In My Mailbox (28)

In My Mailbox
Slow week this week but I've had worse. lol.

BookMooch
~Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Won
~Signed! Freaksville by Kitty Keswick

Bought (Used Amazon Gift card earned from swagbucks)
~Forever Changes by Brendan Halpin ($4.50)

400 Followers Giveaway #1

Restoring Harmony (ARC) by Joelle Anthony
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: May 13th 2010
Pages: 320
Age Level: 13+

Synopsis
The year is 2041, and Molly McClure was only six when the Collapse of ’31 happened, ending life as the world’s population knew it. When she is forced to leave the comfort of her small B.C. island to travel down to Oregon, Molly discovers how hard the Collapse has been on the rest of the world. What starts out as a quick trip to the U.S. to convince her grandfather to return to Canada and be the island’s doctor, becomes a rescue mission. How much will she have to compromise to succeed in getting back home?

Giveaway

Prize
One lucky winner will receive my gently used ARC copy of Restoring Harmony AND some Restoring Harmony swag.

Details
~Fill out form below.
~Open to US, PR, US Military Bases, and Canada only. However if you have a friend that is willing to ship to you then you can do that.
~Contest ends February 12th at 11:59PM EST.
~Winner will be emailed and given 48 hours to respond or another winner will be picked.
~BE HONEST!

Links you'll need for some extra entries:
Restoring Harmony Review
Joelle Anthony Guest Post
Noteworthy Passages: Restoring Harmony

Guest Post: Joelle Anthony

Hi everyone! Today I would like you all to welcome the lovely and talented Joelle Anthony, author of Restoring Harmony which will be releasing this May!

~~~~~~~~

My book, Restoring Harmony, is set in a future where energy shortages and economic collapse have made most things uncertain. For my main character, Molly McClure, this sort of life is all she's really known. Their farm is powered by solar panels, but there are glitches in the system, so having power one day and not the next is just something she's used to.

I live on an island much like the one I imagine Molly to live on, although, unfortunately, we're not as self-sustaining as her island (although we're working towards it). In the winter, we experience somewhat regular power outages because it's windy here, and that brings down tree branches, which in turn, knocks out the power.

Every Sunday my husband and I open our home to family and friends for soup and bread in the late afternoon. Last week, just as people were walking in the door, the power went off. There was a brief moment where all you could here was, "There's a flashlight behind you." and "I've got some candles...hang on!"

The soup was hot in the crockpot, and the biscuits had just come out of the oven, so we carried on by candlelight. It was actually one of my favorite Sunday Soups to date. What I noticed is that our friends, always kind and generous, became even more so. One guest dished up and served everyone, instead of the usual serve-yourself procedure. Conversation was softer and friends moved from the usual gathering place in the kitchen out to the living room, around the woodstove. People stayed longer, not wanting to go out into the dark or back home to a cold house.

While a power outage might seem inconvenient to a lot of people, we always enjoy them. My husband is more likely to play guitar and sing around the kitchen table than he is when he can work on his photos on the computer. I'm more apt to give the cats my full attention, which they love. We're both more likely to break out the scrabble game. There's a relaxed air about the whole evening.

While I was clearing up after Sunday Soup, the stubs of the candles flickering around me, I had to stop myself every time I reached for the tap because our well pump doesn't work without electricity and so we didn't have any water. I began to think how so many things we take for granted were once unimaginable. In particular, all the light you want - whenever you want it - at the flick of a switch.

I truly think that if push came to shove, I could make do having to cook on a wood burning stove. There are ways of dealing with the water issue too. And while there are kerosene lamps that give everything a wonderful glow and a perfectly reasonable amount of light, I do think that light is the luxury I crave.

I'd miss being able to read deep into the night without worrying about the lamp running out of fuel. I'd miss the ease of moving from room to room. I'd miss being able to see the dishes as I loaded them into the dishwasher. Oh, wait...hmmm...now that I think about it, light's not that important. I mean if I had to choose between lights or dishwasher? No contest! My husband eats a lot, which means a LOT of dirty dishes...and there's Sunday Soup to clean up after too...Yeah...I'll keep the dishwasher, thanks. Who really needs electric light? People got along fine for years without it. But no dishwasher? That's just asking too much!

What would you miss without electricity?

~~~~~~~~~

Well everyone I hope you enjoyed this guest post from Joelle and will comment back with your answers. I know both Joelle and I are anxious to read your responses.

Also, feel free to check out my other Restoring Harmony posts:

Restoring Harmony Review
Noteworthy Passages: Restoring Harmony

Noteworthy Passages: Restoring Harmony

Restoring Harmony (ARC) by Joelle Anthony
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: May 13th 2010
Pages: 320
Age Level: 13+

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis
The year is 2041, and Molly McClure was only six when the Collapse of ’31 happened, ending life as the world’s population knew it. When she is forced to leave the comfort of her small B.C. island to travel down to Oregon, Molly discovers how hard the Collapse has been on the rest of the world. What starts out as a quick trip to the U.S. to convince her grandfather to return to Canada and be the island’s doctor, becomes a rescue mission. How much will she have to compromise to succeed in getting back home?

Noteworthy Passages

Exchange between Molly and Jane; pg. 31
As we walked, Jane told me about her little house in a place called Kelso. "It's just a cottage, really. My late husband and I bought it back in nineteen seventy-four."
"Nineteen seventy-four! How old are you?" I exclaimed. She luaghed. "I'm sorry...that was rude..."
"You shoudln't ask a thiry-year-old woman how old she is, but I'm past worrying about that. I was born in fifty-two," she said proudly.
"So you're...eighty-nine?"
"Last April the thirtieth," she said.
"Wow."

Exchange between Molly and Jane; pg. 32
"It'll never be like it was because of all the pollution, but the fish have come back in surprising numbers. My family still doesn't eat them, though, because my parents are worried about mercury."
"Yeah," Jane agreed. "There's a boy in my neighborhood who catches them and every once in a while he'll bring me one. At my age, I'm not that worried about mercury. As long as it doesn't have two heads, I fry that sucker up and enjoy it."

Exchange between Molly and Spill; pg. 46
I liked the way he looked, and it made me want to explain my own dishveled appearance.
"I lost my shoes," I said.
"I noticed."
"I was barefoot and my feet were bleeding and someone gave me these slippers. I'd take them off but the pavement's really hot."
He smiled.
"Normally I don't wear slippers outside. Or at all, really. I mean in the winter I do because it's cold. But not in the summer. It's just that I-"
"Lost your shoes. I know." he said.

Exchange between Molly and Spill; pg. 118
"If anyone asks, say you're with Quinn," he told me.
"Ha! Now I know your name."
He just shook his head. "Like these people know my real one."

Exchange between Molly and Spill; pg. 131
I think we must've been trudging around in the rain and mud for an hour or more when I did a head count and realized there we're four of us working.
"What're you doing here?" I asked Spill.
He laughed. "How come you always ask me that instead of saying hello?"
"Sorry!" I couldn't help smiling even though I knew I looked like a drowned rat.

Molly; pg. 278
"I feel like the chicken pieces Mom puts in a bag with flour and shakes up before she fries them."


~~~~~~~~~

Well I hope ya'll enjoyed the passages I chose for Restoring Harmony (Review here.) I particularly loved the one on pg. 46 as I felt Anthony did a marvelous job portraying that awkwardness when you look a certain way and feel you have to justify it and end up babbling on like an idiot. So totally something I'd do.








PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Review: Restoring Harmony

Restoring Harmony (ARC) by Joelle Anthony
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: May 13th 2010
Pages: 320
Age Level: 13+

Synopsis
The year is 2041, and Molly McClure was only six when the Collapse of ’31 happened, ending life as the world’s population knew it. When she is forced to leave the comfort of her small B.C. island to travel down to Oregon, Molly discovers how hard the Collapse has been on the rest of the world. What starts out as a quick trip to the U.S. to convince her grandfather to return to Canada and be the island’s doctor, becomes a rescue mission. How much will she have to compromise to succeed in getting back home?

Review
Restoring Harmony is the remarkable, thought-provoking debut novel from talented, upcoming YA author Joelle Anthony.

This was one of those rare books where I basically enjoyed all of the characters. I positively adored Molly, who was so believable and authentic. I found it so easy to relate to her character, as we had so much in common. I fully believe that if I were to be reincarnated, I'd come back as Molly. She was stubborn, brave, resourceful and I feel her love of playing the fiddle was the perfect addition to both her character and the overall story. I really liked Spill's character as well and thought the relationship between him and Molly was very realistic and perfectly paced. I even liked Randall who was more on the bad guy side.

One thing I loved about Restoring Harmony, unlike in most futuristic/dystopian books I'm familiar with, was how instead of technology advancing it actually declined. Most people have had to resort back to using trains, bicycles, and wagons for means of transportation. The reasons behind The Collapse were so believable that it was almost scary because I couldn't help thinking how easy it would be for something like this to actually happen, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

Another aspect I loved about this book was that even though there was some romance, it wasn't a dominant element in the overall story. The fact that this book focused more on family and friendship just made it stand out even more against the countless YA books out there. Though not exactly filled with lots of action, Restoring Harmony was still fast-paced and had both adventure and suspense. Honestly I'm still not exactly sure what it was about this book that made it so hard for me to put it down, even in the less eventful scenes. Maybe a combination of everything already mentioned or maybe just because Anthony knew what she was doing when she wrote this awesome book.

The ending was great and everything seemed to tie up quite nicely but still leaving things open just enough that if Anthony wanted to write a sequel, she could. Personally I'd love to read a prequel telling of Brianna's, Molly's mom, time just before and after the Collapse or maybe another teen's. This would give me more insight into how things changed and another great book to read by Anthony. Kind of kill two birds with one stone.

In the end, Restoring Harmony was an original, engaging read that I absolutely loved. What can I say, so far this has been a great year in books for me. This is a book I would recommend to both teens and adults, especially those fans of dystopian literature.

Grade
Characters: A
Writing: B+
Plot: A-
Ending: B
Enjoyment/Likability: A-
Recommendable: A
Cover: A+

Overall: A-

Blog Music Update!

Ok so I know how much music on blogs annoys some of you other bloggers and readers and I can understand why. However, like my twin Taschima, I think music on my blog expresses my own individuality and sense of self. Plus most my music tends to be softer keyed and fairly calm.

So I've reached a compromise. My music is still on my blog however it is no longer at the bottom but in the sidebar. Also, it is not on autoplay. This way those of you who do wish to listen to it, because I know some of you enjoy my music, still can.


In case you are curious as to the music on my player, here is the list of songs.

~Shenandoah by Hayley Westenra
~Dark Waltz by Hayley Westenra
~Walking in the Air by Chloe Agnew
~Granuaile's Dance by Mairead Nesbitt (Awesome video! Love watching her dance and play. You'll like this Sandy! :D )
~Warwick Avenue by Duffy
~Fireflies by Owl City (Another video you gotta watch on my player.)
~White Flag by Dido
~Thank you by Dido
~Trouble by Coldplay
~The Little Things by Colbie Caillat
~Realize by Colbie Caillat
~Bubbly by Colbie Caillat
~Only Time by Enya
~Drops of Jupiter by Train
~Calling All Angels by Train
~Gravity by Sara Bareilles
~I See You by Leona Lewis
~Innocence by Avril Lavigne
~She Moves Through the Fair by Hayley Westenra
~Free Fallin' by John Mayer
~Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer
~May it Be by Lisa Kelly
~Wild Horses by Natasha Bedingfield
~The Butterfly by Mairead Nesbitt (Watch it Sandy! I know you love this song. :D)
~The Contradiction by Mairead Nesbitt (Awesome video.)


Ok that's it for now. May add more later. As for those of you who quit commenting or following because of the music.....you can come back now! *pokes out bottom lip ever so slightly and tear glistens in corner of eye* Pweeeeeease! With sugar and cherries on top. I miss you.

Noteworthy Passages: The Pace

The Pace by Shelena Shorts
Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing, LLC
Pub. Date: August 19th 2009
Pages: 312
Age Level: 14+

Synopsis
Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time.

Intensely fascinating and rich with determination, The Pace brings together romance, mystery, and suspense in a compelling bond that is sure to have readers asking for more.

Noteworthy Passages

Sophie; pg.59
He looked at me, and I noticed for the first time in the dark car that his eyes had a glassy look to them. I could almost see my reflection. It was like a subtle shine to a lake in the evening. It was mesmerizing.

Exchange Between Sophie and Wes; pg.73
"Can I get in one?" I asked.
"Of course." He motioned his hand, obligingly, toward the closest car. He had a devious smile on his face, but I ignored it. I tried to grab for a door handle, but there wasn't one. "How do I..." I started to ask, but then it registered. "Wait, I'm not supposed to climb in, am I?"
"Yes," he said, chuckling, and that explained his insidious invitation.
"Never mind," I said, turning away from the car, as the embarrassing vision flashed through my brain.

Exchange between Sophie and Dawn; pg. 102-103
I set the phone down on the counter and after only a minute, I stared at it, wondering why he hadn't replied. I didn't even notice dawn sneak up behind me.
"Are you waiting for it to jump up and dance?" she asked. I looked up to notice her eyeing my phone. I let out a chuckle.
"Yeah, I suppose so."
"Hmm...I'm betting a guy...no, not just a guy. A really cute guy," she said, hypothesizing.
"What makes you say that?" I asked, trying to sound innocent.
"Because you wouldn't be watching it that hard if it wasn't."


~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed these Noteworthy Passages from The Pace by Shelena Shorts! There were a lot more that I would have liked to include but they were a touch on the spoiler side. ReviewInterview








PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Review: The Pace

The Pace by Shelena Shorts
Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing, LLC
Pub. Date: August 19th 2009
Pages: 312
Age Level: 14+

Synopsis
Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time.

Intensely fascinating and rich with determination, The Pace brings together romance, mystery, and suspense in a compelling bond that is sure to have readers asking for more.

Review
In The Pace, debut author Shelena Shorts manages to take a common premise among YA literature and twist it into something much more satisfyingly original and unique.

I really liked Sophie's character as she was inquisitive, independent, and cautious when need be. Wes was so original and I absolutely loved him! He was the perfect romantic interest for this book. Both characters and their relationship were beautifully developed and so very realistic.

The story line of The Pace is utterly mesmerizing. This was one of those books I did not and could not put down. Everything in this book was so wonderfully paced, especially the background information. It was revealed gradually throughout the entire story so it not only kept the mystery alive but it also didn't overwhelm the rest of the story. Honestly I can't recall a single dull moment in this book and I was left thinking about it long after I had finished it.

Another thing I loved about this book was how the story was really more on the side of science fiction than paranormal and this provided for a very refreshing and much needed change of....well you know....pace. The writing was impressive and extremely well crafted. It never ceased to astound me how wonderfully Shorts managed to intertwine spiritual and scientific elements together along with romance, mystery and suspense.

As for the ending,(This is where I lose all professionalism and get fan girly.), it was like such a total cliffhanger and I was like, "Frikin' awesometastic ending!" and, "Oh. My. Gosh!" The ending alone is enough to have me ready to kill for The Broken Lake so if you get a copy before me, sleep with one eye open. *laughs maniacally before collecting self to continue more professionally*

All in all, The Pace was a magnificent, unforgettable, and riveting story I would recommend to every teen and young adult out there. Seriously, if you haven't already read this terrific book RUN and get it be it from a friend, library, bookstore, or a total stranger on a park bench. And don't forget what I said about The Broken Lake, I'm watching you. *points back and forth between eyes and computer screen* (Hmmm, maybe I spoke to soon about getting back to professionalism cause it just flew back out the window. :P)

Grade
Characters: B+
Writing: A-
Plot: A
Ending: A+
Enjoyment/Likability: A
Recommendable: A+
Cover: B+ (So very original and fits the title and book perfectly.)

Overall: A

Iron King Book Trailer!!!!!!!

OMG! Isn't it just totally gorgeous and AWESOMETASTIC!!!!!!!! I've been really excited about this book and now, who am I gonna have to kill to get it? *scans readers for potential victims*

Noteworthy Passages: The Espressologist

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Pub. Date: October 27, 2009
Pages: 192
Age Level: 13+

Synopsis
What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie.

Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee.

Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right? With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers.

Noteworthy Passages

Exchange Between Jane & Derek; pg. 126
I'm stretching my arms up over my head when Derek comes up beside me at the table and whispers in my ear, "Do me."
A sudden wave of nausea washes over me and I bring my arms down to my side at lightning speed.
"Excuse me?" I choke.
"Do me," he says again.
I look him in the eye. "Ever hear of a little thing called sexual harassment in the workplace, Derek?"
"No!" he yells, straightening and suddenly looking as horrified as I feel. "No, no, no!"
He leans down, puts his hand to the side of his mouth, and whispers, "I mean match me with someone."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes I know there is only one passage this time but there are a couple reasons for that. One, because I forgot about this new feature of mine due to the fact that at the time I read this book, I hadn't officially posted my first Noteworthy Passages on a book yet. And two, because even though this was an overall fun read, I only really found one passage/quote that stood out and would work by itself. So even though there was only one, I still hope ya'll enjoyed it. :D

Review HERE

PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Review: The Espressologist

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Pub. Date: October 27, 2009
Pages: 192
Age Level: 13+

Synopsis
What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie.

Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee.

Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right? With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers.

Review
The Espressologist was a short and sweet read with characters and a story line that kept me smiling and entertained.

The characters were not the best developed characters I've ever come across but they were funny and very likable in their strange little quirky way. One huge thing I would have liked to have seen would have been more interaction between Cam and Jane. Their relationship just wasn't built on hardly anything.

I loved the premise for this story. The idea of Espressology is so original and fun and I loved how Kristina incorporated in the different 'who goes with what coffee drink' descriptions. It really makes me wonder what my coffee flavor says about me and it was also cool getting to learn new coffee terms. The writing wasn't exactly what I'd call stellar but it worked ok for this particular book, as did the ending, though I really wish this book had been longer.

All in all, The Espressologist is a fast-paced, enjoyable read that is perfect for when you want a book to lift your spirits or just to help you unwind. It is also a great book to read in between those really thick books or around the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays. I know I'll be taking this one off my shelf to read again in the future.

Grade
Characters: C+
Writing: C+
Plot: B-
Ending: C+
Enjoyment/Likability: B-
Recommendable: B-
Cover: C (Like the cover in general but feel it doesn't really fit the tone of this book.)

Overall: C+

In My Mailbox (27)

In My Mailbox

Bought at Salvation Army (Each was under $1)
~The India Fan by Victoria Holt
~One Hundred & One Famous Poems
~Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

For Review
~All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab (From Random House)
~ARC Merlin's Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton (From Paul at Sourcebooks Teen Fire)

From Tina (You rock!)
~ARC The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

From BookMooch
~ARC Follow the Blue by Brigid Lowry (Wasn't supposed to be ARC but oh well.)

Audio Books from Library (Not Pictured cause I forgot.)
~Jane Eyre (Listening to and is awesome. Already read book and seen movie.)
~Oliver Twist
~Rebecca
~For One More Day
~Sundays at Tiffany's (Couldn't get into this one.)

Blogger Interview: Chick Lit Teens, Part 2

Hello everyone! Today continues my interview with Jessica from Chick Lit Teens. I hope you enjoy reading her answers as much as I did. :D

Name: Jessica
Alias (Optional): Chick Lit Teens
Blog: Chick Lit Teens

Part 2: Wacky, Random, Thoughtful

The Book Pixie: If you were to get a tattoo, what would it be of? If you already have one what is it?

Chick Lit Teens: I'd probably never get a tattoo, mostly because I'm a wuss. If I had to though, I'd probably just get something small like a star or a rose in a super discreet place. Like I said, I'm a wuss. :)

TBP: Would you ever pierce anything besides your ears?

CLT: Nope. Body art and piercings have never been my thing.

TBP: If forced to dye your hair an unnatural color, what would you choose?

CLT: My first thought is purple a la Lane from Gilmore Girls. For my complexion, however, I'd probably go with something like a soft pink.

If you could find out the exact date of your death, would you?

CLT: No way! I'd rather not know. If I did, I'd probably flip out and be stressing for the rest of my days.

TBP:What is something you think a lot of people have done that you haven't?

CLT: Well, referring back to my wussiness (is that a word?), I've never ridden California Screamin' or most amusement park rides. The biggest roller coaster I've ever ridden is Big Thunder Mountain. I'm even too scared to ride those swing rides. Yes, I do mean the ones little children go on.

TBP: You have just been awakened to the police banging on your front door. What is the first thought that pops into your mind?

CLT: I tend to jump to conclusions very quickly. The first thing I'd think was that there'd been a car crash in which one of my family members had been injured. That's my most common worry when any of my family members are out on the roads.

TBP: If you were to create your own 'Bucket List' (Things to do before you 'kick the bucket'), what would be the first 3 things on it?

CLT: I'll have to think about this one...
1. Go to Europe. I've always wanted to tour Europe - Italy, England, Ireland, etc. There's so much history there and it's so gorgeous.

2. Publish a book. Like I said earlier, I really love writing and would love to one day see one of my works in a book store. I think that would be amazing.

3. Open an animal shelter. If you saw my house, or should I say farm, you'd know in an instant that I have a soft spot for animals in need. I'd love to be able to rescue abused animals and find them safe, loving homes. If I could, I'd adopt them all myself.

TBP:Anything else you'd like to add?

CLT: Hmm...I LOVE Gilmore Girls and coffee and I possess the ability to talk at warp speed. Also, I love to bake.

Thanks for the interview!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This concludes my interview with Jessica. I would like to of course give her a huge thanks for letting me interview her and thank you all for stopping by. :D

Noteworthy Passages: A Golden Web

A Golden Web (ARC) by Barabara Quick
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: April 6, 2010
Pages: 272
Age Level: 13+

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis
Alessandra is desperate to escape—from her stepmother, who’s locked her away for a year; from the cloister that awaits her if she refuses the marriage plans that have been made for her; from the expectations that limit her and every other girl in fourteenth-century Italy. There’s no tolerance in her village for her keen intelligence and her unconventional ideas.

In defiant pursuit of her dreams, Alessandra undertakes an audacious quest, her bravery equaled only by the dangers she faces. Disguised and alone in a city of spies and scholars, Alessandra will find a love she could not foresee—and an enduring fame.

In this exquisite imagining of the centuries-old story of Alessandra Giliani, the world’s first female anatomist, distinguished novelist Barbara Quick gives readers the drama, romance, and rich historical detail for which she is known as she shines a light on an unforgotten—and unforgettable—heroine.

Noteworthy Passages

Alessandra to Nicco; pg. 21
"Your knowledge will keep me safe, dear onion- or as safe a girl with dreams can ever be in this small-minded world.

pg. 68
So large was Ursula's shadow that Alessandra felt her own physical presence in the world diminishing, like sandstone being worn away by wind and rain.

Amelia to Alessandra; pg. 125-126
"Marriage isn't that bad, whatever anyone else has told you. Not so bad as to make you run away. A wealthy gentleman, my dear! And probably too old to give you much trouble beneath your skirts, once he's managed to have his squirt and plant his seed." (Sorry if this was to detailed for any of you but I was LMAO when I read that and thought some of you would get a kick out of it.)

pg. 155
Woman was created last of all, after all the animals and after Adam himself. Why would God have done it thus if He intended woman as a lesser creature? Would he not then have made her just after the animals and before Adam?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you all enjoyed the passages I picked from A Golden Web for your reading pleasure. If you would like to read my review simply click HERE.









PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Review: A Golden Web

A Golden Web (ARC) by Barabara Quick
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: April 6, 2010
Pages: 272
Age Level: 13+

Synopsis
Alessandra is desperate to escape—from her stepmother, who’s locked her away for a year; from the cloister that awaits her if she refuses the marriage plans that have been made for her; from the expectations that limit her and every other girl in fourteenth-century Italy. There’s no tolerance in her village for her keen intelligence and her unconventional ideas.

In defiant pursuit of her dreams, Alessandra undertakes an audacious quest, her bravery equaled only by the dangers she faces. Disguised and alone in a city of spies and scholars, Alessandra will find a love she could not foresee—and an enduring fame.

In this exquisite imagining of the centuries-old story of Alessandra Giliani, the world’s first female anatomist, distinguished novelist Barbara Quick gives readers the drama, romance, and rich historical detail for which she is known as she shines a light on an unforgotten—and unforgettable—heroine.

Review
A Golden Web is the imaginative, captivating, and unforgettable debut novel for young adults from established historical fiction author, Barbara Quick.

Alessandra is a girl full of intelligence, curiosity, and determination, characteristics unheard of in a girl of her era. She dreads being married and yearns to study medicine at the University, but to do so would provoke the accusations of being a witch. Alessandra was such a strong and brave heroine that it was impossible for me to not fall in love with her character. As mentioned in the Author's Notes, whether or not Alessandra was an actual person is a highly debatable topic. I must say though, after reading A Golden Web, I can't help but hope that such an admirable young lady really did exist. If modern 'role models' were more like her, the world would be such a better place.

The other characters weren't quite as thoroughly developed as Alessandra but for some reason this didn't bother me and it actually seemed to work. At times the relationship between Alessandra and Otto seemed to advance to quickly but then I would remember that this book spans over approximately seven years.

A Golden Web was rich in historical detail, helping to form a vivid image of the setting in my mind. To me it seemed to read like an older, classic work of literature in both context and dialogue. This made it clear that Quick had done her research, an aspect that I loved about this book for its added authenticity to the story. Though it took a few pages to get used to the way this book was written, once I did I found myself sucked into Alessandra's life to the point of no return, leaving me completely compelled to keep the pages turning.

The ending, I'll confess, threw me for a bit of a loop. However it was very realistic and I applaud Quick for giving this book the ending that she did. I loved reading the insightful Author's Notes included at the end.

A Golden Web is an impressive and utterly brilliant work of historical literature that should not be missed! Whether you are in middle school, high school, or are an an adult, I highly recommend this book to you. I can not wait to get my hands on a finished copy so I can make this wonderful story a part of my permanent collection of books to re-read throughout the years to come.

Grade
Characters: B
Writing: B+
Plot: A-
Ending: B+
Enjoyment/Likability: A
Recommendable: A-

Overall: B+/A-

Cover: A-

Blogger Interview: Chick Lit Teens, Part 1

Hello everyone! Today I would like you all to welcome Jessica from over at Chick Lit Teens who was kind enough to let me interview her. :D

Name: Jessica
Alias (Optional): Chick Lit Teens
Blog: Chick Lit Teens

Part 1: Bloggish/Bookish

The Book Pixie: Tell us a little bit about your blog

Chick Lit Teens: My blog, Chick Lit Teens, is a review blog that's main focus is YA fiction. Though the name suggests solely teen chick lit, I actually read and review a plethora of different sub-genres within YA fiction.

TBP: Who or what made you want to start blogging?

CLT: I started blogging because it combines three of my favorite things - writing, reading and ranting. I wanted to share my love of reading with other teens like me and reviewing seemed like the perfect outlet for me. I'd always informally reviewed books in conversation, but it wasn't until I reviewed a few book on RandomBuzzers.com that I discovered how much fun it could be to formally review books. A few clicks later I had my own blog and I've been reviewing ever since.

TBP: What is your favorite part about blogging?

CLT: My favorite part about blogging would have to be having the chance to share my passion for books with the world. I find it incredible that people actually care about what I have to say about books. It amazes me each and every time I write a review that authors, publishers and people all across the world will read it. That alone is the most rewarding part of all of it.

TBP: On average, how many books do you read/review a month?

CLT: Hmmm...I'd say I probably review a minimum of four books a month, because I aim to review a book a week. Of course, there are weeks when I'll review two or three books, so it really depends on the month. I don't always review every book I read though, so I probably read anywhere from five to ten books a month.

TBP: If you were on a deserted island and could only bring books by one author, which author's books would you choose?

CLT: Hard question! I guess I'd have to say Sarah Dessen. Out of all of my favorite authors she's written the most, which means I'd have some variety. I'd go out of my mind if I only had one or two books to read. She's also one of the authors whose books I haven't reread much, so the stories wouldn't be too familiar to me.

TBP: What are three of the books you are most looking forward to this year?

CLT: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, Hunger Games #3 by Suzanne Collins and Heist Society by Ally Carter. There are so many more though! I actually made a list devoted to all of the books I'm looking forward to this year. You can check it out here.

TBP: Do you like to write? Working on something in particular?

CLT: I LOVE to write. From essays to reviews I pretty much love it all. My favorite thing to write, however, would probably be YA fiction. I've written fiction ever since I was little and still love it. I finished the first draft of my latest (and first finished) novel on the last day of 2009. Right now I'm taking a hiatus from that manuscript before I start revising it and am working on another WIP.

TBP: Any advice for those bloggers/reviewers just starting out?

CLT: Read and review. Seriously, that should be your main focus the entire time. Followers, review copies and all of that jazz is only a piece of blogging. A reward for doing the grunt work really. If you're passionate about reading and reviewing and that shows, then everything else will follow. After all, if you build it, they will come.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This concludes Part 1 of my interview with Jessica. The fun continues in Part 2 where I'll ask her a mix of wacky, random, and thoughtful questions, so stay tuned because Part 2 will be posted on Thursday. :D

Book Trailer: 13 To Life

Saw this totally awesome trailer for 13 To Life by Shannon Delany over at Mundie Moms and thought I'd share it with ya'll. Enjoy! :D

In My Mailbox (26)

In My Mailbox

Alright everyone so I'm going to start back up the IMMs on my blog since I now I have more time.

Bought (Both books were under $5 each)
~The Red Queen's Daughter by Jacqueline Kolosov
~City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

BookMooch
~ARC One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones (Wasn't supposed to be ARC. :()

For Review
~ARC Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (From Publisher)

Contests
~Signed! Hate List by Jennifer Brown (Faerie Drink Review)
~Signed! Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe (AuthorsNow!)
~Peeps by Scott Westerfeld (WORD for Teens)
~The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld (Same contest at WFT)
~Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner (WFT)
~Twilight Complete Illustrated Movie Companion (WFT)

Noteworthy Passages: Crazy Beautiful

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pub. Date: September 29, 2009
Pages: 193
Age Level: 15+

Synopsis
In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself.

Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her.

But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering.

Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does.

Noteworthy Passages

Aurora; pg. 27-28
I have, of course, read about love at first sight. My dad and I are great readers, after all, and he had me reading Shakespeare's comedies, which are always romances too, while my friends were still reading Nancy Drew. So I know all about two people meeting, being instantly attracted, rejecting that attraction and the evidence of their own senses, Cupid wreaking havoc with everything and everyone somehow ending up in a forest somewhere and getting married before the final curtain. Let me just go on record as saying, my respect for Shakespeare notwithstanding: hogwash. It doesn't happen like that in real life. You don't fall in love with people you've just met for the first time when you don't even know the first thing about them.

Aurora's Mom to Aurora; pg. 42
"There are two reasons for being nice to the underdogs in this life. One, because if the underdog grows up to be the kind of person that starts shooting, you'll have a chance at survival. Two, because it is the right thing to do."

Lucius; pg. 50
But I've learned that I can be very persuasive when I want to be. Plus it's amazing how flustered administrators get when you use the words "discrimination" and "lawsuit" in the same sentence. Toss in a few "my civil rights are being violated here," and it's a walk to getting your own way.

Misty (Lucius' 12yr old sister) to Lucius; pg. 70
"I told him if he didn't shut up about it, I'll sic you on him and then he'd see how crazy you really were. Was that okay?"

Lucius; pg. 126
This is, I think, what it must mean to be human: to want something good for someone else.

Exchange between Lucius and Jessup; pg. 189
"You sonofabitch!" Jessup shouts at me, swinging the tire iron at my other side.
"Actually,"........."my mother is a fine woman."
I don't even mean it to be funny. But if I am to die tonight, I will not have this cretin defaming my mother before fate and circumstance turn out the lights on my life.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, so this is a new feature that I'm doing that will follow every review. It is basically just a compilation of some of my favorite quotes or passages that I would like to share and that would maybe even make you read the book if you haven't already.

I was inspired to do Noteworthy Passages by this very book, Crazy Beautiful (See review here). When there were so many parts that I found I wanted to read my mom, I thought, "Why not write them down and then share them with everyone?"

PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

Waiting on Wednesday

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Release Date: July 12, 2010
Pages: 192
Age Level: YA

Synopsis
Bet is sixteen, very intelligent, but only knows as much as her limited education will allow. In Victorian England, girls aren't allowed to go to school.

Will is also 16, and though not related by blood, he and Bet act like brother and sister. In fact, they even look like brother and sister. And though they're both raised under the same roof, by the same kind uncle, Will has one big advantage over Bet: He's a boy, and being a boy means he isn't stuck in the grand house they call home. He gets to go out into the world--to school.

But that's not what Will wishes. He wants to join the military and learn about real life, not what's written in books.

So one night, Bet comes up with a plan. She'll go to school as Will. Will can join the military. And though it seems impossible, they actually manage to pull it off.

But once Bet gets to the school, she begins to realize the education she's going to get isn't exactly the one she was expecting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really enjoyed Lauren's book Crazy Beautiful (Review here.) so I can't wait to get my hands on this one. It sounds so great and original, plus it has an awesome cover.

Review: Crazy Beautiful

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pub. Date: September 29, 2009
Pages: 193
Age Level: 15+

Synopsis
In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself.

Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her.

But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering.

Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does.

Review
Crazy Beautiful was an ingenious, modern day retelling of my absolute favorite fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. It was witty and filled with both lighter and deeper moments creating a totally mesmerizing prose that I'll never forget.

Lucius was cold, slightly arrogant about his intelligence, full of dry humor and also loads of guilt. I was surprised that he took full blame for what happened instead of trying to put it off on someone else. I loved watching him change throughout the book as he grew to be a more caring character and when he started opening himself up to others, it felt as though he was opening himself up to me as well. I absolutely loved him and have never come across a more dynamic character than Lucius.

Then there is Aurora, who is so nice but not in the, "So sweet I think I might get a cavity." sense. She was just a truly great person and a completely lovable heroine. She was genuine and real, with nothing coming off as phony or fake.

Crazy Beautiful was so unique, with such a beautifully crafted and carried out premise. It was fast paced but also well paced as I believed most everything to have occurred in a reasonable amount of time. I found it to be surprisingly funny at times, especially Lucius, though not a blatant funny hahaha. It was a more subtle and sharper brand of humor, which I personally love.

Lauren Baratz-Logsted's writing style was very impressive, keeping me engaged in the story fully and completely. I thought the alternating perspectives are part of what really made this book so wonderful and I confess I was surprised by how authentic and believably male Lucius' voice was.

The ending was a bit abrupt and I wish this book could have been longer, but overall, I was pretty satisfied with how it drew to a close.

All in all, Crazy Beautiful was an imaginative and enticing, though maybe too short, story that I'd recommend to anyone. One benefit to its short length is that it will just make it even easier for me to find time to re-read it in the future. :D

Grade
Characters: A-
Writing: B+
Plot: B+
Ending: B-
Enjoyment/Likability: A
Recommendable: A-
Cover: A+

Overall: A-

Review: Candor

Candor (ARC) by Pam Bachorz
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: September 22, 2009
Pages: 256
Age Level: YA

Synopsis
Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

Review
Candor is a unique and powerful story about a society built on brainwashing and of a teenaged boy determined to fight the system.

Oscar and Nia were both very likable and well developed characters. Oscar though mostly selfish to start with, changed gradually with the help of Nia and proved in the end just how selfless he could be. The fact that his father was the one who was doing the brainwashing just made things even more intense. Nia was a snarky, sassy, "Don't dare try and tell me what to do." kinda gal that was really fun to read.

The writing and plot kept my completely tuned into the story, anxiously awaiting the final result. With such an engaging and unique premise, I couldn't help but be drawn in. Something I noticed in particular about the writing was how descriptive Pam Bachorz was in her writing. It was particularly comical to hear Sherman descibed.

As for the ending, well I have extreme mixed feelings on it. Part of me loved it for being so shocking and sad, I cried like a baby and was heart broken. Then part of me hated it for making the rest of the book seem almost pointless. If there was going to be a second book then I'd have loved the ending but I'm pretty sure this is a stand alone title.

All in all, Candor was an exciting and refreshing change of pace. I would definitely recommend it and I do plan to re-read it, despite the ending.

Grade
Characters: B
Writing: B
Plot: B+
Ending: C+
Enjoyment/Likability: B
Recommendable: B
Cover: B

Overall: B

Happy New Year and My New Year Resolutions!

Happy New Year 2010 everybody! Hope you all had a great night, got to party, stole a kiss at midnight, etc!

Now for my New Year Resolutions. Yes, that's right, I'm going to share some, keyword there being 'some', of them with you.

Bloggish/Bookish Resolutions

1. Read 75 books this year. (May not seem like a lot to ya'll but this is going to be a busy year for me.)

2. Reach 800 Followers (Aiming kinda high, yeah I know.)

3. Meet an author in person. (Gotta feeling this one will be close to impossible.)

4. Complete atleast four 2010 reading challenges.

5. Meet one of my fellow book bloggers.

6. Become more consistent in my blog posts.

7. Comment on bloggers' posts more.

8. Review books in a much more timely manner.

Non-Bloggish/Bookish Resolutions

1. Find the perfect balance between blogging, reading, writing, and working.

2. Sell atleast 25 works of art. (Feel free to help me out on this one. :P)

3. Get through writing one of my books.

4. Get a driver's license. (Don't even have a learners yet and I'm 17. Oh how sad tis my life.)

5. Attend the summer Duke Tip writing program.

6. Get a job.

7. Eat and drink healthier (Less soda and no gluten products for you missy.)

8. Start going for walks. (Once it is warmer of course.)