It's Monday November 28th, 2011 and I'm reading...

   
Hosted by Shelia at the Book Journey. 

What I'm currently reading:
 Die for Me by Amy Plum (see last week for summary)

What I finished reading:
 The Karma Club by Jessica Brody
Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and you’ll get what’s coming to you. But when Maddy’s long-time boyfriend gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and they wind up the hot new couple at school, it seems like Karma is on a break. So Maddy and her friends decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization for dealing with messes the universe is leaving behind. They’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place, right?

What I plan on reading next:
Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford

The Sullivan sisters have a big problem. On Christmas Day their rich and imperious grandmother gathers the family and announces that she will soon die . . .and has cut the entire family out of her will. Since she is the source of almost all their income, this means they will soon be penniless.

Someone in the family has offended her deeply. If that person comes forward with a confession of her (or his) crime, submitted in writing to her lawyer by New Year's Day, she will reinstate the family in her will. Or at least consider it.

And so the confessions begin.... 

Upcoming reviews:
The Karma Club
You Against Me
Feeling Sorry for Celia

What are you reading this week?

YA Contemporary Challenge 2012

I'm participating n the YA CC this year (2012), okay I know we aren't there yet. But that's when it starts. I've chosen to do Level one and read at least five books, or more. But at least five. This challenge runs from January 1st 2012 to December 31, 2012. I'm excited for it to start!
Here is the list of books I am THINKING about reading:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (I love him!)
Getting Over Garrett Delany by Abigail McDonald (have read and enjoyed her other novels)
Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (think that she is a funny/clever author)
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson  (already on my TBR list)
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (already on my TBR list)
The Thing about the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt (have heard of her, but don't know where from)
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (it's SP can't resist her novels)

There are a lot of other books on the spreadsheet that sound interesting too! I don't know which 5 I'll pick! Ah, but I'm sure I'll manage, somehow.

I look forward of this challenge!

Love, Rachel

It's Monday November 21, 2011 and I'm reading...

Hosted by Sheila at the Book Journey.

What I am currently reading:

Crossed by Ally Condie

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

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

What I plan to read next:


Die For Me by Amy Plum
My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.
Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.
Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.
Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.
While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?
AND....

You Against Me by Jenny Downham
If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother's been accused of a terrible crime and you're the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn't that what families do? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn't do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skillfulness and almost unbearable tension. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love - for one's family and for another.

What I just finished reading:


Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.
What are you reading this week? (I also recommend watching the trailers on these books--they are pretty good)

Oh! and a final question!
What are some inspirational songs? Thanks, Rachel

Follow Hop Friday--November 18, 2011

Welcome to FF--to participate click the picture above.

RULES To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - Books & Barks & Lauren's Book Bag.
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you're new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Let the Merry fun begin!
Question: Letter to Santa: Tell Santa what books you want for Christmas!
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Rival by Sarah Bennett Wealer
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
Lost in Shangri-la by Mitchell Zuckoff
Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford
Manan's Homesick Pie by Donia Bijan
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsay
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager
The Karma Club by Jessica Brody
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Okay, let's leave the list at that!! Before I get too carried away.
I will stop. I will stop. I will stop. I will stop. I will stop. Okay, I think I'm done.
Thanks for doing this with me! Leave your link and comments below! Thanks, I appreciate. Rachel

Beatle, Weddings, Sister

I'm trying to get caught up on my blogging. Really I am. Here's my second attempt.  Today we have
Beatle meets Destiny
Three Weddings and Bar Mitzvah
Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters

Okay,  Beatle meets Destiny. Two words: stupid novel. It's funny and a little cute, but I thought it was totally stupid. It's about this guy called Beatle who has a girlfriend, Cilla, who helped him through his stroke two years ago. Then he meets Destiny (hence the title) and he falls in love. Only he has a girlfriend. And he has a twin sister, Winsome, even though they were born in different days, months, and years. Winsome falls in love with their English teacher. Who happens to be Destiny's older brother. And there's a stalker in town? Or is it one of them? Ice cream and soda, missing cats, astrological signs, film and art, and what's missing all come into play.  Pretty funny novel. I read it for the Aussie Reads Challenge. Now I'm 4/6 of the way done. I don't recommend this novel, because it just wasn't for me, but I won't tell you not to read it for yourself.



Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah is the fourth and last novel in the 86 Bloomberg series by Melody Carlson. Lelani and Kendall begin planning their weddings, with the help of family and friends. Lelani is trying to take of her daughter, Emma, but is reluctant to let her mother in law help her and gets frustrated when she does too much to help. Kendall's family don't think much of her, but her parents come to help her plan (and pay) for her wedding. Anna and Edmond go through a breakup when a new intern falls in love with him. Heartbroken, Anna is left confused and unwilling to open her heart again. Megan's boyfriend, Marcus, goes to Africa, leaving her behind and uncertain of where their relationship is headed. Overall these four women, have a lot of relationship and communication issues! But they all get worked out in the end. I really liked this novel because the women all came through for each other and had finally learned how to love well. I give this series 5/5 for all the books! Greats Reads! Way to go MC!

Last up, we have Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford.  The Almighty (what they call their grandmother) has been deeply offended by one of them. She says that if they give her an apology by the New Year she will reinstate them in her will. The family is dependent on her money when she dies, and they don't want the Almighty to give all her money to Puppy Ponchos--an organization that gives dogs ponchos who don't have them. The three girls write confessions to the Almighty. And boy do they have a lot to confess! Norrie, the oldest, falls in love with an older college boy. Oh, and she has a boyfriend. Sort of. Jane posts her family secrets on a blog. And Sassy becomes invincible, and gets hit by too many cars (without a scratch) to not be. The three characters are different. Norrie is confident; Jane is bold, and Sassy is hesitant. They are all confused, brave women who are struggling to regain their family's name and honor. I give this one 5/5 stars. It's so FUNNY. And in the end which sister has the right confession? And how will the Almighty respond to the girls' confessions? Yall have to read it to find out. Just know that I really liked COTSS and definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more by Natalie Standiford.

Have a happy Thursday!

I am the Messenger

I am the Messenger is part of the Aussie Reads Challenge I'm participating in. This makes it 3/6 books! Halfway there (technically 4/6, but I still haven't written about Saving Francesca).

 It's the story of Ed, a cab driver with no plans, in love with his girlfriend Audrey who won't love him back. He plays cards with her most nights, along with Marv and Ritchie. After he catches a guy who robs a bank, cards begin to appear. With adresses, clues to names, names themselves. Ed becomes the Messenger, chosen to care for the people struggling in the town at life, to give them his message.

The ending wasn't what I thought it was going to be, but still a beautiful novel, as haunting as the Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta (see review below). I honestly think my favorites of all the people Ed visits are Milla, Sophie, Father Thomas, and Lua's family. Of those, I can narrow it down to Milla and Sophie. Milla waits 60 years for her Jimmy to return (he died in the war). Ed gets to become Jimmy, which he loves, because his own mother doesn't like him very much. I love the note on page 56 (yall need to read the book to know what is says) Sophie is the running girl with barefoot shoes. She's beautiful in her own, even if she doesn't realize it. I know her; she's a lot like me. And then the last card. Hearts. That's where it really gets beautiful and personal. I love Markus Zusak. Can't wait for his next novel, but guess I'll have to wait.

Here's a quote:

A moment of beauty

As the kids dance around the front yard under the night sky and the lights, I see something.
Lua and Marie are holding hands.
They look like they're so happy, just inside this moment,
watching the kids and the lights on their old fibro house.
Lua kisses her.
Just softly on the lips.
And she kisses back.
Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.


Sigh. Isn't that so beautiful?

Hex Hall & Shopaholic

Okay, so I'm so far behind. Busy with college applications. I have so many books I want to blog about. It's just so time consuming, because I waste a lot of time. Maybe it's that I have to much of it, when I think I need more. The books I'm reviewing today are
Hex Hall,
Confessions of a Shopaholic.


So first up, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. It's about Sophie Mercer, a witch who gets set to Hecate (Hex), a place for witches, fairies, shape shifters, and werewolves. There's also a couple vampires, wandering ghosts, and rumors of demons. The other three dark witches don't really like Sophie. Jenna, Sophie's roommate is a vampire, blamed for the death of her previous roommate. There are a lot of mysteries at Hex Hall, and Sophie needs to solve them, before more girls--or herself--are hurt. Overall I liked HH and look forward to the sequel, Demonglass. Lots of suspense, mystery, and surprises in this one! (you now all have fair warning). The only problems I had was that Sophie seemed ignorant of her powers and just wanted to be normal, and some of the secondary characters (like Beth, Taylor, Anna, Sophie's mom) could have played bigger roles. I understand some of Sophie's desire, but I think being "not normal" is cool, makes the kids there special. Also, something about it just bugged me (possibly the vampire thing, but not really sure about it). I give it a 4/5 stars.

Next up is Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella. I was hoping for something along the lines of the movie, but no (apparently that's Shopaholic takes Manhattan, the next book). Anyways, Rebecca Bloomwood works for Successful Savings magazine and doesn't make that much money. Not enough to shop at the designer stores she loves. Becky tries to save her money and tries some other jobs to make money. When she feels bad, she just gets herself deeper into the whole of debt. More and more piled onto more and more. The ending is good and the relationships Rebecca has with Suze and Luke Brandon and her parents and her parent's friends. I didn't like how Rebecca never owned up to all her debt and kept making excuses and complaints. The middle of the book is definitely the weakest. I'm debating on whether or not I'll read the sequel. I also give this book 4/5 stars.

Confessions and Rude Awakenings

When Courtney Stone, 21st century Cali girl, wakes up as Jane Mansfield, in 1815, she thinks its a dream. It's not. She has to learn how to deal with memories that aren't hers--those of a suitor named Edgeworth. Courtney struggles to figure out what happened to Jane and why the shift occurred. The rules of love are different and Courtney learns to understand them and what it means to respect herself. She learns that she cannot control what happens to her, but her response. Courtney enjoys parts of her new life, but finds other parts difficult--such as lack of technology and the limitations imposed on women. Ultimately, it's novel of a woman's search for love and self-worth/respect. I found it to be a delightful novel--for Jane Austen addicts. The author, is obviously one. As I am.

   Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is the parallel tale of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. Jane Mansfield, hopes to awaken to happiness in her 1815 English home. That's not the case. She rudely awakens (hence the title) in the apartment and body of Courtney Stone, LA chick all the way. Jane struggles more than Courtney does in her new life, but her friends help her out. It seems that Courtney left behind some tangled love issues, with Frank (her ex-boyfriend) and Wes (her best friend). Who is right for Courtney? Jane has to pick the right one and learn how to navigate the world that has developed so much since her time. I actually liked this one better than the first one. It gives more explanation as to why they switched. I won this book in a blog giveaway. I wish for all readers to always awaken to happiness.                          

 VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR FOLLOWERS: (PLEASE COMMENT)

I typically post 4-5 reviews at once. Do you prefer it this way? Or do you prefer 1-3 at once (with pictures)?

I am asking this because I might make the switch, so I need some insight. Thanks!