Cryer's Cross Contest

I don't know about you, but I am dying to read Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann! But luckily, you have a chance to read it now! Enter the contest over at Shut Up! I'm Reading. Follow this link:http://shutupimreading.blogspot.com/2010/12/cryers-cross-review-and-giveaway.html!

Book Review: Wondrous Strange

From Barnes and Noble:

For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.

Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.

This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.

Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery—and her growing feelings for Sonny—in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.

Wondrous Strange is a richly layered tale of love between faerie and mortal, betrayal between kings and queens, and magic . . . between author and reader.

Wondrous Strange was a very well written novel with characters that are so well developed you feel like you have known them forever. There is Kelly, who is a mature young women who is already out of the house and living in New York City. Her passion is acting and graduated high school early to follow her dream. Then there is Sonny, who grew up in the faerie world and knows not much about the world he is truly from. He longs to meet the mother he never knew and feels strongly protective of this girl that fascinates him so much. Kelly and Sonny have great chemistry that flows and doesn't feel contrived, it feels real. There are many Shakespeare references that make the story more well rounded but those who don't have a grasp on Shakespeare or read any of his plays, might feel confused. The plot line was pretty good, though often I felt confused on certain things that were not well explained and were not resolved in the end, such as the character of Puck who I never really got a grasp of. The world of faeries created was very detailed and real but the fearful and dark atmosphere that the author was going for didn't really play out. However it could of just been me I think because I read Melissa Marrs Wicked Lovely which creates such a unique and scary faerie world that no other book can compare. However, this book was a fun read and kept me interested until the very end. I haven't decided if I will read the sequel Darklight but i probably will just to see the continuation of Kelly and Sonny's story. Read on my fellow bookworms!

Book Review: The Reader

After receiving help from a woman while he had fallen ill, Michael Berg's life changes forever. Hanna is like no woman he has met before, and she shows him a totally different side of life. They spend one summer together, taking bike rides through the German country side and every night Hanna asks Michael to read to her, and soon he is falling completely in love with her. But then one day, she disappears and doesn't see her for years, but instead goes on with his life and becomes a lawyer. While in school, he joins a seminar where they get to go to real trials and figure out the case for themselves. The trial they observe is the convicting of guards of the concentration camps shortly after World War II ended, and there, to his surprise is Hanna. Michael questions everything he knew about her and the secrets she has always kept inside.

I found this book to be completely mesmerizing. The characters grabbed your attention and you quickly started caring about them and tried along with Michael to see past Hanna's pretenses. The story can be quite sad, especially during the trial after hearing the horrible things the Jews went through at these concentration camps, things Hanna took part in. More than great storytelling, is a character study which discusses ethics, shame, and who should be blamed for the horrors that was the Holocaust. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves a historic novel and want a novel that goes deeper into human nature, and most importantly, the power of love. Grade: A

Seeing with "Brand New Eyes"

Even to this day, I can still remember hearing Paramore for the first time. A friend of mine burned me a cd when I was a freshman in high school, back before the band was well known, and I fell in love! They had a sound that was unique, and lyrics that were real and that everyone could relate to in some way or other. When Riot was released, Paramore was known all around the world and instantly won the hearts of people both nationally, and internationally. It was a nice change to hear real music after years of boy bands and pop princesses. That album was real and raw, and I listened to it every day, even jamming to it on the way to my first day of college. Boy, did I need it. Then Decode came out for the Twilight soundtrack, and even that was a major hit. I didn't just love it because it was dedicated to the best couple ever (I'm sorry but it is true!) but it had a sound that was original and lyrics that went beyond vampirism. To my disappointment, after that last hit, Paramore kind of disappeared and not one single hit came out for about six months! I was trudging along through the winter and spring until one day I saw Ignorance was released as a single on iTunes and I jumped for joy. Okay maybe not jumped but I did squeal! The song, though it was a distinct Paramore sound, it was new for the band. It was a nice change from all the club hits that had been rotating on the radio for weeks on end. Don't get me wrong, I like Flo Rida as much as anybody else, but I can only hear "Low" so many times before I want to rip my hair out. Finally, on September 29, 2009 "Brand New Eyes" was released and it was amazing! The sound is awesome, and the lyrics are deep and real, and their music has a way of making you feel the emotion the song is trying to evoke. There is not one song I don't like and that is extremely rare. My favorites are: Careful, Turn It Off, Looking Up, and Only Exception. These are the songs that actually belong on the top ten charts on iTunes but what can you do? I seriously recommend this album if you want a change from the norm! Please comment and tell me what you think (good or bad) of the new album!

Go here to listen to Careful and other songs from the album in full:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_je0MuBIo-I

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren.

So I didn't receive any books via mail, but I did buy a lot of Barnes and Noble (which seriously is like my second home. Actually I'm thinking of moving in and making it my first home. Maybe I can sneak a sleeping bag into the storage room or something!)

1. The Hollow by Jessica Verday

From Amazon:

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her

own sanity.

This looks so good and I keep picking it up and reading random pages. This definitely needs to go on the top of the TO BE READ pile!

2. Meridian by Amber Kizer

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow intoher bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain. Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

This book looks so original and interesting! Can't wait to read it!

3. Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

This book looks like a perfect read for a cold fall night!

4. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Johnson certainly seems to have the formula for good, clean, readable chick-lit down pat, and this title does not disappoint. According to tradition, when the Martin children turn 15, they inherit a suite in the family's small Manhattan hotel and

a job: to take care of the rooms and their occupant. On Scarlett's 15th birthday, Amy Amberson sweeps into the suite that Scarlett has just inherited. The woman is demanding and brash, but she does have her charms (and large amounts of cash). In the beginning, Scarlett is overwhelmed, but then her role becomes that of Mrs. Amberson's assistant for her projects, which change on a whim. When Amy decides to help the theater troupe that Scarlett's brother is involved in put on Hamlet, the teen begins a romance with one of the actors. Then everything starts to go awry, and when things get tough, Amy abandons ship, and plucky Scarlett is left to step in and save what needs saving, something that she does with flair. Scarlett's brand of humor is particularly dry and well articulated. This novel blends sibling rivalry and the importance of family, friendship, and romance into a plot that is charming and well delivered.

I got this for $1 and I think that is a deal for a book that looks so cute and funny!

Those were just some of the books I now have to read, adding the huge TO BE READ pile and might just explain my depleted bank account!

Romance, Pop Culture, and Music For the Soul

Well hello there! So sorry for not posting lately but school started back up and I haven't had time. But there are a few things going on in the world right now that I super excited about!

Number One: The Vampire Diaries comes on tonight at 8 0' clock on the CW! I know it might try to be Twilight but what I love about this show is that it is a based on a book that came out in the 90's, way before Twilight was even dreamed of! Now confession: I've never read the books, but I have read other L.J. Smith books and I adore them! And plus the guys who are playing Stefan and Damon: can we say HOT? I think this show has a great premise and hopefully will turn out to be a great show! Only time will tell!

2. So I'm a fan of a few reality television shows but most of the time I think they are stupid. That's just me. But I think that some reality television does serve a greater purpose by letting people get a chance to have their dream come true. Shows like America's Next Top Model, America's Got Talent, and American Idol. Now, I love American Idol. It is one of the most entertaining shows on television and probably the most watched reality show ever. However, in the last few years the show's entertainment value has gone down a few notches. Mostly because I think people got tired of the routine that American Idol has settled into over the years. I also think that is why people were shocked when Paula Abdul left the show for whatever reasons, and people started to freak out, thinking American Idol might never be the same. Watching Paula Abdul stoned was one of the best things about the show. I kid, but I was absolutely disappointed and wondered how the show was going to make up for the loss. There was the exciting news that there would be amazing guests judges such as Victoria Beckham, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, and many more. But nothing has been more exciting for me than to find out that Ellen Degeneres would in fact be taking over for Paula Abdul. I love Ellen Degeneres and I don't think they could have picked someone better to take her place! Here is the video of Ellen announcing that she will be the new judge on AI! I'm SO HAPPY!

3. So I just bought a lot of books including Wish by Jackson Pierce, The Hollow by Jessica Verday, and Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot. See, I've been on this journey to find the most romantic books on the planet and to read every one of them. But it is so hard to find an good romance that isn't ridden with sex or vulger language. I absolutely hate reading books where the romance is just fake and forced. I loved Twilight but I know not every story can have that kind of romance but i know there are good books out there that do. I loved the Hunger Games, Wake/Fade, City of Bones/Ashes/Glass and all of those meet my expectations. That is why I need you guys to help me find a great book with great characters and romance. I would appreciate greatly any ideas you might have! Thanks so much guys!

4. Another thing you might not know about me is that I am obsessed with music! My itunes bills are throught the roof and I think i might have an actual addiction! Just when I think I have bought every good song imaginable I find more! I just wanted to share with you what songs I have been listening to and please share your list of your favorite songs!

1.Mannequin Loveseat-Single File

2. Lost With You-The Heyday

3.Your Song- Kate Walsh

4.Samson-Regina Spektor

5. The (Shipped) Gold Standard-Fall Out Boy

6. White Winter Hymnal-Fleet Foxes

7.Numb-Sia

8.Soon We'll Be Found-Sia (amazing!)

9. Make Me Whole-Amel Larrieux

10.Stay-12 Stones

So that's what taken over my thoughts this week! What else is going on that I might not know about?

Mixtape of the Week-70's style

So for some reason, I have been obsessed with music from the 70's this past week. Weird, maybe. But they are the only songs that make you feel so much better like instantly. Here are some of my favorite songs!

1. New Perspective-Panic at the Disco(not 70's but so good!)

2.I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love-Rita Coolidge

3. Who Loves You-Franki Valli and the Four Seasons

4. Make it WIth You-Bread

5. Born to Run-Bruce Springsteen

6. Sooner or Later-The Grass Roots

7.Oh Girl-The Chi-Lites

8. Where is the Love-Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway

9. Too Late to Turn Back Now-Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose

10. Everybody Plays the Fool-The Main Ingredient (my favorite!)

11. Carry on My Wayward Son-Kansas

12. Mandy-Barry Manilow

13. Alone-Bee Gees

14. How Deep is Your Love-Bee Gees

15. Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves-Cher

16. Everything I'm Not-The Veronicas(again not 70's but awesome!