I've Been Gone...

I'm back! At least for a while. A huge thanks to all of my followers for following and not unfollowing me. I haven't been blogging for two months! I've had a lot going on and i've been extremely busy. I'm gonna try to post more during the remainder of my summer.

Some books on my radar to read soon are:

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
• Twisted (The new Pretty Little Liars book!!!) by Sara Shepard

Waiting On Wednesday (21)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Deadly Little Voices (Touch #4)
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Release Date: December 6, 2011

Can't wait for this book! The first three were really good!

Summary: High school junior Camelia thought her powers of psychometry only gave her the ability to sense the future through touch. But now she’s started to hear voices. Mean voices. Berating her, telling her how ugly she is, and that she’d be better off dead. It’s a troubling development that has Camelia terrified for her mental stability, especially since her deranged aunt with a suicidal history just moved into the family house. More torturing, ex-boyfriend Ben, who has similar psychometric abilities, has been spending more time with their classmate Alejandra, even as her own feelings for Adam grow stronger. Still, the bond between Camelia and Ben is palpable.

With the line between right and wrong fraying, Camelia turns to pottery to get a grasp on her emotions. She begins sculpting a beautiful figure skater, only to receive frightening premonitions that someone’s in danger. But who is the victim? And how can Camelia help them when she is on the brink of losing her own sanity?

Waiting On Wednesday (20)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Awaken
Author: Katie Kacvinsky
Release Date: May 23, 2011

This looks really good! And it comes out in a few days! I love dystopian books.

Summary: Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

Waiting On Wednesday (19)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Ripple
Author: Mandy Hubbard
Release Date: July 21, 2011

I loved Mandy Hubbard's book, You Wish. This book will hopefully be just as good! It looks awesome!

Summary: Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

Waiting On Wednesday (18)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Epic Fail
Author: Claire LaZebnik
Release Date: August 2, 2011

This looks like a fun and entertaining book!

Summary: At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

• As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

• As the daughter of the new principal, new-girl-on-campus Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Waiting On Wednesday (17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Day Before
Author: Lisa Schroeder
Release Date: June 28, 2011

Summary: Sometimes there's no turning back.

Amber's life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of her family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.

Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell that he's also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.

The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she's drawn to him. And the more she's troubled by his darkness. Because Cade's not just living in the now--he's living each moment like it's his last.

Waiting On Wednesday (16)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Crossed
Author: Ally Condie
Release Date: November 1, 2011

I am so glad there is a sequel to Matched! I wasn't really satisfied with the ending of the previous book, so hopefully this book will quench my thirst!

Summary: In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Waiting On Wednesday (15)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Forbidden
Author: Tabitha Suzuma
Release Date: June 28, 2011

Siblings falling in love with each other...it's weird! Such a strange story...so unique that it looks interesting!

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

Book Review: I Am Number Four

Title: I Am Number Four
Author: Pittacus Lore
Pages: 448
Publisher: Harper Collins
Source: Book DepositorySummary: Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

Review: This book was really good! It had a lot of suspenseful moments, which kept me entertained! I really liked the plot. Aliens coming to Earth in form of human teenagers. It wasn't entirely sci-fi, which I liked. I usually don't like reading sci-fi, but this book was worth it!

John Smith is one of nine teenage aliens who came to Earth. They came to Earth to get away from the Mogadorians (the evil aliens) who took over their planet, Lorien. He struggled to fit in at his new school. I liked John's character because he seemed very 'down to earth' (ha ha, no pun intended!). He got picked on the moment he walked into his school. He made some friends, including Sam, a boy who doesn't really fit in either, and Sara, a girl whom he falls in love with. The Mogadoriens are looking for John, so he has to be careful to not let them find him.

There was a lot of suspenseful moments so I couldn't put this book down! I had to know what was gonna happen to John, Sara, and Sam.

I really liked all the characters! Their different personalities made the book interesting. I'm not a huge fan of John and Sara's relationship, it was cute, but a little too predictable. Besides that, this book was very entertaining! The plot was very different from every other book I've read.

I also loved the movie! It is totally worth reading the book then seeing it in theaters. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. It is sci-fi and romance! Loved it!

Waiting On Wednesday (14)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Beginning Of After
Author: Jennifer Castle
Release Date: September 6, 2011

This book looks very good. I can tell it will be part sad/part romance, which is interesting. Any thoughts?

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all, there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel's life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss, a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

Waiting On Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Supernaturally
Author: Kiersten White
Release Date: August 30, 2011

This is the sequel to the amazing book Paranormalcy! I loved that book and I am super excited to read this one!

Summary: A lot has changed in the six months since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shape-shifter boyfriend, Lend. She finally has the blissfully normal life she’s always dreamed of, including:
1) A real live high school
2) A perfectly ordinary after-school job
3) Her very own locker (and by the way, rusted metal is every bit as awesome as she imagined)

But Evie’s not-so-normal past keeps creeping up on her...and things get pretty complicated when you factor in:
1) A centuries-old, seriously decaying vampire stalker
2) A crazy faerie ex-boyfriend who is the perpetual bearer of really bad news
3) A major battle brewing between the faerie courts where the prize in question happens to be...Evie herself.

So much for normal.

Waiting On Wednesday (12)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Beauty Queens
Author: Libba Bray

Release Date: May 1st, 2011

I have to read this. It looks so funny!

Summary: Teen beauty queens. A "Lost"-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to email. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count

Waiting On Wednesday (11)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Forgotten
Author: Cat Patrick
Release Date: June 7th, 2011
Goodreads Link

This looks really good and mysterious. It reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates, where she has memory loss and has to relive the same day over and over. Any thoughts on this book?

Summary: Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Waiting On Wednesday (10)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Power Of Six (Lorien Legacies #2)
Author: Pittacus Lore
Release Date: September 1st, 2011

Aaah!! The sequel to I Am Number Four!! I am so excited. I loved the first book and I can't wait to read this one. It's gonna be so good!

Summary: They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

Waiting On Wednesday (9)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Vicious Little Darlings
Author: Katherine Easer
Release Date: June 1st, 2011

This book has been compared to Pretty Little Liars, which I loved! I couldn't get enough of PLL, maybe this will quench my thirst! Isn't the cover pretty too?

Summary: Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting—and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing things: Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship. And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly.

Book Review: The Water Wars by Cameron Stratcher

Title: The Water Wars
Author: Cameron Stratcher
Pages: 240
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: ARC from Publisher

Summary:Would you risk everything for someone you just met?

What if he had a secret worth killing for?

Welcome to a future where water is more precious than oil or gold...

Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall-victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration. It is a time of drought and war. The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few. There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas.

But Kai didn't seem to care about any of this. He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt. He didn't go to school, and he traveled with armed guards. Kai claimed he knew a secret-something the government is keeping from us...

And then he was gone. Vanished in the middle of the night. Was he kidnapped? Did he flee? Is he alive or dead? There are no clues, only questions. And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent. We have to find him-and the truth-before it is too late for all of us.

Review: This book made me thirsty! All the talk of the drought and savoring their last drop of water made my mouth dry. It was really well written. I think the romance between Kai and Vera could have been brought out more. They barely just met then they liked each other, but they never really showed it.

I've gotta say, I love the cover! It's very unique, simple, and yet speaks so many words!

Set in a dystopian world, Vera and her family were struggling to get by. The government controls their water supply so they have to conserve as much water as they can. Her mother is sick and needs water. When Vera meets Kai, a mysterious new boy, her life changes. He drinks water like he has an unlimited amount. Until one day he disappears. As Vera tries to rescue him, her and her brother get captured by water pirates. Vera has to rescue Kai and save herself.

Vera was a pretty relatable character. She had never had a boyfriend before Kai, so everything was new to her. I didn't really think her character was very interesting, though. Her character was a little dull.

Parts of this book were really intense, while others were a bit slow. I gave this book 3 coffee cups. It was worth the read, but I didn't love it.

General Update!

I haven't written a post in over a week! I've been so busy lately. Loaded with homework from school and lots of reading! Here's a general update on what I've been up to:

I finished The Water Wars by Cameron Stratcher (review coming soon!)

I am halfway through I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. So far it is really good! If you haven't read it, do it! I really want to see the movie but I'm going to finish the book first. Dianna Agron and Alex Pettyfer make the cutest couple! I think they fit the roles perfectly.

I won an Across The Universe (by Beth Revis) water bottle from Beth Revis's contest! I was super excited when I got it. It's pretty cool! It looks like this --->

After I finish I Am Number Four, I am going to read Legacy by Kate Kaynak (book 3 in one of my favorite series!)

Thanks for checking my blog and following!

Waiting On Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 3rd, 2011

This book looks really good! I really like dystopian books. I've seen some great reviews for this!

Summary:
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Interview with Alex Flinn!

I got to interview the lovely Alex Flinn, who is the author of Beastly, A Kiss In Time and Cloaked. Her book, Beastly, has been turned into a movie starring Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens. She is one of my favorite authors!

See my review of Cloaked here.

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I'm a former opera singer, former lawyer, current writer. I live in Miami with my husband and two kids.

2. Are you writing any more modern fairy tales?
Yes, but I am superstitious about sharing my works in progress until my editor confirms that it's a go.

3. Tell us briefly about your book, Cloaked. What was your inspiration?
Cloaked is the story of Johnny, a poor kid who works in a shoe repair shop at a posh South Beach hotel. When Princess Victoriana, a Paris Hilton-ish royal, stays at the hotel, she asks him for help finding her brother, who has been turned into a from and set loose in the Florida Keys (a chain of islands near Miami). Yearning for adventure, Johnny sets off with the help of a magical cloak and his friend, Meg, to find the prince. Along the way, he fights giants, meets talking animals, and must confront a dangerous witch.

When I talked to teens about Beastly, I realized that many of them were unfamiliar with fairy tales, other than from Disney movies. Like they'd make comments about how Beastly was, "based on my favorite movie" or ask if I was going to adapt any other Disney movies into books. I realized it was a lot different than when I was a kid, because now, with DVDs you can watch these movies over and over, whereas when I was a kid, you might see the Disney movie ONCE and then you'd have to READ the fairy tale if you wanted to experience it again.

Anyway, I started thinking about stories that hadn't been made into Disney movies, stories like The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Six Swans, and The Firebird. Were these stories completely unknown to modern kids? I thought it would be fun to write a story that incorporated these tales. I conceived it as a picaresque tale, where the hero would have to confront various types of adventures.

4. What do you think about the movie for Beastly? Did you have an opinion on the actors, screenplay, etc.?
I haven't seen the whole film. I've read the script and seen parts of it. I'm pleased with the casting. Alex Pettyfer is exactly how I pictured Kyle. Mary-Kate Olsen is a great Kendra, and I was really impressed with Vanessa Hudgens acting when I visited the set. I get a lot of letters from teens who are concerned that Vanessa doesn't have red hair. To me, this is a minor detail. I think she'll be good in the role. I was way more concerned about the script, which is great.

5. If you were stranded on a desert island, what are three things you would bring?
Food, water, and a boat! Other than that, maybe the compete works of the Bronte sisters.

Thanks so much Alex for this interview!

You can find Alex here:

Her website

Her blog

Goodreads

Book Review: Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Title: Cloaked
Author: Alex Flinn
Pages: 337
Publisher: Harperteen
Source: ARC from publisher

Summary: Johnny’s not your average hero. But a little magic changes everything. There isn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. It all starts with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess. And before Johnny knows it, he is on a mission in the Everglades, with only a flock of swans and a talking fox named Joe to help guide him against the forces of an evil witch.

Review: This was a pretty entertaining book. I am a fan of Alex Flinn's books, so this book didn't disappoint much.

Johnny works at a shop repairing shoes. He doesn't make much, so he is poor. When Princess Victoriana shows up offering him a reward for finding her long lost brother (who had turned into a frog), Johnny accepts the offer and goes on a search. A bit into the journey, Johnny's best friend, Meg, comes and helps him. Along the way they encounter a talking fox, swans, and an evil witch trying to stop them in their tracks.

Before Johnny leaves for his journey, the princess gives him a magical cloak. The cloak can transport him anywhere he wants to go. The thing is, he has to be specific about where he wants to go. Otherwise he might end up in the middle of the road. This makes me wish that I had a magical cloak!

I wan't a huge fan of this book. Don't get me wrong, It was still pretty good. It was just too fantasy for me. I like a little bit of fantasy, like Alex Flinn's other books Beastly and A Kiss In Time. The good thing, is that it was written well, so it wasn't hard to follow.

If you like fantasy, then I would recommend reading this book. I thought the romance was super cute. I gave this book three and a half coffee cups. It was a decent book.