Review: Rumors

Rumors by Anna Godbersen
Series: The Luxe (#2)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release date: June 3, 2008
Pages: 432
Format: eBook
Website

SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS After bidding good-bye to New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, rumors continue to fly about her untimely demise. All eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her mischievous sister, Diana, now the family's only hope for redemption; New York's most notorious cad, Henry Schoonmaker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; the seductive Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind—including Henry; even Elizabeth's scheming former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency. As old friends become rivals, Manhattan's most dazzling socialites find their futures threatened by whispers from the past. In this delicious sequel to The Luxe, nothing is more dangerous than a scandal...or more precious than a secret. 

This series just gets better and better. Rumors was just as awesome as The Luxe was. It might have even been more awesome. There was more scandal, more gossip, and more romance, and I loved every word of it.

I hated Penelope Hayes in The Luxe, and I hated her even more in Rumors. She's such a horrible person. She's mean, she's manipulative, and she has no problem turning against someone in an instant. She is the kind of character I love to hate.

I loved all of the scandal in the book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen. I knew exactly how I wanted things to go, and which characters I was pulling for. I was so happy when things went their way, and when things didn't go their way, I was heartbroken. I really feel for the characters. One of my favorite things is how gossip is presented to us as news snippets. It's just awesome. And I love getting the gossip from the characters, because what the characters are willing to gossip about shows us more about who the characters are. Plus, it's like hearing it from a friend. I love all the secrets and rumors and as the reader, being the only one who knows what's true and what isn't. The gossip and scandal in this series is pure fun.

Elizabeth and Diana's relationship has progressed beautifully. I love it that in Rumors, they fully support each other, and that their sibling rivalry is not what it used to be. It's so obvious how the events in The Luxe, and in Rumors, have changed and shaped them. Godbersen did a fantastic job of creating characters who grow and change as the novels progress.

And of course, there's the romance. Oh, the romance. I adore every single romantic aspect in these novels. Will is completely swoon-worthy, and in his own way, Henry is, too. I felt so giddy reading all the romantic aspects in Rumors.

I also have to talk about the cover for Rumors, which isn't something I normally do in my reviews. But oh my gosh, I love, love, love the covers of these books, especially the cover for Rumors. I want the red dress!!! It is so freaking gorgeous. All the dresses on the covers are, of course, but the red one is definitely my favorite.

I wasn't planning on buying this series, since I can get them from the library, but I have changed my mind. These books need to be on my shelves, they are that gorgeous and that good. I am in love with this series.

In My Mailbox: 40

Welcome to another week of In My Mailbox! In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Every week, we share the books we received for review, purchased, checked out at the library, etc. As always this week, I have library loot.

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
My review

In the self-contained world of young Gilded Age Manhattan socialites, Elizabeth and Diana Holland reign supreme. Or so it seems. Scratch the surface, though, and you can detect festering jealousies that threaten to topple them. Elizabeth suffers a more literal fall when her carriage overturns and she is carried away by the swift East River current. That's only the beginning of the action and suspense in The Luxe, the launch volume in a teen series by Anna Godbersen.

Rumors by Anna Godbersen
SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE LUXE

After bidding good-bye to New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, rumors continue to fly about her untimely demise.
All eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her mischievous sister, Diana, now the family's only hope for redemption; New York's most notorious cad, Henry Schoonmaker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; the seductive Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind—including Henry; even Elizabeth's scheming former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency.
As old friends become rivals, Manhattan's most dazzling socialites find their futures threatened by whispers from the past. In this delicious sequel to The Luxe, nothing is more dangerous than a scandal...or more precious than a secret. 

That's all I received for books, but one of my closest friends sent me a late birthday present: a Barnes and Noble gift card! I can't wait to check out what they have in stock. I have some ideas of what I want, but I've been really indecisive lately about what books to buy with my gift cards (I still haven't spent the Amazon gift card my parents gave me for my birthday).


What did you get this week? Happy reading!

Review: The Luxe

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Series: The Luxe (#1)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release date: November 20, 2007
Pages: 448
Format: eBook
Website

In the self-contained world of young Gilded Age Manhattan socialites, Elizabeth and Diana Holland reign supreme. Or so it seems. Scratch the surface, though, and you can detect festering jealousies that threaten to topple them. Elizabeth suffers a more literal fall when her carriage overturns and she is carried away by the swift East River current. That's only the beginning of the action and suspense in The Luxe, the launch volume in a teen series by Anna Godbersen.

I don't know how I managed to go so long without reading The Luxe. Moreso, I have no idea why I couldn't get into it the first time I tried reading it several months ago. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it. Whatever the reason, I'm so, so glad I decided to give it another shot, because it is amazing. (Also, I've realized that I use the word "amazing" entirely too much in my reviews. Time to come up with new adjectives!)


Anna Godbersen's writing is exquisite. Reading it, it's so obvious how every single word was carefully chosen. No word is out of place. No scene is out of place. It flows. And it's just so beautifully written, from the descriptions of the gowns the characters wear to the weather. Anna Godbersen is, in so many ways, the kind of writer I aspire to be.


I love everything about this book, but what I love the most is how Godbersen really puts us in New York in 1899. I could imagine everything so easily; I felt like I was there. I fell in love with that time period, with the characters, with everything in the book. Right now, I'm wishing that I could dress up in gorgeous gowns like the ones the girls wear in The Luxe. There's just something about the whole time period that The Luxe is set in that is so romantic to me. I would love to live in that time period, just for a little while.


As for the characters, I love them. Well, most of them. There were two characters I despised: Lina and Penelope. I don't want anything good to happen to Penelope. Ever. But with Lina, as much as I despised her, I felt kind of sorry for her, too, and I hope good things happen for her.


I loved Elizabeth, even though I sometimes felt like I should hate her, and I loved Diana. I loved how different they were, but how much they cared about each other, even though it didn't always seem like they did. Both girls were beautiful, but in very different ways, and I loved it. I enjoyed seeing the New York and the society they lived in through each of their perspectives. They both had strengths and weaknesses, and I think that in the end, they complimented each other so well.


When it comes to the male characters, I loved them all. Henry is another character that I felt I should hate, but I just couldn't. He might not have always been the greatest guy, but I was drawn to him. He might have been a jerk at times, but overall, he was just so lovable. Part of me did feel sorry for him, because of his father, and maybe that's part of why I loved him so much. Despite his facade, he had problems of his own--maybe those problems were actually the reason for his facade. Either way, the fact that he had his own vulnerabilities and was aware of them made Henry more real to me, and that made me love him.


Like I said, I am so glad I finally decided to give The Luxe another shot. Historical fiction with plenty of romance, gossip, and scandal? I love it, and I can't wait to see what's going to happen in book two!

What's in a name: bookish reasons why the name Anna is so awesome

I have always loved the name Anna. I happen to like names that use doubles (like the "nn" in Anna, or the "ss" in Jessica). Yes, it's slightly weird. I also happen to like palindromes. So, a name that has double letters and is a palindrome? It's perfect! And I do not like variations of the spelling. No Ana or Annah. Annah just looks weird. And I don't pronounce "Ana" the same way I pronounce "Anna," because in high school, I knew a girl named Ana, and it was pronounced "Ah-na." Eventually, I'm going to use the name Anna for one of my characters.

I'm sure by now you're thinking you don't care. Or maybe you're just wondering why I'm blabbing on about names, because really, who cares? It's just a name.

But I disagree. Anna is not just a name. It's a super-awesome name, and I adore it. And if you want book-proof about why the name Anna is so awesome, I am prepared to tell you.

1. Anna Godbersen. Bright Young Things--YES PLEASE! I loved the first book in the series. It was incredible. I have a hard time reading historical fiction, but after reading Bright Young Things, I wanted to get my hands on any 1920s historical fiction that I could (and thank goodness Jillian Larkin was there for me with Vixen). Anna Godbersen is seriously amazing. I can't wait to read Beautiful Days, and I can't wait to delve into the Luxe series, which I might tackle next.

2. Anna Sheehan. Have you read A Long Long Sleep? If yes, then you know how amazing it is. If no, then you need to read it ASAP. A Long Long Sleep is incredible. I love the twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite Disney movies, but let's not kid ourselves. What happens after Rose wakes up is so much more interesting than what happens while she's sleeping. Incredible writing, a beautiful and heartbreaking story, amazing, authentic characters, a little bit of sci-fi/dystopian, and some romance thrown in? Um, okay! Don't mind if I do! You can read my fangirl review for A Long Long Sleep here. I'm actually tempted to right a second, more serious review for it, because it deserves it.

3. Anna Oliphant. Need I say more? Okay, maybe I do, because I'm sure there are some people who still haven't read Anna and the French Kiss, though why someone might not have read it yet is beyond me. If you haven't read it yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??!! Anna Oliphant is awesome. I would be friends with her. She's genuine, she's funny, she's nice, she's multidimensional. She's basically the perfect character.

4. Anna Ryan, of Jessi Kirby's Moonglass. Moonglass is another incredible book, and Anna Ryan is another incredible character. I love it that she runs, because I'm a runner. I love it she does awesome things like jump off cliffs. Like Anna Oliphant, Anna Ryan is authentic. She's so real. I think I'd be friends with her, too. I love it that she's not afraid to just be herself, even if that means not conforming to everyone else's standards. Because of Anna Ryan (okay, and Jessi Kirby), I want to go cliff diving, search for moonglass (beach glass, sea glass, whatever you want to call it; I'm in the habit of calling it moonglass now), and live in Crystal Cove (or anywhere else near a gorgeous ocean) so I can run on the beach.

5. Last, here are a couple more authors who are named Anna: Anna Carey and Anna Jarzab. I haven't read Eve yet, but the cover is pretty. I've heard mixed reviews about the book, but I've decided that it must be awesome, since the author's name is Anna. As for Anna Jarzab, she wrote All Unquiet Things, which also has a pretty cover, and is a pretty great book.

Review: A Long Long Sleep

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release date: August 9, 2011
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Facebook

It should have been a short suspended-animation sleep. But this time Rose wakes up to find her past is long gone— and her future full of peril.

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose— hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire— is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes— or be left without any future at all.

Warning: This review is going to be a complete fangirl review.

I finished reading A Long Long Sleep last night. My first thought after I finished it:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My second thought:

OMGbestbookeverIhavetotelleveryoneaboutthisbookimmediatelyIneedtopostonFacebookandgushoveritinmyreviewandtellmymomandmyfriendsbecauseeveryonehastoreadthis.

Just like that: One big run-on sentence. And then I slowed my thoughts down so it looked like this:

OMG. Best book EVER. I have to tell EVERYONE about this book immediately. I need to post on Facebook and gush over it in my review and tell my mom and my friends because everyone HAS to read this.

My last thoughts:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why? Because A Long Long Sleep is just that awesome.

To be slightly more seriously, I fell in love with this book. It is definitely in my list of top 10 books I've read this year, and it is absolutely, 100 percent one of my favorite books now. Sometimes, when I borrow a book from the library and love it, I tell myself I'm going to buy it. So far, with the exception of Harry Potter, that hasn't happened. A Long Long Sleep needs to be on my bookshelf, though. This is one book that I will absolutely buy, because I want to read it again. And again. And again. Everything about it is amazing: the characters, the writing, the story. All of it. I love that every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was wrong. I liked it that the twists and turns weren't predictable, and that I didn't figure things out until a split-second before Rose did.

I really don't know what else to say about A Long Long Sleep, except that it's an awesome NaNoWriMo novel (YES!!! I love it when NaNo novels get published and are amazing!!!!), and it's an incredible debut. And if you haven't read it, you need to. Now. It needs to be at the top of your TBR list. And if you're thinking about getting it at the library or borrowing it from someone, don't. Just don't. Trust me on this one, you'll want to have this book on your shelves. Or on your eReader, but come on, it'll look so much better on your physical book shelf. Just look at the cover. It's gorgeous. Don't you want to be able to drool over this book any time you want without having to turn an eReader on first? I do.

In My Mailbox: 39

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. In this meme, we share the books we received for review, purchased, checked out at the library, etc. Check out The Story Siren for more details.

This week, I have more library loot.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
My review

It starts off simply.

Draw a circle ... place a dead leaf in the center ... sprinkle some salt ... recite a little Latin ... add a drop of blood ...

Maybe that last part isn't exactly simple. Yet somehow it feels right to Silla Kennicott. And nothing in her life has felt remotely right since her parents' horrific deaths. She's willing to do anything to uncover the truth about her family—even try a few spells from the mysterious book that arrived on her doorstep ... and spill some blood.

The book isn't the only recent arrival in Silla's life. There's Nick Pardee, the new guy next door who may have seen Silla casting a spell. She's not sure what he saw and is afraid to find out. But as they spend more time together, Silla realizes this may not be Nick's first encounter with Blood Magic. Brought together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick can't deny their attraction. And they can't ignore the dark presence lurking nearby—waiting to reclaim the book and all its power.

Tessa Gratton's intoxicating first novel will keep pulses racing, minds reeling, and pages turning right up to the very last drop of blood.

Timeless by Alexandra Monir
My review

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Sass & Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler
My review

or Daphne, the glass is always half full, a situation is better managed with a dab of lip gloss, and the boy of her dreams—the one she's read about in all of her novels—is waiting for her just around the corner.
For Gabby, nothing ever works out positively; wearing any form of makeup is a waste of study time, and boys will only leave you heartbroken. Her best friend, Mule, is the only one who has been there for her every step of the way.
But when the richest boy in school befriends Gabby, and Daphne starts to hang out more and more with her best friend, Mule, Gabby is forced to confront the emotional barriers she has put up to stop the hurting. And for once, her sassiness may fall prey to her definition of stupidity.

 A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

It should have been a short suspended-animation sleep. But this time Rose wakes up to find her past is long gone— and her future full of peril.

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose— hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire— is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes— or be left without any future at all.

That's it for me this week. What did you get? Happy reading!

Review: Blood Magic

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Publisher: Randon House
Release date: May 24, 2011
Pages: 416
Format: eBook
Website

It starts off simply.

Draw a circle ... place a dead leaf in the center ... sprinkle some salt ... recite a little Latin ... add a drop of blood ...

Maybe that last part isn't exactly simple. Yet somehow it feels right to Silla Kennicott. And nothing in her life has felt remotely right since her parents' horrific deaths. She's willing to do anything to uncover the truth about her family—even try a few spells from the mysterious book that arrived on her doorstep ... and spill some blood.

The book isn't the only recent arrival in Silla's life. There's Nick Pardee, the new guy next door who may have seen Silla casting a spell. She's not sure what he saw and is afraid to find out. But as they spend more time together, Silla realizes this may not be Nick's first encounter with Blood Magic. Brought together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick can't deny their attraction. And they can't ignore the dark presence lurking nearby—waiting to reclaim the book and all its power.

Tessa Gratton's intoxicating first novel will keep pulses racing, minds reeling, and pages turning right up to the very last drop of blood.

I've been hesitant about reading witch novels. For me, witches are kind of like vampires. I'm just not interested. Enter Blood Magic.


Is it about witches? Sort of, but it doesn't really feel like it is. It feels more like about regular people who just so happen to perform magic.


Blood Magic was a really good debut. It dragged at times, but the story was really compelling, and I just wanted to know more. I kept turning the pages because I wanted to find out what would happen, and because I wanted to know the truth behind all the secrets. When the story started to drag on a little bit, I thought about giving up on the book, but I'm glad it didn't. Because when it picked up, it really picked up. Suddenly, it wasn't just the same old go to school, do a little magic after school, try to figure out a couple of things that people are hiding. Instead, it was, go to school, deal with certain obstacles, go home, do magic for a bigger purpose than just to try it, and try harder to figure out what people are hiding. It just suddenly picked up and became slightly more action-oriented.


I like having the story told in Silla's point of view and in Nick's point of view, but I'm not sure how I feel about the diary entries that are in the novel. They just didn't quite do it for me. They were kind of interesting, but I don't know that they did anything to add to the story. It almost felt like just another way to give background information, and I would have preferred not have read them if that was what their purpose was.


Speaking of the characters, I loved Gram Judy. She was my favorite character. I loved how she was there for Silla and Reese, and how she was the perfect comforting grandmother. But what I really loved was her spunk:  trying to set Silla up with Nick, going to Bunco parties, and doing yoga. I don't normally picture grandmas doing yoga, so I loved it that Gram Judy did.


Blood Magic is the type of book that makes me a little more interested in reading witch stories. I'll definitely be checking out its companion novel, The Blood Keeper, when it comes out next year, and I may even check out other witch novels, too.

Review: Timeless

Timeless by Alexandra Monir
Publisher: Delacorte
Release date: January 11, 2011
Pages: 304
Format: eBook
Website

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

A book that has time travel, romance, and just a hint of mystery sounds pretty promising, right? Timeless has all those things, and for the most part, it was pretty promising. This is the second novel I've read about time travel, and I really enjoyed it. I love reading about other time periods, and I loved getting Michele's perspective on previous decades, like the 1920s, as a girl living in the 21st century. I loved it that she didn't go to just the same year or decade over and over again, and that in the end, she visited three different decades. I loved watching the mystery of who everyone in previous decades were and what happened to them, although I have to admit, it was pretty predictable in some cases.


For the most part, I liked Michele. I liked it that she didn't fall in love with the idea of being wealthy, and that she didn't join the group of girls who all came from old families. She was so down-to-earth, and I appreciated that. I would have been so disappointed if she had become stuck up and snobby because of her family name and her grandparents' money. I loved seeing flashes of her personality, like her being a songwriter. But, there were other times when she seemed kind of boring. Other than songwriting, she didn't seem to have too much personality. She wasn't as well-rounded as she could have been. Maybe that's because she was too busy time-traveling for us to get a full sense of who she is. Whoever she is, I hope we get to know her better in the next book.


Also, there were things about the novel that just confused me. At one point, I thought that Lily was Stella's aunt, but then a few pages later, it seems like their cousins. I could really use a family tree for this book, to sort out who is who and how everyone is related to each other. The other thing that I just didn't understand was the time travel itself. How is it possible? Sure, Caissie mentions that Albert Einstein had a theory about time travel, but that just wasn't enough for me. I need a full, somewhat detailed explanation, of how this whole time travel business works. On top of that, I really need an explanation about how Michele can travel back in time and change the future, when what she's changing has already happened. I'm not fully convinced that made any sense, and I think it goes back to the time traveling not being explained.


There is so much promise to this series. I don't love it yet, but I think I could. I really hope the next book clears up most, if not all, of my confusion.

Review: Sass & Serendipity

Sass & Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler
Publisher: Delacorte
Release date: July 12, 2011
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
Website

Daphne Rivera and her sister Gabby could not be more different.

For fifteen-year-old Daphne, the glass is always half full, a dab of lip-gloss can ward off a bad day, and the boy of her dreams—the one she's read about in all of her beloved romance novels—is waiting for her just around the corner.

But Daphne’s older sister Gabby wishes Daphne would get real. In Gabby’s world, everyone’s out for themselves, wearing makeup is a waste of time, and boys only distract you from studying before they break your heart. The only boy Gabby trusts is her best friend, Mule, who has always been there for her.

Both Gabby and Daphne are still reeling from their parents’ divorce, though in very different ways. While Gabby will never forgive her unreliable father for failing her mother, Daphne idolizes her daddy and is sure that everything would work out fine if her cranky mom would just let him back into their lives.

When a crisis leaves the girls and their mom homeless, help comes from an unexpected source, and both girls are courted by surprise suitors who shake up their views of the world. Suddenly the glass isn’t so clearly half empty or half full . . . and love seems a lot more complicated than they ever could have imagined.

I have never read Sense & Sensibility, and I don't know anything about it, so I can't compare Sass & Serendipity to it, nor do I want to. You don't have to know the story of Sense & Sensibility to read Sass & Serendipity, which I'm grateful for, because I am just not a fan of Jane Austen. I tried reading Pride and Prejudice once, and it just didn't work.

I love re-telling of classic novels. The only other one I've read, actually, is Juliet Immortal, which isn't exactly a re-telling. But after reading it, I wanted to read more re-tellings, so I picked up a copy of Sass & Serendipity. After reading the first two chapters, I thought I was going to fall in love with the story and enjoy a fun, light read. The novel was mostly a light, fun read, although it did suggest more serious topics that could have been explored. I didn't fall in love with the book like I thought I would, though, and that's because of the two main characters, Gabby and Daphne. I could not stand them. They were both selfish, in completely different ways, and they both did nothing but complain, whine, and feel sorry for themselves.

Gabby was just mean. I hated her attitude. I hated how she was always negative, and how she thought she was better than everyone else, whether she was feeling superior to her sister by being the responsible daughter, hating Prentiss for an event she didn't really know anything about, or feeling like she was above her classmates immaturity, ridiculing them for being interested in prom and parties. There were times when I just wanted to scream at her because she pissed me off so much. And on top of her feeling superior to everyone, she had the nerve to feel sorry for herself for working to help her family and for working hard in school to get a scholarship so she could improve her life. I can understand that it would be irritating for her to have to work to help pay the bills while her younger sister doesn't. But the fact that she whined about having to also get good grades so she could apply for a scholarship and actually be awarded the scholarship? That just bugged the heck out of me, because it was her choice to do those things to improve her life. She should have either sucked it up and quit complaining, or she should have just given up and quit complaining.

Daphne wasn't much more likeable. I appreciated it that she mostly chose to focus on positive things, and that she was happier than Gabby was. But she was selfish and spoiled. When she didn't get her way, she threw fits. I know fifteen year old girls aren't the most mature people, but she seemed to be abnormally immature for someone her age. I hated it that she very rarely considered anyone's feelings but her own.

The other major issue that I had with the book was that it felt so redundant in places. Telling us once that Gabby hates it that she has to be the responsible daughter while Daphne gets whatever she wants and doesn't have to work or do anything Gabby thinks is responsible is fine. Telling us that in every chapter, and sometimes more than once in a chapter, is redundant and annoying. I GET IT. I feel exactly the same way about constantly being told that Daphne feels like no one understands her. I don't need to be told these things over and over again.

All that said, I do want to say that there were definitely good points about this novel. I loved Mule. He was the most likable, honest character in the novel. I liked his loyalty to Gabby, but I loved it that he knew when to stand up for himself when she wasn't being a good friend to him. I liked it that he genuinely cared about people. Mule was definitely the most mature character in the novel, and I loved his ability to give good advice and to look at situations objectively, seeing both sides of a story.

The story itself was also interesting. Despite my frustrations with Gabby and Daphne, I wanted to see where the story would take them. I wanted to see them grow as characters, and they did. I wanted to see them have happy endings. I was rooting for them to become better characters than they were, to grow up and to stop feeling sorry for themselves all the time. Jennifer Ziegler's ability to keep me engaged in the story and wanting to know what was going to happen despite the fact that I hated the main characters was fantastic. I enjoyed the sibling rivalry in the novel, too. It was realistic. I loved it that even though Daphne and Gabby fought almost constantly, they were both willing to admit that they were jealous of each other. I also loved the moments when they came together as a family, supporting each other and their mom.

Jennifer Ziegler is a good writer and will only get better as she writes more and more novels. If you're looking for a light, fun read, definitely check out Sass & Serendipity.

Book(s) to Covet

Book(s) to Covet is inspired by Kristi at The Story Siren's Books to Pine For. This is not a regular feature on my blog, but sometimes, there are books that I am so excited about that I want to share them with everyone.


Today, I just have one book on the list.

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: November 1, 2011

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Patrick Carman's Dark Eden is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and— ultimately—immortality.

Sounds awesome, right? I don't know about anyone else, but I found the blurb to be intriguing because there really is a type of therapy for people who suffer from anxiety called exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is used to treat PTSD and phobias. I am really interested in psychology; it was my minor, so of course, I loved the idea of exposure therapy gone wrong.


But. . . . It gets better.


Dark Eden isn't just a book. It's actually interactive. The website has videos you can watch. I've only watched two of them, but they're awesome. You can also view images, learn about the cast who plays the characters, and download a mobile app. And then, there's my favorite part of the interactive experience: The Fear Test. I took it. It was fun, but I have to admit, I didn't follow the instructions. I kept the lights on. And there were times when I was covering my eyes, peeking through my hands at my computer screen. With Halloween right around the corner, this is the perfect type of book and interactive experience. I can't wait to explore the website further and to get my hands on a copy of the book.

Review: Breathless

Breathless by Jessica Warman
Publisher: Walker Books
Release date: August 18, 2009
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Website

When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school by her distant father and overbearing mother, it doesn’t take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She’s smart, she’s cute, and she’s an Olympic-bound swimmer who has a first class ticket to any Ivy League school of her choice. But what her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don’t know is that Katie is swimming away from her past, and from her schizophrenic older brother, Will, who won’t let her go. And when he does the unthinkable, it’s all Katie can do to keep her head above water.

 The blurb for Breathless is another blurb that I feel is somewhat inaccurate. I feel like it sets the novel up to have her brother play a huge role in the novel, and while he's in the novel, I don't feel like he played nearly as large a part in it as the blurb suggests he does. In fact, I don't feel like Katie's parents play that large of a role, either. I was surprised, because I went into this book thinking it was going to be really centered on Katie and her family and then her family wasn't in it as much as I thought they would be.


I enjoyed the story, but I have to admit, I'm a little confused as to what the real story is. The "unthinkable" that Will does happens almost at the end of the book. I kept waiting and waiting for this huge moment where Will does something awful, and it just wasn't happening. There was one point where I thought, "Wait. Was the incident the moment I've been waiting for? Or am I still waiting for the unthinkable to happen?" Turns out the incident I was wondering about wasn't the unthinkable at all. I'm not sure now if the story was really supposed to be about Katie's brother and this horrible thing that he does and how it affects her, or if the story is really about Katie going to boarding school and discovering who she is and what she wants from life. I think it's the latter, based on the fact that her brother was hardly in the novel, and to be honest, that's the more boring story. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it; I did. The characters were great. But I think I would have enjoyed the novel more if Katie's family, especially her brother, had played a larger role in it.


I didn't like Katie at all. She was a bitch. There's really no other way to put it. She was mean and judgmental, especially when it came to her hometown and the people who live there. She had no problems calling people trash and pathetic. At one point, she thinks of one of her friends as rich white trash, but when that friend later on calls Katie white trash to her face, Katie gets offended. That really irritated me. Katie never seemed to realize what a bitch she was and how hypocritical she was. She never recognized her own flaws.


I think the only character I actually liked was Mazzie, and that's because she was the only character who saw herself for who she really was. She didn't pretend to be something she wasn't. I loved that. Just because I didn't like most of the characters doesn't mean Warman didn't do an awesome job creating them. She did. Each character came alive on the pages, and the fact that I felt so strongly about them means, for me, that they were great characters. I could easily picture the characters in my mind and I enjoyed reading about them, even though I didn't actually like them.


Overall, Breathless is a good story. Despite the holes in the story (and there are some; there were times when I wondered, "Okay, wait, what about that scene? That seemed kind of important, but we never came back to it"), the writing was good. There were some great descriptions of the characters, building, and landscapes, and I loved those moments. Breathless is worth the read if you're in the mood for something more serious.

In Which I Share My Love of All Things Horror

Autumn is my favorite season, and October is one of my favorite autumn months, for a lot of reasons. My birthday is in October, the weather really starts changing in October, the International Balloon Fiesta, which is held in my hometown, is in October. It's the time of year when I can go to apple festivals, drink apple cider (hot or cold, I love it either way), and start wearing autumn clothes. I love the weather--it's not too cold yet, but it's not hot anymore, either. It's the perfect weather for snuggling in bed with a good book.

And of course, I love Halloween. It's not my favorite season, but it's one time of year that is dedicated to horror. From my favorite movies to my favorite horror books, ghost stories to haunted houses, all the creepy things I love are spotlighted during October.

Want to know why I love horror stories as much as I do? Head over to Leighanne's Lit, where I've done a guest post about how I got into horror stories and why I love them. I had a blast writing the post for Leighanne, and I'm honored to be featured on her blog today. It's a fabulous blog; be sure to check it out!

Review: Stolen

Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Publisher: The Chicken House
Release date: May 1, 2010
Pages: 304
Format: Hardcover
Website

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

Stolen was intense. I almost decided not to read it--I actually took it off my TBR list for a while--but recently picked up a copy of it from the library. I'm glad I did.


I'm going to start with Gemma. I don't know if I liked her or not. I know I didn't hate her, but I don't think I loved her. I just felt bad for her because of the situation she was in, and I did want her to be able to get out of it and get to go home to London. Other than that, though, I didn't have strong emotions toward her either way. Why? Because when it comes to characters, all my emotions went to Ty.


I know I probably shouldn't like Ty. After all, he is a kidnapper. But I did like him. I felt much more emotionally connected to Ty than I did to Gemma. As bad as I felt for Gemma, I felt worse for Ty. Obviously, he has some kind of mental illness. And I felt bad for him because he truly, honestly, believed that by kidnapping Gemma, he was doing a good thing. I really felt for him, and he his background. In the book, we find out that he's been hurt in the past, and I couldn't help but feel for him in that regard. At times, he reminded me of a little kid, full of innocence and just wanting to do good and be loved. The simple aspect of Ty is just that: to rescue someone when he couldn't rescue himself, and to be loved in return. Ty's vulnerability is heartbreaking. When he didn't remind me of a little kid, it was because his character comes off as incredibly sexy. Even Gemma can't help but notice his body and how muscular it is, and even though Ty's supposed to be the bad guy, it was those moments where I couldn't help but drool over him a little--character eye candy, anyone? I wouldn't go so far as to say I had a crush on him, but I wasn't unhappy anytime Gemma described the gorgeousness that is Ty.


Lucy Christopher did a fabulous job with the earth, and using the desert as a character. Her descriptions are beautiful, and I felt so claustrophobic reading about where Gemma was and how she truly was in the middle of nowhere. Being in a place like that, with no people around, no towns, nothing, makes me feel claustrophobic. I don't like that feeling, but I love it when an author can make me feel that way, because for me, it's one of the signs of a good author. And the landscape really does play a character role in this novel. It has to, when the only other characters we see throughout the majority of the novel are Gemma and Ty. I loved it.


I think my favorite scene is one where Gemma and Ty are stargazing. I love it that Ty comes up with his own constellations. It reminded me of looking for shapes in clouds, and it really makes me want to go stargazing and come up with my own constellations, too, especially since I don't know much about constellations. Moments like that are the ones I loved the most in this novel, because it let us see more of Ty and of Gemma, and how their relationship progressed.


It took me a while to get into Stolen--several pages--but once I got into it, I didn't want to stop reading. I will definitely be checking out more of Lucy Christopher's novels in the future.

In My Mailbox: 38

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. In this meme, we share the books we received for review, purchased, received as gifts, checked out from the library, etc.

Guess where I am this weekend? I'll give you a hint.

I didn't take that picture, but I wish I had. I'm in Washington, D.C., visiting my cousin and her husband for the weekend. Possible pictures of the Library of Congress to follow in a later post. Why? Because I can.

And now, on to the books I received this week.

I finally got myself a library card for the library in Kent, so I have some library loot.

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer
My review

Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother.

Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? As Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear her family apart.

Breathless by Jessica Warman

When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school by her distant father and overbearing mother, it doesn’t take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She’s smart, she’s cute, and she’s an Olympic-bound swimmer who has a first class ticket to any Ivy League school of her choice. But what her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don’t know is that Katie is swimming away from her past, and from her schizophrenic older brother, Will, who won’t let her go. And when he does the unthinkable, it’s all Katie can do to keep her head above water.

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

That's all I received this week. What did you get? Happy reading!

Review: Blood Wounds

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publisher: Harcourt
Release date: September 13, 2011
Pages: 256
Format: eBook
Website

Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother. Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? As Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear her family apart.

I really feel like the synopsis for Blood Wounds isn't completely accurate. I don't feel that it gives a very good sense of what the book is about, because it set me up to think the book was going to be about Willa being under police protection throughout the majority of the novel while the police tried to capture her father, and in the meantime, she discovered her mother's secrets. That's not exactly what happened in this novel. Yes, Willa is in police protection, but it doesn't last long. The story is more about Willa's journey to her mother's hometown and learning more about her past than it is about anything else.


At least, that's how I interpret it. I think it's kind of hard to say what this novel is supposed to be about exactly, because there's a lot happening in it, and the novel isn't long enough to explore all the issues presented. I was really disappointed by that. I highly enjoyed Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It series, so I thought Blood Wounds would be equally as awesome, but it fell flat for me. There just wasn't enough time for me to fully get to know Willa and her family, and how her mother's past affected where Willa and her mother are. There wasn't enough time for me to get to know the characters and understand their motivations. On top of that, more than halfway through the book, an entirely new problem is brought up: the idea that Willa's stepsisters are spoiled and have always gotten what they wanted while Willa never got anything because there wasn't money for the things she wanted it. That's the simplified version. There were actually a lot of family issues that were brought up more than halfway through the book, and while I understood them and thought they were interesting, they kind of came out of nowhere for me, and it made me unsure of what the focus of the novel was really supposed to be. And I think that's a shame, because the initial idea--that Willa's father murdered his wife and Willa's stepsisters and is now looking for Willa and her mother--is fascinating to me. It's exactly the type of story I love, and it holds so much promise.


I do have to say, though, that overall, I liked Willa. There were a few moments when she annoyed me, but I liked her compassion for her stepmother and stepsisters (on her father's side), even though she had never met them. I liked watching her learn about herself throughout the novel. As a character, she also holds a lot of promise. I especially liked the person she was at the end of the novel, and how she found the courage to stand up for herself. There was a decision she had to make in the end, and I wasn't sure what I wanted her to do, but once I found out what her decision was, I was happy with it. I was happy for her. I wouldn't mind a sequel to see how things turn out for Willa.


While this book wasn't really for me in the end, it's worth a read if you're looking for something that deals with more serious issues. If nothing else, it made me think about the issues presented, and what I would do if I were in Willa's place, and it opened up my eyes to what other people go through when they're in situations similar to Willa's, in terms of the murders.

Review: The Musician's Daughter

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release date: December 23, 2008
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Website

Murder and love—from the halls of Vienna’s imperial family to a perilous gypsy camp Amid the glamour of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy’s court in 18th-century Vienna, murder is afoot. Or so fifteen-year-old Theresa Maria is convinced when her musician father turns up dead on Christmas Eve, his valuable violin missing, and the only clue to his death a strange gold pendant around his neck. Then her father’s mentor, the acclaimed composer Franz Joseph Haydn, helps her through a difficult time by making her his copyist and giving her insight in to her father’s secret life. It’s there that Theresa begins to uncover a trail of blackmail and extortion, even as she discovers honor—and the possibility of a first, tentative love. Thrumming with the weeping strains of violins, as well as danger and deception, this is an engrossing tale of murder, romance, and music that readers will find hard to forget.

I am really picky about historical fiction. I mean, really picky. I tend to not read it too often, because I often find it boring. I prefer historical fiction that takes place in twentieth century America, and I will rarely read any other type of historical fiction. What drew me into The Musician's Daughter was the title and the promise of music. I love music. I adore it. It is one of my lifelines.

The Musician's Daughter was better than I expected, given the time period and location it's set in. Anything that's not set in twentieth century America tends to bore me and make me start to fall asleep. That was not the case with The Musician's Daughter. There were a few moments where I was a little bored with the story,  but overall, I was reading eagerly to find out what was going to happen. The book jumps right into the conflict of the story and it just takes off from there. It's full of suspense and mystery, which was I enjoyed it as much as I did.

The music, of course, was wonderful to read about. I don't know much about the composer Haydn, who was a real person and a character in the novel, but I had heard of him. I was pleased to recognize some composers names in the novel, and I loved all the scenes where the orchestra played at balls and events and rehearsed, and the scenes where Theresa helps Haydn with his compositions. I felt like I learned just a little bit more about music, and it really fueled my desire to learn how to play the piano, to learn more about classical music, and to listen to classical music more than I do (I listen to it on occasion, but not very often; it really depends on my mood). I understood exactly why Theresa loved music and why it meant so much to her.

There wasn't exactly romance in the novel, but there was a hint at it, and I really wish it would have been fleshed out more at the end! I know romance was not the point of the novel at all, but there was the hint of a developing romance between two characters and I really, really wanted to see it played out. It wasn't, but I'm glad that it was at least hinted at.

I definitely enjoyed The Musician's Daughter more than I expected to. It kept me on the edge of my seat with the suspense, and I found myself holding my breath at certain moments of the novel. I will definitely be reading Dunlap's other historical fiction titles.

Review: Happy Birthday to Me Again

Happy Birthday to Me Again by Brian Rowe
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 291
Release date: September 22, 2011
Series: Birthday Trilogy, Book 2
Format: eBook
Website
***SUMMARY CONTAINS SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.***

Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day… again. And this time... he's going backward!

When Cameron proposes to his beloved witch of a girlfriend Liesel, he thinks life can’t get any better. But when he reluctantly breaks off the engagement just days before the wedding, Liesel angrily unleashes another curse on the unlucky guy, this time making him age backward, from eighteen, all the way to zero.

Making matters worse, Liesel mysteriously disappears, leaving Cameron with no options, except watching himself rapidly shrink into a helpless child. Will Liesel be able to save his life again? Or will Cameron ultimately fall prey to his girlfriend's wicked spell? 

Happy Birthday to Me Again is another super-fun read. I loved every second of it, just like I loved every second of Happy Birthday to Me.

Once again, the characters are awesome. What I really love about the characters is that every character drips with personality, even the minor ones. Cameron's gay aunt and her wife, his grandfather, Wesley, Kimber, Hannah. . . . Every single one of them comes alive on the page, even if they only play small roles in the novel. I especially loved Cameron's grandfather at the Christmas Eve dinner--he cracked me up. For me, he was the perfect, cute little old guy who wanted people to shut up and stop giving speeches so he could eat. I adored him.

I love the humor in this book. It seemed like on almost every page, there was something to laugh at. I think my favorite line was probably, "You know, librarians can be more frisky than you think," just because I'm on my way to becoming a librarian. It made me giggle.

Once again, there were some characters that I loved to hate. I was actually really disappointed with Wes at the beginning--my crush on him was gone. In the end, he redeemed himself. Liesel, on the other hand, was a character I hated throughout the majority of the novel. Even by the end, I didn't like her very much. I didn't have an opinion on her either way in the first book, but in the second, I just couldn't stand her.

Part of the ending was predictable, and part wasn't. I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the third book. It is going to be awesome.

In My Mailbox 37: Birthday Edition!

In My Mailbox: Birthday Edition!

In My Mailbox is a fabulous meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Every Sunday, we share the books we received throughout the previous week, whether we received them for review, bought them, checked them out from the library, or obtained them in some other way. For more details, head over to Kristi's blog.

As you may have noticed, today isn't just a regular In My Mailbox for me. Today is my birthday, hence today is my birthday edition of IMM. And I have plenty of goodies to share.

For review:

A couple weeks ago, I posted about getting The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year) by Vici Howard, then realized I hadn't actually received it yet. Oops! I did actually receive it this week, though, and I've read and reviewed it. And, Vici was kind enough to sign it for me--my first signed review copy! Woo hoo!Thanks, Vici!

The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year) by Vici Howard
Publisher: randall & reismann
Release date: June 15, 2011

"The chick friends rules! Freshman year" is the first of a four book series in this edgy coming of edge story. Fifteen-year old Grant Lee is a "cool kid" who is popular with the girls and adheres to a strict code of the "chick friends hierarchy". There are girls a guy thinks about when he's in his bedroom alone and there are girls a guy farts around. Grant is friends with Marta, the latter in the chick friends hierarchy. She is an intriguing but slightly overweight Latina with a story of her own. Grant is faced with an embarrassing dilemma; he has a secret crush on Marta but is ashamed to tell his friends because she's the "fat girl". If his secret gets out it could be social suicide for Grant. So he goes out of his way to conceal his feelings for her by making a series of bad choices and by engaging in risky behavior. When he gets the courage to tell her his true feelings, she mysteriously vanishes.

Also for review, and just in time for my birthday, Brian Rowe sent me the first two titles in his Birthday trilogy for review. Nice coincidence? I've posted a review for Happy Birthday to Me, and I'll be posting my review for Happy Birthday to Me Again soon. Thank you, Brian!

Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: April 13, 2011
Read my review

Seventeen-year-old Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day!

High school is hard enough; imagine rapidly aging from seventeen to seventy in a matter of weeks, with no logical explanation, and with prom, graduation, and the state championship basketball game all on the horizon. That’s what happens to Cameron, a popular pretty boy who's never had to face a day looking anything but perfect.

All Cameron wants to do is go back to normal, but no one, not even the best doctors, can diagnose his condition. When he finds love with a mysterious young woman, however, he realizes his only hope for survival might be with the one person who started his condition in the first place...

Happy Birthday to Me Again by Brian Rowe
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date:  September 22, 2011
***SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day… again. And this time... he's going backward!

When Cameron proposes to his beloved witch of a girlfriend Liesel, he thinks life can’t get any better. But when he reluctantly breaks off the engagement just days before the wedding, Liesel angrily unleashes another curse on the unlucky guy, this time making him age backward, from eighteen, all the way to zero.

Making matters worse, Liesel mysteriously disappears, leaving Cameron with no options, except watching himself rapidly shrink into a helpless child. Will Liesel be able to save his life again? Or will Cameron ultimately fall prey to his girlfriend's wicked spell? 

That's all I received for review this week. But, I'm not done with the goodies quite yet! I'm currently working on getting my Master's in Library and Information Science, and my school has a student chapter of the American Library Association. I attended the first meeting, where there was a giveaway for goodies from the last ALA conference. Everyone got something; the drawing was basically just whoever's name gets called first gets to pick what they want type of thing. My name was drawn second, so I chose this:

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Release date: December 27, 2011

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

And it came with swag--postcards!

I've already read Why We Broke Up, but I won't be posting my review until it gets closer to the release date, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.


I checked one eBook out from the library:

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release date: December 23, 2008 (for hardcover edition)

Murder and love—from the halls of Vienna’s imperial family to a perilous gypsy camp Amid the glamour of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy’s court in 18th-century Vienna, murder is afoot. Or so fifteen-year-old Theresa Maria is convinced when her musician father turns up dead on Christmas Eve, his valuable violin missing, and the only clue to his death a strange gold pendant around his neck. Then her father’s mentor, the acclaimed composer Franz Joseph Haydn, helps her through a difficult time by making her his copyist and giving her insight in to her father’s secret life. It’s there that Theresa begins to uncover a trail of blackmail and extortion, even as she discovers honor—and the possibility of a first, tentative love. Thrumming with the weeping strains of violins, as well as danger and deception, this is an engrossing tale of murder, romance, and music that readers will find hard to forget.

And now, onto my birthday goodies. I didn't actually get any books, but it was too expensive to ship them to me, but I did get a Target gift card, an Amazon gift card, and some cash. The only bad part is figuring out which books I want to buy.


That's it for me this week. What did you get? Happy reading!