Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Pub. Date: May 10, 2011
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Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move - four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself - whoever that is. Perhaps her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out. Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.
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Sarah Dessen is definitely one of my top 5 favorite authors. Every one of her books is amazing. I have no doubt that this one will be just as awesome and I can't wait to read it!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

In My Mailbox (21)

I haven't done an IMM post in a really long time but this post is only going to include books I've acquired in the last week or two. So let's get started!


Zombies vs. Unicorns by various authors, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (bought) I am definitely on Team Unicorn!

The Fortune of Carmen Navarro by Jen Bryant (won from Books Obsession)

Have you read these? Which one should I pick up first! I'd love to hear your thoughts and what books you got this week!

Credit for creating the In My Mailbox feature goes to The Story Siren. You can find out more about it here.
Images from bn.com

Friday, January 21, 2011

Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter


When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.
Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.
In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth.as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past.
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This series has come to be one of my favorites. Spy books aren't all that common in YA so consider turning to this one if you're looking for something different and unique. Only the Good Spy Young is the fourth installment in the series, as well as the darkest one.

This one by far contains the most action, danger, and near-death situations. The main character, Cammie, and her friends never know who they can trust and they frequently come up with more questions than answers. The evil organization the Circle of Cavan is still after Cammie and she doesn't know why. The first few books in the series are certainly more lighthearted than this latest addition. The older, wiser, and more experienced Cammie gets, the more trouble she gets into. Her definition of trouble, however, isn't really on par with that of a typical teenage girls. For Cammie, trouble equals life or death situations. Failure may well mean people die. I think, for me, this is a lot of the appeal. What she goes through is on such a huge scale that it's thrilling to read.

I want to be semi-fangirly for a second and talk about Zach, Cammie's love interest. He's cute, mysterious, and she doesn't have to hide her spy status from him because he's one too. How much more could you ask for? I really hope we get some more information about him in the next book, though. I mean, there is such a thing as too much mystery. We know next to nothing about him, which when he was first introduced worked but now I can't take much more of this being in the dark. Overall, if that's the only problem I had with the novel, I'd say that it's still excellent and worth being added to your to-be-read pile.

4/5

Image and synopsis from bn.com

Monday, January 17, 2011

Wanted by Sara Shepard

Synopsis from bn.com:
In Rosewood, majestic estates sprawl for acres, and Tiffany toggle bracelets dangle from every girl's wrist. But not all that glitters is gold, and the town harbors secrets darker than anyone could imagine-like the truth about what really happened the night Alison DiLaurentis went missing. . . .
Back in middle school, Ali plucked Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer from obscurity and turned them into the beautiful, popular girls everyone wanted to be. Ali was the best friend they ever had. But she also made them do terrible things and taunted them with their worst secrets. Now, three years later, all their questions about Ali have finally been answered and they can put this awful chapter of their lives behind them. Or so they think.
Not every story has a happy ending, especially when four pretty little liars have done so many wicked things. In the dramatic conclusion of Sara Shepard's bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer could get everything they've ever wanted-unless A has one more horrifying twist in store.
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In case you didn't know, Wanted is the 8th book in the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard. (If you didn't know about this series, you may want to reevaluate some of your life choices and get out of the house and into a bookstore more often.) Anyway, I want to warn you that once you start reading this series, it is just impossible to stop. It's seriously addicting.

On to the Wanted specific stuff! On the acknowledgment page Sara wrote that this is the last book in the PLL series. However, she apparently changed her mind and a 9th installment called Twisted is coming our way in July. See the amazon listing here.

For those of you who have been faithful followers of this series from the beginning, you should know that Wanted is just as amazing and full of unexpected twists as every other book in the series. If Sara Shepard had decided to end the series with this one, I would've been satisfied. The mystery about what happened to Ali is finally solved in a way that I surely could have never guessed. Room is left, however, for another novel.

For those of you who might be new to the series, I highly recommend you run (don't walk!) to the nearest bookstore and purchase this (beginning with the first novel, of course.) I promise you won't regret it. This series is truly unlike anything else I have ever read. It's extremely mysterious, with dashes of family and romance issues thrown in for good measure. But don't take my word for it - read for yourself and see!

I loved the 5 main characters. I could picture each girl so vividly that it was like I was really there. Type in "Aria/Spencer/Hanna/Emily Pretty little liars inspired look" into youtube and see what comes up. Clearly I'm not the only one who thinks this. Each girls individual style and look comes across in the books without taking ages to describe what each one is wearing etc.

Love, love, love this series! 5 stars.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson


Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City. Her nineteen-year-old brother, Spencer, is an out of work actor facing a family deadline to get his career in order. Eighteen-year-old Lola has the delicate looks of a model, the practical nature of a nurse, and a wealthy society boyfriend. Eleven-year-old Marlene is the family terror with a tragic past.


When the Martins turn fifteen, they are each expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett’s fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest named Mrs. Amberson. Scarlett doesn’t quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.


With Mrs. Amberson calling the shots, Spencer’s career to save, Lola’s love life to navigate around, and Marlene’s prying eyes everywhere, things won’t be easy. Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deception.


The show, as they say, must always go on . . . .
Synopsis from bn.com

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I've been in somewhat of a reading rut lately. I've had to do so much reading for school that after all that was done I just wasn't in the mood to read anything else. But thankfully, Suite Scarlett helped pull me out of that rut.

Suite Scarlett was so much fun to read. Scarlett, her crazy family, and their unpredictable lives were just what I needed to get me back into the swing of things again and help me remember why I love YA lit. Scarlett was a great main character; she was resourceful, funny, and got things done while being unsure of herself and confused at the same time. Basically, any girl can relate to her - whether it be to her not-boyfriend, complicated family, or summer job.

Maureen Johnson's writing is fantastic; she was hilarious, sarcastic, and witty. Suite Scarlett was an all-around good read and I am so looking forward to reading more from this author.

A-

Disclosure: I bought Suite Scarlett myself. Cover picture and synopsis from bn.com

Update

As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting reviews lately. That's because I haven't been reading anything other than textbooks (seriously, if you value your free time, don't go to college.) This post is just an update letting you all know what I've been doing.
I definitely didn't finish my 100+ reading challenge, or any of the other challenges I said I was going to do for that matter. I only got to  56, which is less than half of my total last year.
If you're interested, here's the list:




100+ Reading Challenge 2010

1.   The Hollow by Jessica Verday
2.   The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
3.   Hunted by P.C Cast + Kristin Cast
4.   Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
5.   Angel of Death by Alane Ferguson
6.   The Circle of Blood by Alane Ferguson
7.   Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
8.   Max: A Maximum Ride novel by James Patterson
9.   Fang: A Maximum Ride novel by James Patterson
10.                     Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
11.                     The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
12.                     Liar by Justine Larbalestier
13.                     Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
14.                     City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
15.                     The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones
16.                     I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
17.                     Blue Moon by Alyson Noel
18.                     Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
19.                     Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez
20.                     Heist Society by Ally Carter
21.                     City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
22.                     Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell
23.                     City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
24.                     Ambition by Kate Brian
25.                     The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
26.                     Shadowland by Alyson Noel
27.                     North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
28.                     Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
29.                     Don’t Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter
30.                     Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
31.                     The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
32.                     Tempted by P.C & Kristin Cast
33.                     Ruined by Paula Morris
34.                     Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson
35.                     Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
36.                     Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
37.                     Cum Laude by Cecily Von Ziegesar
38.                     The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
39.                     The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
40.                     Perfect by Sara Shepard
41.                     Unbelievable by Sara Shepard
42.                     Wicked by Sara Shepard
43.                     Runaway by Meg Cabot
44.                     Monster High by Lisi Harrison
45.                     Wish by Alexandra Bullen
46.                     The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
47.                     Classic by Cecily Von Ziegesar
48.                     The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
49.                     The Clearing by Heather Davis
50.                     Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
51.                     The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
52.                     Heartless by Sara Shepard
53.                     Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
54.                     Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert
55.                     Witch & Wizard: The Gift by James Patterson
56.                     Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen


Support Your Local Library Challenge
1.      Hunted by P.C Cast + Kristin Cast
2.      Angel of Death by Alane Ferguson
3.      The Circle of Blood by Alane Ferguson
4.      Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
5.      The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
6.      Liar by Justine Larbalestier
7.      The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones
8.      I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
9.      Blue Moon by Alyson Noel
10.                     Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
11.                     Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez
12.                     Heist Society by Ally Carter
13.                     City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
14.                     Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell
15.                     City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
16.                     Ambition by Kate Brian
17.                     The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
18.                     Shadowland by Alyson Noel
19.                     North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
20.                     Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
21.                     Don’t Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter
22.                     Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
23.                     The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
24.                     Tempted by P.C & Kristin Cast
25.                     Ruined by Paula Morris
26.                     Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson
27.                     Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
28.                     Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
29.                     Cum Laude by Cecily Von Ziegesar
30.                     The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
31.                     The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
32.                     Runaway by Meg Cabot
33.                     Wish by Alexandra Bullen
34.                     The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
35.                     Classic by Cecily Von Ziegesar
36.                     The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
37.                     The Clearing by Heather Davis
38.                     Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
39.                     The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
40.                     Heartless by Sara Shepard
41.                     Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles


2010 Debut Author Challenge
1. The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones
2. I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
3.   Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
4.   Ruined by Paula Morris
5.   Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
6.   Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
7.   The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
8.   The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
9.   Wish by Alexandra Bullen
10. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
11. Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern


 Someone please tell me you didn't finish your challenge either?!