So...

Happy Halloween! I am busy with my assignments for school. So, I will be giving out candy... and eating a bit.
Ashley at Books Make Great Lovers is having a contest, for Halloween Costume ideas.

Beautiful by Amy Reed

Rating:
Characters: 18/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 17/20
Writing: 18/20
Recommendation: 18/20
Overall: 89/100 or B
Cassie moves from Bainbridge Island to Seattle. She decides that she need to leave her good girl persona behind. She chooses some dangerous friends and is immersed into the world of drug, sex, and secrets. Cassie loves the thrill of her new life, but she also terrified of what could happen. She loses her virginity to a older boy. Cassie also embraces the numbness of drugs. Now she is being called beautiful. Cassie doesn't notice the down spiral that her life is going on and how much danger she is really in.
Cassie is an interesting character. She wants to fit in like most teens do, but she chooses the wrong crowd and had to live with consequences. I am going to admit that I didn't like the ending of what happens to Cassie, because it shows teens that they have the ability to give up, instead of working yourself out of the mess of your own creation. Beautiful was a fast paced book that had a lot of emotion. Also, the plot was well done and interesting. The only flaw that I saw was how she just stopped talking to her friends that lived in Bainbridge Island, it is a 45 minute ferry ride. I have had friends move to Seattle and they still come back and hang out. I also have visited them. I live farther away, then that. I found that not be realistic. It was a fairly original book, about what can happen when you get into drugs so young. It was as sad as the true stories are. Reed is an amazing writer and I am excited for more books from her. She created great characters and the setting to let the story unfold. I recommend that you check out this book, if you liked Crank or the movie Thirteen.

The Winner..

So, The winner of The Michael Jackson Tapes:A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is Toast.
Email me your address and I'll forward it. Thanks for everyone that entered and I hope that you come back soon.

Waiting on Wednesday(Week Thirty-one)

Title: The Deathday Letter
Author: Shaun David Hutchinson
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: Fall 2010

All fifteen year-old Oliver Travers wanted to do when he woke up Thursday morning was squeeze in a little underwear gymnastics before school, until his mom called him downstairs to tell him he had received a Deathday Letter, which sort of ruined the mood. Content to spend his last day of life at school (where the girls are), Oliver's best friends Shane Grimsley and Veronica (Ronnie) Dittrich convince him to burn his books and ditch school to, you know, have a little actual fun before he kicks the bucket.In a world where only taxes, Deathday Letters, and teenage boy's hormones are certainties, Oliver, Shane and Ronnie embark upon a bus ride that takes them from the post office, to a house filled with college-aged anti-Deathday Letter activists (and Dave Matthews fans), and nearly to prison. And as the end draws near Oliver learns that living is way tougher than dying…and that kissing is wetter than he'd expected.

This book sounds really interesting and I love the cover.

Break by Hannah Moskowitz

Rating:

Characters: 18/20

Plot: 18/20

Originality: 19/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 18/20

Overall: 94/100 or A

Jonah is on a mission. His mission is to break every bone in his body. Everyone knows that every bone grows stronger than they are before. Jonah wants to be stronger. His brother Jesse has severe allergies and goes to the Emergency Room at least once a month. He also has a baby brother that can't stop crying.

I found this book to be amazing. I can't imagine what it would be like with the idea of break all of my bones. Moskowitz create real characters with their own strength and weakness. The relationships with the other characters were shown amazingly well. I felt like I knew Jonah, Jesse, and Naomi. The plot of Break never slows down. It is a fast pace and original book that is full of emotions. Moskowitz is a great writer and I can't wait for more from her in the future. I recommend that you check out this book, it is an amazing and completely fantastic.

The Goodbye Season by Marian Hale

Rating:

Characters: 17/20

Plot: 17/20

Originality: 18/20

Writing: 18/20

Recommendation: 18/20

Overall: 88/100 or B

Mercy Kaplan is a Texas sharecropper's daughter. She doesn't want to be like her mom, with tons of kid and failing crops for the rest of her life. Mercy longs to be on her own. It is 1918 and the Spanish flu is ripping around the world. After a while she is alone and poor.

Mercy finds a job with Cora Wilder, caring for the widow's two small children. There is something unsettling about Cora. There is also Daniel, Mrs. Wilder's nearly grown stepson. He is just the type of guy that could sweep her right off her feet.

I found this book to be really cute, but with a hint of mystery in the plot. Mercy was a sweet character and was really kind of loving. Daniel was swoon worthy, but he was grumpy at times. The characters were all unique and amazing. I loved the plot of The Goodbye Season. It was dramatic and sad. It was fairly original for a historical novel and had an original take on things. Hale was a great writer and told a great story of love, loss, and murder. I suggest that you check out this book, if you love historical fiction.

Cover Remake...

I made this for Cindy's Something Like Fate cover contest, tell me what you think.

Here is mine for the Unwritten Rule, too.

My Eight Favorite things

My eight favorite things are:

1. My Friends

2. My Family

3. Books

4. Glee (mostly Cory Montieth)

5. Cinammon Bread

6. Texting/Tweeting

7. Musicals

8. Autumn

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

Rating:
Characters: 16/20
Plot: 16/20
Originality: 20/20
Writing: 17/20
Recommendation: 17/20
Overall: 86/100 or B
The Expressologist is one of those cute books that you can't put down. Jane Turner has a theory that you can tell a lot about a person by what is your regular coffee drink. She keeps a notebook with she calls Espressology. It is not a totally crazy idea, so she starts hooking up friends based by their coffee order. Like she set up her best friend, Emma(medium hot chocolate) with Cam(toffee nut latte). Soon, her boss, Derek gets wind of Jane's espressology. He decides that it needs be an in-store holiday promotion, promising Customers that will have their perfect match for the cost of a their favorite cup of coffee. Things are going so really, but why is Jane so nervous? Maybe it has something to do with a match that she made, but she is the one that set them up. So, she should be happy so them, right?
I found this book to be so cute. Jane's notebook was hilarious and made me laugh so hard. I could relate to Jane's personality. She was a sweet and tried to do the best actions for everyone, but sometimes she had to listen to her heart. The other character could have been developed a lot more and the subplots could have had more detail. The plot was original. I mean I have never seen a book with a similar plot like this. It did seem that it was a bit rushed, especially with the relationship between Cam and Jane and a few other plot points. Though, I was so excited for the match ups of couples, because they were perfect for each other. This is a cute and fun book, that I wish had quite a bit more length.

Traveling to Teen Tours: Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein

Lisa Klein is the author of Ophelia, Lady Macbeth's Daughter, and Two Girls in Gettysburg. Her re-telling of Ophelia and Lady Macbeth's Daughter is a retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet and Macbeth, with a more female centered plot. Both books are really interesting. She started writing Ophelia in 2001 and it was published in 2006. Now, she live in Columbus, Ohio with her husband, two teenage sons, a dog and a cat. You can visit her website at http://www.authorlisaklein.com/.
Rating:
Characters: 17/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 17/20
Writing: 18/20
Recommendation: 17/20
Overall: 87/100 or B
Albia grew up with no knowledge of her mother or father. She didn't know that he was the powerful Macbeth. Instead, she knows the dark lures of Wychelm Wood and the moors, where she has been raised by three strange sisters. Macbeth seeks out the sisters to foretell his fate that Albia's life is tangled in with. She even falls in love with Fleance, Macbeth's Rival for the throne. Albia learns that she has second sight and she must decide whether to ignore the terrible future she foresees or she'll have to change it. Will she be able to save the man she loves from her murderous father. And can she forgive her parents for all their wrongs, or must she destroy them in order to save Scotland?
I love a retelling of another book. Practically Shakespeare's books, because it is interesting to be in someone else's shoes. Lady Macbeth's Daughter kept with the storyline well and was very entertaining. Albia is a very kick ass girl for before the Renaissance. I loved her personality and how she was such a free spirit. I also loved how the relationship with Albia and Fleance developed. It was very cute. I also liked how Macbeth was developed. It was awesome that it was from other character's view, then just Albia. The plot made it such a quick and interesting read. I also think that this was an original retelling of Macbeth. The writing was also well detailed. I would check this book out, if you are looking for a strong independent female character.

An Interview with Sara Zarr

Sara Zarr is the author of Story of a Girl, Sweethearts, and Once was Lost. Story of Girl was a 2007 National Book Award finalist. Sweethearts was a 2008 Cybil Award Finalist. All three books are brilliant and you should check them out. Sara lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband.

1. What do you find hard about writing about faith? Did growing up in religious family help you shape Once was Lost and Samara?
My own experience with faith definitely shaped the book. Without it, I doubt I would have written this particular story. The hardest part was figuring out how to be specific enough about Sam's faith to keep it feeling real, but not so specific or overloaded that it would be off-putting to people who don't have that kind of faith experience. I wanted to find that balance so it would be a book for all my usual readers as well as maybe draw in some readers who are interested in the faith aspects.

2. You have been doing vlogs during your tour. What do you like and dislike about being on tour? Also, what inspired you to do vlogs?
Favorite things about being on tour: meeting fans and potential fans, seeing parts of the country I never would have seen otherwise, and room service breakfast. Least favorite parts: planes, trains, and automobiles, packing, and hotel insomnia. The vlogs are fun for me---they're a totally different creative outlet from writing, and give me a chance to attempt comedy (something I don't do in my books) and offer my blog readers a change of pace and the chance to see a different side of me. I've always had a fantasy about going to film school, so the vlogs are a way to appease my inner director.

3. You make such wonder realistic characters. What advice do you have to aspiring writers? What were your inspirations for you to start writing?
My advice to aspiring writers is to write! There's a huge difference between sitting around thinking about being a writer or thinking about a story you'd like to write and writing it. Once you start putting things into words, it's very likely you'll freak out and think it's terrible. That's totally normal so don't let it stop you. I even know some New York Times bestselling authors who freak out and think their writing is terrible when they first start something new. So you push through. If you can find one or two friends who are also writing or interested in writing, that's good, too. You can exchange work and give each other helpful feedback. Emphasis on the "helpful"! I was inspired to write by all the incredible books I read growing up, from Frog and Toad and Ramona to the books of Robert Cormier and ME Kerr.

4. What are your favorite books that you read this year?
Oooh, tough one. WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead is very special and reminded me so much of my childhood. And, I finally read E. Lockhart's THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS, which I thought was brilliant.

5. What do you like to do, when you aren't doing your author duties?
Lazy things. Like spending too much time online, shopping, going out to lunch with friends, and watching movies. I'm a slug!

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Rating:
Characters: 18/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 18/20
Recommendation: 18/20
Overall: 91/100 or A
The night that Ingrid told Caitlin, "I'll go wherever you go. But by dawn Ingrid, and her promise is gone. Caitlin was left alone. Ingrid's suicide immobilizes Caitlin, leaving her unsure of her place in a new world that she doesn't recognize. She can't enjoy anything without her best friend. But Ingrid left more then just her memory behind. She left a journal accounting her last days behind -just for Caitlin. She travels through the her memories of Ingrid and is in search of a renewal of hope.
Hold Still is one of those books that you have to think about. It is so strong and it is hard to tell if you like it. Caitlin is a realistic girl in a very hard and real situation. At the beginning of the book, she is in a very dark place and you can tell that she really wants to come to terms with Ingrid's suicide. She is a really interesting character. Hold Still had a great plot. It was also very original novel about depression. LaCour is a great writer and captured all the emotions of a teen that goes through at a time like this. I recommend that you check out, Hold Still.

Waiting on Wednesday(Week Thirty)

Title: Shadow Hills

Author: Anastasia Hopcus

Publisher: Egmont USA

Release Date: Summer 2010

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.
After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.
But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

This book looks amazing. and have you seen the cover? It is so pretty.

This Is What I Want To Tell You by Heather Duffy Stone

Rating:

Characters: 19/20

Plot: 18/20

Originality: 20/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 19/20

Overall: 95/100 or A

Fifteen year old twins, Noelle and her brother Nadio are alternately telling their sides of a story that is very much told like a confessional. Their best friend Keeley returns from her summer abroad and is completely changed. Noelle is resentful of Keeley, because of her wealth and all the opportunities that she gets to have. Nadio on the other hand, has started to find Keeley attractive. Nadio and Keeley start having a secret romance, while Noelle finds a relationship with the wrong sort of boy, Parker. Every character has their own secrets in This Is What I Want To Tell You and it makes it a compelling and interesting book.

To say that I loved this book, is an understatement. It is the kind of book that makes you think. Noelle reminds me of one of my best friends and I love that. Nadio is amazing and sweet. Keeley is rad. I loved how real her characters were. The plot was really interesting and moved really fast. I finished this book in about four hours. This Is What I Want To Tell You is really different and amazing. Stone's writing is amazing and I loved it. I recommend this book and you should really check it out.

Girl in The Arena Video...

I have decided that if I ever write book, it will need a rap like this.

What Cool Kids do...

So I have been asked by a lot of people to post this. I'll have other pictures from this signing later this week. Anyways, I got the scanner to work. So here is the photo booth picture with Michelle Zink. Aren't we the coolest?

In My Mailbox (Week of October 18th)

Gringolania by Lyn Miller -Lachmann


Daniel Aguilar still remembers the night the Chilean police came and took his father Marcelo away. He blames himself. If only he hadn’t gotten out of bed that fateful night his father would still be around. Daniel’s family flees the county to start a new life in Wisconsin. Six years later Daniel has a new life. He plays lead guitar for a rock group and dates Courtney, a minister’s daughter.
Then Daniel’s father is released. Nothing prepares Daniel for the broken shell of his father. Marcelo is partially paralyzed, haunted by nightmares of his torture, and bitter about being in Gringolandia and not his native Chile where he feels he can still help other political prisoners.
Daniel watches his parents struggle and his little sister recoiling from a father she can’t accept. Then Courtney comes up with the idea of writing a human rights newspaper. Daniel worries if this will push his father over the edge. Daniel craves a father-son relationship that was denied to him when the Chilean police took his father away. But will he have to push aside his own desires in order to save his father from self destruction?


I am reading this now. It is pretty good, so far. I am on a blog tour for it, later this month. So watch out for that.


Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler


A love beyond life...a danger beyond doubt.
In a romantic and suspenseful collection of the New York Times bestselling trilogy, love's unbreakable bonds are put to the test.
When her boyfriend, Tristan, died, Ivy thought she'd lost everything, even her faith in angels. But now she's discovered that he's her guardian angel -- his presence so strong that she can feel the touch of his hand, the beat of his heart. Ivy needs Tristan now more than ever because he knows she's in terrible danger. Only Ivy's guardian angel can save her now that his killer is after her.
But if Tristan rescues Ivy, his mission on earth will be finished, and he must leave her behind forever. Will saving Ivy mean losing her just when he's finally reached her again?


This book looks amazing and I am excited for it. I am excited to read this after Cybils is over.


Dark Secrets 1 by Elizabeth Chandler
Dark Secrets 1 is comprised of two novels by Elizabeth Chandler, “Legacy of Lies” and “Don't Tell”. In “Legacy of Lies”, Megan is unceremoniously summoned to visit the grandmother she's never met, who cut her mother out of her life when she married a man of a different race and then adopted children. Megan's welcome is rather cool, from both her grandmother and her cousin Alex. When Grandmother starts behaving oddly and things turn up missing, Megan suspects that there are dark secrets that her grandmother is trying to cover up...but bringing them to light could prove to be fatal.
This Books sounds amazing
A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper


I need to write down what has just happened. I need to set down the truth. If I write lies or if I write nothing at all, this journal is worthless. I must do this, in case anything happens.
All right. This is what happened tonight, every single terrible thing that I can remember . . .
Sophie FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, along with her tomboy younger sister Henry, her beautiful, intellectual cousin Veronica, and Veronica's father, the completely mad King John. When Sophie receives a leather-bound journal for her sixteenth birthday, she decides to write about her day-to-day life on the island. But it is 1936 and the world is in turmoil. Does the arrival of two strangers threaten everything that Sophie holds dear?
From Sophie's charming and lively observations to a nailbiting, unputdownable ending, this is a book to be treasured.
I bought this book and it looks amazing.

Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron

Told in a voice that's honest, urgent, and hilarious, Struts & Frets will resonate not only with teenage musicians but with anyone who ever sat up all night listening to a favorite album, wondering if they'd ever find their place in the world.
Music is in Sammy's blood. His grandfather was a jazz musician, and Sammy's indie rock band could be huge one day--if they don't self-destruct first. Winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands would justify all the band's compromises and reassure Sammy that his life's dream could become a reality. But practices are hard to schedule when Sammy's grandfather is sick and getting worse, his mother is too busy to help either of them, and his best friend may want to be his girlfriend.
When everything in Sammy's life seems to be headed for major catastrophe, will his music be enough to keep him together?
I have read this book and it is awesome.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Rating:
Characters: 17/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 18/20
Recommendation: 18/20
Overall: 90/100 or A

Micah is a compulsive liar, but she is going to try to be honest and tell you what happened. Over the years, she's fooled everyone: her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents. So far, she has been able to stay a few steps ahead of her lies. That is until now... he boyfriend died in a rather brutal way and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth, when lying becomes as easy as breathing. Should you even trust a word that she says?

I could relate to Micah. When I was little, I was a compulsive liar. My lies weren't as extreme as Micah, and I am not a good liar either. I turn bright pink and start laughing a lot. I could relate to how they just pop out of your mouth and it seems really hard to take them back. I think that is what made me love Micah. Micah is a real awesome character. The plot of Liar tells you what happened and is happening at the same time. I think that it was a smart way to present Liar, because I don't think that it would hold my attention as much, otherwise. Larbalestier creates a unique book that is cleverly written. I would recommend that you check out this book as soon as possible. You won't be able to stop reading it, till you are done.

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

Rating:

Characters: 19/20

Plot: 19/20

Originality: 20/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 20/20

Overall: 97/100 or A

Kara hasn't been back to Oak Park, since the end of her junior year. She overdosed on heroin and nearly died. Four years later, she returns to face the music. In high school, her life changed forever. Her family was torn apart and she found a new group of friends. She partied a bit too hard and she fell in love with a gorgeous bad-boy, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park...

Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own ballad of sex, drugs, punk rock, loss, death, running away, and trying to figure out who the hell you are.

Kara McNaughton reminds me so much of my older sister. She had a rough patch like Kara, and I was the only one in my family to know what what was really going on. This book had an array of characters and I love their flaws and their gifts. Kuehnert captures the many emotions of being a teen. I was wow-ed by this book. I have been around family members with addictions my whole life and I have seen the effects of drugs on people, since I was about ten. In high school, some of my closest friends were/are cutters. I have seen the pain that goes into that. I think that Kuehnert did an amazing job capturing it. The ballads also gave me the insights of the characters and what was at the very core of them. Why some of them made questionable decisions that I wouldn't consider. I was crying at the end of this book, because I felt so connected to the characters. Kuehnert is an amazing writer. Ballads of Suburbia is one of those books that you just can't put down and I recommend that you go read it right now.

Bookshelf review

So, a while back, I got an offer of a book shelf from CSN Office Furniture. So here is the bookshelf that I got:
Use this unique book shelf as an artistic focal point in your room. The tall slender design saves space and adds function. The 11 shelves are constructed of solid metal with a powder coated silver finish capable of holding books, DVDs, CDs, or any decorative items you may have!
My bookshelf is nice. It is great for supporting part of my to-read list. It holds about 60 books. It isn't the most sturdy bookshelf. The shelf shake by just putting a book down. I think it might be, because it is mostly is filled with hardbacks. This bookshelf was easy to assemble. It took me about a half hour to put together. The hardest thing was the base which my dad put together for me. Overall I think that it is a good bookshelf and great for an apartment or cramped living.

Waiting on Wednesday(Week Twenty Nine)

Title: In a Heartbeat
Author: Loretta Ellsworth
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 2nd, 2010
Story of a heart transplant told in alternating chapters between two girls: the heart transplant recipient and the heart transplant donor. When Eagan dies during a figure skating competition, Amelia receives her heart, but when she experiences new personality traits, she questions whether she's received more than just a heart.
It sounds amazing and I am so excited to read it.

If you haven't...

So, the Cybils' nominations are closed in two days. You should head over here and nominate your favorite book. It's lots of fun, promotes children's books, and I am a panelist for the YA Category. I am looking forward to reading all the great books that are nominated this years.

Awesometastic

This is an awesome trailer...

Giveaway

So, I was offered this book for review, but it didn't really seem like something I would enjoy. So I asked if I could do a giveaway, since I knew that people wanted to read this. So here is the book...
The Michael Jackson Tapes:A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach Here is the summary:
In 2000-2001, Michael Jackson sat down with his close friend and spiritual guide, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, to record what turned out to be the most intimate and revealing conversations of his life. It was Michael's wish to bare his soul and unburden himself to a public that he knew was deeply suspicious of him. The resulting thirty hours are the basis of The Michael Jackson Tapes. There has never been, and never will be, anything like them.
In these searingly honest conversations, Michael exposes his emotional pain and profound loneliness, his longing to be loved, and the emptiness of his fame. You discover why he was suspicious of women and how only children provided the innocence for which he so desperately longed.
In his own words, he takes us into the jarring moments of his childhood and speaks of the measures he took to try and heal. He divulges how he came to be alienated from his strong religious anchor and describes his views on the nature of faith. Michael brings us into his tortured yet loving relationship with his siblings. He opens up about his father and his yearning for a time when they might finally reconcile. He talks about his most personal friendships and shares with us his terror of growing old.
Despite his unprecedented fame and recent death, there remain unanswered questions about his life. The answers, presented here in The Michael Jackson Tapes, will both intrigue and move you. You will be surprised, riveted, and troubled as you peer into the soul of a tragic icon whose life is an American morality tale and whose flame was extinguished much too early.
To enter answer this question: What is your favorite Michael Jackson song?
Extra entries:
1. New or Current follower. +5
2. Re-post it in any social network or blog. +3 each
3. +1 for each referral and +1 on being referred.
This Contest is open till October 26th at midnight. It is only open to USA addresses only.

In My Mailbox (The last three weeks...)

I'll add a list of books later.

A reading of Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

So, I read Bleeding Violet on Skype and Khy tweeted about it. So, Dia asked me to vlog it. So, Hopefully you enjoyed. Sorry for the noise, we are in the middle of Remodeling. Bleeding Violet comes out January 5, 2010. I hope that you enjoy it!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Rating:
Characters: 16/20
Plot: 17/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 17/20
Recommendation: 16/20
Overall: 85/100 or B
I don't think that I really need to explain what is going on in Catching Fire. It is the Sequel to The Hunger Games. After what happens in The Hunger Games, you know that there is going to be some sort of fallout after what happened in the Hunger Games. After, pretending to be in love with Peeta, she has to still pretend to be in love. She also suddenly loves Gale, when it seemed like they were only friends in The Hunger Games. Now it is Peeta or Gale, it seemed that she honestly she can't choose who.
That was really annoying since Katniss was so kickass and independent in The Hunger Games and now she isn't. It took a while for me to get into Catching Fire, but when I finished, I enjoyed it. The pacing of Catching Fire didn't match it's prequel. It seemed that Collins took the easy way out on writing the book and choose things that would cause the most drama.
Like, she would had very humanized character, but then you have President Snow, who is just pure evil. He had no emotions and didn't care about others. This really upsets me, because I honestly don't think that anyone human is that evil. Even though that I didn't love this book as much as The Hunger Games, but I will definitely read the next sequel. Since there was such a huge cliffhanger. I still enjoyed this book, even with all of it's flaws. There was still the action that I loved in The Hunger Games. I would check out the series, if you like books with a lot of twist.

Teen Read Week...

Readergirlz is hosting a Teen Read Week Celbration. Above is a trailer with all the details.

Here is it again in case you missed it:

Monday, Oct. 19: Beyond Imagination with rgz diva Justina Chen Headley (NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL), Alyson Noël (EVERMORE) and Zoe Marriott (DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES)
Tuesday, Oct. 20: Beyond Hardship with rgz diva Lorie Ann Grover (HOLD ME TIGHT), Elizabeth Scott (LIVING DEAD GIRL) and Lynn Weingarten (WHEREVER NINA LIES)
Wednesday, Oct. 21: Beyond Daily Life with rgz diva Holly Cupala (TELL ME A SECRET), Lisa McMann (WAKE) and Cynthia Leitich Smith (ETERNAL)
Thursday, Oct. 22: Beyond Our World with rgz diva Melissa Walker (LOVESTRUCK SUMMER), Cassandra Clare (CITY OF ASHES) and Patrick Ness (THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO)
Friday, Oct. 23: Into Our Beyond with rgz diva Dia Calhoun (AVIELLE OF RHIA) and pioneering YA sci-fi author Sylvia Engdahl (ENCHANTRESS FROM THE STARS)

It is on the Readergirlz blog. So check it out.

Today is...

KHY'S BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday, Khy!
Woot! You are so amazing.
You are getting older and that is awesome.
Love ya!

Waiting on Wednesday(Week Twenty Eight)

Title: WTF

Author: Peter Lerangis

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: November 10, 2009

ONE PLAN, TWO PARTIES, SIX PLAYERS:
Jimmy: the driver Cam: the connect Byron: the know-it-all Waits: the supplier Reina: the conscience MC: the crasher ONE FRIDAY NIGHT these six will test their limits to the extreme. Some are driven by lust, others by greed. One just wants to have fun, and another desires to be free. If everything goes as planned, they all get what they want. But within twenty-four hours, bones will break, bodies will touch, hearts will race, guns will be drawn, and everything will go oh so very wrong....

I am getting this book for review and it sounds really good. I love the cover, too.

So...

As of December 1st, bloggers are going to be required to state in the review that you have been compensated. This means that if you keep the review copy, you must disclose it or risk quite the fine. You are going to have to include this on your taxes, too. Fun stuff, right? So, we are going to have change the way that we run our blogs. You also can't link to Amazon or anywhere that you can buy books. Not even author's websites.
I have a few questions. So, I am going to call the Federal Trade Commission on Monday. To ask them a few questions, so that I will be able to post my reviews right and run my blog in a lawful way and so that my parents' taxes can be filed the right way. So, if you have any questions that you would like me to ask, just leave it in the comments. I will blog about all of the answers. I know that this is a really confusing new law and we need to all stick together and find out, what to do.

Books Read in September

168. Darklight by Lesley Livingston
169. Lady Mabeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein
170. The Tear Collecter by Patrick Jones
171. Emily by Emily Smucker
172. Marni by Marni Bates
172. Candor by Pam Bachorz
173. The Waking: Dreams of the Dead by Thomas Randall
174. Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani
175. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
176. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
177. Liar by Justine Larbalestier
178. Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma
179. Derby Girl by Shauna Cross
180. Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe
181. The Hollow by Jessica Veraday
182. My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman
183. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
184. Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Reviews posted from these books: 8 of these books so far, a few are planned to be posted later.
Books from Library: 2 books
Books for Review: 12 books
Books borrowed: 0 books
My Favorite: Liar or The Secret Year.
My Least Favorite: I didn't really dislike anything this month.
Update:100+ Reading Challenge: 184 read.
V.C. Andrews: Read Good Trash movement: 3 read. 8 to go
Debut Authors '09: 43 read

My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

Rating:

Characters: 19/20

Plot: 18/20

Originality: 20/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 20/20

Overall: 96/100 or A

Roz lives a great deal of her life in her head. In her head, she would be close to her sister, instead of being ignored like junk e-mail. Also, Bryan confesses that she is the only one for her, and is not making out with her sister. Finally, her friends are not plotting every second unlike now. Their upcoming production of Shakespeare's As You Like It might be ruined. Roz has a suspicion about Eva. In turn, Eva taunts Roz with a dare, which leads to an act of total insanity that swings their world out of control.

My Invented Life is a hilarious book. I loved the fact that Roz imagined a lot in her head. It was so amazing and entertaining. I also loved all of the Shakespearean insults. It was just amazing and totally reminded me of vlogbrothers. The Shakespearean Insult Lexicon was awesome, too. Roz was a great character that is impossible to not like her. Eva wasn't likable at the beginning, but she grew on me. The same goes with Carmen, I could understand her anger about things in the book. Bryan was a total jerk, I don't understand why Eva was with him in the first place and how Roz liked him at all. Andie was awesome and pretty kick ass. I loved Nico and his hair. I wish that there was more about him. Jonathan was interesting and I felt sorry for how his parents acted. I also liked how the main characters all grew a lot. The plot was really entertaining. Like Roz explored her sexuality and found herself. Bjorkman captured teens perfectly and had a great sense of humor. I think that this is the perfect books for teens and I highly recommend it.

Cybils

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere and have no internet, you know that Cybils are going on. So, you should go nominate some of your favorite books this year for awards. Just follow the rules there.

Also, I am a panelist for Young Adult Fiction. I am really excited to be a part of this and work with everyone. I own a few of the books already nominated and haven't read them yet, so they are moved up in the reading pile. I also have a few books on hold at the library. So, I am going to try to read at least five books a week. There are 89 eligible books so far and I have only read 37 of them. So, I better get started.

Peace out, Sarah.

The Waking: Dreams of the Dead by Thomas Randall and Some Q&A

Rating:
Characters: 18/20
Plot: 19/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 19/20
Recommendation: 19/20
Overall: 94/100 or A
Kara Foster moves to Japan, after her mom's death. Her dad has received a job offer at a private school. She is a complete outsider and becomes friends with Sakura. Sakura is also an outsider that is dealing her sister's unsolved murder. It seems that no one cares that a beautiful girl was murdered, right behind the school. The other students go on as, if nothing has happened. Sadly, that doesn't last for long. Kara begins to have nightmares and a few of her fellow classmates start turning up dead. Is Sakura getting back at those she thinks are responsible for her sister’s death? Or has her dead sister come back to take revenge for herself?
I am a huge fan of all things scary, so when I heard about this book. I got excited. I loved how dreams played a big part of this book, because it is something that I believe in. It was really interesting and hard to put down. Kara is like any other normal sixteen year old girl, except that she is in Japan and learning a whole new way to live in a sense. She is also dealing with the grief from her mother. She was very strong and able to handle anything thrown at her. I found the Japanese culture to be very fantasising. The mysterious and scary atmosphere reminded me of Nightmare on Elm Street and The Devouring mixed together. I recommend this book, if you are looking for a spooky read for Fall.

I also had the honor of asking Thomas Randall, a few questions. Enjoy!
1. Kara starts having nightmare and then basically everything goes downhill from there. What about nightmares or dream, do you find the most powerful?
Some of the most powerful emotions I've ever felt in my life--love, grief, terror--I have felt in dreams. You have no shield, no defense mechanisms at all. I've woken up full of abject sorrow, and I've woken up inspired by the bizarre and fantastic stories that have unfolded in my dreams, which I have then turned into stories. In dreams you can visit with old friends, you can return to childhood, you can talk to the dead. Months after my father died I had several dreams in which I saw him and though he did not speak to me in them, he smiled and nodded and somehow let me know that he was all right, and that I would be, too.
Dreams are endless opportunities for your heart and imagination. Even the worst nightmares are things of extraordinary power and wonder and you wake feeling like you just escaped from some prison, but you created it yourself, without knowing how. It's your subconscious gone wild.
2. Where did you get your inspiration for The Waking?
I've always been fascinated by Japan, but not only Japan. America is a young nation. In places like Japan, often the distant past and the present seem to exist all at the same time. Which is a parallel to how we sometimes view them, especially Japan, where so much of their modern pop culture has spread to the United States in manga, anime, and movies, though we are also so interested in their history. Samurai tales and ghost stories. Japanese mythology and philosophy...there's so much that intrigues me. Regarding THE WAKING...there are tons of vampiric creatures in Japanese folklore, but no real vampire (the sort of vampire that appears in most other cultures in some form or another). I wanted to explore those. Also, I admire the courage of people who immerse themselves in other cultures. My sister lived for a while in China when I was young, and I was always intrigued and impressed by that, especially by the idea of being such an outsider, literally a stranger in a strange land.
3. What is your favorite and least thing about writing?
My favorite thing is the commute from my bedroom to my desk (about four seconds). My least favorite thing is the discipline required to get the work done. It also doesn't help that it's such a solitary occupation, especially because that prompts me to spend too much time on Facebook or whatever.
4. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
If one person tells you that you stink, don't listen. If the only person who tells you that you're good is your mom, don't listen to her, either. Accept that the urge to write does not make you a writer and that you probably have a lot to learn. (We all do.) Study Strunk & White's THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE. Read a lot. Write a lot. Find people who will give you *honest* criticism. You'll know the difference, no matter how much it frightens you to admit it. Go to conventions where writers and artists and editors gather. Meet people. Learn about the business as well as the craft. Realize that only a relative of handful can make a living writing and be realistic about whether or not you can handle that kind of stress, and if you can, then go for it.
5. Other then writing and reading, what do you like to do?
If I'm not working, I'm usually just hanging out with my family. We watch too much TV, but we do it together. :)
6. Is there anything that you would like to add?
Only that I got a little creeped out writing DREAMS OF THE DEAD, so I hope you all get a little creeped out reading it.

To follow more of the tour from Thomas Randall, visit these blogs. Also check out here for an excerpt.
Monday, September 28th: An interview with Little Willow at Bildungsroman
Tuesday, September 29th: Author Q&A with Courtney Summers
Wednesday, September 30th: A guest blog about writing from the female POV at readergirlz

Thursday, October 1st: A guest blog about researching Japanese culture at lectitans

Friday, October 2nd: Q&A at Sarah's Random Musings

Friday, October 2nd: An interview at Steph Su Reads

Monday, October 5th: A guest blog about writing mysteries at Books By Their Cover

Tuesday, October 6th: Q&A with Kim Baccellia

Tuesday, October 6th: An interview with BookChic

Wednesday, October 7th: An interview at Presenting Lenore

Thursday, October 8th: Special post for Michelle at GalleySmith

Friday, October 9th: Last stop with Kelsey at Just Blinded Book Reviews

Secret Society by Tom Dolby

Rating:
Characters: 17/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 18/20
Writing: 17/20
Recommendation: 15/20
Overall: 85/100 or B
An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York’s wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about. They didn’t ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything.
Even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown, and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they’re forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they’re part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. It’s all perfect—until well, a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.
Secret Society was a really different book. I liked how it had the world of New York mixed in with a secret society. Patch, Lauren, Phoebe, and Nick reminded me of people that I knew in High School. I could all relate to them in a way and found them interesting. Dolby created a twisting mystery that was interesting and unpredictable.
The secret society shocked me. The ankh tattoos freaked me out, like waking up with it. That would so scare me. Also the creepy people that ran it, were creepy. I was shocked how it worked, but I still wanted to keep on reading it. I felt bad about the price that you had to pay to get into the society and what could happen if you wanted to leave or did something wrong. I had so many questions about the book and wanted more. But it was also paced oddly. I think that you will like Secret Society, if you like Pretty Little Liars and the Private Series.