Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

This book made me laugh, smile, and cry. On a day where nothing extraordinary was going on, I was just laying in bed reading all day this book made me feel so emotional it brought me to tears. My favorite lines were:

Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it.
But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know.

This just really made me think. What if today was my last day? It seems like I've wasted so much time doing nothing. I've spent countless hours on the internet, napping, and other things that are so unimportant in the grand scheme of things its laughable. Reading Sam's story kind of opened my eyes to that.

Sam was such a real character and that's part of why I felt her emotions as my own. Lauren Oliver has penned a breathtakingly beautiful story and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. I can't imagine anyone not loving this book. I highly highly highly recommend it. I'm excited to pick up more of Lauren's books in the future.

Waiting On Wednesday (21)

Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer

Publisher: Delacorte
Pub. Date: July 12, 2011

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Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause chaos.
Having recently lost her beloved Auntie—the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra—Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. Their search leads them to Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, works tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand . . . and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighing her down. . . .
Will Meri and Tens find Juliet in time to save her from a life of misery and illness? And will Meri and Tens' own romance weather the storms of new discoveries?
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 I have been waiting for the sequel to Meridian for what seems like forever and now it's finally just a month away. I read Meridian back when it first came out in 2009 and loved it. I'm sure that Amber Kizer's newest book will live up to the awesomeness of her first. I can't wait to read it and see!


Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

3 reasons why you should read this book:

1. It's readable. Meaning, it isn't written in old English to the extent that you can't figure out what the heck is going on. For being published in 1847 or heck just in general, it's quite clear and concise.

2. It has a strong female main character. Even though Mr. Rochester is at least 20 years older than she is, she calls the shots. She definitely holds her own even though she is younger and significantly poorer than he is. You gotta love a kick ass female MC!

3. It's not boring. I originally bought Jane Eyre because I felt like I wasn't very well-read because I hadn't read very many "classics." At the time I thought I was going to have to force myself to get through it but it turned out to be pretty awesome. There are some pretty unexpected twists going on that made it a joy to read.

I recommend getting yourself a copy that has decent size print and getting busy reading! If you have any questions about the book I'd be happy to answer them!

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

After reading nothing but textbooks for months, I could not have picked a better book than Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick to get me back in the swing of YA lit. I'm a sucker for anything with romance and Hush, Hush had just the right about of that plus mystery and paranormal elements.

I thought Nora was an interesting character. Her brain worked in such a logical way and I could relate to that. She knows there is chemistry between her and Patch and she did a really good job of ignoring it at first. I didn't find it too, too predictable. Some parts I had pegged from the start but others I definitely didn't see coming. I think it was well-balanced in that respect.

Of course, I can't not mention Patch. Can I just say that he was H-O-T!! I can't wait to learn more about his past and just him in general in the next book in the series.

I adored Becca Fitzpatrick's writing style. Something about it made the book so readable. I didn't want to put it down and when I had to I found myself thinking about what was going to happen next. I think that shows how much I was into this book. If it wasn't that great I wouldn't have thought about it when I wasn't reading it. Kind of like if you think about someone when they're not around that means something.

So basically I think you should go out and get this book. Read it. I promise you won't regret it!

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.

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

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