and How I lied by Judy Blundell

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Bought from the Giant book sale in TN

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

The Truth about forever by Sarah Dessen

Keeping the Moon Sarah Dessen

Artichokes Heart by Suzzanne Supplee

Prom by Laurie Anderson

Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker

* I was very happy about that sale as everyone can tell by the post below. :D What did everyone else get?

Giant Book Sale!!!

2009-04-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am visiting family in Tennesee! It was about 80 degrees, and I was loving it! In michigan we are happy if it is above 40 around this time of year. Anyway we went shopping and I happand to see this sign "Giant Book Sale" and of course, I had to go check it out.

Well, lets just say that this is now my favorite store ever!!! I went to the young adult section and found that all hardcovers were 4.00 to 3.00 dollars and paperbacks were only 2.00! I bought about 5 books and couldn't help but to share this with the rest of you.

I bought Artichokes heart Suzzanne Supplee, Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer, Prom by Laurie Anderson, Violet on runway by Melissa Walker, and Keeping the moon by Sarah Dessen.

Very Excited! and sorry I am done gloating. :D

Swim the fly- Don Calame

2009-04-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 5/5

Summary: from Amazon

Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team.

Review:

This book? Hilarious! I have never laughed more reading a book than I have with "Swim the Fly". I truly could not contain myself while reading this, I also received stares and weird looks because of it. Its the cutest story of these awkward teenage boys who get themselves into all kinds of trouble throughout the book.

The characters were all equally well done. All of the main characters were hilarious in their own way. You had Matt, who gets in over his head to try to impress a girl, Coop who is all too eager too achieve the boys new summer goal and will go to any extent to get it, Sean with his lame and innocent comebacks, and Matt's grandfather who is trying ask out the old lady across the street who was recently widowed.

Overall, this book was the funniest book I have ever read. It was very well done. I can't wait to read or watch more from Don Calame as he was also the screen writer of "Employee of the Month"

Wake- Lisa McMann

2009-04-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

My Review: 5/5

Summary: from amazon

Not all dreams are sweet.

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

Review:

This book, for starters, was amazing! Never read anything like it before. Completely original to me. A person who visits other peoples dreams seemed like a pretty weird idea to me at first. However, once I kept reading I couldn't stop! Just reading about the dreams that Janie got sucked into was fascinating in itself without everything else going on in this book.

Like I said the idea for this book was simply amazing. Then you had the equally amazing characters. Janie, the girl getting sucked into others dreams, and then Cable who is the sweetest guy on the planet! I especially liked how the author made the dreams in the book so you knew what was happening at what time at night or during the day.

Overall, I loved this one, Lisa McMann is a great author, and I can't wait to read the other books in this series! I also wrote this at midnight, at thought that it was fitting for the book... after the fact that I did it. Sweet Dreams.

Happy Birthday!!!

2009-03-31T04:06:00.001-07:00

I'm 16!!!!!!!!!!

YaY!!! Happy Birthday to me! I am very excited as it

is my sixteenth birthday starting today, March 31. I can drive woot! lol only got time to just leave this little note informing all that I will be on the roads very soon :D driving in my wonderful dads old silver ford truck. Go ME!

Deadly Little Secret- Laurie Farau Stolarz

2009-03-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

My rating: 4/5

Summary: from amazon

Some secrets shouldn't be kept...

Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe the rumors, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. She's inexplicably drawn to Ben...and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help--but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret.

Review:

This was one of my first mystery books. This book kept you guessing the whole time, I loved it! This was one of the very few books that I couldn't guess the ending for. I kept on assuming things in this book that should not have been assumed.

I loved the characters in this book. One of Camelia's friends, Kimmie, had me laughing the whole time. She is the typical hilarious crazy friend who loves guys and gossip. Then Wes the typical guy who only has girls for friends. Then you finaly have my favorite character... Ben! Who is so sweet, mysterious, and misunderstood.

I absolutely adored this book and can't wait to read the rest of the "Touch" series. I recommend this to people who liked "Wake" or "Evermore", or anyone who loves a good mysterious book.

Kd

Perfect Chemistry: By simone Elkeless

2009-03-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 5/5 * Loved this one*

Summary: amazon

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review:

First, I totally fell in love with Alex Fuentes! And I know this is dorky but My friends and I call dibs on fictional characters like: Edward: Twilight, Ben: Deadly Little secret, Jace: City of Bones, and Cable: Wake. I could go on, but I am rambling already. Anyway I had to give up some good characters to get Alex and I do not regret it one bit! (well....mostly.)

What I'm trying to say is that the characters in this book were amazing and the storyline could not have been better! I loved Alex the bad boy, and Brittany the popular white girl. It could not have been a more perfect Romeo and Juliet story, except Alex is in a gang and Brittany is a popular girl in High school.

I was completely zoned into this story till the very end! It is a great story that is now one of my favorite books. Unfortunately, I borrowed this one and was forced to give it back, against my wishes. I highly Recommend this book for those who love the whole modern forbidden love, and the amazing bad boy Alex that will have you swept off your feet by the end of the book, if not sooner.

KD

Evermore- Alyson Noel

2009-03-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

Review:

First this book was amazing! I really loved reading this one. This was almost the perfect book for me. I mean the cover is just gorgeous, and then you have the amazing characters and story line! Now one of my favorite flowers are red tulips after reading this book.

I liked a lot about Evermore. If I could change 3 things they would be Ever's name, more time with Damen, and the ending. First Ever's full name is Ever Bloom, which in my opinion is totally cheesy! Second Ever and Damen don't spend a lot of time together in general. And then I always hate the endings of books, they are just never good enough for me. But I guess its a series so that makes it a little better.

Overall, this book was a nice and quick read. I can't wait to read the rest of the immortal series and more from Alyson Noel! I also recommend this book!

Along for the Ride- Sarah Dessen

2009-03-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

My Rating: 5/5

Summary:

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Review:

This is my absolute favorite of Sarah Dessen's so far! Well I haven't read all of her books yet, but I cannot see how any of them could be as good as this one! The whole Idea of it just hit home for me. I read this while we were having a snowstorm.... lets just say that this book was my get away. I just kept wishing I was there on those sandy beaches instead of sitting on my couch in Michigan where we get excited when its not below freezing!

This book wasn't exactly the fastest read for me, but that doesn't make it any less great. In fact I am glad that It took me a while to read so that I could enjoy being in Auden's world for a while, instead of my own cold and damp one. (wow that sounded really cheesy! I need to stop watching my moms soaps with her) Anyway this book was amazing from the characters to the plot to basically EVERYTHING!

Overall, I believe that everyone should go out and buy this book right now! If it wasn't obvious earlier, I really did love this book. I can't wait to read more by Sarah Dessen!

I Heart Your Blog Award!

2009-03-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

Yay another award!!! I received this one from {Insert Book Title Here} so here are the rules and my amazing nominations!!!

The Rules:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4)Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

The Nominees are...

Bookworm Readers
Hopes Bookshelf
Ashleys Bookshelf
Books Make Great Lovers

and that is all, I know the rules said 7 but I'm feeling a little rebellious so were just doing 4 today.

City of Glass- Cassandra Clare

2009-03-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

My rating: 5/5

Summary:

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Review:

This series is one of my favorite series right now! So I had High hopes for this book, and I was definitely not disappointed! This was the perfect ending for this trilogy. I was so excited about reading this one! I had to wait for my friend to read it before I did, and let me tell you that that was just torture. It got so bad, that at one point I actually stole it form her in class and was having thoughts whether or not to run for it or not! hehe

There is so much to say about this book! There are a couple betrayals, many lies, corruption, new and old love, tons of action, many secrets revealed(for example "are Clary and Jace really brother and sister?) and some people die who are bad and good...

Overall, this was a great book! Probably had the most action by far. I absolutely loved this series and can't wait for New trilogy to come out that are prequels to the mortal instruments! I recommend this series to everybody, so go out and read it now!

Gone- Michael Grant

2009-03-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

Summary: from amazon

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day. It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

Review:

Okay for starters this book was terribly LONG. I mean it wasn't a bad book... it was just really long, almost TOO long. Besides this fact I thought this was a decent book. It was definitely original in the respect that I don't think I have read anything like it before.

I found Michael Grant's take on this very interesting. He kept me thinking the whole time about what was going to happen next. I also thought that he made his characters very well, each of them had a different story on what was happening to them during events. I absolutely loved how he used a couple characters point of view on events than just the main characters.

Overall, this was a interesting and unique book. I cannot wait for its sequel to come out called "Hunger".

Books I got this week!

2009-02-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

Well This week I have acquired a few new books. This was originally done by the Story Siren! Well my computer is still being stupid and I can't get the description beside the picture! (very frustrating!) Oh well, So here it goes: Descriptions all from amazon

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…
Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

Not all dreams are sweet.
For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

Well, apparently I live here now—my mom just bought the place. And named it after me, Ashleigh, which was nice. But did she know how cold it is here??
Um, it's a tiny island with not much to do, unless you really like sleigh rides. But I gotta say there are quite a few hot guys on this cold island . . .

~Any way I am very excited about all of these books! All of them I bought except City of Glass Which I borrowed from Hope's Bookshelf! Thank You!

New Blogger!!!

2009-02-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

Hey,
My friend Kate just started her own blog! Come by and Check her out she is amazing!

The Ravenous Reader

Betrayed- P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

2009-02-15T17:26:00.000-08:00

Summary: from amazon

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

Review:

This one surprisingly took me forever to read! I mean it wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't the greatest either. I found myself frequently becoming frustrated with this one. It seemed to never get any where for some reason. I felt that they kept on repeating the same things over and over.

However, I thought that "Betrayed" was a very good sequel to "Marked". The characters were well done. You got to know the old characters better and see them develop. There were also new characters introduced leaving you interested in what will become of them.

Overall, This was a decent book. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a cute, funny, and different story of vampires!

When it happens- Susane Colasanti

2009-02-05T13:48:00.000-08:00

Summary: from Amazon

Sara is searching for something real. It's the start of senior year, and the brainy and beautiful teen is determined that this will be the year she finds "it" -- that elusive little thing called love. She's been crushing all summer on Dave, who asked for her phone number at the end of junior year. She's been waiting for his call for months, stressing about her search not for just any boyfriend but the one who truly gets her, understands that she must make it into New York University, grasps the whacked-out relationship she has with her mom. She's got all her hopes wrapped up in Dave, not knowing that Tobey -- the slacker guy from art class who seems to care only about his band -- has spent countless hours crafting a plan to win her over.

Review:

When it Happens was such a cute book! You have Sarah the cute smart girl and then you have Toby the sweet, cute, slacker guy. Even though they seem to be completely different, they actually do have a lot in common. Plus you know how everyone says that opposites attract!

The characters in this story were done very well. The best thing about this book would have to be the two different perspectives. One was Tobys and the other, Sarahs. It was interesting seeing each characters view on events. The only thing that bothered me about this book was its length. I thought that it was just a little bit too long.

Overall, this book was pretty good. I recomend it to anyone looking for a cute and funny read.

Marked- P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast

2009-02-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

Summary: from Amazon

In 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres not only exist but are also tolerated by humans. Those whom the creatures "mark" as special enter the House of Night school where they will either become vampyres themselves, or, if their body rejects the change, die. To Zoey, being marked is truly a blessing, though she's scared at first. She has never fit into the human world and has always felt she is destined for something else. Her grandmother, a descendant of the Cherokee, has always supported her emotionally, and it is she who takes the girl to her new school. But even there the teen stands apart from the others. Her mark from the Goddess Nyx is a special one, showing that her powers are very strong for one so young. At the House of Night, Zoey finds true friendship, loyalty, and romance as well as mistrust and deception. She realizes that all is not right in the vampyre world and that the problems she thought she left behind exist there as well.

Review:

I was looking for a good supernatural book when I came across Marked. I heard some good things about this series so I gave it a try. I soon found out early in the book that I would not be disappointed. I barley put it down and ended up finishing it in the same day I started it.

The only thing that bothered me was the way they spelled vampire. They spelled it like this "Vampyre" This bugged me a little bit, however I thought it was creative of them to spell it like that. I found their overall take on vampires very interesting, I especially liked the fact that humans were aware of vampires world wide.

Overall, this story was fantastic and I recommend it to all vampire lovers! I cannot wait to start reading the other books in this series! lol I already went out and bought the second one this weekend!

Kd

Playing with the Boys- Liz Tigelaar

2009-01-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

Summary: from amazon

New girl Lucy is desperate for friends. She tries out for Beachwood High soccer, but despite her amazingly accurate kick, fails to make the team. When the Coach points out that varsity football is looking for a new kicker, Lucy is skeptical. Football? Isn’t that a boys’ game?

But on the gridiron Lucy discovers that she feels strong—in control for the first time since her mother died. She loves football. She actually wants to play! (She also wants to hang out with super-cute quarterback Ryan Conner. But that’s just icing on the cake.)

Too bad no one else wants her on the team. Not the boys’ coach, not her teammates, and especially not her overprotective dad. Will Lucy cave in to the pressure? Or will she prove she’s pretty tough after all?

Review:

This book was so cute! I really enjoyed reading it. When reading it I found myself laughing out loud and getting funny looks from the people around me. (this happens a lot whenever I'm reading) I thought that the characters were done well and that the story flowed nicely. I surprised myself by finishing it in one day. I also enjoyed the unique names for some of the characters such as the girl names charlie, max, and pickle. The only thing that bothered me in this book was that sometimes the characters were immature and laughed at things such as "go grab the balls" I think this was funny when I was in 8th or 7th grade not high school.

Overall, this was a good book. I can't say that it was the best I have ever read, but it was still a great read. I recommend it to anyone who wants a cute, funny, short read.

In My Mailbox

2009-01-25T18:22:00.000-08:00

Okay so I have seen like a million bloggers do this and I kinda feel left out so I decided to do it too! I think this was originally done by the Story Siren... So This week I got a ton of books this week!(well for me) Some I bought, some I received, and some I stole or borrowed from a friend(whichever way you look at it) :D side note: my computer was a little screwy today so I could not put anything next to the pictures.

Already read this one and it was really good!

I can't wait to read this one!

Bought this weekend! looks wonderful doesn't it?

Borrowed or stolen from Hope :D

Looks pretty good

Reading this right now and its really good!

looks interesting

sounds kinda creepy but who knows

Looks Cute!

HAPPY TAG!

2009-01-25T17:04:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone I was tagged by Bookworm Readers. :)

Rules of the tag:
- Link to the person who tagged you
- List 6 things that make you happy
- Post the rules, tag six others and let them know you did so
- Then tell the person who tagged you your entry is finished!

My List!

1. Being around my crazy extended family and friends all the time!

2. Reading a good book

3. Bookstores! (you can't beat going into a bookstore and staying for hours)

4. Summer!!! ( especially summer rains)

5. My Hometown Hillsdale (Basically catching up with all my old friends)

6. Camping! (Gotta love the outdoors!)

Following People who are offically tagged!

Hope from Hopes Bookshelf

Laina from Laina Has Too Much Spare Time

Stargirlreads from Books Make Great Lovers

Ashley from Ashley's Bookshelf

Kaylee from Kaylee's Bookshelf

Lizzie from The Book Obsession

The Elite by Jennifer Banash

2009-01-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

Summary: From Amazon

When Casey McCloy steps into the elegant Bramford building, she’s overwhelmed. Fresh from the Midwest, she’s moved to New York’s Upper East Side to live with her grandmother and attend the prestigious Meadowlark Academy. Here all that matters is who you know. The girl to know is Madison Macallister: popular, pretty, platinumblond. She’s not just Casey’s new classmate and neighbor; she’s an icon. So Casey aims to get in with Madison and her gorgeous gal-pals from the start. As the reigning queen of coolness, Madison is capable of destroying reputations with one welltimed whisper. Better to be on her good side.

But after a city-haute makeover from her new frenemy Madison, Casey is wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, and meeting the right people—including Drew, the boy-about-town who Madison thinks belongs to her and her alone.

Review:

I thought that The Elite was a great read! This story was so cute. It kind of reminded me of the two movies: Devil Wears Prada and Mean Girls, but mixed and twisted together. When reading I found myself not wanting to put it down! The characters in this story could have been real teenagers. Their thoughts, feelings, and actions all seemed like probable things that teenagers think, feel, and do today.

Overall, this book was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a funny, cute, and quick read. Jennifer Banash did a great job. I can't wait to get started on her sequel "In Too Deep"!

Katie

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

2009-01-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

Summary: Barnes and Noble

When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend-the popular and exciting Sophie-she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. but then she meets Owen-a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. with Owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt?

Review:

This book was amazing! Words truly cannot describe how I feel about this book. (Even thou I am trying to right now) At first in the beginning I will admit that I just thought it was okay and nothing special. My friend told me it was wonderful so I gave it a shot. I really couldn't see what was so special at first. However, as I kept reading I couldn't stop. I felt that I could really relate to this girl somehow. This wasn't just your typical book for me. I felt that I could really understand what Annabel was going through.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I recommend it to just about everyone! Sarah Dessen is amazing I can't wait to read some of her other books!

Bite Me- Parker Blue

2009-01-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

Summary: from Belle Books

My kid sister shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Dad might not like it if you get vampire blood in his trunk." I slammed the trunk shut. "He's used to it. Besides, the blood will disintegrate along with the rest of the body when sunlight hits it."

Barely eighteen-year-old heroine Valentine Shapiro got a raw deal in the parent lottery. Her father was part incubus demon, and her mother's never forgiven her for that. Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Thrown out of the house by her mother, Val puts one foot in front of the other and does the only thing that seems to make any sense--she takes aim at the town vampires. A stake a day, keeps the demon at bay. (But don't call her Buffy. That makes Lola, her demon, very cranky.) Her dark side makes everyday life a roller coaster, but means she's perfect for her night job as a bounty hunter. San Antonio's vampires are out of control, and it's up to Val, her faithful hellhound Fang, and her new partner, a handsome San Antonio police detective, to get the deadly fangbangers off the city streets. Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.

Review:

This book was just okay, in lack of a better word. I can honestly say that I thought that it was interesting. I thought it wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. However I thought the story could have been executed differently in some parts. There were some scenes that I would have liked to go more in depth and others not so much.

Overall, I definitely loved some of the ideas for this story. A part-demon vampire slaying girl, a hell hound, a cute cop, and some evil and nice vampires. Sounds pretty interesting to me. "Bite Me" was a cute and quick story of a vampire slaying girl. I will definitely have to read the next book in this series when it comes out.

City of Ashes- By Cassandra Clare

2009-01-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Summary: From Barnes & Noble

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

Review:

I thought that City of Ashes was a good sequel to City of Bones. It was everything I thought it would be and more! When I read the ending of City of Bones I was devastated at the outcome. But when reading City of Ashes you learn a lot more about the conflicts and situations and you understand why she did what she did.

This book was a little predictable, but not as much as the previous book, City of Bones. There were still some things that I didn't see coming and surprised me. What I liked most about this book was getting to know more about the characters and their backgrounds.

Overall I loved this sequel to City of Bones and I can't wait for the next book, City of Glass! I recommend this book to anyone who has already read City of Bones. I absolutely encourage anyone to read this series if they like fantasy- fiction books!

Katie

Butterfly Award

2009-01-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! I got this from Laina at Laina Has Too Much Spare Time, Ashley from Books are My Love, and Hope from Hope's Bookshelf So here it goes!

1. Hope. For being the nicest, friendliest, and sweetest blogger ever! ( and never failing me in recommendations)
2. Laina for having an amazing blog and always having interesting posts.
3. Lizzie for having great taste in books
4. Chelsie for incredible and marvelous reviews.
5. Lauren for having an overall great blog and honest reviews.

Rules for passing this award along:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Award up to ten other blogs.4. Add links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message for your awardees on their blogs.

The Bear - Anton Chekhov

2009-01-04T15:31:00.000-08:00

Summary: http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/

Popova is still in deep mourning seven months after her husband's death. She stays alone at her country house, refusing to go out or to see anybody. Suddenly, Smirnov arrives and rudely insists on seeing her. Popova's late husband owed him 1200 roubles and he demands the debt be paid at once because his creditors are after him.

Popova delays. Smirnov insists, makes light of Popova's mourning, and refuses to leave. They angrily vie with one another: "Men are rude and inconstant!" "Women are fickle and manipulative!" (It turns out that Popova's husband was actually a liar and cheat, but she remains true to his memory just to show him how faithful a woman can be.)

Smirnov challenges her to a duel for insulting him and Popova brings out her husband's pistols. At this point Smirnov realizes that he has fallen in love with this tough, spunky woman. Popova vacillates for a moment, but they end up in each other's arms. (All this in 12 pages.)

Review:

This piece of literature is a short play write written by Anton Chekhov in 1900. I had to read this for my English class and immediately fell in love with it. I was surprised at how much I liked this story! It is really just your typical love story, however, it probably wasn't so typical in that time.

I truly loved this story, even thou I still can't figure out why. Maybe I'm just a sucker for older stories, classics, and play-writes. lol :)

Has anyone else read this story?

Katie

City of Bones- Cassandra Clare

2009-01-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

Summary: From borders.com

Their hidden world is about to be revealed....

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Review:

I got this book because one of my friends recommended it for me and it looked like an interesting book. At first I put off reading it for other books that I thought would be better reads. After a couple of other books read I decided that I should maybe look at this new book. I had no intention of actually reading it right then I was just curious as to why my friend liked it so much. After reading the first couple of pages I was hooked, and I couldn't stop reading it!

This book was great, but I found it sometimes a little predictable in some parts. There were only a few parts that surprised me, but that really doesn't make the book any less great. I might just be a really good guesser, however unlikely that may be. The other part that bothered me was the ending. But now that I have already read the second book (which I will review later :] ) I now see why she had to do what she did to keep things interesting.

Overall, I really did love this book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little science fiction- fantasy-romance-comedy.

P.S.- This is really saying something about how much I liked this book since I just finished the Twilight series a week ago and totally fell in love with it! I found it hard to think about anything but Twilight for a while, but I slowly got over it. ( Fellow readers will know when I say that it is hard to find a good book after reading a good series.) lol :)

Katie

Stealing Heaven- Elizabeth Scott

2009-01-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Summary: Amazon

My name is Danielle. I'm eighteen. I've been stealing things for as long as I can remember.

Dani has been trained as a thief by the best—her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends—a real life.

In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani—because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known—or the one she's always wanted.

Review:

Stealing Heaven was amazing! I loved basically everything about it. The only parts I disliked about it was the ending and how she didn't get the chance to make up with Allison. But under the circumstances I guess this was somewhat unrealistic. Besides this I loved the characters of this story, especially Greg who sounds like the greatest guy ever! I also loved how Dani handles herself and how she wants more from life than just stealing other peoples possessions.

Overall, Stealing Heaven is a good book to read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed reading Lock and Key. Somehow I found these two books similar in their stories of girls finding their way who came from terrible homes.

Kaite.

Happy New Year!!!

2008-12-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a fun, exciting, and of course happy new year! I can't believe that this year is already over! Although I am looking forward to all the great things that will be coming with this new and glorious year, such as my 16th birthday and the new and exciting ability to actually drive myself somewhere! I cant wait, however this is stupid to be excited for because in order to drive somewhere someone must acquire a car, which unfortunately is still being discussed. As of this point the odds are not looking good for me, but I still have a couple months to plead my case. lol!

Hoping Everyone Has a Happy New Year

Katie.

Lock and Key- By Sarah Dessen

2008-12-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Summary: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

Ruby, where is your mother?

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, shes been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return. That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future its a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

Review:

This book is the first book I have read by Sarah Dessen and I absolutely loved it! I really cannot even say anything that was bad about it. Maybe there was 1 or 2 parts in the book that I felt were a little dull, but besides that his book was a good read. As I read this story I felt that the author really knew what she was talking about and could really connect and relate to her audience.

Overall, this book was pretty good and I can't wait to read other books she has written such as "Just Listen" which is on my list of books to read.

Katie.

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Well today I am going to Tennessee to spend Christmas. So Just in case I do not have Internet access while I'm there I would like to say Merry Christmas to everybody! I hope everyone has a nice Christmas, a Happy New Year, and an overall amazing and relaxing break! I will soon be posting all the great books that I have read on the 9 - 12 hour car ride I will be on. Cant wait! Oh well, Tennessee cant be any colder than Michigan is so I guess that is one thing to be excited about!

Merry Early Christmas!

Katie.

Beauty: A Retelling of the Sory of Beauty and the Beast- Robin McKinley

2008-12-22T09:36:00.001-08:00

Summary: from Harpercollins.com -

A strange imprisonment

Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.

When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?

Review:

I simply love retellings of fairy tales, and "Beauty" is one of my favorites. This version of Beauty and the Beast was wonderfully done. The only thing that bothered me about this book was its beginning. The beginning of the story was interesting but it seemed to take forever for the book to actually start, or when you are introduced to the Beast. After You meet the Beast the story takes off and you find it hard to put it down.

The characters in this story were also done well. Especially the Heroin of the story, Beauty. When you think of the character Beauty You probably Imagine someone well... Beautiful. However, our heroin is actually quite the opposite of her name. Beauty is not beautiful, but she is smart, clever, and interesting. The rest of her family and the Beast are also equally well done.

Overall this story was quite enjoyable with its different and surprising twists. I have to admit that I like this version of Beauty and the Beast more than the very popular Disney movie that we all grew up with.

Katie.

Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" - By Debbie Viguie

2008-12-15T17:33:00.000-08:00

Summary from Amazon:

In a quiet fishing village seventeen years ago, one lone fisherman rescued a child from the sea. He and his wife raised the girl, Pearl, as their own daughter, never allowing themselves to wonder long about where she came from -- or notice her silver hair, usually pale skin, and wide, dark blue eyes.

Pearl grows from a mysterious child into an unusual young woman, not always welcomed in the village. As all the other girls her age find husbands, she has only one friend to ease her loneliness. One very special, secret companion: Prince James.

But their friendship is shaken when trouble erupts in the kingdom -- a conspiracy against the royal family combines with an evil enchantment from beneath the sea. Now, just when Pearl and James need each other most, bewitching magic and hints about Pearl's past threaten to tear them apart...forever.

Review:

Being that the Disney movie "The Little Mermaid" is one of my all time favorites, I had to get this book although it was a little short for my taste. After reading the book I found that I was slightly disappointed in the detail, especially in the ending. It seemed she almost got tired of writing at the end and simply put that they all lived happily ever after.

However, I did love this different and twisted version of the story. I found the characters very interesting and different from other versions of the story. This story is filled with many surprises and twists that kept you on your toes the whole time, as Pearl is telling the story. while Pearl is telling the story we get a glimpse of what is happening at the present while she is telling what had happened to put herself in this complicated situation. As you read you will find yourself wondering what will be the ending to this story.

Overall I found this book quite enjoyable. Though it was not as good as my favorite Disney movie, it was still a good read.

Spoiler:

I was a little disappointed in who pearl ended up falling in love with. In the Beginning the author leads you to believe that Pearl and James are going to fall in love. Then she brings in two completely different characters half way through the book. Though I did find the new relationships interesting, I still wanted Pearl and James to be together.

Pirates - Celia Rees

2008-12-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Summary from Amazon:

Nancy Kington, a wealthy merchant’s daughter living in Bristol, England in the early 1700’s, is sometimes lonely but enjoys the privileges her father’s business brings. Minerva Sharpe is a penniless slave’s daughter living and working on the Kington’s Jamaican plantation. These two young women, united through a set of extraordinary circumstances including a brutal murder, an arranged marriage, and set of ruby earrings, find themselves sailing the high seas in search of love, adventure and freedom—as pirates!

Review:

This book had a slow start and was sometimes hard to follow. There were also some parts that were dull in this story.

However, I thought that this book was very good. This book has an interesting plot and characters. Throughout the book you will find yourself wondering what will happen next. This book is very similar to the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean". This book, however, has a very different plot.

Overall the book was pretty good. If you love pirates, adventure, and action then this book is for you.

Evernight - Claudia Grey

2008-12-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

Summary from amazon.com:

Bianca wants to escape. She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful--even when it comes to caring about him. ""I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you,"" he tells Bianca, ""and eventually they would."" But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

Review:

At some parts of this book the story moved along fast and then abruptly slowed down. I thought that at some points she did not explain things very well.

I thought that this book was very interesting and exciting at times. I think that this was a twisted version of Twilight. I just finished Twilight and found many similarities between the two. The characters seemed to grow as the story progressed and I found that I couldn't stop reading it.

Overall, I thought that this book was pretty good. I recommend it for you to read.

Katie.

Hey!

2008-12-04T10:58:00.000-08:00

My name is Katie. I am new to blogging, one of my friends also has a blog and got me interested in starting. In my free time I play sports such as volleyball and tennis. When I am not playing sports I am doing schoolwork, reading, and hanging out with friends.

The books I read are usually fiction. I mostly read fantasy, but I do read many types of genres of young adult fiction. The book I am reading currently is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I have found that I truly enjoy reading this book because it is amazing and I love it.

So... yeah. That's about it for now. :)

Katie.