In My Mailbox (Week of February 28th)

Books that were bought:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Book that were Mooched:
Courage in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum
Books for Review:
Winter Longing by Tricia Mills
Plus by Veronica Chambers
Invisible Girl by Mary Hanlon Stone
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June by Robin Benway
Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Yay!

Today is my Sister Nicole's 21st Birthday.

Happy Birthday to you!

I hope that you have fun in Las Vegas!

Love You Lots!

Below is a picture of my sisters,

who are the first to read anything that I write.

The Line by Teri Hall

Rating:

Characters: 18/20

Plot: 18/20

Originality: 19/20

Writing: 19/20

Recommendation: 18/20

Overall: 92/100 or A
Source: Publisher

An invisible and uncrossable barrier encloses the United States. The Line is part of the border that lopped off the country and doomed the citizens to a mysterious fate, when the enemies used a banned weapon. There are rumors about bizarre creatures and mutant humans live on the other side of The Line, in Away. Nobody would be strong enough to live there, except the old, yet tough Ms. Moore. Rachel and her mother work for Ms. Moore. They went to live there after Rachel's father died in the last war. It is a safe and quiet life by The Line. That is until Rachel finds a recording from Away and they are asking for help. Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

Rachel was a sweet and naive girl. She didn't know a lot about what was happening with the government, after she found that recording and I also liked that she asked a lot of questions. She also grew a lot during the book. I really like how strong she became. Ms. Moore was also a strong character and I liked her attitude about life. She had a really strong personality. Jonathon was an interesting character and I could tell that he felt sorry about what he did in the past. Rachel's mom had a lot secrets and it was awesome to see into her pass.The plot of this book started out slow, but it gained speed as it went on. I found the way that the government ran to be similar to 1984's system, which while complex was interesting and simple. I found this Dystopian to be well though out and original. Hall created a well written book, with amazing characters and a fantastic plot. I can't wait for the sequel to come out in 2011, because there are so many questions that I have about what will happen in Away.

What I Secretly Love...

I have a secret love... for horror movies. I know that it sounds odd, but I love movies that make you jump out of your seat or suddenly feel like you have to go to the restroom. One of the first horror movies that I saw was Nightmare on Elm Street. This movie was so scary, when I saw it at eight years old. I then saw all of the sequels. At eleven, I saw The Exorcist by myself. It is the best horror movie ever(Let's not talk about the sequels...) I rarely love remakes, but Dawn of The Dead(2004) is one of the most amazing zombies movies that I have ever seen. Recently, they started remaking old horror movies and one of them is Nightmare on Elm Street. Anyways, here is the trailer, I hope you enjoy. It looks pretty awesome!

A Nightmare on Elm Street Trailer 2 in HD

Trailer Park Movies MySpace Video

Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Rating:

Characters: 16/20

Plot: 15/20

Originality: 18/20

Writing: 17/20

Recommendation: 17/20

Overall: 83/100 or B
Source: Publisher

Hourglass starts where Stargazers left off. Bianca and Lucas have finally found a way to be together, but it means that they will have to lie to the person that they care about the most. They are now on the run with the Black Cross, after running away from Evernight Academy. Bianca thinks that everything will be okay and that they can get through this, until her friend Balthazar is captured by the Black Cross. She knows that she has to save him, even if that means that she might expose herself.

Bianca is an interesting character, and she has potential. It just seemed to feel overdone to me. Lucas was sweet like in the last books, but at times he seemed to be annoying. I love Balthazar and felt that there was not much of him in the book. I really liked the previous book in this series, but I liked Hourglass until the end. The end just disappointed me. The ending seemed too hard to follow. The plot was interesting and original, but it just seemed too far out there. Gray is a pretty good writer. I just didn't connect to this book as much. Yet, I am still interested in the sequel and the possibility of what could happen.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Rating:
Characters: 18/20
Plot: 17/20
Originality: 18/20
Writing: 17/20
Recommendation: 18/20
Overall: 88/100 or B

Source: Publisher

Lennie Walker used to be a bookworm and a clariet player in the shadow of her older and more bold sister, Bailey. That is until Bailey's heart fails her and Lennie is left to deal with the aftermath of Bailey's death. She is stuck in a hole of grief that she can never get out of. Then she reconnects through Bailey's ex-boyfriend Toby and this new guy in town named Joe Fountaine. Toby helps her reconnect with her sister, and she finds someone that actually understands her. While Joe who is a musical genius, helps distract her from the grief that plagues her. Even though they seem to help her, she feels gulity for moving on her life and having to learn to live with out her sister.

Lennie Walker was an amazing character. I could understand what she was going through, because I have lost my sister and know how it is impossible to get over the mountain of grief that stays with you everyday and you have to slowly accept it. Her voice really shined through out the book. Toby was like someone that I knew when I went to school. He was sweet and you could tell how much he loved Bailey. Joe was also so sweet, but at time I didn't think he understood what Lennie was going through. Also, I loved that he called Lennie, John Lennon. The plot was based on the finding soulitude in a world that is full of grief. Emotions of love, lost, and the bonds of sisterhood are explored in this book. I found it to be a honest and sweet book that I really liked. I found this book to be orginal in the way that grief was dealt with, which is honest, because we all don't have a text book way of grieving. Also, the poems added to the orginality, because it explained Lennie and Bailey's relathionship in a simple and lovely way. Nelson had a fantastic debut. Her story was emotional, original, and honest that displayed what lost really was like. I would recommend this book to fans of Willow and Thirteen Reasons Why.

Waiting on Wednesday (48)

Title: The Replacements
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Razorbill
Date: September 16th 2010
Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants. A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?
This book sounds really good. I also love the cover it reminds me of Rosemary's Baby, which is a pretty good movie. I can't wait to read this.

Yay!

I can't believe it, but I just posted my 500th post, which is amazing. Usually I don't finish what I start, which is why I am surprised that I have been doing this for eighteen months. Anyways, I hope that you all enjoy my blog. =)

Trailer Tuesday (8)

I have a copy of this book, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I love Ally Carter. This book is also about thieves, which I love. I can't wait to read it.

Beautiful Creatures Signing

Last night, I went to a signing for Beautiful Creatures. I loved the book and I have talked to the author a few times. So, I was super excited to go.
Kami and Margie started off with explaining how they wrote the book and their love for Diet Coke. Also where they got their ideas and much more.
Then Kami did a reading of Beautiful Creatures and then there was a Q&A time.
Then Kami explained the contest that they are doing and gave the first clue from Melissa Marr's book Wicked Lovely.

Then it was time to sign books. I also gave them a bag of goodies which you can see.

Kimberly Derting, author of the soon to be released The Body Finder(I think it is 22 days now!) was there.
My Cybils buddy Jackie Parker was there.
Liz Gallagher(Author of The Opposite of Invisible) was there too. I got to have a lovely chat with all of them!