April 29, 2012

In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Bought:




Received:

















 

My sister went to a book signing this week and brought this back for me because she's awesome!

On my nook:

April 28, 2012

Meg Cabot Read Along!

 The Meg Cabot Read-Along is hosted over at Book Club Girl!

How can I not throw my hat in this ring?  I've been meaning to read Queen of Babble forever and was definitely going to re-read the Heather Wells books before the new one came out anyway. 

Here's the schedule for anyone looking to join up:
  • May 22th—Boy Next Door discussion on Book Club Girl
  • June 12th Queen of Babble discussion on Book Club Girl
  • July 3rd - Size 12 is Not Fat discussion on Book Club Girl
  • July 10th -Size 12 and Ready to Rock goes on sale
  • July 31st -Size 12 and Ready to Rock discussion on Book Club Girl on Air, post questions for Meg’s Book Club Girl On Air interview at 7PM
Look for updates along the way on Twitter (#megreadalong), and on the Book Club Girl Facebook page.

For more info click on the Book Club Girl link at the top of the post.  I can't wait to get started!

April 26, 2012

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath
Author: Brodi Ashton
Pages: 370
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

From the flap:
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.
Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

When I first saw this cover I was like ugh, another girl in a dress, assumed it was another generic paranormal romance and moved on.  Then my sister took it out of the library, read it, and raved about it.   Now, when my sister raves about something, I take notice.  Also when she says, 'You need to read this now because it's due and there's someone on the wait-list for it.'  I try to listen then too.


So Everneath is a reinterpretation of the Persephone myth, and meshes it together with the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.  I love when YA stuff is based on other things.  (See also: Entwined, Shut Out, Clueless, Romeo + Juliet.)  All we know in the beginning is that Nikki has spent the past 100 years in the Everneath getting her emotions sucked out of her by Cole.  We don't know why she went or how she got there.  Rather than stay in the Everneath with Cole, she has chosen to go home - where only six months have passed - to try and say a final goodbye to everyone she left behind before she is sentenced to the Tunnels forever.  Among the people she left behind are her father (the mayor), her 10 year old brother Tommy, best friend Jules, and cutey mc-cute cute boyfriend Jack.


The chapters jump back and forth between the present where Nikki is counting down her time left and the events that led up to her choosing to go to the Everneath.  I thought this set up really furthered my need to know why she chose to leave.  I loved seeing the build up of Jack and Nikki's relationship.  I loved the fall out of Nikki up and leaving without a word to anyone.  It struck me as very realistic - rumors of drugs and the people who stopped talking to her and whatnot.

I was about 150 pages in when I went online to see if this was going to be a series (warning: it is - trilogy).  I was looking on bn.com and one of the editorial reviews is super SPOILERIFIC.  Just an FYI.  That being said, I loved the ending, I loved the book, and I cannot wait for the next one.

April 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.



Title: Being Friends With Boys
Author: Terra Elan McVoy
Pub Date:  5.1.12
From goodreads.com: Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more.

When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.


I feel like I've been waiting on this one forever and had to mention it before it comes out next week!

April 24, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday (12)


This week's topic is:
Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

In no particular order, I give you:

1. Mia Thermopolis - The Princess Diaries
I would spend the rest of my days reading about Mia sniffing boys necks and trying to self-actualize.

2. Jessica Darling - The Jessica Darling series
Is there anyone out there who doesn't love Jessica Darling?  I haven't found anyone yet.

3. Katniss Everdeen - The Hunger Games
Katniss is willing to give up her life in order to protect her family and she's fierce as hell while doing it. 

4. Peeta Mellark - The Hunger Games
I don't think I could put my love for Peeta into coherent words.

5. Cassel Sharpe - The Curse Workers series
I'm currently re-reading this series and that could be affecting this answer, but I don't think so.  I love me some Cassel.

6. Amy Haskel - Secret Society Girl
Amy spends a whole lot of her series proving she can play with the big boys who don't want her
gender mucking up their precious secret society and I love her for it.
 
7. Harry Potter - The Harry Potter series
The Boy Who Lived and has kept me wrapped up in his story for so many years now
.
8. Claudia Kishi - The Baby-Sitter's Club
 There's a special place in my heart for a girl who themes her outfits (like a taxi, really?)
and turns junk food wrappers into art.
 
9. Etienne St. Clair - Anna & The French Kiss
Hello, I love you, won't you tell me your name.

10. Augustus Waters - The Fault in Our Stars
I didn't expect him to jump into my heart as fast as he did, but he's here.


Bonus mentions:


Michael Moscovitz (The Princess Diaries) and Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games).  I love you both and ran out of room on my list.  You're perfect don't change.

April 23, 2012

I'm back!

I'm skipping In My Mailbox this week because I have nothing new.  I've been too busy running around Disney for the past week to buy any books!  I had a blast and already cannot wait to go back after the new Fantasyland opens.  As promised, I have some pictures to share with you guys.



Driving in!


The Tree of Life
Animal Kingdom


Tower of Terror!
Hollywood Studios (which will always be MGM to me)
 

Spaceship Earth
EPCOT



Cinderella's Castle
Magic Kingdom
 
 On a semi-related note, it's the first annual National Princess Week, hosted by Disney, Target, and Queen Clarisse herself Julie Andrews.  Target is going to have a bunch of Disney Princess stuff on sale, Julie Andrews' new kids book The Very Fairy Princess: Here Comes the Flower Girl! is out now, and they've just re-released the 10th anniversary Princess Diaries/Princess Diaries 2 combo pack on dvd and blu-ray.

I know just the mention of princesses makes me want to grab The Princess Diaries and sit in my bed until I've re-read them all so this is a great week to revisit your favorite princess stories or maybe check out some new ones.  Here's a few to take a look at.

The Princess Diaries - Meg Cabot
Entwined - Heather Dixon
Princesses of Myth series - Esther Friesner
The Frog Princess - E.D. Baker
Princess Academy - Shannon Hale
Princess for Hire - Lindsey Leavitt

We should be back to our regularly scheduled programming this week.  Now, off to catch up on what I missed while I was gone!

April 13, 2012

Quiet Time on the Blog


I just wanted to let you guys know that there's not going to be much posting next week because I'm driving down to DISNEY WORLD tomorrow!  It's been far too long (about 6 years) since the last time I've been and I'm soooo excited to go!  It's been a hectic couple of weeks and I really need the break and I'm so glad to be spending it in the happiest place on Earth.  Road trips are good for the soul.  Anyway, we should return to your regularly scheduled programming the 22nd/23rd.  I hope everyone has a great week and I'll definitely post some pictures when I get back!




April 11, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.




Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Pub Date: 6.14.12
From goodreads.com:  The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

I'm so looking forward to great summer reads and this sounds like one of them!

April 4, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.



Title: One Moment
Author: Kristina McBride
Pub Date: 6.26.12
From goodreads.com:
This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget.
 

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below – dead?
 

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
 

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

April 2, 2012

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.



Gifted:

My friend Ayelet sent this to me earlier in the week and I could not be more excited to read it!  Thank you!


On my nook: 


I'm in a very bad Hunger Games place right now.  And by bad I mean amazing.  Between the movie (I saw it 3 times last week) and re-reading the books and buying whatever crosses my path...


I just can't stop.  The Girl Who Was on Fire was on sale for nook this week so I had to take advantage.  Plus I LOVE Smartpop books.