You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard (ARC)
Publication Date: August 5, 2010
Versions: paperback
Received from: Around The World Tours


Summary (from goodreads):
What if all your wishes really came true?


Kayla McHenry's sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla's secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin' do.


Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year's supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla's wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride...but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.


Kayla is the character that everyone wishes they were because she's so cool and quirky. She says and experiences some of the funniest things that I laughed out loud while reading this book. Kayla is turning sixteen and everything is going wrong. Her mom threw her a big party that she didn't even want and her best friend doesn't even show up until three hours later. When she blows out her candles, she wishes that all her wishes would come true. And they do, every day after her party one wish comes true. And she knows she has to stop the wishes from happening because one year she wished that Ben, her best friend's boyfriend, would kiss her. 


I loved every second of this book. It was written so well and the characters were so entertaining and changed so drastically that I actually believe that Mandy Hubbard is one of the best authors I have ever read. The book overall had a wonderful plot line filled with twists and turns. It kept me guessing what she wished and what would happen the next day. 


Will I reread it?
Yes, I loved it. This book is for anyone who wished their birthday wishes actually came true (me being one of them). You will not be able to put it down with the quirky humor, unbelievable plot line, and awesome characters.

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel Trailer

I am super excited for the release date of Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel which is going to be published on August 3, 2010. The summary sounds amazing and the trailer is super cool.

Here it is:


You can pre-order the book on Amazon.com here. Or you can anxiously await the release date like I will be doing. I hope everyone had a wonderful Monday!

Coming Soon: Product Review from CSN Stores

I was so happy when CSN Stores emailed me to review one of their products. If you don't already know, there are over 200 CSN Stores that sell a variety of items including some fabulous lights. They also sell a lot of bookcases, pet items, and bookmarks.

Here are just a few of the items that they sell that caught my attention:

This lamp has a light attachment for reading (I love the look of it). You can buy it here

This bookcase would hold tons and tons of my books that I have no room for right now. You can buy it here.

And then this is what I'm thinking about reviewing for my product:

I just got a laptop and I think this would be perfect for sitting in bed so I can put my laptop on this caddy. Also, you can change the height or the angle which is super cool, and the you can put a drink on the other platform. You can buy this here.

So, what do you think, any other ideas of what I could review? And watch out for my review which will posted in the coming month. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend everyone.

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson (ARC)
Publication Date: May 18, 2010
Versions: hardcover, kindle
Received from: Jami's ARC tours

Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):
Torn between two destinies?


Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf.


As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not only with her changing identity, but also with a rogue werewolf who is putting everyone she knows in danger. Claire's new life threatens her blossoming romance with Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. Now burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, Claire is struggling to feel comfortable in either skin. With her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, she will make a choice that will change her forever.

I've been reading a lot of werewolf books in the past month, because I love them. But this one was very different. It started out with Claire throwing a pool party for her sixteenth birthday party. And Matthew ends up going and talking to her. She has liked him for a long time and can't believe he's actually taking interest in her. But Matthew's father is a werewolf hunter and when Claire's mother tells her she is a werewolf, Claire knows she's in for some trouble.

It was very refreshing that there were only female werewolves-which doesn't happen in a lot of books. I liked both Matthew and Claire as characters but together they didn't really make sense. I was a little confused about their attraction to each other at first. It felt a little rushed.

Will I reread it?
I don't know, but I enjoyed it and am looking forward to future releases from Christine Johnson. Even though I was a little disappointed with the romance aspect of it, it was a cute summer read that I recommend to any werewolf lovers.

In My Mailbox (vlog) 3

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren. Sorry I haven't done a vlog in a while, but from now on I am going to try to do one every week because I love doing them. I hope you enjoy it:




Books mentioned in my vlog:
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Middleworld by J&P Voelkel
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles
The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
Everlasting by Angie Frazier
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

ARC Tours mentioned in my vlog:
Around The World Tours (hosted by Princess Bookie)
Jami's ARC Tours
Star Book Tours (hosted by Shanyn)

What did you get this week?

Heartbroken Promises 2 by Sherry Shumard virtual blog tour

Today I have the lovely author of Heartbroken Promises 2, which is Sherry Shumard, here for a stop on her virtual blog tour. I am going to post the summary of the book and tell you a little bit about Sherry and then post her guest post, about the inspiration behind her book and road to publication, at the bottom.

Heartbroken Promises 2 by Sherry Shumard
Publication Date: February 25, 2008
Versions: paperback

Summary:
Vicky Wainright decides to visit Jake's Island so she can be close to her sister Miranda. She is offered a nanny job by Jordan, a very handsome and eligible bachelor who is raising his son by himself. She meets her sister's waiter Noah and is quickly torn between loving him and Jordan. She gets kidnapped while babysitting along with Jordan's son Derrick and her sister believes that Noah was one of the kidnappers. How will she feel about Noah after she finds out the truth? Will Derrick and her be rescued or killed?




Here is an excerpt from the book:
     "Well, I don't care about him and he can propose to someone else for all I care," she said fighting back the urge to cry. "All he thinks of is only one thing anyway," she said. "And that's sex!"
     Miranda laughed. "Most guys do but that isn't the reason not to marry a guy, "she said looking at her sister. "You're just young that's all," she stated. "Come on," she said tugging at her arm. "We're going out for supper."
     "Supper...but what about lunch?" she asked surprised. Miranda laughed. "You slept through lunch silly," she said tugging on her arm. "Come on...let's go..." she said pulling her toward the door.

About Sherry Shumard
I love to read and write books. I'm the published author of a series of books titled: Heartbroken Promises, Heartbroken Promises 2 and I'm currently working on Heartbreaking Promises 3. The books are available on www.amazon.com, www.booksamillion.com and www.bn.com just to name a few. I plan on writing many more books since I have a lot of ideas on what I want to write about. My dream is to someday soon see my books come to life as a movie or a television series-That would be great if it did happen. I'm married and have 3 children and 2 pets.

And then here's her guest post:
The inspiration behind the Heartbroken Promises series was due to the heartache that I felt after being cheated on when I was sixteen years old by my boyfriend and also about my experience as a runaway. The title says it all: Heartbroken Promises. When I was sixteen years old I decided to run away from my unstable home and from my cheating boyfriend so I bought a one way ticket to Jekyll Island. I got so far South from Illinois as Columbia, South Carolina and never made it to Jekyll Island. I would love to go there someday soon to see the island and to find out why I chose that place. It was chosen from a page in a library book. I pictured myself working on the island and also relaxing on the island with no cares in the world. That was very unrealistic because in real life there's always worries and finding a job can be difficult when you're only sixteen years old.

In my first novel Heartbroken Promises, the main character Miranda Wainright is actually me running away from a cheating boyfriend and taking a job in a hair salon on Jake's Island aka Jekyll Island. She meets  avery handsome man named Jake Lee Jamison on the bus trip to the hair salon. Her ex boyfriend follows her to the island and tries to win her back. She falls in love with Jake and marries him. A fairy tale come true.

In my second novel Heartbroken Promises 2 the main character is Vicky who is Miranda's sister. I named the character Vicky because that is what my sister is named and she died when she was five months old due to pneumonia. Vicky moves to the island to be close to her pregnant sister Miranda and gets entangled in a love triangle with Noah-her sister's butler and Jordan who is Jake's brother. She takes a job as a nanny to Jordan's infant son Derrick and is kidnapped along with little Derrick. Someone from Jordan's past is the kidnapper and also there is a suspicion that Noah is involved. She gets pregnant and has a tough decision to make whether she wants the baby or not. Things get more complicated when Jordan proposes to her on the beach.

The road to publication wasn't easy. I self-published my first novel Heartbroken Promises through iUnivers.com because it was just easier and faster than a traditional publisher although I did have to pay for the publishing process. With my second novel I submitted a few chapters to PublishAmerica and they immediately accepted the manuscript but did give me a deadline to try and finish it. I was so excited to finally have a publisher pay me and also to incur all costs associated with the publishing of the book. I was making progress in the publishing world.

I've taken classes for college credits and decided that if I could write pages and pages of essays, then I could most certainly write my own books. I'm a very avid reader and have always been ever since I could read. I grew up reading Nancy Drew mystery stories and then after I ran out of them I did read some of the Hardy Boys mystery stories. It is my goal in life to keep writing books because I love creating characters that my readers will either love (hero/heroine) or hate (villain). The stories come to me naturally because I have a vivid imagination and I'ma daydreamer and a romantic.

I'm married with 3 teenage children and I work full time and write part time on my many ideas for books. My dream is to see my characters come to life either in a movie or a television series. That would be so exciting that I would just cry happy tears.

Thank you so much, Sherry, for visiting my blog. You can buy Heartbroken Promises 2 on Amazon.com here.

Book Blogger Hop

I haven't been doing this meme recently and have missed a lot of weeks. But I've missed doing it and finding new blogs to follow so I decided to join in on the fun this week again.


What is it, are you asking? Well...."the book hop is a weekly event, hosted at Crazy for Books, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends!"

You can find more information and sign up for it here.

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (ARC)
Publication Date: July 20, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Versions: hardcover, kindle
Received from: Around The World Tours


Summary (from goodreads):
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past...and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves...and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love-the light and the dark, the warm and the cold-in a way you will never forget.


I really enjoyed this sequel and I know everyone is super excited for the release of this book since everyone loved Shiver. Linger starts out with Sam and Grace together and in love. Even though Sam is cured, he still has doubts and feels like it didn't completely work. And when Sam sleeps in Grace's room every night, their relationship gets stronger while Grace has to keep lying to her parents. Then Cole, a new wolf, shows up and starts turning into a wolf way too early. Isabel starts having feelings for him and the story overall turns out very cute.


I kind of felt it was a duplicate of the first book, but I was pleasantly surprised with Cole's story. Whenever Cole was in the book, I couldn't stop reading and felt myself wishing he was in the book more. I loved his bad boy personality and his and Isabel's relationship. It was overall very cute.


Will I reread it?
Maybe? I don't know but I really enjoyed the book overall. Cole was defiantly my favorite character but fans of Shiver will not be disappointed in this awaited sequel.

Future Author (Interview): Jillian from Random Ramblings

There are so many wonderful writers who someday wish to be published and become an author. And most of those people, including me, find it helpful to get some advice and just overall support to acheive these goals. I felt a lot of people, including me once again, could learn a lot from an interview. 


So today I am interviewing Jillian from Random Ramblings. Her blog is so pretty, with her wonderful header so I defiantly recommend you check it out. I always love going to her blog and reading her posts, which are always so well written. Her latest post titled Inspiration: Summer is exactly what it says. So I highly recommend you check out Jillian's blog and encourage her and other aspiring authors to keep up the great work!


Here's the interview:

1. Why do you want to be an author? 

I have always been a lover of words, and I love the act of writing itself. Simply put, I want for these words to be read. I want to have the honor and the privilege to speak to readers directly -- or at least one reader -- through empathetic characters and their real stories. I want to be an author because I believe writers and their words, if done genuinely, have the power to inspire and make even the smallest positive impact in people's lives. I want to be able to write those words; the ones that might make a difference.

2. When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

I don't think there was an exact moment. I just know I have always enjoyed writing. Also, I have always been a pretty big bookworm, even as a kid. I read, read, and read. I guess I knew I wanted to be a published writer when I would read and finish a good book, and I'd find myself saying, "I would love to write something like that." 

3. Who or what is your inspiration behind your writing?

My biggest inspiration behind all of this -- the one that actually makes me sit down and start writing -- would most definitely be the real stories of people and their lives. Their hardships, triumphs, strengths, weaknesses, dreams, failures, successes, happiness, sorrow, heartbreak. Their emotions. Their thoughts. The things and people they love, value, and hold dear. At the end of the day, real experiences are mainly what pushes me to write.

4. Have you ever felt like you wanted to give up?

ALL. THE. TIME. This is my biggest enemy -- self-doubt. It's horrible. What I try to do to get back on track is to come up with at least one reason NOT to give up. Fortunately, there's a lot of them.  

5. Do you have a daily writing goal that you try to maintain everyday?

No. I tried this before, but it didn't really work for me. I was constantly feeling the need to fill in words just so I can reach my daily goal. Consequently, my writing would come out forced and contrived; almost rushed. I try to do things differently now. While I still do write everyday , I no longer aim for a specific goal. I try to write when I want to and write what I want to. Not forcing myself to reach my daily goal keeps "the real words" flow a lot more, almost without effort. They'll come out when they want to, as they say. Ha ha. 

6. Can you tell us a little bit about your blog?

Random Ramblings is a book blog that surrounds anything that is related to the world of literature. It is the place where I talk about the books that I read and where I also post all the reviews that I write about them. Generally, I talk about anything that I find even remotely interesting. Most are usually just random things I happen to find inspiration from. 

7. Does blogging help your writing and if so, how.

Yes, in a lot of different ways. I learn more about the book industry. I find out more about different readers' points of view. I learn to become more open-minded to different things; books, writing, reviews, different tastes, etc. Last but most definitely not the least, book blogging helps my writing because of its awesome community. They give endless amount of straight-forward feedback and constructive criticisms, as well as the much-needed support and encouragement! 

8. What is your favorite thing about writing?

No boundaries! Ha ha. You can create your own world, characters, and situations. You can make your own beginnings, middles, and ends. You can make them as you want them. With writing, you are unlimited.  

9. What is one piece of advice for other aspiring authors?

Believe in yourself. Be patient. Don't give up. Listen to other people's feedback. Then, let's keep writing, shall we? :) 

10. Where do you see yourself in the next ten years, writing wise?

In the next two years, I'd probably be going crazy, still writing, as usual. In 10 Years, hopefully, finally published. *crosses fingers* 

Thank you so much Jillian. And once again, you should really check out her blog. And if you're an aspiring author and would like to do an interview, please email me at: smittenwithbooks (at) hotmail (dot) com

Middleworld by J&P Voelkel

Middleworld by J&P Voelkel
Publication Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: Egmont USA
Versions: hardcover, paperback, kindle, audio
Received from: publisher


Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):
In the ancient city of Itzamna, Lord Six-Rabbit wakes up screaming. A great warrior king of the mighty Maya, he has dreamed he was a lowly, flea-bitten monkey. How could this be? Was this some sorcery sent by his half-brother, Tzelok, the evil priest?


1200 years later, in Boston, Massachusetts, a 14-old Max Murphy is looking forward to a family vacation. But his parents, both archaelogosts and Maya experts, announce a change in plan. They must leave immediately for a dig in San Xavier, the tiny Central American country where his father grew up. Max will go to summer camp. Max is furious. He's always suspected that his parents cared more about the Ancient Maya than about him and this proves it. When he's mysteriously summoned to San Xavier, he thinks they've had a change of heart. But he's met at the airport by one of their colleagues, who explains that his parents have gone missing at the remote Maya temple of Ix Chel. He also tells Max the legend of The Jaguar Stones, the five sacred stones of Middleworld (the Maya name for the world of men) which enabled Ancient Maya kings to wield the powers of living gods.


And so begins Max Murphy's wild adventure in the tropical rain forests of San Xavier. During his journey, he will unlock ancient secrets and meet strangers who are connected to him in ways he could never have imagined. For fate has delivered a challenge of epic proportions to this papered teenager. Can Max rescue his parents from the Maya Underworld and save the world from the Lords of Death, who now control the power of the Jaguar Stones in their villainous hands? The scene is set for a rollar-coaster ride of suspense and terror, as the good guys and the bad guys face off against a background of haunted temples, zombie armies and human sacrifice.


Even though this story is weaved with crazy names and fun adventure, I loved the plot line and the freshness from the younger feeling of the novel. It starts out with Max, who loves video games, and is looking forward to vacation with his parents. But when they come home, they have some bad news for him. They are leaving on a dig, which leaves Max all by himself. He is very mad but then the next day he finds an airplane ticket for him, which he thinks is from his parents. After the plane lands, his adventure starts.


Every few pages there are pictures which really helped me understand what they were explaining. I loved the writing in the book which is intended for younger audiences and since I don't read a lot of books for younger kids, I really enjoyed the story. I defiantly recommend this series for anyone looking for a great adventure and loves to read something new.


Will I reread it?
I don't know, but I really enjoyed the book, the language the author uses, and the pictures that are thrown into some of the pages. I was pleasantly surprised.

This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review and no compensation

The Season by Sarah Maclean

The Season by Sarah Maclean
Publication Date: June 1, 2010
Versions: hardcover, paperback, kindle

Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):
Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued--in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.


When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!

I recently read and reviewed Sarah Maclean's other book called Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. And as you guys have read, I loved and adored her book (if you didn't see my review you can read it here). And since I loved her first novel so much, I decided to buy her newly released first Young Adult book so I bought this one on my kindle. And let me just tell you, I was very disappointed. The Season is about a girl named Alex who has a lot of brothers so she has become "one of the boys" over the years. But her mother is pushing her to get married so during her first season, she has to act prim and proper. Gavin, who isn't her brother but is as close to her family as one is back to see Alex after his father dies. While trying to figure out who committed the crime, Alex starts having feelings (non sisterly) for Gavin.

Overall, the plot line and characters fell very flat for me. I was expecting scenes such as in Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake which I adored so much. Half the time I hardly understood Alex and Gavin's connection to each other because it was very rushed.

Will I reread it?
Very unlikely, but I encourage you to give it a try if this sounds like a good book to you. Even though I did prefer Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake-this one was entertaining and worth the money.

Winner of my 200 follower Jennifer Echols giveaway!

So first of all, I wanted to thank everyone who took their time out to enter my 200 follower Jennifer Echols giveaway. There were a total of 236 entries (I know!) and I'm really sorry it has taken me so long to calculate who the two winners were.


I used random.org to determine the winners. So here were the results:


Winner #1 (their choice of two Jennifer Echols book)

Donna


Winner #2 (winner of the Jennifer Echols book that the first winner doesn't choose)

Angela 


Congratulations ladies! I will be emailing you very soon and I hope you enjoy your Jennifer Echols books!

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean
Publication Date: March 30, 2010
Versions: paperback, kindle

Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):
A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.


Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried-and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.


But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss-to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess or Ralston-charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.


If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all-the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love...


I've seen this book pictured on many blogs, so I decided to give it a shot. First of all, I loved every page of this book-it was so amazing and I loved the plot line. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is about a woman named Calpurnia Hartwell and she has never been kissed. She's sick of being overlooked on the dance floor and wants to actually do crazy things and be free. So she writes up a list of things that are not acceptable for a lady to do, including gambling, drinking scotch, smoking cheroot, kissing, and some other items. This list eventually leads Calpurnia to Gabriel St. John's bedchamber where she will check off a few items on her list. 


This was by far one of the best romance novels I have read. That being said, I recommend this book for older and more mature audiences. The "love" scenes were very graphic but amazingly written. I couldn't put it down for one second without thinking about it and the characters were all interesting and likable.


Will I reread it?
Most defiantly, I loved this book. Sarah Maclean reached my expectations one hundred times over and has earned her a spot as my favorite romance novelist.

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade (ARC)
Publication Date: June 29, 2010
Versions: hardcover
Received from: Around The World Tours

Summary (from the back of the ARC):
After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from being homecoming queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she's stuck as a spirit (DON'T call her a ghost) in the land of the living, with no sign of the big, bright light to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser outcast who despises the social elite. He alone can see and hear her (turns out he's been "blessed" with the ability to communicate with the dead), but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Goundsboro High.


Alona has never needed anyone for anything, and now she's supposed to expose her deepest, darkest secrets to this pseudo-goth boy? Right. She's not telling anyone what really happened the day she died, not even to save her eternal soul. And Will's not filling out any volunteer forms to help her cross tot he other side. He has only a few more weeks until his graduation when he can strike out on his own and find a place with less spiritual interference. But he has to survive and stay out of the psych ward until then.


Can they get over their mutual distrust-and the weird attraction between them-to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don't exist?

I've been looking forward to this book the second I saw it on someone's waiting on wednesday post. It looked really cute and I'm a sucker for the love/hate relationships. Alona Dare dies from getting hit by a bus. But she's still on earth, as a ghost. While she's waiting to get swept up by the light, she attends her funeral where all her friends are crying. But after her funeral, all her friends and boyfriend seem to be getting along just fine. When she's at her worst, Will Killian-the weird goth boy laughs at her. And then she realizes that he's the only one who can see her.

I think I built this book up a lot and it didn't turn out as good as I hoped it would, but I did enjoy it. My favorite parts were by far with Alona and Will in his bedroom-where they had a few very private moments. I overall really enjoyed this book and thought it was utterly cute.

Will I reread it?
I don't know, Maybe? I might go back to it at a later time when I'm urning for this plot line.

200 Followers Jennifer Echols giveaway Update!

Hello fellow bloggers and followers, I have been out of town the last couple days and wanted to follow up on my 200 Followers Jennifer Echols giveaway which was supposed to end on June 10th but I wanted to extend the date.

So if you haven't already-please enter my giveaway here. It will now end tonight at midnight and I will hopefully be announcing the winners tomorrow-so hurry up and enter.

And good luck to those of you who have already entered!

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins
Publication Date: February 1, 2010
Versions: hardcover, paperback, kindle


Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):
Lucy Lang isn't looking for fireworks.


She's looking for a nice, decent man. Someone who'll mow the lawn, flip chicken on the barbecue, teach their future children to play soccer. But most important: someone who won't inspire the slightest stirring in her heart...or anywhere else. A young widow, Lucy can't risk that kind of loss again. But sharing her life with a cat named Fat Mikey and the Black Widows at the family bakery isn't enough either. So it's goodbye to Ethan, her hot but entirely inappropriate "friend with privileges" and hello to a man she can marry.


Too bad Ethan Mirabelli isn't going anywhere. As far as he's concerned, what she needs might be right under her nose. But can he convince her that the next best thing can really be forever?


I really really enjoyed this book. I've heard wonderful things about Kristan Higgins and I thought I would give her books a try for myself. And let me just tell you, I wasn't disappointed in the least bit. This book was about a widow named Lucy and she is having a friend with benefits relationship with her deceased husband's brother. But when Lucy decides she wants to start dating again, she drops Ethan altogether. But then maybe Lucy discovers Ethan is the one she truly wants to be with.


First of all, the whole deceased husband's wife and brother wasn't weird in the least, like I thought it might turn out to be. Ethan was a very swoon worthy and likable character. I felt myself wanting to have a man like him in real life. Even though Lucy is the typical female who doesn't know what she has right in front of her nose-I thought she was a strong character.


Will I reread it?
Yes, I find myself wanting to reread it right now. And I will defiantly read and look forward to upcoming releases from Kristan Higgins. And even though the plot line was a little predictable, the whole book was enjoyable and kept me turning pages.

Forgive My Fins swag winners!

The winners of the Forgive My Fins swag giveaway are:

Shanna


Sara

and Jamie

Congratulations ladies! You have won a couple Forgive My Fins bookmarks and tattoos. I will contact you to tell you the great news and I will be sending out your swag very soon!

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Insatiable by Meg Cabot (ARC)
Publication Date: June 8, 2010
Versions: hardcover, kindle
Received from: Around The World Tours

Summary (from goodreads.com):
Sick of vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.

Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to do die (not that you're going to believe her; no one ever does).

But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets-then makes the mistake of falling in love with-Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side...a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, he already is dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See. while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able to look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future...If she even has one.

I'm pretty sure everyone has heard of Meg Cabot (the author) before. I've always known her as the writer who kicks butt and can write some awesome romantic novels for adults and teens. However, I did not expect her to write a book about vampires. And since I am a vampire fan (even though I do like werewolves a little better) I was super excited to read this book. It's about a woman named Meena and she hates vampires. She also has a special ability which is that she is able to see when someone is going to die, so her relationships don't always turn out good. And what's worse is that her boss is making her incorporate vampires into the show. Meena isn't happy about the show change but then she meets a guy which turns out to be a vampire. And of course she does the unthinkable.

Overall, I loved the freshness this novel portrayed and how each and every one of her characters were interesting. This is only my second Meg Cabot read but I am not yet disappointed and if I've heard correctly-no matter how many of her books I read, I will not be.

Will I reread it?
Yes, I really liked the whole premise of the book (because it seems like there are no vampire haters out there) and I loved seeing a new side of Meg Cabot's writing. I defiantly recommend this book to teens and adults alike who are looking for a sizzling read.

Forget You by Jennifer Echols Tour!

Cleverly Inked hosted this wonderful tour for Forget You by Jennifer Echols. This tour is to celebrate the release of Forget You which will be out on July 20, 2010. I am super excited for the release of this book and I know a lot of you guys are too. So here is the interview in which I asked Jennifer a few questions about the book:


1. What was your inspiration behind Forget You?

A book blogger was making fun of a Sweet Valley High book in which one twin hits her head in a wreck and wakes up thinking she’s the other twin. I agreed the book didn’t sound very good, but the premise for the story sounded AWESOME! I’m a sucker for an amnesia plot. There’s something very appealing about waking up and starting over fresh. Of course, this is not exactly what happens to Zoey. Her amnesia makes her life extremely complicated.

2. Did you base any of the characters in Forget You on you or anyone else?

I don’t base characters on real people. Then my books would be like my life, which is pretty stable and not book-worthy. But the main characters are all one side of my personality. Zoey is the side of me that likes to keep things organized and gets a thrill from helping people. Doug is the side of me that grows very impatient with people who make no sense.

3. What was the hardest part of writing this novel?

The timing in this novel is complicated, and I didn’t explain it very clearly the first time. My editor asked me to add quite a bit to the front of the book. I don’t have an advance copy (I gave them all away!) so I can’t tell you page numbers, but the book used to start with just a little bit of the swimming scene and then skipped to the football game.

4. What do you hope people take from Forget You while reading it?

Teenagers are put in a lot of difficult positions that they may not be prepared to handle, and I think it’s important in those situations to stay calm and not do anything rash to make everything worse. (Have I been there? Yes I have.) Doug says it better than me: “I know that feeling. You have to do something. You have to change something radically, because you can’t stay like you are for another second, or you’re going to explode…. But Zoey, the problem is that when you feel that way, your brain has already shut down. So whatever you do next to change your situation, it’s bound to be stupid.”

5. What is your favorite scene in Forget You?

When Zoey starts driving to Seattle, then turns around and comes back to Doug. Basically any scene in which we watch Doug emotionally shoved off balance. He tries so hard to stay in control, and he’s so adorable when he loses it. (Yes, authors think their own characters are adorable, or imho they’re not doing it right!)

Thank you so much Jennifer for taking your time out for this interview. The next stop on the tour is: Books, Movies, Reviews, Oh My! So head over to her blog to find out more about Jennifer Echols upcoming release!

Love Me Some Bad Boys (4)

I love everything about bad boys: the way they smirk, laugh, touch you, throw you against the wall to kiss you (wow that kind of sounds abusive) and defiantly much much more. There's just something about them that makes me swoon. And since I'm so obsessed with bad boys, I decided to make a meme about them. Every week I will pick one boy character from a book I have read that fits these "bad boy" qualifications. So here it goes:


Adam Vader in The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
 
How he is a bad boy:
Adam has ADHD so he can never sit still. He's very adventurous and has broken many bones while water skiing. He has dark hair and is very tall. He has experience and is found making out with girls. He likes to pick on his brothers and is very strong.
 
Favorite bad boy moment:
There is one scene in The Boys Next Door where Lori and Adam are about to kiss and Adam makes Lori use his toothbrush. Then they go outside in the open and even though Lori isn't experienced-he kisses her. It was so adorable and I loved every word in that chapter.
 
Dateable:
Yes, even though he makes a lot of horrible decisions-he redeems himself and cares so much for Lori. He is just so adorable and will make you wish you had a guy like Adam.
 
And if you really like the sound of this meme, then feel free to participate as well. Just leave a comment with a link to where you posted it.

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins by Tear Lynn Childs
Publication Date: June 1, 2010
Versions: hardcover, kindle

Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush. Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid—she's a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems—like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher—but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type—the instant they "bond," it's for life.

When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

I know a lot of people who were extremely excited for the release of this book, and I felt the same way. I started reading it a few days ago and couldn't put it down. I loved the story line and the characters. Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs is about a teenager named Lily who is half human, half mermaid. She has lived on land for her whole high school career and fell in love with Brody, the too cute swimmer, long before. But every time Lily tries to tell him how she feels, her annoying neighbor gets in the way. Quince is the stereotypical bad boy who works on his motorcycle and always patronizes Lily. Unfortunately, one day at the prom can change the way Lily views everything.

I loved all the kooky vocabulary words that Tera Lynn Childs tosses into this book including carp or other fun words. Half the time, I was wondering how she came up with them all. The other half of the time, I squirmed whenever the word "princess" was said by Quince. That's all he ever calls Lily, so every time he talked, princess was used. It just got really annoying-but fortunately didn't take away from the cute plot line.

Will I reread it?

Yes, I really enjoyed this book. And I especially recommend it since summer is here. It's a perfect beach read!

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Publication Date: April 1, 2007
Versions: paperback


Summary (from barnesandnoble.com):

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Simone Elkeles is one of my favorite authors and even though all of her books are amazing, this one holds a special place in my heart. Maggie is recovering from an accident that Caleb had a main part in, and he's recovering from being put in jail from hitting her with his car. But, Caleb gets released six months early and before Maggie has a chance to leave. They come in contact with each other and they both can't help to blame the other for what they went through. Maggie thinks she will never forgive him, and looking down at her leg will always remind her of what he did, but maybe Maggie can't live without him either.

Their relationship is so pure that you'll want to read this book over and over again. Caleb defiantly fits the description for the perfect bad boy, ex con and all. He's so cute and does the swooniest things. This is defiantly a must read for any Simone Elkeles fan.

Will I reread it?

Most defiantly. This wasn't the first time I read it, but after months of it sitting on my shelf-I had to pick it up again. It's one of those books that is just as good the second and third and fourth time. I can't wait for the sequel, Return to Paradise, to come out. 

Forgive My Fins is finally out!

Forgive My Fins by the lovely author Tera Lynn Childs is officially out today, June 1st. I am so excited because it sounds like a truly amazing book and I can't wait to read it! 

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Publication Date: June 1, 2010
Versions: hardcover, kindle


Summary (from Tera Lynn Child's website):

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid—she's a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems—like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher—but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type—the instant they "bond," it's for life.

When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous and if you want to buy it right now you can purchase it off of amazon.com, barnes and noble, or borders. All week Tera Lynn Childs is posting about the characters, giving out a copy of Forgive My Fins and donating to save the ocean. So head over to her blog.

Since I'm apart of her wonderful "Splash Team" she graciously sent out bookmarks and tattoos to get the word out about her new book. So enter below if you would like to win a couple of bookmarks and stickers. Open to US residents only (I love my international followers but I don't have much money right now) and it will end after the Forgive My Fins release week is over so June 8th. There will be three winners and then I will have to start handing the rest of the swag out to bookstores and such to spread the word! Everyone have a wonderful week.