Teaser Tuesday (18)

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:
-Grab your current read.
- Open to a random page.
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
-Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 Teaser:

"How can he act this way, how can he talk normally to me? I look at him curiously, like a science experiment, at his blue eyes-slate blue, it turns out- and his strangely shaped nose, and I feel as if I'm floating above him, as if I'm a hospital patient flatlining."

-pg. 133 The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Daily Dose Monday (24)

Daily Dose Monday is hosted by Holly over at Good Golly Miss Holly and features inspiring/magical images that you would like to share with your readers :)

In My Mailbox (32)

In My Mailbox is a meme originally hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren (click for more information) that shares all the new books you've bought, borrowed, received, or traded for the week.

So it was basically Christmas at my school library with a ton of new books coming in! I don't even know where to begin :)

For review:

Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford

Summary: 

The Sullivan sisters have a big problem. On Christmas Day their rich and imperious grandmother gathers the family and announces that she will soon die . . .and has cut the entire family out of her will. Since she is the source of almost all their income, this means they will soon be penniless.

Someone in the family has offended her deeply. If that person comes forward with a confession of her (or his) crime, submitted in writing to her lawyer by New Year's Day, she will reinstate the family in her will. Or at least consider it.
And so the confessions begin....

I absolutely adored How to Say Goodbye in Robot, so I'm excited to read another one by her :)

Half Life of Planets by Emily Franklin, Brendan Halpin
Summary:

Lianna is an aspiring planetary scientist…and also a kissing expert. She's got a lot of experience. Maybe too much. So this summer she decides to conduct an experiment: She's going to give up the kissing part. It shouldn’t be too hard for her—after all, none of her kissing partners so far have been worth the lip time. That is, until Hank comes along.

Hank has never been kissed. He’s smart and funny—sometimes without intending to be—and a little socially challenged. Hank’s got Asperger’s syndrome. This means he knows nearly every track that Kirsty Maccoll has ever appeared on, but not when to shut up about it. Despite his loquatiousness, he also doesn’t know when to say the things he should. Things like, I don’t have a father. I want to hold your hand, I want to kiss you.

It would appear that Hank and Liana are in for an interesting summer—if the planets align.

I love the sound of this one! And lucky for me it's been on my wish list for awhile.

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
Summary:

 The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties. Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star… Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will. The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets. 

Ahh I've been dying to read this one since I first heard of it. I love The Luxe series, and this sounds possibly even better.

The Carrie Diaries by Candance Bushnell
Summary:

Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?

The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.
It's the Carrie Diaries. Enough said ;)

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
Summary:

Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

Hush by Eishes Chayil
Summary: 

Inside the closed community of Borough Park, where most Chassidim live, the rules of life are very clear, determined by an ancient script written thousands of years before down to the last detail—and abuse has never been a part of it. But when thirteen-year-old Gittel learns of the abuse her best friend has suffered at the hands of her own family member, the adults in her community try to persuade Gittel, and themselves, that nothing happened. Forced to remain silent, Gittel begins to question everything she was raised to believe.
A richly detailed and nuanced book, one of both humor and depth, understanding and horror, this story explains a complex world that remains an echo of its past, and illuminates the conflict between yesterday's traditions and today's reality.

 Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony
 Summary: 

The year is 2041, and sixteen-year-old Molly McClure has lived a relatively quiet life on an isolated farming island in Canada, but when her family fears the worst may have happened to her grandparents in the US, Molly must brave the dangerous, chaotic world left after global economic collapse—one of massive oil shortages, rampant crime, and abandoned cities.

Molly is relieved to find her grandparents alive in their Portland suburb, but they're financially ruined and practically starving. What should've been a quick trip turns into a full-fledged rescue mission. And when Molly witnesses something the local crime bosses wishes she hadn't, Molly's only way home may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there's a handsome stranger who's willing to help.

Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
Summary: 

The higher you aim, the farther you fall….

It’s Violet’s junior year at the Westfield School. She thought she’d be focusing on getting straight As, editing the lit mag, and figuring out how to talk to boys without choking on her own saliva. Instead, she’s just trying to hold it together in the face of cutthroat academics, her crush’s new girlfriend, and the sense that things are going irreversibly wrong with her best friend, Katie.

When Katie starts making choices that Violet can’t even begin to fathom, Violet has no idea how to set things right between them. Westfield girls are trained for success—but how can Violet keep her junior year from being one huge, epic failure?

Virgin Territory by James Lecesne
Summary:  

Virgin Territory explores the power of faith and our need to believe in miracles. Sixteen-year-old Dylan Flack is uprooted from his cozy life in New York City by the death of his mother of cancer the night before 9/ll. He finds himself transplanted to Jupiter, Florida, and in the chaos of the move discovers that his father has lost their treasured collection of family photos.  Dylan feels that he has begun to lose the memory of his mother's face,  and without access to those pictures of their past together, each day stretches darkly into a future without hope. Enter: the Virgin Club, a nomadic group of trailer kids whose mostly single parents drag them all over the country in search of sightings of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although not looking for membership in any club, Dylan falls in love with their leader, Angela, who believes that change occurs in direct proportion to desire and the willingness to take risks. In a series of misadventures and brushes with the law in what Dylan comes to think of as "virgin territory," she teaches Dylan to risk a future without his favorite parent.  Miraculously his newfound courage leads to a long overdue confession from his father that brings them closer together and catapults Dylan into a future that holds more promise. 

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June by Robin Bernway
Summary:

Three sisters share a magical, unshakable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

Freefall by Mindi Scott
Summary:

How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend, Isaac, alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time when Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn't wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend's death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.
Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth soon realizes he isn't the only one who needs saving . . .

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
Summary:

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds
Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

I'm in the middle of this one now and it's super good so far :)

What's in your mailbox?

Dash & Lilly's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan

Book review #61
Dash & Lilly's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
Rating: Five stars
Summary: 
“I’ve left some clues for you. 
If you want them, turn the page. 
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.” 

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

I can honestly say I loved everything and anything about Dash & Lilly's Book of Dares. Imagine a cozy holiday winter setting in New York complete with two unique characters who love to read that form a romance through a notebook and a set of dares. Alternating between Dash and Lilly's point of view readers are in for a real treat. 

Dash and Lilly were simply wonderful characters to read about. Dash was described as "snarly" and smart. Lilly was strong-willed and lovable (and crazy!), it's actually hard to describe her she has a personality that's not common in YA. Actually Dash and Lilly were kind of weird, but that's what  I loved the most about them. The fact that they loved to read and spent their free time at the bookstore, was definitely a high point.  I love reading about main characters like me-a total and complete bookie. The smaller characters helped complete the book, each one helping transport and share clues about the notebook to Dash and Lilly. They all added to the book, making it that much better.

The concept and the setting of the book really made this one a winner. The time period of a couple of days before Christmas to New Years put readers in the winter/holiday spirit. Not to mention it was absolutely hilarious, there were so many laugh out loud/roll on the floor laughing moments (to me personally hehe). It was also so fun to see what crazy dares each character dared the other- you got to see cool places in New York. Dash and Lilly cover everything from sitting on Santa's lap, making muppets, to going to night club. The notebook not only contained dares, but a question or journal entry along with each dare, that's where the romance began. Dash and Lilly formed a connection, a sense of longing to the each other-or the persons the notebook held? 

Dash & Lilly's Book of Dares makes me happy, it's one of those books that can make you smile just thinking about it. There so much I have to say about this book, that it's quite difficult to review. The bottom line is if you are looking for a funny holiday romance book topped with a unique plot then most definitely pick this one up. I could even see myself rereading this one :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I don't even know where to begin on what I'm thankful for. I had a long difficult year, but it was made ten times better  the moment I created this blog. I'm eternally grateful for all my amazing readers and blogging buddies :) I haven't been blogging as much lately-I really really appreciate those of you who still stop by, it definitely makes my day. I hope everyone has a wonderful delicious Thanksgiving! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we "can't-wait-to-read".

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

Release date: January 11th, 2011

Summary: (taken from Goodreads) 

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her. 

I absolutely love reading books with main characters that have lives so different than mine. This sounds like an interesting and inspirational story :)

Daily Dose Monday (23)

Daily Dose Monday is hosted by Holly over at Good Golly Miss Holly and features inspiring/magical images that you would like to share with your readers :)

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Book review #60

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Rating: Five stars

Summary:  

 Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Like most people, I didn't know too much about Leaving Paradise before picking it up from the library. From the first few pages, I was hooked-the book didn't leave my hands unless it was absolutely necessary. With school and homework becoming a priority in my life, I don't have much time to blog, but no way I was going to not share the love and amazingness of Leaving Paradise. Finishing this book moments ago, raw, emotional, and honestly breathtaking are the only words that come into mind. 

The first half of the book was good, but didn't compare to the qualities and surprises the second half had in store. Leaving Paradise follows both Maggie and Caleb's point of view, starting with Caleb finally getting released from the juvenile detention center he's had to call home for the past year. Caleb is a hot, popular, average guy who had a little too much to drink one night, accidentally hitting Maggie Armstrong with his car. Maggie has the dreams of becoming a tennis star, is outgoing, and pretty popular, but ever since the accident she hasn't been the same. It took loads of physical therapy to get her leg back into shape, but she still has a limp. The only thing she looks forward to is going to Spain to leave Paradise (her town) and everything behind her. What she doesn't count on is Caleb being back in Paradise changing everything yet once again. Maggie and Caleb find themselves face to face, involuntary spending more time together; together they learn things aren't always what they seem.

Leaving Paradise is a love story, but not the typical love story most are used to. In fact there isn't anything ordinary about Leaving Paradise. Caleb and Maggie seem to have a normal relationship, but it's much more complicated and heartwarming then it looks from afar. A year after the accident, both characters have changed and grown; they find that each other are the only people that will ever understand. It's safe to say Simone Elkeles is one of the best writers out there. The connection she created by Caleb and Maggie flow so easily throughout the book.There are countless heartbreaking, emotional, honest moments making the reader almost frustrated. 

While Caleb and Maggie were wonderful characters, Mrs. Reynolds-the lady Caleb and Maggie both end up working with, brings sunshine to the novel. She helps both of them accept themselves for who they are. Anyone with a person like Mrs.Reynolds in their lives are very lucky. 

Leaving Paradise let me escape from my own hectic life for a little bit, as  I was completely absorbed in what was happening at all times. The ending wasn't my favorite, but lucky me the sequel is already out! I can't wait to see what's going to happen with Caleb and Maggie. Leaving Paradise is one of the best books I've read in awhile, if not this year. Pick up a copy immediately, you won't regret it :)

HELP!

Hi :)
Unfortunately it's been way to long. I'm having a major dilemma and I need suggestions. How do you fellow bloggers out there balance blogging with school and work? AP classes and tons of homework takes up most of my day. Thankfully I've blocked up just a little bit of time to read some good books, but I have found it hard to squeeze in blogging as well. I'm hoping some trick will fix this hehe ;D Any comments or opinions would be VERY appreciated. Thank you! I hope to post soon :))