Waiting On Wednesday (3)

"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 View From the Top by Hillary Frank
Release Date:May 13th 2010
Summary: (taken from Amazon) 

Eighteen-year-old Anabelle’s last few months in her coastal hometown are bittersweet. Instead of the quiet precollege summer she expects, Anabelle makes some surprising discoveries about herself as she navigates romantic entanglements and changing friendships. Through shifting points of view in seven interconnected stories, we glimpse the limits of how well her friends really know Anabelle . . . and how little she grasps about the way they see her.

With wry observations and quirky humor, critically acclaimed novelist Hillary Frank gives voice and depth to six unique characters whose stories intertwine to form a complete picture of one shared summer.

This book sounds so good! It definitely looks like my kind of book: a summer read with just that little bit more. It kind of reminds me of one of my favorite books by Sarah Dessen-Along For the Ride. I can't wait!

What are you waiting on? 

Teaser Tuesday (3)

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: 

"Janie stares back, just to freak her out. She looks around the toom at the others who sit there, waiting for their names to be called. They all look at the floor as her gaze passes from one to the next. She knows what they're thinking. There's no way they want to be in that room with me, the freak."
-pg.127 Wake by Lisa McMann

 


Wow is all I can say right now. Wake is pretty crazy so far, but I love it. Now I know what all the hype was about. I'm almost finished so look out for my review :)

Daily Dose Monday (3)

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 (8)

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 a good week, but not as good as last week! I can't believe how many good books I have to read, my TBR pile is literally about to reach the ceiling :)

Library/for review:

Tangled by Caroyln Mackler 

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all at Paradise—the resort in the Caribbean, that is—for different reasons, but in Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Over the course of four months, through four voices and four stories, what happened in Paradise will change them all.

In this extraordinary novel, the Printz Honor–winning author brings us her most accomplished work yet. Tangled is a story of the secrets we keep, the risks we take, and the things we do for love.

Ooh finally my library had some newish releases out! I can't wait to read this, it looks so cute :)

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Summary:(taken from Goodreads)

NAOMI AND ELY ARE BEST FRIENDS. Naomi loves and is in love with Ely, and Ely loves Naomi, but prefers to be in love with boys. So they create their "No Kiss List" of people neither of them is allowed to kiss. And this works fine - until Bruce. Bruce is Naomi's boyfriend, so there's no reason to put him on the List. But Ely kissed Bruce even though he is boring. The result: a rift of universal proportions and the potential end of "Naomi and Ely: the institution." Can these best friends come back together again?

This sounds really interesting. I really like Rachel Cohn, so I have some pretty high expectations for this one.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Helpin by Josh Berk

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .)

Those who prefer their heroes to be not-so-usual and with a side of wiseguy will gobble up this witty, geeks-rule debut.  

Hmm this isn't my typical read, but I decided to try something out for once.

Getting the Girl :A Guide to Private Investigation, Surveillance, and Cookery by Susan Juby 

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Sunglasses. Check.
Binoculars. Check.
Notepad. Check.
Mom's pink bike. Check. Check?

Meet Sherman Mack. Short. Nerdy. Amateur P.I. and prepared to do anything for Dini Trioli. 

Nobody knows who began it or when it became a tradition, but every girl at Harewood Tech fears being D-listed, a ritual that wipes her off the social map forever. When Sherman believes Dini is in danger of being D-listed, he snatches up his surveillance gear and launches a full-scale investigation to uncover who is res

I love the cover of this one! Comedy and mystery are two of my favorites, so  I hope I like it :)
 

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson


Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

Thanks everyone who suggested this book on my Girl At Sea review! It looks really good and I have to say I'm really liking Maureen Johnson.

What's in your mailbox?

Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson

Book Review #21
Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson
Rating: Four stars (refer to rating system on the right) 

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Sometimes you have to get lost. 

The Girl: Clio, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan. 

The Mission: Survive her father's annoying antics. Oh, also find some underwater treasure that could be the missing link to a long-lost civilization. 

The Crew: Dad's absentminded best friend Martin, his scary girlfriend Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant research assistant. 

What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway? 

As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more mysterious than the sea—her own heart. 

I'm almost exhausted from the crazy choppy journey I took along with Clio filled with mystery, adventure, humor, and of course romance. It took me some time to finally get into Girl At Sea, but once I did I sure wasn't disappointed. Aside from the usual teenage drama, there is an actual mystery throughout the book.The boat and crew actually have a mission, that you don't find out about just yet. Every few chapters, there are random peeks of the history of the mission. The need and desire to discover what this mission actually is will keep you on edge. Girl At Sea is a one of kind book that definitely left me wanting more.

Clio's parents are divorced, and she lives with her mother. Girl At Sea starts with Clio being forced to spend her vacation with her dad sailing on a yacht in Italy. She has a dream summer vacation all planned out. She got a job at the art store with her handsome co-worker Ollie, who is mentioned a bit too much throughout the book. Clio definitely not looking forward to spending time with her dad stuck on some boat especially since her dad is known to be unpredictable and frankly irresponsible.To her surprise she won't be spending her summer with just her father, but a crew made up of four other people. Julia- her dad's new girlfriend , Elsa- her daughter, Martin-her dad's best friend, and Aidan-Julie's assistant (who is kind of cute) become shipmates for the summer and maybe even more. 

I loved all the characters in this book. They were all very well developed and definitely realistic. I loved the crew who set aboard the Sea Butterfly. At first, no one really got along. Clio obviously didn't like Julia, the girlfriend she had never meant. She didn't really no what to think of Elsa either. Then there's Aidan who comes across as arrogant and annoying. The only person she didn't have a problem with was Martin, who was an almost better "father" to her than her dad was. In the end, Clio never expects to make a lifetime best friend and maybe possibly a boyfriend? Aside from the crew members, Clio was a very likable main character. I liked that she actually had talent and didn't let the little fact that she's seventeen and never been kissed overtake her life. One could easily relate to her motivates, desires, and weaknesses. 

The setting of Girl At Sea is what made it so different. Most of the books takes place on a big beautiful yacht that is sailing across the Mediterranean Sea. You would be surprised at how much action and drama can take place on a yacht. Some of the scenes were so powerful and vibrant that I can still picture them in my mind right now. I loved all the wacky things that happened along the ride. Without giving anything away, I have to say there were painful jellyfish involved, diving, and even attacks involved.  

There were a few tiny things that I didn't love so much about this book. First off, the beginning of the book was sort of slow. I feel like all of the major events happened near the end of the book. I wish the mystery of why they were actually on the yacht was revealed sooner. Then there was Ollie, who was constantly mentioned- Clio was kind of obsessed with him when she barely even knew him. Thank goodness Clio eventually realized that it was crazy to obsesses about someone who she wasn't even in a relationship with. The last thing, that I just wasn't used was the fact that the book was in third person. By the end, I did get used to it, but it took some time.  

Despite the minor negative sides of the book, it was definitely worth the read. I loved the ending, it was full of twists and turns. Overall, it was really nice to escape the winter blues to take a trip along with Clio and her crazy shipmates. If your looking for a book filled with just about everything, pick this one up. I'll be looking out for more of Maureen Johnson's books.

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Book Review #20
What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

My name is Sophie.
This book is about me.
It tells
the heart-stoppingly riveting story
of my first love.
And also of my second.
And, okay, my third love too. It's not that I'm boy crazy.
It's just that even though
I'm almost fifteen
it's like
my mind
and my body
and my heart
just don't seem to be able to agree
on anything.

Over the course of about forty-five minutes I have laughed, smiled, and ached along with Sophie. What My Mother Doesn't Know contained a lot of firsts for me. It was the first book I read in verse and who knew reading in verse was so awesome. I became so engaged in the book after I point I forgot I was reading. I literally couldn't put the book down. What My Mother Doesn't Know was also the first time I have laughed that hard while reading book. It was written beautifully through poems, deep inner thoughts, journal entries, and short stories.

Sophie is an almost 15-year old girl that is officially boy crazy, as in one of the most boy crazy characters I've ever read about. Sophie has great friends, is funny, artistic, and pretty likable. The novel takes us along her love life and relationships. Sophie finally gets asked out by Dylan, the boy of her dreams, and totally knows it's true love. At first everything's perfect, she couldn't be happier, but then then she starts noticing weirdness. Sophie doesn't feel right about Dylan, but she isn't sure what to do. On the side, Sophie begins an online romance, and you'll just have to see how that turns out. Sophie is finally ready to move on. She meets Murph, the class dork, unattractive to say the least, and just not cool. She finds herself falling for Murph and having feelings unlike any she's ever had. But how is she going tell her friends that she likes the biggest loser in school? On top of that her parents aren't getting along and her relationship with her mother is getting more complicated everyday.

Sophie and most of the characters in the book were so realistic, it was almost scary. Sophie had those crazy, almost stalkerish moments and thoughts that most teenagers have. Her dreams and fantasies were hilarious, at times a bit too much, but don't we all experience some of those? To say the least the book was very honest. The author doesn't hold back on describing real teenage life, even if weird at times. She was extremely infatuated, to the point where she once said- "I wish I could drink a magic potion and shrink way down until I was small enough to fit into his shirt pocket and live there tucked near to his heart listening to it beating in rhythm with mine every minute of every day."

Along with her love life, Sophie has a complicated relationship with her mother. Her mom doesn't know her daughter as much as she thinks she does. Sophie does the kind of things that her mother would never expect her to do. She is a different person at school and at home. A lot of the situations Sophie experienced with her family were so realistic, you could probably picture yourself going through the same things. Sophie always compares her mom and family to her two best friends' family, longing for what they have. Even though Sophie and her mom get into plenty of fights, Sophie comes to realize that even though she hates her mother at the time, she hates hating her even more.

Most importantly, together with Sophie we learn that there us a huge difference between love and lust and that real love can hide itself behind the most unexpected things. Sophie realized loving someone, really loving someone not just their looks, brings out their beauty and amazing features even more. Sones really captures the feelings you get when falling in love with a guy, trusting yourself,and finding the strength to put your heart above everything else. What My Mother Doesn't Know is a quirky, fun, touching, and fast read that everyone should pick up. Oh and I just found out there is a sequel (What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know), which is already waiting for me on the hold shelf. :)

Waiting On Wendsday (2)

"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". 

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard
Release date: August 5th,2010
Summary: (taken  from Amazon)

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend. 

This looks like a really interesting read. I think it's going to be really fun! I can't imagine what would happen if all my past birthday wishes came true, it would be crazy. I love the cover too.  I can't wait to read this one :) 

What are you waiting for?

Teaser Tuesday (2)

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:

"Panic set in. Her head started to spin. She backed herself up against the door, whacking her head into the towel hook. That felt good. It was solid, reassuring. She banged it again."
-pg.289, Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson

Hmm, I don't know how I feel about Girl At Sea yet, one thing is for sure through, it is definitely one of a kind. I'm almost finished with this one, so keep your eye out for a review :)

Daily Dose Monday (2)

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 :)