tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67865925848780143742024-03-16T00:08:01.573-07:00the cover. . . and everything in betweenLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-48858764347379682482014-07-18T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-18T09:00:02.232-07:00Future Favorites (2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Future Favorites is a weekly feature hosted by Alex of <a href="http://electrifyingreviews.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Electrifying Reviews</a>. Its purpose is to highlight books that look great, and will hopefully be favorites of mine when I get the chance to read them.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9U7edb65xA/U8hUC7HR2WI/AAAAAAAAAiA/sSKT4XNjzZU/s1600/Since+You've+Been+Gone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9U7edb65xA/U8hUC7HR2WI/AAAAAAAAAiA/sSKT4XNjzZU/s1600/Since+You've+Been+Gone.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Go Skinny Dipping? Um...</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Publisher: </b>Simon & Schuster</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>May 6, 2014</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>I am so so so excited to read this! It's totally the type of book I'd enjoy. It looks cute, with a little bit of mystery and adventure. I can't wait to get my hands on this!</b></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-37504187523340371112014-07-17T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-17T09:00:06.130-07:00Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOZRFpJOWho/U8QwuI0kbcI/AAAAAAAAAhw/ieGKktK-jsk/s1600/Monument+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOZRFpJOWho/U8QwuI0kbcI/AAAAAAAAAhw/ieGKktK-jsk/s1600/Monument+14.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Pages: </b>352</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Publisher: </b>Square Fish</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>June 5, 2012</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Stars: </b>3/5</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When I first read the synopsis for this novel, it reminded me of the Gone series by Michael Grant (one of my all time favorites!!). While reading it, though, I discovered that it was much more different than I thought!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sure, there were young children trapped in a place together during some disasters having to take control, create order, and ration supplies - but it was definitely more of a "surface" novel. It kind of touched on some harder subjects, but it seemed to be written for possibly more of a younger audience and didn't go into much detail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For example, there were some deaths in the beginning of the book, and I don't think they cared nearly as much as people in their situation actually would. In addition, they didn't really talk about their families much or seem to care about them until about halfway through. I know that if it was me in that situation, I would have immediately been wondering where my family was!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I didn't get as immersed in this novel as I expected to, and I felt like the middle kind of dragged on a little, and was mostly just dialogue. Don't get me wrong, this was still an enjoyable read! It just wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I liked that the characters were pretty easy to follow along with. Though there were a lot of them, they each had unique personalities and played their own role in the storyline, and I could tell them all apart. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I think some of the choices the protagonist made were a little infurating. For example: HIGHLIGHT FOR SPOILER >> <span style="color: white;">(When he chose to stay with Astrid, the girl he liked, over going to find safety?? She hadn't given him the time of day before, and then she wanted him to stay with her and he oh-so-happily obliged. NO.) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Regardless, <u>Monument 14</u> was an entertaining read with a lot of suspense and action in the beginning and the end of the novel. Though I probably won't find myself picking up the sequel, I think it was a nice read!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-54691119220213775732014-07-16T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-16T09:00:01.095-07:00The Raft by S.A. Bodeen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jDF0024aEKw/U8Qtx7zp_5I/AAAAAAAAAhk/-1NJJxSIkCo/s1600/The+Raft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jDF0024aEKw/U8Qtx7zp_5I/AAAAAAAAAhk/-1NJJxSIkCo/s1600/The+Raft.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages: </b>231</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Feiwel & Friends</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Release Date: </b>August 21, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Stars: </b>3/5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I picked this book up on a whim at the bookstore, and it made for a fast little read. Robie goes down on a plane and crashes into the ocean, stranding her and one other character on a raft in the ocean.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I used to watch the show I Shouldn't Be Alive, which documented the stories of people who had been in situations like Robie's before, and I was super excited to read a book about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I read <u>The Raft</u> in nearly one sitting, and it just flew by for me. It was suspenseful and scary in some parts, and sad in others, but definitely attention grabbing the whole time. There were little mini-climaxes throughout the novel that kept you hooked, wanting to know what was going to happen next to Robie, and if she would ever be rescued.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The novel jumps right into the action, though I wish it had spent some time before letting me get to know Robie and her family a little better. Throughout the book, though, I got to get a sense of who Robie was. She ended up being a little infuriatingly selfish when making some decisions, but other than that she wasn't too bad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Bodeen threw a twist in the novel that I wasn't really expecting, but made the first half of the book make better sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I would recommend <u>The Raft</u> for anyone that wants a quick, suspenseful read!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-30019622111269950742014-07-15T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-15T09:00:03.271-07:00How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-owAgCYY9sGg/U782cA8VIaI/AAAAAAAAAhU/WTvlidCeUdM/s1600/How+I+Got+Skinny,+Famous,+and+Fell+Madly+in+Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-owAgCYY9sGg/U782cA8VIaI/AAAAAAAAAhU/WTvlidCeUdM/s1600/How+I+Got+Skinny,+Famous,+and+Fell+Madly+in+Love.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><i>"Thick. Heavy. Big boned. Plump. Full figured. Chunky. Womanly. Large. Curvy. Plus-size. Hefty." </i></b></span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">To sixteen-year-old Emery Jackson, these are all just euphemisms for the big "F" word—"fat." Living on a Southern California beach with her workout fiend dad, underwear model sister, and former model mother, it is impossible for Emery not to be aware of her weight.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Emery is okay with how things are. That is, until her "momager" signs her up for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Fifty Pounds to Freedom</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">, a reality show in which Emery will have to lose fifty pounds in fifty days in order to win the million dollars that will solve her family's financial woes. Emery is skeptical of the process, but when the pounds start to come off and the ratings skyrocket, she finds it hard to resist the adoration of her new figure and the world of fame. Emery knows that things have changed. But is it for the better?</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Pages: </b>272</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Publisher: </b>Running Press Kids</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>April 22, 2014</span></span><br />
<b>Stars: </b>3.5/5<br />
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I had super high expectations for this book, and though it didn't completely disappoint, I wasn't exactly blown away, either. It was a fast read with a sassy main character (Emery) and her interesting family.<br />
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I expected the book to have a little more depth to it, though it wasn't a TOTAL fluff read. I thought the story line was cute and Emery was entertaining with her snarky comments and fiery personality. It was also interesting to read a book from an "obese" character's point of view, seeing as most novels don't really focus on that too much.<br />
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I thought Emery was fairly realistic, though I didn't get too much of the same vibe from her supporting characters. Where they lacked in realness, they soared in entertainment and humor.<br />
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I loved Emery's heart-to-hearts she had with herself. I could relate to a lot of the things she said, and it was really realistic! Honestly, I forgot the novel was written by a guy because Emery's feelings were spot. on.<br />
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Near the end of the book, I feel like there was an attempted plot twist, but it just didn't do it for me. It was too weird and irrelevant for it to flow and really take me by surprise. Additionally, I didn't feel like the ending tied up any of t<br />
he loose strings! I'm frustrated because I really wanted to know Emery's final result and what would happen with her family but I feel like Baker avoided that entire area.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, this definitely was an enjoyable read! It was definitely strongest in the beginning and middle, but near the end started to fade off.<br />
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Regardless, if you're looking for a fun little feel-good read with a sassy protagonist, this is for you!<br />
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PS: don't try what she does in the book . . . that's called anorexia athletica!! underrating & over exercising -- not good!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-48906564320898958622014-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-14T09:00:05.575-07:00The Maze Runner by James Dashner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIjmpn4uUpA/U74T0BCQj8I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/kVOM-kGxpio/s1600/maze+runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIjmpn4uUpA/U74T0BCQj8I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/kVOM-kGxpio/s1600/maze+runner.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></span></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>"If you ain't scared, you ain't human." </b></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Pages: </b>374</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Publisher: </b>Delacorte Press</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>October 6, 2009</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Stars: </b>4.5/5</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Holy freaking crap. I can't even believe I've been seeing this book around for so long and that it took me this long to read it. I started reading the book with no idea what to expect with the plot -- all I knew was that it was super popular.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It took me about forty pages to get into it as I was trying to picture the new world being described to me and learn the characters. One I was sucked in, though, I was done for! I read this book ALL. DAY.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I've never read a book super similar to this before and I loved its uniqueness. There was suspense and mystery from the first page, and even the ending left a lot up in the air, demanding the second book to be read. This book was thrilling and a true page-turner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved the main character and the optimism he brought to the story. The supporting characters were great and sparked anger, compassion, and pride in the reader where it was needed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought the detail provided was great. More than enough for you to get a sense of the world, the characters, and the way it worked, but not too much so that it took you out of the book. It actually got so suspenseful at some points in the book that I literally think I missed half of the detail during those parts because I was reading so fast!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I am so excited this book will be made into a movie because I can't wait to see the difference between the way I pictured this strange series of events in this book as opposed to the "Hollywood" way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I think this book could literally be great for anyone! If you're younger, you'll relate to the characters that range from 13 years old to 18. If you're older, you'll be hooked with the plot and suspense, and have to keep reading to the ends to solve the mystery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">GO GET YOU SOME MAZE RUNNER RIGHT NOW!! Read it before you go see the movie. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW!!</b></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/64-iSYVmMVY" width="560"></iframe>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-72333860217944939752014-07-11T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-11T09:00:02.984-07:00Future Favorites (1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Future Favorites is a weekly feature hosted by Alex of <a href="http://electrifyingreviews.com/">Electrifying Reviews</a>. Its purpose is to highlight books that look great, and will hopefully be favorites of mine when I get the chance to read them.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P1Gixa1p2iw/U73r1iD9oGI/AAAAAAAAAf8/_B_Bj0TJoAA/s1600/%23Scandal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P1Gixa1p2iw/U73r1iD9oGI/AAAAAAAAAf8/_B_Bj0TJoAA/s1600/%23Scandal.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Simon Pulse</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Release Date: </b>June 17, 2014</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Lucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">especially</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love...</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">****</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I saw this book at Barnes & Noble and I made my friend talk me out of buying it because it was $20 and I could just wait to buy it online . . . now I'm stalking it and wishing I had it in my hands LOL.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I can't wait to read this one! I've read some of Sarah Ockler's books before and I remember enjoying them. :)</span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></i>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-55429421248675420832014-07-10T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-10T09:00:00.909-07:00Crushed by Sara Shepherd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BRe4zWmNp-Y/U7zZ8l_DsbI/AAAAAAAAAfo/JVhUxmXaajw/s1600/Crushed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BRe4zWmNp-Y/U7zZ8l_DsbI/AAAAAAAAAfo/JVhUxmXaajw/s1600/Crushed.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></span></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">In the thirteenth Pretty Little Liars novel, the secrets are more crushing than ever...</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">It's springtime in Rosewood, but while everyone else is searching for the perfect prom dress, Hanna, Spencer, Emily, and Aria are on a different kind of hunt: They're looking for A...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Hanna puts her campaign for prom queen on the back burner to volunteer at a burn clinic, where one of A's victims is recovering. Emily digs into Ali's past at the mental hospital with some very crazy consequences. Spencer contacts an amateur private eye to help her stalk her stalker. But when their sessions get a little too private, they may forget to keep their eyes on A. And Aria's worried that A is even closer than she thought. When her dark secret from Iceland comes to light, she discovers that maybe, just maybe, the one person she's been trying to hide the truth from has known all along.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">The liars are finally taking the fight to A. But no matter what they do, A's always one step ahead, ready to crush the girls completely.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Pages: </b>355</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Publisher: </b>Harper Teen</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>June 4, 2013</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Number in Series: </b>13</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Stars: </b>4.5/5</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When I first opened this book (like less than 24 hrs ago tbh because I literally couldn't get enough of it) I initially wasn't really looking forward to reading it. It's the thirteenth book in the series, and I was beginning to feel like it was becoming a little repetitive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Leave it to Sara Shepard, though, to pull me in with a thrilling plot and suspenseful writing. There were so many twists I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I just finished it like five seconds ago and I'm going to go buy book number fourteen on Amazon right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't really say much about the book without ruining it for someone who isn't as far into the series as me, but just know that if you're a fan of Sara Shepard and the Pretty Little Liars, this book will draw you in and not let you go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By the end of the book, I was yelling out loud because I was so into it. Thrilling and trippy and suspenseful and all of the above - this book was amazing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a quick read, but it leaves you wanting more. I can't even articulate my words about this book but just know that I freaking loved it, and I'm hooked yet again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I really don't know what else to say other than you should definitely be getting far enough in the series to read this book. I can't wait to find out what happens next in the lives of the Liars - stay tuned for a review on the next book shortly. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-14220480294734006992014-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-09T09:00:04.825-07:00To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han<b></b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1KQ5TXcS6eU/U7ue2AovduI/AAAAAAAAAfI/B5M0TUfwA-g/s1600/To+All+the+Boys+I've+Loved+Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1KQ5TXcS6eU/U7ue2AovduI/AAAAAAAAAfI/B5M0TUfwA-g/s1600/To+All+the+Boys+I've+Loved+Before.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span></i></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages: </b>355</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Simon & Schuster</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Release Date: </b>April 15, 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Stars: </b>5/5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">WOOOOOW. I literally just finished this book and I decided I needed to write the review immediately before starting another book. Can I just start out by saying I freaking love Jenny Han? She's a fantastic writer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I bought this book at Target because I thought the cover was adorable. Even though I've read <a href="http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/2010/11/summer-i-turned-pretty-by-jenny-han_11.html">The Summer I Turned Pretty</a> (also by Jenny Han; click for my review) and that book has some pretty intense subjects in it, I expected TATBILB to be a fluff read. WRRROOONG. Though it wasn't tackling any major issues, there was a lot of emotion and finding yourself and heartbreak and love and family dynamics involved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved the main character Lara Jean (and not only because one of her names is one letter off from mine). She was "adorably quirky", as described in the book. I loved her maturity and how she started to come into her own person.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This was one of those addicting books that you just don't really want to put down. I read it in a day and was literally waiting to get off work all day just so I could come home and finish it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved reading about the character interactions and watching them grow as people together. Honestly, though, the book kind of made me sad because NO GUY IS AS SWEET AS THOSE IN THIS BOOK. It was adorable. And I loved it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The ending made me kind of mad though . . . It was a SLIGHT cliffhanger. It was implied as to what was going to happen next, but I'll never know for sure . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Regardless, this was an awesome read. I've been raving about it to my friends for the past day and now we literally have an order of who gets to read it after me (we now refer to ourselves as the Sisterhood of the Traveling Books . . . hehe).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If this book was a movie I think it would literally be one of those feel-good-make-you-smile-and-wish-the-characters-were-real type of movie. Hmmm . . . maybe some day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I encourage you all to go out and read this book. It's on sale at Target for 20% off the hardcover edition ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-68519121517928465962014-07-08T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-08T09:00:07.839-07:00NEW BOOKZ<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I kind of went crazy at the book store these past few days. As in I bought like 8 books... so I thought I would justify my binge book shopping by sharing my new pick ups with you all. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>To All the</u><u> Boys I've Loved Before</u> by Jenny Han</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sa_5Io70L-c/U7o9VVqC9HI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/j6PlRY2LhRY/s1600/Crushed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sa_5Io70L-c/U7o9VVqC9HI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/j6PlRY2LhRY/s1600/Crushed.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Crushed</u> by Sara Shepard (<i>Pretty Little Liars #1</i>)</span></div>
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<b style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the thirteenth Pretty Little Liars novel, the secrets are more crushing than ever...</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's springtime in Rosewood, but while everyone else is searching for the perfect prom dress, Hanna, Spencer, Emily, and Aria are on a different kind of hunt: They're looking for A...</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Hanna puts her campaign for prom queen on the back burner to volunteer at a burn clinic, where one of A's victims is recovering. Emily digs into Ali's past at the mental hospital with some very crazy consequences. Spencer contacts an amateur private eye to help her stalk her stalker. But when their sessions get a little too private, they may forget to keep their eyes on A. And Aria's worried that A is even closer than she thought. When her dark secret from Iceland comes to light, she discovers that maybe, just maybe, the one person she's been trying to hide the truth from has known all along.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The liars are finally taking the fight to A. But no matter what they do, A's always one step ahead, ready to crush the girls completely.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aeS4MXFdZTA/U7o9VWKuXnI/AAAAAAAAAeI/ImcRgFedtpU/s1600/How+I+Got+Skinny,+Famous,+and+Fell+Madly+in+Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aeS4MXFdZTA/U7o9VWKuXnI/AAAAAAAAAeI/ImcRgFedtpU/s1600/How+I+Got+Skinny,+Famous,+and+Fell+Madly+in+Love.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love</u> by Ken Baker</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Thick. Heavy. Big boned. Plump. Full figured. Chunky. Womanly. Large. Curvy. Plus-size. Hefty."</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To sixteen-year-old Emery Jackson, these are all just euphemisms for the big "F" word—"fat." Living on a Southern California beach with her workout fiend dad, underwear model sister, and former model mother, it is impossible for Emery not to be aware of her weight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Emery is okay with how things are. That is, until her "momager" signs her up for </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Fifty Pounds to Freedom</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">, a reality show in which Emery will have to lose fifty pounds in fifty days in order to win the million dollars that will solve her family's financial woes. Emery is skeptical of the process, but when the pounds start to come off and the ratings skyrocket, she finds it hard to resist the adoration of her new figure and the world of fame. Emery knows that things have changed. But is it for the better?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Imposter</u> by Susanne Winnaker (<i>Variants #1</i>)</span></div>
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<i><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? </span></strong></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>The Maze Runner</u> by James Dashner (<i>Maze Runner #1</i>)</span></div>
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<b style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"If you ain't scared, you ain't human." </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Monument 14</u> by Emmy Laybourne (<i>Monument 14 #1</i>)</span></div>
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<b><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.</span></em></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"><em style="text-align: left;">Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.</em></b></div>
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<em><b>But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.</b></em></div>
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Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j5bgBCiPTlg/U7o9WBp_NUI/AAAAAAAAAeU/gFiKqY9X2uU/s1600/One+For+the+Money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j5bgBCiPTlg/U7o9WBp_NUI/AAAAAAAAAeU/gFiKqY9X2uU/s1600/One+For+the+Money.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>One For the Money</u> by Janet Evanovich (<i>Stephanie Plum #1</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Watch out, world. Here comes Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter with attitude. In Stephanie's opinion, toxic waste, rabid drivers, armed schizophrenics, and August heat, humidity, and hydrocarbons are all part of the great adventure of living in Jersey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">She's a product of the "burg," a blue-collar pocket of Trenton where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and (God forbid you should be late) dinner is served at six.</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Now Stephanie's all grown up and out on her own, living five miles from Mom and Dad's, doing her best to sever the world's longest umbilical cord. Her mother is a meddler, and her grandmother is a few cans short of a case.</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Out of work and out of money, with her Miata repossessed and her refrigerator empty, Stephanie blackmails her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, fearless bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook.</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Her first assignment: nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one. Morelli is also the irresistible macho pig who took Stephanie's virginity at age sixteen and then wrote the details on the bathroom wall of Mario's Sub Shop. There's still powerful chemistry between these two, so the chase should be interesting.</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">It could also be extremely dangerous, especially when Stephanie encounters a heavyweight title contender who likes to play rough. Benito Ramirez is known for his brutality to women. At the very least, his obsession with Stephanie complicates her manhunt and brings terror and uncertainty into her life. At worst, it could lead to murder.</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Witty, fresh, and full of surprises, </span><span style="border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">One for the Money</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> is among the most eagerly awaited crime novels of the season.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Janet Evanovich makes a major debut with this witty and critically acclaimed crime novel. Meet Stephanie Plum of Trenton, New Jersey. She's a rookie bail bondswoman who has the awkward habit of leaping first and looking later when she's out snagging bail jumpers. It's not a job for the faint at heart, but it's tailor-made for Stephanie Plum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>When You Were Here</u> by Daisy Whitney</span></div>
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<b style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Filled with humor, raw emotion, a strong voice, and a brilliant dog named Sandy Koufax, When You Were Here explores the two most powerful forces known to man-death and love. Daisy Whitney brings her characters to life with a deft touch and resonating authenticity. </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.</span></div>
</span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-36888089844644631652014-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:002014-07-07T09:00:04.495-07:00Paper Towns by John Green<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qr5ULPUWAds/U7o4dFez_iI/AAAAAAAAAdw/hH1kLm2CdV8/s1600/Paper+Towns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qr5ULPUWAds/U7o4dFez_iI/AAAAAAAAAdw/hH1kLm2CdV8/s1600/Paper+Towns.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></span></a><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life — dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge — he follows.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues — and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.</span></i></span><br />
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<b>Pages: </b>305</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Speak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Release Date: </b>September 22, 2009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Stars: </b>4.5/5</span><br />
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So I've always heard about how fantastic John Green is as an author but I've never really fed into it and took FOREVAH to purchase one of his books (aka Paper Towns even though it literally took me three years to read it after I bought it...whoops) but HOT DAMN. </span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Now I get the hype.</span></i><br />
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I think the synopsis doesn't even begin to capture what this book entails. I think it was fantastic! John Green is a master and truly making you think, and leaving you walking away from the story feeling like you discovered something about yourself. </span><br />
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The protagonist, Q, was quirky, different, and extremely likable. His supporting characters helped him learn so much about himself and the people around him, and the character development was spot on.</span><br />
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The ending made me want to scream just a little because though it wasn't totally what I wanted to happen, I think it was the best way to tie up the loose strings and end the story. </span><br />
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<b>Part mystery, part romance, part adventure, and 100% entrancing, this book was a perfect summer read. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>FTC: </b>Bought.</span></div>
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Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-71159749689990330032014-07-06T22:36:00.000-07:002014-07-06T23:35:14.027-07:00Back to the Blogosphere<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Well hello there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's been TWO YEARS since my last post on here... crazy, right?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So much has changed in my life, yet my love for reading is still here, and I want to continue posting reviews again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I starting The Cover Reviews when I was a FRESHMAN in high school, and now I will be attending Chico State this coming fall! I am so excited to get back into this, and I want to share more of my life with you guys who have stuck with me.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rsWnqRyDfmM/U7oxBJ-N6RI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/YBL0gKvR9gM/s1600/SDSU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rsWnqRyDfmM/U7oxBJ-N6RI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/YBL0gKvR9gM/s1600/SDSU.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This was me the last time you saw me. FRESHMAN YEAR.</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RzX1pNbUivU/U7oxJYGsnkI/AAAAAAAAAdY/wHlT9Otnvac/s1600/IMG_0458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RzX1pNbUivU/U7oxJYGsnkI/AAAAAAAAAdY/wHlT9Otnvac/s1600/IMG_0458.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Aaaand this is me now! With my adorable little goddaughter <3 b=""><!--3--></3></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you would like to see what's going on in my life outside of my book reviews, feel free to follow me on Instagram!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">@lpdawg_</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>THANK YOU</u> for sticking with me! You will be seeing posts from me shortly!</span></div>
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-23907997925592789612012-07-23T22:40:00.001-07:002012-07-23T22:40:27.729-07:00Say Whaaaaaat?! I'm not dead...It's been a while, hasn't it? I haven't posted since November of 2011 :o<br />
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I'm going to be straight up here and say that I haven't really been avidly reading like I used to, but I am slowly getting back into it I excited!<br />
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I can't make promises about posting everyday especially since school is going to be craaaazy. I am going to try to pre-schedule a ton of posts before school starts so that I will be ahead. :)<br />
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Anyways, I am excited to be back and reading again!<br />
Stay tuned. :)<br />
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<b>I am so out of the loop! What are some fantastic new books that I need to read?</b>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-37740177168498872362011-11-27T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-27T06:00:04.252-08:00Nightshade by Andrea Cremer<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6l5xf28GQ0/Ts11_zdsoyI/AAAAAAAAAb4/jOgIV8nIIZk/s1600/Nightshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6l5xf28GQ0/Ts11_zdsoyI/AAAAAAAAAb4/jOgIV8nIIZk/s320/Nightshade.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">452</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Philomel</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First Person</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Age Group: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Young Adult</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">350 Page Challenge</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">October 19, 2010</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?</i></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 4.5/5</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> A+</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had heard sooooooo much about this book before reading it. So, as it should be, I had extremely high expectations about this book, which it definitely met.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, I'm not completely obsessed with the series and everything like a lot of people are, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced, steamy, and action-packed. I also really liked how there was a bit of mystery tied into everything, also.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 was because for the first seventy pages or so, it was a little slow for me. But once I got past the beginning, this book literally flew by. It seemed like a two-hundred page book instead of a four-hundred page book because of how fast-paced it was.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also loved the set-up of everything, and how instead of the characters just being werewolves, they had a whole governmental system set up amongst them, and they had purpose.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I loved the main character, Calla. She told the story through her eyes exceptionally well, and she made the story all the more enjoyable. I respected her skills as a very fierce and loyal warrior, but also that she stood up for what she believed it, even though there was a ginormous potential to get her into a lot of trouble.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also really liked Shay. He was wonderful for Calla, and he had that innocent-but-I-could-still-kick-your-ass thing going on for him. As for Calla's other "love-interest", Ren, I didn't like him at first. In fact, I hated him! It felt like, to me, he did not want what was best for Calla, and that he was only concerned about himself and his rank as alpha. I must say, though, as the book went on, I started to like him more and more. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I find it extremely hard to believe that this is Andrea Cremer's debut book. The writing is so beautiful, and it flowed extremely well. The beginning was a wee bit slow for me, but overall the book had magnificent pacing. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cliff-hanger in this book is to die for! I am extremely excited to see what will be happening in the sequel.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hardcover is GORGEOUS. Like, seriously, it's probably one of the prettiest book covers I've seen in an extremely long time. The image is beautiful, yet fierce, and the cover appears to have pretty glitter everywhere. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I must say, I am not a fan of the new covers. I think they in NO way catch the eye as well as the original cover. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm sure you've heard of this book before, and all of the great things people have had to say about it. So WHY haven't you read it yet?! I seriously suggest you go pick this one up ASAP, or add it to your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Holiday book list.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: Bought.</span></span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-15826221243819951022011-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-26T06:00:00.037-08:00The Importance of a "Reading Spot"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N1L20sL_KSc/Ts1uGaqdauI/AAAAAAAAAbw/-kkvZ7_Dpmw/s1600/Book+Nook+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N1L20sL_KSc/Ts1uGaqdauI/AAAAAAAAAbw/-kkvZ7_Dpmw/s200/Book+Nook+2.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>We all have that one spot. That one place where no one will bother you, where you feel the most comfortable, and the most relaxed. Whether it be in the backyard, on your bed, at the local cafe, a bookstore, or the library, we all have a "Reading Spot."<br />
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For me, my reading spot is on my bed. My bed is raised, and when I'm up there, I feel so away from the world, in the best way. I have a little reading light from Target that gives my room a calming ambiance because it just lights up my bed, and the rest of my room is darker. When I'm laying down in bed, I get the most reading done. I can try to sit down and get comfortable somewhere else in my house, but I can't focus as much as I can in my reading spot.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7m2mCf9p4bI/Ts1tgqtF5gI/AAAAAAAAAbo/hICGi1rzDqo/s1600/Book+Nook+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7m2mCf9p4bI/Ts1tgqtF5gI/AAAAAAAAAbo/hICGi1rzDqo/s200/Book+Nook+1.jpg" width="200" /></a>I really think if you don't have one of these spots, you should try to create one. A spot where you can be completely at ease, be able to sit and think (or read), get homework done -- whatever you may use it for, it's wonderful to have.<br />
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QUESTION OF THE DAY: </b>What are your favorite spots to read? Do you have a "Reading Spot"?Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-53612013016877452352011-11-25T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-25T06:00:04.533-08:00Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rd8YSYqoGx0/Ts1ppK0cubI/AAAAAAAAAbg/KSb6i9NG_4Q/s1600/Claim+to+Fame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rd8YSYqoGx0/Ts1ppK0cubI/AAAAAAAAAbg/KSb6i9NG_4Q/s320/Claim+to+Fame.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></span></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">272</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Simon & Schuster</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First Person</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> N/A</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">November 10, 2009</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em></em></span></strong></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><em><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have to tell you my secret. I can't go on . . . without revealing it. I had a pretty good run, hiding from everyone for five years. For five years I was safe. But now . . . </span></blockquote></em></strong></span><div style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was a talent that came out of nowhere. One day Lindsay Scott was on the top of the world, the star of a hit TV show. The next day her fame had turned into torture. Every time anyone said anything about her, she heard it. And everyone was talking about Lindsay: fans, friends, enemies, enemies who pretended to be friends....</span></i></div><div style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lindsay had what looked like a nervous breakdown and vanished from the public eye. But now she's sixteen and back in the news: A tabloid newspaper claims that Lindsay is being held hostage by her father.</span></i></div><div style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The truth? Lindsay has been hiding out in a small Illinois town, living in a house that somehow provides relief from the stream of voices in her head. But when two local teenagers try to "rescue" Lindsay by kidnapping her, Lindsay is forced to confront everything she's hiding from. And that's when she discovers there may be others who share her strange power. Lindsay is desperate to learn more, but what is she willing to risk to find the truth?</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.5/5</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> B+</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've never not liked one of Margaret Peterson's book, but I must admit, this one was definitely not up there on my list of favorite books from this author.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thought the whole premise behind the story was incredibly unique, and I loved that. I think the main thing that was wrong with this book for me were the twist and turns. Usually, Haddix's twists in her stories are amazing, and leave the reader on the edge of their seat. For this book, I wasn't really effected by the plot turns, because they came out of the blue (not in the best way) and felt way too forced.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is going to sound extremely contradictory, but I did like the main character, Lindsay. But she depressed me. She spent pretty much all of her time by herself, and every time she went out of the house she heard the good and nasty things people all around the world would be saying about her. Not to mention, her mom wasn't in her life, and her father was dead. She had a lot going on, and it was quite apparent she was spiraling downwards.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I liked her character development throughout the book, and I thought it was paced nicely and not too sudden.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've always liked Margaret Peterson Haddix's writing style, but it just didn't work for me this time around. The suspense wasn't really there, and when it was, it felt too forced. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I must say, the ending was my least favorite part of this book. It seemed completely irrelevant from the beginning of the book, and the last twist seemed to come out of nowhere. I thought the ending left the book on a really light note though, which I liked because it was like a happy ending for the pretty much "dark" book.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I actually really like the paperback cover a lot more than the hardcover version. The paperback is extremely eye-catching, and looks like it contains a very interesting story. The hardcover is too plain for me, and I feel like I would just over-look it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you are in the mood for a more dark, unique read, this is the book for you. I will always love Margaret Peterson Haddix as an author, and though this book wasn't my favorite, it could quite well be yours.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: Library.</span></span></div></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-53982577839999453342011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-24T06:00:10.669-08:00A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPpn_U3pwtk/Ts1dYcT_o7I/AAAAAAAAAbY/Y4_1Ebh19HE/s1600/A+Novel+Idea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPpn_U3pwtk/Ts1dYcT_o7I/AAAAAAAAAbY/Y4_1Ebh19HE/s320/A+Novel+Idea.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="190" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">256</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Simon Pulse</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">First Person</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Age Group: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Young Adult</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">N/A</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">December 20, 2005</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once upon a time there was a Brooklyn hipster named Norah. Unlucky in love, and short on extracurriculars for her college apps, Norah decided to start a book group. She knew the perfect locale -- a local indie bookstore with a crush-worthy cutie manning the soy latte counter.</span></span></i></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When the first meeting arrives, Norah gets a page-turning surprise. The attendees may be bookish, but there are also a few hotties! Most noteworthy: sweet, literary James. He's like a modern Jane Austen hero.... Only, how to snag him?</span></span></i></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ever the romantic heroine, Norah devises a secret plan. And if it works, Norah may just find her "Happily Ever After" love story. The End.</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b></span></span></div><b><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/5</span></span></div></b><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">B+</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b></span><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I didn't particularly favor this book. It wasn't horrible by any means, but it didn't really capture my attention too well, and it was not realistic (at least in my opinion of realistic-ness; everyone's is different). </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thought the book was a little bit too cliche with the love story. It had a unique plot in the way that it was through a book club, which was pretty cool, but the way Norah (the main character) and James' (the love interest) relationship played out has been done thousands of times before, it feels like.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A Novel Idea</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was a quick read, though, and I finished it in one sitting.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't really know how I stand with Norah. It's not that I don't like her, but I definitely did not agree with the way that she went around trying to get James to like her. She seems like one of those girls that you just shake your head at. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She went to great lengths, hurting people along her way, to get James, and she was extremely selfish with her endeavors. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I did like her at the other times when she wasn't on her missions to get James to like her. She was extremely dedicated to her book club, and didn't want to let them down. I liked that part of her.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">James was cute, though I didn't really feel too connected to him because not much of his personality was revealed. I mean, sure, I knew he liked to read, and was shy, but there has got to be more to a person that that, right? I can definitely see though, if he had been more developed, how he could have been swoon-worthy.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I wasn't completely enthralled with Aimee Friedman's writing. It definitely kept the story going, but there was nothing especially special about it. For example, there wasn't an amazing vocabulary used or exceptional cliff-hangers. But again, it wasn't bad by any means, either.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book is definitely one of those feel-good fluff-reads, and the ending completely solidifies that. It was cute, and tied up the loose ends in the book nicely.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For whatever reason, I always think these types of covers for the little romance books are super cute. I especially like this one because of all of the books on it. ;)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think this book is cute, and it not a challenging read. I recommend this book for people that are fans of cheesy little romances, and like books about books.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: </span></span><a href="http://zoesbookreviews.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Zoe</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></div></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-67701918831669717082011-11-23T12:07:00.000-08:002011-11-23T12:08:08.588-08:00"Waiting On" Wednesday (28)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rTXuEXNGVQ/Ts1SCZZiyiI/AAAAAAAAAbI/B93BIGXKz0o/s1600/The+Thing+About+the+Truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rTXuEXNGVQ/Ts1SCZZiyiI/AAAAAAAAAbI/B93BIGXKz0o/s320/The+Thing+About+the+Truth.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="213" /></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12987127-the-thing-about-the-truth">The Thing About the Truth</a> by Lauren Barnholdt</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Sixteen-year-old Kelsey Romano has always been one of the most popular girls at Concordia Prep. But after a disastrous breakup and her subsequent meltdown (um, destruction of school property, anyone?) she's kicked out of Con Prep and shipped off to Concordia High School, for good.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
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</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Seventeen-year-old Isaac Brandano has been kicked out of more prep schools than he can name. But now that his father's State Senate campaign is pushing a public school agenda, Isaac finds himself enrolled at Concordia High.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
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</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Kelsey and Isaac are destined to hate each other. And at first, they do. But when they are forced together on the creation of a new school club, sparks begin to fly. Then the club's critical event turns into chaos. Now Kelsey and Isaac must retrace their steps and figure out how and why everything got so got screwed up, who was to blame, and how they can move forward.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
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</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>This new novel from fan-favorite Lauren Barnholdt showcases--through a sweet and sparkly narrative--how the last person you expect might just be the one who changes your life forever.</i></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>July 10, 2012</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I haven't read a book by Lauren Barnholdt and <i>not</i> liked it, which is partly why I am so excited for this book. Moreover, she always has killer plot-lines, characters, and the book covers rock!</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">This book looks soooo good!</span></span></div></span></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-52987162170962793992011-11-20T23:27:00.000-08:002011-11-20T23:27:06.153-08:00Cryers Cross by Lisa McCann<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BVR-Y7dHTlg/Tsn8ujrcnrI/AAAAAAAAAbA/hrws2-YSvvc/s1600/Cryer%2527s+Cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BVR-Y7dHTlg/Tsn8ujrcnrI/AAAAAAAAAbA/hrws2-YSvvc/s320/Cryer%2527s+Cross.jpg" width="211" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b></span></div><b><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">233</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Simon Pulse</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Third Person</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Age Group: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Young Adult</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">N/A</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">February 8, 2011</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.</span></i></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4.5/5</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A-</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cryer's Cross</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was an eerie, fast-paced, mysterious book. It was fairly short, but it had a lot going on in those pages! From missing teenagers, to romance, to folklore, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cryer's Cross</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> had it all.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I really liked the whole idea behind the story. I thought </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cryer's Cross</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was a very interesting book, and I liked that it continued to leave me hanging throughout the entire book, trying to unscramble the mystery.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I looooooved Kendall. I thought she was an extremely unique character, and that added so much life to her. I've never really read a book that had a main character with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and I really liked how Lisa McMann wove that part of Kendall into the story. In other words, it wasn't like Kendall had OCD, and that was that. Her OCD helped her and hindered her throughout the progression of the story, and I loved that.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another awesome thing related to the characters is that Jacian and Kendall's romance didn't take over the book, but instead was a sub-plot. I really enjoyed the fact that the book stayed mostly centered around the mystery aspect. Not to mention, their relationship was paced perfectly. They didn't instantly fall in love one day, like a lot of characters in other books, which made this book even more realistic.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've read two out of the three books in the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wake </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">series by Lisa McMann, and after reading this book, I have been able to come to the conclusion that Lisa McMann is extremely consistent with her writing. She hasn't written a bad story yet, and I don't expect she will.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The way she writes is addicting, and makes the book progress swiftly. Also, the diction she uses increases the creepiness of this book. For example, she uses "darker" descriptive words, making this book both eerie and mysterious.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I liked the ending -- especially since I didn't see what was coming. The ending of this book was bittersweet, but tied it up very nicely.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I personally love the cover. It's just SO creepy! I think it really helps tell what this book is about, and when a reader sees it at the book store they'll know exactly what type of book it is.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cryer's Cross</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is definitely one of those books where you end up staying up into the wee hours of the morning finishing it and scaring yourself to any little sound outside your window. A perfect winter read!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: </span></span><a href="http://zoesbookreviews.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Zoe</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-12543705628875909272011-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-20T23:27:47.518-08:00Playing With the Boy by Liz Tigelaar<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gsS1mRPdpKM/Tsc2JmCiefI/AAAAAAAAAa4/2yvLLaTCHdo/s1600/Playing+With+the+Boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gsS1mRPdpKM/Tsc2JmCiefI/AAAAAAAAAa4/2yvLLaTCHdo/s1600/Playing+With+the+Boys.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></span></a><b></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">304</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Razorbill</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Third Person</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Age Group: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Young Adult</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">N/A</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> April 10, 2008</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">New girl Lucy is desperate for friends. She tries out for Beachwood High soccer, but despite her amazingly accurate kick, fails to make the team. When the Coach points out that varsity football is looking for a new kicker, Lucy is skeptical. Football? Isn’t that a boys’ game?</span></i></span></b><br />
<b></b></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><b><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">But on the gridiron Lucy discovers that she feels strong—in control for the first time since her mother died. She loves football. She actually wants to play! (She also wants to hang out with super-cute quarterback Ryan Conner. But that’s just icing on the cake.)</span></span></i></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Too bad no one else wants her on the team. Not the boys’ coach, not her teammates, and especially not her overprotective dad. Will Lucy cave in to the pressure? Or will she prove she’s pretty tough after all?</span></span></i></div></div></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5/5</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> A-</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b></span><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I found out that Liz Tigelaar was writing a companion novel to </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, I had to read it </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">immediately</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I loved </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and it's a close call to say which book I liked better. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Playing Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> really perfected the whole girly-yet-sporty element, and I love the way those two themes were intertwined.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book was fast-paced, fun, and a super-quick read. I flew through it, and I loved every part of it!</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thought it was really cool that the main character, Lucy, was a minor character in the first book in the series, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. It was awesome to get a different look at her that was not through the narrator of </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'s eyes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thought Lucy was very easy to relate to, and that if she was real, I'm pretty sure we'd be best friends.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not to mention, the supporting characters were wonderful, too. They felt three-dimensional, also, which is sometimes hard to find in books.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I really love the way Liz Tigelaar writes. Even though she is older, she writes in the voice of a teenager. I think that adds a lot of character to her books, and makes them a lot more enjoyable.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book is pretty much a fluff read, and the ending totally gives you those little butterflies. It's one of those "it's a happy ending for everyone" books. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cover is so cute! Like the first book, it really portrays the perfect amount of girly-ness and sporty-ness. I love it!</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You don't have to have read </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to read this book and understand it, but if you can get your hands on </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Tough</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, I suggest you read it before this one. Either way, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Playing With the Boys</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is a super-cute, uplifting novel that I recommend to people of all ages.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Read my review of <a href="http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/pretty-tough-by-liz-tigelaar.html">Pretty Tough</a> by Liz Tigelaar.</span></div></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-48145163632100801412011-11-17T17:31:00.000-08:002011-11-17T17:31:40.106-08:00Flawless by Sara Shepard<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qvDvyxIRFo8/TsWzxALHQgI/AAAAAAAAAaI/ZsxQfrJ_WEo/s1600/Flawless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qvDvyxIRFo8/TsWzxALHQgI/AAAAAAAAAaI/ZsxQfrJ_WEo/s320/Flawless.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="210" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span></span></b></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Pages: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">330</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Publisher: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Harper Teen</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Perspective: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Third Person</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Age Group: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Young Adult</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Challenges: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">N/A</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Release Date: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">March 15, 2007</span></div></span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span></div><div style="display: inline !important; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.</i></span></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></span></span><div style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i>And why </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">shouldn't</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i> I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Stars: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">5/5</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Cover: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">B+</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></b></div>Plot:</span></span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I don't think it is possible for Sara Shepard to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">not</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> write an incredibly amazing book. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Flawless</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> continues directly where </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Pretty Little Liars</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> left off, and by the second page I was already hooked. I've already read this book before, but I feel like it was ten times better the second time around. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">All of Sara Shepard's books have intense twist and turns, and a crazy-fast plot line. She knows how to really captivate a reader and keep them entertained and on the edge of their seat for the entire book.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I am <i>so </i>glad that this is an ongoing series, because I literally never want this whole story-line to end. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Honestly, it's genius. Sara Shepard combined things that a lot of girls love: romance, mystery, and girly-girls. What is there not to love?</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><b>Characters:</b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Each one of these characters is so unique in their own way. They all have a lot of depth -- even the assisting characters. I loved that the books in the <i>Pretty Little Liars</i> series are told from four different perspectives because they each have their own sub-plots, but each of their stories weave together to create one big story. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><b>Writing:</b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">As always, Sara Shepard's writing is amazing, and borderline addictive. She really knows how to leave you hanging at the end of the chapter, forcing you to keep reading, even when you have to get up for school in four hours. I feel like she really captures the whole story well, and makes it extremely enjoyable. I don't think any other author could have made this story as great as it is.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><b>Ending:</b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Yes. You guessed it. Cliffhanger. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I particularly love Sara Shepard's endings, though. She leaves you hanging, wanting to know what is going to happen in the next book, while still tying up some loose ends in the novel.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Cover:</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love all of the covers to this. I will probably say this about every single one of the books in my reviews, but I adore how each of the covers correspond while still achieving a different book.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Final Verdict:</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Flawless</u> is an extremely fast-paced, extremely AMAZING book. Actually, this whole series is. So if you haven't started it yet, I'm formally putting this series at the top of you TBR list. Kay? Kay.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: Bought.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Read my review <a href="http://thecoverreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/pretty-little-liars-by-sara-shepard.html">Pretty Little Liars</a>.</span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-41621054644543593482011-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-13T06:00:08.028-08:00Dark Eden by Patrick Carman<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pb3Jn--iuk/Tr1zD8bvx2I/AAAAAAAAAaA/rOjD81pyLto/s1600/Dark+Eden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pb3Jn--iuk/Tr1zD8bvx2I/AAAAAAAAAaA/rOjD81pyLto/s320/Dark+Eden.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Pages: </b>336</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Publisher: </b>Harper Collins</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Perspective: </b>First Person</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Challenges:</b> N/A</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Release Date: </b>November 1, 2011</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
</i></span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i>Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?</i></span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4/5</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A-</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I must admit, I was definitely intrigued by the synopsis of this book. It made it seem creepy and mysterious, which was exactly what this book was.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There was a lot of mystery in the fact that there were a lot of weird things going on when the kids went to go get their fears "vanquished", if you will. It was a fairly fast-paced book, and it definitely kept me entertained throughout the whole time I was reading it.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not to mention, I can definitely appreciate an original storyline, and this book had exactly that. I've never read (or heard of) a book like this, which I thought was awesome.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even though I am a girl, I do like switching perspectives and reading books from a guy's point of view, especially if there is a girl involved. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I liked that there was a bit of light shed on each one of the characters, and that </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dark Eden</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> didn't only focus purely on the main character, Will. I also thought the antagonists were fantastically written, and even gave me the chills!</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The way Patrick Carman set up the book and wrote it definitely increased the creepy-ness of the whole thing. He created suspense (so much so that I was holding my breath in some scenes), and he really made the story come alive.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Ending:</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hands down, the ending was my absolute favorite thing about this entire book. It was a little bittersweet, and <i>completely</i> unexpected. I like that all of the loose ends were tied up, and that the explanations didn't feel rushed. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Cover:</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think the cover definitely captures ominous-ness and it represents the creepiness of this story well. You can definitely tell the book you're about to read is super creepy, which I like.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Final Verdict:</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Dark Eden</u> is a fantastic, creepy read. I recommend this book for rainy, dark days, because it will totally creep you out!</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't read any of Patrick Carman's other books, but after reading <u>Dark Eden</u>, I'll definitely have to look into them.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: <a href="http://zoesbookreviews.com/">Zoe</a>.</span></div></span></b>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-75850173369293033392011-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-17T17:22:56.095-08:00Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59txF7pwMxI/TryQR7KhBQI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/sOWZzPGUkGM/s1600/Pretty+Little+Liars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59txF7pwMxI/TryQR7KhBQI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/sOWZzPGUkGM/s320/Pretty+Little+Liars.jpg" width="208" /></a><b></b></div><b></b><br />
<b><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">286</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Harper Teen</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Third Person, Multiple Viewpoints</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Age Group: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Young Adult</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">N/A</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">October 1, 2006</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. </span></i></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back? A strong launch for a suspenseful series.</span></i></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5/5</span></span></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A-</span></span></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I first read </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pretty Little Liars</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in the, what, sixth grade? I picked it up randomly at Borders, and boy, I am so glad I did. I've read the book multiple times since then, and since Sara Shepard is continuing the series I thought it would be a good idea to re-read the series and get all caught up.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There isn't ever a dull moment in this book. From page uno, it's gogogo. There are plenty of twists and turns in this book, and once you think you know what's going to happen next, you're thrown a curve-ball. I love the whole plot-line, and how unique it is.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also love that this book is part mystery, part thriller, and part contemporary. It's a lot more deep than just four friends being stalked and harassed. The girls have a lot of family issues, and also personal issues in this book, which I think is nice because most books in this genre don't really go past the fact that something scary is happening to the characters.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book is told from four different points of view in third person. The characters are so different from each other, and have such vast personalities, that I think readers can relate to at least one of the characters, if not all.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also think the characters are portrayed quite realistically. They have most of the same reactions that I think I would have if i was going through what they were, and it doesn't seem faked.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I swear, Sara Shepard's writing is hypnotic. From the first page, you can't put the book down. Before you know it, two hours has passed and you've finished the book, and you're on the edge of your seat wanting to know what will happen next.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chapters end in just the right place so that you </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">have</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to read on to find out what happens next. It's like the book is an addiction, or something!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">COMPLETE. CLIFFHANGER.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">During the last twenty pages, you're thinking to yourself, "Okay, I know how this is going to end. There's no way there can be another twist in the plot." And, of course, I was wrong.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was like torture waiting to read the second book, which is why I recommend having the next book in the series in your possession so that you can start it right after you finish the book you're on.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love the original covers to this series. I think it's so cute how they each have a different color background and a different character, but that they all correspond to each other.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One thing I don't like is the new series covers, with the girls on the TV show on the cover. Don't get me wrong, I love the TV show, and the girls, but the original cover definitely looked so much better!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I honestly have no clue why you haven't started this series yet. Honestly, you need to jump into the frying pan of reading at get this book NOW! </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: Bought.</span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-87102366247129562912011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:002011-11-11T07:00:17.016-08:00Pretty Tough by Liz Tigelaar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9RvIWGo9Qeg/TrcAkc0WyfI/AAAAAAAAAZo/ZYZxQNr-ePU/s1600/Pretty+Tough.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9RvIWGo9Qeg/TrcAkc0WyfI/AAAAAAAAAZo/ZYZxQNr-ePU/s320/Pretty+Tough.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="216" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pages: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">256</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Razorbill</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perspective: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Third Person</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Age Group: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Young Adult</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Challenges: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">N/A</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release Date: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">August 2, 2007</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bubbly, blond Krista brown is pretty and popular. Her sister, Charlie, is more interested in braving the Malibu waves than the halls of the school that Krista rules. but when Krista and Charlie are both recruited to the school's soccer team, they are forced to face their differences. Can these two sisters become teammates, and friends, in time to make it to the championships?</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stars: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5/5</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">B+</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plot:</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I loved this book when I read it at age twelve, and I still love it now! It completely traps you in at the first chapter. The plot line is very smooth, and the book's pacing is really nice. It incorporates themes of sibling rivalry, romance, and sports all-in-one to make this the perfect book for both girly-girls and athletes.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Characters:</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First of all, Charlie is hilarious. She makes her feelings known, and she doesn't hold them back. I felt like she was extremely realistic, and even though the book was told in Third Person perspective, I really felt like Charlie was telling me everything that was happening.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thought the relationship between Krista and Charlie was awesome. Even though they seemed like they hated each other at some times, it was obvious that they really loved each other, and would do anything for the other.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not to mention, you could really feel how much of a family the soccer team was. They all had this chemistry with one another, and always had each other's backs.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing:</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I really liked the way Tigelaar's writing seemed to flow really naturally along with the story. None of it seemed forced, and she made the story very vivid.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ending:</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I loved the ending! I thought everything came together really nicely, and that it didn't leave you hanging </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">too</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> badly. I also love the place every character is in at the end, showing how much character development there was throughout the entire story.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover:</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think the cover's cute. It portrays what the book is about very nicely (though it makes it seem a lot more of a fluff-read than it is). It shows the sporty-ness with the soccer ball, but also a bit of cutesy-ness.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Final Verdict:</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I definitely recommend you pick this up and read it! Even though it's geared towards teenage audiences, I really think this is a book any person can read and enjoy.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FTC: Bought.</span></span></span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-32005732377627243052011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-11T06:00:25.383-08:00ONE YEAR BLOGVERSARY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PcINQ07FZXQ/TryMEkonQDI/AAAAAAAAAZw/v25qE1rQfJk/s1600/1+yeear.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PcINQ07FZXQ/TryMEkonQDI/AAAAAAAAAZw/v25qE1rQfJk/s320/1+yeear.gif" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Okay, before I get started, I just wanted to put it out there that I have the BEST anniversary date ever. . . <b>1 year on 11/11/11</b>. That's pretty freaking cool, right?!<br />
<br />
Yeah, I'd say so. :)<br />
<br />
Anyways, I just wanted to make a quick post thanking everyone for following my blog and caring about what I have to say.<br />
<br />
I am so excited I came across the book-blogging world (pretty much all in thanks to <a href="http://zoesbookreviews.com/">Zoe</a>) because it's opened me up to so many new books, and so many people who share the same hobbies as me (Cheesy, right?!).<br />
<br />
I know I've been off-and-on in the past few months, but that's over, and I'm really excited for what's in store with my blog. :)<br />
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Thanks again. :)<br />
<br />
-LauraLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786592584878014374.post-58774778282222582502011-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-10T20:21:04.356-08:00If I Have A Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor<b><i></i></b><br />
<b><i><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYfPwFBJkhY/TrYKSZcpykI/AAAAAAAAAY8/BMoBH1dPwX4/s1600/If+I+Have+A+Wicked+Stepmother%252C+Where%2527s+My+Prince%253F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYfPwFBJkhY/TrYKSZcpykI/AAAAAAAAAY8/BMoBH1dPwX4/s320/If+I+Have+A+Wicked+Stepmother%252C+Where%2527s+My+Prince%253F.jpg" width="214" /></a><br />
<b><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Pages:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> 288</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Publisher: </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Hyperion</span></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Perspective:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> First Person</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Age Group: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Young Adult</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Challenges: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">N/A</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Release Date: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">August 26, 2005</span></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Wicked stepmother? </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Check.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Evil stepsisters? </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Check.</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Miserable life? </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Check.</span></div></div><div style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Lucy Norton’s life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad’s always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She’s burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity basketball team, Lucy hopes her destiny has finally changed. With everything else going on in her life, doesn’t she at least deserve to get the handsome prince?</span></i></div></div><div style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Melissa Kantor’s enchanting novel proves that sometimes the happy ending isn’t quite the one you’d expect. Lucy’s about to discover the truth about finding her real Prince Charming . . . and finding herself.</span></i></div></div><div style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 19px;"></span></span></i></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i></i></span></div><b><i><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Stars: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">4/5</span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Cover: </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">C</span></span></b></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></b></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Plot:</span></b></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">I didn't really know what to expect with this book, but, to be honest, my expectations weren't high (I judged a book by its cover - sue me!). I'm glad to say, though, I was surprised.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">This book started out a little slowly, and I had to scoff a little bit about the main character.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">HIGHLIGHT TO READ SLIGHT-SPOILER:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I found it a little unrealistic that Lucy barely talked to anyone, and then she says one word to Conner (the most popular guy at her school) and he's got this fat crush on her and then they're going out. Just sayin'.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">But once I got past that, the book was really good! It was cute, funny, but also had depth. Lucy is trying to deal with her dad being away all the time, and living with her super-annoying stepmom and stepsisters. It was obvious she was calling out to her dad, and that he wasn't listening. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">I will admit, based on the title and the cover, I thought this book would be more of a twist off of the Cinderella story, instead of just being roughly based around it. It's not a bad thing at all, just not what I expected!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Characters:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I thought Lucy was pretty awesome. She narrated the story, and she made it very likable. It was cool to see her opinions on people change, her worries, her feelings . . . it was all (besides the first part of the book, mentioned above) very realistic. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">I also liked Lucy's friends that she makes. They seem to really care for her, and they made the story all the more endearing.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Writing:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This book was super fast-paced. The chapters weren't very long, and they left you hanging at the end of each one, making you really want to read on. The pacing of the book was nice, too -- not too fast, and not too slow.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Ending:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I loved the ending. It was bittersweet, but I think Lucy ended up with what was best for her. It was one of those "Aw, that's so cute!" endings that were one hundred percent predictable that you just can't help but love.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Cover:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Boooo. I really wish I liked this cover. I just don't. It doesn't personally fit my taste, and but I think it goes along pretty well with the Cinderella theme, which I suppose it what really counts.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">The Final Verdict:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This book was heart-felt, romantic, and cute. It wasn't <i>too </i>deep, but it did have a little bit going on under the surface. It was a super fast read. I recommend this book to people who love romances and books roughly based around fairy tales.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">FTC: Bought.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></i></b></span></span></div></b></div></i></b>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15740898672133700491noreply@blogger.com0