Review: White Cat by Holly Black (ARC)

Synopsis: Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Details: YA fiction, paranormal, to be published May 4, 310 pages.

For all my excitement about Holly Black's new series The Curseworkers, White Cat COMPLETELY disappointed me. I was let down by everything about this book, like the slow-moving plot and boring characters. Reading 20 pages felt like reading 100 pages. I can't even count how many times I yawned and almost fell asleep.

The beginning was strong, and I thought the book was going to be great. But then it just got slower and slower, and sloooower. I had only 70 pages left, but I couldn't put myself through anymore, so I quit reading.

I love the cover, but that's about the only thing I liked. I would advise anyone to not spend precious, hard-earned money for this book. You will regret it!

I loved Holly's book Tithe, wasn't happy with Valiant, and didn't bother picking up Ironside. After trudging through White Cat, I can only think that her writing is slipping.

Library Loans (4)

This week, I got all dystopian books! First, because I love them so much. And second, because I'm aiming to read 20 books to enter into Parajunkee's Dystopian Challenge contest. The challenge ends August 24, so I better get a move on!

1. Birthmarked by Caraugh O'Brien
   
2. Epitaph Road by David Patneaude. Been hearing good things about this one.
   
3. The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I loved Life as We Knew It so much, I had to order the next one.
   
4. Witch and Wizard by James Patterson, the author of the Maximum Ride series. I just recently saw the faces in this book cover. I don't know how I missed them before!
   
5. Fahrenheit 451

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Like half of the world, I am waiting for The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer to come out on June 5, 2010.

Although, I'm really not as excited as I would be if Midnight Sun were being published soon. Now THAT book, I would be jumping up and down, head-over-heels about. If that dumb person wouldn't have spoiled the storytelling for Stephenie, the book would probably be out now. Yeah, I know I can read the draft for free here, but I really like having an actual book with pages to turn in my hands. I don't like having to read books on the computer, and when Midnight Sun FINALLY releases, the wait will be that much sweeter.

P.S. I'm not sure if this is absolute fact, but I've heard that starting June 5, you can download it for free at the Bree Tanner website. I will definitely be on the lookout for that!

Review: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis: Waiting tables, sweeping floors, reading minds and solving mysteries for the undead. It's all in a day's work for Sookie...

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of real bad luck. First, her co-worker gets murdered and no one seems to care. Then Sookie is attacked - and poisoned - late one night by some weird and apparently mythical beast. She only survives because the local vampires roll up and graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But in return the blood-suckers need a favor.

Which is why Sookie ends up in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire, on the condition that her undead friends don't do anything, well, vampiric while she's there. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly...

Details: Adult fiction, paranormal/romance/mystery, published in 2002, 291 pages.

As the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires series, I didn't think it was that good. For sure, I didn't enjoy it as much as Dead until Dark. It was less exciting for me, but it wasn't terrible. I love the characters: Bill, Sookie, and Eric (yet again, another love triangle! It never ends!).

I wasn't that interested in the whole Fellowship of the Sun plot. But I do like how Harris creates a new world in her books if vampires actually existed and everyone knew about them. I suppose if it were really happening, there might be a real Fellowship of the Sun, but from a reader's perspective...didn't blow me away.

Since I've heard that the series gets better with the third book, I'm looking forward to reading Club Dead.

Review: Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

Synopsis: Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk behind the closed doors of New York City's wealthiest families? They're powerful, they're famous... they're undead. Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question--is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force. When one of the Gates of Hell is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Carnavale rages on. And in the end, one vampire's secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone.

Details: YA fiction, paranormal, published July 2009, 288 pages.

This is my least favorite of the Blue Bloods series so far. But Revelations, like the previous books, is riddled with twists that you would never expect. Pretty much every turn in Revelations I didn't see coming and left me with my mouth hanging open, not believing that I just read that!

After reading the first Blue Bloods, I wasn't sure if I would continue reading the series, but after getting to know the characters and becoming more involved in their lives and their "revelations," I'm really glad I kept reading. Every book ends so perfectly, with some of the mysteries solved that have come up throughout, but there's still some mystery left to keep you drooling for the next.

This series, to sum it up in as few words as possible, is like The Luxe series by Anna Godberson with vampires. It has all the fashion sense of the elite, but with a little bite!

Review: Fang by James Patterson

Synopsis: Being a kid with wings--constantly on the run--has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them "The sky will fall." And as if an impending apocalypse weren't bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: Fang will be the first to die.

Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?

Details: YA book, paranormal, published March 2010, 309 pages.

Fang is the continuation of the Maximum Ride series, and it's the sixth book. For me, the books have mostly gone downhill from the first. Max's narrative is sarcastic, and I liked it for the first few books, but after that it got annoying and a little immature. There were lots of cliches and repeated phrases, too. Whenever Jeb is in the scene, Max always rants against him. I get where she's coming from in her anger toward Jeb, but does she always have to go on about it whenever she talks to him?

However, in spite of that, Fang is a good book and I finished it in a day. The plot in the book is engaging, with a few twists to boot. I wasn't sure what to expect from Fang, because the previous book, Max, totally let me down. But don't let that stop you from reading Patterson's latest Maximum book, because it's better.

A bit of a sidenote here...A while ago, I read some of the comments on Goodreads about this book and so many girls were arguing about who's Fang's girlfriend and practically having fights over him. Um, listen, you know that Fang is a fictional character, right? Just wanted to clear that up.

In My Mailbox (5)

Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser and Curiouser by William Irwin and Richard Brian Davis. Anyone who reads this blog knows I love Alice in Wonderland, so I'm very excited to delve into the "philosophy" of Alice!

Descent into Dust by Jacqueline Lepore. Another vampire series...hoping this one doesn't turn out to be another Vampire Academy.

Married on Mondays by HoneyB

The Crazy School by Cornelia Read

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Details: YA fiction, dystopia, 374 pages, published September 2008.

After hearing so much about The Hunger Games, I finally picked up a copy at my library, and I'm glad I did because this book rocked! I couldn't help but compare its government to our own, and how we're getting closer and closer to having our freedoms obliterated and having the government control everything we do. I loved Katniss' character. She is one girl who can take care of herself, even when she and everyone around her is oppressed.

Collins creates a world that is basically horrible. The Capital makes people play in a game to their deaths and forces everyone in the districts to watch as their loved ones die. I was reminded of The Giver by Lois Lowry (another must-read book), where the Elders choose what the younger people do as a living, and they are supposed to accept their job without complaint or rebellion.

I love reading dystopian books, even though they essentially are all depressing. It gives us a peek into what this world would be like if such-and-such actually happened.

The Hunger Games has excitement, and will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. It will be interesting to see what happens in Catching Fire, the second book in the trilogy, especially with the love triangle of Katniss, Gale, and Peeta.

Library Loans (3)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Yes, I am finally reading this book. I don't know why I've been putting it off...it's really good!

Fang by James Patterson. Is this the last book in the Maximum Ride series? I'm still unclear about that.

Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind. 4th in the Sword of Truth series. Enormous books, but worth reading.

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning. This is the fifth and last book of the Fever series, which I have immensely enjoyed! Moning's writing is fresh and fun, with lots of paranormal stuff thrown in. If you haven't read the Fever series, here's more information about it at her website: LINK.

Shadowfever comes out December 29, 2010...so looong! I can't wait that long for more Barrons!

Review: Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs

Synopsis: "It's true what they say, you know: If you talk to God, you're religious; but if you hear from God, you're schizophrenic."

When a car accident leaves a famous movie star in a coma, nurse Kemp McAvoy thinks he has found his ticket to the life he's always wanted. As a med school dropout who was on his way to becoming an anesthesiologist, Kemp has the knowledge to carry off the crazy plan he concocts: adjust the star's medication each night and pretend to be a heavenly visitor giving her messages. He recruits her agent and a down-and-out publisher to make sure the messages will become the next spiritual bestseller and make them all rich. But his girlfriend's daughter, Leah, keeps telling people that she is seeing angels, and her mother and her teachers are all afraid that something is wrong. Before it's all over, they'll all learn a few things about angels, love, and hope.

When I read the summary of Wonders Never Cease on Book Sneeze, I was intrigued. I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter flowed into the next, and every part was interesting (except when the criminal masterminds were talking about money...I am not a money person!).

This book would not have been as great if it wasn't for the constant humor and sarcasm. Many times I had to stop reading because I was laughing so hard!

Wonders Never Cease tackles a tough subject (are angels real?) and puts it in a modern context that we can relate to. Also, points for the uniqueness of the book. Kemp McAvoy is out to get money and he picks up a few money-snatchers on the way to dupe a celebrity...genius. I would definitely recommend this book.






I received this book from Thomas Nelson via Book Sneeze.

Review: Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Synopsis: Schuyler Van Alen is starting to get more comfortable with her newfound vampire powers, but she still has many unanswered questions. A trip to Italy in search of her grandfather only serves to make things more confusing. What secrets are the leaders of The Committee hiding? Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the famous Four Hundred Ball. In true Blue Blood fashion, the ball is totally fab, complete with masks—and hidden behind this masquerade is a revelation that will change the course of a young vampire’s destiny.

Details: YA fiction, paranormal, published May 2007, 320 pages.

This was a big step up from Blue Bloods #1. I really got more into Masquerade, and the many plot twists were fantastic (especially at the end...wow!).

Cruz's writing still isn't the best. I don't want to get any haters for saying this, but her writing reminds me of what I thought about Stephenie Meyer's style of writing in Twilight: not the best I've read.

But even though the author's writing isn't at the top of my list, she mostly makes up for it in the rest of the areas in Masquerade. I liked the characters (especially the new Blue Blood: Lawrence Van Alen), and how Cruz has many different stories going on at once, but somehow ties them all together.

I'm not crazy about the Blue Bloods history, the sort-of-religious part, and the politics of the series. A little too much for my taste, but I understand why she included them: there had to be some background and foundation for the Blue Blood clan.

In My Mailbox (4)

Got this week:

Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
The River Kings' Road by Liane Merciel. I'm really intrigued by this cover!
The Last Track by Sam Hilliard
Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Review: Take Two by Karen Kingsbury

Synopsis: Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison have completed their first feature film, and Hollywood is buzzing with the news. In the wake of that excitement, the producers acquire rights to a novel that has all the ingredients they want for their next project. At the same time they cross paths with a well-connected player who introduces them to the right people, and suddenly every studio in town wants to talk to Chase and Keith. The producers' dreams are on the verge of coming true, but Chase's marriage is strained and Keith's daughter --- Andi Ellison --- is making questionable choices in her quest for stardom. The producers are gaining respect and are on the verge of truly changing culture through the power of film --- but is the change worth the cost?

Details: Adult fiction, Christian, published June 2009, 298 pages.

This is the second book in the Above the Line series and it doesn't disappoint! I loved once again getting involved in the character's lives, and continuing getting to know her new characters in this series.

I know that Kingsbury is involved in the Christian movie making business, and this shows through in the Above the Line books. But I'm more interested in watching movies than reading about how they're made, so those sections of the book with Chase and Keith aren't as captivating as the rest of Take Two.

Take Three has a HUGE waiting list at my library, but I'll get it eventually! I can't wait to read it and share it with others.

Library Loans (2)

Thanks for the enthusiastic response to my YA for Adults post! The verdict is unanimous: who cares about the YA sticker on the spine? If it sounds fun, read it! And I think that's the way it should be.

Didn't get too much this week from the library because my TBR pile of books I own is piling up! But I couldn't stop myself from ordering these:


Club Dead and Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

I'm so looking forward to reading all of these because the first books in the two series were so good!

YA for adults?

This has been on my mind for a while, especially since I'll be turning 20 in a year and leaving my teenager days behind.

How old is too old to be reading young adult books? When I get YA books from the library, I feel a little embarrassed because it seems like I'm past the stage where I should be reading those kinds of books. But I still buy and borrow them because I love them so much! I know I'm not the only one out there because I see a lot of 20-30ish bloggers out there who are reviewing YA.

I've even given some great YA books to my mom to read, like the Inheritance and The Looking Glass Wars series. But she doesn't seem as thrilled with them as I was, so I'm wondering if the thrill of YA books lessens when you mature as an adult. I sure hope not! I'm already bored with a big chunk of books for young adults. Girl fights, fights over guys, and other petty things like that make me roll my eyes and throw the book across the room, refusing to read another page.

I haven't seen many adults reading YA books, other than the obvious: Harry Potter and Twilight. Maybe they're secretly reading them at home and too embarrassed to read them in public? I don't know, but I'm hoping to get your opinion on the matter.

I've been reading adult books since I was thirteen, so shouldn't it work the other way?

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

I cannot wait for Christopher Paolini's fourth and last book in the Inheritance saga. (No picture available.) I was completely blown away by this series. Don't let the movie fool you into thinking these books suck because they totally don't! Paolini's writing is flawless. Plot twists and turns you would never expect, and excitement from cover to cover. The characters are amazing and complex, and I love Arya's character!

Even though these books are huge, what is taking Paolini so long to finish the last book? The third book, Brisingr, was published September 2008...

In My Mailbox (3)

These were won by three contests.

Ash by Malinda Lo
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. This is a great book! You can find my review for it HERE.
Between Two Kingdoms by Joe Boyd
Down River by Karen Harper
Twice as Hot by Gena Showalter
Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan. This one is in a series and I haven't read the other ones. I hope I can read this one as a stand-alone and not be totally confused.

I haven't read any of these authors before except for Courtney Summers, so they're all new to me.

Two of these books are retellings of famous stories. Ash is Cinderella, and Between Two Kingdoms is C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.

Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Synopsis: Within New York city's most elite families, there lurks a secret society of celebrated Americans whose ancestors sailed on the Mayflower. Its members are the powerful and the wealthy - and, in fact, they are not human. They are the Blue Bloods, an ancient group of vampires.

Schuyler Van Alen has never fit in at Duchesne, her prestigious New York City private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way.

But when she turns fifteen, Schuyler's life changes dramatically. She discovers a mosaic of blue veins on her arms, and craves raw meat. The death of a popular girl from Duchesne is surrounded by a mystery that haunts her. And strangest of all, Jack Force, the most popular boy in school, is showing a sudden interest in her.

Schuyler wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

Details: YA fiction, paranormal, published March 2007, 302 pages.

I'm not sure what to make of this book. I liked it. It drew my attention and kept me reading for hours and hours. But Blue Bloods went downhill from the beginning.

It's a unique take on the popular vampire trend, and one I haven't read before. There were multiple plot lines throughout the book, and I think I will enjoy the rest of the series. It was a fast, quick-paced read, which I appreciated.

Even though I liked reading the first book in the Blue Bloods series, I feel Cruz could have done better.

My First Blogger Interview!

Jessica interviewed me at her blog, Jessica's Vision. Here's the LINK. She had great questions for me to answer. It was really fun!

Review: Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Synopsis: Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

Details: Adult fiction, paranormal/romance, published October 2007, 384 pages.

Wow. This book is amazing. No wonder so many people are talking about this series. Judging from the first book in Night Huntress, I'm going to wolf down the next three. To say it bluntly, this series is Buffy, the Vampire Slayer for adults.

Halfway to the Grave has very strong characters. I always get crushes on fictional bad-boy types and Bones is one of them. I really liked Cat. She's confident, spunky, and won't let anyone pull a fast one on her. In comparison to Bella in Twilight, Cat can take care of herself and doesn't need her big, strong vampire boyfriend to rescue her. I'm glad Frost wrote Cat's character like this because that's one thing that always bugged me about the Twilight series. I love when the girl kicks butt in books/movies. It's so much more exciting and fresh than seeing the same old boy-rescues-girl-from-imminent-danger scenario.

The conclusion of the book ended perfectly for the beginning of a series. It's not all happy ever after...and it shouldn't be, because it has us begging for the next book! I ordered One Foot in the Grave from the library right after I finished this one. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Kelley Armstrong's New Series

Kelley Armstrong revealed that she will be writing another YA trilogy loosely based on her Darkest Powers series called The Gathering. There will be different characters, so it'll be refreshing to read about some new people!

I'm not that excited about her new series. I liked the first two of the Darkest Powers (haven't read the third yet), and I'll definitely be reading her next books. But it's not like I'm jumping-off-chairs excited.

Here's a peek:

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Trey Laporte is not a kid anymore. Not after the day he wakes up in agony—retina-splitting, vomit-inducing agony. His clothes are torn. His room is trashed.

Enter Lucien Charron, the mysterious, long-lost “uncle” with freakish fire-flecked eyes and skin that blisters in the sun. Suddenly, Trey finds himself living in a luxury penthouse at the heart of a strange and sinister empire built on the powers of the Netherworld—vampires, demons, sorcerers, and djinn.
And there is a girl—Alexa Charron—who is half vampire, half human, and insanely pretty, with powers all of her own. Trey is falling for her.

Trey is training night and day to control the newly discovered power lurking inside him. Now, demons are closing in on every side, and the most psychopathic bloodsucker to rock the Netherworld wants to destroy him. Above all, he must face one terrifying question:

Is he a boy . . . or is he a beast?

Details: YA fiction, paranormal, releases April 27, 2010.

I love vampires and werewolves, so I can't wait for this one to come out! Also, the cover is very sweet.

Review: Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley, Ph.D.

Synopsis: In the first millennia after the birth of Christ, nestled in the mountains of South America, the Mayan people gazed up at the stars and calculated days, months, years, and even the future. Their calendar, more sophisticated than any the world had known, anticipated an abrupt end of time, December 21, 2012. The future they predicted is now upon us.

"There have been 149 apocalypse predictions between AD 44 and 2009," says Dr. Raymond Hundley. But will it really happen? In this stirring, balanced, and well-researched book, he evaluates the ten most prominent apocalypse theories offered as proof of the world's end and gives a surprising answer to the question everyone is asking.

His knowledge and insights lead to compelling conclusions . . . and a heartfelt call for all of humanity to look upon Christ as it seeks clarity and peace.

I enjoyed reading about the 2012 predictions from different cultures and people. I especially liked the epilogue, which included a plan of salvation to make yourself ready when the world is destroyed. I also liked how the author included Bible verses in some of the text, but not overwhelming the book.

I usually don't read non-fiction because I think it's boring and too much like a history class, but Will the World End in 2012? relates to what is going through so many people's minds today, including myself. At times, the dialogue was a little dull, and I had to skim read over some sections, but for the most part I was interested.

Hundley mentions people who have made predictions of the world ending in 2012 because of aliens. I think it's laughable that people would actually believe in aliens, but the author presents their cases and others with an unbiased view. When I was in college for two years, I had to read many textbooks that were definitely biased toward one side or the other, which I didn't like. In my opinion, non-fiction authors should write the truth and only the truth, and Hundley successfully accomplished that.

Contest #27, cont.

Heidi Kling, Author of Sea wrote a blog post for week 2 of her contest. Here it is:

***

*with bonus GOSSIP GIRL ranting. Warning: Contains spoiler's from Monday's episode

Hey all!

Week Two has arrived!
Thanks for all your entries last week.

This week we have a couple new things to do in order to consider yourself "entered" into my contest.

ONE: Copy this blog post in your blog, link it back here, voila!
TWO: Change your Twitter icon to SEA --what can I say? I like Blue People! RT'ing the contest also counts if you have an avatar you are SO in love with (like Damon) and cannot possible change. ;) )
THREE: Add SEA to your Goodreads list and/or Vote for SEA in a debut/blue book etc. "list"
FOUR: And this is where things get interesting.

Everyone knows I like teen TV. Love the CW. Love Life Unexpected, Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries.

But I *hear* that Life Unexpected might be getting cancelled because of lack of viewers (gasp!) This is one of the sweetest, funniest, full-of-heart shows on TV and I love it. If it get cancelled I will cry. SO.


OPTION 4 is SIGNING THE PETITION TO THE CW encouraging renewal for LIFE UNEXPECTED.

http://www.petitiononline.com/s3781/petition.html

Please. Thank you.

FIVE: Did you see last night's Gossip Girl where Chuck went totally out of character and basically broke all character development (I'm guessing) for ratings and/or shock value? Not only did they reuse a tired (and pro-prostitution) plot of this movie:



They go on to suggest Chuck was in full support of his uncle's—with the character range of a shark— wicked plan.

LAME LAME AND MORE LAME.

YA author Kody Keplinger (THE DUFF) and I were so appalled by this that we decided to write new endings to save Chuck's reputation and to keep from throwing left-over Easter eggs at the TV.

As writers, we NEED TO STAY CONSISTENT with character development. Especially for a character like Chuck who has developed SO much and it has taken SO long. The fans have been rooting for him to change and when he finally does (and is completely believable and happy) to resort back to awful behavior is a cop-out. As fans, we are not happy.

If you are also unhappy, please send your thoughts here:

http://www.cwtv.com/feedback/comments

If you are happy don't pick option 5

SIX: Make a VLOG! Be creative. Just mention SEA somewhere. Bonus points for a SAVE LIFE UNEXPECTED or RANTING about character consistency. ANd singing. (Bonus points are in my heart. ;D )

OKAY, that's it!
Leave in comments what you chose to do.
Pick three!

Check back later this afternoon for a *new and improved ending* right here. :D

Contest ends at MIDNIGHT FRIDAY PST!

Thanks for playing!

Save me! I'm so awesome, my character development is consistent, and I have a boy named Bug.

***

Link to post HERE.

Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Synopsis: If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl - someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment- not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever. Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends - a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Details: YA fiction, paranormal, published March 2010, 360 pages.

I read the first book, The Summoning, last summer, so I barely remember what was going on. So the beginning of this book was a bit confusing. I wish Armstrong would include a summary of the previous book like Christopher Paolini in his Inheritance series. But eventually, I understood the gist of what was happening. Thankfully, I won't have to wait long for The Reckoning to be published, as it comes out tomorrow!

I enjoyed continuing the Darkest Powers series with The Awakening. It was captivating, and moved along swiftly with almost no slow sections. At times, I was annoyed at Derrek for his fast-changing moods. He was unreasonable in his tempers toward Chloe. I almost wish that she would end up with Simon, because he seems a much better match for her: he can calm her down with humor, he's always kind to her, he's a gentleman, and he doesn't have mood swings. But I know with the way the series is going, that Derrek most likely will become her boyfriend.

Also, I found that I appreciated Tori's sarcastic personality. It brought more life to the book than it otherwise would've had.

Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis: Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too datable. Then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome - and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life...

But Bill has a disability of his own: he's a vampire with a bad reputation. But he is an interesting addition to the town, and Sookie can't help but listen to what everyone else thinks about Bill...especially since she's starting to fall for the buff bloodsucker. But when a string of murders hits town-along with a gang of truly nasty vampires looking for Bill-Sookie wonders if having an undead boyfriend is such a bright idea.

And when one of her coworkers is killed, Sookie realizes that Bill and his friends may have some special plans for a woman who can read minds...

Details: Adult fiction, paranormal/mystery, published May 2001, 312 pages.

Totally un-book related, but I just had a huge spider crawling on my back. (According to me, any spider is a HUGE spider.) I killed it with some toilet paper and had my mom flush it down the toilet. Ewww....now I'm all creeped out with my legs curled under me looking at the floors and ceiling, watching out for more creepy crawlies.

Anywho, I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it. The plot was engaging, the characters were lovable. It took me a while to get used to the southern way of talking, with all the "honeys" and "darlings," etc.

I don't normally like reading mysteries, and the Sookie Stackhouse series is, in part, mystery. But with all the other plot lines in Dead Until Dark, mystery was only one part. The other things going on kept me entertained, and it didn't bore me like most mysteries do. So if you're a person like me who doesn't like mysteries, don't let that stop you from picking up this one!

I mentioned before that vampire fiction is my book of choice, and Dead Until Dark is a great addition to its genre. I was hoping to like Dead Until Dark, because I have watched some True Blood episodes and I wanted to get the bigger picture by reading the books. And I'm glad I started this series: I wasn't disappointed! I'll be reading more of the Sookie Stackhouse books in the months to come.

In My Mailbox (2)

My cat Raymie decided to step into the picture of this weeks In My Mailbox. He has an insatiable desire to be famous!

For Review

Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley
Received from Book Sneeze.
I normally don't review nonfiction books, but I'm really excited to read this one and share my opinion about it. Especially since it's from a Christian perspective.

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
Received from Windmill Books.

From Contests

My So-Called Death by Stacey Jay

Num8ers by Rachel Ward

Library Loans (1)

Since I rarely get enough books in my mail to do an In My Mailbox meme, I thought I'd make up one of my own to make up for it. I'll do a Library Loans post on Thursdays (if I get library books that week). I was meaning to post this yesterday, but things piled up and I didn't have time.

Take a look at my books for the next week or so:



I got the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (or is it the Southern Vampires series? Confusion...) because I've been hearing so many good things about this series. I normally don't enjoy mysteries, but so far, Dead Until Dark has more than just mystery so it keeps my attention. I also saw a few episodes of True Blood, the show that's based on the series. Bill is perfect for the vampire Bill Compton character. I didn't really like the girl who played Sookie, though. She looks so much like Claire Danes, it's freaky. (And I don't like Claire Danes at all, which is probably why I didn't like True Blood's Sookie.)

I loved the first Darkest Powers book: The Summoning, and I can't wait to see if The Awakening is even better.

In my In My Mailbox post last week, I mentioned I won the fourth Blue Bloods book in a blog contest. I've had this series on my to-reads list for a while now, and owning one of the books pushed me to order the beginning of the series. I actually read the first one a long time ago, and I barely remember it, so I figured I'd better order that one too! Can't wait to delve into this series!

Rampant is about killer unicorns. Need I say more?

Take Two is the second book in Kingsbury's Above the Line series. Take Three just came out and has a massive waiting list in the library, so I put myself on the list and snatched up a copy of the second book.

Strange Angels was recommended to me by Bella over at Obsessed!. She said there's a goth guy in it, so of course I'm interested!

Halfway to the Grave is the first of the Night Huntress series, of which I've also heard many many great things. Vampires are my weakness...

Have a good Friday everyone!