Read-a-Thon wrap up post!

It's a little late, but I have been pretty busy lately! With that aside, here is my wrap up post!

I Read:

One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Finished late:

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler -- (Sadly I didn't have time to finish this one during the read-a-thon time but it was good anyway)

What did you read? Link your  wrap up posts in the comments!

Mini-Challenges (Day 3)

Ok, so I am chugging along reading Tangled by Carolyn Mackler and it is so far, so great! I love the characters and the humor that is totally realatable...(spelling? is that even a word?)

So...the challenges today are hosted by Wicked Awesome Books and Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing. 

Wicked Awesome Books: Matchmaking!

My Match is......Jena from Tangled by Carolyn Mackler (currently reading) and Miles Halter from Looking for Alaska by John Green! 

Now lemme tell you why I think they are *perfect* for each other!

Jena is the good girl who has a quirky personality and is so easy to relate to. But, she is kinda the type of girl who doesn't get much boy attention...if you know what I mean. And, Miles is also a little bit of an outsider in the way that he does his own thing and has that similar quirky personality. Even though he meets and falls in love with Alaska (which btw, is totally how I would want a guy to fall in love with me!) and has a girlfriend through some parts of the book, he is that same type of person who doesn't try to get much attention. SEE?! Perfect match!!!! 

Bleh to Basically Amazing Books: Recommendations

My first reccomendation is Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. *sigh* This book was absolutely AMAZING. I devoured it from the first page to the last. It filled me with heartache and happiness, sadness and laughter. It was thought-provoking and delightfully written with Oliver's raw emotion and power lines. It gave me the strength to stop and think about what it would be like to have to live that one last day. What would you do if you only had a few more "do-overs"? Read it. Love it. Because of the way it made me feel. I know it will for you, too.

My second recommendation is One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt. This is probably my favorite of all the books I have read so far for the read-a-thon and even one of the best stories I have read in a while, also. It was a quick, fun read that was cute and catchy. (Kinda like a Disney movie, but who's asking anyway ;)) The main character Eliza is a very easy character to relate to. We all have secrets and having your notebook taken by your ex-boyfriendd isn't exactly ideal. So this made it even funnier. If your looking for something easy and fun to read on the plane, train or even just on the weekend, pick this one up and you won't be disappointed. 


Are you participating in any mini-challenges? Post your link the comments!

 

  

Mini-Challenge (Day 2)

The second (and third) mini-challenges I'm doing for the read-a-thon are hosted at YA Bliss and The Bookish Type.

YA Bliss: The Love Triangle Challenge

1. Gale and Peeta in The Hunger Games
2. Sean Ackerd and Ezra Fitz in Pretty Little Liars

I could only come up with two since it was so hard to come up with even those!

The Bookish Type: New Synopsis

My new synopsis!

***When Katie gets a car, all she wants to do is drive it. But her parents won't let her drive at night quite yet. Katie is so mad that she sets out into the city of Boston, in her new car, in search of adventure. With the sparkling lights of the Boston Skyline over head and her music in her hand, she is having a great time. But then her parents find out that she's gone and they go looking for her. Will she end up back at home before they can catch her? Or will she have to face her parents and risk loosing her new car.***

Kind of cheesy, I know! But this challenge was fun!

Happy reading everybody!

Mini-Challenge (Day 1 of Once Upon a Read-a-Thon!)

Today has been a good kick-off day to the read-a-thon! I finished One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt! And i'm on to the next one! Yay :)

So the first mini-challenge is hosted by IB Book Blogging. There are two questions (my answers are in red):

Mini Challenge Question 1:
What is your favorite type of myth (Greek, Roman, Egyptian etc)? Greek and Egyptian Mythology are most deffinitely my favorites!

Mini Challenge Question 2:
What is your favorite book with some type of mythology in it? Probably Oh My Gods by Tera Lynn Childs. I laughed so much while reading this book! It had a great plot and some great characters. I have yet to read the sequel Goddess Boot Camp but I think it would be equaly enjoyable!

What are your thoughts? 

Getting ready to READ.READ.READ!!!!

Hey everyone! The read-a-thon is just around the corner so I thought I would share with you my reading pile. It's not huge, but it's reasonable. I have two more books in mind if I finish these early! (Not pictured: Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel and The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan)

One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt
 
Tangled by Carolyn Mackler
 
Forgotten by Cat Patrick

What's in your reading pile?

Follow Friday (6)

Yay!!! It's Follow Friday! I haven't been doing this lately but I really hope to keep meetin' new people and gettin' some new followers!



Q: Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?

A: Oh! This is a toughy! Probably Plain Kate by Erin Bow

 Yikes! That one was hard to get through! The characters and setting was just boring, nothing out of the ordinary. 

What about you?

Oh, and Happy Friday!

p.s. Go check out my post on the read-a-thon! 

Once Upon a Read-a-Thon!

Hey everyone! I am so thrilled to be participating in the read-a-thon! It is my first year and I absolutely can't wait!!! Basically you read as many books as possible in the time given. The challenge is to push yourself to read more books than you usually would. Also, try to pick up those books that you have been putting off for so long! You should go check it out by clicking on the button.

I have a few books in mind that I am considering reading for the read-a-thon*, tell me what you think: (Some titles I took from the recommended reading lists from the hosts!)Playing Hurt by Holly SchindlerThe Day Before by Lisa SchroederThe Lover's Dictionary by David LevithanMoonglass by Jessi KirbyForgotten by Cat PatrickCruel Summer by Alyson NoelFly me to the Moon by Alyson NoelTangled by Carolyn MacklerGuyaholic by Carolyn Mackler
*This list may change...any suggestions? 

Are you thinking of participating? What are some titles that you think would go well for the read-a-thon? Suggestions?

 

Twisted

Twisted by Sara Shepard

Publication Date: 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Pages: 305
Source: Bought at Barnes and Noble

Summary:  It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The pretty little liars have more secrets than ever—twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.
Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship.
Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore . . . eventually.

My Thoughts: Oh. My. Gosh. I am besides myself trying to find the perfect words of amazing-ness to describe how much I LOVEDDDDD this book. As many of you may or may not know, I am a HUGE Pretty Little Liars fan. Like HUGE. (not to much of a fan of the T.V. show: I stopped watching after they added new characters that weren't in the book....like who does that?!!?!?!) So this book pretty much just completed my heart. *sigh*

When the four-some, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily all come together and then do something bad, you know that it's gunna be killer. Like whoa. Shepard, (who is a genius, might I add! Love her! ...read my review of The Lying Game here.) writes a story that is complex, new and original that brings flare to the series. The girls get in some trouble of their own and the mysterious A returns. A new twist/mystery is thrown in when the background for the story is that the girls did something terrible in Jamaica on spring break, which you don't really find out what happens until about halfway into the book but it is worth waiting for!

More lies, new twists and more chaos! I can't wait for the next couple books in the series that Shepard has announced.

Plot: 5
Characters: 3.5
Cover: 4
Style of Writing: 4.5
Overall: 4.7 (YAY!!!!)

Would I ever read from this author again?: Yes!!!!

A Sweeter Rhythm: Short Story Review

At the request of T.L. Peters, I am honored to review this story.

A Sweeter Rhythm by T.L. Peters

Now on sale at the following online book sellers:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A-Sweeter-Rhythm-ebook/dp/B0053NY2P8

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sweeter-rhythm-tl-peters/1031340107

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/63425

Summary: This story follows the life of a violin as it recounts its many ups and downs over the centuries, changing hands between those who love it and those who don't. (It was previously published by RED OCHRE LiT as A Sweeter Kind of Rhythm.)

My Thoughts: The first impression I got was that I loved the personality that this violin had.  It had a quirky personality that was all it's own and was quite a character. 

As the violin started to tell his story in detail about what happened to him over the years, I got sucked deeper and deeper into wanting to learn more about this violin. It had a strong voice, but unlike any other hero/heroine readers are used to because of the unusual nature of this particular character. 

Peters did a fantastic job using emotion in everything he wrote. He wove a layered story complete with detail and descriptions that were very intriguing. Having not read anything before by T.L. Peters, I am delighted to say that I will surely be looking into his other works. 

An all around feel-good story that stole my heart!

Cover: 3
Plot: 3.5
Characters: 4
Style of Writing: 5
Overall: 4.5

Would I ever read from this author again?: Yes!

Learn more about T.L. Peters at his blog:

http://tlpeters.blogspot.com/ 

Update/Plans for the Summer

UPDATE:

Whew! It's already June 19th! OK, so let's see...SCHOOL IS OVER IN 3 1/2 DAYS!!! Boo-yahh ;) But even with everything winding down, nothing is really getting more relaxing. I just had a crazy week with finals and handing in all these final projects and presentations almost every day last week.

AND...Monday (tomorrow) I still have to hand in one more project in one class and present in another class! I have get two tests that need correcting, hand those in, then on Tuesday we have ONE.MORE.TEST. *sigh* Then Wednesday we have an all day field trip to some state park and then Thursday is a half day! Then...............drum roll, please...............SUMMER!!!!

SUMMER PLANS:

Summer. What a wonderful word. Sleeping late, pool time, popcicles, watermelon, BBQ's and time with the family. 

I have some summer plans for the blog as well: Starting in July, I'm challenging myself to read 30 books over the months of my summer vacation. (I will be posting a list of books soon)  I will be involved in some mini-challenges over at Holes in My Brain and others.

Reviews, fun posts, giveaways and more! Stay tuned for a long, happy summer here at A Corner of My Bookshelf!

I have been so bad at posting lately, but stick with me, because I have some great things in mind for these next couple months...it will be good :)

What do you have planed?

Happy Sunday/Father's Day!

~Zoe 

Lock and Key

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Publication Date: 2008
Publisher: Speak
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Pages: 422 
Source: Borrowed from a friend


Summary: Ruby is used to taking care of herself. But now she's living in a fancy new house with her sister Cora—a sister she hasn't seen in ten years—and her husband Jamie—creator of one of the most popular online networking sites. She's attending private school, wearing new clothes, and for the first time, feels the promise of a future that include college and her family. So why is she so wary? And what is Nate— the adorable and good-hearted boy next door— hiding behind his genial nature? As Ruby starts to see, there's a big difference between being given help, and being able to accept it. And sometimes, in order to save yourself, you've got to reach out to someone else.

My Thoughts: Wow! This was my second Sarah Dessen book I have ever read and I must just say, "Wow!". She deffintely impressed me with this one. It started out really slow but soon enough, I really got into it. I fell in love with the character Ruby and the way that her story weaved into everything about her.

Her love interest, Nate, wasn't my favorite boy character to fall in love with the heroine. But I thought he was portrayed well.


The only thing that I would have changed would have been the way that Dessen seemed to stretch out everything. I think shorter and too-the-point scenes would have been just as satisfying.

Cover: 3.5
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Style of writing: 5
Overall: 4

Would I ever read from this author again?: Yes! I am just now starting Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen.


*ALSO...I have been such a bad blogger lately! I have been so busy and not reading as much as I would have hoped/liked to so I haven't been finishing many books. UGH! Be sure to stay tuned, (not too corny, right?!) because I will surely have more to come!*

Follow Friday (5)

It's that time again! Happy Follow Friday! Go check it out and join the fun at Parajunkee's View.

This weeks question is:

How many books do you read in a week? And in what format do you read them? 

My answer:

Well, lately I haven't been doing as much reading as I like/want to because of my crazy schedule. But normally, I will read about 2-3 books a week. I like reading on the nook and just plain old-fashioned flipping the pages!

What about you?

Follow Friday (4)

Good morning and Happy Friday! I'm participating once again in Parajunkee's Follow Friday.

The question:

What are some of your quirky habits or things about you?

My answer:

1. I love pickles. Always have. Always will. 

2. I like the smell of nail polish. 

3. I like to search baby naming sites to find ones that I think are cute and put them together :) 

4. I hate rain. 

5. I hate beets. 

How about you? What are some quirky things you want to share?

New Design!

Yay, yay, yay!!! My new design is finally done! What do you think? It was all done by the work of Kyla at Kyla Kreates! So click around, see what you think and jot a comment below! I'd love to hear from my viewers/readers.

...

Also, I will be posting a review soon, don't fret, if you were!

I don't really have anything else to say in this post so, Happy Tuesday!

Follow Friday (3)

It's Follow Friday!! I have been awful at posting these last couple days/week....but I'm having my blog re-designed and everything has been so busy! But non the less, here is the question:

What is on your current playlist right now? 

Mine is:
- Kina Grannis
-Adele
-Jessie J
-Runner Runner

What's on your playlist?

Under Construciton!

My blog is going to have some construction done, starting soon! So, my backgrounds and some other things may be changing in the process. I am leaving all the dirty work to Kyla over at Kyla Kreates! She's awesome...go check it out :)

p.s. I will be posting a review of a couple books in the next few days, (one being Desires of the Dead! Yay!)

p.p.s Since I don't really know what else to write I will put a picture in. ^^

Happy Monday, everyone!

Custom Design Blog Giveaway

Hey, everyone! I found this giveaway while I was just browsing around today...follow the link to find out more! The Owl Bookmark Blog

Follow Friday (2)

Good morning everyone! This is my second Follow Friday post! Yay! It is a weekly hop hosted by Parajunkie's View. Check it out!

Q: Do you judge a book by it's cover? 

A: Yes! Sadly, but yes. I am always very intrigued by the book's cover, even if I don't know what its about. (See my most recent book review)

What about you?  

Happy Friday!!
 

The Body Finder

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Publication Date: 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 327
Source: Barnes and Noble

Summary:
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

My Thoughts: This was SO much better than I had thought reading the first few pages. I bought this book mostly because of the cover. (Shame...) So I wasn't all that interested in reading what it was about, but I knew that it was the book for me. Something about it just called me. Hmm...kinda like the echos that Violet feels in the book...? I was taken into Violet's world from an outside perspective. The narrative was in the 3rd person, so I got to watch what was happening with each individual character. The mystery that I was sucked into was breath-taking and sent shivers down my spine.

Oh, my heart smiles whenever I think of Violet and Jay. Their love was a bit cheesy, but in a such not-cheesy way that I couldn't conceal my happiness about their relationship. (You know what I mean?)

Anyway, I would suggest this book to anyone who is just looking for a good read. I can't wait to get Desires of the Dead in the mail soon! I will keep you posted.

Cover: 5+
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Style of writing: 4
Overall: 5 -Amazing. It stole my heart!

Would I ever read from this author again?: YES!!

 

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Here's my pick:

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.
Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.
Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.
When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

My Thoughts: I know that many other bloggers have read and reviewed this book already, but I am really looking forward to this one. It seems like it will have an interesting plot, and I can't help but think that this sounds very similar to Delirium by Lauren Oliver that I LOVED. So I am keeping my expectations wide open!

~Release date: 4/26/11

What are you waiting for?

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading! Check it out!  To participate:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers: (from The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting, my current read.)

 " 'I'd feel better if Jay was going with you,' she said. 

     Me too, Violet thought without giving her words voice. Me too."

"And then she wondered if she would sense anything when she got there...a new echo maybe."

 -Page 187

New Design!

Yay! I am officially a "changing" blogger! I am so new at all of this, but this morning, I decided to change things up a bit.

But....Is is too much? Are your eyes darting from place to place and is it too cramped???

Please give me some feedback on this, I would really love anything that you have to say about it. I want to keep making my blog better and better!!!

Thanks to everybody who stops by now and then, and to those who follow! Keep followin'!!

My goal is to get 100+ followers by June. Do ya' think you could help??? All you have to do is go over and click that little FOLLOW button on the right.

Or, just show some comment-love and leave your thoughts!

Thanks again.

~Zoe

Friday's Finest

This is my first Friday's Finest post! Yay! This is hosted by abookfulofthoughts.blogspot.com. Check it out!!!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

"The wind whispers Alex's name and the ocean repeats it; the swaying trees make me think of dancing."

That one quote stuck with me well after I closed the book. Oliver's words are like gold.

Share you Friday's Finest picks in the comments below!

Follow Friday (1)

This is my first Follow Friday post! It is a weekly meme hosted by www.parajunkee.com. Go check it out and join the fun!!

The question: Give us 5 silly book related silly facts about you.

1. I read exactly eight chapters of a book before bed every night.

2. I am loosing space in my three bookshelves that I have to store some of my books in other people's bookshelves.

3. If I didn't read, I would be a very non-interesting person.

4. Barnes & Noble is like my second home.

5. I love the smell of new books. (I will sometimes just sit and smell the pages.) =)

Saving Zoë

Saving Zoë  By Alyson Noel

Publication Date: September 2007
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 230
Age Group: YA
Source: Barnes and Noble
 
Summary: (Barnes and Noble) Meet fifteen-year-old Echo, a typical teen trying to survive high school without being totally traumatized by boy trouble, friend drama, and school issues. As if she didn't have enough on her plate, Echo is also still dealing with the murder of her sister Zoë. Although it's been over a year, Echo is still reeling from tragedy that changed everything. Beautiful and full of life, Zoë was the glue that held her family together, and although the two sisters were as different as night and day, they still had a bond that Echo can't let go of. When Zoë's old boyfriend Marc shows up one day with Zoë's diary, Echo doesn't think there's anything in there she doesn't already know. But as she gives in to curiosity and starts reading, she learns that her sister led a secret life that no one could have guessed—not even Echo.

My Thoughts: This was one of the best and fast reads that I have read in a long time! I devoured every word that Alyson Nöel wrote. Echo was an insightful and believable character that had a strong, independent voice. My heart was pulled in different directions throughout reading this book. It was fresh and addicting, making it easy to finish in one sitting. I was thrilled to have picked this up! (It caught my eye because of the name! That's exactly how I spell mine.) I have nothing more to say than that you should really drop everything and read this book right now, if you haven't already.

Cover: 5
Plot: 5
Style of Writing: 5
Characters: 5
Overall: 5

Would I ever read from this author again?: YES!!!

Gold Star Books

What's the best book you have ever read?

These next couple of posts, I haven't put much thought into, so this could turn out to be a total waste, or it could blossom into something great. I want to have a sort of "Gold Star Book Awards" to recognize all of the books that I am in LOVE with. And all the books that you are in love with too! I want to kind of compile a list of "Must Read" books that will then get awarded.

We can maybe start by genre and do separate lists? Maybe this could be it's own separate page?

Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated! Lately, I have been feeling like my blog needs a little more added umph!

So, let me know what you think.

Oh, and I will be putting up a review soon! (Just if you were ever wondering)

What would be on your list?

Numbers: The Chaos

The Chaos by Rachel Ward

Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Schoolastic, Inc.
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 339
Source: Publisher

Summary: Adam has more than inherited his mother's curse: When he looks in someone's eyes, he not only sees the date of their death...he feels the searing, shocking pain of it. Since Jem died, Adam has lived by the sea with his great-grandmother, Val. But when rising tides flood the coast, they return to London. The city is an alien, exciting, frightening place. Most disturbing of all, Adam can't help but clock how many people's numbers are in January 2027; how many are on New Year's Day. What chaos awaits the world? Can he and Sarah stop a catastrophe? Or are they, too, counted among the "twenty-sevens"?

My Thoughts: This was a great sequel to a book that I thought was a little strange. This summed up the story line in a nice way and gave me a second opinion on the first novel; Numbers. Rachel Ward really does do a great job with the description of feelings. The writing was very good. 

The story is told from two new characters perspective; Adam and Sarah. They each have their own feelings and takes on the situations at hand. It was neat to hear from each of them about the other and vice versa. All in all, it wasn't that bad.

Cover: 4
Plot: 4.5
Style of Writing: 5
Characters: 4
Overall: 4

Would I ever read from this author again?: Yes.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is my first ever "Waiting on Wednesday" post!  If you've never heard of it you should check it out. It's a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This one I found while searching through some new releases over at Tea Mouse. check out the post here.

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer

Summary:
Brooke

I don't like Kathryn Pease. I could pretend everything's fine between us. I could be nice to her face, then trash her behind her back. But I think it's better to be honest. I don't like Kathryn, and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Kathryn

I saw a commercial where singers used their voices to shatter glass, but the whole thing is pretty much a myth. The human voice isn't that strong.
Human hatred is. Anybody who doubts that should feel the hate waves coming off of Brooke Dempsey. But I don't shatter; I'm not made of glass. Anyway, the parts that break aren't on the outside.

Brooke and Kathryn used to be best friends . . . until the night when Brooke ruthlessly turned on Kathryn in front of everyone. Suddenly Kathryn was an outcast and Brooke was Queen B. Now, as they prepare to face off one last time, each girl must come to terms with the fact that the person she hates most might just be the best friend she ever had.

My Thoughts: I can't wait! Obviously..that's why I chose this one. It seems a little catty and it might have a bit of an immature story line, but I think it will prove to be a fast read that is purely just for fun. I've never read anything by Sara Bennet Wealer, so this will be a new author for me. I hope this one turns out to be good. :)  Also.....I LOVE the cover!!! It totally caught my eye.

What are you waiting for?

Release Date: Feb. 15th; HarperTeen

Choker

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Publication Date: January 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Age Group: Young adult
Pages: 233
Source: Barnes and Noble

From the Back Cover: Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.

Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?*

My Thoughts: This was a thriller! It was spooky, mysterious, and shocking. I started it today at about 10:00 a.m. and I finished it at about 5:00 p.m. I couldn't put it down. It was short enough, but had much depth. I am super excited about this debut author; Elizabeth Woods, and I can't wait to see what else she produces in the coming future. The character of Cara was a bit annoying at times but in the end, I felt bad for her and it left me on a good note. The narration is 3rd person and I thought that it fit well with the story line. Some books you just can't forget...and this is one of them. It will surely have me lying in bed thinking about it!


Cover: 5
Plot: 4.5
Characters: 5
Style of Writing: 4
Overall: 5

Would I ever read from this author again?: Yes!!! Can't wait.


*Synopsis courtesy of goodreads.com

Numbers

Numbers by Rachel Ward


Publication Date: February 2010
Publisher: Schoolastic, Inc.
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 325
Source: Barnes and Noble

From the Back Cover: Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem's world is about to explode!

My Thoughts: This was not at all what I expected. That's not to say that i didn't enjoy it, though. From what I read from the back, I thought this story would be oriented around the mystery of the bombing of the London Eye. But it went on to be a story of two teenagers running away and surviving, while trying to hide from the authorities. It was a bit raunchy at times and had more for a more mature teen, than anything else. It was set in England and written by and English author.  Ward has that original British humor that made the book worthwhile, for me.


Cover: 4
Plot: 3.5
Characters: 4
Style of Writing: 4
Overall: 4


Would I read from this author again?: Maybe. I would need to have heard raving reviews about another book by Rachel Ward, for me to consider it.


Oh yeah, Happy Monday!

The Lying Game

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Publication Date: December 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 307
Source: Borders

From the Back Cover:
I had a life anyone would kill for.
Then someone did.
The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.
Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?
From Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars books, comes a riveting new series about secrets, lies, and killer consequences.
Let the lying game begin.

My Thoughts: I loved this book! It was so hard to put down. I couldn't stop reading until the final page was turned and then there was a cliff-hanger! I love that! I loved the way it was narrated and the description was perfect. I am a HUGE fan of the Pretty Little Liars so I thought it was only right to read this...great choice. I think that realistic fiction lovers and mystery lovers will devour this book. I can't wait for the second in the series!

Cover: 5
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Style of writing: 5
Overall: 5

Would I read from this author again?: YES!