tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2177862952468170232024-02-19T00:51:23.220-08:00Re-Reading High SchoolMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-43456573896462694282012-05-01T21:01:00.000-07:002012-05-01T21:31:39.156-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Sixteen, or What Happened to April?<div>
<blockquote>
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote>
<img alt="Cover of Stunning by Sara Shepard" class="cover" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/stunning.jpg" />
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12924343-pretty-little-liars-11" target="_blank"><i>Stunning</i></a> (Pretty Little Liars #11)<br />
<b>Author:</b> Sara Shepard<br />
<b>Publication Date:</b> 5 June 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b>
<br />
<blockquote>
Full of darker secrets, juicier scandals, and deadlier plot twists, the latest arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling series continues to deliver fast-paced, tension-ridden drama. <br />
<br />
After Alison DiLaurentis tried to kill them, Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna tried to get their lives back on track. But these girls just can’t stay out of trouble. First there was their disastrous trip to Jamaica, and their summer breaks were no less eventful. Now a new A is stalking them, taunting them with the very secrets these pretty little liars have been trying to forget. But this A doesn’t just want to blackmail the girls—this A is out for blood.</blockquote>
Oh come on. It's Pretty Little Liars. If there's anything certain in this universe, it's that I will read and simultaneously worship and loathe anything in this series.<br />
<br />
But more importantly (or not, if you don't care...):<br />
<br />
Oh HI THERE! You may not have noticed, but I disappeared for most of April. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was all of April. The posts that went up were scheduled long, long ago. This blog has been running itself for the entire month, and now I'm starting to wonder how it has been an entire month since I set foot...or something...here.<br />
<br />
Mostly I've been sick. The kind of sick that makes you want to throw something at any sort of light source in the room, if only you had the strength. That meant my computer and I spent a much-less-than-usual-but-still-probably-too-much amount of time together. And those book things, with the tiny words on all the pages? Those weren't really my friends either. I tried to read, and I tried to blog, all from my deathbed (that's a bit dramatic, but haven't we all been a little dramatic lately?), but ultimately the illness of doom won out, and I spent most of the month just laying there.*<br />
<br />
Then I finally started to feel better, hopped on Twitter for the first time in weeks (thanks GetGlue, for keeping my account up to date with all those sticker updates), and I find that someone has let the drama llama loose. I don't really feel like commenting on all of <i>that</i>, but it honestly made me wonder if I even wanted to come back to this blog after all. I mean, I work with unruly children and their even-more-poorly-behaving parents every day. I deal with enough crazy in real life. I don't want to come home at the end of the day, wanting to just relax and check out the latest in books, and be met with MORE AND EVEN CRAZIER CRAZY!! I mean, <b>come on</b> people. Seriously? What Kristi did was wrong and she...kind of-ish...apologized. If you want to continue to support her, do that. If you don't, then don't. For those of us not directly involved, it shouldn't really be much more complicated than that, but it was made to be <b>SO MUCH THE CRAZY</b> by <b>SO MANY PEOPLE </b>that I couldn't fathom what attracted me to this community in the first place...<br />
<br />
And then I thought about it and read some less dramatic people's posts on the issue. And I had this epiphany. Oh, that's right, <b>books!</b>. Books are why I started this blog. And books are why I am going to continue to blog. If my lack of support for the drama <s>llama</s> monster bothers you, you don't have to visit. Trust me, I'll consider it a favor.<br />
<br />
...although I do apologize for hijacking my own WOW post and being ever-so-slightly dramatic.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*I did get out of bed one day to go to the YA or Bust! tour and see the likes of Stephanie Perkins and Gayle Forman. I pretty much ruined the whole event by coughing and sniffling through it, and I apologize if you were there and really wished I would just leave already and stop spreading my germs, but OMGHFSkJEH!!! I met Stephanie Perkins and she is so so so so fantastical!</span></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-40399412142363674052012-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-30T07:00:18.967-07:00Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer<div>
<p>
<img class="cover" alt="Cover of Cinder by Marissa Meyer" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/cinder.jpg" />
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder" target="_blank"><i>Cinder</i></a> (Lunar Chronicles #1)<br />
<b>Author:</b> Marissa Meyer<br />
<b>Publication Date:</b> 3 January 2012<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Feiwel and Friends<br />
<b>Source:</b> Library<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A forbidden romance. A deadly plague. Earth’s fate hinges on one girl...</p>
<p>Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen—and a dangerous temptation.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>From the very first page, <i>Cinder</i> and I had a big problem. You see, someone, somewhere decided that <i>Cinder</i> needed its own special typeface. A typeface that, from page one, I did not like. You want to use a fancy font for your chapter numbers and titles? That's cool. But for the whole book? Yeah, not so much. There's a reason most things with lots of words are written in the same style of font. We're used to it, so it's easy. So for me personally, <i>Cinder</i> had a lot to make up for. If it was going to use its special typeface, there had better be a good reason, or it had better be a damn good story. Unfortunately, I don't think it ever got good enough to overcome my prejudice against it. And now I have invented a new category of low: judging a book by its font.</p>
<p><i>Cinder</i> reminds me of a lot of things. <i>Cinderella</i>, obviously. <i>Antastasia</i>. <i>Battlestar Galactica</i>. A little bit of <i>Doctor Who</i>. Maybe even some <i>Graceling</i>. As I read, I kept being reminded of all these other stories, and I never felt that <i>Cinder</i> stood on its own and set itself apart. In my opinion there was nothing that made it special or distinct, which is an odd thing to say because I think a lot of people love this book because they feel that it is so different. But for me, nothing was unexpected, nothing was surprising, and nothing made <i>Cinder</i> stand out.</p>
<p>My further problem with the book was that I genuinely did not like Cinder as a character. She is a cyborg, yes. She brings it up constantly. But she is also trying to convince us that she is still a human, still capable of feeling the same emotions as anyone else, even if she can't express them physically. So she sat there telling everyone that of course she knew how they felt, but I never really got the sense that she did. I found Cinder to be very cold and unfeeling, even when she was trying to convince everyone otherwise, and there was nothing in her personality that made me feel any sort of...well, anything for her.</p>
<p>Something I did enjoy while reading <i>Cinder</i> was the character of Prince Kai. It was almost as if Marissa Meyer had taken all the emotion and appeal that she'd intended for Cinder and gave it to Kai instead. He was sweet, he was funny, he was handsome, and he was willing to do what he had to do for his people. I loved reading about him. Another bright spot was Doctor Erland, whose character I also enjoyed throughly.</p>
<p>I think Marissa Meyer had a great idea, but it just didn't come to fruition well enough. There are parts of the story, parts of the history to this society, that I am still wondering about. Some characters were well thought out, while others were unable to convince me of who they were supposed to be. At this point I am unsure if will continue to read the Lunar Chronicles series as the later books are released, because as much as I thought the story had potential, I don't think it panned out successfully and am unsure that future stories will be any different.</p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<p>
<b>Rating:</b><br />
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" />
</p>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-10171343779703390432012-04-24T21:01:00.000-07:002012-04-30T22:43:35.461-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Fifteen<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfLL6Yn6OLE02Nqdr5RgCa-Pt8gsNa3OawCLCHiXs67xvWz76JNM6qzu00omvxd_T6WpX2HEyj9511zR3MTew-5xbbGZS_jOBHRj1ljUksAQxUxE_vIS_y05QdEE-ULBk1XEqxxAy7es/s1600/12924426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfLL6Yn6OLE02Nqdr5RgCa-Pt8gsNa3OawCLCHiXs67xvWz76JNM6qzu00omvxd_T6WpX2HEyj9511zR3MTew-5xbbGZS_jOBHRj1ljUksAQxUxE_vIS_y05QdEE-ULBk1XEqxxAy7es/s200/12924426.jpg" width="131" /></a><b>Title: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12924426-the-lost-code" target="_blank"><i>The Lost Code</i></a> (The Atlanteans #1)<br />
<b>Author: </b>Kevin Emerson<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>22 May 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText6749187054223663458">WHAT IS OLDEST WILL BE NEW, WHAT IS LOST SHALL BE FOUND.
<br />
<br />The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a
daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the
Earth’s history.
<br />
<br />No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker,
who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced
ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost
destroyed the Earth in the process.
<br />
<br />Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong
thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very
genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and
that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.</span></blockquote>
I haven't read many books with male protagonists in recent memory, except for <i>Anna Dressed in Blood</i>, which I didn't even finish (which wasn't even the male protagonist's fault). So I think it will a good way to branch out from my normal reads. Also, I've always felt a special kinship with the ozone layer since I was born the same year that the GIANT HOLE was discovered (or at least the year they <i>announced</i> that a GIANT HOLE was discovered). I seriously doubt the ozone has a whole lot to do with the actual storyline of this book, but hey, they brought it up, not me.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-87124863854959059032012-04-23T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-23T07:00:17.010-07:00Review: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker<div>
<p>
<img class="cover" alt="Cover of The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/queenofkentucky.jpg" />
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10798428-the-queen-of-kentucky" target="_blank"><i>The Queen of Kentucky</i></a><br />
<b>Author:</b> Alecia Whitaker<br />
<b>Publication Date:</b> 2 January 2012<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Little, Brown BYR<br />
<b>Source:</b> Library<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who would prefer to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and become part of the popular crowd at her small town high school. She trades her Bible for Seventeen magazine, buys new "sophisticated" clothes and somehow manages to secure a tenuous spot at the cool kids table. She's on top of the world, even though her best friend and the boy next door Luke says he misses "plain old Ricki Jo."</p>
<p>Caught between being a country girl and wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her. It takes a serious incident out on Luke's farm for Ricki Jo to realize that being a true friend is more important than being popular.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I have very mixed feelings about <i>The Queen of Kentucky</i>. Sometimes I think about it, and it makes me happy and other times it makes me really mad. I think that can always be a problem with these types of "transformation" novels: you love one part of the character, and you hate the other. The problem with <i>The Queen of Kentucky</i> is that it can be hard to tell if the way the main character is acting is because of who she is trying to become, or if that is just how she really is.</p>
<p>My first thoughts about the novel were that I absolutely loved Ricki Jo. Here we have this adorable little Kentucky girl and she was just too much - TOO MUCH CUTENESS - and I wanted to take her in and put her in my pocket and keep her like a little kitten. Which is really weird and I'm sure sounds creepy, but I promise that it was a totally happy, non-creepy thought. Then she started this journey down the road to popularity and Ericka-ness, and I think the change in her was a little too drastic, a little too sudden, for me to believe that her behavior was completely out of character. Alecia Whitaker presents us with this adorbs character that we can't help but love, and without much warning turns her into a blubbering, helpless, excuse-my-French bitch. Obviously we're not supposed to like this new Ricki Jo I mean Ericka, but I couldn't believe that she would become so senseless so quickly. I went from wanting to tuck her in my pocket to wanting to stuff her somewhere much less pleasant.</p>
<p>That said, I really enjoyed the setting of the novel. I'm from California, and the lifestyle and environment of the South are really intriguing to me. I loved reading about the rural Kentucky area where the story took place. I think one of the best parts of reading is that feeling of escape, and getting to learn and experience things I might otherwise never see.</p>
<p>Overall, <i>The Queen of Kentucky</i> had its ups and downs. The setting is beautiful, and when she's not trying so hard, Ricki Jo can be a wonderful character. It was a quick read, and I loved the ending. I definitely had my problems with it, but still think it was a good read.</p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<p>
<b>Rating:</b><br />
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-half.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" />
</p>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-71898145951987287922012-04-17T21:01:00.000-07:002012-04-17T21:01:00.643-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Fourteen<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWokQ_jLRMXR0x891gCVuGpFTBfdz4n0lY4LiG1NVJJSxHNVtof52voWCLBKasrAcOwNy_7cVABmuvucVTDWivhGdQLMzWuN4EmTNZyDH1p89O3HyjEkxBV9HQD0g8qfgEi_sUhyphenhyphenJWL8k/s1600/12960471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWokQ_jLRMXR0x891gCVuGpFTBfdz4n0lY4LiG1NVJJSxHNVtof52voWCLBKasrAcOwNy_7cVABmuvucVTDWivhGdQLMzWuN4EmTNZyDH1p89O3HyjEkxBV9HQD0g8qfgEi_sUhyphenhyphenJWL8k/s200/12960471.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12960471-jersey-angel" target="_blank">Jersey Angel</a></i><br />
<b>Author: </b>Beth Ann Bauman<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>8 May 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText8663595357236451167">It's the summer before
senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like
her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and
college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has
confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't
start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around
anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be
tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds
herself spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast
of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is
sure to make some waves.</span></blockquote>
I am well aware that the advance reviews for this book are AWFUL. <b>Nobody</b> likes it. I think that's maybe why I want to read it so much - to see if I agree or disagree with the horrible things people are saying about it. It's kind of an odd way of deciding to read a book, but whatever works, right?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-37007691528630968862012-04-16T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-16T07:00:08.707-07:00Review: May B. by Caroline Starr Rose<div>
<p>
<img class="cover" alt="Cover of May B. by Caroline Starr Rose" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/mayb.jpg" />
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11527309-may-b" target="_blank"><i>May B.</i></a><br />
<b>Author:</b> Caroline Starr Rose<br />
<b>Publication Date:</b> 10 January 2012<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Schwartz & Wade<br />
<b>Source:</b> Won from <a href="http://bornbookish.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Born Bookish</a><br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
I've known it since last night:<br />
It's been too long to expect them to return.<br />
Something's happened.
</p>
<p>
May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.
</p>
</blockquote>
<p><i>May B.</i> is the first novel written in verse that I have read in a number of years. I don't really have a standard to judge it against, because I don't think it would be fair to compare it to the prose fiction that I normally read. Truthfully, the two cannot be compared, as the storytelling and effect on the reader are completely different. Since the reading experience was so new to me, I'm just going to wing it while writing this review, and hope that I can get across how much I enjoyed the story.</p>
<p>The few novels in verse that I have read have all been pretty quick reads, and May B. is no exception. Sure, the book is 300 pages, but those pages aren't as full as with a regular fiction novel. I think this is what bothered me for so long about verse writing. I always thought it was kind of cheating your way into having written a WHOLE BOOK instead of just a story. But reading <i>May B.</i> I can see how much more effective it can be at telling certain stories and conveying certain feelings to the reader. May's story was well told in this format, and I'm not sure her emotions and feelings of dismay at her situation would have come across as well in a more traditional format.</p>
<p>The downside to this way of storytelling is that things happen so quickly it can be difficult to connect. As I was reading, events were occurring in such a succinct manner that I didn't think I felt invested in the story at all. But 3/4 of the way through I found myself gasping out loud, telling my cat, "She wouldn't!" I don't normally talk to my cats about the books I read, mostly because they prefer to sit on them rather than read them, and then there's that whole thing about them being cats and not being able to talk back (tragic). So if I'm so moved by something that I just have to talk about it - even if it is after midnight and the only one to talk to is my poor, unknowing cat - that's pretty great. The emotional connection to the story kind of snuck up on me, and I didn't even know how invested I was until that moment.</p>
<p>I also don't think I would have enjoyed <i>May B.</i> as much if it hadn't been written in verse. While I do enjoy a good historical fiction novel every now and again, this is not a time period I would normally be interested in. But because of the way it was written, the focus was on May and her story, and less on building the setting and filling in the details that prose fiction requires. And for me, and I think for many of the readers in the age group <i>May B.</i> was written for, that was perfectly alright.</p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center">
<p>
<b>Rating:</b><br />
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" />
</p>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-71168244263747681892012-04-10T21:01:00.000-07:002012-04-10T21:01:02.307-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Thirteen<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCXrSWXv02Fo7kUkpYLPmEuxCIko0MbsjfgFPqvkEXNsp60v5mgVDbDFx8TC9zvfXD5aRQDx2Fu1iKosCipTk6fKKHoYA4feX7E_vO5DUXeppLvPI9WaXgnnVQe-WfUrXW5z2uqxiXU8/s1600/11071466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCXrSWXv02Fo7kUkpYLPmEuxCIko0MbsjfgFPqvkEXNsp60v5mgVDbDFx8TC9zvfXD5aRQDx2Fu1iKosCipTk6fKKHoYA4feX7E_vO5DUXeppLvPI9WaXgnnVQe-WfUrXW5z2uqxiXU8/s200/11071466.jpg" width="132" /></a><b>Title: </b><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11071466-second-chance-summer" target="_blank">Second Chance Summer</a></i><br />
<b>Author: </b>Morgan Matson<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>8 May 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText2731435725475821894">Taylor’s family might
not be the closest-knit – everyone is a little too busy and
overscheduled – but for the most part, they get along fine. Then they
get news that changes everything: Her father has pancreatic cancer, and
it’s stage four – meaning that there is basically nothing to be done.
Her parents decide that the family will spend his last months together
at their old summerhouse in the Pocono Mountains.
<br />
<br />Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used
to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers
that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone
anywhere. Her former summer best friend is suddenly around, as is her
first boyfriend. . . and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at
twelve.
<br />
<br />As the summer progresses, the Edwards become more of a family, and
closer than they’ve ever been before. But all of them very aware that
they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just
enough time to get a second chance – with family, with friends, and with
love.</span></blockquote>
If you've read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7664334-amy-and-roger-s-epic-detour" target="_blank"><i>Amy & Roger's Epic Detour</i></a>, you pretty much know how full of awesome Morgan Matson is. If you've read <a href="http://isaidireadit.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-amy-rogers-epic-detour.html" target="_blank">my review</a> of <i>Amy & Roger's Epic Detour</i>, you pretty much know how even more awesome she is than you originally thought, because despite loathing one of the main characters, I still loved the book. So to sum things up, Morgan Matson is awesomely awesome, and I bet you this book will be too.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-35266823937622256652012-04-10T15:00:00.000-07:002012-04-10T15:00:07.830-07:00Giveaway: The Autism Awareness Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz6J6DI6vdGX2pMWIkQO4ih96yT1IzdYocHIZjTcW0t6pubEyiAYxa5-2LzuRMyobcCivb9CuTk5jnFW4N1Nsh2tvy1Z8tyBAlDuZbOhwW7YimKfaS-vORZ2gD7n46OM6a08YE25Fbho/s1600/autismawareness-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz6J6DI6vdGX2pMWIkQO4ih96yT1IzdYocHIZjTcW0t6pubEyiAYxa5-2LzuRMyobcCivb9CuTk5jnFW4N1Nsh2tvy1Z8tyBAlDuZbOhwW7YimKfaS-vORZ2gD7n46OM6a08YE25Fbho/s320/autismawareness-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hosted By:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.pageturnersblog.com/" target="_blank">Page Turners</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fire & Ice</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://justanotherbookaddict.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Just Another Book Addict</a></div>
<br />
If you have read my bio or About Me page, you may know that I work as a nanny for three children. One of them is an 8-year-old autistic boy, so I felt it was very important for me to participate in this hop. In anticipation, I sat down with him, and we talked about some of his favorite things: dinosaurs, zombies, foxes, robots, chasing his sisters. You know, normal eight-year-old interests. But his favorite, FAVORITE thing right now? Dragons. So in honor of him, I will be giving away the first two books in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan to <b>one</b> winner!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_rxJEpJVCgxjSOXYv9JLYrk_0Ga3GxguRWin5QXaMuMCH18RmDQe-pt5e7-N6bG3A9LSPgWAsRTnRbKei3fICUpT51f5kmtNUIS1KIhg2jiQnTztqL3TZAf2e3JSrm2t4kvQVPmrozM/s1600/6448470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_rxJEpJVCgxjSOXYv9JLYrk_0Ga3GxguRWin5QXaMuMCH18RmDQe-pt5e7-N6bG3A9LSPgWAsRTnRbKei3fICUpT51f5kmtNUIS1KIhg2jiQnTztqL3TZAf2e3JSrm2t4kvQVPmrozM/s200/6448470.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC5kM7suN2bJdDfsIQq5VdCY-BkSWq_Wl3EL1pRG2Qjog1ivxyVD42DMrGVCNUzSnrMf6TVMYufmToW1flZ2QFFJ_kmyF8Q99bUWB9lnFbuJdhTW14eySKUzOMj9_4AjIqBsDTB5PyI0/s1600/9436632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC5kM7suN2bJdDfsIQq5VdCY-BkSWq_Wl3EL1pRG2Qjog1ivxyVD42DMrGVCNUzSnrMf6TVMYufmToW1flZ2QFFJ_kmyF8Q99bUWB9lnFbuJdhTW14eySKUzOMj9_4AjIqBsDTB5PyI0/s200/9436632.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6448470-firelight" target="_blank"><i>Firelight</i></a> by Sophie Jordan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9436632-vanish" target="_blank"><i>Vanish</i></a> by Sophie Jordan<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The third book in the series, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12522507-hidden" target="_blank"><i>Hidden</i></a>, comes out this September, so this is a great opportunity to get ready for its release!<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<b>Rules:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Must be 13 or older to enter (please have an adult's permission to share your information if you are under 18).</li>
<li>The giveaway is open internationally, as long as The Book Depository will ship to you. You can find a list of countries TBD ships to <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/27/Countries-we-ship-to#helpContent" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>The winner will have 48 hours to respond after being notified of their win. If they fail to do so, another winner will be chosen.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Good luck to everyone who enters! Visit the hosts above to check out more blogs featuring giveaways for this amazing hop.<br />
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<a class="rafl-powered" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rpow-26faf91" style="color: #999999; display: block; font: 10px sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 100%;" target="_blank">a <i>Rafflecopter</i> giveaway</a><br />
<noscript>&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</noscript>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-75465838844016764502012-04-09T07:00:00.001-07:002012-04-09T07:00:00.675-07:00Review: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDkhyL9lO4DsHItUmCHDAxj-wVCInbiZU6WeRQIeXYRPCHfYPtOpcBKz0oq_lwRq9deO2yjMK59GESU2QMowuXyz4lNYz4TklJ0jOXS-bRr4tYiSTv6rS0ck3PiHSkvnYmM6b0hgVu6I/s1600/11164732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDkhyL9lO4DsHItUmCHDAxj-wVCInbiZU6WeRQIeXYRPCHfYPtOpcBKz0oq_lwRq9deO2yjMK59GESU2QMowuXyz4lNYz4TklJ0jOXS-bRr4tYiSTv6rS0ck3PiHSkvnYmM6b0hgVu6I/s200/11164732.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>Title</b>: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11164732-the-gathering-storm" target="_blank"><i>The Gathering Storm</i></a> (Katerina Trilogy #1)<br />
<b>Author: </b>Robin Bridges<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>10 January 2012<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Delacorte BYR<br />
<b>Source: </b>Library <br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText18415901599483904694">St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. <br />
<br />
An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn. <br />
<br />
The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?</span><b> </b></blockquote>
From the start, I had a lot of problems with this book. The writing seems a little off - like sometimes the narrator speaks like she is in 1888 St. Petersburg and sometimes she reads more like my annoying 14-year-old neighbor. Also, the blurb says that Katerina, "uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family," which sounds horribly ominous and terrifying and scary. She brings someone back from the dead! WHO COULD IT BE?! Yeah, don't get too excited about that. It's a bug.<br />
<br />
The idea that magic is ooooooh-super-bad is kind of ridiculous. In one paragraph, Katerina is telling us how <b>horribly secretive</b> every must be about anything supernatural. Two paragraphs later, she explains that the Empress and the...someone else (we'll get to <b>THAT</b> in a minute) are faeries. And their children? Faeries. And there's a Light Court and a Dark Court and you must choose who to align with. Or something. And EVERYONE KNOWS THIS. But we can't talk about it. I don't get it.<br />
<br />
Another problem I had with <i>The Gathering Storm</i> is that there is an excessive number of characters, and I could never remember who was who. It's probably a good thing the story is written in the first person, because I may not have been able to remember who the main character was if she wasn't telling her own story. Seriously, that is how confused I was. She'd mention her cousin this, or the Duchess that, and Prince so-and-so, and don't forget that Countess blah-diddi-blah was there too. And then there were <i>these</i> vampires and <i>those </i>vampires. <i>These</i> revenants and <i>those</i> revenants. <i>These</i> evil creature people and <i>those</i> evil creature people. Were all these people truly necessary to the story? No. They were just there to confuse me.<br />
<br />
And now that I have convinced you that I hated this book, I have a but to throw at you. And it's a big but. So I was confused and annoyed and frustrated throughout most of <i>The Gathering Storm</i>, <b>BUT<i> </i></b>overall, I actually really enjoyed it. The story, no matter how lost I was, was really intriguing. Once Katerina stopped bringing insects back to life and real horrible-awful-supernatural things were happening, I was hooked. I needed to know what happened. It took me almost a week to read the first 150 pages of this book, and a-day-and-a-half to finish the rest. And now I'm completely anxious for the second book, <i>The Unfailing Light</i>, which will be out this October.<br />
<br />
Also, there's something kind of fun about reading historical fiction, and that's finding out that all these people the author is writing about were totally real. I'm pretty sure Katerina is a completely fictional character, but everyone else - her friends, her mentors, her arch nemesis - was totally a real person who lived back then. Let's see some of them, shall we?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_dhegYSWXnEcpvJGTyeHX9VUa0LCkhDGR01MVrAv1Hfv3VUJx8WGvpApDXVxehpkqeN3VE-sKS8Z_ajIl8iDb89qGq3_wMA9XJPGEeidCn69No8Ni80cllF-QSQpupQMd5iSkH72zTA/s1600/452px-1888._%D0%A1%D0%B5%D0%BC%D1%8C%D1%8F_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0_III.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_dhegYSWXnEcpvJGTyeHX9VUa0LCkhDGR01MVrAv1Hfv3VUJx8WGvpApDXVxehpkqeN3VE-sKS8Z_ajIl8iDb89qGq3_wMA9XJPGEeidCn69No8Ni80cllF-QSQpupQMd5iSkH72zTA/s200/452px-1888._%D0%A1%D0%B5%D0%BC%D1%8C%D1%8F_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0_III.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0igKuQXw_ewlqURNo_MVzktDaFmI0WE3IAL-iZz9YE0DQsfHmBFZybLYJ_soNqeLUoKeZrtA1lMVEvtMKF7o3wx8rSbAID6ler6rvQAvRCOu1mh9pNeSytE6_qn_o5rhCYZ-T5gJmcM/s1600/George+Alexandrovich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0igKuQXw_ewlqURNo_MVzktDaFmI0WE3IAL-iZz9YE0DQsfHmBFZybLYJ_soNqeLUoKeZrtA1lMVEvtMKF7o3wx8rSbAID6ler6rvQAvRCOu1mh9pNeSytE6_qn_o5rhCYZ-T5gJmcM/s200/George+Alexandrovich.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnF1qVd85O1327LX07h_1cq0xDgCWCW0oTbukKvix45fLAdT398C7MiQGxensVNq0jSbV0uHRfRdXUWwUq5aqzUJXtwKd490W-f8mE3lWZTUX755HV9mKruqmUi1r6J2T0rG1-rnI6t0/s1600/Prince+Danilo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnF1qVd85O1327LX07h_1cq0xDgCWCW0oTbukKvix45fLAdT398C7MiQGxensVNq0jSbV0uHRfRdXUWwUq5aqzUJXtwKd490W-f8mE3lWZTUX755HV9mKruqmUi1r6J2T0rG1-rnI6t0/s200/Prince+Danilo.jpg" width="155" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpVWnq-yVN2CwhaK98Dn0r1gbpYv9ybu2WAJqdyjIP8aAuLdlAlmfSDH1rsjW8mVzQPeG_Uashc6JfYyqjVLe7xU99AqVllDl4hEVY1cNEcV0obkUGsMjacVr2YYsLwmhMw2iWas0sDQ/s1600/King_Nikola_of_Montenegro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpVWnq-yVN2CwhaK98Dn0r1gbpYv9ybu2WAJqdyjIP8aAuLdlAlmfSDH1rsjW8mVzQPeG_Uashc6JfYyqjVLe7xU99AqVllDl4hEVY1cNEcV0obkUGsMjacVr2YYsLwmhMw2iWas0sDQ/s200/King_Nikola_of_Montenegro.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
Isn't this exciting?! There's more characters that were, you know, real, but I get the feeling I'm boring some people here.<br />
<br />
So anyway, I'm not sure I can recommend <i>The Gathering Storm</i>, or at least I don't know <i>how</i> to recommend it, because a part of me loved it and a great majority of me hated it. But...I don't know. I JUST DON'T KNOW, OKAY?!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Rating:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-half.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Or something.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you read <i>The Gathering Storm</i>? If so, what were your thoughts? If not, have you ever read a book that made you feel this confused?</span></span></div>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-24100084260728596572012-04-08T00:01:00.000-07:002012-04-08T00:01:01.369-07:00In My Mailbox: Eight<div style="text-align: center;">
<p>
<img alt="In My Mailbox Logo" width="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUueWA9w-5hc88tdEKDiX7vKioQ9vlCvlY-J5GOZFLFm-jYKBRmNmKVtvB_WysVPpR_Vu1jFj-S1btPgNK0IL4xP5TU3MqSgwt348nBPl9_sQXtUlxH8oqAJbhWDOpTyMlvEI3p4Apf7Q/s320/mailbox1.jpg" /><br />
<b>In My Mailbox</b> is hosted by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com" target="_blank">The Story Siren</a>
</p>
<p>
<b>From the Library</b><br />
<img class="cover-center" alt="Cover of Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/whereitbegan.jpg" /> <img class="cover-center" alt="Cover of Bunheads by Sophie Flack" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/bunheads.jpg" /> <img class="cover-center" alt="Cover of Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/wanderlove.jpg" /> <br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11724858-where-it-began" target="_blank"><i>Where It Began</i></a> by Ann Redisch Stampler<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10757749-bunheads" target="_blank"><i>Bunheads</i></a> by Sophie Flack<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9807262-wanderlove" target="_blank"><i>Wanderlove</i></a> by Kirsten Hubbard
</p>
<p>
<img class="cover-center" alt="Cover of Slide by Jill Hathaway" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/slide.jpg" /><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9542582-slide target="_blank"><i>Slide</i></a> by Jill Hathaway
</p>
<p>
<b>Purchased</b><br />
<img class="cover-center" alt="Cover of The Iron King by Julie Kagawa" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/ironking.jpg" /><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6644117-the-iron-king" target="_blank"><i>The Iron King</i></a> by Julie Kagawa
</p>
<p>
<b>From NetGalley</b><br />
<img class="cover-center" alt="Cover of The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/princessiowa.jpg" /><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12384972-the-princesses-of-iowa" target="_blank"><i>The Princesses of Iowa</i></a> by M. Molly Backes
</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>
There were a lot of awesome books waiting for me at the library this week. I am very excited for these ones and I hope they can help pull me out of the reading slump I've been in (seriously, all I read all week was <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i> and now <i>Fifty Shades Darker</i>. It makes me feel dirty). I am also so thrilled to have been approved for <i>The Princesses of Iowa</i> on NetGalley. It is my first approval, which makes me feel like a little kid on Christmas, and I just featured it last week as my WOW, so I'm happy dancing all over the place.
</p>
<p>
What did you get in your mailbox this week? Leave your link in the comments and I'll do my best to come visit!
</p>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-57384284468834714712012-04-05T16:41:00.000-07:002012-04-05T16:41:26.509-07:00Giveaway: 100 Followers!<div>
<p><img align="left" alt="100 Follower Giveaway" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/follower-giveaway-2.png" style="margin: 2px 10px 5px 0px;" />
I am beyond excited to be having this giveaway. I can't believe that I have nearly reached 100 followers, and that is just with Google Friend Connect! I also have 90 RSS followers and 110 Twitter followers and this is just amazing to me. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to follow and read and comment! I know I have not been the best at replying to comments, but I want to take this time to give one giant thank you to all of you who have followed!</p>
<p>To express my gratitude further, I am holding an awesome-tastic giveaway! I want to return the feeling of super-special-fantastic-ness that my followers make me feel. There will be three (THREE!) winners, two US and one international! Here are the prizes:</p>
<p>
<ul>
<li><b>First Place (US only):</b> Your choice of <b>one</b> book by Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Foreman, Jess Rothenberg, or Nina LaCour. I will have this signed and personalized for you when I attend the YA or Bust! Tour on April 18.</li>
<li><b>Second Place (US only):</b> One copy of <i>A Temptation of Angels</i> by Michelle Zink</li>
<li><b>International Winner:</b> One book of your choice (up to $15 USD) from The Book Depository</li>
</ul>
</p>
<p align="center">
<img align="center" alt="Cover of Where She Went by Gayle Forman" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/whereshewent.jpg" width="84px" style="margin: 0px 2px 0px 2px;" /><img align="center" alt="Cover of Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/lola.jpg" width="82px" style="margin: 0px 2px 0px 2px;" /><img align="center" alt="Cover of The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/disenchantments.jpg" width="84px" style="margin: 0px 2px 0px 2px;" /><img align="center" alt="Cover of The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/catastrophic.jpg" width="84px" style="margin: 0px 2px 0px 2px;" /><img align="center" alt="Cover of A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zimmerman" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/covers/atoa.jpg" width="84px" style="margin: 0px 2px 0px 2px;" />
</p>
<p>To read the rules and enter the giveaway, click read more!</p>
<a name='more'></a>
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<div>
<p>
<b>Rules:</b><br />
<ul><li>Must be 13 or older to enter (please have an adult's permission to share your information if you are under 18).</li>
<li>Because this is a giveaway to show appreciation to my followers, you must be a follower in order to enter. You can follow via GFC, Linky Followers, or RSS.</li>
<li>There will be two US winners, and one international winner. International entrants, please be sure to check that The Book Depository will ship to you. You can find a list of countries TBD ships to <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/27/Countries-we-ship-to#helpContent" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>The winners will have 48 hours to respond after being notified of their win. If they fail to do so, alternate winners will be chosen.</li>
</ul>
</p>
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<p>Good luck everyone! And thanks again for visiting, following, and just being awesome!</p>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-58258162354685751782012-04-03T21:01:00.000-07:002012-04-03T21:01:02.083-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Twelve<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJS9hpiRq2JzJeggBe2mz1y4IQSA_Ss8kUa-slWuWg1mJo-R_9hgUL-x9O7aqYzVnNJFWyLoEi-4GmFIeg4Pgm5gWB5hqNeSy-y90Q-4U6hOsLgnrboFm0696mLiLHb2cVNMig7TQ48TU/s1600/12384972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJS9hpiRq2JzJeggBe2mz1y4IQSA_Ss8kUa-slWuWg1mJo-R_9hgUL-x9O7aqYzVnNJFWyLoEi-4GmFIeg4Pgm5gWB5hqNeSy-y90Q-4U6hOsLgnrboFm0696mLiLHb2cVNMig7TQ48TU/s200/12384972.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12384972-the-princesses-of-iowa" target="_blank"><i>The Princesses of Iowa</i></a><br />
<b>Author: </b>M. Molly Backes<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>8 May 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText17489355562471520979"><b>What does it
mean to do wrong, when no one punishes you? A smart and unflinching look
at friendship, the nature of entitlement, and growing up in the
heartland.</b><br /><br />Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's
pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is
practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an
it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash, everything changes. Her best
friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and
her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only
bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new
teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is
Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In
this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty
must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between
living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes
and giving up everything she once held dear.</span></blockquote>
I feel like drunk driving and car crashes are this spring and summer's vampires/angels/whatever-last-year's-trend-was. Am I the only one? Regardless, I'm very excited to read this one. I tend to love contemporary books that take place in settings completely different from where I live - the third most densely populated metropolitan area in California. I've built up a pretty great and unfounded-in-real-life love of the South this way, and am excited to expand my adoration to the corn fields of the heartland. Plus, it's always nice to see the pretty, rich, popular girl learn some life lessons.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-19839692542232181382012-04-03T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-03T07:00:08.736-07:00Budget Busters: AprilIf you love books, you've got a book budget. It's not necessarily written down or typed up with fancy equations in Excel, but at the very least, in the back of your mind, you're thinking, <i>I can only spend THIS MUCH on books this month!</i> And if you love books, you know that your budget, as complicated or simple as it is, is going out the window as soon as you walk into that bookstore "just to see what they have."<br />
<br />
In celebration of blown book budgets everywhere, I am posting the new releases coming out this month, that I will definitely consider breaking my budget on. I'd be living in a box and eating ramen for the rest of my life if I bought them all, but in my dreams, where the term "book budget" doesn't exist, I will be lining my personal library with all of them. Click on a book's cover image to be directed to its Goodreads page.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>April 1 - 7</b> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11030066-the-fame-game" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhqyqCga2QUNNDW5NeULtibBmQQm9HDQaH52sKjzKZQuJQBZoPPUX_jxqXsFe8mn-tZKC-og0zO0QeVbCrBH7WyoxgnEuMZjoIeUOytYdl8h8-ytHuWigcKCGVU-qN_VIvkweKI8dXVA/s200/11030066.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10866233-the-list" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8reXTu26Je0UoJ1jwgN7EuU1cktYIwk8ZrN13r9tcpAmxSbH7HtS3KKigYj30hRN1MXUsx1M1sqcUPiKCtZ7gYmMQWR-K_bSypIDDQZo-rTsjHX41gyxahq4YTFWeZVOhUYC31jlvRpU/s200/10866233.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250671-above" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0Lr4z6Zz69hmz40Pw0OPmYjfOkjTq7Wx1MbC36RYZj2Ism6h4AMiQUGWShWtcF1fothoPSJb_zmh0TPuceKOU_X5aj8Yf4rkfUr_30Efw-INQ6HTkgBbfNBYTWkzipmy1HJ4Ukf8ju0/s200/11250671.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11443325-immortal-city" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6jBUUJblWkbFA6ChdVCGmkIbRHrv9DL-x4FyhiZrr0u8jcBM31pYuHZo_L3megRrTsRPdI4R7Oet3NCY-VzqDppq_aLW9GOSuczu_CWwKYXbsuApXO1l9N49Fdbm38n8Ai8LHYgIlJc/s200/11443325.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11706613-storybound" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAG52KF4mnG7W9hs-V7QznFuMPWveziDtsEb2PCeZr70q_EplytQdsCEPNPSdXoxsN9REURYqlyoonJp3uxjf6hSdUPcFoLvTswT-i-jVkQH-niEFgKopX5piU7poP_COeyAcJUPF-mIY/s200/11706613.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12004754-cordially-uninvited" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE2gQxP8W-lwvAiReNT9pzRvfePEXl1yBggkgwuTE42sTUgwSNHnemgn2LFfREPXZUc_MLLBQow26u7qgQeIXBxf-fPYypBk-nAn1yDDJMJ17qxLUKHkwMJUFGF3tmyfNu99sFlzyF5M/s200/12004754.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12939838-the-haunting-of-tabitha-grey" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJAMOqSMlD8NurlMu9EKNlv8m4ElNcPAAN7guvj8utwRUjoFyehGw0edc36RUCya3fpi0C_oTYCjMFdjkeTox3nLw68bPgEMsdzcpBO5mCvy-Sfz5Ir-O08FXT3WSuk6nVzFamIZR4yg/s200/12939838.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9565548-grave-mercy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCt2yDtwY-_tpapLdbFHIt6q3TT3m4-Lo2i2fQGMM3qoYvDAY7hz7GboE6WOrQ0O0V6QILMUFo7aqvGQWKwbBU9wVZph-jczfht0wQ1EJNJvt0siVCl3PDcO8c3Kb5fL3umRZYEwyhUVo/s200/9565548.jpg" width="134" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12425188-dreamsleeves" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbe-XrLLpwgCKSd8FGcFmHNsbD4ArtqmJIqLHGeGC5Z14b9J0cjf2I_AcPCx4vooRUMwEJ-AQuCwGPLlsuT2rydQX3zhvaPk9wcmMRZliXmFJvVoFDFdnj9wlNHsmrUwg1LBc1Qb2sA0/s200/12425188.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12797906-extranormal" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQo1QhA0rAZ4piWcv2IWlGNHb4_O6wRnXQeTBW5QUG5Mk1LMICqsc0cP_fNH82t5FBWn7tcW2duy_AI8x3nLMff1QpqpaKBLHhGg7nNM4bYM3YuJbTJb5sA0MGeKQk7ta94W4tvdfKgk/s200/12797906.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>April 8 - 14</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11788444-ripper" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15yLUuM_Na9aR5rV0lhzqtH0ynno0sP8Bl5LJhJRfa2iIM1kIBs5PdVmry6JdARQjY3HvC7dq4T8wDcvlIS7v28GlE3SfELnhc3AtaGGdac7BCJEZdrkgma0PpMt5__C_EYXiWrildQ4/s200/11788444.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12427449-the-book-of-blood-and-shadow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWqHuw-O6Vy2ozhTUR54y7jQJ4tX_MgToKcvfIuDnRXG7EbRiGuT2KsIpyrk7P0y2OZPnod6JeTDqv87Gt-el4NndIp0oT4MdYv-8J59S1nVT7wB-HFUVU6zOTEedO4Q720s3sT8aJLA/s200/12427449.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11775178-remarkable" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q3R1PYMPwW08MAom9OmQ6hQ4nPNQSYoCSneR2Eme2laejgtu13VYl21GewKvSFpPOevROULU7LXUbKSlw7yj_yOYgmD0AcF-WOp2CuZTKWwxIdw-aXIIQWyEQhg6m34oWORJOq_yd2o/s200/11775178.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12680998-kill-me-softly" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpflAHjH_9vXe6PyLjQEvC5I8HYYTFNCXHHjFvIxPKcI7fuNrXra2ZX48wWPH5dvs5oGZMChV4c6mKuGS5teIfEeF-izWNHe2YRlTsggz9ot6v8Ui6BYdl6EzXwLwPrP3mM1fwlg1GBpw/s200/12680998.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12792988-chosen-ones" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmWH4ttQ1oM9-62uSeCmqKihIoFwPd_Cv33eijp52wMKYRBc-02fogPiYVGt5ken_NuigzHlB_ZnrTuxVecuWQqzkeQZU71_8Sko4fkXmOY5RAfVNOk4QuNumVggldanXjw_8yukY0ds/s200/12792988.jpg" width="128" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12814519-belles" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7iBxvwmLnCYX4TKRxsqLVWlHZcddIsS1-AAnZpfQMTba4MeSSixm1-X749qkugHuP5_fLPQ_xOJ7mHvHMB8DXnVrS34jVtD1SS_W-mrgfier0jQrFIN6DQ6dMp2WqY3wqaEHst58Iks/s200/12814519.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12902884-the-extraordinary-education-of-nicholas-benedict" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQe04jPz0A3zSHrhyjqtEwLhOa3MpX_xLvdqpIU83xKzNDFmnKoLPV2LVgaI_YGOCP6ETfv2awCBHI_Ju8PcUBF6tH-uJTwz2YVw-KUxu_-InNtb5SqfBNcBOz8J19WReVKS6i7h0yoQI/s200/12902884.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13319632-spectral" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6ZOmoW-FNSvs35LBgCCJS0O-X6X3iUls58iuf9D2_OXHX6xq_6IOMxMu25CAOSoeuWlX7z87F7aZE4jRfXM5v-vp5KhTHfVKNBRsDfdDIEA9SHDW1h3l5X9_t6EYr2yM8_jf_UGOP4I/s200/13319632.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13505621-the-white-oak" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuc1olEdFXmRDI0H9WpuZ0EKpQS4DSuWv2H5vkrmBbRyTm8RWOOgOCi_e_0iCEiOG41rTlZDA0JDEJC-MNzcDaV09egjk5k07-Onm-3aZhWFPk114Cr2MP2dpIfnb5LdZzTOrEtv0CRRQ/s200/13505621.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>April 15 - 21</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12180253-the-wicked-and-the-just" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vOjnSCgncMPX7CBT3HrxZ0ZGUJOCkRdwt4V2e-45kzwk1ADILU9h7ggaOvazebFq91uvVX7QoNdrmlEHaonwRHaAN8zredX9fsCsl3ajl3NP-adipwaS_6NUKAXUjnjChyYztB7VmSM/s200/12180253.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12860573-172-hours-on-the-moon" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ydi3l1c_ZmObDGcCXlEe51gbVMUR5uw3oO1e7yufeG9jt0V8s8mDujfyQ1v9d90GNJsE-45qtzG2IhgcHALCq4Ii9PjLq8sXzuAWuncHDgU-fi57ngI4DXDIMWqP0TT2j3P5GZQD9HM/s200/12860573.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11850771-glimmer" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhe3htIccFyvXVlS2kwoQjSx91M1uqSgcLpcw0BWSLX4dXN1HNvPbCWt-A4ERGC0BfHtgiyOfLGtIprG7WV2Y7mF34ZHuW5BxV_sIPAjqRgr9R_M9OiPuPA088G6ImKm2rE2dSOnprEvQ/s200/11850771.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>April 22 - 28</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10914560-breaking-beautiful" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfuY3gaKhwoe4eenDHk_6qJ9CwvZnD57tAdIiFbM2jApk26U9tG4ZK7GNfNdlXLfQwmSjN7_xFeJrAZqwikX_2_wVC6I5Ap-sv5eboJ6j7nqqhhzuekCpC5mSPaNuO8nR3taP2Oyk6uyo/s200/10914560.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11797479-7-clues-to-winning-you" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsGU6tRweM6QejkIrhLw5qtIwsk_ogUCs-RuWWnZ1U-3t8BhLjcAcaE5j9iZ4VMJQ1qVAYlVoWSdaxXGKKQ_VaF4JsYvvRbA60bFMoukvdBXXG5nLZuG59ZIBINB_cZj7mPt5m8_H6LM/s200/11797479.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10507293-the-selection" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTfgk5yMNUnG7qzOkRPY541abWp3Uch_s3-7GjciEUxz9BI1_k75uwVm6CMyy5y7zBMNdMHrr5NbNvWixrHImMBH4ssDyuD8o3jD-OWJP8Dmsn8oUuDnoYTCvKotoXXU0Or6FpqA2CN8/s200/10507293.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11886526-the-story-of-us" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHjCr4lSTRl2tBEdKAIhXLVSnNwPUFM_PXvnZ42ZPQ0jNQN-8Rxw5lUoFQUroXWFQVlWWpJfYBP7hAYD1y9sMN5CCEko3YnOFmIVI4-T2_diuOFtaCXz1B0aIrfhkSZWjfhsJCAR5fgE/s200/11886526.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11984469-supergirl-mixtapes" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdyDqkj_8ZfmvEWqu-KwmjF8xxjUgtlej6kR3m2Rv2o5vS3-L2q6DlhTnMoxW6WjYMKpNkpLgckx3g8Ptx23zQp2zwoKeVCdak0pEFRIYbc8BIY5TfItA67KRywOUxb_b9k7KizqzzrI/s200/11984469.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12157365-unraveling" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjdl7qBpzVT6YZLBtE4FSuTK_MWbcEOiMFqnybINumA_Az2uFLpK0LwhFpB9fxpaFf7c6kz33Thk9W-e0MzY55fAQPUNdrkrVemOZKMgrBjibwfcdvV6yI6QhoVlShP1nGM5LczDXqJ8/s200/12157365.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12924275-masque-of-the-red-death" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGIqBvgMLnKsWILlD1zMs3pijY6ql_N2_lWjhuk6YHOhWOy19n0Q14JT-AMFUbRzs9QyCduQkU6oryLFoYMgoD8FCiFpxaGcs-23iDQRPx9iw6bny7W5MG2JHnJBw4KMHshgQYe5KXvg/s200/12924275.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9268789-purity" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6qzU8iEuqKm7oGQNRGShWuzTiuYfWcVqXKloxhDJ0A2fRvC81jCgILgSYthYMGcJlS6KlV-v3MvN9uj6O-CVpmbbmltESAGfJyo56OJUZn5Rj9-TsVxovfpF-JIzFLsBia9lpxjf6pE/s200/9268789.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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What is your book budget for the month of April, and what books are you planning on busting it on?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-90001162872470149932012-04-02T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-02T07:00:13.645-07:00Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jVTFGNV5TtvyVD0Z8DABEmW9i8n0YB0KY5a0hFgg6cTv9mx6ZUdQzBK7shfykbrq145LJaKZ2ZhvTxBnCRhQIAGj8nbFDDhDvoUN8qvRZDRKU291UppO0u2SCIapCtpkI1RnsJUbU-8/s1600/9413044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jVTFGNV5TtvyVD0Z8DABEmW9i8n0YB0KY5a0hFgg6cTv9mx6ZUdQzBK7shfykbrq145LJaKZ2ZhvTxBnCRhQIAGj8nbFDDhDvoUN8qvRZDRKU291UppO0u2SCIapCtpkI1RnsJUbU-8/s200/9413044.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Title: </b><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9413044-everneath" target="_blank">Everneath</a> </i>(Everneath #1)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Author: </b>Brodi Ashton</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Publication Date: </b>24 January 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Publisher: </b>Balzer + Bray</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Source: </b>Purchased </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText7763114049440842896">Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. <br />
<br />
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. <br />
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Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. <br />
<br />
As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's 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...</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;">Okay, so...this is awkward. I loved this book, I really did. So at least I can agree with the masses on that. But something happened when I was reading <i>Everneath</i> that I don't think was supposed to happen. It's the same thing that happens when I watch <i>Labyrinth</i> - I started rooting for the bad guy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I know, it's awful. I sat there and read and read and read, and I couldn't WAIT for Nikki to go back to the Everneath with Cole. Because he has this attitude and just general way about him that is bad-ass and SO HOT. I was like, "Forget Jack! Who needs someone caring and supportive when you can have this piece of immortal meat?!" Yeah, like I said, awful.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, since talking about how hot Cole is doesn't really constitute a review, I will try to gather some other thoughts about this book.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For the first hundred or so pages, I wasn't really feeling <i>Everneath</i>. I was kind of bored and kind of over Nikki. She came back for Jack, yet every time she sees him she just sits there and bemoans his presence. It was maybe just a little bit annoying, and I thought, "Great, I bought this book and had it signed and I'm going to HATE IT!" But, because I bought this book and had it signed, I decided to just carry on reading, and I'm so, so, so glad that I did.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Once Nikki stops feeling sorry for herself, <i>Everneath</i> gets good. I mean, set-an-alarm-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-sleep-etc. good. I had to drag myself away from the book more than once to do a lap around the house and grab something to eat, because otherwise I would have sat in that one spot all day and never moved except to turn the page. Once things are truly set in motion, and Nikki realizes her time on the Surface is almost over, and she starts to feel something other than self-loathing, this book is un-put-down-able. Like I always say, there's nothing better than a race against time to get things moving along. </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(I never say that.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">If you haven't read <i>Everneath</i> (I feel like the last person in the world who hasn't, so maybe just ignore me), you probably should. Like right now. Seriously. And no matter how sexy you may find Cole to be, just remember: HE IS THE BAD GUY. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">*swoon*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rating:</b></span></div>
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /></div>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-47735007239784604152012-04-01T20:53:00.001-07:002012-04-01T20:53:33.105-07:00Bloggiesta Wrap-Up<div>
<p>
<img align="left" alt="Bloggiesta Logo" style="margin: 5px 15px 5px 0px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNohtuWAi6nTS-mH6sSCLP6nC9AVA3bz39byp5KtAWwMHRmZv7s9wjQ2dxajyVzfJY1R7bgG6D5-hMh8lK7OFuIL8_hGItyHjXBL8JwBSso5sdF_7yWH5LEt395DeTTHEen6gC4_JP7M/s1600/blogiesta.gif" />
My first Bloggiesta has come and mostly gone, and I had a long weekend of fixing and tweaking and all kinds of fun stuff. I wasn't able to get as much socializing done as I had hoped, because I was so focused on my to-do list that I kind of forgot that it was supposed to also be a fiesta. Blogger was also a huge pain all weekend as they switched everyone over to their new interface, which resulted in a lot of yelling, harumphing, and slamming of my laptop. But overall I think I was pretty successful and have already started a list of things I'll probably need to do the next time Bloggiesta comes around. Here is what I was able to accomplish this weekend:
</p>
<p>
<ul>
<li><b>Install Navigation Bar:</b> This was a big one for me because it was supposed to be an original feature when I set up this design, but despite looking at numerous tutorials, I could never figure it out. But now it is there, and it is beautiful, and I love it. Here is the tutorial I used to finally figure things out, in case anyone else is struggling: <a href="http://www.bloggersentral.com/2009/07/creating-navigation-tab-in-blogger.html" target="_blank">Creating Navigation or Menu Tabs in Blogger</a>.</li>
<li><b>Review Archive:</b> I wanted to get a head start on this feature before I have too many reviews. I played around with it for quite a while, and I really like the way I ended up formatting and sorting it.</li>
<li><b>Challenges Page:</b> My challenge widgets were previously in the sidebar, but because I only have one, I didn't want it clogged up with unnecessary things. Now challenge images, progress bars, and books read are all featured on the same page.</li>
<li><b>Profiles and About Me:</b> I did not have an About Me page before Bloggiesta, and I didn't intend to make one, but I did want to re-write my bio for social networking sites. Then Mary from <a href="http://www.thesweetbookshelf.com/" target="_blank">The Sweet Bookshelf</a> left this comment on my original Bloggiesta post, and I knew I had to write an About Me page as well:
<blockquote>
I love About Me pages. I always want to know the blogger behind the blog. One of my favorite pages to check out.
</blockquote>
</li>
<li><b>Review Policy:</b> Not much to say here, other than that I have one now.</li>
<li><b>Update Old Reviews:</b> All reviews now feature the same formatting and information.</li>
<li><b>Pinterest Account:</b> I now have a Pinterest account dedicated entirely to bookish things. And cats. Visit it by clicking the (new!) Pinterest icon in the sidebar!</li>
<li><b>Sidebar Cleanup:</b> As I mentioned, I moved the challenge widgets out of the sidebar, moved things from the sidebar to the footer and vice versa to make them easier to find, and updated social networking icons to include all the ones that I am currently a member of.</li>
</ul>
</p>
<p>There were a few other things I dabbled with, such as SEO, that I will continue to learn about and work with over the coming weeks. I didn't accomplish everything on my list (namely I still have unwritten reviews and couldn't even imagine finding the time to make custom images for memes), but it was still a hugely productive weekend and I'm so glad I participated. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and offered encouragement!</p>
<p>I hope everyone had a wonderful Bloggiesta Weekend! I think we are all now more than a little deserving of a nice five-month siesta before the next Bloggiesta rolls around in September!</p>
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-20427807312847895412012-04-01T00:44:00.000-07:002012-04-01T00:44:24.417-07:00In My Mailbox: Seven<br />
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<img alt="In My Mailbox Logo" border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUueWA9w-5hc88tdEKDiX7vKioQ9vlCvlY-J5GOZFLFm-jYKBRmNmKVtvB_WysVPpR_Vu1jFj-S1btPgNK0IL4xP5TU3MqSgwt348nBPl9_sQXtUlxH8oqAJbhWDOpTyMlvEI3p4Apf7Q/s320/mailbox1.jpg" title="" width="320" /></div>
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<b>In My Mailbox </b>is hosted by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/" target="_blank">The Story Siren</a></div>
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<b>From the Library</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitw-I7S4wXTi35WqTD0-eJC5NWI44K2K6IP87YOE1bmDYjp77b2mEXqyhtNn92uic5ZDotEF0tV8Qw6xTXxPMcOqUgI6GMQKHNVS3Ab-cgpyJV9x3CI2FV-shXnPqdkZ7ZsWT3Z_4fWLc/s1600/10803071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of Various Positions by Martha Schabas" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitw-I7S4wXTi35WqTD0-eJC5NWI44K2K6IP87YOE1bmDYjp77b2mEXqyhtNn92uic5ZDotEF0tV8Qw6xTXxPMcOqUgI6GMQKHNVS3Ab-cgpyJV9x3CI2FV-shXnPqdkZ7ZsWT3Z_4fWLc/s200/10803071.jpg" title="" width="137" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15o4Ldyv-PxwUbZ7EKZI4cuiJe3_n0zL_befc-fsyJB_k07JPT7I2LFoeNLdAyFGqLTEcv3ynLybPzzC46Xh0-633lgGo_OOVp_hDrVYDxsIyUaYhWj9QlkwDNldl1FPSCuzfz8be_7o/s1600/11699055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of The Disenchanments by Nina LaCour" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15o4Ldyv-PxwUbZ7EKZI4cuiJe3_n0zL_befc-fsyJB_k07JPT7I2LFoeNLdAyFGqLTEcv3ynLybPzzC46Xh0-633lgGo_OOVp_hDrVYDxsIyUaYhWj9QlkwDNldl1FPSCuzfz8be_7o/s200/11699055.jpg" title="" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIouic8hOwTn30qKol0lRMcMALvnL8yh_oXtwrhHF59olPpzsmJfPc43m9x6g2lcmSKAnZAIqz0AJqcE3IlkXxNxHlsCGwnMxRjzoFlkgHz_iFPh9BQYbiGLHizSGxnIqCys26GMs_Yz0/s1600/12476820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of Partials by Dan Wells" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIouic8hOwTn30qKol0lRMcMALvnL8yh_oXtwrhHF59olPpzsmJfPc43m9x6g2lcmSKAnZAIqz0AJqcE3IlkXxNxHlsCGwnMxRjzoFlkgHz_iFPh9BQYbiGLHizSGxnIqCys26GMs_Yz0/s200/12476820.jpg" title="" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10803071-various-positions" target="_blank"><i>Various Positions</i></a> by Martha Schabas</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11699055-the-disenchantments" target="_blank"><i>The Disenchantments</i></a> by Nina LaCour</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12476820-partials" target="_blank"><i>Partials</i></a> by Dan Wells</div>
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<b>Purchased</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZBxBtmalx24NBsic44SHrGFhwwqVNbgpw_ik11kcJsUWMziOp80QKy6FySlZhhcqXZmHARofBI3NuPu-6DRd7jkahkDSLEVkROFY9NTHVplNHfxU67LRb6DSNU9adUoZ_qB-Sx02M7s/s1600/6763961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of My Soul To Save by Rachel Vincent" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZBxBtmalx24NBsic44SHrGFhwwqVNbgpw_ik11kcJsUWMziOp80QKy6FySlZhhcqXZmHARofBI3NuPu-6DRd7jkahkDSLEVkROFY9NTHVplNHfxU67LRb6DSNU9adUoZ_qB-Sx02M7s/s200/6763961.jpg" title="" width="126" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9efodNb7E7ErRXqML033yHlNxgm2O0c5JnNHwdAi6iKrGCBIV5vMK8TOXXKxN3ZmiGlsofBNO2XVtzv-duaJZcK1x2iUtj6c7mS2tR7lc3bBX05B93yTX12Ny5figGeP7qT9iyF1G1lk/s1600/7476122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9efodNb7E7ErRXqML033yHlNxgm2O0c5JnNHwdAi6iKrGCBIV5vMK8TOXXKxN3ZmiGlsofBNO2XVtzv-duaJZcK1x2iUtj6c7mS2tR7lc3bBX05B93yTX12Ny5figGeP7qT9iyF1G1lk/s200/7476122.jpg" title="" width="126" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0StuQYt0W9_xrV14A-rC1l9kY6PMNFjFS3tSceXcBrB6OxHHW_lpvErPgMFtUEDEMxA8-_yNt-jfazNYKnFbpTS5P5EfkHNqvSkbZeDHwdLo41o7Qt1lZ1FxOgKWYKZ0885hCkTK0jU/s1600/8487363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of My Soul To Steal by Rachel Vincent" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0StuQYt0W9_xrV14A-rC1l9kY6PMNFjFS3tSceXcBrB6OxHHW_lpvErPgMFtUEDEMxA8-_yNt-jfazNYKnFbpTS5P5EfkHNqvSkbZeDHwdLo41o7Qt1lZ1FxOgKWYKZ0885hCkTK0jU/s200/8487363.jpg" title="" width="123" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6763961-my-soul-to-save" target="_blank"><i>My Soul to Save</i></a> by Rachel Vincent</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7476122-my-soul-to-keep" target="_blank"><i>My Soul to Keep</i></a> by Rachel Vincent</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8487363-my-soul-to-steal" target="_blank"><i>My Soul to Steal</i></a> by Rachel Vincent</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qUKD7dRar7mwxMhMfrQHBvRvW0I4jLmEE9ocz9Q-QYEl1Y17fTW_QNEnORDfyVJIuPYoB9dmgYhkEw2XOOm6cVdEwx_Zc0vzAcOZHVd2m_PkdJDelX2m1jRGeAGsRvaJCoY1lFDnefg/s1600/8803932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of If I Die by Rachel Vincent" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qUKD7dRar7mwxMhMfrQHBvRvW0I4jLmEE9ocz9Q-QYEl1Y17fTW_QNEnORDfyVJIuPYoB9dmgYhkEw2XOOm6cVdEwx_Zc0vzAcOZHVd2m_PkdJDelX2m1jRGeAGsRvaJCoY1lFDnefg/s200/8803932.jpg" title="" width="124" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8803932-if-i-die" target="_blank"><i>If I Die</i></a> by Rachel Vincent</div>
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<b>Won</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XeEqplMBzf5dnlUfKwltaZsnDv4KwHCvWr4PtbEWRwnAth1Ik89zqFp_ltfAMy1nsSXo1oTTOFhoGqe3PBUWv1Q5HHEaMRbvitTSHEeb9ir2TDfLbGCf0qlgBZsPK8MG9H_9GSoRkcg/s1600/10808965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XeEqplMBzf5dnlUfKwltaZsnDv4KwHCvWr4PtbEWRwnAth1Ik89zqFp_ltfAMy1nsSXo1oTTOFhoGqe3PBUWv1Q5HHEaMRbvitTSHEeb9ir2TDfLbGCf0qlgBZsPK8MG9H_9GSoRkcg/s200/10808965.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b> </b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10808965-a-temptation-of-angels" target="_blank"><i>A Temptation of Angels</i></a> by Michelle Zink</div>
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Thanks to Rachel at <a href="http://www.myreadingpile.com/" target="_blank">My Reading Pile</a>!</div>
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Since I purchased a copy of A Temptation of Angels last week, I think I feel a giveaway coming on!</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-59477974153718144632012-03-29T21:53:00.000-07:002012-04-01T17:29:50.144-07:00It's Bloggiesta! Ole!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNohtuWAi6nTS-mH6sSCLP6nC9AVA3bz39byp5KtAWwMHRmZv7s9wjQ2dxajyVzfJY1R7bgG6D5-hMh8lK7OFuIL8_hGItyHjXBL8JwBSso5sdF_7yWH5LEt395DeTTHEen6gC4_JP7M/s1600/blogiesta.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNohtuWAi6nTS-mH6sSCLP6nC9AVA3bz39byp5KtAWwMHRmZv7s9wjQ2dxajyVzfJY1R7bgG6D5-hMh8lK7OFuIL8_hGItyHjXBL8JwBSso5sdF_7yWH5LEt395DeTTHEen6gC4_JP7M/s1600/blogiesta.gif" /></a></div>
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<b>Bloggiesta</b> is hosted at <a href="http://sueysbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">It's All About Books</a></div>
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When I first started hearing about Bloggiesta on Twitter, I was intrigued, but ultimately decided, "My blog is pretty much brand new. How much work could it possibly need?" But the more I read other people's lists of things they wanted to do with their sites, the more I realized I should get a jump on those things <i>now</i>, before they're massively uncontrollable. And so RRHS and I will be Bloggiesta-ing along with the best of them, and here is what <strike>we are</strike> I am hoping to accomplish:<br />
<ul>
<li><strike>Navigation: I spent a good hour-ish trying to get a pretty navigation bar up there *points up* above the header, and failed miserably at every attempt. Eventually I just put a couple links over there *points over there* in the sidebar, but I didn't particularly like them there, so now they are gone. But I am determined to whip that navigation bar into submission this weekend. Or something less creepy.</strike> Did you see my pretty new navigation bar up there? *points up* Did you, did you, did you?!?!</li>
<li><strike>Review Archive: I didn't think this was something I would ever need or feature here on RRHS, but the more I visit other blogs that have one, the more thankful I am that it's there. If I want someone's opinion on one particular book, it's so much easier to click a link and find all of their reviews sorted by title or author, versus having to search through pages of content or clouds full of labels to find what I'm looking for.</strike></li>
<li><strike>Challenges: Along with the review archive, I also want to make a page to keep progress of the challenges I have entered. They are currently in the sidebar, but I feel like the space there could be better utilised if these things had their own page.</strike></li>
<li>Fix Link Targets: My links kind of target randomly based on what kind of mood I was in when I wrote them. Some sort of uniformity might be good, yeah?</li>
<li><strike>Pimp my Profiles: I hate writing profiles and "about me" sections. My profiles on the blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Netgalley, etc. need some work.</strike></li>
<li>Finish Reviews: There are 3 or 4 reviews sitting half-written on my computer that I've been avoiding for a while because I don't want to think hard enough to finish them. This weekend, I must think (what a bummer) and just finish them already.</li>
<li><strike>Sort Through Sidebar: If there's one thing that bothers me, it's out of control sidebars. I want to make sure that what needs to be there, is there, and what doesn't, well...isn't.</strike></li>
<li><strike>Write a Review Policy: I got my first review request recently, and it made me think it's time for one of these puppies to become part of the blog.</strike></li>
<li><strike>Pinterest For RRHS: I have a well-used Pinterest account for personal things, and after reading the mini-challenge for Bloggiesta, I want to Pinterest-ize the blog, too.</strike></li>
<li><strike>Update Old Reviews: As I was pinning my reviews, I noticed the older ones from my blogging stint last year are formatted differently than the new ones. I like the new format better, so I want to update those old ones to match.</strike></li>
<li>A Button. Or Something: Pretty buttons are fun. Pretty custom button-somethings for weekly meme posts are even <strike>funner</strike> more fun. Thus, I should maybe make some. This one isn't really a priority, but if for some reason I finish everything else (ha!), this will keep me busy.</li>
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So now that I have this long list of things I need to get done, I'm going to bed! Tomorrow, the ole-ing begins! Good luck everyone!<br />
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<b>**I apologize to anyone who is trying to comment and getting stuck/angry with word verification. Blogger apparently thinks it is important enough to keep turning it back on after I turn it off. Hopefully it will stop doing this soon!**</b> <br />
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</ul>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-56904514010142252582012-03-29T07:00:00.001-07:002012-04-01T17:26:38.488-07:00Mini Reviews: Picture the Dead, Wisdom's Kiss, Trafficked<div>
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Mini Reviews are my thoughts on books I've recently read, in three sentences or less.
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<img class="cover" alt="Cover of Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwaOrQ6ujutSFm_dejVFqNlDkgozLhg91of-_aVzWtr5CBXrhSM9qAInMWb5xKCKW8dFW8-SkM4mCCqz1zMpSH8cX64j8CG3ZUrBh78SzT9_4hcTzbLwVeoldwYoNWaZ_uSZcVLaf9z8/s200/7306380.jpg" />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7306380-picture-the-dead" target="_blank">Picture the Dead</a></i> by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown<br />
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-half.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><br />
<i>Picture the Dead</i> is a fun, somewhat creepy read that wasn't quite as ghostly as I'd hoped. The illustrations are pretty cool, though, and the story is very well told, if not a little predictable. Still an enjoyable read for fans of historical quasi-ghost stories.
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<img class="cover-right" alt="Cover of Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xmhCcEza24WfEhb739QYA-JpVm7q1cvfKEq5c_HunE4YXxQCqXh0sYI4H9-sTRhxu2dbcTyGCBvFRWXmeIwEsWdb1xt7meEm810Elv5lQhpzQKc8DnD5Wdsq-RPmc9fL0aR5XIZZ0AU/s200/10043376.jpg" />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10043376-wisdom-s-kiss" target="_blank"><i>Wisdom's Kiss</i></a> by Catherine Gilbert Murdock<br />
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /> <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><br />
I'll be honest and admit I only got this book because of the cat...and maybe that's not the best reason to read a book. There is a lot going on in the narration of this novel, including about six billion different perspectives. But not a whole lot actually happens plot-wise, and <i>Wisdom's Kiss</i> went back to the library unfinished.
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<img class="cover" alt="Cover of Trafficked by Kim Purcell" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHkrj7Plg4_gi3pSRwhlJMN0cE5HbtMYK7tCyYFC0TpBGZdruRFCTvc7Kh4PZDXe3liG3y6ZRjPnHjdswreiC9kJTEe7RNPt6I3EiYFyxIjx3WIhaUF-Hqhc5HqZ9uIohpjZZ4btKTT4/s200/11699182.jpg" />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11699182-trafficked" target="_blank"><i>Trafficked</i></a> by Kim Purcell<br />
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-empty.png" /><br />
<i>Trafficked</i> is deserving of so much more than just a mini review, but I can't find the words to say how shocking and horrifying it is, other than to just say so. It's appalling to know that this kind of thing goes on today, in the United States, and I think that makes it an important read. I only wish we had been able to see more of Hannah's life after her experience.
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</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-82705935028760370582012-03-27T21:01:00.000-07:002012-03-27T21:01:00.747-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Eleven<blockquote class="tr_bq">"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_ixkhk2g5HIPDluyg5Zji_UfYkOK8jvYj62LFKHUT6cFBrYOCjL7epT8FCw9VfZQdsFQ02LJ5JTYGUUAhXwiEW8qHxnhoWLWZdRdKbCCCLihM7DnjKSg1M-1hGAiciAaE1PhP_6J8C4/s1600/12924275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_ixkhk2g5HIPDluyg5Zji_UfYkOK8jvYj62LFKHUT6cFBrYOCjL7epT8FCw9VfZQdsFQ02LJ5JTYGUUAhXwiEW8qHxnhoWLWZdRdKbCCCLihM7DnjKSg1M-1hGAiciAaE1PhP_6J8C4/s200/12924275.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><b>Title: </b><i>Masque of the Red Death</i><br />
<b>Author: </b>Bethany Griffin<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>24 April 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span id="freeText8410659763155859430">Everything is in ruins. <br />
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A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. <br />
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So what does Araby Worth have to live for? <br />
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Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all. <br />
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But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. <br />
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And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.</span><b> </b></blockquote>Ruins! Plague! Decimation! NIGHT CLUB! Really, do I need to say more?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-24740878057193795912012-03-26T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-01T17:19:22.769-07:00Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NPHeaDyOt9N8i3c_hU3BjA0m0EmR7gNq9qCURyU0eWpYqAO5HfoXiAReY9BU7ULXHTxMDtYL6s9xLVUFE719jsAdsuiJSP8wZ8SgnBkFLqNLQFlZNkYKb1Ds3y8L_1jgblceldD3icI/s1600/11112619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NPHeaDyOt9N8i3c_hU3BjA0m0EmR7gNq9qCURyU0eWpYqAO5HfoXiAReY9BU7ULXHTxMDtYL6s9xLVUFE719jsAdsuiJSP8wZ8SgnBkFLqNLQFlZNkYKb1Ds3y8L_1jgblceldD3icI/s200/11112619.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11112619-fever" target="_blank"><i>Fever</i></a> (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2)<br />
<b>Author: </b>Lauren DeStefano<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>21 February 2012<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Simon & Schuster BYR<br />
<b>Source: </b>Library <br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
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<span id="freeText13076596807557484783"><b>Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.</b> <br />
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Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. <br />
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The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.</span></blockquote>
<i>Fever</i> begins almost immediately where <i>Wither</i> left off. There's no back story, reminding us what happened in the last novel. On one hand, this is nice, because I hate having to spend time reading about things that I already know happened, when all I really want is for the new story to start. On the other hand, I read <i>Wither</i> more than six months ago, and the details were a little hazy, so I was kind of confused. Luckily, Lauren DeStefano inserted subtle reminders into Rhine's narration - glances of things that happened at the mansion - that helped pull the details out from the back of my mind. So even though I was worried I would get lost in my confusion, it didn't end up being an issue at all.<br />
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Shortly after their escape, Rhine and Gabriel find themselves trapped at the World's Creepiest Carnival, ever. As I read through this portion of the book, particularly any scene involving the nefarious Madame, I frequently found myself shuddering at the horrid things that were being described. I also found myself yelling at the book. "NO RHINE! DON'T GET ON THE FERRIS WHEEL WITH HER! DON'T!" Because I never would. *shudder*<br />
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Much of <i>Fever</i> is spent following the characters on their journey from Point A to Point B. A lot of times, this type of story can go horribly wrong in either one of two ways:<br />
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<li>An author tries to make up for the fact that the characters are going a-traveling by inserting horrible, no good, very bad things every time they turn a corner. They never get a good night's sleep or a full days journey and eventually, it becomes exhausting - for the characters and the reader.</li>
<li>An author tries to draw out every detail of every step of the journey. We get to hear about it every time someone takes a sip from their canteen, or eats an apple. Nothing actually happens but walking (or driving, or sleeping, or apple-eating). And this action is described with a level of intricacy that is completely unnecessary. This is also exhausting, in an entirely different way.</li>
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I thought DeStefano did a good job of mixing traveling time with OH NO HORRIBLE THINGS ARE HAPPENING time, with a lot of useful introspection from Rhine thrown in to keep the times nothing was happening interesting and accessible to the reader. I didn't have to hear about what color Gabriel's socks were, and there wasn't a bad guy around every corner. It was a nice balance.<br />
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By far the best part of this novel, for me, was the last hundred-or-so pages. This is when I stopped <strike>going to the bathroom</strike> playing on the internet and just read. This is what kept me up until five in the morning to finish. It's very much like a dystopian version of <i>The Yellow Wallpaper</i>. I hope that's not giving too much away, and I'll just sum this point up by saying that these pages were flipping amazing.<br />
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Also, HOLY CLIFFHANGER. I sincerely hope the world does not end this year, because I don't want to die not knowing what happens.<br />
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<b>Rating:</b></div>
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-half.png" /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-20611432268976523302012-03-24T19:37:00.000-07:002012-03-24T19:37:33.796-07:00In My Mailbox: Six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUueWA9w-5hc88tdEKDiX7vKioQ9vlCvlY-J5GOZFLFm-jYKBRmNmKVtvB_WysVPpR_Vu1jFj-S1btPgNK0IL4xP5TU3MqSgwt348nBPl9_sQXtUlxH8oqAJbhWDOpTyMlvEI3p4Apf7Q/s1600/mailbox1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUueWA9w-5hc88tdEKDiX7vKioQ9vlCvlY-J5GOZFLFm-jYKBRmNmKVtvB_WysVPpR_Vu1jFj-S1btPgNK0IL4xP5TU3MqSgwt348nBPl9_sQXtUlxH8oqAJbhWDOpTyMlvEI3p4Apf7Q/s320/mailbox1.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>In My Mailbox</b> is hosted by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/" target="_blank">The Story Siren</a><br />
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<b>From the Library</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAi2quGIi3uPYfQpqXsi8Qaf5rV8-C5do7reMN2rInFiLEyKcB1cI7IDWPa_vYE7yboJIIAUtBL0-cO2phOmNH3QrGAYxnEwnXlts35PajaVIewldn0mp0ljKT0ShCmY78gR30Tx3Gv8/s1600/10637748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAi2quGIi3uPYfQpqXsi8Qaf5rV8-C5do7reMN2rInFiLEyKcB1cI7IDWPa_vYE7yboJIIAUtBL0-cO2phOmNH3QrGAYxnEwnXlts35PajaVIewldn0mp0ljKT0ShCmY78gR30Tx3Gv8/s200/10637748.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis55lYWA4ineYwOB-RotlS1Na3vFVIJyn5UhNo_VXA0EAfVgfWyc4Mep6xUCL95opdEe-IvhLgEOHbdmrtyjHQIerr-yd2NmXLIvqOpKFV7G9NErddp9m_-LgvX_gHqBB7n06DHRZKPtg/s1600/8490112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis55lYWA4ineYwOB-RotlS1Na3vFVIJyn5UhNo_VXA0EAfVgfWyc4Mep6xUCL95opdEe-IvhLgEOHbdmrtyjHQIerr-yd2NmXLIvqOpKFV7G9NErddp9m_-LgvX_gHqBB7n06DHRZKPtg/s200/8490112.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KTa6nYL-cBc-yrHKvdcyKIdP2CjBpjdB70ZcYgMdt5Pe1o6_ZenCqfeSqR4mFywrM6Assm8TlGC0gFrsHSOtdcHEKCtVipKFvtTpU4ZZiCpAXaN86odDH5JnUp9ro9z9WVb7kY_De3c/s1600/9548964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KTa6nYL-cBc-yrHKvdcyKIdP2CjBpjdB70ZcYgMdt5Pe1o6_ZenCqfeSqR4mFywrM6Assm8TlGC0gFrsHSOtdcHEKCtVipKFvtTpU4ZZiCpAXaN86odDH5JnUp9ro9z9WVb7kY_De3c/s200/9548964.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10637748-the-pledge" target="_blank"><i>The Pledge</i></a> by Kimberly Derting<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8490112-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone" target="_blank"><i>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</i></a> by Laini Taylor<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9548964-fracture" target="_blank"><i>Fracture</i></a> by Megan Miranda<br />
<br />
<b>Purchased </b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgmCd_r7xHJYPgtNOFZ9zLtpKYHoI7AG4WJNgnT3EcR7ZBZ46sdq7Z_ucLeDeIron1KLTtxuFVHIHqwekEYEE4XAFjCGMY_pBimMGlb6oxuTVbsGJDLI2eZ52LPFkS-GAv5u4XMA8FqTs/s1600/12463444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgmCd_r7xHJYPgtNOFZ9zLtpKYHoI7AG4WJNgnT3EcR7ZBZ46sdq7Z_ucLeDeIron1KLTtxuFVHIHqwekEYEE4XAFjCGMY_pBimMGlb6oxuTVbsGJDLI2eZ52LPFkS-GAv5u4XMA8FqTs/s200/12463444.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdxD-eq86RBdKE86I9FhCjYimh5VZ93KVvyhicdzfQXaJGT_n1iyO9j1Pb0TE02AZYvMNW4K5mTlaxKgRYEiwGy07MTji0dPcfwlDakkgyHPwO6LkLCgvD0TxsMEr3MDo6CK2_ZYBJ38/s1600/8058030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdxD-eq86RBdKE86I9FhCjYimh5VZ93KVvyhicdzfQXaJGT_n1iyO9j1Pb0TE02AZYvMNW4K5mTlaxKgRYEiwGy07MTji0dPcfwlDakkgyHPwO6LkLCgvD0TxsMEr3MDo6CK2_ZYBJ38/s200/8058030.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57rB1dmjYEsX7NJk0OUL2ajViQq45AzzODnl-CA6DAq3iFIxpnnlipfs9qffWzT4EysSxUlzp-_6GLHACtpGpa_mpjoxQD5VohxtIa77AI40PglNY7PMrXO0dOrytnNERsG3-fBKRp9A/s1600/9713071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57rB1dmjYEsX7NJk0OUL2ajViQq45AzzODnl-CA6DAq3iFIxpnnlipfs9qffWzT4EysSxUlzp-_6GLHACtpGpa_mpjoxQD5VohxtIa77AI40PglNY7PMrXO0dOrytnNERsG3-fBKRp9A/s200/9713071.jpg" width="131" /></a>Nook Books:<i> </i><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12463444-green-heart" target="_blank"><i>Green Heart</i></a> by Alice Hoffman<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8058030-white-cat" target="_blank">White Cat</a> </i>by Holly Black<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9713071-angel-burn" target="_blank"><i>Angel Burn</i></a> by L.A. Weatherly<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANMyCLqYGBTVEvgx6PfCnflOYstZlYd1aEin4J0N6KnIVGH1zirM_2_5ylmEzdOWHeNTEg17RO6wN8q81KOSluWSn-b5Pii9g4rObri7cvv0T_W_MNWHOUjIuguKN1GVSeRJZZVNOA4k/s1600/IMG_20120324_184210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANMyCLqYGBTVEvgx6PfCnflOYstZlYd1aEin4J0N6KnIVGH1zirM_2_5ylmEzdOWHeNTEg17RO6wN8q81KOSluWSn-b5Pii9g4rObri7cvv0T_W_MNWHOUjIuguKN1GVSeRJZZVNOA4k/s400/IMG_20120324_184210.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/852470.I_d_Tell_You_I_Love_You_But_Then_I_d_Have_to_Kill_You" target="_blank"><i>I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You</i></a> by Ally Carter<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6950688-only-the-good-spy-young" target="_blank"><i>Only The Good Spy Young</i></a> by Ally Carter<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10560331-out-of-sight-out-of-time" target="_blank"><i>Out of Sight, Out of Time</i></a> by Ally Carter <br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8535273-the-dark-and-hollow-places" target="_blank">The Dark and Hollow Places</a> </i>by Carrie Ryan<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11698943-the-fine-art-of-truth-or-dare" target="_blank"><i>The Fine Art of Truth or Dare</i></a> by Melissa Jensen<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10808965-a-temptation-of-angels" target="_blank"><i>A Temptation of Angels</i></a> by Michelle Zink<br />
<br />
<b>Won</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCDMuvR5Fv5IOiQ1UzNID-15_Roz4DtXv03RgagbtpTRRkJlwWe2Pe5ZcSsc4TtWfDjEWvHAEQfpbhQwO0suDvEMtInVcmQPPgb3Hrv_HP6dDm81o_3rMS43UFQvtzIMRjpI4LU7sDKM/s1600/IMG_20120324_190853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCDMuvR5Fv5IOiQ1UzNID-15_Roz4DtXv03RgagbtpTRRkJlwWe2Pe5ZcSsc4TtWfDjEWvHAEQfpbhQwO0suDvEMtInVcmQPPgb3Hrv_HP6dDm81o_3rMS43UFQvtzIMRjpI4LU7sDKM/s320/IMG_20120324_190853.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11527309-may-b" target="_blank">May B.</a> </i>by Caroline Starr Rose<br />
Bookmark and Sticker<br />
Thank you to Amanda at <a href="http://bornbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Born Bookish!</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Don't forget to enter to win a <b>signed</b> copy of <i>Out of Sight, Out of Time</i> at my stop on the Kick Butt Characters Giveaway Hop <a href="http://isaidireadit.blogspot.com/2012/03/giveaway-kick-butt-characters-hop.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-86895775394051535732012-03-23T07:00:00.001-07:002012-03-23T07:00:03.081-07:00Friday Finds: Four<blockquote class="tr_bq">Friday Finds, hosted by <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Should Be Reading</a>, features releases that I have discovered and added to my wishlist over the past week.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DTRobObzNqc/T2vyVEFYH6I/AAAAAAAAAms/aT8Y15evvlg/s1600/12654775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DTRobObzNqc/T2vyVEFYH6I/AAAAAAAAAms/aT8Y15evvlg/s200/12654775.jpg" width="129" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaF_zHNgl1wM-VPi_vAb0IckAIu_-HttCCjV0sUBvFOszIp-29tFljg09moQez1GHbg_yk_ZPAMk3riKQ-efXoCIgqbM7Muy1H_0u0MDYI9HZI37-ZKiRgjJCQHPi1GZ4A5SfaUVwnrQ/s1600/9266779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaF_zHNgl1wM-VPi_vAb0IckAIu_-HttCCjV0sUBvFOszIp-29tFljg09moQez1GHbg_yk_ZPAMk3riKQ-efXoCIgqbM7Muy1H_0u0MDYI9HZI37-ZKiRgjJCQHPi1GZ4A5SfaUVwnrQ/s200/9266779.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-oiphiufQltMppdbnadKuofEscHlgtYbgvFoujcUgWTHdCc7p4sIRydHpNJexADaF_HKPX72AX7Sy1Dx3HCMUguZZVe__PFkB1Al8JkTxRnWxNS7QM025RI2BRDHHmMEUpDLZaKMgbA/s1600/12986492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-oiphiufQltMppdbnadKuofEscHlgtYbgvFoujcUgWTHdCc7p4sIRydHpNJexADaF_HKPX72AX7Sy1Dx3HCMUguZZVe__PFkB1Al8JkTxRnWxNS7QM025RI2BRDHHmMEUpDLZaKMgbA/s200/12986492.jpg" width="138" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12654775-shift" target="_blank"><i>Shift</i></a> by Em Bailey</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9266779-frost" target="_blank"><i>Frost</i></a> by Marianna Baer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12986492-death-and-the-girl-next-door" target="_blank"><i>Death and the Girl Next Door</i></a> by Darynda Jones</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTL33B5q0lkBBhpwoYjeHmdDEd3cxvQXnpIghD7coQGl6-RUMQwOD4VM_KOMQu687Nd3cFV0vFsp5pTSrvG_xq7NV5l7qcL_YildqSK5woetYLTFblVgfQm_oZJy9ogpuSY_DYSE_uMQ/s1600/11325353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTL33B5q0lkBBhpwoYjeHmdDEd3cxvQXnpIghD7coQGl6-RUMQwOD4VM_KOMQu687Nd3cFV0vFsp5pTSrvG_xq7NV5l7qcL_YildqSK5woetYLTFblVgfQm_oZJy9ogpuSY_DYSE_uMQ/s200/11325353.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkxE1c9gjzHpYI6KHrubv6blZtLYpOY-rILqEgg9e7usgia7VIjGIZfb_zmM1EjKEIdwkgxilkMj-0d0YfmIjCjB0KRk0vKFkabooRU04ed6F3GZeRZxN9FEHv83r95OlBTTesiqvGO4/s1600/12452420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkxE1c9gjzHpYI6KHrubv6blZtLYpOY-rILqEgg9e7usgia7VIjGIZfb_zmM1EjKEIdwkgxilkMj-0d0YfmIjCjB0KRk0vKFkabooRU04ed6F3GZeRZxN9FEHv83r95OlBTTesiqvGO4/s200/12452420.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbz3H2vUCu0OBb448cnN31ArjSlmZ4j4j6D_c78IlKUmz-FSrBj6zLcb0ChOcDv9sml2_yDyqsGZn7IQNm_1ViuRuluUfUGy_iLvova2Zh1FE7XoqKVsFWyqtIjclRxmerR9MCagNPBo/s1600/13013029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbz3H2vUCu0OBb448cnN31ArjSlmZ4j4j6D_c78IlKUmz-FSrBj6zLcb0ChOcDv9sml2_yDyqsGZn7IQNm_1ViuRuluUfUGy_iLvova2Zh1FE7XoqKVsFWyqtIjclRxmerR9MCagNPBo/s200/13013029.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11325353-awkward" target="_blank"><i>Awkward</i></a> by Marni Bates</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12452420-the-sinister-sweetness-of-splendid-academy" target="_blank"><i>The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy</i></a> by Nikki Loftin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13013029-the-summer-my-life-began" target="_blank"><i>The Summer My Life Began</i></a> by Shannon Greenland</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-44644487438996276332012-03-22T15:00:00.000-07:002012-03-22T15:00:00.476-07:00Giveaway: The Kick-Butt Characters Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErb0QleMycSW84tmBxByCG5lbLtkdZBj24Q2AbJQrp6sxhyI2HMKno9OyzqRblxyxvlTxjkmtshBdMr592msBAyEAjQBl8ypQ6IipFjRNhf2c4FgroyPCky_xnQ7GnDZ867orH97FBy8/s1600/kickbutt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErb0QleMycSW84tmBxByCG5lbLtkdZBj24Q2AbJQrp6sxhyI2HMKno9OyzqRblxyxvlTxjkmtshBdMr592msBAyEAjQBl8ypQ6IipFjRNhf2c4FgroyPCky_xnQ7GnDZ867orH97FBy8/s320/kickbutt.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>The Kick-Butt Characters Blog Hop</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hosted by:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodchoicereading.com/" target="_blank">Good Choice Reading</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recently, my local indie children's bookstore, Hicklebee's, hosted a signing with Ally Carter, author of the <i>Gallagher Girls</i> and <i>Heist Society</i> serieses...no, just series. I, of course, was unable to attend because it was in the middle of the afternoon and I was at work (Thanks Hicklebee's! Just kidding), but I did get in touch with them and ask if they could maybe have Ally sign a copy of the new GG book, <i>Out of Sight, Out of Time</i> for me. And they were all, "OF COURSE!" And so I was like, "Can you have TWO copies signed for me?" And of course they said, "OF COURSE!" So now there are two signed copies waiting for me to pick them up this weekend, and guess what? One of them can be yours!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrSmEyWKVs-tRJeGYG57rQZIxUmqdEjd8M1q8DkrxHA1bIgdMRg2T5GQOLimh9Gqhz_IXO-ESXY4jhKsLqU_YoIdCKe0fppOI4xywh-TPX5fQoURN_3AIDvjk5L3CI4DYplNj6GQJnSA/s1600/10560331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrSmEyWKVs-tRJeGYG57rQZIxUmqdEjd8M1q8DkrxHA1bIgdMRg2T5GQOLimh9Gqhz_IXO-ESXY4jhKsLqU_YoIdCKe0fppOI4xywh-TPX5fQoURN_3AIDvjk5L3CI4DYplNj6GQJnSA/s1600/10560331.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love the Gallagher Girls series, and I think those girls are pretty kick-butt, so I think this hop is the perfect fit for this giveaway. Click on "Read More" to check out the rules and enter using the Rafflecopter!<b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<b>Rules:</b><br />
<ul><li>Must be <b>13 or older</b> to enter (please have an adult's permission to share your information if you are under 18).</li>
<li>The giveaway is open to those with <b>US mailing addresses only</b>. I promise I'll be having an international giveaway soon!</li>
<li>The winner will have 48 hours to respond after being notified of their win. If they fail to do so, another winner will be chosen.</li>
</ul><br />
<br />
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</script>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-45012635394180104402012-03-20T21:01:00.000-07:002012-03-20T21:01:01.486-07:00Waiting On Wednesday: Ten<blockquote class="tr_bq">"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HxNeflpRlSwnEi_vAjZ4uqE9uJBvJDTko-Yu1Ae3C9f0wioJlV1LYOr9x4h0q6zlG0iBV600dnytvmdBN5IEEaJB-eTiiFOR-hoEUPg4IRhdQ8H8w2jeAJ4xtbQBUd1VtAfRgPawI7w/s1600/9268789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HxNeflpRlSwnEi_vAjZ4uqE9uJBvJDTko-Yu1Ae3C9f0wioJlV1LYOr9x4h0q6zlG0iBV600dnytvmdBN5IEEaJB-eTiiFOR-hoEUPg4IRhdQ8H8w2jeAJ4xtbQBUd1VtAfRgPawI7w/s200/9268789.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><b>Title: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9268789-purity" target="_blank"><i>Purity</i></a><br />
<b>Author: </b>Jackson Pearce<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>24 April 2012<br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span id="freeText5872149411801368013">Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex. <br />
<br />
Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.</span></blockquote>I love this cover so much I want to like, design my whole house around it. And the book sounds good too, yeah?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217786295246817023.post-87705703782871357702012-03-19T00:01:00.001-07:002012-04-01T17:19:01.026-07:00Review: Ditched by Robin Mellom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxulY4LRqZEog0bqnbp9pCIwML3XFfkowqyi9JebwzfQTE_Iok77M4qS-ULBJoQPVVW6FrIsJrsmRIbTWJwhhqVU32TpgteH-K9wvw9zrpLm00PohAlilA7Vt6E6CYWiHplyH0fLWJ8s/s1600/10194548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxulY4LRqZEog0bqnbp9pCIwML3XFfkowqyi9JebwzfQTE_Iok77M4qS-ULBJoQPVVW6FrIsJrsmRIbTWJwhhqVU32TpgteH-K9wvw9zrpLm00PohAlilA7Vt6E6CYWiHplyH0fLWJ8s/s200/10194548.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194548-ditched" target="_blank"><i>Ditched: A Love Story</i></a><br />
<b>Author: </b>Robin Mellom<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>10 January 2012<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Disney-Hyperion<br />
<b>Source: </b>Library <br />
<b>Summary (courtesy of goodreads.com):</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeTextContainer18345057073569554234">High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. And then ditched her.</span><b> </b></blockquote>
If you're looking for a great story that doesn't take itself too seriously, <i>Ditched</i> is <b>definitely</b> a book you need to read. Right now-ish.<br />
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Justina is an amazing narrator, and her story is <i>hilarious</i>. I cannot tell you how many times I laughed out loud reading this book, and I normally have the kind of self-control required to <i>not</i> start giggling to myself in the middle of a public place. Not so while reading <i>Ditched</i>. Justina's descriptions and revelations are just too funny to not laugh like an idiot no matter where you are.<br />
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Aside from it being awesomely funny, I also loved the way Robin Mellom chose to tell the story. Justina relates her prom story to two woman in a 7-11, the morning after the...eventful night. The chapters alternate between present tense scenes at the 7-11, where Donna and Gilda offer more laugh-inducing commentary, and past tense reflections on just how Justina ended up ditched. Mellom could have easily left the 7-11 scenes out - she has an amazing story even without them - but they added so much to the story and I loved that she thought to tell it this way.<br />
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Overall, <i>Ditched</i> is an amazing read that I would recommend to anyone with a sense of humor and a soft-spot for YA love stories.<br />
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<b>Rating:</b></div>
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart.png" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/susurrus/heart-half.png" /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01195793149534373740noreply@blogger.com2