She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott

Title: She's So Dead To Us
Author: Kieran Scott
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: May 25, 2010
Source: Bought

Summary: When having money is all that matters, what happens when you lose it all?

Perfect, picturesque Orchard Hill. It was the last thing Ally Ryan saw in the rear-view mirror as her mother drove them out of town and away from the shame of the scandal her father caused when his hedge fund went south and practically bankrupted all their friends -- friends that liked having trust funds and new cars, and that didn't like constant reminders that they had been swindled. So it was adios, Orchard Hill. Thanks for nothing.

Now, two years later, Ally's mother has landed a job back at the site of their downfall. So instead of Ally's new low-key, happy life, it'll be back into the snake pit with the likes of Shannen Moore and Hammond Ross.

But then there's Jake Graydon. Handsome, wealthy, bored Jake Graydon. He moved to town after Ally left and knows nothing of her scandal, but does know that he likes her. And she likes him. So off into the sunset they can go, right? Too bad Jake's friends have a problem with his new crush since it would make Ally happy. And if anyone deserves to be unhappy, it's Ally Ryan.

Ally was hoping to have left all the drama in the past, but some things just can't be forgotten. Isn't there more to life than money?

Review: WOW! This book absolutely blew me away. I never expected this to be so, so good. Trust me, this is something you don't want to miss!

Ally. She deserves another WOW! There she just got one. She wasn't intimidated by anyone, she had a backbone! Does anyone know how exciting this is? A backbone!! Yeah, to me this is the cream of the crop. (Cream of the Crop Denim Shop?? Anyone?) Yes, she's all strong, but she was still somewhat vulnerable, and I LOVED that.

You know who is extremely hot? Jake Graydon, the amazing boy in this book. He is such a player, but oh so faithful to Ally. Their somewhat relationship is amazing. I loved it. I loved it. I'd capitalize that, but then you'd think I use to many capitals, so I'll just bold it!

And normally I not into too much drama, but this is lovable drama. This isn't some light and fluffy read. It deals with real stuff. There's another reason I love this book so much. Maybe too much!

And that ending! I did not expect it to be that great. I never saw it coming, maybe I'm stupid but it was just amazing. Good thing I have the other book!

I could babble on and on about how amazing the cast of characters are, or how mean some are. But I want you to read this book! Because I definitely enjoyed it, and you just might too!

Rating:

Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber

Title: Crossing the Tracks
Author: Barbara Stuber
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Publication Date: July 6, 2010
Source: Library

Summary: At fifteen, Iris is a hobo of sorts – no home, no family, no plan. After her mother’s early death, Iris’s father focuses on big plans for his new shoe stores and his latest girlfriend, and has no time for his daughter. Unbeknownst to her, he hires Iris out as housekeeper and companion for a country doctor’s elderly mother. Suddenly Iris is alone, stuck in gritty rural Missouri, too far from her only friend Leroy and too close to a tenant farmer Cecil Deets, who menaces the neighbors, and Iris suspects, his own daughter.


Iris is buoyed by the warmth and understanding the doctor and his mother show her, but just as she starts to break out of her shell tragedy strikes. Iris must find the guts and cunning to take aim at the devil incarnate and discover if she is really as helpless, hopeless, and homeless – as she once believed.

Review: Crossing the Tracks was quite beautiful to put it simply. There was just something amazing about Iris and how she was written. It was sort of perfect.

Iris was my favorite character in the book. You could connect to her in an instant, and she was just a really great character. She wasn't perfect in any way, she had her own secrets and  things that weighed down on her, but those flaws made her perfect.

I loved the setting Iris was transported to. The old farm out in Missouri with the doctor and his mother. It was pure magic. And I enjoyed reading everything about it.

And there was the sweetest beginnings of a romance with Iris and her friend Leroy. It was adorable.

One of the things that surprised me was all of the plot lines going on. There was a huge tragedy and I didn't expect it what so ever! It was really great. Some of the plot lines really didn't make sense to me, but I still enjoyed them.

A great historical fiction, with a beautiful main character!

Rating:

In My Mailbox (32)

Hi! And Happy In My Mailbox

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren!

So me and my friends sort of made these make shift bans, mine was on books. And I've already broken it...! I just couldn't help myself, coupons from Borders are amazing!!

Here is my Library/Borders pile: Sorry for the bad picture quality!

Borders:

• Beauty Queens by Libba Bray! This is on my summer reading list and I had to get it. It was the most beautiful cover ever. I read the first chapter, and I'M HOOKED!
• The Candidates by Inara Scott. Also on my summer reading list. This looks super good, and I can't wait to start it!
• Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott. After my sort of bad experience with her, I really wanted to try another book, and this one seemed the best!

Library:

• This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. YAY! More Dessen
• The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.
• Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. This has a much prettier cover now, this is the old cover.
• The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart! Her books look amazing!!

All those library books are on my summer reading list, so I needed to get them sometime. Remember I'll tell you more about the list on Wednesday!!

For the sake of new people visiting the blog, I'll say this again. I need your help....

Whenever I try to get books on Adobe Digital Editions, (either from the library, Net galley or Galley Grab) they won't download. I get the message:

Error getting license

Server communication problem: E_ADEPT_IO

Has anyone ever got this message before? I can't seem to fix it. I'm not a technical person. And from what I've read, it has something to do with the firewall...???! And I'm unable to get any more books from those sources!

Blog Happenings (24)

Hi!
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

School's almost out! And that means that I'll have to much more time to read! If you read my Follow Friday, I don't have that much time to read during the week. Then how do I review 3 books a week? I got like 5 books ahead during March, and I kept getting ahead. I have 12 books to review!!

And speaking of reviews, I'm thinking about doing a review on Saturday in the summer. That means 4 reviews a week! YAY!

I'm STILL having that problem with Digital Editions. I think I'm going to write a send a help request to Adobe. Because while this is happening I can't get any Galley Grab books, Netgalley books or library books!!! IT IS AWFUL!

I'm trying to read the Magnolia League, it isn't working out so well. I am reading He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott! I LOVE this series, there is so much drama and fun stuff. I'm almost done with it.

Last summer, I made a "Summer Reading List" There were about 40 books on the list. I read them all. I started it to basically read all the books on my shelves, which I did. But then I got more and more and more. A few weeks ago I started making this summer's reading list. It is not pretty. I doesn't even cover 1/4 of the books on my shelf, and there's 108. 108. It might as well be 1000! There are some galleys, if I can ever get them, and books I'm going to get from the library. But still!!! What am I going to do!

Of course this list will HAVE to be cut down as I go along this summer. I hope to get at least 50 books done....maybe 70 if I aim a little high. But I have to be realistic. I can't just sit around and read all day, can I? Well I could, but I'm not.

I'll post all the books I'm going to read this summer, and my plans for some stuff. Yeah, some "stuff." Maybe on Wednesday, I will. It is the first day of summer!

Have a great weekend, and be safe! Sorry if I babbled too much!

Follow Friday (19)

Hi Guys! Happy Friday!

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View!

This week's question is:

How many books do you read in a week? And in what format do you read them, or listen to them?

About 1 or 2....yeah that's pretty pitiful. I get all my reading done on the weekend. I usually have 1 hard copy and then a digital galley. But it's almost summer so that number will go up drastically!

This is not a part of follow friday, but since some people will read this, I might as well ask:

Whenever I try to get books on Adobe Digital Editions, (either from the library, Net galley or Galley Grab) they won't download. I get the message:

Error getting license

Server communication problem: E_ADEPT_IO 

Has anyone ever got this message before. I can't seem to fix it. I'm not a technical person. And from what I've read, it has something to do with the firewall...???! HELP PLEASE!

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Between Here and Forever
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 24, 2011
Source: Simon and Schuster Galley Grab

Summary: Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

Review: This was my first Elizabeth Scott book. To tell the truth, I wasn't that impressed. I was bored for about the first 150 pages. Thankfully that book had some redeeming qualities that make me want to read a little more Elizabeth Scott.

Abby. Personally I think she is one of the most annoying main characters that I have ever read about. I understand her pain about being compared to people, especially people better than you. But. . . it got annoying after the first couple of chapters. We just kept being reminded and reminded of it. Which pretty much caused me to feel sad for Abby, but it didn't make me connect to her, or like her. I'm not even going to mention her sister.

I predicted what the "big" things was, mainly because of reading some reviews that didn't quite mention it, and it wasn't that hard to figure out.  But it was still interesting to see how everything about it played out. And thankfully there were some things that I didn't see coming.

The only "perfect" thing about this book was Eli. He was just amazing. So well-written and so beautiful on the inside and out. What an adorable guy. Too bad he wasn't real.

My first Elizabeth Scott book turned out alright. I'm glad I read it, even though it wasn't the most enjoyable at times. It had a good message and an even better ending. You might want to pick this one up!
Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (18)

Hi!
Happy Wednesday!

WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick is:

The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
September 1, 2011

Daphne is the new girl in town and is having trouble fitting in. At least she has Jesse... sort of. He wants to be more than "just friends," but there's something he's not telling her about his past. Something dangerous. When a female student is brutally attacked, police turn to PROFILE, a new program that can predict a student's capacity for drug use, pregnancy, and violent behavior, to solve the case. As the witch hunt ensues, Daphne is forced to question her feelings for Jesse–and what she will do if her first love turns out to be a killer.

I'm really excited for this book. And look at that cover, it's gorgeous. And the line, "What if you boyfriend was destined to commit murder?" Sounds amazing!!! I really can't wait.

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

Title: Wrapped
Author: Jennifer Bradbury
Publisher: Atheneum

Publication Date: May 24, 2011
Source: Simon and Schuster Galley Grab

Summary: Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history.


Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.

Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback.

Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter’s estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic “atmosphere” for the first party of the season. An unwrapping.

This is the start of it all, Agnes’s debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It’s also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn’t just a mummy. It’s a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain.

Get wrapped up in the adventure . . . but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes.

Review: Wow, I was a little surprised by this book. I was expecting more of a paranormal book, initially I thought it was about magic. But if that's what you thought too, then this is not what it's about. I'd have to say it's way better than that.

I love historical fiction. This was historical fiction mixed in with a bit of intrigue and political danger. It was addicting. The amount of historical facts added in was just right, I wasn't overwhelmed but I learned a couple of things!

I couldn't really connect to Anges though. She seemed distant. But I still liked her. She wasn't the most well-written character ever but she was fun to read about. And I appreciated that. Though my favorite character was Caedmon. Though I'm not exactly sure how to pronounce his name! He was a cutie.

The concept of this was amazing. It really doesn't talk about it too much in the summary, but it's pretty cool.

If you like historical fiction with some adventure then this is definitely the book for you. It was for me.

Rating:

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

Title: Being Nikki
Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: Point
Publication Date: May 5, 2009
Source: Library

Summary: Things aren't pretty for Emerson Watts.


Em was sure there couldn't be anything worse than being a brainiac the body of a teenaged supermodel.

But it turned out she was wrong. Because that supermodel could turn out to have a mother who's gone mysteriously missing, a brother who's shown up on her doorstep demanding answers, a former best friend who's intent on destroying Stark Enterprises to avenge the death of his lost love, and a British heartthrob who's written a song about her that's topping the charts.

How can Em balance all that with school, runway shows, and weekend jaunts to St. Johns — especially when she's got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op; a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships; a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side...

Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren't really airheads after all...especially one model in particular.

But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.

Review: The life of a super model. Sometimes hard, stressing, and very boring to read about. But I can guarantee you this, with Meg Cabot you get the funniest thing ever.

Being Nikki was such a breath of fresh air for me. I loved it. I was so happy to be reunited with the awesome characters of Em aka Nikki, Gabriel, Christopher and many more new characters. Not to mention a cute little dog!

The only things I have a complainant about is the beginning. It was a little slow. I think maybe the plot was a little slow also. But once I got into the flow of things, I really didn't notice it. It did feel like one of those "sequels." I still loved it though. It had this certain quality to it that I just can't place.

Towards the end there were some really surprising plot revelations! I was like WOW! I can't wait to see what happens in Runaway.

I keep checking it out from the library but never have time to read it! Oops.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (31)

Hi!
Happy Sunday!

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren!

I bought one book this week, early in the week:

Tempest Rising by Tracey Deebs!!!!!!

I'm so excited to read this one. It is supposed to be amazing, well at least from reviews I've read. It just looks so good!

From Galley Grab:

IMPORTANT: Was anyone else having trouble getting certain books off their email?? I was, I couldn't get Blood Red Road or Love Story. I sent it to a friend to see if it was my computer or the email I was sent. I was just wondering if I was the only one!

Wildefire by Karsten Knight! This looks really good, it was on my WoW and I'm excited for it!

Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt. I've never read any of her books, and I'm very curious!

So what did you get?

Blog Happenings (23)

HI!
Does anyone else feel like this is a Sunday and their weekend is almost over?? I DO! It's awful.

Because yesterday there was no school because of "Career Day." You had to spend it with a career you might want to go into. I did a cop, though I would have preferred to do something higher up than a cop. But oh well!

The reason I mention this is because, the cop I was with read YA books! Can you believe that! She'd read The Hunger Games, The Percy Jackson series just to name a few. I was blown away! It was pretty cool.

I am reading Please Ignore Vera Dietz. It's pretty good, but I'm not that far into it. I was pretty busy yesterday!

I finished The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder. That book is just priceless. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was.

After Vera Dietz I'm going to read Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian and The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch! I'm excited to read both of those!

I need to go out an buy myself a copy of The Goddess Test....!!!

Happy Weekend!

Follow Friday (18)

HI!
It's Friday! And there was no school, for my grade today! For reasons I might explain tomorrow! But I thought I'd get this done before I got too busy.

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View!


 This week's question is: It's circle time. Time for us to open up and share. Can you tell us FIVE quirky habits or things about you? We all have them...I don't feel like I have really quirky habits....but I probably do!

1. I'm going to try and stay away from books on this one but this one really has to do with blogging! I write most of my reviews on my iPod. It goes sooo much quicker. I wish Blogger had an app for the App Store!
2. I HATE fast food. I can count the times I've been to McDonald's on one hand. Eating in is my favorite.
3. I have to have my room somewhat clean. If things start to get bad, I have a panic attack. Seriously.
4. I laugh weird. Really, really weird. Whenever I laugh people looks, it never ever fails. But then again, people like it because it makes them laugh!
5. I LOVE making up nicknames for people. I mean I never call them to that to their face! They aren't mean though. I love it...! And making up silly lyrics to songs.

What about you??

Drowning in the Dark by Allison Karras

Title: Drowning in the Dark
Author: Allison Karras
Publisher:You Come Too Publishing
Publication Date:
Source: Author Requested Review

Summary:
There’s a demon walking the streets of Freeport. And only teenager Samantha Carver can stop it.

It’s hard to outrun your past. But that’s what Sam thought she could do. After moving to a sleepy town on the Oregon coast to live with relatives, she thought she was safe. She thought she could be someone different. She thought she could be a normal teenage girl.

However, the quiet coastal town of Freeport is no refuge. After a girl at the high school is brutally murdered, the police believe Samantha’s cousin and best friend, Terry, is responsible.

But Samantha knows what her friends, teachers, and the police don’t. The murderer isn’t human. Samantha has seen this before. Too many times. She has witnessed the dead rise from their graves and do unspeakable things. She carries the scars on her skin and the sorrow in her soul to prove it.

The evil that she thought she had left behind in the rotting graveyards of her past is still stalking her.

Will Samantha be able to save Terry, Freeport, and herself from the malevolent power that threatens to rip her world apart? Or will she succumb under a surging tide of evil and drown in the growing darkness that surrounds her?

In the tradition of Amanda Hocking and Charlaine Harris comes a paranormal romantic thriller with more chills than a cold and windblown night on the Oregon coast.

Review: Drowning in the Dark is a entertaining short story, it took me less than 2 hours to read, and I'm a slow reader.
Even though it had some of my favorite things in it, like zombies, a murder and a coastal town, the story couldn't always keep my interest. Sometimes it would get really intense and I didn't want to stop reading.

Sam was an interesting character, I could understand what she was doing. But sometimes I was just confused about her. I still liked her though, she was well written. And the secondary characters were my favorites. They were a lot of fun to read about.

The ending was really abrupt, but I could understand it well. There were also a lot of new developments that promise to make the rest of the series even more interesting!
Drowning in the Dark is a good read with well written characters!

Rating:

Waiting On Wednesday (17)

HI!
Happy Wednesday!

WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick is:

Soul Theif by Jana Oliver
August 30, 2011

Riley Blackthorne’s adventures continue in the second spellbinding Demon Trappers novel, as she battles demons… and a love that could destroy her


At the start of the second thrilling installment of the Demon Trappers series, 17-year-old Riley Blackthorne has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her sweet boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. Add to the mix: Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad, and Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.

But as the demon count in Atlanta increases, the already crippled Trappers Guild has its hands full, and, when the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever. As Riley’s life becomes a dangerous balancing act, will she be strong enough not to tip? And who will be there to catch her if she falls?

I loved, loved the first book in the series. Riley is just amazing, and I'm very curious to see what goes on in the romance department in this one...:) And the cover is beautiful!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Source: Bought

Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.


During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Review: When I first saw people adding Divergent on GoodReads, I thought: That book looks awful, I'm never going to read it. It will never be for me. Then it started to get a lot of hype, and I wondered if maybe I should give it a try. I did give it a try, and it was one of the best books I have ever read. I absolutely felll in love with it.


Tris was this amazing character. I could connect to her so easily, she was written so, so well. When she felt brave, I was brave, when she hurt, I hurt. And on and on and on. The emotions ran that deep in Divergent. I loved following her story and her struggles.

Four, was this total hottie. I mean I don't quite even know what he looks like, but he was hot. He pushed Tris to work harder and he did many other spectacular things. He is just as amazing as Tris.

And the Dystopian Chicago world Roth created was magical, it was so special and unique. The factions were so original and such a great idea. Not to mention messed up, but it was awesome. And I have so many questions about everything!

Divergent is so long! Yet there was never and I repeat never, a moment where I was bored or where the plot dragged. Never. I didn't even want to finish it, it was so good.

Just read it. IT IS AMAZING!

Rating:

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Title: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: April 19, 2011
Source: Thanks NetGalley and Publisher!

Summary: It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess


Review: Let me start out my saying how extremely beautiful that cover is. The constrast of the white dress and the green plants is so beautiful!


The Goddess Test was a quick read, it sucked me in and I read it in one setting, it was just that amazing.

But. Yes there is always a but. This book is most definitely not for everyone. If you are hard core with your Greek Mythology, I really couldn't recommend this to you. With The Goddess Test you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Kate was an awesome main character, well at the beginning she kind of annoyed me but she made up for that with flying colors. She had this certain kind if strength that enabled her to sacrifice her time to be with her mother. And speaking of her Mother, they had a great bond.

And Henry, what an amazingly sweet guy, I really liked him. And they actually had a romance, they didn't just fall in love!! YAY! And I was so happy that Kate didn't just trust Henry right away, because seriously the guy kidnapped her.
There were a ton of supporting characters, and I sometimes got them confused but everything sort of feel on to place after that. Well, the characters feel into place.

I was thrown for a couple of curve balls during the book and they came as a nice, unexpected, totally awesome surprise.

Simply, an amazing read.

I'll be picking up a copy of this one soon.
Rating:

In My Mailbox (30)

Happy Weekend!

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren!

Only got one book this week, from the library. I'm not even going to take a picture!

Plague by Michael Grant. I love, love, love the Gone series. And I can't wait to see what happens in this one. They are all so long though....!

I sure hope everyone got more books then me this week!

Comment, and I'll come visit you!

Blog Happenings (22)

HI!
Happy Weekend!

New header, new background. You like it, you don't like?? I love the header but I think the background needs some getting used to.

Recently my school did a project where we archived things for the Library of Congress. I archived my blog and it was a featured link on this website. I'd give you the link, but it's a little too personal. Glad to my blog is worth something!

I haven't broken my book buying ban thing that is over. Ok, I've cut down!! YAY!

Recently I finished The Goddess Test. Oh my goodness, I loved this book. Soooo good! But I don't think it is for everyone! Review soon!

I also finished Crossing the Tracks and Wrapped, both very good historical fiction books!!

I don't have a story to tell you this week! Is that bad??  Yes, Katie very bad!

OMG! I almost forgot, so excuse my use of an acronym. I finished Divergent, oh wow. I was stunned, can't wait to read the rest of the series, in another year!

PICK UP DIVERGENT!!

Follow Friday (17)

HI!
IT'S FRIDAY! This week has been super long and I have been, oh so, tired. And it is finally Friday.

Blogger wasn't working yesterday, causing some screwy things on the blog, like yesterday's post to vanish...!

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View!

This week's question is:

The Blogger Apocalypse made me a little emotional. What is the most emotional scene in a book that you have read lately?

I'd have to agree with Parajunkee...Delirium by Lauren Oliver had me sobbing. I was so sad, words cannot begin to express how sad I was at the end. And The Last Song made me emotional but that was a long time ago!

What about you??

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder

Title: The Lipstick Laws
Author: Amy Holder
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: April 4, 2011
Source: Thanks NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin!

Summary: At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.   For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.  But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?

Review: Before I start talking about the actual book, I just want to say how beautiful but scary the cover of this book is! I love it, but those lips are just so big...

The Lipstick Laws has some serious mean girls in it. I've heard it is actually like Mean Girls but I don't know, but I'm sure it is. But the girls' meanness was believable though and it was one of the things I liked best about this book. I could see where they "found" it and what caused them to act in the horrible ways they did. One of them was revenge.

April was a good main character, I understood why she wanted to get revenge on The Lipstick Law group but that didn't mean it was right. I'm so glad she finally realized it though. The friends she made when she broke The Lipstick Laws were great, and I loved reading about them.

Britney. The meanest girl I have ever read about. Seriously. Some of the things she did were awful. You would not want to get that girl mad. And all her little cronies, eek! They were scary.

I laughed out loud many time during the book. Because some of the things the girls did to each other, were just really funny. And then there were many other hilarious parts too!

A hilarious read, but with some underlying messages. All in all a really good read!

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

Happy Wednesday!!

WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!

Wildefire by Karsten Knight
July 26, 2011

Every flame begins with a spark.


Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

I'm am so excited for the release of this book! It looks amazing, and sounds amazing. Who doesn't like that cover?! And it's a 2011 debut!!

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Title: Hereafter
Author: Tara Hudson
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: June 7, 2011
Source: Thanks NetGalley and Harper Collins!

Summary: Can there truly be love after death?


Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

Review: Hereafter was amazing. I love ghost stories, I'm not sure how many time I'm going to say that, but I do. Reading Hereafter was so refreshing, the ideas and story was so original, I could jump around and throw confetti like a little girl.

I loved Amelia. I loved her, I loved the mystery around who she was and what she was, and I loved her romance with Joshua. She was easy to relate to and she had a great, distinct voice.

Joshua, is one of the sweetest, yet extremely hot boys that girls seem to go gaga over. I am one of those girls. He was so sweet to Amelia. I felt like their relationship really developed nicely, and I can't wait to see where it goes.

The writing in Hereafter was so indescribable. I want to say it was great, but great doesn't live up to Hudson's writing. You can say any author's writing it great, but hers was something more.

The actual plot was just as good as the characters and writing. It swept me up and before I even realized it, I had flown through the entire book.

A amazing, compelling debut by an author to watch out for!!

Rating:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Title: Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: June 11, 2009 (Hardcover)
Source: Library

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.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

Review: My first ever Sarah Dessen book! I'd been meaning to get along to reading her books for a really long time. So many people told me how great her books were, so much that maybe I'd started to doubt it a little. I'm certainly not a doubter anymore, I'm a Dessen fan!

I loved the setting of Along for the Ride, it was perfect for the kind of book this was. And it was so vividly described. I loved being sucked into Auden's little world. Oh those laundrymats!

Auden was okay...but to tell the truth she annoyed me a little. She was critical, and not really girly. Which is probably the opposite of me. But I still appreciated her, she was going through a tough time and I liked seeing her come out of her shell.

But Eli was really what made this book for me. He was a really special guy and I loved how he became a person and Auden did too. I just really can't describe him!

Just a couple more words: I can't wait to read more Sarah Dessen!

Rating:

In My Mailbox (29)

HI!
Happy Sunday and Mother's Day to all those Mother's out there!!

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren!

The book buying ban was a EPIC FAIL!

It is SO over. I'm going to try and cut down a little, (yeah right), because I only have half a bookshelf left of room. Aw no!

• Divergent by Veronica Roth!!! I LOVE this book, I only have 100 or so pages left, and I might try and finish it today!
• Exile by Anne Osterlund. She is one of my favorite authors. I love her books, and I have to read this soon!
• Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach. This book looks good, I love ghosts!
• The Mediator by Meg Cabot, this is actually a bind up of the first two books. The library doesn't have the first one, but they have the rest...weird!
• Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow, this looks amazing. I haven't really read anything about zombies...!
• Boy Crazy by Hailey Abbott
• The Other Boy by Hailey Abbott
• Forbidden Boy by Hailey Abbott, I'm in the mood for some light summer reads, and these (despite the creepy covers) looks amazing.
• Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers, I have heard nothing but good things about her books, I can't wait to read it.
• Moonglass by Jessi Kirby, this looks really good!
• Abandon by Meg Cabot, I can't wait to read this!

Yes, I'm an awful saver when it comes to books. I don't buy much else so whatever!

What did you get??!

Blog Happenings (21)

HI!
Happy Saturday! I just woke up, and then I dusted my room. Yes, be proud of me.

And then I had to sit down and do some fun stuff. (This is the fun stuff)

Currently I'm reading Angel by James Patterson. Woah, I did not expect to not get into this book and be hooked from the first page. I'm still a little hesitant about reading it. I have to finish it today, because it is due tomorrow, and I can't renew it! I think my book expectations have rose much over the past year.

I finished The Lipstick Laws the other day, MEAN GIRL ALERT! That was some serious stuff, well mean stuff. It was pretty funny though!

I need to read the Goddess Test!!! I only have 12 days left!!

School is almost over!!! I'm a little sad about it ending though. I love summer and going to the pool, and reading. But....I'll be in a new grade, in a totally different school. And it is going to be scary. I'm not sure if I'll even have time to blog next year. I'm taking all honors courses, AP aren't offered for the grade I'm in. And I'm a year ahead in math. I'm pretty scared, but oh well!

But now I have a story to tell you. A story about a girl named Carolina.

Carolina browsed the shelves of her favorite Borders, it always smelled so good in there, the perfect mixture of coffee and books. She wasn't huge into reading. She had used to be when she was little. But she wasn't now, she was just to busy with school. She had to maintain that 4.0.

But then Carolina spotted a book, high up, on the highest shelf in fact. With a surge of determination, she jumped up and grabbed it. Because Carolina was and still is, very short.

The book had a beautiful cover. A girl with a huge pink dress decorated the cover. Carolina flipped over the back of the book, wondering what it could be all about. In fact the summary seemed a little bit too mature for her. It was described as scandalous and a romance?! Those were certainly not things Carolina was looking for, was she even old enough to read it? But she was still curious.

The next day she went to the library and found the book, immediately checking it out. She devoured  the book, wanting more and more and more. She had her parents take her back to Borders, and she bought the rest of the series. The newest one, and last one had just come out a few days ago, according to a sign. Don't worry, it wasn't too mature for her.

She loved the books so much, she just HAD to see if the author had any books coming out. So she searched the author on the Internet. She saw that the author did have a new book coming out when she was on the Borders website, but there was no description or cover. She had to search harder. She searched the name, and came up with something called GoodReads. She read all about the authors new book. It was on a list of YA Historical Fiction for 2010-2011. She immediately clicked on that. She found many, many books that interested her. Two in particular. She immediately joined this GoodReads thing.

As days went by and school ended, she discovered many books. She still remembers when she found one of her favorite books.

Carolina started blogging at the end of the summer.

Hmmm, who is this Carolina?? ME! And my name isn't Carolina. It is Katie. The book that I discovered in Borders about a year ago was The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. Which then lead me to find Bright Young Things.

The book that I found on that list was Everlasting by Angie Frazier, one of my favorite books of all time and one of my favorite authors. The book that I remember discovering is The Body Finder.

There you have it, my introduction into the YA world and blogging. I hope you enjoyed reading this!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Follow Friday (16)

HI!
How are we all doing on this wonderful Friday??! I'm am doing awesome, and if you can't tell I'm a little bit hyper...! I have been singing all day..!!

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View!!!

This week's question is:

Circle time! Time to share. What character in a book would you most like to be, what character in a book would you most like to date?

That's a hard question!! But good. It's a tie from being Sophie from Hex Hall and dating Archer, swoon. OR Violet from The Body Finder and dating Jay. I can't pick!! Probably Archer...hehe!

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Author: Stacey Kade
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication: June 29, 2010
Source: Bought

Summary: Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.


I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

Review: If you are looking for an amazing, funny story with the added bonus of a ghost, then this is the book for you.

I read this in a day, it was so good! Ghosts have always, always been a favorite of mine. And this book was no exception. Relationships between the living and the dead are always my favorite. They are a tangled up, and do not always work out, but they are just so awesome!

Some people might not like Alona Dare, but she is one of the reasons I like this book so much. Sure she was really mean sometimes, but that was what made her so endearing. Yeah, she learned that maybe she shouldn't be too mean. But she just didn't change her personality. She still is who she is. And I still like her, plus she's the ghost!!

Will, was good. I guess I could even say great. The only complaint I have about him is his ear piercings, I realize how lame that is, don't worry. I'm just not a fan of guys with piercings. Anyway, he sounded like such a good guy though that just had a couple of problems, like seeing ghosts. Like good old Alona Dare...!

I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel. I'm sure it will be even better than the first!

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Happy Wednesday!
WoW is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick is:

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
June 7, 2011

After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.


Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.

Thankfully I have this from NetGalley so I can get reading it right away! But I need to find time to read it first. So I'm still waiting! I loved the first one, which I'm going to review tomorrow, and I can't wait to start this one!!

Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Title: Sixteenth Summer
Author: Michell Dalton
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication: May 3, 2011
Source: Simon and Schuster Galley Grab

Summary: Anna is dreading another tourist-filled summer on Dune Island that follows the same routine: beach, ice cream, friends, repeat. That is, until she locks eyes with Will, the gorgeous and sweet guy visiting from New York. Soon, her summer is filled with flirtatious fun as Anna falls head over heels in love.


But with every perfect afternoon, sweet kiss, and walk on the beach, Anna can’t ignore that the days are quickly growing shorter, and Will has to leave at the end of August. Anna’s never felt anything like this before, but when forever isn’t even a possibility, one summer doesn’t feel worth the promise of her heart breaking….


Review: Sixteenth Summer is a keeper from the start. It is the total feel good read.

Anna was such an admirable main character. I loved her from the first sentence. She's a touch of fun, cynical, realness, and some ice cream. Oh the ICE CREAM! Anna's parents own an ice cream shop and the funky flavors they come up with sounded amazing!!

But Anna was so sweet and realistic, and I wanted things to work out to be good for her. She needed a little romance in her boring old southern life!

Will, oh that boy was the ultimate sweetness, combined with a dash of hotness! He was perfect for Anna and their relationship was one of the realest I have seen in a "summer" romance.

I loved watching Anna and Will explore the island. Will for the first time and Anna with new eyes. It was so much fun.

A must read for fans of summer romance.

If this book was an ice cream flavor it would be...something a little spicy with a dash of sweetness on top. Cinnamon and sprinkles...eww!

Rating:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderrry
Publication: March 27, 2007
Source: Bought

Summary: 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. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?


This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a 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....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Review: WHY IN THE WORLD DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK!!!???

I think I had some brain weirdness going on that didn't want me to ever read this book. I thought it would be too good to be true. Everyone loves it and la de da! And then I get the comments like "Why haven't you read this yet, that's stupid!" Maybe not that way, but that's what they were saying. Well comments like that finally gave me the kick in the behind that made me start this series.

I think I feel in love. I loved the world Clare created, it was so amazing just to sit down and be absorbed in it. I just wanted to travel back there again and again and again! It was that good.

Clary was a great protagonist, I couldn't always relate to her but I still really liked her. It was fun following her adventures, and seeing her dilemmas.

And Jace, the awesomeness of that dude. Sure, I think he needs to get over himself a little but he was still really funny. I don't believe that stuff about him and Clary for a minute. Plus I know it isn't true.

Overall a great read, I can't wait to start the next one!

If you haven't read this series yet, this is a gentle reminder that maybe you should. You'll enjoy it.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (28)

Hi!
Happy Sunday!!

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren!

From the library I got two books this week. I seriously need to stop visiting the library. I have way to many books to read!

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer. I love this cover, and the concept for this one looks amazing!

A Heart for Home by Lauraine Snelling. I love her books. And this is the last in a collection of series about the same characters! I'm sad to see it go!

What did you get this week??