Books read in February

This month....
27. Your Own Sylvia by Stepanie Hemphill –260 pages
28. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev –356 pages
29. This What I Did by Ann Ellis Dee –171 page
s30. Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson –260 pages
31. The Second Virginity of Suzy Green by Sara Hantz –258 pages
32. Something Happened by Greg Logsted –201 pages
33. Heart Song by VC Andrews –378 pages
34. Mackenize, Lost and Found by Deborah Kerbel –249 pages
35. Evermore by Alyson Noel –306 pages
36. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King –330 pages
37. Fade by Lisa Mcmann –248 Pages
38. Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simmers –247 pages
39. Raven by Allison Van Diepen –304 pages
40. Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine –245 pages
41. Death by Latte by Linda Gerber –203 pages
42. Before I Die by Jenny Downham –327 pages
43. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson –278 pages
44. Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin –195 pages
45. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler –241 pages
46. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella –309 pages
47. Exposed by Susan Vaught –330 pages
48. Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis –154 pages
49. Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith –307 pages
50. Envy by Anna Godbersen –409 pages

Pages read this month: 6668 pages
Reviews posted from these books: 2 books (Ugh! I need to do more reviews)
Books Owned: 7 books
Books from Library: 11 books
Books for Review: 5 books
Books borrowed: 1 book
My Favorite: Fade by Lisa Mcmann, I have been waiting for this book since Wake and it was amazing and I really loved it. This Month I read another great book, The Dust of 100 Dogs. I'll talk about it more in my review.
My Least Favorite: 48. Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis
It was interesting, I just couldn't get into it,

Challenge Update:
100+ Reading Challenge:50 read. 50 to go. Halfway point!
V.C. Andrews: Read Good Trash movement: 3 read. 8 to go

I am thinking about doing the Debut Author Challenge for 20, not sure...
Anyways, I hope you all had a great month and read lots.
Peace out, Sarah

Cover Art Saturday: Willow by Julia Hoban

Sorry for not doing this so wrong. I haven't been feeling all that great but it is back. Yay?
Summary: Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy —one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down.
Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her.
I have heard such great thing about Willow. I love the cover. It seems like a girl with a secret and fits this summary. It also seems like she regrets a decision or a accident. I also love the Willow font and her hair. I adore this cover.
Peace out, Sarah.

Winner...

The winner of The Elite and In Too Deep is Sweetmelissa818. Melissa email me your address, so I can forward it it to Jennifer.
I am also giving extra entries to any future contest for Creativity and originality to Yan and Trublu93. Just remind me in the post, because I have the memory of a goldfish. Sorry for taking so long, my sister and I rented Torchwood: Season 1 and have been watching that this whole week. I also have a major cold and cough, and have been sleeping a lot. In a related note, I am going back to Doctor Who. I need to move to England just for BBC to save money.
Peace out, Sarah

Evermore by Alyson Noël

Rating(New and Improved hopefully):
Characters: 17/20
Setting: 8/10
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 17/20
Writing: 17/20
Recommendation: 8/10
Overall: 85/100 or B+
Sixteen year old Ever Bloom, has had a near death experience, in which she lost her parents, little sister, and dog. Now she can see auras, hear other's thought, and know every secret from a touch. She talks to her dead younger sister on a regular basis. She hides in baggy clothes, sunglasses, and an ipod. Until Damon Auguste enters the picture.
Damon is gorgeous, mysterious, and the only one that can block out all the psychic energy that she has been trying to avoid. Underneath it all, Ever thinks that he is hiding something. He doesn't have an aura (Only dead people don't have one), she can't read his thoughts, and he seems to be hiding a secret. The only thing that Ever is sure about is that she is falling for Damon, and she is falling hard.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and fairly addicting. Ever was really interesting and seemed pretty realistic. A problem that I had is that she would be sad about her parents and feel guilty, but it wasn't always present. That type of guilt would be a part of your skin and wouldn't be so random. I also had a problem with the Bella-like falling for a guy and the fact that Damon didn't seem to have any real bad characteristics. It was like "He is so hot, but I don't know anything about him..." I am crossing my fingers and hoping that will be solved in the next book. I loved Riley, she was a nice dose of humor even though she was dead.
I want to know more about Damon and Ever's powers, and I hope that it happens in the next book. I really like Noël's writing style. It made me want to read her books, because I have only read Saving Zoë. I think that it is a great start for a series. I have quite a few questions and hopefully those get answered. If you want a book about lost, love, and a touch of the Paranormal, you should enjoy this.
Peace out, Sarah
PS: I changed the rating system, because I felt that I was overrating sometimes on the 5 star system.

Wow... a contest

So, I am just giving you all a heads up on a contest that is starting tommorrow. Lisa Mantchev organized a huge scavenger hunt to giveaway some ARCs of Eyes like Stars. So make sure to check this out.

The Rules:

1) Contest limited to those in the USA. Apologies to our friends abroad, but these ARCs are being mailed out by the generous souls on the blogroll, and there will be other contests which will be eligible to readers overseas.

2) All entrants must be the age of 13 or older. Entrants 12 and under (if any) can be entered by their parents.

3) No family members of anyone connected with the Scavenger Hunt, please.

How To Play:

1) Players should start at Lisa's Blog (lisamantchev.livejournal.com) to get the Official Blogroll and List of Clues

2) Players then need to visit the blogs, collect the quotes, AND leave a comment (like a trail of bread crumbs... we want to know you actually did the leg work!)

3) E-mail Lisa with your list of quotes: lisa@lisamantchev.com

4) Prizes will awarded thusly: to those who collect the most quotes. Should more people remit the complete quote list than we have ARCs to give away, Lisa shall award the prizes by lottery/random drawing. She shall also retain the right to add extra ARCs to the prize pool at her discretion.

Fade by Lisa Mcmann

Rating: 5/5

Fade opens up just a few weeks after Wake wraps up. Janie and Cabel have start a relationship. They both aren't sure of how to feel about it, since they haven't had a real relationship or even felt close to anyone.
Janie is going undercover and infiltrating a sex scandal that is inside her school. A few calls have been made to a crime alert watch line, makes it seem that the teachers and students are fooling around. The captain wants them both to work together. Cabel doesn't want Janie to be on this one, but she makes the choice and is in.
Janie is learning more about her abilities and the draining effects that are present from a box of papers written by Miss Stubin.
After the outcome comes out, Cabel isn't able to handle the danger that Janie puts herself in and the relationship crumbles.
Mcmann's fast past plot and writing style is entertaining. It is fast paced and a real page turner. I really enjoyed going in to this further to this series. Also learning more about Janie's abilities was very entertaining and very fascinating. I love the characters. Cabel and Janie's relationship is really unique and interesting. I can't wait what to see happens in the next installment. There was also quite a bit of humor. If you like the first book, read this one for sure.
Peace out, Sarah

Blog Recommendation

So. I am just linking you to my best friend, Sierra. She kidnaps all my books and returns them weeks later. We also want to live in Powells(Who wouldn't?) and she dibs the YA bench... so unfair. We also dibs YA male characters, like James from Audrey, Wait! almost caused a fight... Anyways, she is clearly amazing. I am not sure what she is going to talk about since she is really random. But you should check out her blog.
Love Sarah
PS... The Picture is from La Push, since we are just obsessed like that.

In My Mailbox (week 3/4)

This is a In My Mailbox, started by The Story Siren Check it out here.

In Vlog form: I can't get it to work. I wiil try later. Link below.

Is anyone else having probelms with YouTube Videos on Blogger? The Youtube link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m8WSjOBsXU
My hair is puffy, but my glasses are pretty cool. Don't listen to my sister, I have room for books... just not on my bookshelf. I can still see the carpet. Anyways... Sorry that I didn't explain the books better, there were a lot.

Last Week:
Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag (Thanks Yan)
Red Glass by Laura Resau (May Readergirlz pick)
No Laughter Here by Rita Williams-Garcia(Current Readergirlz pick)
Take the Riens by Jessica Burkheart (Thanks Brooke Taylor)

Library books:
Graffi Girl by Kelly Parra
Death by Latte by Linda Gerber
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine

In the mail:
Vidalia in Paris by Sasha Watson (Thanks Claire)
Francey by Martin Dubow (Thanks Dominique)
Eyes like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
Mackenize, Lost and Found by Deborah Kerbel (Thanks Deborah)
Dark Angel by VC Andrews (Thanks Zoe)

From Amazon:
Fade by Lisa Mcmann
Raven by Allison Van Diepen
Amigas and School Scandals By Diana Rodriguez Wallach
The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simmer

Happy Valentines Day, Sarah.

Contest: The Elite and In Too Deep...

I have been offered a copy of The Elite and In Too Deep to Giveaway.

Click Here to read my review of The Elite.

Click Here to read my review of In Too Deep.

How to enter:

1. Follow my blog and Jennifer's blog on google reader.

2. Leave a comment of your worst break up on this post by next Tuesday at 1 PM.

3. Only open to the US and Canada.

Good Luck to all.

Peace out, Sarah.

In Too Deep by Jennifer Banash

Rating: 4/5
In Too Deep carries very shortly after The Elite stopped. Casey and Drew are now an item, but she is still struggling to find her place. Madison is acting friendly-ish, but she still wants Drew back. She will do anything to make it happen Sophie is preparing to meet her birth mother and plan her Sweet Sixteen. She finds that it is easier to talk to Casey then her old friends. Phoebe is lost in her feelings for Jared, Sophie's brother and in her mom's secret affair. Drew is confused on, if he likes Casey or Madison more.
I really enjoyed it. The characters developed more since The Elite. Banash has really master at changing the narrators. Each character has a different story and it adds to the drama. Twisting it in the master plot. Their probelms are a bit more in depth as we learn their secret. In this sequel, some of the questions are answered, while other are created. Most of all this book, will leave with a major cliffhanger that will make you waiting for Simply Irresistible to come out on July 7th. Anyways, I hope you check it out.

Peace out, Sarah

The Elite by Jennifer Banash

Rating: 4.5/5
Casey McCloy has stepped in to a brand new world, as she enters the Bramford to lives with her grandmother. She realizes that Target isn't going to cut it here, unlike in Normal, Illinois. Casey meets Madison Macallister, the it girl of New York’s Upper East Side. Madison does a rare act of kindness and with the help of her two best friends, Sophie and Phoebe; she gives Casey a make over.
Still Madison isn't as welcoming as Sophie and Phoebe are. After the makeover, Casey meets Drew, Madison's on-and-off-again-boyfriend. Drew has eye's for Casey, but Madison is determined to get him back.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, quick read. I like the alternating chapters, because I got to see what everyone was thinking. I liked how The Elite was more realistic then Gossip Girls. When shopping, they looked in the clearance rack, which would be like a sin in Gossip Girl. They were also more down to earth and had more real probelms. Like Sophie feeling out of place, because she is one of the youngest in her class and Phoebe's probelms with her mom. The Elite also surprised me with a nice splash of humor. I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend checking it out.
Peace out, Sarah.

Another interview with myself...

The questions are from Carol. Thanks for sending them!

1.What do you like about YA novels?
They are really easy to relate to and tend to be more developed in the plot and character, then quite a few adult fiction. Also that we all have had that crush, class, or something in the book that is somehow nostalgic to me.
2. How do you choose what you're going to read next?
I mostly just grab a book randomly. While, I do keep in mind release date, due date, book clubs, and what I am in the mood for.
3. Are you an inspiring author? If so, what type of books do you like to write?
Yes, I am. I would love to write Paranormal, Fantasy, and just General YA Fiction(My current WIP).
4. What, in a book, turns you off?
In a series, when they explain what happened in previous books ten+ times. Quiches. Something that doesn't add up science wise. Badly done flashbacks/paranormal events. Lack of cultural references. When a book make no sense, but you have to keep reading since it is the last in a series and the first three books were pretty good or so you thought until you get to the crap-ist book in a while. Lack of action. Characters that are Mary Stu or Gary Stu. This list could go on for a long time..
5. What do you like about your blog?
I like meeting other YA blogger through it. Comments are always nice. I like reviewing books and sometimes getting reccomendations.

1. If you want to be interviewed, leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick thequestions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions and let me know when you have posted it, so I can link it.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interviewsomeone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Peace out, Sarah.

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Rating: 5/5
Kelley Winslow is an actress trying to make end meet and suddenly she is playing Titania in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sonny Flannery is changeling, that is a part of the Janus guard. The Janus Guards job is to protect the world of humanity from the Fae that slip through Samhain Gate. Their worlds couldn't be more different, yet they are connected.
Sonny can tell that Kelley is different from the moment he finds her. He is instantaneously drawn to her, Kelley is his "Firecracker". Kelley does not understand why this man is following her or why he has this delirious claims that she is out of this world. Soon, they learn the truth, and realize how much trouble that they are truly in.
This is one of those books, where you sit in a chair and don't move until you are completely numb or have to get up for some reason. The characters are amazing. Kelley is an amazing protagonist. She had her flaws and about a million reasons why I liked her. For example, She isn't like, "There are fairies!" after he tells her. She reacts how most people would react, by laughing. Sonny is a lovely male character, that I want to learn more about. He kicks some major butt with the Fae and still saves the girl that he likes, which is something I find a great characteristic.
I also loved the plot. It was very interesting. Faeries + Theater = A Happy Sarah. The theater parts were amazing and so were the faeries. I liked the concept of two different worlds, that are only linked for a small part time. I liked how Kelley rejected that she was a faerie and slowly realized that she was. This book is amazing and I recommend it. If you like Tithe trilogy and Wicked Lovely Trilogy, I believe that you will enjoy this book.
Peace out, Sarah.

Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab

Rating: 4/5
Matisse Osgood has moved from New York City to Prague, New York. Her father was a sculptor, until he finds out that he has Parkinson's disease. She must make friends and adjust to the change of her surroundings. She also wants to keep her father's sickness a secret.
Matisse finds one good friend in Violet, who is unique like her. She also has her utterly dorky neighbor Hal, who is slowly growing on her. Matisse also has made an enemy in Jennifer, the average mean girl. Jennifer starts making rumors about Matisse's father. Matisse has to let the truth out about her dad.
Alive and Well in Prague, New York is a gorgeous novel about a girl learning about her father's illness and the acceptance that she needs to find. The setting was well set in this passage of the book:
"For the millionth time I considered the terrible irony of moving to Prague, a town named after one of the coolest cities in the world, yet pretty much the most pathetic place I'd been to in my entire life" (pg. 3).
It set up the small town feel, especially with the hay rides and such. The characters were about a million times better. I loved Matisse and Violet's attitude and their wonderful style. They were some of the most awesome fictional characters that I have met in a while. I loved Matisse's love of ABBA. Matisse and Violet are characters that you will love, because they are just one-of-a-kind. I also like the little bit of romance in the novel.
I reccomend this Alive and Well in Prague, New York, if you are looking for a quick and a very cute book about friendship and family. You will love this book.

Interview me...

I was sent some interview questions from Lauren at Shooting Star Mag. It was a lot of fun and if you want me to send you questions, follow the instructions below. Thanks Lauren!

1. How did you come up with your blog name? Did you have any previous ideas?
My blog name is Sarah's Random Musings. I came up with that after going to a few sites. I knew I was going to talk about books mostly, but I wanted some room to be able to blog about other things. I was going to do Sarah's Book Reviews, but then I was like someone probably has that.
I will also give you the story of my Url, Sarahbear9789. My mom when she was pregant called each one of us an animal nickname, because she didn't want to settle on a name till we were born. Mine was obviously Bear. It worked with Sarah, so that is how it came to be. My family still calls me that to this day. 97 was the year my parents got divorced and 89 is the year my older sister was born.
2. What is the ultimate junk food that you can't live without?
I am going with dark chocolate. I rarely have it, but it makes my day.
3. Have you ever left your own country? If so, where did you go? If not, where would you LIKE to go?
I have been to Canada, when I was so little that I can't really remember it. We are planning to go for my 18th Birthday in June. I would like to go anywhere. Traveling is fun and there is so much to see.
4. What YA author would be on the top of your "I must meet them" list and why? What would you like to do if you could spend the day with them?
I have already met John Green, but a second time would be fun.
Also, Sarah Oakler, Courtney Summers, Lisa Mcmann, Sara Zarr, J.K. Rowling, Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, Melina Marchetta, Scott Westerfeld, Meg Cabot, and this list could on a long time, since I can't pick just one.
I have no clue. Not fangirl them for sure. Just chill.
5. Do you ever come up with character and/or baby names? What are some of your most favorites?
Yes all the time. I am currently working on the story of Lily Graham, but her last name might change to one that means "Sent". Lily means "Light" and I like that. I also love the name Ailson, which means "Dream". I have always loved the names, Lucas, Sylvia,Courtney, Aiden, and Tristen. I need to look up those meanings soon.

Want to be Interviewed?

1. If you want to be interviewed, leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the
questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions and let me know when you have posted it, so I can link it.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview
someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask
them five questions.

Books read in January

So Far...
1. In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg –272 pages
2. Almost Home by Jessica Blank –256 pages
3. Betrayed by Kristin and PC Cast –320 pages
4. The Elite by Jennifer Banash –256 pages
5. In too Deep by Jennifer Banash –244 pages
6. Far From You by Lisa Schroeder –356 pages
7. Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind –88 pages
8. Hold Me Tight by Lorie Ann Grover –352 pages
9. Unraveling by Michelle Baldini and Lynn Biederman –230 pages
10. Flowers In The Attic by V.C. Andrews –400 pages
11. Going too far by Jennifer Echols –256 pages
12. TTYL by Lauren Myracle –204 pages
13. Sucks to be me by Kimberly Pauley –293 pages
14. Persistance of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes –213 pages
15. The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Caine –248 pages
16. Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphane Grab –247 pages
17. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley –373 pages
18. Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins –272 pages
19. Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz –288 pages
20. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston –336 pages
21. Torched by April Henry –224 pages
22. Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern –208 pages
23. Easy by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann –163 pages
24. Melody by V.C. Andrews –373 pages
25. The Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle –346 pages
26. You are so undead to me by Stacey Jay –264 pages

Pages read: 6644 pages
Books read: 26 books
Reviews posted from here: Five
Books Owned: Nine
Books from the library: Fourteen
Sent for review: Three
My Favorite: North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Why: It was just amazing and tried to discover beauty. It was an adventure and I love it.
Least Favorite:Betrayed by Kristin and PC Cast
Why: *Pulls out hair* The narrator was repetitive and it was just so...

Challenge Updates:
100+ Reading Challenge:26 read. 74 to go.
V.C. Andrews: Read Good Trash movement: 2 read. 9 to go.

-Sarah

In My Mailbox (week 2)

This is a In My Mailbox, started by The Story Siren Check it out here.
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Peterson
Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?
This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.
I have already read this book and have a copy. I really enjoyed it. So, I guess I'll do a giveaway for this soon as I have the money to send it.
Anything but Typical by Nora Raliegh Baskin
Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world. Most days it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does.
Jason can be himself when he writes and he thinks that PhoneixBird-her name is Rebecca-could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to met her, he's terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca wil only see his autism and not who Jason really is.
By acclaimed writer Nora Raleigh Baskin, this is the breathtaking depiction of an autistic boy's struggles-and a story for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.
This book sound amazing, I can not wait to read it.
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
All her world's a stage. Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.She is not an orphan, but she has no parents.She knows every part, but has no lines of her own.Until now.Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every place ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.
This book sounds amazing. I have read a few pages, and can't wait to dive back in.
Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson
After discovering that someone saw what looked like Dan’s emergency EpiPen in A-lister Plum’s designer handbag, Scarlett and her tough American sidekick, Taylor, sneak into a posh London nightclub, where Plum has a private table. Scarlett is stunned to discover a piece of evidence that might implicate another girl in Plum’s exclusive circle, Lucy Raleigh. Which means Scarlett must cast a wider net in order to catch the right suspect.Back at school, groundskeeper Jase is hoping to take Scarlett’s mind off her troubles with some heart-stopping kisses. Scarlett can’t help but feel guilty for indulging in romantic rendezvous when she should be hunting down Dan’s killer. However, once Scarlett finds out how Lucy is connected to Dan, she knows she must drop everything and travel to the McAndrew estate in Scotland to hunt for more clues. But when she arrives, Scarlett becomes the target of a dangerous hunt herself.
I just got the first book from the library last week and I got this book randomly. It sounds good.
The Second Virginity of Suzy Green by Sara Hantz
Suzy Green used to be one of the coolest nonconformist “almost-Goth” party girls in Australia. That was before her older sister Rosie died and her family moved to a new town. Not even her best friend would recognize her now. Gone are the Doc Martens and the attitude. All she wants is to be like Rosie—perfect. The new Suzy Green makes straight As, hangs with the in-crowd at her new school, and dates the hottest guy around. And since all her new friends belong to a virginity club, she joins, too. So what if she’s not technically qualified? Nobody in town knows . . . until Ryan, Suzy’s ex, turns up.
As the past and present collide, Suzy struggles to find her own place in a world without her sister.
I have wanted to read this for ages. Thank you, Hope for letting me borrow this!
Amor and Summer Secrets by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Fifteen-year-old Mariana Ruiz has no desire to step foot outside her affluent Philadelphia suburb. BUT she may not have a choice. With total disregard to the high-glam Sweet 16 her best friend is hosting, Mariana’s father ships her off to a tiny mountain town in Puerto Rico to stay with family she’s never met. The heat is merciless, the food is spicy, and only one of her relatives—her distant cousin Lilly—speaks English. Her consolation prize is Lilly’s homespun Puerto Rican Quinceãnera. Only the riotously festive party exposes Mariana to more than just her culture. She uncovers new friends, her first love, and a family secret that’s been buried on the island for more than 30 years.
This series sounds really good and I won the Third book in a contest, So I can't wait to read this. Thanks again to Hope!
You are so Undead to me by Stacey Jay
Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a whole bunch of semi-dead people with killer issues. All Megan really wants is to go to homecoming, but when you're trailed by a bunch of slobbering corpses whenever you leave the house, it's kinda hard to score a date. Let's just say Megan's love life could use some major resuscitation.
Megan's convinced her life can't get any worse - until someone in school starts using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into scary, hardcore flesh-eating Zombies. Now it's up to Megan to stop the Zombie apocalypse. Her life - and more importantly, the homecoming dance - depends on it.
I have just read this and found it quite cute.(Review soon) Thanks, Rachel!
Shift by Charlotte Agell
In fifteen year-old Adrian Havoc's world, Homestate rules every aspect of society: identity cards need to be carried at all times, evolution is a forbidden topic of discussion, and religious education is enforced in daily "rapture" doses. If life weren't hard enough, now come the threats that the end of the world--SHIFT--is quickly approaching. But Adrian refuses to accept things as they are. He sets out for the toxic Deadlands on a trip that may very well alter the course of the universe.
In this powerful, thought-provoking and by turns humorous novel, Charlotte Agell uncovers the painful consequences of war and uncertain governments in an imagined—yet disturbingly realistic—world.
This book sound really good. Thanks, Rachel for letting me borrow this!
Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it’s all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.
But Annika’s plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly fi nds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?
Janette Rallison’s proven talent for laugh-out-loud humor, teen romance, and deep-hearted storytelling shines in a novel that will have readers laughing and crying at the same time.
This book sounds amazing and I really can't wait to read it. Thanks, Rachel!
Eon by Alison Goodman
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragoneye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. As tension builds and Eon's desperate lie comes to light, readers won't be able to stop turning the pages .
It sounds really awesome and I can't wait to read it. Thanks, Kristi.
Vamps by Nancey A. Collins
When the sun goes down, New York's true elite all head to one place: Bathory Academy, where the young ladies of the finest vampire families are trained in shapeshifting and luring their prey.
Bathory's reigning queen, Lilith Todd, is the daughter of a powerful vampire businessman, and she knows exactly what she wants from life. She wants to look beautiful for eternity and party till the sun comes up with her gorgeous boyfriend, Jules. And she doesn't want any New Blood upstarts standing in her way.
Enter Cally Monture, an unexpected threat from a trash zip code. When their first meeting leads to tragic results, Lilith is hungry for revenge.
It sounds pretty good. I love Vampires. Thanks, Stephanie!
I also got an awesome letter from Chelsea. So last week was a crazy week book-wise. I won't say how much I got at the library.
Peace out, Sarah.