Sunday Spotlight - The Shady Glade

Saturday/Sunday Spotlight is where I feature another book blogger, for you to check out! You should take a look at their site and leave a comment. (: [I got this meme from Kristen's site.]

Name: Alyssa
Blog Name: The Shady Glade
URL: http://theshadyglade.blogspot.com

Share a little bit about yourself.
I'm an avid reader who just finished up my degree in English at a college in Idaho. Now I'm back living in California when I can spend my free time after work talking about books and my other love, Disney, on my two blogs.

How long have you been blogging and what made you want to start?
My three year blogoversary will be coming up on September 1st, so I'm really excited about that. As far as what made me start, I'd been doing reviews for a YA lit website for about 8 months before I started my own blog. Through the forums of that site I had become friends with Jocelyn over at Teen Book Review. She had posted one day that she started a blog, and I went "Hey, I can do that!" So here I am, almost 3 years (and a whole lot less free time) later.

What does your site have to offer?
Well, I have the normal expected things like book reviews, author interviews, and weekly memes. However, one thing that's unique that I do is something I call Contest Monday, where I give away a new book every week. You can also count on me for lots of YA-related ramblings too. :) I'm always trying new things out for the blog, so you never really know exactly what I'll come up with.

What is your favorite thing about book blogging?
This is going to make me sound like a dork, but I love getting email from my readers. I love comments too, don't get me wrong, but I really, really, really like email. It always touches me that people take the extra time to write to me about things related to my blog.

What are your favorite books and/or authors? What about genre in general?
My favorite genre hands down is fantasy. And I could probably fragment it more by saying I love, love, love, love fairy tale retellings. Picking favorite books is really hard for me, but I love books by Tamora Pierce, Patricia C. Wrede, Sarah Beth Durst, Clare B. Dunkle, and Mary Hoffman.

Thanks for the interview!

Thank you so much Alyssa for taking the time to answer my questions! Any of you who aren't followers of her site yet - what are you waiting for!?

If you would like to be featured on a Saturday Spotlight post, shoot me an email at booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

Waiting On Wednesday: Never Cry Werewolf

This week's WoW book is Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis! It will be released on September 1, 2009.

Description from Amazon:

Moonlight can totally change your life.

And it all starts so simply.

You. Him.

The moon.

You're toast.

Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.

Hehe I just love a good werewolf story. ;) This one sounds pretty good. My only question is, what's with all the "sons and daughters of rock stars" in all of these books? Hm. Oh well. RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2009!

First day of school...

...was a fail.
:|

Hopefully tomorrow will be better or else I might just have to drop out!

(Note: I'm being sarcastic. I would never drop-out of high school. :P)

But anyways - my whole semester is full of honor classes (I'm a sophomore) so I have absolutely no free time. But I will definitely find time to keep up this site! Since I'm pretty shy it's hard for me to make friends - and I literally know no one in each class. But enough of my complaining...

How was yours??

My debut novel will finally be published!

Well after much time and patience, my book Dive will finally be published! Yippee! It's scheduled to be released this December! Here's a peek at what the cover will look like:

The story is about Jordan Thompson, a depressed sixteen-year old, who one day attempts suicide by jumping off the balcony of his apartment. It's not until he lands unharmed on his feet, that he realizes he's different from most teenage boys. As he adjusts to his strange ability of jumping from building to building, roof to roof, he knows he must keep it a secret. But one day his neighbor, Jessica Farmer, spots him jumping easily from his window to the road, without any injury at all. While she agrees to keep it a secret, she wants something in return. And what she asks of Jordan, will change his life forever.


Ok, ok I can't take this anymore. THIS IS NOT REAL! :) It's actually just a fun thing I saw over at The Zen Leaf where you get to create a fake YA debut cover. Optional: Make up a summary. Look over at her blog for the easy instructions. It's so much fun!

And wow I was really getting into that summary! Haha but I have a question. If this was a real book, would you read it? I don't care if you say no - this is just for fun. I probably would though.

I love hearing about teenage authors!

Cayla Kluver, sixteen years old, has just published her first novel: Legacy! It's the first in a series, and she's already finished writing the sequel, too.

I LOVE hearing about teenage authors - mainly since I want to be an author some day, too. I think whenever I hear about someone my age who just wrote a book, it reminds me that I'm never too young. And it's great motivation for me.

But anyways - "Legacy" was published August 18, a few days ago, and here is the summary from Amazon if you are interested in reading it:

In an award-winning YA fantasy debut, 16-year-old novelist Cayla Kluver brings a magical touch to an unrelentingly suspenseful coming-of-age tale. Duty-bound to wed her father’s choice in successor to the throne, Princess Alera of Hytanica believes that she is being forced into the worst of all possible fates—a marriage to the arrogant and hot-tempered suitor, Steldor. When a mysterious boy from enemy Cokyri appears bearing secrets and an entirely different view of what's appropriate behavior for a young lady, Alera learns that her private desires threaten to destroy the kingdom. When Narian’s shocking past comes to light, Alera finds herself in a shadowy world of palace intrigue and ancient blood feuds, facing an uncertain future with dwindling options—and must learn to decide between right and wrong all alone. Marked by witty, rapid-fire dialogue and dramatic complexity that belie the writer’s age, Legacy brings a fresh, new sensibility to age-old questions of duty and inheritance and to a young heroine’s quest to find her true voice.

Saturday Spotlight - Bookworming in the 21st Century

Saturday Spotlight is where I feature another book blogger, for you to check out! You should take a look at their site and leave a comment. (:
Since I got this meme from Kristen's site, I didn't hesitate to ask to interview her first...

Name: Kristen
Blog Name: Bookworming in the 21st Century
URL: http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/

Share a little bit about yourself:

Well, I'm 24 years old. I'm getting married on October 24th this year to the sweetest man I have EVER known. We're having a backyard wedding my parents' backyard - which has been my dream since I was a little girl. I'm starting a new job as an elementary school Library Media Specialist this year - which I'm nervous and excited about all at once! I obviously love reading - it's pretty much my only hobby lately. When I'm not reading, I'm working, blogging, or hanging out with my fiance. And some random facts - I like the in-between seasons - Spring and Fall (can't wait for it to cool down!). My favorite animal is the koala bear (I was asked this repeatedly when I was babysitting the other night). My favorite color is blue. And I'm most comfortable wearing a skirt (that's what I wear on my days off) - yes, I'm strange.

How long have you been blogging and what made you want to start?

I actually just started blogging at the beginning of June. So a little more than two months now. I actually was on goodreads one day and one of the people I talk to frequently on there posted in a group about her book blog (Emma of Booking Through 365 - http://bookingthrough365.blogspot.com/). It was the beginning of summer - the first summer I only planned on working 20 hours a week, no classes - so I decided, I want to do that. And I did. I really love reading and planned on reading a ton of Young Adult books this summer (which I read enough, but not enough for me...) so I really wanted to post that up out there in the blog universe. I was fortunate enough to start blogging right before Maw Books Blog ran her Bloggiesta, which taught me a ton about blogging and helped me fancy up my site. And here I still am, blogging every day.

What does your site have to offer?

My site has grown considerably. I review generally Young Adult books, with a few Adult books thrown in randomly from time to time. I share my honest opinion about a book, but try to shine every book in a good light. I also have been fortunate enough to have interviewed some fabulous YA authors and shared those with my readers. I hold frequent contests now - thanks to ALA (where I got a ton of books!), two of which are currently running. More information about those here (http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/2009/08/contest-for-hush-hush-necklace.html) and here (http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/2009/08/contests-for-august.html). I also partake in a ton of memes and have created my own. On weekends, I hold Saturday and Sunday Spotlights, featuring newer bloggers (like myself.. only less known) and even some older ones! I also try to update contest links for other contests out there on the blogosphere and have actually created a Thursday meme called Link A Contest Thursday, where bloggers can post their contest links up for others to see.

What is your favorite thing about book blogging?

I absolutely love the social aspect of book blogging. I love sharing the books I've loved with others and seeing them comment their own opinions. I try to follow and comment a lot on other blogs, but I fall behind frequently. Blogging could very well be a full-time job! I know I've clocked a TON of hours into my blog this summer and I'm hoping I can keep up once school starts.

What are your favorite books and/or authors?

I have a ton of favorite authors - Suzanne Collins, Phillip Pullman, Francesca Lia Block, Becca Fitzpatrick, L.A. Meyer, Stephanie Meyer, Sarah Beth Durst, Jessica Day George, Rick Riordan, Maria V. Snyder, Maggie Stiefvater, and many many more!
My favorite series include the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer, The Hunger Games Trilogy, and of course Twilight. I really love a ton of books out there.
My favorite book EVER would have to be Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, which I think really is a great adventure story and could read it a billion times and never get sick of it.

What about genre in general?

In general, I usually stick to fantasy and paranormal young adult novels. But, I do love historical fiction as well. I'm trying to branch out more and read some realistic fiction, but I usually gear towards those other genres first.

Thank you so much Kristen for taking the time to answer my questions! Any of you who aren't followers of her site yet - what are you waiting for!?

If you would like to be featured on a Saturday Spotlight post, shoot me an email at booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

Movie Review: Interview With A Vampire

So I know that usually I just review books, but today and next week I will have a movie review for the Gothic Film Club. It's hosted by Write For A Reader and Michelle Zink, author of the new novel "Prophecy of the Sisters."

This week, I watched the movie Interview With A Vampire. I've always been a vampire fan so when my best friend constantly kept telling me to watch the movie with her, I agreed.

Let me just start off telling you that this was a completely different movie than I had expected, and unlike any other movie I had seen before. In good and bad ways.

It tells the story of how Louis became a vampire and how his life drastically changed afterward. First of all, Brad Pitt makes a lovely vampire, and the whole "vampires are seductive and sexy" thing was definitely true, haha! The movie was very strange and I still don't really know how I thought about it. It was very interesting seeing the life of a vampire from their point of view - since books/movies usually make vampires the evil bad guy. Scenes where they killed their victims and drank their blood surprisingly didn't look fake-y which made it creepy but enjoyable at the same time. Some parts dragged a bit, and I found myself getting bored. However, there are certain scenes where I was biting my fingernails off! The time period fascinated me, and the costumes were so neat! I liked the diverse characters and seeing the transformation after a human got bitten and quickly changed into a beautiful vampire. Even though the ending was abrupt, it was a good twist. It wasn't a bad movie, but I probably wouldn't watch it again.

I give it 3 stars. You can watch the trailer here.

Book & Movie Trailers!

If you haven't seen them already, check out these awesome book and movie trailers!

Catching Fire Book Trailer: I literally CAN NOT wait to read this...it's so exciting! If you haven't read The Hunger Games yet, you must! And ooh at 45 seconds in the video, (plus at the end), is that Peeta!? He sure is an attractive young feller.. :)




(In case you haven't read or heard of The Hunger Games - gasp! - here is a book trailer for it.)




The Lovely Bones Official Movie Trailer: I haven't read the book yet, but the reviews for it are fantastic. I must read it before seeing the movie. It looks intense! It will be out sometime in fall of 2009 this year. Awesome!




The Forest of Hands and Teeth Book Trailer: Make sure your volume is up! This trailer is eerie, and so is the book - only though I've only read the first few chapters. I've also heard that this one will probably become a movie, in 2011!





Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief Movie Trailer: I never read the series, but it's never too late to start, right? They are making it into a movie which will be coming out February 2010. I think it looks interesting! Plus...that guy isn't too shabby looking, eh? ;]




WELL I could go on and on with trailers, but I'll save them for another post! What do you think?? Any particular one you like? Any new movie you'll be interested in?

Intertwined Sweepstakes!

You can win $10,000 and a complete Harlequin TEEN prize pack, including a copy of Intertwined, My Soul to Take, Elphame's Choice, an Intertwined t-shirt and a My Soul to Take t-shirt! That is a pretty awesome contest! Just think of how many books you can get with $10,000! :]

Psst! If you post this widget on your blog or other social networking site, you also get an extra chance to win the Harlequin Teen Prize Pack! So go ahead and steal this one and post it!

Waiting On Wednesday: As You Wish

This week's WoW book is As You Wish by Jackson Pearce! It will be released on August 25, 2009.

Description from Amazon:

Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever. Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong . . . and how important it is to be careful what you wish for.

Aww this book sounds so cute! I love the summary, and I'm excited for this one to be published. Even though I don't really care for the cover.. RELEASED ON AUGUST 25, 2009!

Hardcover vs. Paperback - The Wednesday Wars

I'm starting a new post called "Hardcover vs. Paperback" which is where you choose which cover you prefer. Leave a comment sharing your opinion! Plus, if the summary sounds interesting, you may just want to read it.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Description from Amazon:

Holling Hoodhood is really in for it. He’s just started seventh grade with Mrs. Baker, a teacher he knows is out to get him. Why else would she make him read Shakespeare . . . outside of class? The year is 1967, and everyone has bigger things than homework to worry about. There’s Vietnam for one thing, and then there’s the family business. As far as Holling’s father is concerned, nothing is more important than the family business. In fact, all of the Hoodhoods must be on their best behavior at all times. The success of Hoodhood and Associates depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has Mrs. Baker to contend with?

These covers are completely different so this is a toughie. However, because of the summary, I'm gonna have to choose the hardcover. I think that it looks more interesting and fits the time period better. Even though the paperback is colorful and cutesy, I think it makes the book look too juvenile.

What do YOU think?

Miley Cyrus is not even CLOSE to having wings!

This has been a very unsettling weekend for me in the world of literature..!

First, as some of you may have read in my other post, Wuthering Heights is now being re-published...promoted by dun dun dun TWILIGHT. Sigh, of course. Check out the post for more info about that horrible mess.

BUT in other news - guess what I just found out today? You know the book Wings by Aprilynne Pike? It's like a brand new book - it just came out in May this year! And it is already being made into a movie. Now, I'll admit that I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but as soon as I heard it was going to be made into a movie I knew I would have to read it before seeing it on the big screen. (It's just like a weird thing of mine that I have to do..haha.)

Until..... I saw who was going to be played as "sheltered, homeschooled" Laurel..

Are you joking? Out of all the actressess (I don't even like to consider her one, no offense but her acting is terrible!) they have to choose her?? I'm sorry if I'm tearing apart your heart you "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus/whatever the heck her name is these days" biggest fans out there - but let me just tell you now that I am probably the most anti-Miley person out there. (: And not ashamed! It might sound judgemental, cruel, heartless, etc. but I just can not stand her at all!! Ugh sorry major venting here. :P

Isn't Laurel supposed to be blonde? Guess they'll just put on the Hannah wig! ....
And I swear if I see Joe Jonas playing as David, I'll just have to strangle someone. It's bad enough that they are making this into yet another Disney movie. Ugh it's just really annoying for me. Sorry if I sound like a complaining, whiny, five year old.

Anyways. Yep just wanted everyone to know the "great" news. I changed my mind about seeing the movie. I'd rather eat glass. You can read more about it here.

All I gotta say is, I realllllly hope they don't make it into a musical. Because then I definitely would NOT be able to tolerate the trailer or previews for it.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Title: Twenty Boy Summer
Author: Sarah Ockler
Published: June 2009 by Little Brown Books

My Rating: 5 stars
Tags: YA | Realistic | Girls | Romance
Includes: Brief profanity, Sexual Content, Alcohol Abuse, Sex

First Lines: Frankie Perino and I were lucky that day. Lucky to be alive - that's what everyone said. I got a fractured wrist and a banged-up knee, and my best friend Frankie got a fat little scar above her left eye, breaking her eyebrow into two reflective halves.

Anna and Frankie, inseparable best friends, are looking for a summer romance while they vacation in California.. but they're still grieving for Matt, who was Frankie's older brother and Anna's secret boyfriend. As Anna tries to comfort Frankie's grief, and her own, the secret of her love for Matt threatens to destroy their friendship.

From Page 5
His messy black hair and bright blue eyes cast a spell on me, muffling the chatter outside as if we'd been dunked under water.

I have heard a LOT of great talk about this book, and now I can see why. I dove right into the story, connecting to shy and secretive Anna - the main character. I couldn't believe this was Sarah Ockler's debut book because the writing was just spectacular! I would've thought she had been writing books for years and years. I could literally feel Anna's heartache and longing for Matt throughout the book - and I'll admit that I cried a few more times than I had expected.

Halfway through the novel, it started to wind down a little bit for me and I wasn't sure where the story was headed. Chapters passed, and nothing big was happening. I kept anticipating for Anna to finally come clean and share her big secret with Frankie already. But OH MY GOODNESS...when you hit the climax in this book it will just shatter your heart into little bits and pieces! (Well, for me it did anyway.) I felt so many different emotions as I ripped through the pages, wondering what conflict would arise next. I felt frustrated for Anna; sad, angry, lonely, happy, overwhelmed - basically I just literally felt like I was IN the story. I love that feeling. :)

One thing that I didn't like at all at first was the fact that Frankie and Anna acted like virginity was nothing. That's the whole reason the book is called, "Twenty Boy Summer." Because they plan to meet a different boy each day that they are in California, in hopes of finding the one that Anna can give her purity to. I'm a big believer in abstinence so I didn't really like the idea.

From Page 57
At the airport, we check in, drop off our luggage, and follow the signs to the security checkpoint. "First time through the X-ray machine, first time on a plane, first time in California...I'm sensing a theme here, Anna. You know, first times?" Frankie wiggles her eyebrows and steps through the machine.

This is an amazing heart-touching book that you must read! I was very content with the ending, and happy with how it all turned out in the end. I feel like all the bits and pieces of it came together, all the loose ends tied together, and the stray pieces completing the puzzle.



***Spoiler!!!!*** Don't read if you haven't read the book yet!****



At first, after Anna slept with Sam, I was soo disappointed. I thought that she would actually stand up for herself in front of Frankie and admit that her virginity was special to her...instead of giving into peer pressure. But now, after I finish the book and I reflect back on it, I'm not so upset about it anymore. I feel like the story would've been a lot different without that scene. And it was almost an eye-opener for Frankie, that it's not about the number of guys you try to hook up with, but the feeling of being loved. However, I still wish she didn't do it with him...she's never even going to see him again. And usually in books/movies, after the girl gives up her virginity she feels guilty, dirty, or sad afterward - to show the viewer that it's not right. In this book it was the total opposite because Anna was glad that she had sex with him, even afterwards.. *Update: read my post, where Sarah discusses this topic!

Book Supplied by: Bought it at my nearest Borders bookstore!

Garfield ...minus Garfield.

I have found another hilarious website! Garfield Minus Garfield! (http://garfieldminusgarfield.net) It is totally non-book related, but oh well! Maybe you just need a good laugh. (: Well..technically the entire collection of comics are in a book, so in that case - it IS book-related!

Anyways. As it says on the site: "Garfield Minus Garfield is a site dedicated to removing Garfield from the Garfield comic strips in order to reveal the existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle. It is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb."

Hehe in other words - we all see the true craziness of Jon as he talks to himself.

Here are just a few funny ones so you can see for yourself...











Alright, I'll stop. I could go on forever. These things make me laugh so hard. (:

I'm in shock...!

OH MY GOSH! Do you SEE what that little red circle on the cover says!? In case you cant, it says:

Bella & Edward's Favourite Book

...are you kidding me??

I'm sorry in advance for any of you Twilight-obsessed fanatics, but this is just waaay too much! Sure, I thought the Twilight saga was great and all - but what the heck is the world of literature coming to!? Wuthering Heights, a classic, is now reprinting the book with this sticker on it...not to mention the cover.. hmm it looks awfully familiar. I can not believe they would go this far just to sell a classic novel. It's pathetic.

I'm sorry, I just really gotta get all of this off my chest. Everywhere I look nowadays, it's always Twilight this! Twilight that! There are sooo many other great books out there for people to discover. I'm so tired of everything being Twilight - it hurts my head. :/ I used to love the books, but now...ughh it's just way too overdone.

Basically I just think it's pretty stupid that a classic novel, Wuthering Heights, now has to be promoted by Twilight. "Bella & Edward's Favourite Book"...is that really the best thing they can think of to try to sell more copies of it!? They are freakin fictional characters!

Again - I'm sorry if I offended anyone but it's just my own opinion. What do you think about it?

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Title: Someone Like You
Author: Sarah Dessen
Published: May 2004 by Puffin Books

My Rating: 4 stars
Tags: YA | Realistic | Girls | Romance
Includes: Profanity, Sexual Content, Drug/Alcohol Abuse, Pregnancy

First Lines: Scarlett Thomas has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. That's why I knew when she called me at Sisterhood Camp, during the worst week of my life, that something was wrong even before she said it.

Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years, always there for each other. So when Scarlett finds out that she's pregnant just two months after her boyfriend's death, Halley must step up to the plate and be the friend Scarlett has always been to her. Halley and her mom, a therapist, have been close best friends for life - until the summer before Junior year, when Halley begins to change. She befriends the popular, loudmouth Ginny Tabor, and starts dating irresponsible, rebel Macon, whom her parents don't approve of. As Halley starts getting in trouble at school and home, she must turn to Scarlett for support. Together, the two girls experience a school year they will never forget.

From Page 20
"Scarlett?" I said, there in the dark, and as she turned to me I saw her face was streaked with tears. For a minute, I didn't know what to do. I thought of what she had done all the millions of times I'd cried to her, collapsing at even the slightest wounding of my heart or pride. So I reached over and pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her, and held my best friend close, returning so many favors all at once.

Sarah Dessen has always been one of my favorite authors because I feel like I can always relate to the characters and I like her realistic approach of writing. Plus, a cute romance seems to always be included.. ;) So I didn't hesitate to get this book for myself; even looking at the adorable cover makes me want to read it!

By the first few pages, I liked the novel already. I was able to really dig down into Halley's character and walk around in her shoes. However, unlike Dessen's other books, I couldn't actually relate to the main character. While she constantly made wrong decisions, I just wanted to scream at her and throw the book at the wall. Even by the end of the book, I don't feel like she changed that much. I think I'd like the book a lot better if I liked Halley's character more. Scarlett on the other hand, well, let's just say: I would kill to be her bestfriend. I loved her character!

The story had an overall good, realistic plot that covered many aspects in life that teenagers face at one point or the other. Such as grieving over the death of a loved one, branching out from your parents for a sense of independence, teenage pregnancy, and how to end a bad relationship.

From Page 168
"Now," she began, "since you've been hanging out with Macon you've gotten caught skipping school, broken your curfew, and your attitude is always confrontational and difficult. Honestly, I don't even recognize you anymore. You smell like cigarettes when you come home, you're listless and distracted. You never talk about school with us anymore. You're distant."

Even though Halley seems to act like she has the worst mother a teenager can ask for, her mother did make valid arguments. I liked hearing it from two different perspectives - Halley, the girl who thinks she's in love with the best guy ever, and her mom, who refuses to like Macon.

There were, especially, certain parts in the book that I got completely absorbed in. With my nose practically pushed up against the page, whenever someone tried to talk to me, I'd rudely shush them and tell them to wait until I was done with the chapter. (Yes, I can be rude when I read!) Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read it again.

Book Supplied by: Paperbackswap.com

On My Bookshelf (6)

(Originally by The Story Siren, as "In My Mailbox.") On My Bookshelf is used to share what books I bought from the store, won, or got from the library this week. It's by no means to brag, just to let you know what to expect for me to read/review next. (:



Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen: I just got back from Border's today and couldn't stop myself from getting this book! Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors, so I know I won't be disappointed. You can read about the book here. I just adore this cover, too!

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler: YAY I have been dying to get my hands on a copy of this! After many failed attempts at trying to win it through contests, I just decided to heck with it and bought the hardcover while at Borders. You can read about the novel by clicking here. It looks like a cute summer read and was published in June.

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty: I got this paperback from paperbackswap.com and it is the first in a series out of... 5 I think? You can read about it here. It's an old book (2001) but hopefully still good! I think all of the titles for the series is cute.

Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick: I got this book in the mail from paperbackswap.com, also. I just love the name and title - it's so creative! You can read about this novel here. This book looks promising because it has a 5 star average review!

The Monster Variations by Daniel Kraus: I got an ARC of this young adult thriller from RandomBuzzers.com. You can read about it here! It looks creepy and the summary is, too. This is a brand new release - it came out just a few days ago.

Airhead by Meg Cabot: I won this book from a book blogger's contest and it looks like a nice, girly read. You can read the summary of it here. I like Meg Cabot's work so it should be good. This is the first in a series, and it's still pretty new.

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares: I got this pretty hardcover from yabookscentral.com. You can read about it here. I have only read the first Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book in the series, but this one is with different characters. I guess starting a new sisterhood? It looks like a cute read and I like the simple, but elegant cover.

So these are the awesome books that I got this week! Have you read any of them? & What are you reading?

Waiting On Wednesday: Catching Fire

This week's WoW book is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins! It will be released on September 1, 2009.

Description from Amazon:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

I just finished reading the first book, The Hunger Games, which I reviewed here. You MUST go read it if you haven't already. I think everyone is dying to get their hands on a copy of Catching Fire once it comes out. I just know that it is going to be awesome!RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2009!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Published: September 2008 by Scholastic Press

My Rating: 5 stars but I wish I could give it an even higher score!
Tags: YA | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Series (Book 1)
Includes: Violence/Murder, Sensuality

First Lines: When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Period.

I have heard a lot of great talk about this book around the blogosphere, so I didn't hesitate to go out and buy my own copy of the novel. Just the summary alone had me hooked. I liked how this book had parts of many genres - action, suspense, romance, science fiction, etc. It covered just about everything.

For me, the story started out a little slow and I was kind of disappointed by the first few chapters since nothing big was happening yet. But now that I look back on it, I realize that the author was just setting up the characters, time period, and background information since it is set in a futuristic world.

From Page 4
Our part of District 12, nicknamed the Seam, is usually crawling with coal miners heading out to the morning shift at this hour. Men and women with hunched shoulders, swollen knuckles, many who have long since stopped trying to scrub the coal dust out of their broken nails, the lines of their sunken faces.

It took me a week to get really sucked into the book, so I began to get in the habit of carrying it around with me wherever I went in case I had a few minutes of reading time. Because of the interesting cover, I was asked many times what the book was about. However, once I started explaining the summary - I just couldn't stop! So I'll try my best to give a short and to-the-point one. ;]

The novel is set in a futuristic world in a place called Panem - what's left of North America, which is run by the government called The Capital. Each year, The Capital randomly chooses a boy and girl from each of the 12 districts to compete in the deadly Hunger Games. It is a televised gory fight to the death, where only one winner, or "victor" survives in the end. After her younger sister's name was chosen to fight in the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen volunteers herself instead.

From Page 21
Somewhere far away, I hear the crowd murmuring unhappily as they always do when a twelve-year-old gets chosen because no one thinks this is fair. And then I see her, the blood drained from her face, hands clenched in fists at her sides, walking with stiff, small steps up toward the stage.

Now I'll tell you - this book was unlike anything else I had ever read. The creativity practically jumped off of each page, screaming in my face. It's not until a couple of chapters in, once Katniss actually enters the arena to start the Hunger Games, that it became addicting. I read the book for the entire five hour drive home from the beach - refused to put it down even during bathroom breaks and turned down dinner, too! Even if this doesn't sound like your type of book, it'll be a mistake if you turn it down. You are missing out on one heck of an amazing book.

I fell in love with particular characters and cried along with Katniss when they were brutally murdered by other competitors in the games. I blushed during awkward moments with Peeta, the baker's son who was also chosen from the same district to compete. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest during intense fighting scenes and I had no idea what would happen next. Overall, I was completely absorbed in this book and felt like I literally was in the arena with Katniss during the Hunger Games. The sudden cliff-hanger ending was a shocker to me, and I didn't see it coming at all. I am on the verge of outbreak since I have to wait another month for the sequel to come out! This is by far one of the most creative, addicting, well-written action and survival books out there. This would make an AMAZING movie!

*Update: They ARE making this series into a movie!

Book Supplied by: I bought it at Borders!