Daily Dose Monday (6)

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 (11)

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.

Hmm I had a not too bad week. I'm so happy with the books I read this week though! I've read the best books since I've joined the blogging community :)

Library/For review:

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Summary: (taken from Goodreads) 

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart. 

Wow I've read so many five star reviews, I decided I had to check it out! I heard it was even a trilogy, which is just an added bonus :) 

Lessons From a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles
Summary: (taken from Goodreads) 

An unflinching story of a troubled friendship — and one girl’s struggle to come to terms with secrets and shame and find her own power to heal.

Leah Greene is dead. For Laine, knowing what really happened and the awful feeling that she is, in some way, responsible set her on a journey of painful self-discovery. Yes, she wished for this. She hated Leah that much. Hated her for all the times in the closet, when Leah made her do those things. They were just practicing, Leah said. But why did Leah choose her? Was she special, or just easy to control? And why didn’t Laine make it stop sooner? In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laine is left to explore the devastating lessons Leah taught her, find some meaning in them, and decide whether she can forgive Leah and, ultimately, herself. 

Oh my goodness, this sounds so intense and powerful. I can't wait to read this! 

Scandal by Kate Brian
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

After her harrowing kidnapping, Reed returns to Easton to find the worst thing she can think of—Billings has been torn
down. Finally, after years of controversy, the school’s wealthiest female alumni have been overruled, and the historical dorm is gone from Easton Academy.

How will Reed and the rest of the Billings Girls handle it? Will they still be as powerful, as popular, and as wicked—with literally no ground to stand on? 

 Ahh I love love The Private series. The last book ended with a huge cliffhanger, so I can't wait to see what happens next. Eee I'm just so excited!  

What's in your mailbox? 

Fade by Lisa McMann

Book Review #26
Fade by Lisa McMann
Rating: Five stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

SOME NIGHTMARES NEVER END.

For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck. Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open -- but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.

Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability -- and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared....

After being blown away from reading Wake (link takes you to my review), I thought nothing could top it. I was wrong. I almost can't describe how satisfied I am with Fade. I feel so comforted and completely engaged in the Wake series that I never want it to end. My favorite couple-Janie and Cabel were back this time and better than ever. Now that they are officially together, you get to see whole other side to them. Basically Fade took all the amazing things Wake had, but added with the crime fighting mystery that I absolutely love.

Janie uses her dream catching abilities to join Cabel to solve crimes. Due to the fact that this job puts Janie in danger causes Cabel to start becoming uncomfortable about his feelings towards the new arrangement. The main case in the story is a major sex scandal at Fieldridge High. Janie and Cabel spend most of their time trying to solve the case. Although the crime was a big part of the story, it was only half of the enjoyment. Janie learns to better control of abilities, while Cabel struggles with his own internal struggle. Compromising decisions are made, relationships grow, and the suspense will keep you guessing from the beginning to the end.

I have to say that Janie and Cabel are officially two of my favorite characters. Janie is such a strong heroine, who never gives up, despite the difficult life she suffers from. I simply admired Janie for all the accomplishments she gets done. Oh and then there is Cabel. Cabel is just amazing! He is always there for Janie, despite where their relationship stands at the time. Alone both Janie and Cabel are great, but together they are just so much better.

The writing combined with the scenes were so powerful and vivid. The scenes suck you in and never let go. Particularity the scenes at the party, when Janie was getting tipsy, you actually started to feel a little out of it yourself. The writing is definitely not traditional, but it works just right for the story. Without a dull moment, Fade will be impossible to put down.

I"m am so happy that Fade went way above my expectations. Intensity, romance, complex lovable characters, are only a few of the components in Fade. I'm so glad I picked up this series. I can't wait to see what happens next. I think everyone should-no needs to check out this series, because if not then you are definitely missing out.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Book Review #25
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Rating: Five stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined. 

I feel amazed, beaten down, and not fully recovered after spending my Tuesday evening reliving the last seven days of Samantha Kingston life. I almost don't know what to say. Before I Fall is truly unique and unlike any other book I've ever read. Without a doubt, it has made my list of all time favorite books. I've read amazing reviews about Before Before I Fall, but I still felt uneasy-I mean how could a book tell the story about the same day over and over again and not get boring? Well I sure was wrong, everyday was better than the last; the same, yet so different at the same time. Before I Fall went through so many twists and untwists, but more importantly it taught you the most important lesson of all: to not take things for granted and to try to fix your life, before it's too late.

Samantha Kingston is a popular, "has it all", high school senior. She wakes up on February 12th, with her biggest worries being about how many roses she will get and her big night with her boyfriend Rob. As the day goes on, things don't turn out exactly how she planned. To top it off Sam and her friends get into a terrible accident. When Sam wakes up the next day, she can't believe she's in her own bed. She is amazed to discover that the date is yet again February 12th. As she relives the same day over and over, she starts questioning the kind of person she is and eventually realizes it is not too late to change.

Ok at first, I can't think of many people that actually liked Samantha. She was a shallow, self-centered, and not very nice, BUT, I guarantee by the middle of the book you will honestly love Sam. Her transformation really is amazing and it's not done in a forced predictable way either. Instead of focusing only on her self, she tries to help others and save their lives. She is given second chances over and over again, something not many people have.

As for the other characters- I loved each and every one of them. Although Sam's friends were popular and rich, they had their faults. They were just like some of our friends. I loved loved their relationship between the four best friends. Yeah they fought, but they were always there for each other, and they honestly had so much fun together that it reminded me about my own friendships. Don't forget about the romance either. I didn't like Rob her boyfriend at all, but Kent on the other hand was one of my favorite characters. He was an adorable dork that was mostly a mess, but he has always had a crush on Samantha- for the real Samantha. I even loved Izzy (Samantha's little sister), she was the cutest thing ever! I have many younger nieces and nephews myself and the idea of ever losing them really hit me hard.

Not only did Before I Fall have an amazing plot with romance, humor, and inspiration, but the writing was simply amazing. I mean could you imagine reading a 500 page book and wanting more. I literally could have read another couple hundred of pages of this book. The memories and back-stories, along with the sarcastic relatable dialogue really blew me away. I was so into the characters I almost wanted to jump in to the book and at points yell at Samantha for doing something utterly crazy.

Just thinking about reading Before I Fall makes me smile and feel all fuzzy inside. All the crying and hard-thinking was done all from this one book. I learned so much-I had no idea the smallest things could affect someone's whole life for years. I honestly could just go on for days about how great this books is. I still find myself thinking about it two days later, and I'm sure for much longer. If you haven't picked this one up yet, what are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

"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". 

Things I Know About Love by Kate Le Vann
Release Date: June 22nd 2010
Summary: (taken from Goodreads) 

Livia's experience of love has been disappointing to say the least. But all that is about to change. After years of illness, she's off to spend the summer with her brother in America. She's making up for lost time, and she's writing it all down in her private blog. America is everything she ever dreamed of - and then she meets Adam. Can Livia put the past behind her and risk falling in love again?

First off, I really love the cover of this one. The book is primarily made up of blog posts and diary entries, which I haven't read much of, so I would like to try something new for once.  I think this is going to be a very interesting quick read. I can't wait :)

What are you waiting on?

Teaser Tuesday (4)

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:

 "Fear is clamping down on me like a vise, and I feel like I might shatter into a million pieces right then and there. I want to sit down and put my head between my knees, but I'm worried that if I move, or close, my eyes, or do anything I'll just start to unravel -head coming away from neck coming away from shoulder -all of me floating away into nothing." 

pg.114, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Oh wow! I'm so glad everyone was right: Before I Fall is amazing/one of the coolest books ever. I'm so engaged in the book,I didn't even want to take a break to post this. I'll be finished soon, so watch out for my review :)

Daily Dose Monday (5)

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 (10)

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.

I had an OK week. It was the saddest thing to return some of unread library books that had overdue fines. I decided to read all of my library books before digging into my  purchased ones.

Library/for review:

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

I couldn't believe my library actually had this book! I heard it was simply amazing, most of the reviews gave this book five stars. I can't wait :)

Willow by Julia Hoban

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy—one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down.

Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her. 

Willow looks so powerful and touching. I'm almost scared to read this because it is about such a sensitive subject.


Confessions of a Serial Kisser

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
 EVANGELINE LOGAN WANTS a kiss. A spectacular, heart-stopping, life changing kiss. Somehow The Crimson Kiss (a romance novel she’s become obsessed with) and Four Steps to Living Your Fantasy (a self-help book she’s reading) have fused in Evangeline’s mind and sent her on a quest for a kiss. But the path to perfection is paved with many bad kisses—the smash mouth, the ear licker, the “misser.” The phrase “I don’t kiss and tell” means nothing to the boys in her school. And worse: someone starts writing her name and number on bathroom walls. And worst of all: the boy she's just kissed turns out to be her best friend’s new crush. Kissing turns out to be way more complicated than the romance novels would have you believe . . .

I thought this looked like such a cute fun read!

When It Happens by Susan Colasanti

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
At the start of her senior year, Sara wants two things: to get into a top college and to find true love. Tobey also wants two things in his senior year: to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love with him. A popular jock named Dave, though, moves in on Sara first. But Tobey's quirky wit and big blue eyes are hard for Sara to ignore. Plus, he gets the little things that matter to her - like why she loves the Lloyd Dobler boom-box scene in the movie Say Anything....Can a slacker rock-star wanna be win the heart of a pretty class brain like Sara?

I haven't read any of Susan Colasanti's books before, but I heard she was awesome. This sounds great :)

What's in your mailbox?

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Book Review #24
What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

My name is Robin.

This book is about me.

It tells the story of what happens when after almost 15 pathetic years of loserdom, the girl of my dreams finally falls for me.

That seems like it would be a good thing, right? Only it turns out to be a lot more complicated than that.
Because I'm not gonna lie to you -- there are naked women involved. Four of them, to be exact. Though not in the way you might think.

Don't get me wrong -- my girlfriend's amazing. But the way things have been going lately, I'm starting to believe that the only thing worse than not getting what you want, is getting it.

I just devoured What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know whole and I have to say I'm more than satisfied. Although it is a sequel, you don't have to read the previous book (What My Mother Doesn't Know) to fall in love. When I discovered there was a sequel to What My Mother Doesn't Know, I never expected it to be from a whole different point of view, so I knew I was definitely in for a treat. Reading the book from Robin's point of view was so refreshing and breath taking. It was so nice spending the day inside a teenage boy's mind. Due to the way the book is written (short poems) along with the intense humorous engaging plot, I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down.

Robin is a fourteen year old boy known as the "loser" of the school. When Robin begins dating Sophie, one of the most popular girls of the school, his classmates don't now exactly how to react. Eventually, Sophie's friends give her an ultimatum between them and dating Robin. Eventually, it becomes Robin and Sophie against the whole entire school. Robin starts to get picked on even more and Robin just can't stand making Sophie go through the torture with him. Robin has second thoughts about what he really wants. Sophie and Robin have a touching relationship that suffers through pressures which truly test their love for each other.

Over the course of about an hour, I laughed extremely hard, smiled, shifted uncomfortably in my seat, and came pretty close to tears while reading What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know. Robin's emotions and feelings were so real it was almost scary. He had those genuine raw feelings, worries, and anxieties that most teenage boys have, that are sometimes not shown in other books.

My favorite part of this book was Robin and Sophie's relationship. I wasn't used to reading a book with a couple that had such a strong amazingly powerful relationship. Together they faced the whole school, never giving up, when no one else approved of their relationship. It was refreshing to see two people a stronger connection emotionally than physically (although they had a pretty heated physical connection as well). Robin and Sophie were so adorably cute together.

What My Girlfriend was fast paced, funny, romantic, and touching. It was just as good as the What My Mother Doesn't Know, if not even better. I loved reading about Sophie and Robin's stories! If you like quick, light, and "feel good" books, then you most definitely need to check out What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know.