Unforgettable Books

Down Memory Lane (2)

2012-03-03T22:54:00.001-05:00

Hey wonderful readers!

Once a month I decided I will share one of my fondest book memories with you. If you happen to have a special book memory, feel free to make your own Down Memory Lane post or write about it in comments. One of my many reasons for blogging to learn about other readers amazing experiences. I would love to hear your story!

I am excited for a book signing in a few weeks where two of my favorite authors are coming. So, today I am going to share with you my experience during my first YA Book Convention. It was September 15, 2010 when I read my favorite author of the time's blog and found out she, Claudia Gray (pseudonym for Amy Vincent), was going to be at a book convention on September 25 in Naperville, Illinois. Naperville is a suburb near Chicago where the great Anderson's book store exists. If you ever happen to go to Chicago, you should definitely visit the book store there; it is amazing.

After talking to my parents, we decided that my dad and I would go by plane to Chicago for the Convention. When we arrived, we immediately met the owner of the independent bookstore and went to our first session where we heard from debut author of the time, Andrea Cremer, and Kristen Miller story on her publication process. Then I had a chance to meet Claudia Gray and take part of a question-answer session. The other authors in this session were Sophie Jordan and Kiersten White. It was a very informative and fun session.

I also was interviewed by a local newspaper reporter and had many of my books signed. The memorable moment was receiving this autograph! After waiting in line for awhile I finally was able to talk one-to-one for a minute with Claudia Gray.

So now, tell me about your book signing experiences!

Feature and Follow (5)

2012-03-01T22:04:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone!

Feature and Follow is a fantastic way to make new blogger friends and gain followers. It is hosted by Allison Can Read and Parajunkee.

This weeks question:

Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

My Answer:

I would love to see Old Magic by Marianne Curley and the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead turned into movies. Old Magic because I always loved to see the spiraling and swirling that the character undergoes during time travel and this books is my favorite book with time travel. Vampire Academy because it has so many marvelous settings to explore. I do not care about the actors, anyone brilliant actor would be find.

What about you?

Thanks for visiting my blog!

If you want to hear the story of my first YA Book Convention, please check out my blog on Sunday.

The Read-A-Thon Questions: The Tributes!

2012-03-01T21:21:00.000-05:00

Hey Wonderful Readers!

I am currently taking part of a Hunger Games Read-A-Thon hosted by Sarah at Smitten Over Books and Sana from Breathing Books. If you love the series, feel free to join in here.

The first set of questions are for Chapters 1-9:

1. Imagine one day waking up and finding yourself in Panem. What district would you be in and why?

Minor spoiler about a character from Catching fire.

I love to swim so I would definately be in District 4. I love eating fish, though I cannot fish, so I would not mind eating fish everyday. Also, I would love to live in the same district as Finnick!

2. If you were picked as one of the tributes, what would be your original reaction?

Shock and staring into space for a moment. Then become calm and hide my fear as I walk through the crowd and climb up the stairs.

3. What do you think will be your best attribute or skill?

I am very resourceful strategist. I can come up with brilliant or at least good plans at a moment notice. Sadly, I would be bad at the actual fighting part. Thankfully I can run fast.

4. You were not picked but a family member was, would you sacrifice yourself or would you keep your ground?

I would keep my ground.

5. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of:

a. Katniss Everdeen- Tough

b. Peeta Mellark- caring

c. Gale Hawthorne- serious

d. Cinna- brilliant

e. Haymitch Abernathy- cool drunk

f. Effie Trinket- childish

g. Primrose Everdeem- adorable

h. Caesar Flickerman - nice

I. Rue - fast

6. Who is the character that leaps out to you the most?

I always loved Rue because she was so amazingly strong for her age in the arena.

7. Do you think Peeta ever thought of winning the Hunger Games even if it meant killing Katniss?

No! Peeta never seemed to me like a person who cared at all about winning the competition. All he wanted was to be with Katniss and live safely in District 12.

8. (Refer to p. 40) Fill in the blanks: "I won't! You kow I won't! Katniss, remember I ___ " he say, and they yank us apart and slam the door and I'll never know what it was he wanted me to remember.

I will always remember you. I have a feeling that Gale felt this was the last time her would ever see Katniss. I know Gale hoped that Katniss would be able to survive, but he knew the odds and wanted to make sure she knew he cared before she died.

9. Most memorable/favorite scene in Part 1 "The Tributes"

The flashback of Peeta saving Katniss and her family from starvation by giving her the bread. I love this seen because its so sweet and reveals that Peeta is not a coward and his self-less nature. Two attributes of the long list of why I love Peeta. Anyone who takes a beating to help someone else is amazing.

10. I know it's too early to say but if there was something you want to know more about or you would want to be more elaborated, what would it be and why?

I read the Hunger Games before so I know most of the shocking surprises of this story. Still, I have always been curious about what Peeta's family life was like for him when he was growing up. I wonder what exact reason caused his brothers to not sacrifice themselves to help him like Katniss did for Prim.

If you like the Hunger Games and can't wait for the movie, feel free to join this Read-A-Thon!

Waiting On Wednesday (3)

2012-02-29T05:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome To My Blog!
Leap Day!

This wednesday I am waiting anxiously for

Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins!

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late

(Synopsis Provided by GoodReads)

The first book was ordinary. The second book was unforgettable. Sophie is a hilarious character. The dreadful cliffhanger of the previous book was perfect. I excited for the last chapter in this fantastic trilogy!

Isn't the cover beautiful? The cat is so cute! PURPLE! (and green)

What are you waiting on?

Fabulous Month of Feburary

2012-02-28T11:35:00.001-05:00

Hello Fabulous Readers!

This was a very sucessful and fun month on my blog! I am thankful for all my followers, all the amazing comments I received and how freindly everyone on the blogosphere is.

I got tagged twice! I created a beautiful button image!

Read amazing reviews from other blogs amd I wrote a few of my own on some of my favorite books.

Here are my Febuary reviews!

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday
Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard
Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepard

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

My goals for the next month include writing better reviews and to accomplish publishing my button on my blog. I also plan to start a meme this Sunday. It is called Down Memory Lane. The goal is for bloggers to share any fond memories of reading books or meeting authors or any enjoyable experience to do with books. The story can be as simple or as descriptive as the blogger choose.

Please spread the word. I am excited to hear everyone's stories. Feel free to post throughout the week. Just say that I am the host and come to my blog Sunday to become part of the linky list. Are you excited for this event too?

You can read my first Down Memory Lane Post here!

Thank you for visiting,

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

2012-02-27T21:17:00.003-05:00

When Penpals turn deadly! Is the basic and wonderful premise of this book.

Before I read this book, I never read a book written in letter format. The letter format was a wonderful choice because it is engaging, fun to read and created an authentic pen pal plot. This was also the first book I read by an Australian writer. I had a chance to learn about the culture of Australia in this book. As a traveler and history lover, one of my favorite things is discovering new cultures.

My favorite characters, Lydia and Sebastian, have different personalities from me but I enjoy their quirks and hilarious nature. There "spy missions" are amazing disguises for dates. There outgoing nature and thought provoking letters are fantastic to read.

The first letter exchange between Emily and Charlie reminded me about how hard it is to write informally. Cassie's troubles with Matthew Dunlup are devastating and Matthew is for sure a horrible person. Emily, Lydia and Cassie's revenge was perfect and fun to read. The way Moriarty staged when events were revealed was magnificent. She told secrets and events at perfect intervals.

This book stands out as memorable for its unique writing format, the brilliant and realistic bestfriendship between the girls and how it does not contain a single boring moment.

4 STARS

Tagged Again!

2012-02-26T21:02:00.000-05:00

Hello amazing readers!
I have been tagged for the second time by Laura from Reading in the Mountains. She choose fantastic questions.
The rules:

Answer the questions that the tagger set for in their post.
Create 11 questions for the people you tag to answer.
Tag 11 people and link them to your post.
Let them know you tagged them.
Include these rules and the person who tagged you in your post.

Here is Laura's questions and my answers.

Do you prefer to read e-books or paperbacks? Why?

I love reading paperbacks because they are so comfortable to read and I do not have to worry about technology breaking when I am reading.

Which book would you want to live in? Why?

Harry Potter! I always wanted to be magical and play Quidditch. Before I was eleven, I always imagined receiving a letter from Hogwarts.

If you were stuck in a desert island and could only have five books, what would they be?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hourglass by Claudia Gray, Secrets by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur, Revelation by Kate Brian, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

If you could meet one author who would it be?

Richelle Mead.

Which published book do you wish you had written?

I always wished that I wrote Eagles Eye by Anthony Horowitz.

If you could date any book character, who would it be and why?

Adrian Ivashkov because he is amazing. I love hilarious, cool characters.

If you could be best friends with any book character, who would it be and why?

Cammie Morgan because she is an observer like me and could show me how to be a spy. She is so resourceful and a friendly, likable character.

If you could give any book character advice, who would it be and why?

I always wanted to tell Reed Brennan from the Private series to stop thinking to much about herself and start caring and helping her friends, like Constance and Noelle, when they have problems.

Do you have any reading/review goals for the year?

I really want to write a review that when I read it, I know that i put all my thoughts. I also want to create a button code that actually works. I have been trying so for weeks but so far all I have is a great image but faulty codes that don't work. Oh, I also want to host giveaways and have author interviews on my site.

What is your favorite book genre to read?

Mysteries because I love solving them.

What new book/books are you looking forward to?

So many. Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris, Rivals by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur, Balthazar by Cluadia Gray, Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins, The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead, The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats, Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter, Brothers to the Death by Darren Shan. Those are the highlights.

Blogs I tagged!

Catching Books
Singing and Reading in the Rain
A Book From Snowy River
EscapingWithFiction
Fighting Dreamer
Oh Paper Pages
TheDancingReader
WhenSheReads
ReadingKelly
Kindling the Fire
Wickedly Bookish

My questions:

What is a book you thought you wouldn't like, but did?
Do you prefer first person, second or third person?
Where do you prefer to buy books?
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
What book or book series caused you to enjoy reading?
What books are you looking forward to the most this year?
What is your fondest book memory?
Who is your favorite male character?
What do you think of love triangles?
What secondary character in a book do you wish was the main character?
Name the book that always makes you smile?

I can't wait to read your answers! You can put the link of your answers in comments. To those I didn't tag, feel free to answer my questions or comment in comments.

Frostbite by Richelle Mead

2012-02-25T22:42:00.001-05:00

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…

(Synopsis provided by Goodreads)

It was amazing how quickly I was able to become absorbed when I read this book for the first time. I just finished re-reading it this week and I still love it.

I remember finding this at the books store a few years ago on one of my trips where I had no idea what book I was going to buy. I just read the sadness survival story, so I needed a nice, relaxing and happy read. And I chose this book. Frostbite is definitely has happy moments and I do feel at peace when I read this book, but it does not have a happy ending. The devastating ending leaves hope for the future and illustrates an important lesson; that while a friend dies, you should still live your life and try to be happy.

This is first book I read in this series. I enjoyed how the prologue effectively summarized the previous book and the world where Rose and her family lives in. This book contained one of the best prologues I ever read. After all, it has Rose's personal voice in it and ends with the universal truth. "Hey, no one said high school was easy."- quoted from Rose Hathaway in Frostbite.

I completely fell in love with Adrian Ivashkov while I was reading it. This book is Adrian at his best. He is witty and adorably arrogant. He is confident and does not back down. I like his realistic charismatic personality and learning the revelation in the book of what element he specializes. Rose is also the most relatable and strong in this book. She does not whine once and is calm in the face of stress. When the world does not move in her favor she still sticks back and fights. I love how she is not invincible in this book. Her flaws make her human, so I liked her in this book. How she handles the challenges with her cunning and learns from her mistakes is amazing. I wish she continued to learn from her mistakes in the later books. It was understandable in this book why she made the Mason mistake. This is early on in the series, so the heroine is allowed to make mistakes. I just wished she learned from that mistake. If she did the Adrain fiasco would have never happened.

The fight scene between Elena, Isaiah and Rose was perfect. Not too short or long. And it contained plenty of action. The time at the lodge was eventful and fun to read. I loved hearing Dmitri give Rose advice about being a strong leader and acting like an adult. I like how Mia, who was originally depicted as an enemy, grows up in this book and becomes likeable. I love when characters who were originally childish enemies, slowly become friendly partners.

I give this book the rating it deserves: FIVE STARS! In three words: it is moving, incredible and completely enhancing. In my view, the best book of the Vampire Academy Series.

What do you like or dislike about this book and the series it is apart of?

Button Image Idea

2012-02-24T20:04:00.002-05:00

What do you think of this button image idea?

Happy Friday!

Feature and Follow #4

2012-02-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday Everyone! This long week is finally almost over. The weekend is in sight!

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read.

The question of the week is:

Take a picture or describe the place you like to read the most.

My Answer

I love reading on my comfy bed and relaxing on my pillow in my room. There is no place to read like reading at home.

It is a normal twin size bed, with a blue quilt as my blanket.

Where do you love to read?

Happy Birthday Edna St. Vincent Millay

2012-02-22T19:31:00.001-05:00

Today is the birthday of my favorite poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay. I couldn't let today go by without a post to wish her happy birthday and tell you, my unforgettable readers, the top five reasons I love her poetry.

Her sly humor that connects to her audience.

How she directly addresses her audience.

The meaningful metaphors contained in her work.

The simplicity in her word choice that creates larger meanings.

The way she makes me laugh whenever I read her poems.

I hope everyone is having a great wednesday and reads the poem

"Childhood Is The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies" by Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Waiting On Wednesday (3)

2012-02-22T05:43:00.001-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a Weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

I chose a book I have been waiting for awhile!

Oblivion by

Anthony Horowitz

Realese Date- Late October or Early November 2012

Sadly there is no description or cover at the moment.

I have been waiting for this book for years. The Power of Five series is full of adventure and great characters with amazing superpowers, especially Scarlett. I am sure this book will be amazing because it is the last book in an unforgettable series and Horowitz is going into great lengths to write this book. He went, or is he still, to Antarctica for research. How many authors would do that?

Cool coincidence- Anthony Horowitz and I have share the same birthday, besides the year, of course!

What are you waiting on? Do you have anything in common with one of you favorite authors?

Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

2012-02-18T20:59:00.002-05:00

This book in three words: Surprising, Entertaining and Marvelous.

I was happy to receive an copy of Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday. I loved the first book and liked the premise for this book's new mystery. I was not disappointed at all. I spent all night enjoying this wonderful mystery.

It is amazing how much Hartley would do for a good story. She goes to great lengths just to create a newspaper article with a unique perspective. As a writer for my school's newspaper I understand the need to write an article that is special and not seen somewhere else. I found her reason for involvement in this mystery more understandable then the first.

Many of the side characters from the previous book, like Shiloh and Josh, were not in the book at all. I didn't mind that at all because this new book provided exciting new side characters that made great suspects. Well, except for Quinn, she was bland and uninteresting. But Conner, his vainness was hilarious and Mr. Tipkins, he was the perfect strict teacher. I love how this mystery provided many possible motives and every motive made sense. The was no stop action, the plot was paced nicely and provided plenty of suspense.

Thankfully, the three marvelous mystery solvers, Hartley, Chase and Sam, are still in-depth, relatable and vivacious characters. There were so many good moments in this book. One involving a chickens suit. I loved the scenes where Harley thought she was on a date with Chase. Ah jasmine! :)

I really loved this book and when it comes to stores everywhere in April you should definitely read it.

Tagged!

2012-02-18T15:27:00.001-05:00

I have been Tagged for the first time by BookReviews! I am so happy to take part in this fun game!

Here are the Tagged Rules:

1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.
3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them

Here are BookReviews questions and my answers!

What is it about Books that you love the most?

The way books cause me to relax when I am really stressed out. Seriously, once I start reading a great book, I forget all my troubles.

What is your favorite Genre and Why?

My favorite genre is mysteries because I always love solving them and creating theories.

Which was the first book that you had read in your favourite Genre?

The first book I read of this genre was Confessions by Kate Brian. This book contained a surprising and fun mystery.

Which book are you eagerly waiting for to release this year?

There are two books that I am eagerly awaiting. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel to my favorite book of 20ll. The sequel is Rivals by Lauren Kunze and is the third in a series. I also can't wait for the last book in the Power of Five series by Anthony Horowitz, Oblivion.

Name your all time favourite character.

My favorite character would have to be Adrian Ivashkov from the Vampire Academy series. I always love funny characters.

If you could suddenly be a part of a story, you would choose to be a part of...?

I always dreamed of going to Hogwarts. I would chose to be apart of the world of Harry Potter.

One book you simply hated!

It is extremely rare for me to hate books. I dislike the book Immortals by Gillian Shields. This book was beyond boring and had too many similarities to the wonderful Gemma Doyle series by Libby Bray.

Which book would you like to see converted into a movie?

I would love to see the River of Times by Lisa Tawn Bergren series become a movie.

Jane Austen or Bronte Sisters?

Jane Austen for sure. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite classic of all time. Austen has an amazing writing style and complex characters.

Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre?

Sadly, I never read either of them so I can't choose.

Do you prefer physical or electronic copy of a book?

I prefer physical copies of books because I can read them anywhere I want and they are much easier to read. I love the feeling of folding and changing pages.

The blogs I am tagging are:

Emily'sCrammedBookshelf

TheBawdyBookBlog

Ali'sBookshelf
BooksAreMagic
WishfulThinking
TheReadingEntrantress
ReadingInTheMountains
OhPaperPages

BookNerdsArePrettyToo

BooksWithMarshmallows
KristyBerridge

My questions:

What book or book series caused you to enjoy reading?
What is the worst last book in a series that you read?
Do you like poetry? Why?
If so, who is your favorite poet and why? If not, who is your favorite author and why?
What mystery story surprised you the most?
What do you think of film adaptions of books?
What is your favorite book classic?
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
What is your favorite comfort food?
What do all your favorite books have in common?
Do you prefer first or third person narration?

If you choose to accept my tag, please put the link of your answers in my comments. I will love to read your answers. If I haven't tag you and you want to answer one or more of my questions feel free to answer in comments.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Feature and Follow (3)

2012-02-16T22:20:00.001-05:00

Hi Fellow Readers! Happy Friday

I love doing this hop. The last two times I done it have been great and I am excited to do it a third time.

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by AllisonCanRead and Parajunkee.

The question of the week is:

I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?

My answer:

I have found names to be a very important part of a character. I always love discovering new names.I have not come across many or the most unusual names in the books I read. Still, some names I like that are not found in many books is Balthazar from Evernight by Claudia Gray and Okechuwuku from the Ivy Series by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur. Funny, both of those characters are from book series I love.

What are the most unique character names that you have come across?

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

2012-02-15T05:35:00.000-05:00

Hello Amazing Readers! Happy Wednesday!

Before I go on to say what I am waiting on, I have great news that is making me giggle right now. I just went on google looking for the first chapter of a book I am waiting on and I found my blog on the first page! My blog is now assessable on the front page of google if you look for that exact search. :)

Does anyone else look for first chapters of books they are waiting desperately for?

Anyways, this is wonderful weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that shares upcoming releases.

This week I am waiting excitedly for

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age-old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?

(Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

I been reading Richelle Mead for a long time. The first book I read by her was Frostbite and when I was reading that book I fell in love with my first fictional character, Adrian Ivashkov. I am excited for this book because I am ready to see Sydney and Adrain's relationship develop more and find out who on earth is Brayden, Sydney's new love interest according to the description.

What are you waiting on?

Happy Valentines Day

2012-02-14T17:24:00.002-05:00

Hello Fellow Readers!

Since today is Valentines Day, I am going to reveal my favorite Valentines Day read!

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is an amazing teen romance writer. I find this book my favorite stand-alone of hers because it has a relatable main character who falls in love with not the typical movie star, but with an old friend. I always enjoy reading about how much Jenny changes throughout the book.

What is your favorite Valentines Day read?

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

2012-02-12T20:50:00.002-05:00

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

(Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

My absolute favorite books to read are ones with great mystery. Mystery novels is one of my favorite genres because I love solving them and creating theories. I experienced an enjoyable Agatha Christie faze last year. (Where I was able to correctly guess some murders!) I find that the best murder mysteries contain confusing clues, logical solutions, relatable characters and plenty of twists. Deadly contained all that.

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday creates on of the best high school set mysteries I ever read. I was completely surprised about the killer's identity. I love being completely surprised about who the killer turned out to be.

Hartley, the main character, has a sly humor to match my favorite poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Her reacts to the horrible events that occur are hilarious. She is easy to relate and has an authentic teenage voice. She is a strong lead. When her boyfriend cheats on her, she doesn't take him back. When she is in danger, she doesn't freak out, she tries to find out a way of the problem. Hartley is not perfect. Thankfully her flaws are understandable; she makes mistakes and misjudges other characters.

Her best friend Sam is a true best friend who helps Hartley all the way. Her reactions to the events in Hartley's life are priceless and she always gives supportive advice. I can easily see that Sam is a separate character with her own personality.

I love how Hartley and Sam share all the secrets they find out to each other. I am so tired of main characters who keep secrets from their best friend. This book doesn't not contain that pet peeve of mine!
I also love how Hartley and her romantic interest, Chase Erickson, didn't fall in love in this book or even start dating in this book. This book showed how they grew to become good mystery solving partners and get a chance to meet each other.

This book was well written an fun to read. I love reading all the freights that Hartley had to go through to survive. Her creative way to escape from her house was an interesting scene. Also, the scene where she is hiding from Chase is hilarious. This is a perfect book to read when you want to relax and dive into a well-writen and surprising mystery.

In all, I found this book delightful and hope to read Social Suicide soon.

4 Stars

Read-A-Thon of The Year: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2012-02-11T22:17:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone!

I can't wait for the Hunger Games movie to come out! To lessen my impatience, I decided to join a Hunger Games event hosted by Smitten Over Books and Breathing Books.

This event will start on February 23 and end when the movie finally comes out on March 23! I loved the Hunger Games series because the games were interesting and scary events to read about. Collins is also a great writer. This was the first dystopian novel that I enjoyed.

Why do you like the Hunger Games series?

In My Mailbox (1)

2012-02-11T13:27:00.001-05:00

Hi readers!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the amazing Kristi the Story Siren.

This week I bought, for 30% off, the fantastic read of Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepard! I been waiting for this book for a long time and was happy that it met most of my expectations.

I received, in the mail, from my favorite independent bookstore Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

What is in your mailbox?

Feature and Follow #2

2012-02-09T23:32:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone and Happy Friday!

The question of this week is "What would you prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it or reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

Easy! I would definitely prefer to read my favorite books a million times because they are special to me and I always will be able to find events in each of them that I can't get sick of. I already re-read my favorite books over and over again.

For everyone on a WordPress Blog, I provided LinkyFollowers on the left.

Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepard

2012-02-08T21:02:00.001-05:00

Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin, Emma Paxton, takes over her identity to solve her murder. But after ruling out her early leads, Emma still hasn’t found Sutton’s killer. A lot of people wanted her dead—but one name keeps popping up: Thayer Vega. When the gorgeous and mysterious Thayer returns to town, Emma has to move fast to figure out whether he’s back for revenge…or if he already got it. (Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

My Review

I did not enjoy this book as much as the second one, Never Have I Ever, but I still enjoyed it. This book seemed to repeat many of the events from the second book just with a different story. The date that Emma have in the middle of the book seems similar to the photography date from the second book. In the second book Emma struggles with deciding to date Ethan or not and in this book decides if she wants to tell Sutton's friends they are dating. These events are similar and have related results.

I was surprised that Emma still made mistakes in the romantic department in this book. I would thought that after the conflicting events in the previous book between her and Ethan, she would be able to just tell the truth of their relationships. Emma also suffers an identity crisis in the middle of the book where she starts behaving like Sutton and lying to much. All the pretending she is do is changing her personality to become similar to Sutton a bit. Emma is still funny and nice but she is unsure of who she really is in this book. She struggles with Sutton's friends and sister being mad at her.

I enjoyed the moments between Emma and Thayer in this book. I am glad to find out what Thayer and Sutton's relationship was really like. I enjoyed the flashbacks more than usual in this book because Sutton and Thayer's relationship is exciting to read about. I wish there were more moments like the last two chapters between Thayer and Emma. I am excited to see how their relationship changes in the next book.

I also liked how there were bonding moments between Emma and Mrs. Mercer. The last two books barely touched the relationships between Sutton and her adopted parents. With Mr. Mercer, I am curious to see why he dislikes Thayer so much.

Mostly, this book series is easy to become obsessive with. It has interesting mysteries that still need to be solved. This story is more than just the mystery of who killed Sutton. It also includes mysteries about the other characters past actions and deceptions that could have resulted in the murder. Sara Shepard is an amazing writer whose creates chapters that are coherent and enjoyable to read.

Theories:

Might contain spoilers.

Who do I think the killer is?

I think the killer is Ethan because of the prank that Sutton pulled on him freshman year. I found several instances throughout this book where he acted a little shifty. I also do not think it is a coincidence that the killer has not bothered Emma since Court Party and that the incident at the court party occurred after Emma rejected him.

Another possibility, is Garret. He is the only teenage character that does not have a definite alibi. He could have slipped once he saw Sutton and Thayer together on August 31st, the night of Sutton's death. The reason I am a little doubtful he is the killer is because he does not act at all like he knows Emma is not Sutton. All his interactions in the series make it appear like he is just jealous and mad at Emma.

What I am wondering?

I have a feeling that whoever hurt Thayer is the killer, but I feel there could be chance the car stealer isn't the killer. The car stealer could be Sutton's dad punishing Thayer for returning and meeting with his adopted daughter. I highly doubt that Sutton's dad could be the killer, but feel that he hates Thayer enough to punish him.

Alas, I can't wait to Hide and Seek!

Out July 31, 2012

Down Memory Lane

2012-02-05T20:22:00.001-05:00

Since I am about to embark a busy week, I decided to devote today as the day as my first ever Down Memory Lane post where I post a memory I have where I first found an unforgettable book.

One day I went to the bookstore looking for a happy, easy read after reading the dark survival tale of Oblivion Road by Alex McAulay. I searched the bookshelves for a realistic fiction romance. My eyes caught onto a bright beautiful cover, look at it, of a girl and a boy. My eyes then wandered to read the synopsis. Ah, a girl in love, dealing with confrontations and heartache. A perfect relaxing read. When I left the bookstore that day, I had no idea I pick up a vampire love story. I knew by reading the first page though.

What is your favorite book memory?

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

2012-02-05T20:04:00.000-05:00

Seraphina Ames is living an eternal life with the consequence provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.

Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she's his again, and every moment she stays, she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care about in danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?

(Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

The cover is beautiful. The shadows are a perfect way to show that Sera lived in many lives as the same person.

Yesterday I reviewed my favorite book with the similar plot devise of having a character pretend to be another character. This book is a definite runner-up.

This is a brilliant book. It starts out fast and keeps getting more and more interesting from there. The prologue is one of the most exciting prologues I have read in a long time. Cyrus's magic is amazing. Sera seeing her mother for the last time was heartbreaking. I felt connected to Sera from the first page; it is rare for me to become connected to characters early on. She is smart and a tragic hero who lives in regret for her life as an incarnate.

The novel gradually got more addicting. William's magnificent writing flowed well and the plot was constantly changing. Sera's mistakes were reasonable and understandable. I sometimes am amazed at how idiotic characters can be in tough situations, but Sera always managed stay tough and levelheaded after she survived confrontations and came into contact with the results of her mistakes.

This book lacked action, but it remained engaging. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance YA books.

Ambiguous Ending

I completely disliked how ambiguous the ending was and how I am not sure exactly what occured. I have a guess but I will not know for sure if I am right till the next book comes out ages. I hope Williams makes her next book's ending more clearer because I always like to know for sure what truly happened in a book.

Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard

2012-02-04T17:42:00.001-05:00

I am extremely happy today! There are only two more days till the third book in the Lying Game series arrives in stores!

Synopsis Thats Chilling:

One day, Emma was living her normal life as a foster kid. The next she finds out she has a dead identical twin sister named Sutton and that she has to pretend to be Sutton or she will be killed next. In this book, she struggles with falling in love with the only person who knows her secret, two devious twins and desperately tries to find her sister's killer.

Review Thats Bursting:

In the excitement for the next book in the Lying Game series, I decided to re-read this book. Someone pretending to be someone else is pretty much a plot device that makes me want to buy a book. During the last year, I read many other books with this type of plot turner. But this is for sure the best! I will read any books that contains this plot turner because I always love discovering how the characters in these books try to act like someone else. I love reading their funny mistakes and struggling with them to discover who they are playing really is in this type of plot.

Emma and Sutton are dimensional and intriguing characters. Emma is so lovable, funny and creative. What she accomplishes in this book is amazing. I highly doubt I would be able to pretend to be someone else as well as she. She is very caring and smart. I love how much Sutton has changed since she was alive and how well she is learning.

At first, the narrative style of this novel was confusing, but after reading two books I am starting to get use to it. This book is in the first person point of view of the dead girl, Sutton, and the third person view of Emma. Sara Shepard is a fabulous writer. She obviously has been writing for years because her writing is intelligent and cohesive. I love how each chapter only shows the important events and skips through gratuitous chatter. This book is a page turner that I enjoy because the story is constantly changing while new mysterious are unearthed and old ones are solved. I can't wait to find out what really happened between Thayer and Sutton before he ran away.

There is only one reason why this book is not perfect. The side characters are pretty flat. Madeline, Charlotte and the Twitter Twins do have intriguing and influential back stories but have no personality besides fitting stereotypes so far. Hopefully that will change in the next few books.

Overall, I am excited for the next book, Two Truths and A Lie, coming out on Tuesday. I can't wait to find out more about Sutton's and Thayer's history.

4 STARS

Waiting On Wednesday

2012-02-01T05:50:00.001-05:00

This is my first time doing this weekly meme hosted by Jill@BreakingTheSpine

The Book I Am Waiting For...

The Ivy 3: Rivals by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Released: March 6 2012

Decisions, decisions . . .

You’ve survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the state of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don’t succeed, you should probably stop trying), friendships (C-minus, since she and former BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don’t even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threaten to thwart Callie’s resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for—

Grace Lee
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side—and a suitor—has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

(Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

Why am I seriously excited for this book?

The previous book in this series was my favorite book of 2011. My review of Secrets explains my reasons for loving that book. I am sure this book will be even more amazing. This series has one of the few love triangles that I do not despise because both boys are cool and have more depth then craving for romance. The plot is constantly changing and each character gets their shinning moment. I am sure that Rivals is going to be as unforgettable as the previous two in this series!

What are you looking forward to this year?

The Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelley

2012-01-31T21:53:00.004-05:00

Synopsis

Mattie Gokey promised now dead Grace Brown that she will burn Grace's letters. Curious, Mattie instead reads the letters and discovers the mystery of her lifetime. This novel describes life in the early 20th century as a farmer and student. Mattie is an intelligent student that is struggling with many problems. Including dealing with her mothers death and her father's strict parenting.

Review

This is a remarkable book. I enjoyed this book, despite not usually liking the historical fiction genre, because this novel contains characters with the same feelings and motivations as my generation, except in it's set of a different time period. I can relate to Mattie because she is also a bookworm and cares for her sisters and is unsure what she should accomplish in her life. She is unsure is she should be responsible and stay with her family or do what she wants and go to college. Her fellow characters, especially her father, are against her aspirations to go to college. Mattie has responsibility to help her family because her mother is died, her only brother left and she is the oldest daughter; the one in charge.

I found this book to be pretty normal and not too exciting till the part of the novel where she realizes what really happened to Grace Brown in the present sections of the novel and starts working at Glenmore during the past sections of the novel. The first few times I read this book, I felt confused because the narrative structure is constantly changing times and every chapter present an entirely new event. Now that I enjoyed this book enough, I figured out the secret to understanding the narrative structure. I am a little embarrassed that I never noticed before this time that each past chapter has a word of the day before it and each present chapter has nothing signally a new chapter besides a blank space.

The buildup of the novel was a bit dull because this novel was following the writing style of establishing the characters for the majority of the novel and less on plot. Still, there are many enjoyable stories in the first part of the novel. I liked the scenes where Weaver and Mattie word duel, Mattie and Royal talking each other and the story of how Mattie's father and mother eloped together. Mattie's parents are amazing foils to the love or hate relationship of Grace Brown and Chester. Sadly, at that point the novel is not amazing because it was slow and all the events blended together. None the events stood out and captured my imagination. The beginning was, to put it plainly, non-rememberable.

In contrast, the last part of the novel is moving and amazing. This part of the novel is why, I think, it won an award. In this part, horrible events take place and secrets to mysterious are revealed at perfect times. The author's writing is spot on and describes vividly all the events that occur. Mattie finally decides to stop listening to what everyone tells her to do, and starts making her own decisions based on what she deserves. I found the ending moving and felt sad when it ended. I was glad, though, because everything was not perfect, but ended well enough. This part includes a brief escape from the serious tone to a funny prank that Mattie and her friends do that is hilarious to read. I love this part because it concluded all the events into a poignant resolution that was plausible. I love how I was able to relate and care about all the characters and understand there pains. This is definitely the one historical fiction novel that should not be missed.

4 Stars!

Feature & Follow

2012-01-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

I tend to enjoy most book genres because each genre has amazing features. I only tend to avoid the non-fiction genre because when I read books I want to discover a world that is different from my own.

Everyone's a Critic by Paul Ruditis

2012-01-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

School's out, but the drama never stops at the superposh Orion Academy. Hartley Blackstone -- the famous director, producer, choreographer, and genuine Broadway icon -- has chosen Orion to hold auditions for one lucky guy and girl to attend his summer theater program in New York City.

Naturally, every wannabe-It girl and boy at Orion is going mad, prepping to win Blackstone's approval. With any luck, it could be Bryan and his BFF, Sam, stepping onto a Broadway stage.

But Mr. Blackstone, known for his notoriously harsh critiques, is capable of crushing hearts and shattering dreams with a single word. Bryan will need more than his snarky wit and cute smile for this one. He's got to bring it!

Now if he could just figure out exactly what it is...

(Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

This is the book I always remember every time I do not get into the cast or receive a callback for a play. There is a character in this book that discovers he cannot act. Then he becomes depressed till he learns there is more to the theater business thenacting; he can still be successful in the competitive world of theater as a director or crew chief.

If you enjoy theater or laughing, this is the book for you.

Theater: All the theater stereotypes are in this book: the character actor, the natural actor, the drama queen, the goth, the evil villainess. There is a united family community contained in the club. The theater geeks all know each other, their talents and place in the community. The audition process is nerve-racking and everyone feels awful and hopeful after their audition. Negative critiques from a famous director causes anxiety and tears.

There is a few side stories in this book. Bryan and his best-friend Sam try to reunite a recently broken up couple; one is their other best friend Hope and the other is Bryan's ex-best friend Drew. I find their strategies ineffective but amusing to read about. Another sub-plot is Bryan and his friends fighting against their enemy, the amazing actress Holly Mayflower. The animosity between the groups is obvious and realistic.

The main reason I like this book is because it tells the true world of high school theater and is an amusing read. This book has simple plot that is based around a competition. I find all the characters special because they each have their own individual role to play. I enjoy how they fight when stressed, but always remain to help each other in the end.

Feel Free to Leave Comments.

Bad Girls Don't Die Review

2012-01-25T06:06:00.000-05:00

When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister - but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

(Synopsis provided by GoodReads)

When I was in middle school, a friend of mind told me a scary storyabout a family that bought a doll named Lucy. In the story, Lucy creeps up thestairs and kills the whole family. This book takes that sort ofnightmare-esque story and expands it into a paranormal mystery.

Prepare to be amazed. I read this book for the third time yesterday,and still found myself fascinated by the spooky tone of this amazing book.

The book starts out slow and full of clichés. Then, it becomes moreinteresting when Kasey’s possessions begin and Lexi starts to lower her guardand interact more with other characters.

This book has great romance; I found myself eager to read the nextmoment between Lexi and Carter. Carter is a sweet, normal and interestingcharacter that was a perfect match for Lexi. The places where Carterenters a scene are random, but his scenes are amusing. I especially enjoy hisentrance of opened a door that banged onto Lexi’s head.

The terror: While reading, I waited in suspense to see what Kaseywould do next. Lexi receives several spooky memories that describe theevil doll’s past treacheries and history. Kasey’s eerie possession is gradualand the stages are shown well. At first, Kasey is pretty normal and justexperiencing some instances of blank memory. Then, Kasey starts hurting Lexiand scaring everyone in the town.

The realism: The book consists of a typical awkward family dinner, ateenager striving for independence, a beloved hobby and the relationshipbetween sisters. Lexi’s family has trouble communicating at dinner. The maincharacter’s flaw is trying to hard to solve her problems by herself. I enjoyedreading about Lexi’s photography hobby; I love how Lexi used her skills in thishobby to solve one part of the mystery. Lexi and her adorable sister Kaseyfought many times in this novel, but in the end show that they are always thereto help each other out.

I liked how the friendship between Lexi and Megan was gradual. Lexiextremely disliked Megan in the beginning, so it was understandable why it tookforever for them to finally work together. They only started working togetheronce they resolved their differences. Megan’s past was interesting to learn andadded depth to her character.

I enjoyed how all the main characters ended up in the climax at theend of the novel. I admired Lexi and the other’s bravery. This was an awesomedebut novel with an entertaining plot.

Feel Free to Leave Comments!

Busting The Newbie Blues

2012-01-21T17:39:00.000-05:00

When did you start your blog?

I started this blog on January 16, 2012.

Why did you start your blog?

I started this blog to share why I loved my favorite books as a child and the future books I will read. I re-read so many books during my lifetime that i finally wanted to share why I re-read them so much! I also want to get to know the blogging community.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

Getting followers, finding time to review and formatting.

What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?

Not being sure if my reviews are as good as well-establsihed bloggers and not knowing the community at all.

What do you find most encouraging?

Comments, definitely! How much advice I found on other bloggers websites.

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

I like blogs that give genuine and informative reviews. I also like blogs that have fantastic backgrounds.

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?

I dislike summarizing stories. I try to avoid this.

Any advice for other new bloggers?

Just have fun blogging.

Any questions you'd like to ask newbie or established bloggers?

What is the best way to get involved in Blog Tours or Author Interviews?

Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? Feel free to link a few of your favorite posts or posts you wish had more comments.

I spend most of my time reading and love discussing books. My blog will sometimes include a mini-fanfiction (there is one under my Secrets Review)

Thank You SmallReview for creating this event and BewitchedBookworms for the link!

Ray

Cirque Du Freak IV: Vampire Mountain by Darren Shan

2012-01-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

I will always remember the wintery day I discoveredthis amazing book at a private book store on my way to Florida. This is thefourth book of the Cirque Du Freak saga, the first book of the saga I read andmy first Young Adult book.

The previous three book of the series describes howa young boy named Darren Shan visited a magical freak show, became a vampire,fought a wolf-man and helped his sire (Mr. Crepsley) defeat a mad vampanease(Murlough). A vampanease and vampires are the two creatures of the night inthis saga that are rivals. Vampires only drink a little blood people and have anold-fashioned government, while vampanease kill their victims and have nobalanced government.

Vampire Mountain chronicles an exciting trek to a mountain in themiddle of nowhere. Somehow, Shan was able to keep the trip amusing to readabout. I admire how well the Shan was able to go through so much time easilyand only incorporated exciting events. This book’s reminders of the rigidstructure of the vampire government was interesting because they were spacedout through went they were relevant to Darren’s journey. Darren’s mentors (Mr.Crepsley, Seba, Kurda and Mr. Tiny) all are interesting characters that giveDarren wise advise. There is no character scarier then Mr. Tiny; he takesdelight in catastrophes and deals with ghosts. The wolves were very cute andreminded me of my dog. I was as sad as Darren when he had to say goodbye tothem.

I liked learning the origins of the Little People from Harkat Mulds (theLittle Person Who Speaks, previously known as Lefty). The threat of theVampanese Lord was a great addition to the plot because it provides amysterious villain to fight that might led to the end of the vampire race. Itcreates a dangerous dilemma that leaves room for many more adventures thatserve a dangerous purpose. Also, the fight scenes were marvelously described. Darrendescribes his and his opponents moves with a variety of verbs and there is funny backstagecommentary.

This book is mostly a filler that leads into the next giant arc of thesaga; the trials. Shan was able to make a filler that has exciting moments and rings interesting questions that will be answered later on in the series. Theplot was fast paced, the characters were all relatable and the mood washorrific. I like how the book has a frightening world of terror and danger, whilestill having good vampires.

Feel free to leave comments!

2012-01-21T16:06:00.000-05:00

The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie

I just returned from Philly where I saw Mousetrap for the first time. It was amazing. The theater had beautiful red leather seats and a magnificent red curtain. The acting was excellent and the story contained an interesting plot. It was fun seeing an Agatha Christie mystery where I did not know who the murder was for the first time in ages. My favorite character was the Italian guy (Mr. Paravicini) ; I always loved hilarious characters. My favorite line of his was "With one finger". I was hoping that my guess of the schizophrenic young man (Christopher Wren) was going to me the mysterious alive brother, but not the killer of Mrs. Maureen Lyon and another character. I was completely surprised at who the killer turned out to be. My only complaint was that the seats were too small.

2012-01-17T21:29:00.000-05:00

My Top Three Childhood Books

1. The King’s Beard by Tish Rabe: This is an extremely cute book that rhymes. It has a funny story of how beards can cause war. It’s a true fairy tale that only takes two minutes to read. The illustrations are magnificent because they are very colorful and stylistic.

2. Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket: This is the fifth book in the famous Series of Unfortunate Events. I love this book because it is set in the most absurd boarding school and is the first book the Baudelaire orphans made friends. This book taught me many words like architect and my first Latin phrase Memento Mori “Remember you will die”.

3. Hidden Talents by David Lubar: Edgeveiw Alternative School is the school for rejects. And for teens with supernatural powers. It is easy to read, humorous and has a fantastic, simple plot. It has a great male protagonist who struggles through adversity, convincing his friends of the truth and discovers that everyone has a special talent.

My next unforgettable book will be the fourth in a marvelous series that tells a tale about growing up and sacrifice.

The Ivy: Secrets Review

2012-01-16T20:20:00.000-05:00

There are so many reasons I cannotwait for the book The Ivy: Rivals by Lauren Kunze, coming out this year onMarch 6.

The Ivy sereis tells the story of the first year of college of a Californian named Callie.

The second book in this series, TheIvy: Secrets tells the story Callie's second half ofher first semester in college. As she struggles with exams, her love life,black mail and a ruin friendship with her old best friend, Vanessa, she learnsmany life lessons.

This book contains non-stop action,hilarious one-liners, memorable scene- no matter how many times I read it theLimerick’s dinner remains amazing- and characters that each have an amazingrole to play. This story is unique in its usage of literary techniques andproviding glimpses on what realistically goes on at college, in this caseHarvard.

Two characters that start with Mare amazing friends to Callie: Mimi and Matt. I love how Mimi always there tomediate peace, her carefree nature and occasional use of her native Frenchlanguage. Matt was a perfect friend for Callie to choose to, finally, tell hersecret too.

I love how it flawlesslytransitions throughout third person point of view and incorporates allusionsthat relate to events learned in school. My favorite lesson the prisonerdilemma game theory that reminds me more of detective stories then economics.

The Casablanca quotes during thelast chapter fitted perfectly with the plot’s dilemmas of love and how it is aseries of miscommunication and rivalry.

Ifyou have not read this unforgettable book yet, READ IT!

A Bit of CreativeWriting

The last line is amazing and I created a trillion scenariosfor the beginning of the third book. My favorite of my ideas is the following:

“Gregory!” a shrill voice cried loudly acrossthe room.

Calliecouldn’t stop looking in those beautiful blue eyes. That look like, for thefirst time in a long time, friendly. Ungrudging.

“Gregory”Alessandra came into to view. She hurriedly hugged Gregory and said “I so gladyou’re finally back.” noticing Callie and Clint, she smiled warmly at Callie. ”Oh,Hi Callie, looks like you’re dreams came true!”

Theories

1. OK is the Pudding dues hero.

2. Gregory told Clint already what happened atHarvard-Yale after the Fainting Debacle.

My next unforgettable book will bethe forth in a marvelous series that tells a tale about growing up.

Feel free to post theories,constructive criticism or talk about books in Comments.