Award time!

I was feeling giving, so I created these (though not very creative) awards :] At least they're cute though right?

This is an award for blogs whose template & overall look I just adore :]

And with that said, I'm giving this to:

• Park Avenue Princess - I've never been jealous of a blog until now! Her...well, her EVERYTHING on her blog is just too cute. I love all the pink & girly-ness of it all
  

• Imperial Beach Teen Blog - I always love to find a blog that's easy to scroll through & not too cluttered, and this is one of them. Plus I found a few books to be released that I hadn't heard of.
  

• Tales Of Whimsy - JuJu has a simple-but still undeniably cute-template.

• Princess Bookie - I'm a sucker for pink (if you didn't know by now!) and I'm feelin' the big cupcakes--Cindy's sweet template gives me a sweet tooth.
  

• Must And Lust For Books - Love the pink ribbons along the sides
  

 This award is going to my all-time favorite blogs!

• Tales Of Whimsy - She always leaves sweet comments, and her reviews are the best of the best.

• Kilee's Closet - Kilee's blog has always been one of my faves :D
  

• Book Nerds - I love this blog, and their look for October is my favorite holiday-based layout I've seen so far!

• Park Avenue Princess - She's always running great giveaways.

Hope you all like them!! Pass 'em on :D

Reading Challenges?! Tell me which ones you're doing!

So I'm already participating in the Countdown 2010 challenge, but which ones are yall taking part in? I'm really wanting to find some more to join, particularly ones that just started recently, so I won't be ridiculously behind. Leave a link!

What Are You Reading On Mondays?

Surprisingly, I've never done one of these.

By the way, my apologies for going M.I.A (before my last couple reviews)--lots going on with the baby, plus I was in a hair/fashion show that pretty much took up 2 whole weeks of my life, with practices and all.

I'm kind of glad I took a little break though, because I've been able to get a good bit of reading done. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my blog, I cut time from reading to get on the computer. Expect lots of reviews coming up!!

Last two weeks, I read:

Confessions-Kate Brian [goodreads] [review]

Beastly-Alex Flinn [goodreads] [review]

Remembering Raquel-Vivan Vande Velde [goodreads] -review to come!

The Chosen One-Carol Lynch Williams [goodreads] -review to come!

Snitch-Allison Van Diepen [goodreads] -review to come!

Currently reading:

Soulstice (Devouring book 2) -Simon Holt [goodreads]

Plan to read this week:

Confessions Of A Serial Kisser- Wendelin Van Draanen [goodreads]

Killing Britney- Sean Olin [goodreads]

Inner Circle-Kate Brian [goodreads]

LoveSick- Jake Coburn [goodreads]

-Review: Beastly by Alex Flinn

I am a beast

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly. [summary from the book]

I loved this book! Alex Flinn cleverly retells the story of Beauty and the Beast in a modern time, set in New York City. It follows the classic tale closely but with new-fashioned twists.

The beast, who is telling the story, is a high school freshman named Kyle Kingsbury. He is the son of a newscaster, very rich, and the most popular kid in school. After a witch, Kendra, witnesses his extremely superficial and judgmental attitude, she casts a spell on him to make him a beast on the outside the way he is on the inside. He then has two short years to break the spell by finding a girl to look past his outward appearance and fall in love with him.

I was appalled at the way Kyle was treating people at the beginning of the book. The part of the book which takes place in his high school had me picturing my high school days and thinking of the people I knew who were like him. I was happy to see him get a taste of his own medicine.

Possibly my favorite character in the book was Will, the blind tutor who Kyle's dad hires at Kyle's request. He was so kind-hearted and helpful to Will. I also like Magda, the maid who lived with Kyle both before and after his transformation.

Of course we all know how the story ends, so that was no surprise--however there were a few twists added to the ending to keep it from being too typical and too expected.  I really do recommend this book, especially for anyone who enjoys re-told fairy tales.

-Review: The "Private" Collection by Kate Brian

The Private Collection consists of the first four books in the series, although there are now 10 total.

My summary:

Reed Brennan is so excited to be accepted into the prestigious Easton Academy, but she soon learns is more to the school than just great academics and a beautiful campus. The girls of the Billings House always go on to become great things, but looks can be deceiving and she soon realizes that some privileges aren't worth the secrets that come along with them.

The covers for these books aren't the worst, but I will say they give off the wrong impression of the series. If I were to judge by the covers I would say that these books are like the Gossip Girl series (and the many other similar series) but there is much more to the Private novels than just little rich girls spending daddy's money--they're filled with mystery and twists and turns that will keep you hooked.

I really enjoyed Reed's character, even though I cannot relate to her in the least. I would never do some of the things she did just to be accepted. I feel for her, for some of the things that happen to her, and found myself wishing she could just catch a break. When she's first introduced, she's very much a follower, and as the series progressed and I saw her start to stand up for herself, I was proud of her. By the end of the fourth book I felt like I knew her in real life.

I've loved Kate Brian ever since I read Privilege. When I read it I had no idea it was a spin-off series of Private. I read somewhere (a blog, maybe?) That 'you should read the first four Private novels before reading Privilege' to better understand the plot. I found this to be true, however I was still able to understand and thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) enjoy the first two Privilege books--it's become one of my favorite series.

I loved these four books almost as much as I did the first two Privilege books. It was spoiled a bit since I accidentally read Privilege before Private, but I did enjoy them anyhow.

-Friday Finds (#2)

...is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

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Monday:

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What Happened To Cass McBride?-Gail Giles

Found @ amazon.com

 

Kyle Kirby has planned a cruel and unusual revenge on Cass McBride, the most popular girl in school, for the death of his brother David. He digs a hole. Drugs Cass. Kidnaps her. Puts her in a box-underground. He buries her alive. But Kyle makes a fatal error: Cass knows the power of words. She uses fear as her weapon to keep her nemesis talking - and to keep herself breathing during the most harrowing 48 hours of her life. -barnesandnoble.com

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Tuesday:

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Heaven Looks A Lot Like The Mall-Wendy Mass

Found at Tales Of Whimsy

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When 16-year-old Tessa suffers a shocking accident in gym class, she finds herself in heaven (or what she thinks is heaven), which happens to bear a striking resemblance to her hometown mall. In the tradition of It's a Wonderful Life and The Christmas Carol, Tessa starts reliving her life up until that moment. She sees some things she'd rather forget, learns some things about herself she'd rather not know, and ultimately must find the answer to one burning question--if only she knew what the question was.

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Written in sharp, witty verse, Wendy Mass crafts an extraordinary tale of a spunky heroine who hasn't always made the right choices, but needs to discover what makes life worth living.-amazon.com

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Wednesday:

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Bleed-Laurie Faria Stolarz

Found @ amazon.com 

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Over the course of a single summer day, ten teenagers in Salem, Massachusetts, will discover important truths about themselves and each other.

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There is Nicole, whose decision to betray her best friend will shock everyone, most of all herself; Kelly, who meets the convicted felon she has been writing to for years; Maria, whose definition of a true friend is someone who will cut her. Then there is Sadie, a chubby eleven-year-old whose mother forces her to wear a "please don't feed me" sign stapled to her shirt; while Joy, a fifteen-year-old waitress hoping for true intimacy narrowly escapes a very dark fate. Derik discovers that his usual good looks and charm won't help him hold onto the girl he wants, while nineteen-year-old drifter, Mearl, is desperately looking for a place to call home. Sean is torn between his loyalty to his girlfriend and the possibility of finding something more with her friend, while Ginger's single-minded pursuit to bring down her nemesis only proves that they may be more alike than she thought.

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Seamlessly woven together, this incredibly powerful and compelling collection of stories chronicles the very real trials of today's teen experience.-amazon.com

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Thursday:

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Fairest Of All: Tale Of The Wicked Queen-Serena Valentino

Found @ JuJu's Shelfari

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For anyone who's seen Walt Disney's Snow White, you'll know that the Wicked Queen is one evil woman! After all, it's not everyone who wants to cut out their teenage step-daughter's heart and have it delivered back in a locked keepsake box. (And even if this sort of thing is a common urge, we don't know many people who have acted upon it.)

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Now, for the first time, we'll examine the life of the Wicked Queen and find out just what it is that makes her so nasty. Here's a hint: the creepy-looking man in the magic mirror is not just some random spooky visage-and he just might have something to do with the Queen's wicked ways! 

-Waiting On Wednesday (#3): Perfect Mistake, Bleeding Violet, & The Mark

Waiting On Wednesday originated from Jill (Breaking The Spine.)

This week I'm waiting on...

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Perfect Mistake (Privilege novel #3) by Kate Brian

Release date: October 27, 2009

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Kate Brian's Beautiful Disaster brings Ariana Osgood back into the life she is accustomed to, the only questions is, what will she do to hold onto it? -barnesandnoble.com

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Unfortunately that was the only kind of summary I was able to find on the internet. I started the Privilege series without realizing it was connected to the Private series, so now I'm trying to read Private and catch up. I loved Privilege and Beautiful Disaster & I'm enjoying Private so far...I absolutely cannot wait for this book. I couldn't put the first two down.

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Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Release date: January 5, 2010

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Love can be a dangerous thing...

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Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

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But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe. -amazon.com

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The Mark by Jen Nadol

Release date: January 19, 2010

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Sixteen-year old Cassie Renfield has seen the mark since forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.

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The one time she pointed it out taught her she shouldn't do it again, so Cassie has kept quiet, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person's imminent death. Now how or where, only when: today.

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Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, always careful to keep her secret. How does the mark work? Why her? Most importantly, if you know today is someone's last, should you tell? -goodreads.com

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This one looks really good.
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So what are yall waiting on today?

 

 

-Countdown 2010 Challenge!

So this is the first challenge I've ever participated in! I found out about it through Falling Of The Shelf & I'm super excited ;] I'll keep updating the list as needed.

Here are the rules :

1. The goal of this challenge is to read the number of books first published in a given year that corresponds to the last digit of each year in the 2000's----10 books from 2010, 9 books from 2009, 8 books from 2008, etc. The total number of books required, therefore, is 55.

2. This challenge lasts from 09/09/2009 through 10/10/2010.

3. Crossovers from other challenges are allowed, and your lists may change at any time.

4. Sign up Here, using the Mr. Linky form. Link to your Challenge post.

5. Have fun reading!

2010

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

2009

1. Soulstice-Simon Holt
2. The Chosen One-Carol Lynch Williams
3. Perfect Mistake (Privilege book 3)-Kate Brian
4. The Pencil Test-James Guilford
5. The Real Real-Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
6.
7.
8.
9.

2008

1. The Summoning-Kelley Armstrong
2. The Devouring-Simon Holt
3. Beastly-Alex Flinn
4. Confessions of a Serial Kisser-Wendelin Van Draanen
5.
6.
7.
8.

2007

1. Confessions-Kate Brian
2. Remembering Raquel-Vivian Vande Velde
3. Snitch-Allison Van Diepen
4. Thirteen Reasons Why-Jay Asher
5.
6.
7.

2006

1. Private-Kate Brian
2. Invitation Only-Kate Brian
3. Untoachable-Kate Brian
4.
5.
6.

2005

1. Killing Britney-Sean Olin
2. Uglies-Scott Westerfeld
3.
4.
5.

2004

1.
2.
3.
4.

2003

1.
2.
3.

2002

1.
2.

2001

1.

-Summer Boys contest: WINNER CHOSEN!

So my first contest is over, with a total of 20 participants and 83 entries.

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Using the random.org generator, the winner is.............

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Michelle!
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Congrats girl! I've sent you an email and will need a reply within 72 hours (9/18) so I can send you your prize ASAP!
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 Thank you SO much to everyone who entered and made my first contest possible. Be looking out for another contest within the next week or so!

-Review: The Devouring by Simon Holt

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The Devouring by Simon Holt

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When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.

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Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?

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Bone-chilling, terrifying, thrilling...what are you waiting for?

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So I was really intrigued when I first read about this book. I'd started seeing reviews around and I'd heard it was really creepy. I read blogs by some that said it actually scared them and I decided I would have to read it.

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My first impression once I started reading was that I immediately related to and felt connected with Reggie, our main character in the book. When the scene in her high school took place, the author describes her status in school as not on the a-list, but not complete loser either. She was in the comfortable middle of the popularity food chain, and just blended in, which was totally me in high school. I truly felt for her family for the situation they were going through with their mother abandoning them. As I got farther along in the book she grew on me even more. She has got to be one of the bravest characters I've ever come across. I also especially loved Eben, Reggie's elderly boss at her job.

 Reggie and the rest of the characters in the book (Henry, their father, Aaron, and Eben) weren't entirely developed but it worked with this book--the Vours were described best of all and that's what mattered most.

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As for the book being creepy, I'll definitely second that opinion. Simon Holt's ability to describe the spooky scenes had me actually picturing them vividly in my head, like watching a movie. I, too, was scared at points.

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This is the first book I've read by Simon Holt and I really enjoyed his writing. I've heard him compared to both Stephen King and R.L. Stine and I now see why, but at the same time he also has his own writing style. Overall it felt really good to read such a good book after being so disappointed with the last book I read. I will definitely be reading the sequel!


Some quotes I enoyed:


"Reggie considered it unethical, immoral, and illegal. Aaron agreed and looked at it as valuable preparation for the real world." pg. 15


"Fear, like death's icy grip, froze her in place. One of the demons smiled and brushed her bloody cheek with a long, grotesque finger."  pg. 59
 

Another cover for The Devouring: